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My baby is due December 3rd and I am having second thoughts about the names. We have picked out two names for each sex, just in case when the baby comes out, the names don't suit them.

We have picked out Scarlett June (with Poppy as back up)
And Theodore James (with Otis as a back up)

But the other day a friend commented that Theo was too "ethnic" for a white baby. to be honest i was a little offended. she said that she would assume Theo to be the name of a older greek man. So does Theo have these kind of connotarions?
I don't know, I love Theo and Otis, but maybe Otis would be a better choice.
Help?

Other names that we liked were
Hugo
Miles
Edward
Rory
April
Violet

Comments

[satunian.livejournal.com]

actually, if I were to assume race on a guy named Theo, I'd picture a young (late 20s to mid thirties) black man. Teo makes me think of an old Greek man.

I think Theodore is fine as a white name though, and you could always go the "whiter" way and call him Teddy instead (I always kinda saw Teddy as a flexible name, he could be a really sensitive sweet guy white a lot of female friends, or a football playing, sport loving jock... just some connotations in my head)

[satunian.livejournal.com]

PS, I love April and Violet, and I also love Miles and Edward, all much much better than Poppy and Otis. I actually don't like Otis at all, and I'd definitely consider using Miles or Edward instead. But between Otis and Theo, definitely Theo, there's nothing wrong with it.

[0o-faerie.livejournal.com]

Wow, I love pretty much all names you picked out! =)
But anyway...I think neither Theo nor Theodore sound ethnic. Really, not at all! Otis, however, is one of my favourite names, but I think that one sounds more ethnic than Theodore. Maybe just because I know some people called Theo, but no-one called Otis =)

[miss-tee.livejournal.com]

I know a Theodore (Teddy) and he is Greek but he's 7.

[areawoman.livejournal.com]

My brother's name is Theodore and we call him Ted (Teddy when he was little). I've never thought it was ethnic. My family is as white as they come (swiss anyone?).

[lneef.livejournal.com]

actually, if I were to assume race on a guy named Theo, I'd picture a young (late 20s to mid thirties) black man.

Me too. I blame the Cosby Show for this.

I think it's fine for a white baby.

[christhiane.livejournal.com]

I'd say! It's not your problem if she thinks of the name that way. If some people have these connotations, you can help broaden their horizon. Personally, I know a Scandinavian 7/8-year-old named Theo, and I remember a children's book about a little, red-head named Theo.

I think Theo is a way better choice than Otis, and Scarlett much better than Poppy. Otherwise I like your girls names.

[tryyingtoevolve.livejournal.com]

Theo is NOT "ethnic." It is a GORGEOUS name.

Plus, aren't Greeks technically...white?? lol.

Go with Theo. It fits any ethnicity and it's a much better name than Otis. No offense, but the names Otis and Poppy make me think of rednecks; I'm not sure why. Withe Theo and Scarlett, I don't assume anything.

[turn-it-upp.livejournal.com]

the only reason why i picture theo on a black man is because of the cosby show, but it doesn't matter any way! shooting a name down because it is "too ethnic" is ridiculous, especially with a name like theodore. i think both names that you have chosen are beauiful:)

[heather80.livejournal.com]

I was just going to blame the Cosby Show too, hehe.

[elemmennope.livejournal.com]

If anything Theo would make me think of a black teenager because i associate it with Theo on The Cosby Show. I definitely, definitely don't think it's a name someone of any ethnicity could use. It's a name very high on my personal list, and I'm white. I wouldn't hesitate to use it at all. It's a great name that falls in that perfect range of "everyone recognizes it and knows how to spell it, but no only know 10 other guys with the same name." Seriously, it's a great name. Don't doubt yourself because of one closed-mind.

[bluekoala.livejournal.com]

Otis definitely reminds me of a dude sitting on a porch with his wife Bertha, but Theo doesn't have ethnic connotations at all to me. Could be black, could be Greek, could be anyone. Actually, one of the first people I think of when I hear Theodore is Dr. Seuss :-)

Definitely stick with Theodore (Theo).

[missmaxattax.livejournal.com]

I've heard of a lot of (white)babies being named Theo.. especially lately.

But it DOES make me think of Theo on The Cosby Show.. lol. And Theodore makes me think of Teddy Roosevelt.

