Poll: Should I name my kid 'Otto'

[menschmaschine]

Schneemann, I like your thinking (trying to give him a German first name?), but I'm not crazy about Otto. Not sure why because I like unusual names, but Otto has weird associations.

Have you seen this list of German masculine names? If I have a boy, I want to give him a German first name, but stay away from ones that are difficult to pronounce for Americans or have Nazi-connotations. So far the only one I that I really like is Kai. Plus Kaiser here on HBT is pretty cool, so that's a plus.

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

All German names sound like they belong to Las Vegas tiger trainers to me.

 

[mmb]

The only Otto I know is a fairly big dude that golfs on a league I'm on.

if you both like the name then go for it. It's our responsibility as parents to screw up our kids just as badly as our parents screwed us up.

 

[schneemann]

Schneemann, I like your thinking (trying to give him a German first name?), but I'm not crazy about Otto. Not sure why because I like unusual names, but Otto has weird associations.

Have you seen this list of German masculine names? If I have a boy, I want to give him a German first name, but stay away from ones that are difficult to pronounce for Americans or have Nazi-connotations. So far the only one I that I really like is Kai. Plus Kaiser here on HBT is pretty cool, so that's a plus.

My real first name is a German name. It would be nice to have my son's name reflect his ancestry.
My ancestry is German, Dutch, and English (the latter two are german anyway, lol). My grandparents on my mother's side are immigrants. I am very proud of my heritage and also a very patriotic American.

My intent is to give him a name inspired by someone who did something great. Founding fathers of the US, influential philosophers, great leaders throughout history, that sort of thing.

My daughter's name is Alexandra, after Alexander the Great.

The problem is that some names have negative personal connotations, too.
Personally, I think James (after James Madison), Thomas (after Thomas Jefferson), Friederich (after Friederich Nietzsche), Arthur (after Arthur Schopenhaur), William (after William James), Patrick (after Patrick Henry) would all be great names. Problem is, all of them remind us of someone we personally hate.

Otto (after Otto Von Bismarck) is the first name I've come up with which is a) German, b) representative of a very important person, c) has no negative personal feelings attached to it.

 

[menschmaschine]

All German names sound like they belong to Las Vegas tiger trainers to me.

This from an Englishman.

I suppose he should name him Nigel. Yes... Nigel Saxe Coburg Gotha. Wait, some of that is German.

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

This from an Englishman.

I suppose he should name him Nigel. Yes... Nigel Saxe Coburg Gotha. Wait, some of that is German.

I'm only making plans...For Nigel....

Edit: "Nigel" would get him beat up in the UK too though.

 

[HBHoss]

My real first name is a German name. It would be nice to have my son's name reflect his ancestry.
My ancestry is German, Dutch, and English (the latter two are german anyway, lol). My grandparents on my mother's side are immigrants. I am very proud of my heritage and also a very patriotic American.

My intent is to give him a name inspired by someone who did something great. Founding fathers of the US, influential philosophers, great leaders throughout history, that sort of thing.

My daughter's name is Alexandra, after Alexander the Great.

The problem is that some names have negative personal connotations, too.
Personally, I think James (after James Madison), Thomas (after Thomas Jefferson), Friederich (after Friederich Nietzsche), Arthur (after Arthur Schopenhaur), William (after William James), Patrick (after Patrick Henry) would all be great names. Problem is, all of them remind us of someone we personally hate.

Otto (after Otto Von Bismarck) is the first name I've come up with which is a) German, b) representative of a very important person, c) has no negative personal feelings attached to it.

I think it's a great thing to link the name to someone other than just pulling something out of a hat. My youngest son's name has my father and my ex-fil's middle names and has the same initials as my Dad. I'm the youngest and I have the same initials as my Grandfather. It at least gives a reason for the name should it be something different. There's always Manfred or Erich.

 

[DonkeyShoes]

If you are going to use Otto von Bismarck as inspiration, I think the first name Bismarck would be even better. Otto reminds me of the bus driver from the Simpsons.

 

[TxBrew]

I've only known one Otto and he was crazy. Had the psycho eyes.

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

Being named after Bismarck does have one advantage. When he is older, He can play "Sink the Bismarck" with his lady friends. )

 

[olllllo]

Otto the Cotto Salami.

 

[olllllo]

auto
blotto, biscotto
cotto
dotto, domo arigotto
felatto
grotto
hotton totto
lotto
motto
notto
potto, pescatto, human parqaquatto (see Big Lebowski)
quatro
risotto
slotto, solozzo (Godfather)
totto
volotto (see Julian Lennon)
wotto
xotto
zotto

 

[menschmaschine]

Wir fahr'n fahr'n fahr'n auf der Ottobahn.

 

[Kilgore_Trout]

I have a chinchilla named Otto, after the same person.

I wouldn't do it. I like the name but he will probably resent you for it if he gets picked on. Go with something safe but not *too* generic.