To think it's rude to critique somebodies chosen baby name?

[Mothership241]

Expecting a little girl next year and have chosen a name that me and DP love. It's not an unusual or unpleasant name so I've taken offence to a family member constantly expressing their dislike of it whenever they see me and suggesting names that they think sound nicer.

The name we've chosen is Evelynn-Grace.

AIBU to think they're being rude and a babies name choice is nothing to do with anybody apart from it's parents, or am I just being hyper sensitive?

Rookie mistake. Never ever tell anyone the name before the baby is born. Only the very rudest people are prepared to be rude about the name once it is actually bestowed on the child. Before the birth lots of people consider it fair game.

^totally this. We never told a single person our planned names, didn’t want anyone potentially ruining it.

I know a male teen called Evelyn Pemba. (U.K.)
We all know him as Evo and it was only when he was listed as a cast member in a school production I realised his actual name.

I wouldn’t mention it again and wouldn’t get drawn into conversation on it.
Like others say, it might be the hyphen or the unusual spelling of Evelynn.

Ohhh! I'm really fond of the name Evelyn (the most beautiful and kind girl I know is named Evelyn) and combined with Grace is amazing. I love it! They're both beautiful names

Are you pronouncing it Ever-lynn or Eeve-Lyn

Both are lovely names. I’m another who’s not keen on hyphenated names, but I still wouldn’t say anything

When I told my dad and sister my dds name before she was born they both said it was chavvy! I still used it, I love it. Oh and it’s not chavvy. Who cares what others think, as long as you aren’t giving the child a name that will get them teased or anything of course!

Why have you added an extra N?
Honestly I hate hyphenated names.
Evelyn with Grace as a middle name is nice. But Evelynn-Grace looks like you're trying to stick Eve and Lynn together
I wouldn't say it to you in real life though.

Thanks for your replies, I've taken on board the points made about the hyphen and extra 'n' and am going to have a think about that.

Its to be pronounced the same as Evelyn (as in ev-a-lin) just spelt differently.

It's not the spelling or the hyphen my relative has taken umbrage with though, just the name in general.

I like that name.

But even if I didn’t, YANBU.

We chose a really old fashioned name for DS and didn’t tell anyone until he was born. Luckily, nobody said a word (until it had grown on them and they then admitted they didn’t like it at first)

I have strong opinions about names (I hate 'unusual' spellings and anything froofy or overwrought, oh and people using traditional names from a country that they have zero affiliation with) but I would certainly keep it to myself, unless someone was specifically asking my opinion and truthfully wanted to know. Unless it was really, truly awful. Like Balonz

A word of advice about the spelling. One of my children has a name which is pronounced the same both in British and in DH's home country. We used the non-British spelling as a link to that part of DC's heritage and it is a complete PITA to gave to explain every time, especially with a surname that also needs spelling out. Your baby, your choice, but the spelling thing can get really annoying.

In the real world yes it is rude (though I wouldn't name or announce a name in advance as it opens you up to the risk of people giving their opinion which I think they're less likely to do when they're told the name after the event). In the internet world once you put the name up there it is open to critique. In this case both names are nice (but with Evelyn spelt with one n). But the name is too long for daily use. You'll be lucky to manage to get your daughter called Evelyn, nevermind Evelyn-Grace. But Evelyn Grace Surname is lovely.

Sorry, should say: pronounced the same in British English

I think the fact that some people are saying they wouldn't spell it like that or that some people don't like hyphens is irrelevant. As if these are valid reasons for your relative to critique your name choice (although I see they have other reasons).
How you spell it and whether you have a hyphen are your choices - you like them, doesn't matter if no one else does. Considering that hyphenated names are popular, obviously some peole do like them - there is no reason to question your choice because other people don't like it.
They can keep their rude snouts to themselves.

I'm pregnant. We've got a boy's name and a girl's name decided, but I'm not telling people. I don't want to know what they think unless they're close family and maybe not even then.

Am now second guessing the hyphen and extra n..

Glad I posted about this.

Would have taken my cousins critiquing much better had it been put across as it has here, as opposed to being told Evelyn is far too old fashioned for a baby

I agree that Evelyn Grace Surname looks and sounds better. We don't mind Evie as an abbreviation as it goes well alongside our DS name which has an 'ie' at the end.

I think there’s a difference between telling someone you don’t like a name and that they aren’t spelling it correctly.

Evelyn Grace is lovely, more old fashioned names are coming back. Evie is a lovely nickname too.

Like Balonz still makes me chuckle every single time 😁

Sorry to throw a spanner in the works, but Evelyn isn't pronounced 'ev-a-lin', it is pronounced 'eev-lin'.

It’s a bit ott with the hyphen and your child won’t thank you for a lifetime of having to say “it’s two n’s”. Evelyn Grace is fine as a name though.

Rule number one when choosing baby names, don’t tell anyone until the baby arrives. My mil tried so hard to find out what we were going to name our children, she ran through suggestions and would say “what you thinking?” and I’d smile and say oh I don’t know we’ll decide when they arrive. I didn’t want her opinion on our chosen names, so didn’t tell her!

Evelyn Grace is a gorgeous name!

Sorry to throw a spanner in the works, but Evelyn isn't pronounced 'ev-a-lin', it is pronounced 'eev-lin'.

You're wrong actually, it's acceptably pronounced both ways.

OP - I would encourage you to avoid the extra 'n' and the hyphen.

If directly asked what you think of a name it's OK to give an opinion (to a point, anyway- saying "it's not one I'd have chosen" is OK, saying "that is vile you stupid woman you can't inflict that on a baby" is not!), but in the situation you describe, I think your relative is being really rude.

My mum really, really disliked the name my brother and SIL chose for their baby but she didn't say anything about it after giving a restrained negative opinion the first time she was asked (and now she admits the name suits him perfectly and was a great choice!) My dad disliked the name we chose for our last baby and said so several times, but I really don't care what other people think of our baby's names so I just laughed at him and pointed out his own name was pretty fucking dire anyway.

Yep, 'Ev-a-lin' would be my default way to pronounce it until corrected (and that's how the only Evelyn I actually know pronounces it!). It's just one of those names that people will pronounce in different ways according to where they are from and what they are used to. There's not a 'right' way.