name discrepencies

[MST995]

Is anyone familiar with americanization of names? I just want to be sure that the following americanizations are acceptable variations for the consulate... Antonio to Anthony and Giovanna to Jennie
Thanks!

[mler]

It's difficult to answer that question since it all very much depends on the consular official reviewing your documents. That being said, "Anthony" is an exact translation of "Antonio." You have a greater problem with Giovanna because there is no exact English translation for this name.

[Tessa78]

This Italian name "translator" offers JEANNE as the translation of Giovanna.

First Name Translator
Did you know that many immigrants converted their birth names to American equivilents when the arrived in the U.S.A.? That's why we created this translator program!

Search Results for GIOVANNA
• Giovanna
Translates to: Jeanne

http://www.daddezio.com/genealogy/italian/names.html

However, that is only one source...

T.

[johnnyonthespot]

I think Jennie is a reasonable anglicization of Giovanna; the problem is, some consulates have reportedly refused any and all anglicizations, no matter how common or obvious. In these cases, the consulate insists that documents be amended to reflect the same name and spelling throughout.

At which consulate will you be applying?

Is Giovanna/Jennie in your direct-line or is she the spouse of a direct-line ancestor?

[maestra36]

Yet, I had ancestors with the Giovannina name, which is the diminutive of Giovanna, and they were called Jennie and not Jeanne in the U.S.

[MST995]

Thanks everyone. I am applying in New York. Anthony is the ancestor I am going through. His Italian birth cert says Antonio, his naturalization paper work says Antonio, but his death certificate says Anthony as his first name and Antonio as his middle name; however, to my knowledge, he didn't have a middle name. So really the death certificate is the only item that says anthony, all dates and other info are exact though.

[johnnyonthespot]

When I applied in New York in mid-2008, they were okay with Giuseppe/Joseph for my grandfather and they showed no interest at all in my mother's birth certificate or my grandmother's birth/death certificates - didn't even ask to see them.

Good thing; my mother's BC was totally screwed up and my ancestral comune never did find my grandmother's BC.

[MST995]

Thanks again, Carmine. I'll give it a shot, maybe I will have the same interviewer you had. If you had a penny for every piece of advice you give you would be a rich man! You are probably better at this then some of those websites that charge for consulting/advice on dual citizenship... maybe a career change is in your future!

[mler]

I also went through NY. They were ok with the exact translation of the type Antonio/Anthony. But I had to amend a document with an almost translation. They paid absolutely no attention to the non-citizenship line, but this was several years ago.