C. writes:
I am really torn and would love to hear from you and your readers regarding the name for my baby boy.
He is due in 9 weeks and I will be a single mom, so he is taking my last name, which is Lanzetta. My absolute favorite name is Luca, the problem is I have never exactly been a fan of alliterative names as I feel they can sound too “cutesy,” but didn’t plan on having to use my last name for my child until now. My plan has been to call the baby John Luca, as John is a family name (my grandfather’s, who is deceased) and it would be nice to honor him. However I plan on strictly calling the baby Luca, and don’t want to unnecessarily burden him with the hassles that come with having to always explain that he goes by his middle name. I am rethinking everything now and really wondering if I am making the right decision.
I know there have been other posts regarding using middle names as first names, and I have taken into consideration the pros and cons, so my question is, am I being silly in not using my absolute favorite name as a first name just because of the double L’s, especially when I plan on calling him only Luca anyway? Does the name sound too “cutesy?” I feel that when he grows up, John Luca may go over better professionally, but other than that I’m not really that big a fan of just the name John by itself and would hope he wouldn’t choose to go by that instead. On the other hand, I do like the flow of John Luca together and cannot think of a name that seems suitable as a middle name if I go with Luca as a first name. I just don’t think Luca John sounds quite right, so definitely open to suggestions and input here as well in terms of a middle name.
Finally, if I end up getting married one day, our last name will change, so it’s possible the alliterative thing would no longer be a factor. I know that I can’t plan for that or base his name off just the chance of this happening, but I can’t help but think this is a very real possibility.
What are your thoughts? I am having such a hard time making a decision and could really use your advice. Please help!!
Thank you!
I think if he’ll be known exclusively as Luca Lanzetta either way, it doesn’t help to make Luca his middle name. It’s all con and no pro: it adds the confusion/explanations of going by a middle name, and it doesn’t avoid any of the alliteration unless he ends up going by John, which you’d prefer he didn’t.
Luca Lanzetta is definitely alliterative (not only the repeating L-, but also the repeating -a at the end), but alliteration is a matter of taste: if it’s not too alliterative for you, I don’t think you have to rule it out just because alliteration is something you didn’t think you wanted. I think that happens a lot in baby-naming: we go into it thinking we want one thing, and before we know it, a particular name is overruling our rules.
I am usually not fond of alliteration, but I think Luca Lanzetta works very well. Part of it, I think, is the particular blend of syllables and sounds and rhythm: Luca Lazna wouldn’t work as well, for example. Another part of it is that Luca is an Italian boy name, and Lanzetta is a surname that brings that out beautifully. It doesn’t strike my ear as cutesy.
I think John sounds great as the middle name, and I like that it’s a family name. But if it isn’t working for you, I wonder if there are any other family members you’d like to honor. Are there any good surnames in the family tree that would work as middle names? Any authors or philosophers or actors or scientists you admire? Any names you liked a lot but didn’t want to use as a first name? If you love the name John except for something about the rhythm/sound just seeming a little off, I’d go ahead and use it: it’s rare for middle names to make much of an appearance after the birth announcements go out, and also rare for all three names to be said together. Or you could leave the middle name blank for now, and choose something later.
I think Luca John Lanzetta is a wonderful name.
Agreed. Lovely name! Go for it. :)
I love Luca Lanzetta, and I love the idea of honoring your grandfather. Agree that the flow isn’t quite perfect with Luca John, but Swistle makes a good point that it’s so rare to use the entire name, that this doesn’t have to be a deal breaker if you don’t know of another middle that works.
It’s hard to make other middle name suggestions without knowing too much of your style! Something short to go with the long (and very cool) last name, like:
Max
James
… Though John fits that requirement just as well. ;)
I agree. I usually am not into alliteration at all, but I REALLY like Luca Lanzetta. It’s the sort of name that will be memorable, and I don’t think it’s cutesy at all. I also don’t mind John in the middle, though i agree James sounds better.
If you aren’t fond of John as a middle name and are okay with not having a middle name altogether, then I think just Luca Lanzetta is a great stand-alone option. If you think both you and your son would take your husband’s last name if you were to get married in the future, Lanzetta could always be moved to his middle name spot then.
Oh… I like this option as well!!
This was going to be my suggestion as well. Use only Luca Lanzetta for now as it is perfectly acceptable not to have a middle name. Move Lanzetta to the middle name spot later on, if your son choses to take the last name of your future husband.
