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HelpSlovakian names and a question
Which Slovakian names do you like, if any? Link to the list:
http://www.behindthename.com/nmc/cze.php
I'm half Slovakian but I've never felt like I connected with any names from that part of my heritage. For that matter, I've never felt any specific connection to Dutch, German or French names either. The only ones that I've really liked were the ones that I know were used on real people in my family. Well, I take that back. There's a miniscule drop of Spanish blood in my family, and I do have quite a feeling of comfort when I look at Spanish names. But I'm not sure that counts. So on to the question! Do you feel a personal connection with the names from your heritage? Any special feelings? Would you consider using a name from your heritage on your children (especially but not specifically if you live in an English speaking country but are not ethnically...British?)?
http://www.behindthename.com/nmc/cze.php
I'm half Slovakian but I've never felt like I connected with any names from that part of my heritage. For that matter, I've never felt any specific connection to Dutch, German or French names either. The only ones that I've really liked were the ones that I know were used on real people in my family. Well, I take that back. There's a miniscule drop of Spanish blood in my family, and I do have quite a feeling of comfort when I look at Spanish names. But I'm not sure that counts. So on to the question! Do you feel a personal connection with the names from your heritage? Any special feelings? Would you consider using a name from your heritage on your children (especially but not specifically if you live in an English speaking country but are not ethnically...British?)?
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Another Slovak names:
Adléta, Agáta, Alena, Aleš, Alojz, Alojzia, Alžběta, Alžbeta, Anděl, Andělín, Anjela "ahn-yeh-lah", Antonín, Apolena, Apoliena
Bára, Bartolomej, Bedřich, Bjela, Bohdan, Bohumil [nn (Bob)by], Bohumila, Bohumír, Bohumíra, Bohuslav [nn Bobby], Bohuslava, Boleslav, Bolek, Borivoj, Borek, Božena, Božidara, Branislav, Bronislav, Bronislava, Bronia, Branislava, Bratislav
Čeněk, Ctibor, Ctirad, Čestmír, Ctislav
Dalibor, Dalimil, Dalien, Danica, Darina, Dobromil [nn Dobby], Dobroslav, Dorota, Doubravka, Drahoslav, Drahoš, Drahomíra, Drahoslava, Drahomíra, Dušan, Dáša
Eliška, Evžen
František, Františka, Hana, Hania, Havel, Hedvika, Honza, Hynek
Iška, Irena, Iva, Ivana, Ivan, Iveta, Ivona
Jáchym, Jakub,
Adléta, Agáta, Alena, Aleš, Alojz, Alojzia, Alžběta, Alžbeta, Anděl, Andělín, Anjela "ahn-yeh-lah", Antonín, Apolena, Apoliena
Bára, Bartolomej, Bedřich, Bjela, Bohdan, Bohumil [nn (Bob)by], Bohumila, Bohumír, Bohumíra, Bohuslav [nn Bobby], Bohuslava, Boleslav, Bolek, Borivoj, Borek, Božena, Božidara, Branislav, Bronislav, Bronislava, Bronia, Branislava, Bratislav
Čeněk, Ctibor, Ctirad, Čestmír, Ctislav
Dalibor, Dalimil, Dalien, Danica, Darina, Dobromil [nn Dobby], Dobroslav, Dorota, Doubravka, Drahoslav, Drahoš, Drahomíra, Drahoslava, Drahomíra, Dušan, Dáša
Eliška, Evžen
František, Františka, Hana, Hania, Havel, Hedvika, Honza, Hynek
Iška, Irena, Iva, Ivana, Ivan, Iveta, Ivona
Jáchym, Jakub,
This message was edited 1/11/2011, 9:53 AM
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Wow! Thank you for the list! It's going to take me some time to get through it (trying to pronounce everything and all), but I really appreciate it. I don't know how, but I just this moment for the first time noticed Zikmund, and I think I'm in love.
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I like tons of names from that list!
However I can't really relate to your problem as I have only one cultural heritage which is German. I do like names from other cultures and many of them don't even feel that foreign to me which I guess is not at all rare in Europe. Many European cultures share a great deal of their names and we are usually brought up with the English language and quite a bit of American culture too. So those names aren't really foreign to us either.
Now would I use a foreign name on my kid? I think the same standards apply here for Slovakian names as they do for English names from my point of view. Yes, I would if I thought the FN would go with the LN and if the name was pronounceable to the people in my country as long as it's not a trendy name (like Kevin used to be; I would never use Kevin because it's what I call 'trendy-trashy-foreign'). I think 'connecting' to names is nothing but habituation. If you get to know a person named something really foreign and odd to you at the beginning, you will most certainly change your mind about the name over time.
