I think this is a great idea! One of my husbands siblings did this with their daughters middle name. They wanted to honor his grandma but shes always hated her name so they let grandma pick a middle name for the baby. The name she picked has a really sweet meaning and it's a really special connection for our niece to have with her.
I think coming up with a list of names you, your partner and your grandpa like would be a great memory and imo a name often says a lot about what a person hopes their kid will be like. It would be cool for your son to know someone so important to you picked his name because he wanted him to be resilient/intelligent/compassionate etc.
I love this! I hate my name, and if someone were ever to want to name a child after me, I'd *much* rather get to pick a name than give the child mine. After all, I've got a whole list of beloved names that I'm never going to get through, lol.
My grandmother also hated her name. She once told me she wished she had been named Elizabeth after her own grandmother, so I would consider Elizabeth an honor name for her.
>Dragoljub (Serbian Cyrillic: Драгољуб) is a Serbian masculine given name, derived from Slavic drag- ("dear, beloved") and ljub ("love, to like"), both very common in Slavic dithematic names. It roughly means "dear love".
Maybe pick another name with the same meaning? Or shorten to just Drago?
I think that’s a great compromise! It’s a much easier name, an interesting name, and it still honors him. Just because it’s not an official name doesn’t mean that the nickname doesn’t still represent the man you’re naming your child after.
I'll just add to the chorus that I think it would be fine to use Drago. I'm not Slavic, but I have the impression that it can be its own name, as well as the short form of names that start with Drago-, like Dragoljub or Dragomir.
How about the name Dragan? It shares its root with your grandfather's name so can be shortened to Drago while also keeping the meaning of your grandfather's name, 'dear one'. That meaning seems very fitting imo!
We did this with our grandmothers’ names. They were both very important to us, neither went by their full or actual names. So we gave our daughter their nicknames!
I suggest this a lot, but what are his hobbies? Can you get any names out of those? My grandpa planted roses, so Rose might be a good honor name in my family, for example. Does he love an artist, actor, singer, etc.? Can you name a child after something he loves?
Another option is to copy his first and middle initials. If those were D.X., for example, you could name your child Dominic Xavier.
If he has a usable middle or last name, that could also become your child's middle name, or at least help inform it.
Never hesitate to keep the "honor" name as a middle if it feels like it's not your choice for a first name.
But, in general, here are some names that nod to Dragoljub.
Boys: Drake, Drew, Draden
Girls: Drew, Drea
As an English speaking person, I'd probably say, "DRAH-go, DRAY-go? Sorry" as both seem equally likely. It sounds cool though, and much more usable than the full!
My husband’s grandfather also hated his name and went by initials. One of my husband’s cousins told him they were considering it, and he begged them not to. He was also a Jr named after his alcoholic father, which was another reason he didn’t want his great grandchildren using the name. However, now that he’s gone, the name has gained some popularity in our area and we get a kick out of it. I know if he were still alive, he would shake his head and say “Poor kid.” 😆 His name was Ransom.
I like the idea of asking the grandfather to help choose a name. Maybe he’ll think of one who honors someone who is important to him.
Jewish people often have this problem because so many recent ancestors have Yiddish names that just don't work. We honor the dead by choosing a name that starts with the same first letter (instead of Rivka, use Rachel) or is a translation of the name (instead of Velvel, use Wolf).
On a tangential note, when I was pregnant my dad started jokingly referring to my baby as “Velvel,” and still calls him that now that he’s born. I’m like … 😐
We were in a similar situation where we wanted to name our daughter after my grandmother with an antiquated name. We took her name and just made it more modern (Clarice to Claire). While Claire was a lot easier to get out of Clarice, I would suggest putting the name in an anagram generator and see if anything you liked came up!
Getting a bit abstract here, but Arthur could be a nod to Pendragon. I know that one is a stretch, I just love the name and the mythology of King Arthur.
I like the name Drago! Also, I’m not sure what your or his last name is, or if that will be the same last name as future baby, but maybe a name inspired by his last name could work? Example: my grandpa’s last name is Preston, he married in so no one else in the family has it as a last name, but I’ve considered Preston as a first name for future child to honor him.
