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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if you've ever had a bad reaction on announcing your new baby's name?

432 replies

YouDoTheMath · 21/08/2011 20:31

Also posted in Baby Names, but I guess a lot if the ladies there don't have DCs yet.

So - did anyone ever have the gumption to tell you outright that they think the name you chose for your child is awful?

OP posts:
MUMMYPLEDGER · 23/08/2011 12:38

My 2's middle names are from my fave cartoons and i love them. The oldests middle name is Chihiro (spirited away) and the youngests middle name is Ariel (the little mermaid). Sod what anyone else thinks, they are your children, you choose their names xx

leicestershiregirl · 23/08/2011 12:44

It's definitely better when people have said what name they're talking about on this thread. My DS is Gabriel and it's never struck me as weird - I've never heard it shortened to Gay. Most unusual baby name I ever heard in real life was my friend's - Izen Azariah (a boy). Strange but I like it.

And loving Jesse - what's wrong with Jesse? Did people not watch Home And Away about 8 years ago (or was it Neighbours?)? That character was hardly girly.

Dru77 · 23/08/2011 12:57

Gabriel, shortened to Gabe is one of the most popular names for a make lead in certain genre in fiction as it evokes manly strength! M&B (not that I EVER read them of course Blush)

HairyGrotter · 23/08/2011 13:00

I like Azrial for a boy, he's the Death deity, and also the name of a death metal band...

If I were to have had a boy, he'd have been Cobain Morrison (I'm such a wanker, I know, I know).

I like the obvious ha

slightlyunbalanced · 23/08/2011 13:07

My mum didn't like DS1's name as it wasn't "normal" or very common and she thought it was really "out there".

He is called Isaac Hmm.

He is in his teens and it wasn't very common then but I love it as it means laughter, and I just think its a lovely name.

I think she has since changed her mind - but then I hate my name so don't really value her opinion on this issue anyway Grin.

Fleurdebleurgh · 23/08/2011 13:10

MIL did a "WHAT?! Thats a bit chavvy" at the name we had chosen for DS2 (Finn). I was calling him that in the maternity ward, all ready for it to be his actual name before she barrelled in with her opinions.

She works for the youth probation service and told our friends their choice (Haydn) sounded like "someone who will be along for me to deal with at work in a few years".

Hairy, you are indeed a wanker.

wizbitwaffle · 23/08/2011 13:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

pinkx5 · 23/08/2011 13:11

We had our 5th girl a month ago and really couldn't decide what to call her but knew it had to be a little different. Now when we tell people her name, we get either an 'Oh, that's unusual' or a silence. We had the same with DD4. To be honest, if we lived in London, no one would bat an eyelid about either name but we live in the Dales: anything beyond Amy, Sophie, Lauren, Abby etc. (all pretty names but very 'normal and acceptable' around here) is considered strange. I'm starting to rely on people shutting up after being told she's DD5 and getting the usual 'Oh, you must be so disappointed she's not a boy' or 'Never mind, you can try again for a boy' or 'God, I feel so sorry for you with 5 girls. Your life will be hell with all that PMT' or 'What a shame. Were you trying for a boy?' Needless to say, we're not disapointed! We chose her name because she was so unexpected (still bf DD4 and using contraception!) so we wanted something that meant 'life'. She's called Vivienna.

HairyGrotter · 23/08/2011 13:13

Shut your cake hole Fluer...but you are right

Poweredbypepsi · 23/08/2011 13:13

I called my son Jacob and my grandmother clearly disliked it, its not an unusual name at all (there are three in his class!) but she insisted that no one ever calls boys jacob - I think something to do with the bible was mentioned but i know nothing of religion (my grandmother was very churchy) she did get used to calling him jake but never jacob.

TheThingUpstairs · 23/08/2011 13:34

Yes we got a few Hmm faces for ds2 (Gabriel).

mustdash · 23/08/2011 13:41

When we told MIL DD1's name, she just replied "Oh no, I don't think so".

We didn't change our minds though, and she hasn't complained again. Smile

LittleWhiteWolf · 23/08/2011 13:45

HairyGrotter, you may be my favourite poster ever now after admitting that boys name! Grin

My only sneery faces were from my mother and sister when I was pg with DD. Didn't know she was going to be a girl, and DH and I wanted Leonard if she was a boy. That was a name I loved before I even learned it was my great-grandads name (he went by his middle name). I got no end of grief from them, but held fast. DD obviously turned out to be a girl, they sighed with relief and love her name and I'm pg again now. I still love Leonard, but if this one turns out to be a boy I'm pretty sure he'll be Cormac.

