DH is insisting...

[birdofthenorth]

That if bean is a boy, either his first name is Thomas after DH's grandad, or his middle name is Keith after DH's dad, and I get more leeway on the first name.

Thomas is ok but insanely popular. I do like Tommy though, but I've always hoped to avoid ridiculously popular names.

Keith is just awful and goes with nothing, although FIL is lovely and would be over the moon (grandad Tom is dead, so would be less thrilled, though I suppose FIL would like that too).

WWYD?!

[CandiceMariePratt]

I like Keith

[Catsu]

Keith is hideous BUT it's only a middle name and if it's in honour of someone you like and they would be touched by it, I'd go for that option and you get to 'insist' on your choice of first name!

[pictish]

Middle names don't matter whatsoever....their only purpose, other than to honour a member of the family, is to make it take longer to fill out forms.

[Fixture]

Why not Thomas as middle name and you choose the first name?

Do the grandad/dad have middle names you prefer?

[birdofthenorth]

Fixture very good question! DH is adament that if Keith is not involved at all Tommy needs to be the first name not the middle name. I think he wants to really honour his lineage but acknowledges you cannot, in this generation, insist on a child's first name being Keith.

Grandad Tom's mn was Wyatt, which we have considered; Keith has no mn, just plain Keith (was youngest of 4 kids, they couldn't be arsed to think of a mn, apparently!).

[Fixture]

You could suggest "no name" as the first name and you get to choose two middle names :o

[birdofthenorth]

at Fixture.

I have suggested Heath instead or Keith -Heath with a silent invisible K

[MelinaM]

Keith isn't as bad as you think and absolutely fine as a mn

Can you not have two middle names ... Thomas Keith, thus giving you even more leeway with the fn

[birdofthenorth]

Yes that might be a way forward Melina... that way the poor boy could just skip Keith off the form sometimes, when space doesn't allow it

[Ephiny]

Keith is not my favourite name I must say, but it's not so awful that I'd mind having it as a middle name, especially if I got to choose the first name.

Thomas is nice though I see your point about it being very popular. I have THE most common girls name for my year of birth (and top 3 for several years either side ) and would like my own children to have slightly more unusual names!

[nagynolonger]

I think Thomas is a great name and Keith is Ok for a mn. You don't say if your DC are taking DH surname. If they are then he shouldn't insist on a first name you don't want.

[birdofthenorth]

Yes DC are having DH's surname, but so do I.

DH is being a bit tongue in cheek with these insistences not tyrannical... but he is VERY keen on Keith!

[thistlemuncher]

I'm not keen on Keith, but would probably accept it as a middle name if DH felt that strongly about it.

If you are like the name Thomas then why not just use that. You can always call him Tommy. Even if it's a popular name on the statistics at the moment it doesn't necessarily mean that it's popular where you live.

[ShroudOfHamsters]

Two middle names - Thomas Keith - and you get to have final deciding vote if needed on an original name for the baby that you both want!

Family names are fine, but one person wanting one of their family names for the first name isn't reasonable, really. It's your new baby, presumably you want to have fun CHOOSING a new name that you love! Family names, unless you are both completely sold on the idea and love the name itself, are definitely middle name territory.

Goes double if the family names are also those of the family whose surname is being carried on. How much more dominance for the names of HIS family does your DH want? Greedy, much?

[minipie]

Will the baby be having your DH's surname?

If so then there's his lineage being honoured right there.

[minipie]

ah, just saw shroud had already made my point!

[iskra]

I agree with Shroud and Minipie. I get more say over the first and middle names IMO.

I used to fancy a lovely boy called Keith, so I have a soft spot for it. Fine as middle name.

[hellokitty123]

I think Keith is a fine middle name, especially as it honours a family member. I also agree that Thomas is very very widely used already and I'd personally avoid it as a first name for that reason. How about two middle names, Keith Thomas, and you choose another first name?

[kelly2000]

Well unless your husband is the world's first pregnant man, I think you might both get to decide on the name. I really do not see why he gets to decide the name, and may allow you leeway?

Keith is a hideous name. besides which how is it honouring anyone to name a child after them. the one thing very few people actually choose in their lives is their own name.

[LydiaWickham]

Keith is a fine middle name, it's not like you say your middle name much and if he's super embarrassed by it, he can dump it as an adult.

As long as you don't go for Heath for a first name, or anything starting with a K, you'll be fine. Now, what do you like for first name?

[Grumpla]

Insisting? INSISTING?!?!

I would INSIST that DH squeeze a baby out of his vagina and name it whatever he likes.

Insist indeed! Harumph!

[Quenelle]

Unless you really like Tommy (I do) then I think you should go for Keith as a middle name and choose a first name you like. It's definitely the better compromise.

Heath is nice (I used to know a nice one) but it only rhymes like Keith, so not really a tribute at all.

[birdofthenorth]

Grumpla well said, I have tried to make that point!!

Lydia am very undecided on first names ...largely because nothing goes well with Keith! List is currently

Elijah
Caleb
Henry
Jude
Alistair
Findlay
Angus

But am very open to suggestions which are so damn fabulous they compensate for being followed by Keith!!

I tend to favour biblical names but have a tradition of Scottish names on my side of the family so anything in those camps tends to be up my street.

[BelleEnd]

Actually, Keith is a very nice name- It's just the perceived image of Keithness that is not. And his generation will not have that- It's the same as our parents turn up their noses at the current trend of old fashioned names, just a generation down the line. Henry Keith is a fine name. Angus Keith even better.