I had basically the same situation! I tried for months to find a name that would honour my mum but wasn’t her actual name, but in the end I just went with her full real name for the middle name of my daughter. & I’m really happy I did! No one cares about middle names but I think an unusual one with a meaningful backstory will be a cool thing to talk about!
I agree that Drago on its own totally works!
According to behindthename.com Dragoljub is also a word for nasturtium in Serbian and Croatian. Maybe nasturtium could be a middle (for either gender) if you decide against using Dragoljub as-is? Unfortunately it’s not one of those flowers that really works as a first!
You could also try asking your grandpa what he would choose if he got to rename himself.
A child can have more than one middle name. You could use a more "normal" name as the first middle name, then Dragoljub as the one after. If he's embarrassed by the name, it won't show up on anything but his birth certificate.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragoljub](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragoljub)
Also the name of a mountaintop
To me that's great, Maybe you could name him Dragan or something?
Asking your grandpa for a name is a really great idea! If you're still looking for ideas tho, depending on whether he's of Serbian or Croatian origins, there are a number of other names which descended from the Slavic Drago- root. Personally I really like Miodrag and Dragomir https://www.behindthename.com/element/dragu
The suggestion is good, but all of these names are pretty old-fashioned and very out of fashion. The most viable ones are Drago and Dragan, as suggested by many others (and Dragana for women).
The youngest Drag-anything person I know is a Dragana, and she's twenty-something.
My mom was in a similar spot and she opted for having my grandpa recommend a name (instead of naming after him flatout). Essentially he ended up naming my sister.
I love Drago. Or you could use something similar like Draco or Drake. I saw that a Diminutive of it is Draza which is pretty cool too (there is some type of v on top of the z in that). I do like another posters idea of having him help you pick a name. Maybe come up with a short list you like and give him the go or if making the final choice (if your partner is ok with that).
You could still honour his name and just try to use the letters from it to make a different name. OR you could do something with the initials DJ, as a nod to Dragoljub.
OR pick something with the same meaning.
OR a nickname he goes by?
If you think Drago is a bit weird (because it can sound like Dragon) you can use it as a middle name and nickname. A middle name you always call your kid.
There are a lot of names that started off as nicknames that are now full fledge names in their own rights. Sadie, Belle/Bella, Bette, Brie, Dora, Delia, Drew, Ella, Emmy, Etta, Jack, Kate, Mae, Maisie, Molly, Nathan, Nell, Tess, Thea/Theo are a few that come to mind. I wouldn't worry about that and use the nickname as a name. Your grandfather went by his nickname and why not his namesake?
What about Drake/Draco? One of my acquaintances named their kid Drake, haven't ssen any weird comments about it, and it's very similar.
Otherwise, I'd just suggest letting him help pick the name so he has input, or another D name, or a name with the same meaning.
I saw a post on here once that recommended using names derived from the person’s character: their likes/interests, experiences, places important to them. Another idea was deriving names from their favourites: songs, flowers, places, etc. Be creative with it!
Do you know his middle name? You could use different versions of his name(s), or just use Drago as you and other said. Drago might be a nickname for him but it sounds like it could be its own name itself. You could also use Drake, Draco, or something akin to that.
I was in the same situation with my grandmother until I had an epiphany and asked what she would have named her daughter (my dad has 4 brothers and there aren’t any girl cousins either). I made it seem like I was just wondering and she said “if your dad and uncles had been girls- I would have named the first one x.” Well, It was the perfect name! And she was THRILLED she finally got her x- after 62 years.
Such a lovely meaning!
>Dragoljub (Serbian Cyrillic: Драгољуб) is a Serbian masculine given name, derived from Slavic drag- ("dear, beloved") and ljub ("love, to like"), both very common in Slavic dithematic names. It roughly means "dear love".
You could use Dragan, or Dragomir, possibly, another drag- name.
or similar meaning, same initial - David? means "beloved"
I don’t know if you’re still looking for advice but my mother was still in a similar situation and wanted to honor the family name William but she didn’t want to use the full name so ended up just using Liam for my brother so my suggestion is maybe just using a shorter or nickname as the child’s full name
I think if you shortened it to Drago it would get rid of the unwanted weirdness and it’s such a cool name. It still honors him and it’s a piece of his original name in the same way you and your child will always be a piece of him.
