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

Completely unnecessary for this person to make the comment.

My daughters have unusual names, well not in the grand scheme of Apple or Lucky, but unusual enough for girls to be commented on, I’m a different age to you, judging by the fact you have grandchildren only, but I wouldn’t like that comment either, they have lovely names, I bet she was named Elaine, or Brenda. Very 1950s middle suburbia. Children aren’t their names, but like I said, they have lovely names so they’re probably lovely children.

Rude and sneery? How exactly?

Those names wont be everyones cup of tea but the friend hasnt said anything rude she just said they are showgirl names, which they are. Its you who has taken a negative view of that. Could it be that youre a bit sensitive about it because you aren't that fussed on their names but feel the need to defend your daughter?

Personally love ruby but cant imagine calling a little baby/girl Roxy because I just dont think its a nice name.

Nothing is wrong with them as names Op.

Don't let the friend get to you. She was rude. But it was made ruder by the fact there is some substance to the showgirl comment. Only some, but enough to make her comment, imo, a bit barbed.

But they are fine, and I am sure they will come to give them their own unique twist.

ETA then again, perhaps she'd love to be a showgirl! We might have her all wrong!

And Lola is a traditional Spanish name, diminutive of Dolores

My son’s girlfriend is a Ruby, it has never crossed my mind it’s a ‘showgirl’ name, she just gets a lifetime of ‘RUBY RUBY RUBY RUBY’ 😂 Even I can’t help singing it in my head when I see her

In my opinion, nothing at all.

Love Ruby and Lola but personally I’d give Roxy a miss entirely due to Chicago (shallow I know) love the musical though.
Nothing wrong with the three names really.

Lola is " walks like a woman but talks like a man" 😂

Roxy is to me Roxy who was in Eastenders or a beach clothing brand.

There’s nothing wrong with any of the names, there are all perfectly nice. It’s when you have them as a group of 3 together that they become noticeable. If your DD is in performing arts, it might even be deliberate on her part. Not that she wanted people to comment on ‘showgirl’ names, but in her mind the names go together - and that’s why.

With yellow feathers in her hair and a dress cut down to there...

Nothing is wrong with any of the names. Nobody said anything was wrong with them- not even the lady making the comment. It was just an observation. Don't overthink it and move on.

If you understand with Lolita surely you can understand the showgirls ref for the others?

Anyway, I think people will only react when hearing the names together because they all got the ref. You wouldn't necessarily think about it hearing just one of the names.

The Lola thing ties back to Lolita: "“She was Lo, plain Lo, in the morning, standing four feet ten in one sock. She was Lola in slacks. She was Dolly at school. She was Dolores on the dotted line. But in my arms she was always Lolita.”

But the truth is usage plays into all this as well, and Lola has come back into common usage. It's fine.

Obviously, they're just connotations. We make these connections and have these initial reactions, sometimes from personal expeirence (e.g. a bully that was called Hannah), sometimes from pop culture or history.

However what is wrong with Lola or Roxy?
Why wouldn’t they be appropriate for little girls?

People have already said multiple times: the Copabana and Chicago connotations. It was extremely rude of this woman to comment, but people will think it. Barry didn't name his showgirl Jane for a reason and Sarah Hart doesn't conjure the same image as Roxie.

If you give your kids names like Lola, Roxy, etc. people
are going to make assumptions! I know a Lolita and the mother is pissed that people think it’s not appropriate for a little girl…

Maybe there’s a simpler explanation to the comment then?

If the person knew your daughter was a ballerina, did she mean ‘showgirl’ as in someone who is on stage? Actress, singer etc?

So implying that your daughter being a ballerina, these names go well?

Maybe you looked for offence where none was intended and the 2nd person ruined it with their comment.

It’s great to have a name that has a ring to it, like Sharon Stone, Angelina Jolie, Sabrina Carpenter, Rachel Weisz… These are ‘showgirl names’ as in appropriate for life in the public eye and people seek out memorable names like that.

I got bored and made a thread on this about an hour ago lol. Strange how people think they know everything from a name but my eldest was born in a homeless shelter when I was 16 and has what’s been described as a “posh name” and my youngest born when I was an adult women, dad has a very middle class job and my youngest name is called “chav lower class “ on here. Take absolutely no notice

Manners most of all I'd say.

Decorum, a way of knowing how to act and handle things.

And yes, hobbies, taste and education ahead of hard cash.

ETA your DD is fine OP. The names are fine. The ballet world explains them imo. They are names on the creative/performing arts radar.

It's rude to have said it. My SIL said we'd picked "old lady" names for our twins and that stung a bit tbh, but I suppose we have to accept that any name has connotations to the listener. However it's also very fluid; what was a 'showgirl' name in one generation can simply be 'cool', or even 'boring' depending on popularity and usage in the next generation.
It sounds like the person feels (rightly) embarrassed by what they said, but it's only one person's opinion. You can either take the high ground and be the bigger person or wait for a passive aggressive opportunity to bring up Moulin Rouge in the future (I'd probably do option 2 😂)