Hello! My husband (German) and I (American) are expecting a baby girl together in early 2023. She will be bilingual in German and English and raised in both cultures. We currently live in Germany, but will likely live back in America at some point. We both love the name Romy, both the sound and meaning of it. My understanding is that it is a German name, but we have gotten some negative feedback on it. One person in Germany told me that it is seen as a ‘red light district’ name (which I was surprised by because it is on the german naming lists & in the top 50 names for germany!), my German mother-in-law said it is not a ‘traditional’ name choice for a doctor (my husband is a doctor), and my American mom said it reminds her of the roma gypsies. The last name for our child will be my husbands, which is very german and ‘harsh sounding’ to an American ear, three syllables, starts with an ‘R’ and ends with pichler’

So, for my germans, what does this name mean or symbolize to you? Does this sound like a red light district name (similar to naming your child Crystal in America)? I want a name that my child can feel comfortable using in both Germany and America. My husband said he has no associations with the name Romy, but he doesn’t have associations with most names so I want to hear from others and make sure we are making the right choice. All thoughts appreciated as I want our child to feel part of both cultures and I know the german naming culture is more conservative than America. Thanks 🙂

One last thing: If the name Romy is quite bad, can you suggest others? Names I like but likely will not use due to them being not seen as ‘german’ or seen as ‘clashing with a german last name’: Lucy, Rose, Maren. Names I do not like: Nina, Lena, Mila.

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Edit: I saw the name in the 50 names for german babies on this site: [http://www.firstnamesgermany.com](http://www.firstnamesgermany.com)

28 comments

  4. I wouldn’t call it bad, but I’ve never met anyone with that name, and the only person I can think of is Romy Schneider (who may not be familiar to younger people, even).

    “Naming lists” found online often include all kinds of bizarre choices (much more bizarre than that one). I’ve seen “German” names on those before that I had never even heard of. And I don’t know about the top 50 either. I’d say it’s too uncommon to be a “red-light” name. I’d expect something like “Chantal” in that environment.

    “Rose” would be an issue with pronunciation. It’s pronounced markedly differently in German (two syllables, different R, different o). Pronounced in English it seems foreign, pronounced in German it seems like the name of someone’s 80-something maiden aunt (probably it would be short for “Rosemarie”).

  5. All I can think of is Romy Schneider. I would probably think her parents are fans of her work. Its a super rare name.

  6. Romy is not bad by a long shot. It’s a nickname for Rosemarie so you can go for that as the legal name and just call her Romy, so you’d be on the safe side and also your kid will have a choice what name to use once they’re older.

  7. One of my classmates in the 90s was named Romy. Not the most common name but nothing too exotic, either. Should be a fine choice imho.

  8. Only my personal option: I’d rather think it’s a boy name, sounds much like Ronny.
    Moreover, I don’t like names ending with y. That’s just not a German thing, it’s like a nickname, a little cheap and trashy. Rather give a child a name that has more power and can be used professionally. You can still call them by their nickname but the kid can choose how others call them. However, that’d be impossible if they only have “nickname” as a first name.
    In your example: Romilda -> Romy.
    Any name suggestions I like: Talea, Cassandra, Camilla, Carolina, Anastasia, Jasmina, Katharina, Finnja

  9. There is nothing wrong with the name. I’ve a friend / colleague with that name. According to etymology it’s the pet name of ‘Rosemarie’ or ‘Rosalinde’.

    And it’s the first time that I hear that it has something to do with sex workers.

  11. Maren is a german name. It is my name and it is from northern germany. It does not clash with a german surname. The only problem is that there are two ways to pronounce it and nobody gets it right. My teachers always called me Mareeen. And every girl I knew with the long e was called Maren.

    Other names that would go well with english and german:
    Hannah, Anna, Kira, Lilo, Sarah, Julia, Sophie, Lara, Kristin, Anja, Melanie.