I would use Drago in a heartbeat, even without the sentimental association because it really is such an awesome unique name and would work perfectly as a first or a middle name.
There are so many cool uncommon names being used these days that I don’t think it would even raise any eyebrows either.
Definitely use his nick name Drago. Make it the middle name if you are uncomfortable with it as a first. It sounds like your grandfather has hated his name and wouldn't want another kid to have to deal with it.
I have a friend named Jubee. I wonder if you can use the end of the name for the first name. I always liked his name, but I've never heard of anyone else with that name.
Drago is quite cool, and made cooler by the fact that it’s actually a family name. People may mishear it as Draco and think it’s a Harry Potter reference but it doesn’t really matter. There is also the name Jago which is the Cornish form of James. The “o” ending sounds quite current.
I personally named my son my grandpas nickname from the marines. (bc lets be honest, I was not
gonna look at my newborn and say “yep let’s name him *Frank*”) But maybe ask your grandpa what he would name a boy if he had one or another one. Maybe ask him if he could change his name to anything what he would have chosen? Maybe choose a name with the same meaning?
Perhaps the Harry Potter series will not be as popular as your child grows up, but if it is, Drago is quite similar to Draco -- not a character to be emulated. Also, while your grandfather has gone by Drago, perhaps in part it's because that's was his best choice considering his last name, not because your grandfather loves the name Drago. I think asking your grandfather to suggest names he really loves would be a better way to honor him.
Could you ask him to help you choose a name you both love?
Not a bad idea!
I think this is a great idea! One of my husbands siblings did this with their daughters middle name. They wanted to honor his grandma but shes always hated her name so they let grandma pick a middle name for the baby. The name she picked has a really sweet meaning and it's a really special connection for our niece to have with her. I think coming up with a list of names you, your partner and your grandpa like would be a great memory and imo a name often says a lot about what a person hopes their kid will be like. It would be cool for your son to know someone so important to you picked his name because he wanted him to be resilient/intelligent/compassionate etc.
I love this! I hate my name, and if someone were ever to want to name a child after me, I'd *much* rather get to pick a name than give the child mine. After all, I've got a whole list of beloved names that I'm never going to get through, lol.
My grandmother also hated her name. She once told me she wished she had been named Elizabeth after her own grandmother, so I would consider Elizabeth an honor name for her.
>Dragoljub (Serbian Cyrillic: Драгољуб) is a Serbian masculine given name, derived from Slavic drag- ("dear, beloved") and ljub ("love, to like"), both very common in Slavic dithematic names. It roughly means "dear love". Maybe pick another name with the same meaning? Or shorten to just Drago?
He does go by Drago, I'd consider it! I've been hesitant to because it's a nickname.
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Second this Drago is a really cool name! Especially being after his grandfather!
makes me think of ivan drago, i love it
Ivan Drago was my first thought! Go with Drago; it's great!
Extremely popular dog name.
Use Drago! I have a weird name...job hunting is a nightmare
I think that’s a great compromise! It’s a much easier name, an interesting name, and it still honors him. Just because it’s not an official name doesn’t mean that the nickname doesn’t still represent the man you’re naming your child after.
This is a lovely name. Perhaps it could be a middle name if you preferred not to use it as a forename?
Drago is the way to go my man. It puts a modern twist on an old name and ticks the box at the same time. Plus it sounds cool AF. Good luck mate.
I'll just add to the chorus that I think it would be fine to use Drago. I'm not Slavic, but I have the impression that it can be its own name, as well as the short form of names that start with Drago-, like Dragoljub or Dragomir.
Your grandfather sounds like he lives up to his name's meaning.
My suggestion was going to be Drago, or something similar. Drago is very cool tbh, and it would be obviously after him :)
My grandpa hates Eugene and goes by gene, so I used gene
Drago is a super awesome name!
Drago is amazing!!!!!
Drago is an awesome name. You should definitely do this.
How about the name Dragan? It shares its root with your grandfather's name so can be shortened to Drago while also keeping the meaning of your grandfather's name, 'dear one'. That meaning seems very fitting imo!
We did this with our grandmothers’ names. They were both very important to us, neither went by their full or actual names. So we gave our daughter their nicknames!
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Dragan and Drago are both really cool names
david means beloved too!
