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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

my mum doesn't like my choice of name

56 replies

dustyteddy · 12/03/2008 16:19

We had a baby girl nine weeks ago and picked me and my husband both liked. Her name is Leila Grace. My mum doesn't like it and I don't know why but I feel really sad about it.

I just wondered what you people think of her name?

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procrastinatingparent · 12/03/2008 17:37

MIL not only doesn't like any of the names we have chosen but insisted on telling us to change the name to something she has suggested. Her suggestions are always horrendous, and in the case of our daughter she got all sorrowful because she wanted us to name DD after her! And her name is horrible.

I don't think my mother has liked any of our names but she is too polite to comment, and they have all grown on her.

smallwhitecat · 12/03/2008 17:33

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pruners · 12/03/2008 17:30

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VeniVidiVickiQV · 12/03/2008 17:30

Stuff her. It's a lovely name. But, as an aside, we called our DD little lady all the time. It certainly wasnt because we didnt like her name

landj · 12/03/2008 17:27

Oh my God, so bizare. We called our DD Leila May, and my dad doesn't like it! We pronounce it "Layla" and my dad argues that it should be "Leela". Its so upsetting. But I posted a similar thread on here a few months ago about this name. Parents really know how to hurt you. Try to ignore her x

belgo · 12/03/2008 16:59

lol at payback time

Original poster
dustyteddy · 12/03/2008 16:41

Perhaps it is payback time for me, as I told mum that I don't like my middle name, Caroline, that much.

OP posts:
mustrunmore · 12/03/2008 16:40

I like it

My Mum doesnt like the name of either of our kids.Tough. She's got as far as 'well i'm getting used to it' for ds1, aged 4

Hulababy · 12/03/2008 16:40

Have only met one other Leila before and it was spelt just the same as the OP.

PotPourri · 12/03/2008 16:40

I think it's nice, and so do you both! Therefore, it is the right name. Your mum should not have said anything, it is quite literally none of her business. You need to ignore her, if she says any more about it, you need to tell her firmly that you have not asked for an opinion from her and you think it is thoughtless to comment out of the blue on the name.

It really is none of her business chick! Enjoy your baby, and forget she said anything. Let;s face it, mums say lots of inappropriate things, and disappprove of lots of things we do. Rise above

Hulababy · 12/03/2008 16:38

It is a pretty name, and the impportant thing is is that you and Dh like it, and that it IS your DD's name reagrdless.

Your mum will get used to it.

NAB3wishesfor2008 · 12/03/2008 16:38

If you haven't registered already I would implore you to change the spelling. If the child has a hard to spell surname as well it is a bit rough for her.

NAB3wishesfor2008 · 12/03/2008 16:37

Your baby and your choice.

If your mum doesn't like it she will have to get over it.

FWIW I think it is a lovely name.

eandh · 12/03/2008 16:37

It's a lovely name - we were in your situation 14months ago when we had dd2. We found out sex at 20 weeks and decided on Jessica or Charlotte, however, night before my section (planned as transverse) we changed our mind to Hattie, ummed and aarhed over naming her Harriet then shortening it but decided on Hattie (middle name Alice after dh nan). My Mum made no disguise of her dislike of it when we phoned her and when they visited a few hours later, kept saying 'poor thing lumbered with that name' or 'she looks like a Jessica' (she doesnt blimmin well look like anything she is hours old and had been in SCBU so they'd only had a glimpse of her anyway)

14months down the line she still doesnt like it but accepts it, I don't particulary like my name but she obviously did, like another poster said they had their turn to name someone and its your child.

Congrats btw

Original poster
dustyteddy · 12/03/2008 16:33

oh that's good belgo as she is half arab!

OP posts:
Kindersurpise · 12/03/2008 16:32

Lovely name, I cannot see what your Mum has to complain about.

And, even if she does not like it, it is not her place to complain.

How would she react if you were to say that you were upset and hurt by her rejection of your DDs name?

belgo · 12/03/2008 16:32

I think Leila is closest to the original Arabic name?

belgo · 12/03/2008 16:31

That's a very pretty name. Your mother will get used to it, but she really shouldn't critise your choice of name at this stage.

Original poster
dustyteddy · 12/03/2008 16:29

hectate - yes it is pronounced 'Layla' as in the eric clapton song. I just liked the unusual spelling. Poor child she has a difficult surname to spell too!

OP posts:
girlfrommars · 12/03/2008 16:29

That is a really beautiful name.
Your mother will get used to it in time.

annemarie29 · 12/03/2008 16:26

what a beautiful name. don't worry what your mum thinks right now..it'll grow on her. anyway i think children grow into their names so eventually you can't imagine them being named anything different!

Original poster
dustyteddy · 12/03/2008 16:26

Thanks. I feel better about her name already! I know I shouldn't worry what she thinks as it is our choice. I would have just liked her to say 'oh that's a lovely name' or something like that, rather than referring to her a little lady all the time

OP posts:
Buckets · 12/03/2008 16:25

Oh wellsaid Hanaflower. It's none of her business, you are the bosses of your family. My mum is always a cow about names until the baby is born and then she does a 180 and insists she doesn't mind them. She already hates our boy's name for this baby and one of my girls' names I am tempted to use just to piss her off!

But not loving the name doesn't mean she won't love the child.

Yorky · 12/03/2008 16:24

Leila Grace is a really pretty name, well done! I think your mum is being unfair criticising your name choice when you are hormonal and easy to upset - or I was anyway.

mazzystar · 12/03/2008 16:24

Its a lovely name. I understand why you would feel sad about it - we had a similar thing with my mum and my ds's middle name . But you know what, she got over it, and I expect your mum will too.