No one likes my child's name!!

Jean is a great name, I'm sure it's on the up!

When people on MN ask for opinions on names I give them. In real life If somebody was thinking of calling a baby x and I didn't like it I'd say I wasn't keen. After the child had been named I wouldn't criticize the name. That's rude. If you like it that's the important thing. But no point in asking people's opinions and then getting annoyed. But you didn't do that.

I know what you mean about Elaine, IhavenevermetAnthonyHead - people do the same with Yvonne (Eee-von). Elaine is a name of my own generation, I didn't like it very much until I read about Arthurian legends, there are a couple of Elaines in those tales. Then it really grew on me.

Much of people's opinions and taste in names are formed by associations, so I find it endlessly interesting.

So sad that you have had to put up with this. Jean is cool - it's retro, but that's what makes it special. I bet it will be in fashion soon. I know a very cool, grown up Jeannie and have always rather envied her name.
(And to your friend who said she should be called Isabelle - seriously? Is that the only name on offer? Everyone seems to be called Isabelle these days!)

I LOVE IT!

My DD has the middle name Jean, and we call her Jeanie. She is named after my fierce Granny
If she wasn't, then it would have been spelt Jeane, because I love the Smiths song of the same name.
See also Bowie and Jean Genie. Lots of dancing to that in this house!

Lovely name

And it's hardly a marmite one either

Take no notice.

ihavemet souf London accents can mangle any name! Funnily enough I dont know any Elaines!

Michelle, Sharon, Carrie, Nadia... All these names seem dated to me but will be trendy in the next twenty years.

But enough about me! Jeane is lovely. I'd nn her Jeannie for now. I know a little Jeannie and I did love her name when I first heard it.

It depends on your local accent as well. Saying Elaine with a soft E and the emphasis on laine is okay, but I grew up in rough sarf Laarndon, where people would put the emphasis harshly on the first syllable and say 'Oi Ee-lyne' in a grating estuary accent reminiscent of Boycie from Only Fools and Horses, saying 'Marlene!'

Exactly for the reasons I said above burg! Many people on here are in their 40s and 50s and have sisters/friends/cousins called Elaine!

Think of the two or three names you came across mostly commonly at school and ask yourself if you'd want to call your child those? But your children and grandchildren will find them lovely, and you'll be bewildered by it!

My dd's name is Elaine, nn Laney.

People often go wow over her sisters name and over hers.

It used to bother me but now not so much. Its funny mnetting her names. Mnetters really don't like the name Elaine!

Although I think it's VERY rude to say anything to your face about your DDs name, you do need to grow a thicker skin over this and be a bit pragmatic about it. I think if you pick something that isn't regularly in the top 20 if currently popular names or go for a tried and tested classic like Hannah or Emma you are always going to get people who really don't like your choice. There are a zillion names out there - we can't all like them all.

For every person who hates it and says so there will be 5 who love it and 20 who don't have an opinion either way. It's also very much a generational and cultural/class thing as well, so you'll get different reactions from different sorts of people. Jeane is a name that's widely associated with women in their 60s or 70s now, so older people probably just don't see it as a sweet or trendy baby's name but as something dated.

I am dreading the time when babies start to be called Jackie and Tracey and Colin and Russell again - I will struggle to hide my horror.

I like Jeane though. I would call her Jeannie.

My best friend said the name I'd picked for DS was awful and sounded like a paedophile name

I still don't get why she thought that was appropriate or in the slightest bit kind!

She got her way though (which was presumably what she wanted) as the name became tainted with negative associations and decided against it in the end :(

Grrrrrr!

I am shocked that people felt free to comment on the name of your baby. One of my absolutely favourite friends choose names I didn't like for all her children, but she didn't ask me for my opinion and I didn't give it. Her children have grown up to be such lovely people that I have changed my opinion about their names.

I gave my dd a very exotic name combined with a very common name. People would make comments about the exotic name and would just say well if you want you can call her by the common name. They never did.

I can't even get my head around several people of your acquaintance making nasty comments about the name Jeane (no matter how it is spelled) as it is a normal, usual, traditional, often used name. These must be very strange people.

As for the person who said you are ruining your daughter's life -- I think that person must have some fairly serious issues, unrelated to your daughter.

What's next - people fainting at the name Mary?

I was talking generally, not just about names. If I paint my living room walls orange, I shan't mind if a visitor tells me that they don't like bright colours and would always go for magnolia themselves.

I did mind when somebody once told me that ceilings had to be painted white. (I had painted it the same colour as the walls. It's the way you say it.

In the case of a name, it's too late to change it, and why do you think the parents want to hear your opinion of it anyway, IvoryMadonna?

If they run up to you and ask 'What do you think of the name we chose for our baby?' that is one thing, but to hear the baby's name (maybe after asking the parents what the baby is called) and then to pronounce a negative judgement upon it seems a bit uncalled for, imo.

You can always assume parents have spent time carefully choosing the name, and in some cases the name will have some personal connection that is significant in their lives. All you can expect to do is wound with your opinion, no matter how tactful you try to be.

Like lots of Scots I had an Aunt Jean.

She was an amazing woman. Absolutely kicked ass.

Try raising your eyebrow while saying silent when someone says anything rude about your fabulous daughter's name. They soon start to blush and back pedal.

stormy - Agatha is an inspired choice. Brilliant name.

ivory It doesn't count as 'honesty' if the OP hasn't asked their opinion, it's just ill-mannered an really unnecessary. In a million years you'd never tell another adult you didn't like their name on meeting them.

I got this mug for DD1 when she went off to university.

The name you chose is lovely (and so is Agatha IMO).

When you have a baby suddenly the world and its aunt thinks you need to hear their opinion of all your decisions relating to the baby, names, feeding, nappies -- everything is questionable and everyone is entitled to their opinion.

TBH I don't see anything wrong with saying you don't like something. I'd rather people were honest with me than insincere. People have different tastes and associations, and I think it's fine to say "that's not a name I would have chosen" or something like that, as long as you're not blatantly rude about it.

OP my baby girl is called Agatha and obviously with that 'marmite' name i completely understand where you're coming from! People have not been obviously rude as in your case, but their stunned silence on being introduced to my beautiful baby has spoken volumes!
My husband and i love the name and once Agatha is up and running she will dispel all the old maiden warty aunts, witches and every other negative connotation.
Jeane is a perfectly lovely name, infact most names are just what a person makes them so just ignore the negative comments (opinions of rude people don't count anyway!)

You can't please everyone. Every single name will have its haters. I do think it's very rude to mention it, though. I would just ignore, ignore, ignore.

For what it's worth, I think it's gorgeous as a name, especially with the extra "e"

No one liked my dds name. Now she's 8 and it completely fits. And I didn't care anyway !

fate - I taught a little boy called Stan and that kid had swagger!