Count me also as one that does not normally like alliteration but in this case, it seems to add a more memorable quality to the name and does not seem cutesy. I would go with Luca John Lanzetta!
I agree with swistle and the previous posters. Luca Lanzetta is a very handsome name–strong, distinctive, and it has a great flow. I’m also not usually a fan of alliterative names for fear of the cutesy factor. But somehow your choice avoids any of that “cuteness-overload,” and is really just a nice sounding name combo. I also really like John as the middle. It’s a great honor name and it grounds Luca. So mark me as an emphatic vote for Luca John Lanzetta! Good luck with your choice!
I agree that Luca Lanzetta is really, really handsome. I wouldn’t necessarily aim for alliteration either, but I think it works so well because the names don’t have the same number of syllables and don’t share any sounds other than the very first and very last. (If the last name was Lanzecca, for example, I don’t think I’d like Luca nearly as well with it.) I too vote that you go for it!
I also like Luca John Lanzetta and agree that middle names aren’t often used anyway if you’re not loving the flow. Alternatively, you could consider a variation on John – Johnathan, Johan, etc. – for the middle name.
If you’re still not sure about it, you might consider using Luke as the first name instead of Luca as it shares fewer sounds with your surname. Luke Lanzetta?
You know, Luca Lanzetta is such a handsome name to my ear. Luca John has a nice flow, as well. I say, if that’s the name that means the most to you, then use it!
If you want something in the middle to maybe change it up a bit, what about an Italian variation on John? Gianni? Giovanni? (Sorry, I’m not Italian, so these may not be exactly the right names…)
Congratulations on your little guy, whatever name he ends up with! :)
I agree with all of this, and love the idea of using an Italian version of John if you like the flow better.
Are you okay with his name potentially morphing into “L.J.” with Luca John???
Really? Maybe that’s a regional thing because I don’t know anyone who goes by an initial nickname or really considers them, at all. (I’m from an urban area in the Northeast USA.)
Maybe it is! I’m from Southern California. It seemed like often kids I knew growing up who had a “J” as a middle initial would use that – AJ, CJ, LJ, TJ, MJ….. And in my 4yo’s current class she has an AJ.
I picture a news anchor! Live with Luca John (pause for dramatic effect) Lanzetta! I like it!;)
Me to! Or being announced by a sports caster. I love the name.
Do what is in your heart and what you love!! I agree, that if you are primarily calling him Luca, then you should skip the hassle (and all that comes with it) of using a middle name as the primary name .
Luca John Lanzetta.
perfect! I think this is a perfect combination for you. You still have Luca as a first name you love and John flows so nicely with Luca, that you also get to keep your honour name as well.
I think Swistle nailed it when she said if your last name was similar to Lanza, it wouldn’t work as the two names would sound too similar but because of the multiple syllables and the strong -zetta of the last name it provides enough separation and it breaks up the repetitive sounds enough that it isn’t too alliterative to me (I’m definitely not a cutesy-name type of person). I love it.
I also completely agree with the previous poster that I can totally see the name “Luca John Lanzetta” as a very distinguished name… like a TV anchor or a judge or a musician or something where they would announce the name in its full. hehe… The name just seems so interesting, in a good way!
Good luck with your little guy :) Keep us posted!
Luca Lanzetta, all the way! It’s an incredibly handsome, memorable, and versatile name. I could see it on a doctor or lawyer, but also an actor, author, or artist. It’s traditional, yet free spirited. I would assume someone named Luca Lanzetta was cool and interesting and distinctive before meeting him. It’s an all-round winner of a name!
John Lanzetta, on the other hand, is perfectly fine but not distinctive at all.
Go with Luca! Really, it’s fantastic paired with your surname. Good luck!!!
I actually think Luca John sounds better than John Luca!! As another person who’s usually not into alliterative names, I would totally go right ahead and name him Luca John Lanzetta. It sounds great!
I think with Jon Luca you’d get a lot of confusion with people expecting it to be Jean-Luc, since that name is much more familiar. Luca Lanzetta just sounds Italian to me, not cutesy, so I say go for it.
Go with the name you love! Luca Lanzetta has a nice ring to it and would be very memorable. Congratulations!