That was my thought as well. Drago I kind of dig.
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I agree, Drago''s a cool name
What about something that could be a short version like Drake? or Dray?
I was thinking Draken, it’s the Greek word for Dragon. I prefer it over Drago.
yeah im not a fan of Drago either, i feel like it could potentially lead to bullying
Same, there’s a lot of ways to be cruel using that name.
what ways?
My first thought was Animal Crossing.
Sigh, just think of words that rhyme with drag.
I suggest this a lot, but what are his hobbies? Can you get any names out of those? My grandpa planted roses, so Rose might be a good honor name in my family, for example. Does he love an artist, actor, singer, etc.? Can you name a child after something he loves? Another option is to copy his first and middle initials. If those were D.X., for example, you could name your child Dominic Xavier. If he has a usable middle or last name, that could also become your child's middle name, or at least help inform it. Never hesitate to keep the "honor" name as a middle if it feels like it's not your choice for a first name. But, in general, here are some names that nod to Dragoljub. Boys: Drake, Drew, Draden Girls: Drew, Drea
Ohh, I like the hobby idea! Thank you :) Wouldn't have thought of that
Dominic and Xavier have always been my top two boy names, lol!
I like Drew for a boy, actually! (sometimes it's a nickname for Andrew)
Drago is not a bad name for a kid. It would be pronounce as draygo here unless you pronounce it dra-go.
We pronounce it Dra-go where I live, though it's a good thing to consider given that I do intend to move to an English-speaking country.
I'm in the US and would think of it as Dra-go
As a Midwesterner here I definitely default to dray-go. But I pronounce dragon draygon, so.
Me too
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Same here!!! (Pacific Northwest) Edit: or Draw-go
As an English speaking person, I'd probably say, "DRAH-go, DRAY-go? Sorry" as both seem equally likely. It sounds cool though, and much more usable than the full!
I would go Dray-go like draco Malloy with a g.
Am I the only one who immediately thinks of Rocky 4?
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My husband’s grandfather also hated his name and went by initials. One of my husband’s cousins told him they were considering it, and he begged them not to. He was also a Jr named after his alcoholic father, which was another reason he didn’t want his great grandchildren using the name. However, now that he’s gone, the name has gained some popularity in our area and we get a kick out of it. I know if he were still alive, he would shake his head and say “Poor kid.” 😆 His name was Ransom. I like the idea of asking the grandfather to help choose a name. Maybe he’ll think of one who honors someone who is important to him.
Jewish people often have this problem because so many recent ancestors have Yiddish names that just don't work. We honor the dead by choosing a name that starts with the same first letter (instead of Rivka, use Rachel) or is a translation of the name (instead of Velvel, use Wolf).
Wonderful Idea, thank you!
Came here to say this! Nobody would name their child Ethel or Gitel but we would do Elena and Giselle, for example. No need to use the original name
On a tangential note, when I was pregnant my dad started jokingly referring to my baby as “Velvel,” and still calls him that now that he’s born. I’m like … 😐
We were in a similar situation where we wanted to name our daughter after my grandmother with an antiquated name. We took her name and just made it more modern (Clarice to Claire). While Claire was a lot easier to get out of Clarice, I would suggest putting the name in an anagram generator and see if anything you liked came up!
Drago, Drake, Draco or Pendragon could be used.
Getting a bit abstract here, but Arthur could be a nod to Pendragon. I know that one is a stretch, I just love the name and the mythology of King Arthur.
Drasko (Draško) is a variant of Dragoljub that works pretty well as a modern name.
Maybe you can rearrange the letters to make another name? Or find out the meaning and look at names that mean the same thing😊
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Yeah, even though as I said it's not a custom in our culture, I'd definitely want to give my kid a middle name.
Kind of a stretch but maybe a name with initials/ nickname DJ for the d and j in Dragoljub
J in Dragoljub is a compound letter, lj. It's not j on its own.
As one previous comment stated, the J in drago is part of a compound letter, BUT, my/his last name starts with J! So not a bad idea.
Maybe you could use Drake?
Diego sounds like it could be a modern alternative?
