Help!!! I need a cool and easy last name?

First off, congratulations on your decision to become an American citizen. I've known several Romanians who have taken this step, so you're in good company. Everyone that I know who is Romanian has kept his or her original last name, however. I like Gavrilescu, and I don't think most Americans will have any trouble pronouncing it, but I also understand if you want to change. My dad and brother have a very "foreign" sounding first name for most Americans, but it is paired with "Smith"--a combination that gets a lot of funny looks. Accordingly, even though my brother is a III, he has named my nephews some very common first names.

I've looked up "Gavrilescu" on the Web along with Romanian surnames in general and found out that the diminutive "escu" is the equivalent of "son of" found in last names like Johnson and Nelson. The nearest translation of "Gavril" in English is "Gabriel", but "Gabrielson" sounds a little long. Gabriel, however, is instantly recognizable as the angel who blows his horn, and picking this name will help you keep in touch with your roots.

You might also pick up ideas from this list of Romanian-Americans, some of whom have changed or shortened their last names: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Romanian-Ame... (or google Wikipedia Romanian-Americans). BTW, I didn't know Lauren Bacall was of Romanian ancestry.

You're right as far as to how the last name "Gav" sounds--a little too close to "gay". Before you pick Kane as a last name, you might watch a video of "Citizen Kane," Orson Welles' fictionalized biography of newspaper publisher, William Randolph Hearst.

Rosebud.

Easy Last Names

Smith.

Johnson.

Burns.

Hoodie.

Heck.

Gilge.

Geerdes.

Giroux (pronnounced Jir-Ooh)

Heim.

Alto.

Wang.

Nissen.

Keys.

Schuh (shoe)

Daniels.

Reese.

Mumm.

Bowe.

Beck.

Olson.

Hudec (Hew-Deck)

Lee.

Forest.

Waldo.

Poole.

Lundin.

Hopkins.

Hanson.

Haats. (hots)

Szeto.

Mort.

Bobby.

Rux.

Bohm.

Forney

Jelly.

Jean.

Storm.

Hutton.

Jesne.

Jensen.

Almen.

Omen.

Wolff.

DiMeco.

Levi.

Feild.

Koch.

Korpi.

Boen.

Bakken.

Daken.

Dokkin.

Duresky.

Wickham.

Akon.

Cribb.

Brant.

Grant.

and finally....

Gabaja-Bimila

Keep that last name! This is America, when I was in the service I worked with a Wochiechowski, Prezlomski, O'Shea, Bromheimer, Rodriguez-Ramirez, Guachiopeli, McKahn, Landreaneaux.....and more and more...

my point is this is not the 19th Century on Ellis Island when immigration would write your name to sound more Anglo. Anyone in the world can come here and become American, and keep their own cultural identity. Keep it, pass it to your children, they will thank you for it.

Graves

all of the letters are from your current last name & it's simple =]

if you don't like that.. here are some last names that i think are nice, but still simple..

Snow

Love

Sharp

Grant

Mars

Ryder

Lock

James

Prince

Winters

Like Americans, Canadians come from every part of the world. Perhaps because our immigration patterns have differed, Canada doesn't have a "melting pot" but a "cultural mosaic" ... it's pretty unusual for new Canadians to adopt a different surname; they usually keep the ones they were born with. I especially think it would be sad to lose the name "Gavrilescu", which sounds quite melodic and is not difficult to pronounce.

I kinda lyk my last name, but here are some others:

Ransom

Harvey

Gateway--I wouldnt recamend it though

Kannibal

Kubunja

William(s)

Lauren

Lavgine-Canadian, I think

Gray

Bleu-Blue in french

Rouge-Red In French

Orane-Iwould luv for that to be my last name its universal (kinda)

I am too tired to think of ay others...Srry

Keep you last name as it has been for all your ancestors. Your grandchildren will have that to go on when they are tracing their history.

Their are so many migrates lost part of themselves by changing their name to be more American. I am happy that you have become an American but don't lost your heritage.

What about Gavril... it is still YOUR name only easier to say. it is also something new and fitting for your new beginning to your life... its like a change, but still a piece of you.

I think your children would be proud of any name. I especially think they would be proud of you keeping your last name (even if it is abbreviated for easy spelling and pronunication) Gavril is still keeping your family name.

I really like your ethnic last name, but if you still want to change it up then what about....

Rilescu (pronounces ree-less-Q) This keeps your name but still changes it up a bit.

Or Força which means Strength in Portuguese

or even Fuerza which is also Strength

Good luck!