plunderb:Helenahhandbasket's post below got me thinking. I have a lot of trouble with boy's names, in part because I feel like many of my family names are too extremely Italian and I get nervous that they are too weird to use as first names. I have no problem using them as middle names, but I feel like people who are not familiar with the names would see them as made up or straight up strange.
The best example is Americo. It's my great-grandfather's name and my dad is named after him. It's a totally legit name — my family is Argentine-Italian and Americo/Amerigo is the Italian/Portuguese/Spanish version of the name that has become Emmerich or Heinrich in the Germanic languages. You may recognize the name from . . . the two continents named for Amerigo Vespucci.
What would you think if you met a little boy named Americo? Would you think, "Oh, I bet his family is Italian," or something more like, "Oh, I think his family probably stockpiles weapons and has other kids named Freedom, Constitution, and DeathToTyrants?"
HA!!
I would definitely NOT think this.
I see what you mean as maybe sounding "weird" to some people. It's a bit different from say, Roberto-- where there is an easily recognizable English alternate- Robert. So if your kid wanted to, he could go by Rob, or Bobby etc.
I honestly didn't know that the name Americo could be translated as Heinrich or Emmerich. I have heard those names before, but I think those names are equally uncommon, and I bet most people (like me!) would not have made the connection.
That being said, I do like the sound and the look of Americo, and the fact that it has family significance to you. Bonus-- the adorable NN Rico!
Good luck-- are you going to find out if you are having a boy or a girl?
Edited to fix spelling