AIBU to be angry about comments on my granddaughters' names?

For what it’s worth, I think they’re fabulous names! And I’d also be annoyed at someone making unnecessary and un-invited comments on their names - it’s not their place.

I think these are lovely names. I have no idea what is meant by 'showgirl name' but to mention pornstars while talking about your grandchildren is just horrible. I too would be really upset by this.

It’s not very nice to have any negative type of comment on the choice of your child’s/grandchild’s name. I’m here for gorgeous showgirl names…. Lola, Kitty, Tahlula xx

I love those names, OP. I wouldn’t necessarily think someone who said was being unkind. It depends on their view of showgirls I suppose. Showgirls are glam, beautiful and stand out. I‘m sorry you took offence. Try and think it was not meant in a bitchy way.

My son’s girlfriend is called Lola. I always think about the Barry Manilow song. 😁

Sorry, tinkly LAUGH, not kaugh which sounds like a RP cough!

OP I can see why you felt annoyed. I imagine your friend's friend's comment came across as patronising and superior ("Showgirls, tinkly kaugh"). Hope you can smile and shrug it off now you've had time to reflect. She behaved poorly in a.social situation. She might be kicking herself now. But for you, her opinion doesn't matter. You'll probably never have to meet her again.

It is now today's earworm.

So, basically, you want everyone to agree with you. Have you been on MN long?

Of course you think the names are lovely, as they are the names of your beautiful granddaughters. However, the name Lola to most people immediately prompts their brain to the Copacabana song by Barry Manilow, or Lola by the Kinks, neither of which are referencing sweet innocent little girls. Sorry, but it's true. I agree she should have kept her opinions to herself, though.

If I read the first line of THAT Barry Manilow song one more time on this thread, I may scream.

I would be furious too. You probably don’t like things about that woman but wouldn’t be so rude as to say.
“ i don’t like your name ,or hair style, or clothes , or name , , but I wouldn’t be so rude as to say so”

Anyone else who's been reading this since page 1, getting really fed up of comments from posters who haven't rtft?

Please tell us what the names are?
Lola - Barry Manilow
Lola - The Kinks
Lola - Nabakov
Ruby - Kaiser Chiefs
Roxy - The Police
Roxy - Cyrano de Bergerac
All 3 names - East Enders
And the endless bloody quoting of the lyrics.

Perfectly valid observations but it's really irritating when people think they're being original by sharing something that's already been said dozens of times.

She did. Yesterday.

Or maybe it’s just a weird comment to make in the first place.

It really isn’t difficult to say ‘aww.. such lovely names’ or nothing at all.

’Showgirls’ isn’t exactly a term that is considered automatically a compliment regardless if she meant it as one or not.

Well, she was commenting on the names, not the little girls themselves. One name in a particular style might not have caught her notice, but if they are all similar, I can see why she might have remarked on it as a matter of interest. Unless I am missing context about her tone or face when she said it, I don't think it's something to be offended or cross about.

That said, it is rather lovely that you are so fiercely defensive of your lovely grand-daughters, but maybe save that energy for a time when it's needed.

Edited to say I have just seen that the names are Roxy, Lola and Ruby. What a pretty set of names. I can actually see why she thought showgirls! They would all suit a fabulous leading lady with her name up in lights. I think you may be seeing different connotations for showgirl than I am, though; I think they are great.

A weird comment but please tell us what the names are.

I think it was rude, and I can understand why you were annoyed OP. I don’t pass comment on children’s names unless it’s one I’ve never heard before and think is beautiful.
Don’t let it spoil your day with your grandchildren

I love the name Shelby.

X

Well, Roxy is a character in Chicago, which is a musical….therefore a show girl name.

her name was Lola, she was a show girl….

so she’s not wrong is she??!

The names are not awful, they are lovely. My guess your ‘friend’ is jealous. I am picturing 3 gorgeous, engaging little girls.

the inherent misogyny is pathetic, if someone commented a particular name was very ‘estate’, or very ‘ethnic’ everyone would be up in arms.
but it is ok to sneer at a little girls name being a bit ‘showgirl’ because somekne wrote a song about it, when you know exactly what she is insinuating

I called my third girl Jozefeen. I wanted a boy all three times and he was going to be Jozef. When I had my last baby and it was another girl my DH said we had to use the name I had been hanging on to for 8 years, and to spell it the same way. I've been accused of being "Showgirly". I didn't care it was my choice. My second daughter called her daughter Shelby. Which wasn't very familiar in UK at the time and again they said it was "Showgirly" she's 25 now and actually loves being in musicals shows but says its not showgirly enough. It doesn't matter what others say even if it upsets you or others as long as you, your grandchildren and their parents are happy with the name its not worth getting all het up over.

Lola and Ruby have been around forever (and Roxy too for all I know). My grandmother was Lola, and she was a no-nonsense Scottish farmer. I also knew a Ruby who was a teacher who would be in her 90s now. Both women who had great careers without being held back by their names.

Have you ever heard of an independent music artist called Taylor Swift OP? Her recent album The Life of a Showgirl talks of the hopes and dreams of a dancer/singer in the spotlight and parallels of her own (and Sabrina Carpenter’s) lives on stage. None of it is low class, chavvy or in any way derogatory. Showgirl is used to signify someone committed, extremely talented and highly focused on her craft. I wouldn’t have taken that as an insult at all, so every poster insisting it’s meant as a criticism or insult has a very narrow or old fashioned view of the term showgirl.

Maybe you had doubts about the names initially, and now it's been spoken aloud it's just reminded you?

I've had a read down a bit as I needed to know the names before commenting.... I was betting on Lola and I was right! One is 1970 the Kinks and one 1978 Barry Manilow.

Basically anyone over 50 hears
"Her name was Lola, she was a showgirl
With yellow feathers in her hair
And a dress cut down to there
She would merengue and do the cha-cha
And while she tried to be a star
Tony always tended bar"

Or

"I met her in a club down in old Soho
Where you drink champagne and it tastes just like Coca-Cola
C-O-L-A, Cola
She walked up to me and she asked me to dance
I asked her her name and in a dark brown voice, she said, "Lola"
L-O-L-A, Lola
Lo-Lo-Lo-Lo-Lola"

Younger people don't make the same association, or have taken the name from the kids TV show Charlie & Lola, as a nice normal name.

Yes it was rude to say, but frankly what everyone over 50 is thinking!