AIBU to want to tell my sister to change baby’s name?

[Eleanora8]

My nephew is due this week and my sis really wants to name him Atlas! Me, my parents and her friends all dislike it and my Mum has made her feelings clear and joked she hopes he never gets lost with a name like Atlas...
My sis got upset but I wanted to tell her I hated the name too but felt bad.
Should I speak up (vote yes) or keep quiet (vote no)?

Definitely unreasonable.
Atlas is a lovely and increasingly popular name. Plus, its not your decision. Your sister won't change her mind, she will just forever remember you all being unkind.
Speaking from experience 🙄

I think it’s rather cool.

I don’t mind the name. Don’t criticise, unless very specifically asked, this is not your child.

The absolute most I might to is suggest that she uses a more conventional middle name as well. Even that is critical as it infers that maybe her DS Atlas won’t like his name.

FWIW I don't particularly like the name.

But it's none of your business to ask her to change it, and you certainly can't 'tell' her, like you said in the title for goodness sake.

It might be one of those names that gets more popular as time goes on!

It's not the best of names- he would have had trouble at school in my day being called that.

But you don't have to say you hate the name- or for that matter say you love it. Just be kind about it.

@JovialNickname

I think it's the kind of name whre the kid would really have to "look" like an Atlas to carry it off, IYSWIM? Maybe once he's been born they'll decide he doesn't suit the name and choose something else.

In fairness, no newborn is going to look like a Titan who has to hold up the sky for all eternity, is he?

Mind you, I’m never entirely sure why anyone would decide that your standard-issue newborn (small, scrunched) would not look like an Oliver, but look like an Alfie.

I think it's a shame when people have to succeed despite their names. Names shouldn't be a barrier in life simply to suit parents' personal preferences.

It would be interesting to hear from more people whose parents gave them "unusual" names. There was one upthread who would really rather her parents had called her something more normal.

@starfishmummy

Is she really serious?

We decided not to tell anyone our choices of names so just "invented" one. And if people said anything about our unusual choice, we told them it was an ancient anglo-saxon name!!

Did you actually go with your made up name?

I only ask because a friend's daughter said this about their baby son's very unusual name

Nothing to do with you. She won't change her mind & she'll never forgive you.

It would be interesting to hear from more people whose parents gave them "unusual" names.

I have an unusual name and the only barrier I faced were people being too lazy to pronounce it properly or even worse saying a completely different name that was nothing near to what I told them. I love my name, just don’t like people who can’t be bothered which is their problem not mine.

She's not really going to call the baby Atlas. She has chosen another unusual name and when she announces it, you will all be so relieved that it's not Atlas that you will love her actual choice.

A few of family members didn't like the name we picked for our first. Mainly because of the biblical reference, but I do think they believed they had a say and their opinion mattered...ha! It's a lovely name. They have actually said it very much suits now and couldn't imagine them with any other name. I hope they're embarrassed by some of the responses they gave. Very rude, and no it isn't Lucifer incase anyone was wondering .

There's a little Atlas in DS's baby group. I really like the name and in the baby group it sounds very ordinary when mixed with the Alfie/Archie/Archer/Axl/Arlo/Atticus named babies.

If this is real, you are one of ‘those’ sisters OP.

You all sound fucking awful how horrible your own mum making jokes about the child's name. Your poor sister. How entitled and arrogant to assume that your opinion matters. Spend a bit of time reviewing yourself rather than being concerned with what people are calling their kids. Really sounds like you could do with it. Just wow.

Also do you know it is from Greek mythology rather than just like a map. So it's actually an ancient name rather than some tacky made up name.

It’s really none of your business leave her alone for gods sake it’s her baby no one else’s

You might not like the name but it’s your sisters baby, not yours so not your choice or place to say.

I think you should speak up. It's a ridiculous name.

@GurpsAgain

He will probably get called Fatlas if he turns out chubby.

Oh come on, you can do that with any name. Jessica Stressica, Smelly Ellie, whatever. I used to get called Bethlehem because it’s the only thing you can do with the name Beth.

Oh god - what it is about people trying to give their kids wacky ‘unique’ names?

What makes it wacky though? Not exactly something created out of thin air and it’s not like names that are considered normal now weren’t seen as unique/wacky before..

I'm interested in what makes Atlas more ridiculous than Alexander, Hector, Athena, Iris, Jason, Phoebe etc. Anyone?

It's not wacky, it's classical Greek.

Oh poop, @EssentialHummus said it so much better than me