Love Luca Lanzetta or Luca John Lanzetta. I think alliteration between first and last name CAN sound cartoonish, but it can also sound very distinct and memorable! Here, it works; and I’d be much more likely to remember a job applicant or old classmate named Luca Lanzetta than one named John Lanzetta (or John anything)! Whether that’s a good or a bad thing is your call, but I vote yes!
By the way, three of my four names start with the same letter, so I’m a self-appointed expert on this topic!
LOVE Luca Lanzetta, and think Luca John is just fine. Go for it!
I’m also not a fan of alliteration. However, I also realize that this is simply a preference-there is nothing wrong with alliteration. I also find that it bothers me more with certain letters (like B or D) than it does with other “softer” letters. Luca Lanzetta is a fine name. I agree with Swistle that even if you do John Luca, he’ll still be know by Luca Lanzetta, so this doesn’t really avoid the alliteration.
If you continue to be bothered with it, have you considered actually calling him the full John Luca? I think they sound nice together and not at all too much for a double barrel first name. This way, you could use the name you love, avoid the alliteration and not have to come up with a middle name for Luca.
One other thought is that you mentioned if you get married one day, “our last name will change.” In addition to the problems you’ve already pointed out with this, I’d like to add that not every child of a single mom chooses to change their last name when mom gets married. If you get married when he is young, the decision will be up to you and your future husband. However, if he’s older, the courts will allow him an opinion. I had my mother’s maiden name as my surname and when she married (I was 14) I decided not to take my step-father’s name. It’s entirely possible that your son might prefer to keep the name Lanzetta.
I started out agreeing with you that Luca John did not sound just right but as I thought about it and kept reading Luca John Lanzetta in every comment I liked the sound of it more and more and now I absolutely love it! I hope it starts to sound just right to you too and that you choose to name your baby boy Luca John.
I actually LOVE Luca Lanzetta. Luca John Lanzetta? I just think it’s really nice, and the more I say it, the more I like it. It has a really pleasing rhythm. I don’t find the alliteration cutesy at all. (I consider myself, if anything, oversensitive about name cutseyness.)
Luca Lanzetta sounds great to me too. My husband has an alliterative name and I think it’s great and memorable and not at all cutesy. I also think Luca John sounds good too and would be a lovely honor name.
His honor, Luca John Lanzetta, mayor of New York.
It works!
The first thing I thought of was a surgeon who also rides, like, a Harley. It has that mix of smart and cool!
I loooove Luca Lanzetta! As everyone says it’s a classy alliteration, not a cutesy one! I also like Luca John, but it does remind me of Matthew, Mark, Luke and and John! Whether that’s a positive or a negative will depend on your viewpoint :) x
I love Luca Lanzetta and while I’m pretty anti-alliteration, I like it here.
That said, I have to laugh a little at the people who don’t like John Luca, since in Italy there is a pretty common double name Gianluca (pronounced JohnLuca). In fact, I had a college roommate by that name. In case you wanted a super Italian alternative to “John Luca” and then Luca would just be the standard nickname rather than the kiddo going by his middle name.
Luca John Lanzetta is fantastic. I would be
reluctant to change that name of you marry.
I LOVE Luca John! I prefer it over John Luca, mostly because I think I tend to want to make it be Jean-Luc. I know a child named Luca Jon that goes by Luca Jon on occasion and now that I have a Micah Joseph, I sometimes slip and try to make his middle name Jon since the previous name is so ingrained.
I also think the alliteration works lovely here.
Luca John Lanzetta is awesome! Very distinguished!
If it’s your absolute favorite you should just go for it. You’ll regret it if you don’t.
If you still have your doubts, even after all the positive feedback, I’d like to suggest Milo as an alternative. Milo John Lanzetta sounds fantastic too.
All the best!
I’m with most others on there as well- Luca John Lanzetta is a great name! I hope we’ve all convinced you to use it!
Luca Lanzetta is PERFECT – adorable for a little guy and handsome for an adult! Don’t change a thing!
I came here to suggest Gianluca (pronounced like John Luca) but see it was just mentioned above. I love that name & Luca is the obvious nickname.
Thank you all SO much, this was incredibly helpful! It is wonderful to receive such positive feedback and I am so excited to use the name – Luca John Lanzetta it is!
Am I the only one who thinks the middle name John seems out of place wedged in between two Italian names? I think you should stick with Lucas Lanzetta and leave John out of the picture. Lucas Lanzetta rolls off your tongue and might be the best name on the planet!