Comments on: Name of the Day: Balthasar

By: Baby Name of the Day: Zarek | Appellation Mountain

Baby Name of the Day: Zarek | Appellation Mountain — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 07:04:36 +0000

[...] is short for Balthazar. Unlike most of the ends-in-ek names, he begins with the final syllable – zar – , not [...]

By: elli

elli — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 09:03:34 +0000

I named my son Balthazar . Its easier to say than Dan.

By: rockingfetal

rockingfetal — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:03:04 +0000

I really like this name lately. He reminds me of Gideon and Ezekiel, two of my favorite names. While Ezekiel obviously has Zeke and Gideon could maybe pull off Dean or Ian, Balthasar seems the most difficult to nn. I thought Bart the most intuitive until I saw the suggestion of Baz. I too prefer the z. Baz is very tied to the director in my mind. I looked him up to find that his full name is Mark Anthony!

Balthasar is a bit over the top, but it fits right in line w/ the trend of more ornate masculine names. I continue to question how Sebastian can be so impossibly high on the SSA. Balthasar doesn’t seem very far off to me at all.

By: Lola

Lola — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 23:17:04 +0000

Aww, thanks, Katherine! For what it’s worth, I know that -az sound is downbmarket in the UK but on this side of the pond (and in New England, to boot!) Baz would sound amost posh but not too much so. and If he ever went to good old England (or Scotland where half the family originates) He could simply be Balthazar in full. Three syllables isn’t that hard to manage, I think. Nice to see Bathazar/Balthasar gets some love & respect, Huzzah!

By: Katharine

Katharine — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 19:35:12 +0000

Wow Balthazar thats a name and a half! You would have to be quite a vibrant guy to pull that off! I dislike the idea of Bart as a nickname simply because of the intrinsic link to the Simpsons (which while not bad is certainly unavoidable) and I’m sorry to say that I dislike the idea of Baz as a nickname too. I think thats because it doesn’t sound fresh to me (whereas it might across the pond, I don’t know) and also because nicknames with the ‘az’ sound are well known in the UK and (dare I say it) viewed as a bit downmarket (think Caz, Jazz, Maz, Daz, Chaz, Shazzer – although in Baz’s defence it’s far nicer than any of them!)…

I hope I don’t sound too negative because overall Balthazar is fabulous! And Lola, I love the idea of Edward Balthazar George or Balthazar Edward George…

By: youcantcallitit

youcantcallitit — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 18:20:26 +0000

Balthazar is on my list too. I used to consider it unusable because I already have a B, but lately I’m thinking nothing bucks the current trend more than matching letter siblings. Baz is also the nick we’d use. Thanks for highlighting him today.

By: appellationmountain

appellationmountain — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:52:05 +0000

BAZ! I forgot Baz!

*Knocks head on table.* I take it back, I take it back! There is a fabulous nickname choice for Balthazar! Ignore that whole paragraph.

By: Lola

Lola — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:16:45 +0000

Ooh thanks! I love seeing my Great Grandpa’s name! He was Balthasar but I prefer Balthazar. It’s very strong and quite handsome, I think. And Baz (works for this Yank), is a nice, easy nickname. You missed Baz!
And Balthasar Bekker is something of a hero to this Wiccan. I like his Shakespearian link and Constantine is one of my favorite movies. Gavin Rossdale makes a lovely Balthazar! (I suppose it’s because Constantin was Balthazar’s oldest boy in my family)

My only hesitationin use is because of (Paul) Balthazar Getty. That whole family, by history, is odd in the extreme and while he seems fairly normal, comparitively, the jury’s still out for me. I have him in the mddle (Edward Balthazar George) and as a first (Balthazar Edward George) in my #6 spot. And there he stays, for now. I think Balthazar rocks!