However I can't really relate to your problem as I have only one cultural heritage which is German. I do like names from other cultures and many of them don't even feel that foreign to me which I guess is not at all rare in Europe. Many European cultures share a great deal of their names and we are usually brought up with the English language and quite a bit of American culture too. So those names aren't really foreign to us either.
Now would I use a foreign name on my kid? I think the same standards apply here for Slovakian names as they do for English names from my point of view. Yes, I would if I thought the FN would go with the LN and if the name was pronounceable to the people in my country as long as it's not a trendy name (like Kevin used to be; I would never use Kevin because it's what I call 'trendy-trashy-foreign'). I think 'connecting' to names is nothing but habituation. If you get to know a person named something really foreign and odd to you at the beginning, you will most certainly change your mind about the name over time.
This message was edited 1/11/2011, 2:32 AM
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From my list: Katarina, Ivanka, Mila, Svetlana
You have so many good ones to choose from here!
My favorite girl name on the list you linked is definitely Katarina. My favorite boy name on the list is easily Valentin. They have both been on my list for a while now.
Here are all the ones I really like (many are on my list):
Girls- Adela, Adriana, Alena, Amalia, Helena, Ivanka, Iveta, Jana, Katarina, Mila, Paulina, Svetlana
Boys- Alois, Gabriel, Konrad, Stanislav, Valentin, Vladislav
To answer your other questions:
~I live in the U.S., and I'm of British descent.
~I love English names, as expected.
~But I also have a weakness for Hungarian and Italian names.
~I would use any name from any ethnicity or background as long as it was a great name
You have so many good ones to choose from here!
My favorite girl name on the list you linked is definitely Katarina. My favorite boy name on the list is easily Valentin. They have both been on my list for a while now.
Here are all the ones I really like (many are on my list):
Girls- Adela, Adriana, Alena, Amalia, Helena, Ivanka, Iveta, Jana, Katarina, Mila, Paulina, Svetlana
Boys- Alois, Gabriel, Konrad, Stanislav, Valentin, Vladislav
To answer your other questions:
~I live in the U.S., and I'm of British descent.
~I love English names, as expected.
~But I also have a weakness for Hungarian and Italian names.
~I would use any name from any ethnicity or background as long as it was a great name
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~I would use any name from any ethnicity or background as long as it was a great name
I would love to do that, but I worry that people will feel like I'm butting in on their culture. Just for instance, there are a lot of Hebrew names that I love, but I'm not Jewish. I'm not even Christian. How would I explain that to someone if they asked? I don't know if people are quite that accepting just yet.
I would love to do that, but I worry that people will feel like I'm butting in on their culture. Just for instance, there are a lot of Hebrew names that I love, but I'm not Jewish. I'm not even Christian. How would I explain that to someone if they asked? I don't know if people are quite that accepting just yet.
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As you know, there is a difference between ethnicity and religion. As a christian, I would be annoyed if a non-christian named their child God. But as a person of English descent, I would not be annoyed if a person not of English descent named their child something English.
If for some reason, a Hungarian person, or any person for that matter, comes up to me and asks why I used a Hungarian name, eventhough I am not Hungarian, I will simply say something like, "It is just one of my favorite names," and leave it at that. They don't need a long explanation.
If for some reason, a Hungarian person, or any person for that matter, comes up to me and asks why I used a Hungarian name, eventhough I am not Hungarian, I will simply say something like, "It is just one of my favorite names," and leave it at that. They don't need a long explanation.
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I like pretty much all of them. I have the same problem as you - I don't really connect with French, Irish, English, or Polish names. I don't think I'd use a name from that heritage on my kids - I'd hope my husband was from a heritage with names I liked better.
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I looked through the list and I like most of them! - I have a thing for Eastern European names, but no connection to them. Are there any Slovakian names in your family that you like?
I live in England right now but I'm Welsh (by birth, and mostly by heritage). I would absolutely use Welsh names if I had kids back home, but if they were likely to go to school here I probably wouldn't, as most of the names I like best would be pretty difficult for a kid to have here. I'd rather use one of the English family names than pick a more easily pronounceable Welsh name that I'm not that fond of, just for the sake of having a Welsh name, if that makes sense.
I'm 25% French and some % that-I-can't-be-bothered-to-calculate German, too. I've never really considered actually using French or German names, but they do feel comfortable and familiar.
I live in England right now but I'm Welsh (by birth, and mostly by heritage). I would absolutely use Welsh names if I had kids back home, but if they were likely to go to school here I probably wouldn't, as most of the names I like best would be pretty difficult for a kid to have here. I'd rather use one of the English family names than pick a more easily pronounceable Welsh name that I'm not that fond of, just for the sake of having a Welsh name, if that makes sense.
I'm 25% French and some % that-I-can't-be-bothered-to-calculate German, too. I've never really considered actually using French or German names, but they do feel comfortable and familiar.
