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Baby names

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

To think people should try and be a bit kinder

203 replies

Trivie · 13/11/2025 06:33

I haven’t been using this baby names board for very long however I have noticed that some people are down right horrible to an unnecessary amount.
Of course if someone is asking for opinions on a name and you don’t like it, it’s fine to say that. But why do people spin off into “it’s chavvy” “it’s cruel” etc.
Not only are these responses often classist as any name not rigidly associated with the middle class gets abused but they are also totally dramatic and unnecessary. The same goes for the “I can’t imagine a doctor/lawyer/politician” with that name comments which to at least to me just suggest the commenter is bigoted and narrow minded if they really can’t imagine a lawyer or a doctor with a non-traditional name.
I don’t really understand why people can’t just say “it’s not to my taste how about x name in a similar style”.
I know the internet removes a lot of accountability but I don’t think it would hurt people to remember that the odds are these names do belong to real people or their children, and someone might read how cruel you are being about their name and find that rather hurtful.

Why do people feel the need to be so horrible on this board? Why is it so classist? and what do people get out of making comments akin to a bully instead of politely saying it’s not their favourite and moving on?

OP posts:
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Trivie · 13/11/2025 06:39

OnlyMabelInTheBuilding · 13/11/2025 06:37

If you want naice feedback, ask your family and friends.

Asking strangers online is so they can give honest opinions. If you don’t want to hear people’s honest opinions, don’t ask. It’s not required that you ask what people think of your potential baby names.

And honest opinion doesn’t have to be an assassination of the name.
It’s not just about the person asking the question but also about the other potential readers of the thread who may already have the name or have given the name to their children.
Being a stranger on the internet is not an excuse to be horrible.

Say you don’t like the name but absolutely no need to be cruel.

OP posts:
springintoaction2 · 13/11/2025 06:38

If it's a chavvy name I don't comment. As I know plenty of others will!

On the other hand - the person posting will get honest responses - which is surely what they want?

OnlyMabelInTheBuilding · 13/11/2025 06:37

If you want naice feedback, ask your family and friends.

Asking strangers online is so they can give honest opinions. If you don’t want to hear people’s honest opinions, don’t ask. It’s not required that you ask what people think of your potential baby names.