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?

I like it. I thought of the golden girls at first, but it's really growing on me.

You made a deal with your DH. You can't go back on it now, especially as you insisted on a name he hates.

In a couple of years time some sleb will call their daughter Blanche and the world will be fawning over it (like any one of a number of names which have gone from derided to popular).

Names are subject to fashion and like any fashion you start with the pioneers who go against the flow, people laugh and point and then like sheep they all end up following along! Be brave and proud that you're not following the herd OP.

Blanche is a cracking name! Blanche Dubois! I imagine he still hates the name Jacob, so why should you be able to welch on the deal? You promised so should accept whatever he chooses. Or perhaps shouldn't have insisted on Jacob in the first place

Surgeonsmate, yes Blanche was the maneater. It's typically a popular name for a Southern belle in the deep south in America.

could you... let him name her blanche (bleurgh) but, create a nickname that she is always called by?
Or have a middle name something nice she is always called by quite a lot of people do that.
That way you keep your promise, but get rid of the awful name

But puds her husband wasn't allowed to do that with Jacob. Very unfair. I really don't like it when mums think they have sole rights over naming children

thats true, but blanche is an exceptionally bad name.
Op maybe he's joking because he knows you hate it?

Yes SurgeonsMate Blanche was the high maintenance one, funnily enough she was a Southern Belle. A hit with the gentlemen callers

Someone who calls their son Jacob is likely to want to call their daughter Ellie. Nothing wrong with it but it's pretty average imho and almost guaranteed to be as ubiquitous for our age as Sharon and Tracey were in the 70s.

Blanche otoh is a much better name, sounds beautiful, lovely meaning and great historical references. Anya Seton, yay. And kudos to Kungfupanda for excellent family connections!

The only possible reason for not having it would be if the family last name was White.

YABU and so is he.

Blanche dubois might put him off it - see the wikipedia entry. Hardly a positive association.

You could try underhand tactics, eg sneakily registering the name of your choice, but clearly that'd be bad for your marriage! Or stand your ground and refuse to register her as blanche.

Are you and DH this competitive over other stuff?!

Blanche dubois (among other things) is raped and loses her sanity.

Just go with it, I have an idea he'll change his mind when she arrives.

marmaduke has been threatened by friends of mine

So posters think that its ok the undermine the DH by trying to destroy the name of the person that brought him up, thathe loves and wants to remember in the form of giving the name to his DD.

I think Blanche is really classy. And different. Without being pretentious. And, no, I don't know any Blanches.

I gave my kids slightly old-fashioned, but, in my opinion,unusual names that will sound just as good when they are older as they do when they are children.

To be fair, you DID promise he could name the child. And seeing as he hated your choice so much, I don't think you've got a leg to stand on.

YABU

I'm so glad my parents didn't name me after my grandmas...I'm not sure which is worse, Margery or Matilda.

Dozer, I know. Blanche Dubois was mentioned as a literary reference, not a role model. Actually, she doesn't lose her mind, Stanley just has her committed. Men had the power to do that then of course. I still think its a beautiful name. Blanche White is so cool! She could be a crime fighting jazz singer!

In worked with someone called Rainbow Blue Surname

See January, they ARE awful. I hate names which aren't names. Love old fashioned unusual names. My daughter has such a name but I reckon it will become popular soon, Grrr. Whenever people hear it they ooh and ahhh. I don't want it to take off.

i actually think Blanche is lovely - i especially like the suggestions that Reallytired gave above

Sophia - Blanche

and kids at school won't think of it as a "granny" name - they won't remember blanche from Corrie

Your Blanche will be the only Blanche they know so to them it will be a young pretty girls's name

...and no matter what name you choose there will be people on mumsnet and in real life that don't like it

YABU

1. You overrode your husbands feelings when naming your son
2. You promised this time he could choose

You need to suck it up and let him choose the name he wants, how you feel now is how he felt then, you're fault for not finding a name you both loved for you son. Can't believe anyone would name a child something their partner hated, and everyone who said to just register the baby with a different name - unbelievable what a nasty thing to do.

Blanche is better than Mabel

I LOVE Mabel! It's on my list for my next child!