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I am one quarter Slovakian! My paternal grandfather was born in what is now either the Czech Republic, or Slovakia...since they were part of Austria-Hungary back when he was born in 1894, I'm not sure which. My maiden name sounds very Slovak. I looked at the list but they all just look foreign to me. The only one I felt any connection to at all was Josef, because I know that was my great-grandfather's name.
So, in addition to the Slovak, I'm also part Irish, German, English, Scottish---but I don't feel a connection to any names from my heritage. They just look foreign and I feel that I can't even judge them for that reason. After all, I was born in the US and have spent all but one year of my life here, my parents were both born in the US and spent all of their lives here, and the same for three of my grandparents. I'm American. Nope, wouldn't consider using any name from my heritage.
So, in addition to the Slovak, I'm also part Irish, German, English, Scottish---but I don't feel a connection to any names from my heritage. They just look foreign and I feel that I can't even judge them for that reason. After all, I was born in the US and have spent all but one year of my life here, my parents were both born in the US and spent all of their lives here, and the same for three of my grandparents. I'm American. Nope, wouldn't consider using any name from my heritage.
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That's amazing! You're the second person I've met online who's part Slovak (which is 2 more than I've ever met in my real life). I still need to check immigration records for my father's family, but I'm 90% sure that I am Slovakian and not Czech.
I understand what you're saying. I've just always felt like I was cheated out of a cultural history by not having very close ties with any of my relatives. I don't even have close ties to one specific area of the US. I think that makes me want that connection all the more, even if I have to go back a few generations to find it.
I understand what you're saying. I've just always felt like I was cheated out of a cultural history by not having very close ties with any of my relatives. I don't even have close ties to one specific area of the US. I think that makes me want that connection all the more, even if I have to go back a few generations to find it.
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Just looking at the beginning of the list, I could easily name a child Adela or Augustin. :-)
I'm almost 100% Irish. My situation is different than most Americans, at least the ones from Europe. My parents both came to the U.S. in the 1950's (I was born in the 60's). My mother would take us kids back every other summer to her village in Ireland for the summer. My Dad would join us and we'd spend a couple of weeks with his family in England. (Both of his parents were from Ireland originally.) All but three of my extended family are in Ireland and England. I was raised on PBS and Masterpiece Theater. That's where my love for names really started.
So if I magically had a child tomorrow she / he would be either Niamh, Aoife or Mairead, Desmond, Malachy or Cormac.
I'm almost 100% Irish. My situation is different than most Americans, at least the ones from Europe. My parents both came to the U.S. in the 1950's (I was born in the 60's). My mother would take us kids back every other summer to her village in Ireland for the summer. My Dad would join us and we'd spend a couple of weeks with his family in England. (Both of his parents were from Ireland originally.) All but three of my extended family are in Ireland and England. I was raised on PBS and Masterpiece Theater. That's where my love for names really started.
So if I magically had a child tomorrow she / he would be either Niamh, Aoife or Mairead, Desmond, Malachy or Cormac.
This message was edited 1/10/2011, 3:37 PM
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Wow! So you were brought up very close to your culture then. Lucky! I'm a bit envious. The only strong European culture in at least one side of my family is German, and even then it's less German and more German-as-an-excuse-for-incredible-uptightness. I do plan on going to Slovakia and the Netherlands, France, Belgium and Germany someday. Just to get a feel for what the cultures are like. I really do wonder at what point a family looses what they brought over from their country of origin.
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lol
"German-as-an-excuse-for-incredible-uptightness"
*love*
"German-as-an-excuse-for-incredible-uptightness"
*love*
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You should go there. My BIL did the genealogy for my dh's family. So when he and I went to Germany we were able to go to the small village his ancestors were from.
I notice with my nieces that they have next to no interest in English / Irish culture. Sad. I'd say two generations and it's gone, unless you actively promote it.
I notice with my nieces that they have next to no interest in English / Irish culture. Sad. I'd say two generations and it's gone, unless you actively promote it.
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That is sad. But it's easy to not want something that you have, if you know what I mean. It's like when I was 13 to 16 years old, I colored my hair everything that I could get away with so that I didn't have to admit to myself that I was a natural blonde. My mom always told me that I'd appreciate it someday, and she was right. Maybe when your nieces have kids they'll start to appreciate English / Irish culture more.
This message was edited 1/10/2011, 4:10 PM
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I am Polish, German & Slovak. My husband is also German, and Hungarian as well. I like some POlish names but they would be too unusual & hard to pronounce in the US. I like a few German names and those are the only names I think we would consider using since that heritage is shared. In fact, Frederick is a family name on both sides so we would definately use that. Most names from our nationalities are very heavy and I like lighter, softer names so that is the main reason I wouldn't really use them. They aren't my taste.
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