People's comments on my son's names

I’m of take that age and wouldn’t have made any association with them at all! I think they are lovely and so special that they have such important meaning to you - this overrides anything else for me ❤️ My sons name has a modern connotation which I didn’t realise initially but his name has such special meaning to me and that is more important to me than what anyone else might think ❤️

Reading your message, it seems the comment from them was because of the two of them together. Robbie and Jason for a lot of people who were around in the 90s would probably understand the connection to take that. The names are perfectly fine, and I don’t think the comments were made maliciously. Imagine if you called your children Rosie and Jim. Both names are common and lovely, but introduced together, for a certain demographic they would think of the dolls on a barge! It’s not being mean, sometimes it’s just a thought that pops into your head that you can’t help saying.

The are lovely names and those people were thoughtless and idiotic. I also thought about pnd.

I like this 😂

OP, they are beautiful, classic names. Plus no one of their age will have a clue who was in Take That, it will be like worrying about whether people think you’ve named your sons after someone from the Glenn Miller Orchestra 😭

I'm in my mid 50's and loved Robbie Williams back then but didn't know there was a Jason in the band! Was there?! You'll get used to it I guess. I wouldn't have automatically thought Spice Girls if I met an Emma and Victoria either, the bands are from another era really. I wouldn't overthink it tbh.

Honestly, she was probably just a massive Take That fan back in the day and it was the first thing that popped into her head. I’m of an age to remember them being famous, but it wouldn’t have occurred to me until someone pointed it out. As a pp said, it’s similar to Emma and Victoria (Spice Girls) or Paul and George (Beatles); not obvious at all unless you’re a fan of that particular group and think of the pop stars by their first name. They are perfectly nice boys’ names which are obviously really special to you. I’d focus on that. You clearly feel a bit discomfited by the reference, but it honestly says more about them and their cultural reference points than it does about you or your boys or their names.

Remember too that cultural references- even huge ones - fade. We thought it was the most hilarious thing ever that my friend’s dad was called Michael Jackson. My DD asked me who Michael Jackson was the other day. You can pretty much guarantee that Take That will not be something that’s a big thing in your sons’ lives. (Having said that, I had another friend at school whose name was Bond. Her dad was called James. I suspect he still hasn’t got over that one, but let’s call it the exception that proves the rule…😂)

My daughter has a name that was in a TV show, people quite often say 'Oh, like from XX'. They don't mean anything by it, it's just an observation.

I really wouldn’t care what other people think …the names are your choice and preferences.
My Granddaughter is called Olive and my daughter is in her 20s …she had never heard of Olive from the sitcom On the buses and to be perfectly frank she really doesn’t care what ‘Old people’ think …she loves her daughters name and I think it’s perfect 😍

I don't think they were being rude.
I wouldn't have thought of Take That because I didn't remember who was in it other than Robbie Williams and Gary Barlow but I would probably say "ooh like the Beatles" if I met George/Paul brothers" but not in a negative way.
I'm also a HCP and sometimes I think we say things that we think might make people feel comfortable or try and make a connection - but it sometimes goes wrong.
If you had been a Take That fan then it would have been a good conversation starter...
Fwiw I know a family with dad and child whose names together are a very famous person (think John and Lennon or Jimmy and Hendrix) and also siblings George and Ezra - in those scenarios I've not said anything but I bet other people have.
You have two boys with names that mean a lot to you - I suspect most people won't think TT but those who do are unlikely to be critical of that (and if they are, they're not worth your thoughts) - try not to worry too much about others' opinions!

What matters is you love the names and have special meaning behind them. My first thought was also Take That, just don’t call your next child Gary or Mark! My neighbour had 3 boys and called them John, Paul and George after very much beloved grandparents. She had Beatles references all the time.

You are always going to get the pop culture comments, just try not to take them to heart.

They are fantastic names. Enjoy your boys.

I am at the age to remember Take That and even now I am reminded of them as my SIL is a fan of Gary Barlow.

When you mentioned Jason and Robbie, Take That didn't even come to mind.

People are always going to pick at names, I remember when I announced what I would call my unborn child if it was a boy. One of my friends was way over top saying what a horrible name it was and reminded her of a certain character from a soap. Honestly, I wasn't too fond of her daughters name but I never said anything as it's non of my busines!

FYI... I did have a boy and called him the name of the soap character she clearly hated (I never even watched the soap, so definitely no copycat name)

I have to say I thought Take That as soon as you gave the names. Only because I was obsessed with them through my teenage years though! Their peers won't get the association so I wouldn't worry about it.

Sorry but what does the "take that'' mean?

I would expect the parents who chose to give those names to their children to be fully aware of & prepared for that, and if they were not I would be inclined to ask : ‘What did they expect’?

That doesn’t really make sense.

If they weren’t aware of the connection, then how could they ‘expect’ anything?

I didn’t even realise there was a Take That member called Jason until this thread.

My DS is 4 and he's a Robbie (also full name Robert). It's a FAB name (although I obviously would think that) and no one has ever, ever mentioned Take That to me. There are very few other baby Roberts around, amidst a million James's, Charlies, etc so you get the uniqueness without going for a 'yoo-nique' name.

I wouldn't think twice about those silly comments. Your children's names are great and have a lot of meaning for you, and that's all that matters.

I actually didn't make the connection at all, even after you said it and I'm peak take that era. I assumed they were just referring to Robbie Williams, didn't even occur to me that Jason was part of the band.
Jason and Robert/Robbie are lovely names and they are YOUR gorgeous babies. Honestly don't give it a second thought. Robbie is cute on a child but Robert is strong on an adult and it's also an underused name, and you like the meanings, great choice.

I do sympathise as comments about my baby's name really affected me when he was a baby, I think the post natal period can make you very sensitive. I love his name now and wouldn't change it. Try to put the thoughts out of your mind and enjoy this precious time.

To be honest, my first thought on meeting two boys called Jason & Robbie would be ‘Take That’. Just as my first thoughts on meeting two girls called Emma & Victoria would be ‘Spice Girls’. That’s just an inevitable consequence of the ubiquity of those celebrities in popular culture.
I would expect the parents who chose to give those names to their children to be fully aware of & prepared for that, and if they were not I would be inclined to ask : ‘What did they expect’?

I was about 15/16 at the height of Take That fame and I didn’t make the connection.

Those are two lovely names.

I'm 35, Take That/Robbie Williams are most definitely part of the pop culture I grew up in. However, I used to work with a man called Robbie and never once associated the name with Robbie Williams.. I guess people think of different things with different names, or perhaps the people who said Robbie Williams were fans of his, and therefore it was a compliment.
I understand this must be annoying though!

I’m so sorry for your losses, the names are nice but as a child of the 90s I do think a certain group would always think Take That. Does it matter though? I’m assuming your husband isn’t a Gary, Mark or Howard!

As long as you don't have a 3rd son called Gary I don't think it's a problem.

If anyone else says it, just say, 'Oh, you're showing your age!'

I think it was a rude thing for them to say and that’s why you’re reacting to it with a strong emotion. I get they may be take that fans and that’s their main association, but it is still an impolite response when someone introduces their baby for the first time. I’m trying to think of a good analogy and I can’t so here are some terrible analogies:
”Hey look at this cake I made!” “Eh, looks like Jane’s cake.”
”Welcome to my new home!” “It’s just like Terry’s house.”

Instant comparisons are simply rude, that’s why you’re annoyed.

Doesnt sound like anyone is mocking your name choice at all. The comments you made about your children do make me a little concerned for your mental health atm though. You should be the strength of your children, not the other way round. That’s a oressure children should not have