Need help with a Mexican middle name!

[soul-inside.livejournal.com]

I need your help! My baby has arrived, but we still have not registered him yet--- here in Mexico you have forty days to register, and thus, give your baby his name officially. However, we are a bit torn with the name. In fact, we were getting ready this morning, when I told my husband, I think I want to change the middle name- I really want him to have a Mexican name as well.
We gave him Dominic as his first name and we are very happy with that. Well mostly, it is driving me crazy that everyone here attempts to spell it and pronounce it "Dominique" the girl's version. Even when I spell it out.. even when I type it in a chat box they end up spelling it wrong.
The middle name we were planning to use is/was Nureddin... it is a sufi/arabic/muslim name. It reflects part of our background .. at the last minute, my DH (and he is Mexican) and I have decided that it is best to give him a Mexican name too. & I love the idea because I don't think either my son nor I will be cool with people calling him "Dominique" everytime he comes to Mexico!!! And Nureddin is equally confusing and hard to pronounce here.
But the problem is, we are pretty clueless as to what Mexican/Hispanic name to give him. Any suggestions for Spanish/Mexican/Hispanic names would be appriciated. Mayan or Aztec names will be considered as well. We would like something not incredibly common. One name we have considered is "Elias". That's the Spanish version of "Elijah".
So his name will be, Dominic >middle name< Lepe! Please help!

Thanks in advance!

Comments

[my-little-voice.livejournal.com]

I <3 Elias.

[soul-inside.livejournal.com]

Do u think it sounds good w/ the rest? I thought maybe there were too many syllables?

[sageharper.livejournal.com]

Congrats :)
Dominic Elias Lepe is very handsome.

There's a pretty comprehensive list here ...
http://www.behindthename.com/nmc/spa_m.php

[pegasus2o5.livejournal.com]

Here are some Hispanic names that I like very much:

Mateo
Javier
Tomas
Miguel
Alejandro
Rafael
Ramon
Leon (I like the Spanish prn. much better than the English)
Antonio
Arturo
Teo/Teodoro
Gregorio
Cristian
Nicolas
Jaime
Damian/Damiano

[thismakebelieve.livejournal.com]

I don't know what's wrong with people that they can't pronounce Dominic. There's nothing wrong with the name, it's just something wrong with the people =)

[spaceandclouds.livejournal.com]

Dominic Elias is absolutely beautiful, I think.

here (http://www.20000-names.com/male_spanish_names.htm) are also quite a few unusual Spanish names!

[monkey-fruit.livejournal.com]

Congratulations! :D

I quite like Elias; Dominic Elias Lepe... Sounds nice. :)
Someone else suggested Alejandro- it's not uncommon, but I like that one, too.

[ringsandcoffee.livejournal.com]

I just had a bunch of parent teacher conferences today, and I was surprised how many of my Mexican boys are named after their fathers.

I love the name Elias, but I pronounce it ee-lie-us.

[soul-inside.livejournal.com]

its bc the short i sound doesnt exist in spanish.. but i definately appreciate the moral support!

[harinakshi.livejournal.com]

Dominic Elias sounds great to me. Of course, I've always liked Dominic and my son's name is Elijah, so I might be bias;)

[soul-inside.livejournal.com]

Oh i like that pronounciation. Of course, here it's pronounced ay-leeee-us. I offered my husband to give him his name, but he didn't want to!

[soul-inside.livejournal.com]

i wish we liked it bc then we'd cover both arab & mexican culture!

[soul-inside.livejournal.com]

done & done! He is officially Dominic Elias :)

[qalanjo.livejournal.com]

LOL, there *are* people in the world whose native language isn't English.

[qalanjo.livejournal.com]

I think Nureddin was a great choice...why does the baby's whole name have to be Spanish/Mexican and reflect only dad's heritage? Unless you're part Mexican (maybe you're mixed but you specified that you were Arab). Well, Elias is also the Arabic version of Elijah, but it's pronounced eel-YAS.

[qalanjo.livejournal.com]

I personally know two Arab Elias-es, so the name is common but not extremely popular. More popular in the Levantine countries like Lebanon and Palestine.

[soul-inside.livejournal.com]

Actually I am not Arab. Nureddin reflects our religious/spiritual beliefs. I am the average run of the mill American with mixed European heritage. He is Mexican. So we had to choose 2 names from 3 cultures. Dominic- American. Elias- Mexican.. but so good to know that there is an Arab version of the name, and of course it makes sense that there is!
We decided to do it this way, and then like us, he will have his spiritual name as well. He's got a lot to figure out... how he is going to identify- Mexican, American, or by his religious roots. Maybe he will find a way to balance all three.
I definately plan on calling him Nuri at home and in the mosque though!

[thismakebelieve.livejournal.com]

LOL I know, but it sure looks like she's speaking english to me!

[prlsb4swiine.livejournal.com]

First off Congrats!

Secondly, I like what nazarboncuk said, Elias is Arab. :) But I've seen it spelled "Ilias" :) But in spanish the first 'I' would be elongated, no? :) Nureddin is a beautiful name as well, but again, I've seen different spelling, "Noor-ud-din"

[Psst... I plan on naming my son "Jalal-ud-din" ;) Great minds think alike, no? :D]

And Nuri is an adorable nickname. ;)