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Baby names

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

Using a mutual friends very unusual baby name…

59 replies

Sep88 · 03/03/2025 19:43

My husband and I can’t agree on boys names. The only one we both really like is very very unusual and was used by friends of friends. We never see them and they’ve moved to the other side of the country. However, we do follow each other on social media.

I’d be tempted to block them on sm and crack on, but I think our mutual friend will make it weird. They are a very gossipy couple.

There is a Welsh and Irish spelling and pronunciation of the name that we have toyed with. However, we like this particular version as it’s the name of a local beauty spot that means a lot to us.

What is the etiquette in this situation? Message and ask for permission? Ignore the fact and use the name anyway and accept our mutual friend will gossip but it will blow over? Use the alternative that is a bit halfhearted? Ta!!

OP posts:
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Happyspace · 03/03/2025 21:07

If you say the name we might be able to find something the same vibe you might like more.

TimeForSprings · 03/03/2025 21:05

Crack on.
It didn't actually occur to us that next door but 2 had a 5 year old with the same, fairly unusual at that time, name as we'd chosen for DS until we met them with said baby a few weeks old. Then I introduced baby Balonz to big Balonz, and said what a great name it was. Noone has mentioned it again.

UninterestingFirstPost · 03/03/2025 21:00

But maybe also drop annoying friends? Anticipating that they will annoy you already shows they’re not worth it.

UninterestingFirstPost · 03/03/2025 20:59

Get ahead of it and if you know them well enough message them on social media saying that you picked the name because of the beauty spot and then remembered that they also had a little [Scenic Location], etc.

EcruCardigan · 03/03/2025 20:54

I'm curious as to what the name is.

paranoiaofpufflings · 03/03/2025 19:49

As ever with these naming threads, the answer is just use the name you love.

If it's the name of a local beauty spot then it's probably used by others locally too - perhaps not as unusual a choice as you're expecting.

Why would your friend gossip about it anyway? You are naming a child, no one is doing anything scandalous or gossip worthy.

Maxorias · 03/03/2025 19:48

You'll never see them again, most likely, so why not ? Gossipers will gossip, who cares ?

Speakingofdinosaurs · 03/03/2025 19:46

I wouldn't worry about it at all! Just choose the name you like.

Redrosesposies · 03/03/2025 19:44

No one has dibs on a name. Crack on @Sep88