Still confused. Help one more time please?

Question

MEDEHANIT is our 2 yr old daughter's name from Ethiopia. Should it be her FIRST name or MIDDLE name? ----------(we live in Moo town, USA)

ps. If you choose 1st name, do you have a nick name? So far I like Sunny's (Meddie) suggestion. Thank you so much for your time.

Answer 1

keep her name.  My first Mom named me Heather and it means so much to me that my Adoptive parents didn't change it, it's all have left of who I was

Meddie is a cute name

I grew up with a girl with a Greek name that translated to 'virgin' so things could be worse in the schoolyard LOL

Seriously, it's really cool to keep her given name.  Real respecful of her and her heritage.  And besides, there are so many unusual names around, nobody is going to make fun of her for it - it's a name to be proud of

Answer 2

I think you should keep it as her first name.

BTW, I know in Ethiopia Medhanit means medicine...

I'm going to double-check with my mom and see if it has some other meanings.

But sometimes, we Ethiopians have name meanings that Americans are like "What?".

Answer 3

I think it should be her middle name. You can still call her Meddie for a nick name I use my daughters middle name as her nick name. I think it can be difficult when no one can pronounce your name correctly especially when your little. By keeping it as her middle name you still keep that part of her heritage while embracing the new part of her (and your) life with her first name! and I know this is going to sound shallow but it's hard to find personalized merchandise with different names. My daughters four and LOVES to find things with her name on it. Although their are more and more places that you can order personalized items for any name you wish. Which ever name you chose best of luck for you and your new daughter.

Answer 4

If she is two then I would KEEP her name the way it is.....Call her Meddie or Maddie. She can keep her identity and you could give her a middle name that fits her personality.

How is Medehanit pronounced phonetically?

Med-e-han-it?



I have an unusual french first name and I rather fancied not being like the other kids....to each his own!

When dd was born we named her and her mom put the name on her OBC....she is family and we settled on great-grandmother's name.....when the adoption is finalized her first last name will be her second middle name. When I told her mom that last year she was very surprised.

Answer 5

What an awesome name.  Don't worry about others misprounouncing it.  There are a lot of names (first & last) that are difficult and get skewed around.  She'll pronounce it correctly to anyone who messes it up.  

If you use a nickname it should come naturally (like from her personality) that your family bestows upon her.  

Her friends and family will have it correct as well - and that's important.  Heritage should be kept intact.

Answer 6

I think it should continue to be her first name.  Meddie is a fine nickname.  She may already have a nickname.

Choose an American-sounding middle name, if you want.

Answer 7

I think it should be her first name, its such a beautiful name. And meddie is sooo cute for a nickname!!!  Both of my girls have really unique names I've never heard of for a child before, i really  like unique names and the children in our play groups have seemed to pronounce their names just fine.

Answer 8

I think it should stay the same, because the child is already use to her name, you wouldn't want to confuse the child. And Sunny is a cute nick name

Answer 9

I would do it as a first name, then a name you like, then her surname, then your surname, like this:

Medehanit Stephanie {African last name} Smith,

and call her 'Meddie'. I think Meddie is cute.

And for those who say it too hard for others to pronounce, it's about what's healthiest for the child.

Besides, who'd have ever dreamed that we'd have a man running for President in the US named Barack Obama?!

Answer 10

i like meddie!  i also like hannie!

i seriously would keep it as a first name!  what, with all the new names coming into style, she's gonna love being the only one with a name like hers.  i sure would.

especially when she gets older.  people in college will adore it bc it's different, and think about this: if she ever decides the business world is for her, no one will forget a name like that.

i was tempted to email you and say just this, so i'm really glad you asked again!

Answer 11

Do you have another name to use for the first name? I would use that as a middle name and find a less complicated one for the first name. (One her friends in ele. school (and teachers) can pronounce. Meddie is cute, though.

EDIT: Sorry..tired...Keep that as her first name..she will be even MORE confused if you change her name.

Answer 12

how do you pronounce that? i think it would make a really pretty, unique first name but i cant think of a nickname because i dont know how to pronounce it lol

Answer 13

Id say the middle name.  I couldnt pronounce it just by reading it.

Answer 14

I vote for Pedro! or Julie!

Answer 15

Didn't you say you kept  your other child's first birth given name?  I'd keep hers the same, as well.  Let her use the nick name, like Meddie, and maybe you can pick the middle name like you did with your other child.  I think the equality is important.  :-)

Answer 16

Change it.

Your child will be glad you named her.

Answer 17

It should be her first name. Its not fair to change it she may only be 2 but my daughter is 1 and half and she knows her name very well and answers to it all the time. I would never think of calling her anything different.

She knows her name and I asume her parents may have given her that name. So yes just try to shorten it to something people will be able to say like Sunny said Meddie which is perfect.

Good luck and best wishes to you and your family.

Answer 18

I would use it for her middle name, since its an odd name for your regain it wont serve her well.  Even if you call her by a short name for it, or call her by the middle name..in school they will refer to her by her first. So i would name her a English or more common western name reserve the other for her middle so she can still feel connected to her home country. Hey you could still call her meddie in the family!

Answer 19

I say it should be the middle name, because not a lot of people will be able to pronounce it

Answer 20

Don't worry about the pronounciation issues. My middle name is Naomi (pretty simple right?) and people have pronounced it Now-me and New-mee lol. I think you should reflect her culture and make it her first name. Meddie is a cute nick name and Hannah might work too. Good Luck