To want people to calm my baby by his actual name?

[SimGuruRu]

Name change as outing. To avoid the inevitable “what’s his name” replies ... he’s called Brian, hence outing.
He’s 6 weeks old and friends and family seem unable to call him by his actual name. They make up stupid names for him “baby Bobo” for example, I’ve had people literally snigger when I say his name. MIL has outright told us it’s an awful name for a baby and she can’t say it without laughing.
I’ve told DH I’m getting to the point where I feel if people can’t call him by his name maybe they shouldn’t be seeing him?! He thinks this is an overreaction and that I’m being too dramatic. They are going to make him grow up hating his own name.
AIBU?

@HaveringWavering

I once met an Irish woman called Kevina. She would be in her sixties now. I wasn’t sure if it was common over there, or a Sorry of Nigella-style “Dad wanted a boy” substitute name. Does anyone know?

It seems that it’s an Irish girls name :)

@SmileyClare

UpinCloud9 I think you coming from a different culture explains your love of Kevin. In Estonia it's in the top 25 most popular names list!

Yeah it is very common in my culture and I think it has a lovely meaning and sound if you try and forget about how dated it is to British ears.

I remember being about 5 or 6 and wanting kids called Poppy, Olivia, Esme and Octavia. Boys called Rufus, Edmund, Alfred or Roman. People laughed at me. I know kids called all of those things now.

@Friedasunibrow

You could have gone for Sydney *@Cornettoninja*, I know a girl called that.

I do like Sydney for a girl but dd was one of those who was born with her own name iykwim. It was decided within hours what her name is and it just fits her more as she grows up. I don’t think her name was even on my short list before she was born!

Yes I get that, I was the same with my DD

Ahh America, the pinnacle of taste.

Ah.. typical MN Anti-American snobbery .. 🙄

@Chillychangchoo

Brian though? 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

What is wrong with the name?

I remember the Mulroney twins at the royal wedding and a lot of people were surprised by their names, John and Brian, but I think they're family names and maybe more common in Canada. Even though, going by this thread it seems that Brian is very popular, so it does seem like 70s names are coming back into fashion and there are loads of Brians, Barrys and Colins running around.

One of the most intelligent and compassionate men I know is my friend Brian. Lovely name OP. He will grow into it.

It is of Celtic, Irish and Gaelic origin, and the meaning of Brian is "high, noble". In Hebrew “four-letter word” or symbol meaning yod-ye-vau-he (YHWH) and signifying Yahweh. The meaning of Bryan is "strong, honorable".

I think it is a lovely name. I googled 'negative associations with name : 'Brian' (or words to that effect), and all I could come up with was something about the perception of the name amongst younger people in Denmark! Unless someone on here tells me what is wrong with the name, I'll continue to be ignorant.

The op's family/in laws are being extremely rude and rather stupid/ignorant over what is, after all, just a name, quite a short one and not 'fancy'. When you consider some of the names given to kids - from outlandish to chavvy to something your great uncle or grandparents were called - Brian is simply normal.

Don't we all know nice Brians? I certainly have known a few (plus one not so nice but that's an entire other soap opera), then there is Brian May, Brian Paddick, Brian Cox the physicist and Brian Cox the Scottish actor; Brian Lee Harvey, Brian Eno, Brian Mulraney, Brian McKnight, Brian Blessed. All ages and different walks of life!

It is a good name with great meaning, worthy of an aristocrat or even a King!

I just found this: www.irishcentral.com/roots/queen-elizabeth-brian-boru

This thread has found its way onto the pages of the Daily Mirror! I sincerely hope the op's in laws read it - and feel embarrassed.

There is of course 'Monty Python's Life of Brian' but that story was meant to be satirical - and 'Brian' could just as easily have been called John or Michael.

Teenage Brian may well choose not to call himself by his name.

@UpTheJunktion

Teenage Brian may well choose not to call himself by his name.

Yup, he may decide 'Wayne' is a better fit :-), though personally I think he would be more likely to prefer 'Brian'. I wanted to be known by various names when I was a teenager.

I must say my two, now adult, children have very ordinary, commonplace, two syllable names and have never shown any distaste for them.