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Original poster

Why do people ask Mumsnet for help naming their baby?!

38 replies

ThatFlightyTemptress · 04/10/2024 22:24

There are so many threads where people ask what name they should give their baby. I really don’t understand - can’t you do some searching on a baby name website? Or buy a baby names book? It just feels like a weird attention seeking thing!

OP posts:
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CruCru · 05/10/2024 12:43

It would be better if people who want opinions say what their surname begins with and how many syllables it has. Suggesting Joshua (say) to someone whose surname is Mosh is a bit weird but is fine if it is Browning.

Changingname1988 · 05/10/2024 12:12

ChocBanana · 05/10/2024 11:53

What’s worse is when people give specific criteria, such as “Looking for J names” and people say “I have a Ronnie and a Reggie”. No one asked what you have.

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How about Jimberley?

okydokethen · 05/10/2024 12:05

I'd like more people to reply and let us know what they've called their baby. I'm invested.

ChocBanana · 05/10/2024 11:53

ThatFlightyTemptress · 04/10/2024 22:24

There are so many threads where people ask what name they should give their baby. I really don’t understand - can’t you do some searching on a baby name website? Or buy a baby names book? It just feels like a weird attention seeking thing!

What’s worse is when people give specific criteria, such as “Looking for J names” and people say “I have a Ronnie and a Reggie”. No one asked what you have.

theemptinessmachine · 05/10/2024 11:45

😂 that's true !

BarbaraHoward · 05/10/2024 11:27

theemptinessmachine · 05/10/2024 11:25

How does a name NOT go with another one? 🤷‍♀️

As above - Sam and Ella are lovely individually but terrible as sibling names.

theemptinessmachine · 05/10/2024 11:25

How does a name NOT go with another one? 🤷‍♀️

Changed18 · 05/10/2024 11:07

People say what they really think on MN because it’s anonymous. Which is both a massive pro and a massive con. IRL you don’t want to upset/offend your friends/relatives.

Mintyt · 05/10/2024 10:58

I just wish they one come back with the name they have chosen

StamppotAndGravy · 05/10/2024 10:46

Most of the lists online are only what's fashionable now in individual countries. It's quite hard to get ideas away from the lists. I'd tried googling everything from mediaeval French mythology characters to 1940s German census records, but MN still gave me some new ideas.

Gotosleep91 · 05/10/2024 10:04

MasterBeth · 05/10/2024 09:10

Yes, I agree. It's basically for people with no taste or imagination of their own.

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Wow you managed to agree with what I said but make it so incredibly rude!

It's perfectly normal to ask others opinions and seek inspiration from other human beings.

PlayDadiFreyr · 05/10/2024 09:34

I didn't, but if I wanted a sounding board, I would have. I didn't want to include people I knew so that I could change my mind/avoid annoying opinions.

And everyone in real life suggested Oliver, as if I couldn't think of using the most popular boy's name by myself.

crumpet · 05/10/2024 09:26

Tinkerbellflowers · 04/10/2024 23:35

I've never understood why they want a name to go well with their other child. Why does that even matter?

Lots of things don’t matter, wearing blue shoes instead of brown for example. Doesn’t mean someone can’t have a preference.

thebrowncurlycrown · 05/10/2024 09:24

I do want to know other people's opinions about the name. I would want to know how my child will be perceived by the world, rightly or wrongly.

Didimum · 05/10/2024 09:17

I think you can stumble upon more unique names when talking to people than you can on baby name websites. People are also allowed to find it more fun chatting about it than trawling through lists on their own.

Weird thing to look down on other women for.

MasterBeth · 05/10/2024 09:10

Gotosleep91 · 05/10/2024 08:59

Same reason people ask about other decisions - it's just for inspiration, things you might not have thought of.

what colour would you paint a south facing room?

Help me decide a dress for this occasion?

If I like this name, any ideas on other names I might like?

....chill out.

Yes, I agree. It's basically for people with no taste or imagination of their own.

Gotosleep91 · 05/10/2024 08:59

Same reason people ask about other decisions - it's just for inspiration, things you might not have thought of.

what colour would you paint a south facing room?

Help me decide a dress for this occasion?

If I like this name, any ideas on other names I might like?

....chill out.

BarbaraHoward · 05/10/2024 07:53

Tinkerbellflowers · 04/10/2024 23:35

I've never understood why they want a name to go well with their other child. Why does that even matter?

Some people do like the names to fit well as part of a "set", which I have to say isn't a concern I had. But also worth checking to avoid unwittingly walking into a Sam and Ella or Elsa and Anna type situation. Grin

Needanewname42 · 05/10/2024 01:44

KindOf · 04/10/2024 23:02

Because their friends are too tactful to say ‘Fruitloop is a stupid name’.

Exactly and people don't want to ponder over names with family or friends incase they get talked into something they don't like.

I wish my mum had access to MN back in the day.
She named me, Dad told everyone, and by visiting the next day, she'd changed her mind to something much nicer but Dad didn't want to look daft and tell everyone they'd changed their minds.

RogueFemale · 05/10/2024 01:40

Because you can get honest feedback, from a wider range of people, on the internet.

angeldelite · 05/10/2024 01:38

Because who in real life is going to tell you not to name your child Maybelline or Phelony?

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 05/10/2024 00:40

YABU - a lot of baby name books are just alphabetical lists of names. Fine to give you some name ideas, but they won’t tell you what other people might actually think of the name. It can be awkward to ask people in RL (who may be too polite to tell the truth anyway) - and it’s better to know in advance if people struggle to spell or pronounce the name, if it’s got some awful pop culture reference you weren’t aware of, has some obvious teasing potential that you’ve missed etc

Also some people just really struggle to make decisions (especially postpartum!) and if it turns out the majority of posters love or hate a name, it might give a better indication of how well the name would work in RL.

MyKidsAreTooNoisy · 04/10/2024 23:43

Because it can be more interesting and interactive than just looking at a list online. And some MNetters might come up with something exciting and unusual like James rather than the boring classics like Balonz etc. HTH

avignon1234 · 04/10/2024 23:39

I think it is OK for a lot of reasons that OP have mentioned. You can get genuine and honest help. I did not know what to call my 4th child, and me and OH could not agree easily, with more suggestions it might have been easier. It sometimes does help, and if you don't like it you can scroll on. Not sure much harm is done in the asking, and I defo do not think the parents are seeking attention.

Tinkerbellflowers · 04/10/2024 23:35

I've never understood why they want a name to go well with their other child. Why does that even matter?