A boy named Sue and a girl named Tiddler

Little M. is asking for post on how bilingual families choose their children's names. The big question is if and how does being a bilingual family influence your choice of names? I bet in most bilingual families the name choice question is somehow linked to the two (or more) cultures, and so it is in our home. We don't as such look for names that have to exist in both languages. But nonetheless, being a bilingual household has influenced our choice of name(s).

The situation is a bit compounded by my love for rather a lot of different cultures. So it's not just a British and German name book that I'd be looking at, no, I love the idea of picking a traditional Scottish name, Spanish name and Irish name. Ideally all in one. And it has to have some meaning that I like too. It has to sound nice and not be too average nor too unusual. Oh, and by the way, hubby has to like it too (which really complicates things as you can imagine ;-) ).

Mission impossible.

So, as for Cubling, I went into labour with a list of 9 names and picked one as I was rather drugged up but elated for having just about avoided the dreaded c-section and as I was holding Cubling in my arm for the first time. That's my excuse. But it's a good name (and we only realised how fitting it is for her later) and I've blogged about it before. It's a name that's easily pronounced in most languages I like, has meanings in many and almost exists in German (as an abbreviation of a longer name). Our choice for a baby girl name this time is already set (we had 9 names remember) and it's lovely because it actually exists in English, German and Spanish, has fab meanings, is easy to pronounce. The only drawback is spelling which differs between languages. And no, we haven't decided on spelling yet.

But oh to find a boy's name. We do have some contenders, but none of them ticks all the boxes. They are either odd in German or odd in English. My favourite names have been taken by friends. Not once, I wouldn't mind that, but 2-3 times each which is a bit much. There is a mutual exclusiveness between looking for an Irish name and having an easy pronunciation/spelling in German which doesn't stand the choice for any Irish name in good stead. Scottish names fare only mildly better. I have a few favourite German names that my beloved really doesn't like. So we're still looking - and I may just toss the principles into the air and go for the name we both like best.

Cubling has it sorted of course. She's telling everyone the baby's called Tiddler. Oh, and according to her, it's going to be a baby girl anyway. Sorted.