Love that only my family is judgmental...

juliedooley

So DH and I have started telling people our top name choice when they ask, which is Nathan Michael. We love it. Everyone else has seemed to like it so far EXCEPT for my dad and brother, who happen to be uber-Catholic. Both of their initial reactions were "Isn't that a Jewish name?" in a disbelieving tone. Which is completely nuts because

a) I guess Nathan is an Old Testament name, but last time I checked the O.T. is part of the Catholic Bible as well!

b) DH and I are not particularly religious, so I don't care where the name comes from. It happens to mean "Gift from God" which I think is a very happy coincidence, but honestly we love the sound and flow of it.

c) I have no idea what their issue is with "Jewish" names (as opposed to what, anyway?). It makes me so mad that they're so judgmental like that. With all the you-neek names out there today, I wonder what would have happened if I had just made something up? 

argh...vent over. I just hope they limit their stupid intolerance when they're around my kid, b/c I'm not raising him that way.

anna7602

That's pretty weird. Sorry they don't like it. I kept our names hushed until DD was born to avoid any and all commentary and my mother still said something after DD was born.

juniper19

I admit that it does sound like a Jewish name, since you used two names from the Hebrew bible (as opposed to Nathan Paul or something like that).  If I met someone named Nathan Michael, particularly since I live in NY, I would probably think they were Jewish.  But that shouldn't be a bad thing, and that's really frustrating.

You can remind them that Jesus' real name, Yeshua, is a Jewish name too.

PLBL08

Nathan Michael is a great name. I would NEVER have thought of it as a Jewish name. I'm a Christian and didn't even realize Nathan is in the Bible. Noah or Adam sound much more Jewish to me (love those name btw!) I say go for it!

starsmaycollide

That's odd, I would not think of it as being Jewish. It's just a very common name in general that happens to be in the Bible. 

HappyMrsK

juniper19:

I admit that it does sound like a Jewish name, since you used two names from the Hebrew bible (as opposed to Nathan Paul or something like that).  If I met someone named Nathan Michael, particularly since I live in NY, I would probably think they were Jewish.  But that shouldn't be a bad thing, and that's really frustrating.

You can remind them that Jesus' real name, Yeshua, is a Jewish name too.

This. Too bad they reacted that way. They should be happy your not naming him Cohen, Adler, or Rosen since those are becoming popular Jewish surnames as first names

mchupie

PLBL08:

Nathan Michael is a great name. I would NEVER have thought of it as a Jewish name. I'm a Christian and didn't even realize Nathan is in the Bible. Noah or Adam sound much more Jewish to me (love those name btw!) I say go for it!

Yep, this.  I love it!

CrazyToast

I think it's odd that they would immediately jump to that thought.  I NEVER would have thought that, and the rest of the world won't either.

It's a great name.

strangebird

Nathan Micheal strikes me, despite the names' origins, as fairly generic. Both names are common, solid and familiar names today, so I don't see that they lean toward any particularly origin or nationality. I know they're your family, but I would be really angry about an outburst like that.

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queenbone

So, I'm Catholic and it is important to me that either the fn or mn is a saint's name.  Your proposed name totally qualifies: St. Michael the Archangel.  Plus Nathan is an Old Testament name so you are super religiousy... not sure where their problem is?  Catholicism is pretty intimately connected to Judaism and we have lots of cross over.

I have both Michael (my dad) and Nathan (each of us have an uncle Nathan) on our list.

juliedooley

I appreciate the support ! Like I said, everyone else we have told has responded that they like it, and of course we're super happy with our choice.

I thought out pointing out to my dad that technically Mary and Joseph were Jewish/Hebrew as well, but it's not worth it. It just bugs me that he's so stupid about those things. I kind of think in today's world it shouldn't make a difference either way in which nation or religion your LO's name originated, unless you are trying to carry on some family tradition.

stahlop

I'm Jewish and never would have thought that sounded Jewish.  Neither name sounds overly religious to me.

kate081206

Um..Nathan didn't strike me as a particularly "Jewish" name, whatever that means.  I love the name...unique and you don't hear it a TON but everyone knows how to spell it, etc.  Lots of cute nicknames...Nate, Nater Tot, Naters, etc.

Signed,

Mom to a Nathan : )

AGmomof3

I love the name Nathan Michael.  Actually Michael has been my top boy name ALWAYS - of course we're having our 3rd and LAST GIRL - LOL!

I agree, both names are BIBLICAL - old testement - so Jewish, Christian - both!

They're also both lovely names.

Don't worry about it, they'll get over it as soon as they meet the little guy attached to the names! 

Rach21

Isn't Michael a big name for Catholics?

Do they realize that Jesus (latin form of Hebrew Yeshua/Joshua) is a Jewish name? Mary (latin form of Mara) is also a Jewish name... 

tct1219

tell them they must not like your second choice, jesus, since he was a jew. or pick a weird saint name and tell them you took their advice and decided to go with ignatius or xystus and maybe they'll leave you alone.