I think Scarlett June is the prettiest girl name..
and I love the name Miles(I think I'm set with that being the mn for my baby if it's a boy).

[missmaxattax.livejournal.com]

And Otis.. makes me think of:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/features/img/Artsblog/milo_otis_orig.jpg

[morphinae.livejournal.com]

I will quote some crude, but true humor..."Opinions are like buttholes..." well, you can finish the rest. Theodore is a perfectly lovely name, and ethnicity free :) Go for it if you like it.

[omfg----hxc.livejournal.com]

I think Theo is perfectly fine.

[queen-nala.livejournal.com]

That is just silly!
I think those are beautiful names.

[searlait.livejournal.com]

Theo makes me think of the hot guy from The Dreamers (not Michael Pitt, he is not hot).

Theodore/Theo is great. And you can call him Bear for short (Theodore -> Teddy -> Bear) which is a plus, because Bear makes me think of the hot guy from the Discovery Channel.

I do like Edward James, but Theodore James is great. Don't change it because your friend makes other connections in her head. This will probably happen with any name.

[pinkslit.livejournal.com]

this is bizarre, i remember you. mainly because my 5 month old is scarlett june as well and our cat's name is poppy. i love them both as well as violet. april, i don't care for much.

i love theo and miles and hugo. edward is kinda stuffy and "eddie" makes me think of a little mean kid for some reason. i agree with someone who said otis sounded like a redneck.

good luck and congrats!

[arbus.livejournal.com]

the name theodore is wonderful, and not ethnic sounding one bit. i have the cosby show reference too, but it is so dated now, that its not like its the first thing everyone is going to think when they meet your son.

i know a dog named otis. so, yea. a very sweet, very large, lovable dog, but a dog nonetheless. sorry.

i really like miles and violet (violet is nearing the top of my list) as alternates. scarlett june is beautiful, and i like poppy a lot too. i have a friend named penelope and her family calls her poppy.

my opinion is to stick with the names you have picked out! (except otis, sorry, it also doesnt have a really good nickname, who wants to be called odie? garfield, anyone?)

[dustkitty.livejournal.com]

Also, even old Greek men were once babies.

But I agree; Greece does not have exclusive rights to the name Theodore.

[solagirl.livejournal.com]

Me three - Cosby Show.

Your friend is off. Theo is fine for any baby.

[solagirl.livejournal.com]

They stink? I've never heard that phrase!?!

[nearlyalegume.livejournal.com]

I'm not surprised you were offended - what a blatantly stereotypical attitude!

There is nothing wrong with calling you baby Theodore and nicknaming him Theo - ethnic indeed! I think it's a lovely name, regardless of race, religion, color or creed, and if anyone suggests that it's 'too ethnic'... well, let's not go into what I think of attitudes like that, you did say it was your friend who said it.

You call your baby what you want to call him or her. It's your child, it's your choice, and don't concern yourself with ignorant comments, particularly those that are based on nothing.

[morphinae.livejournal.com]

You've never heard that?! Opinions are like buttholes, everyone's got them, and they usually stink. That's the gist of it, anyway. Told ya it was crude.

[coolteamblt.livejournal.com]

Theodore and Theo aren't ethnic at all to me! I'm going to blame the Cosby Show for making Theo seem ethnic. I don't think of Theodore as being particularly Greek at all. I think of names like Stavros and Constantine as being very Greek.

I think Otis sounds like an old black man, actually, much more than Theo. I think Edward or Hugo would be a better backup than Otis.

Scarlett June is so sweet! I like Poppy too. I also like Dahlia, Zinnia, and Violet, and Ivy for plant names. Violet is sweet, but makes me think of a shy child. Rory is a nice name, but I think of it as a nickname for Regina or Ronan instead of a given name.

[bobinwales.livejournal.com]

I LOVE Theo. It's one of my favourites. I definately don't picture an old, greek man...

Off your list I also love Hugo, Miles, Edward, Rory.

[lolzabeth.livejournal.com]

My son's name is Theo (not Theodore, just plain Theo) and he's definately NOT an older, greek man. He's a perfectly gorgous 10 month old, white baby! So tell your friend to sod off and leave our Theos alone! ;P lol

I'm not keen on Otis. There was a kids programme in the UK with an Aardvark called Otis when I was younger and that's all I can think of!
I really like Miles but Theo's still the best!

I also really like Scarlett.