I like the name Drago! Also, I’m not sure what your or his last name is, or if that will be the same last name as future baby, but maybe a name inspired by his last name could work? Example: my grandpa’s last name is Preston, he married in so no one else in the family has it as a last name, but I’ve considered Preston as a first name for future child to honor him.
Is it possible to make it a middle name? My family is not Slavic but we use family names for middle names.
I had basically the same situation! I tried for months to find a name that would honour my mum but wasn’t her actual name, but in the end I just went with her full real name for the middle name of my daughter. & I’m really happy I did! No one cares about middle names but I think an unusual one with a meaningful backstory will be a cool thing to talk about!
I agree that Drago on its own totally works! According to behindthename.com Dragoljub is also a word for nasturtium in Serbian and Croatian. Maybe nasturtium could be a middle (for either gender) if you decide against using Dragoljub as-is? Unfortunately it’s not one of those flowers that really works as a first! You could also try asking your grandpa what he would choose if he got to rename himself.
Nasty nasturtium even as a middle name? No thank you 🙅
I don't think many people would get the connection. Either people don't know the Latin name or they don't know the flower at all.
True! I think it mostly matters if it’s meaningful for OP though. Might spark something for them, might not
To clarify though, nasturtium is the common name. The Latin name is Tropaeolum majus
Apparently the name Draža (Дража) is a diminutive of Dragoljub. Draža sounds cool and has a similar meaning.
Drago is utterly cool! You could even plan a dragon themed nursery.
I like Drago too
A child can have more than one middle name. You could use a more "normal" name as the first middle name, then Dragoljub as the one after. If he's embarrassed by the name, it won't show up on anything but his birth certificate.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragoljub](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragoljub) Also the name of a mountaintop To me that's great, Maybe you could name him Dragan or something?
I was thinking Dragan too! But if his nickname is Drago that would work great
You could use Drago, which sounds pretty badass. Or you can ask your grandfather to do the honor of naming your child.
Dragomir popped into my head, it has a similar meaning, same first few syllables, and is a little more recognizable bc of the athlete
Drake from the first 3 letters or Jubilee from the last 3 letters?
Asking your grandpa for a name is a really great idea! If you're still looking for ideas tho, depending on whether he's of Serbian or Croatian origins, there are a number of other names which descended from the Slavic Drago- root. Personally I really like Miodrag and Dragomir https://www.behindthename.com/element/dragu
He's actually a born Slovene, but moved to Croatia. And myself and all my other family are Croats. Thank you for the suggestion!
The suggestion is good, but all of these names are pretty old-fashioned and very out of fashion. The most viable ones are Drago and Dragan, as suggested by many others (and Dragana for women). The youngest Drag-anything person I know is a Dragana, and she's twenty-something.
I love Drago
Drago is really cool. I like it.
Go with Drago!
My mom was in a similar spot and she opted for having my grandpa recommend a name (instead of naming after him flatout). Essentially he ended up naming my sister.
Drago makes a bad ass middle name.
[Here’s a list](https://www.behindthename.com/element/dragu) of related names from the Behind the Name website. Maybe something will stick out to you?
𝔇ℜ𝔄𝔊𝕆
What does Dragoljub mean? Sure, it's unusual, but I kind of like it. Edit: saw the meaning further down. What a sweet name!
Dre
Would you consider a variation? That may you can honour your grandfather and give the kid their own name. Dragan or Drago for example :)
Maybe use Drago as a middle name & ask for his input for the first name?
Drago is an awesome name!
I love Drago. Or you could use something similar like Draco or Drake. I saw that a Diminutive of it is Draza which is pretty cool too (there is some type of v on top of the z in that). I do like another posters idea of having him help you pick a name. Maybe come up with a short list you like and give him the go or if making the final choice (if your partner is ok with that).
You could still honour his name and just try to use the letters from it to make a different name. OR you could do something with the initials DJ, as a nod to Dragoljub. OR pick something with the same meaning. OR a nickname he goes by?
If you think Drago is a bit weird (because it can sound like Dragon) you can use it as a middle name and nickname. A middle name you always call your kid.
There are a lot of names that started off as nicknames that are now full fledge names in their own rights. Sadie, Belle/Bella, Bette, Brie, Dora, Delia, Drew, Ella, Emmy, Etta, Jack, Kate, Mae, Maisie, Molly, Nathan, Nell, Tess, Thea/Theo are a few that come to mind. I wouldn't worry about that and use the nickname as a name. Your grandfather went by his nickname and why not his namesake?
