To think most parents these days don't consider their baby's names for when they are adults..

[LondonAnne5]

Just that really.

I've lost count of the amount of times I've seen someone post a picture on their feed of their newborn with a name that is either really, really different or something that the child may not enjoy being called in the future when they are a teenager/adult...

E.g. Billi Mucklow naming her new baby boy Wolf Nine. It's different, yes and okay when he is a baby but I'm just imagining a professional middle aged businessman named Wolf and can't picture it.

I grew up with a very different name that is often mispronunced and is also a bit "babyish" for my age now which I do find awkward in a professional environment.
AIBU and alone in thinking this?

When I was choosing my DS's name (and struggling!) a friend told me that I needed to pick something that would work for him if he turned out to be either a CEO or a builder. Good advice!

I'm thinking about a professional environment but I'm also thinking about being in school with an unusual name. It was really hard for me and was something I really considered when naming my LO. Just for record, I think most names are lovely, even those that are slightly out of the ordinary but I'm referencing to when parents go overboard and use something that isn't even a name/is pronounced or spelt incorrectly all of the time/is completely out of the box. I just remember how hard it was for me and how bloody hard it still is now!

A friend called her DD Candy. A cute baby name, but not for an adult.

There are so many reasons why parents name their child an unusual name or spelling. YABU if you have never stopped to consider that.

Some names hold special meaning
Some names are spelt differently to incorporate initials or nicknames of deceased loved ones
Some names are a special place or significant event, a particular meaning
Some names are the actual names of people the parents want to honor
Traditional names may be your cup of tea but are boring or uninspiring to others

As for the profession in the future, you can worry too much about that. It's not the only thing that would hold someone back from getting the career they want. With the right attitude people can do anything whatever their name is. (I do think names make an impact though)

As an aside some names are ridiculous but that includes some traditional names too IMO!

My three have very trad names. I just wanted them to be classless and neutral really so they can be anything they want when they're older and fit into different social circles easily. I think too many people think giving their kids unusual names makes them and their kids more interesting or creative people somehow - it can be a bit narcisstic and try-hard imo!

Maybe some of us are okay with our kids growing up to be strippers rather than politicians?

Awwww I love that that baby is called Alan. That’s my Dad’s name and it is definitely not common anymore (he iś 75!!).

There’s a mum on Instagram with kids called Diesel and River-Four. I wonder if the gov could offer her a generous part-exchange to a more environmentally friendly name for the former kid. The latter is just doomed to a life of trying to explain its name away to everybody.

I find it strange when people choose a baby name to "go with" that of a sibling.
I can kind of see why if you have a Mary you wouldn't want a Marie or a Mark i.e. names that are too close/clashing.
I know a pair of siblings called Lucas and Lucia which seems... pointless. Not twins.

Toddler Alan is my new hero!

Full agree, Itsgood. I think its an adorable and unique name for a baby
My dad was also an Alan. He was named after Alan Ladd

There's a three year old Barry in my street. I haven't met any small Dereks yet. People can name their kids what they want I guess, but having worked for an architect with a very difficult to spell surname and spelling it out every time I phoned a supplier etc, I'd be wary of diverse spellings.

I know a toddler Bert.

I also know an Effie who is a boy - to me it’s a wee old lady name.

Another name making a come back is Vera. I've met 2 baby Veras this year.

We put a lot of thought into our DD's names. Both are perfectly legitimate, normal names.
DD1's name is more popular than we initially realised, but has many spelling variants. We chose the original spelling but lots of people get it wrong! DD1 will probably hate us for that as we have an unusual surname.
DD2's name is not common/popular, but is well known. Apparently people still spell it wrong.
Both pass the baby-child-adult-elderly test.

Didn't RTFT but I'd fucking love to be called Wolf

Wouldn’t you rather be Jet or Lightning @clarabellski?

Roald Dahl's daughter Olivia had the middle name Twenty - and she was named in the 1950's!

My personal hate is parents who call their ds Jamie. Jamie is fine for a 5 year old. Plain old James is much more adult. Saying that I met a Wilf and an Etta last week...... Naming a baby is such a conundrum right?

Of the names we chose, one we were a bit worried was unusual - it is now seen as a common or "chav" name. The other we thought of as more of a black name, it is now seen as posh.

To think most parents these days don't consider their baby's names for when they are adults..

Most parents? Really?! I'm a teacher and the majority of children I teach still have pretty normal names. Not all, but definitely the majority.

Rebecca I am in my mid fifties. The unwritten rule with baby names used to be that they were either family names, or the name you really wanted to call your kid but thought better off.

I know lots of adults called Jamie I don’t think that is a kids name.

😂

There's a difference between an unusual name and a ridiculous name.

Names mentioned like Marnie, Veronica, Derek, Alan or other less fashionable names like Ruth, Kelly, Sharon, Paul or Gary are unusual but are not out there weird.

People who call their children things like Bluebell-Fawn, Maddyson-Dyamonds, Hiya, Spartacus and Dodge are indeed setting their children up for ridicule. And I didn't make those up - real names given to babies in Scotland in 2014.