I promised DH he could name the baby. Now I've changed my mind.

[JakeyMom]

When I was pregnant with DS1 I had my heart set the name Jacob. DH hated it and used to come up with all these alternatives but I had my heart set and I promised him that if he let me call DS Jacob he would pick the next DC's name. I PROMISED.
So fast forward and I'm pregnant with DC2 and naturally DH has been considering names. He was under the illusion that we would be having a boy and had already picked out the name Adam which I was fine with. However, it turns out we're having a girl which has totally thrown DH off course.
He's now decided he wants to name DD after his GRANDMOTHER(!!!) as she brought him up. It's an AWFUL name for a child (Blanche) and I just can't bring myself to agree. The name makes me shudder, it reminds me of coronation street. I've told him I hate the name and it's disgusting for a baby but he won't budge on it and is digging his heels in. AIBU to go back on my promise for the sake of our DD?

For me it is not the connotations (they come second) the main reason i dislike Blanche is the awful combination of sounds in a short space. So the BLaar sound reminds me of vomit sounds, and the aaarNCHE bit sounds like a plumbing term (like flange).

I suppose it depends on the accent, but in my southern/RP accent it just sounds nasty. Like a medical term for a rash.

Could it be abbreviated to Bea?

Are you sure he's not just winding you up and getting his revenge OP?

Jacob is worse than Blanche!

YABU - you really shouldn't have insisted on calling DS Jacob. But I think you know that now.

However, I don't like Blanche at all.

So....a bit of a stretch but do your DC (and you) have your DH's surname? If so could you argue that you should get a say in DD's first name, otherwise her whole name will have come from him?

Alternatively, get a pet, say a stick insect, and name it Blanche. When DD arrives, he won't possibly be able to name her after the stick insect, will he?

[Sorry, Friday afternoon silliness has taken over]

Hearts glad I'm not the only one who made the Anya Seton connection!

i like Blanche, i think its quite cool.

How about call her Blanche but you give her your own nickname, or middle name?

I wouldn't say blarrnche is say Blanche with a dull ann in the middle. Blan to rhyme with plan. Northern, see?

Blanche has grown on me while reading this thread, I didn't like it at first but now I think it's ok, at least it's a real name and not a "made up to be unique" one (saw a birthday card the other day on cbeebies for a child named Kitty-Woo ). I loved Blanche in corrie, I could think of worse characters to be named the same as.

So what we're left with now that the OP has gone and GrahamTribe has resisted an attempt to make the thread all about her instead is just a group of MN-ers coming to the realisation that Blanche is an under-appreciated name about due for a blossoming in popularity. I'm certainly going to be adding it to my list. No doubt DH won't like it though .

kitty still sounds like a vom sound effect to me, sorry. It's the BLah part albeit does sound just slightly better in your accent

I think Blanche is a bit cool too. Jacob and Blanche. It kind of works, IMO, and it's nice that it has a family connection.

I imagine a Blanche would look like something like this.

However, it is a shame that you hate it so much. I'd leave it for a while - don't mention it - then when the baby's born just suggest that she doesn't look like a Blanche. Perhaps suggest Bianca instead, which is similar and pretty but easier to say (Jacob and Bianca are lovely together).

YABU as you made a promise, also you forced a name on him that he hated. Suck it up.

FWIW I know a Scarlett, her little sister is Blanche, I think its a lovely name

Can't believe some people have suggested "Bianca", talk about out of the frying pan...[shudder]

Oh look, all names are subjective, who'd a thunk it!

Spuddy don't be sorry! Other names have such an effect on me so I know what you mean. Slight thanks for marginal accent compliment!

You could have Ann as a nickname too Blanche is growing on me too

1Why would your want your child to be saddled with a name his father hates.Do you think that is fair on your DS?
2 How does your DH feel about Jacob now?

Dammit, it's growing on me too, TeWihara!

YABU

I have to admit to thinking ewww at the beginning of the thread but it is growing on me now. Having said that I still don't think I'd give a child of mine that name. Then again I wouldn't insist on giving a child a name that my H/P hated.

Not with a hideous name like blanche yanbu. You'll have to go back on your word but worse things have happened. Don't even fight or get upset just tell him its not happening end of. If he doesn't back down just bubble and say you can't believe he's upsetting you so much when your pregnant with his child!!!!! Pathetic i know but needs must!!!!

You could go with Blanche and just call her Ann for short Bl AN che then she can just use her full name on certificates and legal things no one at school has to know.

Blanche is a bit like Belch sorry.

Bellanca is the italian version of the French name Blanche. From that you can get Belle or Elle. Lana, Briar and Blossom start in a similar way. Bea, Bess, Tess, Rose, Pearl, Kate are all one syllable names too.

Or you choose the middle name and always introduce her as it.

names that also mean pure - Agnes, Caitlin, Cathrine, Catarina, Kitty,

"saw a birthday card the other day on cbeebies for a child named Kitty-Woo"

Are you sure it wasn't a little girl called Kitty with the last name Wu? Because I find Kitty-Woo a little out there to take as gospel without confirming.

My great-gran was a Blanche & she was very classy. Still not sure I'd ever ever use it, though.