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Original poster

To tell them their baby name options aren’t great?

262 replies

Ellase · 15/12/2025 21:07

I can be fairly confident DS and DIL don’t use Mumsnet so I’m prepared to take a risk and post this.

DS and his wife are expecting their first baby, all very exciting, a little girl. Tonight they came over and we were chatting names and they told me what their two front runners are, and well they aren’t inherently awful, but they are diminutives that aren’t well established as names in their own right (so we aren’t talking Milly or Rosie which are now fully fledged names). I asked if they were planning to use a longer name too and was told absolutely not. This worries as I feel their child won’t much appreciate having a name that is not well established, sounds a bit off (I don’t know how to explain better than that), and could easily have a longer name that would provide more optionality however they choose to live their life.

Should I cautiously mention it or just bite my tongue? We have a very positive relationship generally and they tend to be open to advice.

OP posts:
Bunnycat101 · 15/12/2025 22:31

Gigi is going to be fine but I’d have thought more typical to be a nickname for a Georgina. Tiggi is pretty bad and definitely feels like a nickname.

WimbyAce · 15/12/2025 22:30

This is why I never told anyone our name ideas until we were certain, I didn't want to hear other people's opinions. Plus they may change their minds completely when baby actually arrives. I would keep your thoughts to yourself.

UneFoisAuChalet · 15/12/2025 22:27

Look, I have a client and her 18 year old daughter is named Genocide. I kid you not. The child was not born in the UK, so maybe that’s how no one officially told her it was a bad idea.
I’m hoping someone on here will come out and tell me that’s it’s a common name in XYZ. I doubt it.
So whatever name your brother and sil have chosen is fine.

Cattenberg · 15/12/2025 22:26

To me, "Tiggy" is an upper-class woman who goes skiing. Her real name is something very different, such as Elizabeth, and Tiggy does not appear anywhere on her birth certificate. She got her nickname because when she was tiny, the family had a foreign au pair who struggled to pronounce Elizabeth, which her mother found frightfully amusing.

I think Gigi sounds better if you're French. It wouldn't be my choice, but I wouldn't comment on it either. Chacun à son goût, as I believe they say.

If the baby turns out to be a Tiggy, hopefully she'll also have a conventional middle name she can use in formal situations if she wants.

CheeriosOrFrosties · 15/12/2025 22:21

Clearly no tennis fans here. Gigi Fernandez or Gigi Salmon are the first people I think of when I hear the name. I like it, personally.

Flowerlovinglady · 15/12/2025 22:13

Me too.

Genevieva · 15/12/2025 22:12

Gigi contours up images of the old French film. Very chic. Tiggi is dreadful. It’s not a name. Parents should be banned from doing that to their kids.

ThorsRaven · 15/12/2025 22:11

Both could be a lifetime of piss-taking.

Gigi would end up being "gee gees" as in the horses, which could then lead to her being nicknamed "horsey" or "donkey".

Or even worse... Some older male leering at 13 year old her "gis a ride little horsey".

While Tiggi could be: Tiggi > Tigger > Piglet > Piggy.

Or worse: Tiggi > Tigger > Pussy cat > pussy > [insert any vulgar reference to female genitals]

OP, if you were going to say anything, you might be better off gently reminding the parents that children and teenagers can be nasty, cruel and spiteful, and the playground can be a brutal place. Get them to consider how any name they choose could be used by school bullies.

JLou08 · 15/12/2025 22:09

I'm not sure them names would lead to any piss taking. They're not that out there and people are more creative with naming babies these days. I've just done my DS's Xmas cards who is in reception. There are a couple of names on there that are new to me and not one name is repeated or even similar.

MBL · 15/12/2025 22:08

They are both fine. Naming fashions change, you get to name your own kids and that's it. Do not say anything. The name will grow on you and the baby will be adorable and you won't ever think twice about it again!

CherrieTomaties · 15/12/2025 22:07

Not keen on Tiggi. It’s cute for a baby but then an adult woman…not sure.

LOVE Gigi. (Think it’s became popular from Gigi Hadid, although her given name is Jelena).

OP, I’m afraid you’re going to have to reluctantly bite your tongue. But I’m sure you’ll fall in love with that baby girl as soon as you lay eyes on her despite whatever her name will be.

Bingbongbangbop · 15/12/2025 22:04

I think they're both cute names, I’ve heard much worse. Please don’t say anything.

SpinningaCompass · 15/12/2025 22:03

You've already given your opinion when you asked about it. Say nothing more.

TiggyTomCat · 15/12/2025 22:03

Well I like them both - of course probably more biased towards Tiggi (Ha!)

Hayley1256 · 15/12/2025 22:03

I like Gigi but defo not Tiggi

clary · 15/12/2025 22:01

DucksInARowingBoat · 15/12/2025 21:56

Is it Tabitha? We got told that! 😅

Show quote history

Ah I like Tabitha! No ds1 not dd. Tho my mum was not a fan of DD's name either.

PerrinGreen · 15/12/2025 22:01

They’re fairly trashy names but there’s nothing you can do OP. Maybe gently gently suggest a full name on the birth certificate to your son? But you’re playing with serious fire here!

L0bstersLass · 15/12/2025 22:01

@Ellase The only Gigi I know in real life has the full name Ghislaine, which is obviously now problematic.

SailingYachty · 15/12/2025 22:00

Sounds like they want a ‘trendy’ name! They’re not my taste either but I’d avoid upsetting them, this is why I’d never tell someone my baby names beforehand!

DucksInARowingBoat · 15/12/2025 21:56

clary · 15/12/2025 21:47

Gigi is a sweet name – and it is not a nickname for anything AFAIK. It’s a French name surely? Collette used the name in the 1940s (tho that story is not really aspirational).

Tiggi I am not keen on personally and pretty sure that is usually a nickname (for Matilda I think? Or Antigone?? which is deffo not a good story for a name).

But either way, I have heard a lot worse tbh. And no you can't say anything. My mother, on hearing DS1's name, said it sounded very old fashioned and like a cat's name. I have never forgotten that even tho it was 20+ years ago (and we were well ahead of the naming curve haha). She should have said Oh that's lovely dear. Suggest you do that OP.

Edited

Is it Tabitha? We got told that! 😅

maddiemookins16mum · 15/12/2025 21:56

We had a cat called Tiggy.
I agree with you Op, I’d have the same views as you.
But you can’t say anything, you know that and once that wee baby is in your arms for the first time you won’t care too much.

Cardomomle · 15/12/2025 21:54

Rainydayinlondon · 15/12/2025 21:52

Tiggi Legge Burke was a royal nanny!

Her real first name is Alexandra.

Justchilling07 · 15/12/2025 21:54

cannynotsay · 15/12/2025 21:33

It’s not your child.

Op knows that🙄

DontPokeMe · 15/12/2025 21:54

Unusual names are all the rage.

I wonder if they would like to keep the real baby name to themselves and gave slightly 'eyebrow raising' names just for the laugh...

Also, even when names don't align with other family members tastes, once baby is here the name will roll of the tongue, and will seem completely normal.

SouthLondonMum22 · 15/12/2025 21:54

You need to bite your tongue.

They have already said 'absolutely not' which makes their position very, very clear on the matter.

You have named your DC, now it's their turn.

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