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I love it for a dog. It's going onto my dog name list:)

Dante is a cool name with a lot of history. Even though it originated as a nickname for Durante (which I don't think gets any use anymore), Dante doesn't really sound like a nickname, but rather a strong name on its own. And the Divine Comedy is probably one of the most awesome literary associations one can have with a name (still would love to see an Inferno adaptation on the big screen someday).

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All of this, of course, is considering Dante as a masculine name. It's an absolute no-go as a feminine name, just sounds wrong.

It's ok for a boy

It’s nope nope nope nope for a girl, I don’t see what’s feminine about it, the long -ee ending in English? And it’s a bit over the top for a boy as well, though it could work as a middle name. It’s not really used anymore in Italy, I guess it would be a bit like naming a child Shakespeare.

I really like it, for a boy only! I can’t even imagine this name on a girl.

I love Dante! It is a bit of a guilty pleasure name for me because it has a somewhat gothic vibe. I temporarily named an abandoned black kitten Dante until he could be taken to a shelter. I like it best as a boy name, but it could be unisex.

In A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man there's an adult female character, apparently as Irish as the rest, called Dante. It's always puzzled me. I'd expect and accept it for a boy.

This message was edited 6/13/2020, 10:17 AM