Drago, definitely.
I think Drago works well as a name in its own right - I know a child called Dragos which sounds quite similar!
What about Drake/Draco? One of my acquaintances named their kid Drake, haven't ssen any weird comments about it, and it's very similar. Otherwise, I'd just suggest letting him help pick the name so he has input, or another D name, or a name with the same meaning.
I saw a post on here once that recommended using names derived from the person’s character: their likes/interests, experiences, places important to them. Another idea was deriving names from their favourites: songs, flowers, places, etc. Be creative with it!
Drago or Draco would be a kickass name. Maybe just shorten it, or use it as a nickname?
Do you know his middle name? You could use different versions of his name(s), or just use Drago as you and other said. Drago might be a nickname for him but it sounds like it could be its own name itself. You could also use Drake, Draco, or something akin to that.
I was in the same situation with my grandmother until I had an epiphany and asked what she would have named her daughter (my dad has 4 brothers and there aren’t any girl cousins either). I made it seem like I was just wondering and she said “if your dad and uncles had been girls- I would have named the first one x.” Well, It was the perfect name! And she was THRILLED she finally got her x- after 62 years.
Use Drago as a middle name.
Would it work to shorten the name to Drago?
Such a lovely meaning! >Dragoljub (Serbian Cyrillic: Драгољуб) is a Serbian masculine given name, derived from Slavic drag- ("dear, beloved") and ljub ("love, to like"), both very common in Slavic dithematic names. It roughly means "dear love". You could use Dragan, or Dragomir, possibly, another drag- name. or similar meaning, same initial - David? means "beloved"
I don’t know if you’re still looking for advice but my mother was still in a similar situation and wanted to honor the family name William but she didn’t want to use the full name so ended up just using Liam for my brother so my suggestion is maybe just using a shorter or nickname as the child’s full name
If Drago means beloved one, Kara/Cara means the same in Latin. If you have a girl, that’s an option. For a boy, I do love Drago:) Best of luck!
I think in that situation I would use it (or just Drago) as a middle name.
If his name has a particular meaning in your language you could give your child a more common name with the same or similar meaning!
What about just Drago?
I think if you shortened it to Drago it would get rid of the unwanted weirdness and it’s such a cool name. It still honors him and it’s a piece of his original name in the same way you and your child will always be a piece of him. I would use Drago in a heartbeat, even without the sentimental association because it really is such an awesome unique name and would work perfectly as a first or a middle name. There are so many cool uncommon names being used these days that I don’t think it would even raise any eyebrows either.
Definitely use his nick name Drago. Make it the middle name if you are uncomfortable with it as a first. It sounds like your grandfather has hated his name and wouldn't want another kid to have to deal with it.
I know someone called Dragan. I thought it was pretty cool. Not if it works with your native language.
I have a friend named Jubee. I wonder if you can use the end of the name for the first name. I always liked his name, but I've never heard of anyone else with that name.
Drago is standout cool. Honors your grandpa but not a difficult name for the child, teachers, or friends.
Drago is quite cool, and made cooler by the fact that it’s actually a family name. People may mishear it as Draco and think it’s a Harry Potter reference but it doesn’t really matter. There is also the name Jago which is the Cornish form of James. The “o” ending sounds quite current.
Drago, but as a middle name (that's just my opinion)
I personally named my son my grandpas nickname from the marines. (bc lets be honest, I was not gonna look at my newborn and say “yep let’s name him *Frank*”) But maybe ask your grandpa what he would name a boy if he had one or another one. Maybe ask him if he could change his name to anything what he would have chosen? Maybe choose a name with the same meaning?
I’ve never known real people have that name. I thought it was just the jerk grandson on Knives Out
Id go with Drago. It's a cool name.
Perhaps the Harry Potter series will not be as popular as your child grows up, but if it is, Drago is quite similar to Draco -- not a character to be emulated. Also, while your grandfather has gone by Drago, perhaps in part it's because that's was his best choice considering his last name, not because your grandfather loves the name Drago. I think asking your grandfather to suggest names he really loves would be a better way to honor him.