Erebus · 23/08/2011 13:49

I am so pleased there are so many MNetters who never, ever pass judgement on anyone else's choices in life. I mean, surely that must be the case considering the number on here who feel outraged that anyone else might consider their choice of children's name to be weird/odd/trying-too-hard... Hmm

IMHO the increase in 'out-there' names comes about as we increasingly view our DCs as being part of ourselves, an extension of us, if you like, small humans whom we own and control and plot out futures for, and who are just so special no 'in-use' name could possibly convey their amazing uniqueness.

ComeWhineWithMe · 23/08/2011 13:50

My mum did very loudly in the hospital while the pead was doing her check on dd. She kept going on and on and on abou how vile her name was and how we were making a laughing stock of us all.
She then declared she was going to call her Daisy and did try it for a while but I got the dc to call her grandma (she hates been called grandma) and she stopped.

Anyway a week later the name was ok because a woman in the bank had said it was a lovely name Hmm

ComeWhineWithMe · 23/08/2011 14:25

Oh didn't realise we were sharing the name.

DD is Lola.

Other dc are

Dylan- grandma went mad and said it was a cowboy name (WTF?)

Lucy

Alice- got a few who the fuck is Alice? Comments at first.

Gabrielle

Poppy

TalkinPeace2 · 23/08/2011 14:27

MiL does not like DDs name and refuses to use it 'cos its foreign"
(Italian - family reasons)
luckily DD has an excellent nickname that she uses for those who get confused over her real name
so she gets called both !

3shoes1socknohairbrush · 23/08/2011 14:34

reading this thread has made me smile...I have an...odd name. I am neither here nor there with it, although when I was at school i longed for people to call me by my middle name but it just never stuck.

My daughters are Lily Grace and Kara Alice.

My name is Tika Blush

3shoes1socknohairbrush · 23/08/2011 14:37

I didn't mean to finish there! A few family members thought Lily was short for Liltith but she's just a Lily and my god, how can people still be spelling it wrong after almost 7yrs?!?!

Same with Kara, it is constantly spelt wrong as well, but heyho.

If i'd had my way, they'd have been Amelie and Evie - but now...i love their names, they are perfect for them

NigellaTufnel · 23/08/2011 14:57

When I told my mother DS's name - she was the first person we told, made a big thing of including her - all she said was 'Oh, I was thinking Andrew...' Cue rather stunned silence from DH, DS1 and me.

When we told MIL that we were going call DS2 Arthur, she said: 'Is that a proper name?'

However, she really should have kept her mouth shut as she put us off it so much DS2 is now called something pretty unusual. Although she did say, 'Oh well, he can always use his middle name when he's older.'

She also told us she had real concerns about the name because it is 'a bit Scottish.'

Yep, well pal, so am I. So am I.

MrsBethel · 23/08/2011 15:17

Yeah, it's rude for people to react rudely to a name.

But, guess what? Some people are rude, the feckers. And if you give your baby a stupid name they're gonna react rudely. So get over it.

I know plenty of people with shit names who either use their middle name or just make one up. It's not a big deal. If your parents were aspirational/wanky/thick/classless (delete as applicable) its just something you might have to do.

CheerfulYank · 23/08/2011 15:30

Pepsi here in the school's yearbook they had a page for the most popular names in the school...girl's was Madison, boys was Jacob :) Jacob/Jake here is as common as Jack there.

CuppaTeaAndAJammieDodger · 23/08/2011 15:41

HairyGrotter - I know of another Minerva; woman on the bounty site (wasn't even aware of MN before you say anything) I was on whilst pregnant with DD called her DD it. Although there is always the possibility that you are one of the same (dont suppose your DD was born in July 2008 was she?). Anyway can remember thinking it was an ace name.

spiggy · 23/08/2011 16:19

DS1 (Milo)- DM- "I like it. I know several Milos. They are all dogs though.". PIL- "I thought he was going to be Jimmy. We like Jimmy" No, he was going to be James. The fact that you kept referring to him as Jimmy was the reason we changed our minds.

DD (Harriet).Some people not so sure about the fact that she is called Harry 90% of the time. And they refuse to write Harry in cards/gifts. Which would be fair enough if they called her Harriet. But they put Harri or Harrie because "Harry is a boys name". Currently seething quietly about it but am going to lose it next time she gets a engraved gift with the wrong sodding name on.

DS2. I think friends and relatives have been working on their poker faces as this is surprisingly the one that we have had the least comments. Ptolemy, nn Tolly. Nobody won the name pool at work when we announced that one Grin. Surprisingly popular with random members of the public that stop to coo at him in the street though.

They have more traditional middle names so if they want to change in the future they can. DS1 likes being the only Milo at nursery at the moment.

MrsvWoolf · 23/08/2011 16:24

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.