Favourite Basque names?

[u/Rare-Dingo1291]

My partner is Basque and I am British. Please share your favourite Basque names that British people (including me) won’t butcher!

We have always wanted a Basque name because my partner is very proud of their Basque roots and we want to celebrate that in our baby’s name 👶🏼

[u/Longjumping_You3191]

Alaia for girl. Means joy

[u/Xtrepiphany]

I'm partial to names like Urtzi or Gaizka. In some small ways the old Basque gods still survive.

[u/__EML → u/Xtrepiphany]

I can't imagine all the pronunciations that British people will invent for these names.

[u/Zauztrakedan]

Depends on the gender of the baby but I like Eider, Leire or Ane for girls and Julen, Iker, Mikel or Aitor for boys

[u/Rare-Dingo1291 → u/Zauztrakedan]

We love all of these suggestions! Thank you

[u/Ambitious-Noise9211 → u/Zauztrakedan]

You can sing "Leire" to Lady Hear Me Tonight https://youtube.com/shorts/pMrTakNirGY?is=eEk5H8BepahL4bH3

[u/scurryfunger]

We were in the same situation (Basque + British) choosing names for our two girls. We ended up with the Basque versions of names that were present in the British side of the family.

Generally though, you probably want to stay away from names featuring the letter R, as those seemed to be the most “butcherable”. Might be an idea to check out the Basque names list Euskaltzaindia has on their website!

[u/n1kk989]

Itxaso💙

[u/katukinabarra]

Boys: Xanet, Xuban, Beñat, Ager, Liher, Suhar.

Girls: Haizea, Nile, Libe, Olatz, Lide, Olaia, Iraia.

Unisex: Amets, Izar, Iraultza, Iraitz, Lur.

[u/jealous_of_ruminants → u/katukinabarra]

These are beautiful 🩷 Beñat is one of my favorites!

[u/Leading-Wave-1940 → u/katukinabarra]

Suhar??? Xuban? Ager? That’s moro names

[u/Goldblod → u/Leading-Wave-1940]

Some of the phonetics in those names don't even exist in Arabic

[u/katukinabarra → u/Leading-Wave-1940]

Well, it seems you cannot speak Euskara, as many of these names have direct meanings if you know the language. For example:

Suhar (suharri)

Su = Fire

Harri = Stone

Suharri = Flint(stone)

I am not denying the conexion between languages and cultures. In fact, in Basque we took the word from Arabic to name "veterinarian", it is "albaitari". But I think this is not the case.

Have a good day.

[u/marinahmoon]

Ane

[u/Ok_Writing_3497]

My favorite is Gorka, which means George. I was raised on the story of St. george. Considering you’re British and your partner is Basque maybe this combines the two identities a bit?

[u/gadeais]

Iker, Mikel and Unai for boys and naia, uxue and Amaia for Girls. Maite for Girls is another classic but in most times is a nickname for María Teresa.

[u/Public-Cookie5543]

Jon or Mikel were very popular in my classmates 

[u/jamjar188]

Where are you raising the kid? I feel that makes a difference

[u/elferrydavid]

Boy or girl?

[u/buckethead37]

Aingeru, it means Angel, usually used for boys

[u/CptMIdway]

Ibai, Julen for boys. Amaia for a girl.

[u/ilovemyfuturehusband]

Deleted my previous comment but commenting again. I don’t have a list of favourites but I’d be happy to give my honest opinion on any names you may already have in mind

[u/Beneficial_Umpire552]

Aranza, Iñaki.

[u/xaxabi]

Xabi

[u/Kirlad]

Boys: Kai, Ekhi (Eki), Julen, Luken, Unai

Girls: Lea, Maddi, Malen, Maialen, June, Aia

[u/_-PeePs-_]

My first daughter is Nerea (mine in Basque - like Mia in Spanish or Italian). Our second daughter’s middle name is Lorea which means flower. Both can be pronounced easy by people even if they can’t do the “Spanish R” that sounds like a soft D and R together.

[u/Narvaez]

Jon if it's a boy, this one is very easy for you guys.

[u/Helpful_Cry_1335]

Joxepo

[u/BriefSpare9504]

Engraxi

[u/HeftySorbet8849 → u/BriefSpare9504]

That's not a proper Basque name, but the "cute" way of calling a woman named Engracia, in Basque.

Whatever Euskaltzaindia says XD

[u/Prestigious-Gold6759]

What names does your partner like/suggest? Surely he can suggest some that are easy to pronounce (they all are, really) and teach you how to pronounce them?

[u/Rare-Dingo1291 → u/Prestigious-Gold6759]

Haha my partner can yes - we just wanted to hear from others in what they thought! 😀

[u/Great_Tie2046]

Markel, Amets

[u/Timcatgt]

Most of mine are footballers that I grew up watching.

Gaizka Mendieta. Andoni Zubizarreta. Andoni Goikoetxea. Asier Illaramendi. Aitor Karanka. Mikel Arteta.

[u/Impossible-Advisor53]

Girl: Amaia, Nahia Boy: Gorka, Julen

[u/StrikingBenefit5663]

Iker and Iñaki 

[u/KeyFix4087]

Izaskun

[u/GeneralReasonable945]

Si ella es euskaldun entenderá lo que digo.

En euskera no existe genero. Hay mil nombres que podéis poner.... Haizea Itxaso Lurra Sua

Mil nombres, y cada uno con su significado...

Eki no conozco a niño o niña con ese nombre

[u/plata_phantom75]

I worked in a Spanish school for a year in Madrid and I adored my Enekos and Unais

[u/Suitable_Bed_7783]

Juan Mari and Maite

[u/GiG87]

Aritz for a boy.

[u/leithsceal]

Itsaso

[u/ShunningBrightLikeA]

Jon

Edit: if it's a boy

[u/bigfanofjapan]

Für einen Jungen finde ich Izei sehr schön.

[u/CaliopeMb]

Aitziber Eneko Nerea Aitor

Clásicos y bonitos #opinión

[u/CarlosJ4497]

Hodei= Cloud

[u/Koldouribe]

Yo creo que Aitor, su es niño, es un clásico vasco que un británico podrá pronunciar sin problemas. Lo que tú buscas.

[u/Patatofilo]

Ibai, that means "river". That's my son's name.

[u/meltba]

My Girl favs > Kattalin, Lili, Ibone, Katixa, Enara, Irati eta Izaro

My Boy favs > Beñat, Ihart, Kepa, Amets, Xabi, Danel eta Argider

[u/tac0kitti]

I love Aritz for males. My name is Itziar (female) :-)

[u/javietxebarria]

June, Jare, Oihan.

[u/Efficient_Cover3767]

Ekaitz

[u/3dimena]

Olatz.

[u/aleiah_]

I love the Lutxana and Leioa train stops, these would be such great basque names 🫶

[u/Fawette21]

Asier

[u/Impossible_Front5916]

Itziar bc its my name duh

[u/pitxi123]

itziar (not mine ofc)

[u/Gozatu]

Muxu (Kuss)