  13. The name Romy is rather rare. In the decades after WW II, there was one of the most famous german actresses, famous in germany as well as france, that had this name: Romy Schneider. But apart from that, I haven’t heard that name more than twice: once, when a friend told me her niece had hat name, and when a friend married a woman by that name. The former solid middle class, the second one I am not sure about. My contacts to the red light scene are non existent, but I would not expect to read that name in this context.

    From my point of view, Romy is a wonderful name. Oh, and you wrote it is in the top50: I am apparently out of synch with the names currently in use. Still, that must have been a relatively recent popularity, lets say, the last 20 years or so.

  14. >Maren

    Not common, but not unusual either, might be more popular in the former GDR.

    Good name.

    Most popular Maren in Germany was the game show assistant Maren Gilzer but that is far away from Romy Schneiders fame.

  15. I think it is a good name. People over here often forget our german names and call their kids justin, aisha or even chantal.
    Romy is really cute for a girl if you ask me (btw my daughter’s name is johanna carlotta )!

  16. It’s a very uncommon name. I knew one person called Romy. She didn’t particular like it, probably because people mispronounced it „Rommy“ all the time and got teased with „Omi“ (grandmother).

    But there is no particular negative association with that name and what matters is that you like it.

    Also better than to be the 3rd Sophia and 5th Hannah in a classroom.

  17. Romy Schneider comes to mind.

    She had quite an interesting and tragic life. A very beautiful woman.

    I personally like older names coming back. But that’s just my opinion.

  18. I once fell in love with a girl named Romy, so for me it is a beautiful name. She didn’t love me back but this is another story. If it feels right for you don‘t care what the others say. Btw I am german.

  20. Sounds like a perfectly fine name.

    I have to add I have never met or personally known a Romy in Germany (I was born in the 90s). I had a few classmates and peers called Romy in in High School but that was in the Netherlands. Id say go for it if you like it, I dont really associate *anything* with the name tbh.

    And about the bad associations: Names change. The associations change. Just because a name had a bad reputations years or even decades ago doesnt mean it will have that same association in 5, 10 or 20 years.

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    Names I love: Matea & Esra (the latter is more often used for boys I believe but I think its a pretty girls name tbh)

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    Edit because even though I moved to germany a decade ago I still mix up the y and z when typing blind 🙁

  22. I love the name!
    It has no negative associations for me.
    Reminds me of the movie Romy and Michelle’s Highschool reunion (great movie!)
    And congratulations to you!

  23. I only knew one Romy in person and as others have said Romy Schneider.

    Would you pronounce it like roam(y)?

    (I always wanted a Josefine)

  24. I guess that’s why a lot of people keep the baby name a secret until they are born. A lot of unwelcome advice you got there…

    I also though of Romy Schneider immediately but would say that’s a positive association. I would have never associated it with a red light district name, I would probably put the name Roxy there, not Romy.

    >it is not a ‘traditional’ name choice for a doctor

    That is such a bullshit statement. I mean there are names that are seen as more “white trash” and proven to worsen your child’s performance at school, but Romy is not one of them. And there are no rules for what names doctors have to pick for their children. There are more elitist names out there, but if you name your kids like that it says a lot about you, too.

    Actually all the old names are coming back now and I predict that Romy will grow even more popular within the next couple of years.

  25. Random suggestion: Have you considered the name “Rory”? It does sound very similar to Romy, and also works well in both Germany and English imho.

  27. There’s nothing wrong with that name, it’s unique and nice

    Friends of mine had a kid a few years ago, and they remarked on how everyone had a judgy opinion (in real life that is)

    – at least half the people try to say something negative about names that they liked (nothing crazy)

    – if the name was good, they mentioned they weren’t fans and then used the name for themselves (I guess the preschool class has like five kids with the same name now :))

    I wouldn’t tell so many people about it – when you hear what they have to say, A lot of them might push you off of a name you really like.

    It’s a very cute name and exotic somewhat in my opinion – stick with it 😉

  28. My wife and I are french, living in Bayern since many years now. We named our daughter Romy and never had any negative feedback concerning her name.

    Like many already mentioned, people usually make a connection to Romy Schneider.

    All the best for you both and your baby girl!

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