Family hate my favourite name on short list.

[Notrobusta]

We have made the mistake of sharing our shortlist with close family and one particular name we like we either get turned up noses or other suggestions. I know it is our baby and we can name them what we like however when we announce the birth and name I would like people to like it and not think negatively. My husband doesn't care what people think but I am having a wobble and thinking of using the name as a middle name instead. Did anyone do this and regretted it?

[MagicFinger]

What's the name?

[Scarydinosaurs]

Don't worry about it. If you love the name, you'll regret not using it.

Unless they have reasonable objections you shouldn't reconsider.

[emilybrontescorset]

I would use the name you like.

Everyone has different opinions about names.


Before my dd1 was born we made the same mistake as you and my dickhead of a fil made very insulting comments about our number one choice.
It put dh off using the name.

Nobody else has ever made a derogatory comment about that name.

[OublietteBravo]

My mother still doesn't like the name we chose for DD (who is now 11). We don't care - we still love it!

Go for the name you love.

[Notrobusta]

Thanks all. The name is Ephraim. I know it is unusual and that worries me a bit. Were planning on Ephraim Edward. But now wondering if we should swap these around.

[Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost]

No you shouldn't swap them around because you feel pressured to do so. The thing with names like everything in this life. You can please some of the people some of the time but you can't please all of the people all of the time.

[ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight]

Its unusual but really nice. Ignore them!

[Elllicam]

It's unusual but not weird. How do you pronounce it? Ef raim? Ef ra eem?

[JanuaryJuniper]

Oohh love the name Ephraim!

[gymboywalton]

they are right-it's awful.
just bear in mind that iof family turn their noses up, they will not be the only ones and your child will have a lifetime of strangers remarking on their name, asking how to say it, how to spell it, turning their names up at it. call him edward and use ephraim as a middle name.

[IguanaTail]

Stick with the name you like. They had their turn at naming babies.

[5madthings]

It is unusual but it's a known name and if you love it and it suits baby use it.

I say if it suits the baby as once they are born you may find it doesn't. We have always had a short list and then once baby is born it's taken us a week or two to decide what suits. This alone pissed my mil off as she thought we should just have one boy name and one girl name ready and then give baby the name for whichever Sex it is.


Family haven't liked our name choices but once baby was named they were fine and I know Dc6 will be the same. They all hate the boys name that we love but hey Ho if that's the name that suits this baby once it here they will get over it. We are really struggling with girls names but family don't like any we have suggested so far.

[Guacamowle]

Your baby, your choice of name. Personally, I like Ephraim. Once the baby arrives they will simply associate the name with him. My niece recently had a little girl and had told us she was naming her Millie-Jo. Not a name I would have chosen, but it is now her name, and I can't imagine her being called anything else.

[firesidechat]

It's not that unusual is it? Just a slightly obscure, but solid biblical name. At least it's not made up, which is in it's favour. I quite like it.

[firesidechat]

I suppose with the decline of Bible teaching there will be people who haven't heard of it before.

[SanityClause]

Ephraim is lovely!

But what GloriaHotcakes said.

Too late, now, though. You're just going to have to brazen it out.

[GabiSolis]

I'm on the fence.

I'd be tempted to go ahead and give your DS the name you want because really it's up to you as his parents. At the same time though, I think gauging opinions is sometimes a good thing and if many people are giving you the same response, and not all because they are bouncing off one another, it's something to consider.

It's a Marmite name though isn't it? Those who like something a little bit different are more likely to say it's nice.

[Wishfulmakeupping]

We told a few family members what we had chosen for dd- mil and my dsis both said they didn't like it- we used it anyway- I loved it too much to consider anything else. Glad we did as I've realised since they both like names I would never use- I like strong sounding names they like very cutesy names.
Anyway we didn't tell either ds' name until he arrived they didn't get a chance to say anything this time :)

[BertrandRussell]

I wouldn't use it because as soon as he gets a gang of mates he will be Eef. Which would really annoy me!

Go for Edward. Lots of good shortening so and easy to live with.

[Rivercam]

Unusual but a nice strong name.

I'm in my 40s and never knew a Noah until relatively recently. It would have been considered very unusual, and maybe only used by strong religious families. Now it's in the top 10 names.

If you love it, use it. They will soon get used to it.

[grumpysquash2]

My DS was very nearly Noah Alexander. I'd loved that combination since before being pg. But my DM (amongst others) didn't like it and went on and on and on about it :(
He ended up Alexander Joseph, which does suit him. But he really looked like a Noah as a newborn.....funny wrinkly thing with a shock of black hair.

I would stick with your convictions (and don't discuss it with family!)

[EnriqueTheRingBearingLizard]

I can never hear or read Ephraim without prefacing it with 'Mount' but I am a heathen

[happytocomply]

Stick to your guns. Old Testament names are really on the up, this year I have met baby Ezra, Isiah, Zachariah, Nathaniel etc. Its a lovely name and I really think it won't sound so unusual soon.