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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to call our baby.....?

90 replies

namechangeobvs · 26/05/2015 07:52

Having trouble picking a name for upcoming baby. I really like Obi Wren (instead of Wan), but I don't think it's fair to lumber the child with a silly Star Wars name, even though I think it's dead cute. Obviously, dh loves it and 100% wants to go with it.
AIBU to call a baby Obi?

OP posts:
19lottie82 · 26/05/2015 10:17

please don't. it's not cool. at all.

worksallhours · 26/05/2015 12:37

I wouldn't.

As the name is so obviously related to Star Wars, you really are banking on nothing controversial ever coming out about the franchise in the future: that nothing dodgy ever comes out about Alec Guinness, about George Lucas, about the production etc.

By calling your child such a distinctive name, you would be forever associating him or her with the Star Wars brand. What happens if the brand becomes tainted?

It's somewhat like calling your child Disney after Walt Disney. It might have seemed innocent back in the 60s, say, but you probably wouldn't want those kinds of associations now.

6cats3gingerkittens · 26/05/2015 13:10

Loving Summerhouses' post.??

vvega · 26/05/2015 13:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ViVarUnge · 26/05/2015 13:17

Joby

Klayden · 26/05/2015 13:19

YANBU, ur bubz ur rulez hun.

SunnyBaudelaire · 26/05/2015 13:20

I do actually know an Obi, she is about 18 I think.
It's fine.

Marcipex · 26/05/2015 13:25

Oberon nn Obi.

morage · 26/05/2015 13:36

Are you white? I think your child will experience racism in situations where people can't see them such as job applications. It is a common name in some African countries, and some will thus assume your child is black.

SunnyBaudelaire · 26/05/2015 13:39

oh what nasty rubbish morage

Diamond23 · 26/05/2015 13:41

I used to live with a Nigerian man named obi although he had a longer full name which I don't recall

Jetgir1 · 26/05/2015 13:45

I know an obi (male). Seems more common abroad though, especially in African type countries. Only ever heard Wren as a girls name.

Maybe Wren for a girl Obi for a boy? Unusual yes but not unheard of.

Personally I wouldn't combine the two. I love the name Lara but my surname is too close to croft for comfort so discounted it immediately!

Feminine · 26/05/2015 13:47

There is a reasonably famous YouTube - er who has named his daughter jedi

morage · 26/05/2015 13:48

Sunny - You think racism doesn't exist?

SunnyBaudelaire · 26/05/2015 13:50

obviously I do not think that morage, not with posts like yours, apart from anything else.

S0mmer · 26/05/2015 13:51

I would assume the parents were starwars fans. How would the average person know it's a name in africa?!?

HereNotThere · 26/05/2015 13:53

I think it's a great sounding name but I'd assume it was an black guys name. I don't like it coupled with Wren - its sound a bit odd to me. What about Oberon? It, sort of, sounds the same and it's a nice name.

morage · 26/05/2015 13:54

Sunny - There has been lots of research on this. Identical job applications sent off to multiple employers some with names that are common African, Caribbean or Asian ones. The latter always get invited for far less job interviews.
You may still decide to call your child a name that if they are white, could lead to these assumptions, but you need to be aware this may be an issue.

HereNotThere · 26/05/2015 13:55

Xpost. I'm an average person and I thought it was an African name. Smile

morage · 26/05/2015 13:55

SOmmer - Maybe depends where you live. I know people called Obi.

WhereYouLeftIt · 26/05/2015 14:08

"I don't think it's fair to lumber the child with a silly Star Wars name, even though I think it's dead cute. Obviously, dh loves it and 100% wants to go with it."
Correct. It is absolutely not fair. You know that, so get a fucking grip. And obviously, if your DH 100% wants to go with it, he's a twat. A twat with no empathy who can't imagine the shit your child would have to endure if they were to be called that.

Theycallmemellowjello · 26/05/2015 14:17

I don't mind non-traditional names, but I am snobby enough that I would find it reeaally hard not to judge someone with a name from a cheesy franchise (star wars/star trek/comic book etc). I would have no problem with high-brow literary name (or perhaps a name from an unimpeachably tasteful film!). I know reading that that this is 100% my problem with intellectual snobbery but I reckon a lot of people would share it. I agree that the initials O.B. could be a nice way to square the circle. Or I actually like wren for a boy or girl (no reason we should give 'nature' names to only girls after all -- boys are not inherently less like flowers/birds etc than girls!)

Theycallmemellowjello · 26/05/2015 14:18

Also I know an Oberon - lovely name IMO.

Theycallmemellowjello · 26/05/2015 14:19

And haha at the average person not knowing any Africans. what if the average person... is African????

WalterMittyish · 26/05/2015 14:21

Ah, half-term. Hmm

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