AIBU to be upset at DM's reaction to new DD's name

[Ladyonashortfuse]

We had great trouble picking a name for our new DD - she was actually nameless for a week while we trawled through 4000-odd names on the Internet, books etc. I mentioned some of the shortlisted ones to DM the other day: her favourite was one DH didn't really like and she said something quite rude about the one we have now chosen, which I sort of ignored at the time. When I told her (on the phone) the name we had eventually chosen there was a silence, then she said, 'You're joking?' And then, 'Oh, well, I'm pleased she's got a name at last anyway.' She is now persisting in calling her Baby so as to avoid saying it. Am feeling oddly hurt. It is a relatively unusual name in England, but it's quite pretty (I think) and not like we called her Moon Unit or anything. Should I have taken her preferences into account?

My son and his partner are expecting a baby in September. I really dont like the name they are thinking of naming baby. Neither does my mum, my son is completely unaware that we dont like their chosen name and I wont be saying anything. Although secretly hoping they will chance their minds!

@Skiptonlass would you mind sharing your DC's name? I am looking for a Scandi name for our soon to be new arrival but finding it tricky. Thanks to the poster who linked to the 500 most popular German names BTW, it's totally fascinating stuff!

Lovely name

My mum's reaction to learning DS1s name (minutes after his birth) was "Oh, I thought you are going to call him Laurence" (Laurence had never been mentioned before. I don't think she liked his name when she first heard it.

Eleri is lovely!

I always find it interesting that when young children have an unusual name, adults expect them to be made fun of by their peers. But often they're not (any more than anyone else anyway (I was smelly Ellie for example)). To the children in their class, who have only their classmates to go by, it's not an unusual name at all.

I went to school with a Reinebeau (pronounced rainbow) and none of us realised it wasn't a 'normal' name until secondary school when we were in classes with different children.

One of my friends said, wtf you called him a girl's name for?
My God
(It's jot a girl's name btw :o)

It's eh Lee re
Welsh :) I like it too

Is it pronounced El-airy? Or ellery like celery?

The first one

DH's nephew and his wife introduced SiLs latest granddaughter to her as Khaleesi and SiL had to suck it up and pretend it was lovely for a good hour before they cracked and let on they were joking.

Pretty name and not at all unusual in Wales.

Oooh Eleri was on our shortlist for DD. Happy memories!

I know two Eleris, both lovely . Your mum will get over it. Don't let this spoil your enjoyment of your beautiful baby.

Congratulations OP

Thanks for the YouTube link!

/El-air-ee/ - beautiful! If it wasn't for the fact I am strangely obsessed with keeping the status-quo, I would name my little girl that (my kids have traditional, 'royalists' names!!)

Oh YouTube is fantastic isn't it :o

Eleri is a beautiful name. My DSs both have traditional Welsh names and they get the odd eyebrow raise but I love them. My DM wasn't too impressed with DS2 name, but it's my choice, not hers.

Your mum is very unreasonable and unkind. Its a lovely name and even it weren't or you hated in my view the rule is you lie through your teeth about stuff like that to save peoples feelings and say how lovely it is.

Still remember the random mum at hospital who when I told her DDs name (the first person I told) just said nothing. Absolutely nothing. Subsequently found out her twins were named Ben and Tom possibly the dullest combination ever but I would still have said "how lovely". Bitch.

MiL hated the name we gave ds1 - she didn't say so to us (just to SiL who told us ) but she did wince every time she said it - for the first two weeks. After that all was fine. My mum wasn't keen either (only she told us). Then she fell in love with him and that was that.

Relax. it'll be fine.

Such a pretty name.

But you know, it doesn't matter what I or anyone else thinks - including your mum. Stick to your guns OP.

Just ignore her - I had letters from several people asking me not to name the name we chose and stuck with, even had cards with the 2nd choice name which he just didn't suit from the moment he arrived so "congratulations on the birth of Jacob" ( for example) rather than DS name that had been announced officially and registered

3 years in everyone has come round and I'm so glad we used the name we wanted despite their objections

Lovely name. When I told my dad we had just been to register dd's birth he said, "did you change your mind about giving her that awful name"

Now he loves dd's name because he loves her.

And no we did not call her Moon Unit; she has a standard name that I defy anyone to misspell.

Gorgeous name. Congratulations!

I agree that Eleri is a lovely name (but Moon Unit is nicer )

Eleri is a beuatiful name! Congratulations. Don't let your mum's reaction affect your decision - she's your baby. She'll soon get used to it anyway!

See I like Elari too

Ee-lar-ri aswell as Ee-lair-ee

Congrats and it's a lovely name! DP's mum did similar to me. Told us flat out she didn't like DD's name. She has only called her by her full name once in 14 months. She insists on using her nickname (which is the one we picked); I just ignore her!!!