Is this a mean thing to do to DM?

Schlock - the slithery baby name thread is my favourite ever.

Excellent idea. I'd also proffer Marmalade in case it is a girl... Catfish sounds like a boys name.

I would also ask her to provide the list of the names that she made of her own choices when she was naming you and your siblings - and the associated lists made by your dad (to prove that he had some input into it, and also thereby that your dh will too)

I wouldn't stop there however - if she is expecting to have her list to have serious consideration then she needs to provide lists that her parents and PIL gave to her when all her children were born - in order to start a discussion about how much input they expected - and got - in naming their grandchildren

If she let them choose some or all of the names or at least veto them then she might be feeling that it is rightfully her turn now as she didn't get a go when she named her children as she abidcated that decision to her parents/pil - in which case you need to have a nice chat with her about how it's not really your fault that she didn't get to choose her kids names but it is one thing that you are planning on doing for yours so sorry.

If she says that no way did her parents/pil have any input into her children's names then you can have a much more robust conversation about why the hell she thinks she can name her own children and her grandchildren when she wasn't prepared to let her parents name her children. she has raised you to her standards so why on earth would you do something that she didn't do.

good luck - both managing your mum and with your new baby catfish! (or should that be kittenfish? )

Edith it's the OP's mother!

Catfish is very good.

Ooh noooo. No list. No discussion, as soon as you give her an 'in', you have had it. She will think she is involved.
Say you haven't decided, always change the subject. When she puts forward a name just smile sweetly and say, hmmm nice
Then when the baby is born announce the name and run.
My parents were exactly the same and this is what we did. They then complained both times but had a lovely little baby to look at, to take away the pain

Can I recommend Slithery? Slithery Ann?

[sniggers at birds ]

Catfish is an excellent choice, unusual but pronounceable, familiar but with a touch of the exotic. Be wary that the more trendy Kittyfish is rocketing up the popularity charts though, so Catfish may follow suit in years to come.

I would perhaps opt for Felinefish on the birth certificate, to avoid DC's life opportunities being limited with a nicknamey moniker atop his or her cv.

Be warned that it could become chaverised should copycat namers seek to spell it Katfish, with a distasteful K, or worse still, hyphenised as Kat-Fish.

The above aside, it is your baby, so whilst Catfish may not be to my taste, if you love it, use it.

Monkeyface it was, until we announced the name from the hospital. We were given a few suggestions by family but said 'Thanks but I even have a list for cat names', which is true.

Just make a vague comment that you have not decided the name and it's not up for discussion! Catfish is funny though but I would be wary of it sticking

I am loving Catfish btw -I think your dh is hilarious. Catfish and Pecan - too funny.
I am going to against the grain and say do it! I have a mean streak (not a very big one honestly) and I would enjoy this immensely. Sorry if that's bad.

Catfish all the way!

PS apologies to anyone with a Mungo. Just because it isn't to mine or my family's taste doesn't mean it isn't a great name!

DD was Mungo before she was born (didn't find out the sex obviously). PIL's and parents thought we were serious as we live in quite an 'urban-trendy' area of London and they assumed we'd gone native . The relief when we told them what we'd called her was palpable!

Nagoo, I know but we were quite stuck. We asked on here too and felt that since we were asking an internet board of strangers perhaps we could run it by family for fun.

It was quite helpful as we have an awkward surname which is the ending to lots of words. One of the names on our list made a weird word when combined with the surname. We hadn't realised in our sleep addled state (DD wasn't named until she was 2 weeks old).

Great idea

My ds was Ruprecht before he was born and dd was Jellybean!!!

sending shortlisted names? My jaw actually fell open! How many parents does the child have? That's the two people who have an input.

I would NOT be asking her to send a list. I'd be pointing out that she's had her turn already and if she still has such a hankering to name something, why doesn't she get a new pet?

Just wanted to warn you that people do not necessarily hold back their delightful opinions once the baby has arrived and has been named.

Ex's Mother's reaction when we told her we'd had a boy called Oscar? "Ugh (said with genuine revulsion) that's SO GERMANIC!"

Yup, rude AND xenophobic. That's quite a skill.

Ever since DSis was little she has said she likes a certain name, when she found out she was expecting (no father around) she said if bump was a boy it would be this name, within a week she "didn't know what name for a boy" apparently DM had put her right off by saying she didn't like it. I gave DSis a right talking to and lo and behold DNephew is now called the name she has always liked!
I think Catfish is a brilliant wind up and it won't stick either DD nn was Toilet Duck as she was very nearly born down the loo - it did not stick many dirty looks by me everytime it was mentioned

If you have asked her to send you names she likes for you to deliberate over then it serves you right if she gives her opinion.

We sent the 5 shortlisted names round to family to see if anyone had any major problems with any of them. MIL replied with reasons why none of them were good and a new list of names she wanted.

I would choose a name that is most likely to be her worst possible choice, for example, if she's quite straightforward and down to earth, the most flouncy ancient Greek, long name you can find.

Catfish is a brilliant name. Or Catweazle if you want a 'proper' one.

Just don't discuss names with your mother. Easy. It's nothing to do with her. She's named her dcs and now it's your turn.

If you think telling her the baby's name is Catfish is mean, then you're a far nicer person than I am. I would see it as shutting her up.

Just refuse to discuss. Seriously. If anyone asks just say something vague like "We've got a few ideas, but nothing concrete" and then say "Yeah, that's quite nice" to all their suggestions, however vile.

The problem is that people dont generally comment on names once the child is born, but seem to think they have free reign before that.

Even my mum, who is usually a very reasonable and tactful person, ruined our girl's name for DC1 (who turned out to be a boy so all fine), by saying "Oh, Robyn. Well I guess if you like it........." I suspect she isnt wild about Ds's name either, but as she only found that out once that was his name (i.e. once he was born) she didnt comment and now that all her friends have said "Oh, that's lovely" she's come round (case in point: some of her friends also probably dont like it, but "oh that's lovely" is the polite thing to say)

Anyway, Robyn was the last name I discussed with her or anyone else. Names for DC2 (due next week) are under embargo and will be released on birth of said named child, when it's too late for anyone to comment without being bloody rude