Thank you, as ever, for so eloquently sharing these tender and perceptive insights. We found naming our children a little tricky because the syllables had to feel and sound right in both English and Spanish.

I rather liked Laia, but of course in English that's pronounced the same as 'liar', which is hardly a positive association.

There were plenty of other options which were struck out for similar reasons. I actually rather like Hannah, perhaps because it's a palindrome, and so exudes a sense of balance, hanging like an easeful hammock between the solid trunks of the two h's.

But it simply doesn't work in Spanish as the 'h' is completely silent and that double consonant doesn't exist, so it becomes Ana. Which is not the same at all, and far too frequent anyway.

We are happy with our choices, and so far each of them seems to to be as well.

I have to say that I had never thought about the eventuality of them feeling they might feel the need to rename themselves.

Your story gives much food for thought.

Indiana Jones borrowed the family dog's name for life, not just a weekend, and it didn't seem to do him any harm. And my mum gets muddled up between family names starting with the same letter. It doesn't matter - we're all family, and so long as we're happy in ourselves, that's what counts.