Do I be honest what I think about this name

[Driftingthoughlife]

With everything going on with DH (previous thread) I may be potentially be about to fall out with my best mate if I tell the truth
She is pregnant due in a month and she has texted me to ask what I think of the name they have chosen. I think it’s awful. She says she really values my opinion
I don’t know if I can take falling out at the moment so aibu to lie and say it’s lovely but at the same time in am thinking this poor kid has to live with this name

Think I’d say “I can see why you like it, but I’d just be a bit wary of teasing - you know what kids can be like...” and leave it at that. There must be similar sounding names which aren’t quite so ripe for ridicule.

I think Nellie is quite nice but I'd prefer it without the hyphen personally.

I agree with posters that say, say it gently but tell your friend if she loves the name she should go for it.

Many people had an opinion on the names I chose, but I loved the names so much that it didn't matter, and didn't affect my opinion of the name or the people giving unwanted opinions. So I wouldn't worry about a falling out, particularly as your friend has asked for your opinion.

I value friend's opinions, however others really do not like honesty. I grew up with a stupid and mispelt name. The teasing was bad and I got sick of having to repeat and spell it out, I changed it by deed poll to something ordinary and boring. I had a friend since childhood with a common boring name, she gave her children ridiculous multiple names and then insisted on being addressed by 3 first names and a double barrelled surname herself. She is trying to be middle class on benefits. I explained that it was not posh, it had now become common, tacky and explained why I changed my name when she was about to call her 5th child something silly and give it 4 first names. She never spoke to me again and good riddance as I had been a better friend to her than she had to me. If you want to keep this friend, lie or say it is totally up to her.

YVONNE!! How the hell did Yvonne get in there?!
I was about to post exactly this!!😂😂

But look, I also think it’s very arrogant to tell someone you dislike their name. It’s pissing on their chips completely, and assumes for some reason that your opinion on their child’s name is worth you sullying it for them. Everyone has different taste!

I love the name Henrietta for a girl and everyone fucking told me they hated it and it’s ruined for me now and I actually don’t see why people can’t be polite - I didn’t even ask their opinion just told them if DC is a girl we are thinking of it.

To answer your original question - I'd take the falling out on this one. Something simple like "Honestly? Not my cup of tea. Reminds me of elephants. If you love it go for it though xx"

No need to go the full "hyphenated nickname followed by Ann - did you poll Mumsnet for the worst possible names, you absolute fcking loon?! Give her the middle name Khaleesi-Nevaeh and you'll be in classics 😂😂😂".

"I'm not sure about Nellie-Ann - I'm not sure how well it flows together but Nellie is a lovely name. Have you considered having just Nellie on its own, or Nellie Ann without the hyphen?"

Or

"I'm not sure how well Nellie would suit her at every stage of life. Have you considered calling her Eleanor/Elinor/Elena/Ellen/Helen/Helena/Petronella/etc with Nellie as a nickname so she has options? I think Ann works great as a middle name with [whichever]"

I would hate to be called Nellie, if the child has a weight issue when older, teasing, name calling and abuse is horrendous enough without that name.

She’s not asking you to call your daughter Nellie-Ann!

Christ, turns out I really have a bee in my bonnet about this 😁

Cornelia-Ann to be known as Nele-Ann until she's old enough to object
Ellen-Ann combination is a bit rubbish due to both ending in N, but Nele ist short for Cornelia in Germany.

Whilst I genuinely do really like the name Nellie, ‘Nellie-Ann’ sounds like something a young girl would call her fanny.

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
This 100%. I can't unhear it now.

Has she never heard the expression 'not on your nellie!'?
And yes it's like Wally, as in 'you great big nellie'.

Nellie Olson was the really horrible kid in little house on the prairie.

I would say, “ I think it is better without the hyphen and I prefer “Anne” with an “e”” and leave it at that. Or you could suggest “Cordelia” which is what I always do. No one ever follows my advice, which is good.
When I told people my eldest daughter’s name many years ago practically everyone looked at me in horrified silence.... but I didn’t care; now everyone tells me it’s lovely but it’s still luckily unfashionable (and is Cordelia.)

She'll be forever smelly Nelly. ..or belly Nelly...

I really like Nellie, or Nell (actually Nell is better). I'd keep schtum.

If its Violet or Shirley and you hate it... say lovely

If its Cuntweasel or Cushionflaps in think you should say something...

I'm actually quite surprised by the love for "Nellie" (without the Ann) on this thread. Too many negative/ humorous connotations for me , most already mentioned. So, I would not be able to even suggest dropping the hyphen with any degree of sincerity.

I know 2 Helen's who are often called Nell (one spells it Nelle). I like that.

Aargh. Autocorrect put the apostrophe in Helens

"Your baby, your name, I'll love her even if you call her zebedee"

Perhaps gently suggest Nell would be nicer

Or not otherwise the child will be known as Nell-ann which just sounds like a younique version of Helen.

I wouldn’t say you didn’t like it. The name isn’t to everyones taste but it’s not awful. I actually like Nellie as a nickname, although I would use Eleanor as a full name and have Nellie as a nickname. Could you suggest Eleanor Anne as an alternative with Nell or Nellie as the nickname?

If shes asked you what you think and you're not just comment passing. That's entirely different. I'd just say. There's nothing wrong with it, but
I don't like it personally, but Its your baby.

Sorry obvs should have read the full thread.

Maybe I'm just a bit too honest, but if a good friend asks me for my opinion about anything, I give it! Why ask otherwise? If it was about an item of clothing they were trying on in a changing room, I'd say 'it's not terribly flattering' rather than 'it makes your bum look huge', whereas if we were on a night out and she asked me how that outfit looked, I'd tell her she looked great - I'm not completely tactless 😀.

If somebody fell out with me over something like this, I'd be a bit peeved with them anyway.