To tell her?

[AmandaHuggenkizz]

NC for this.

My friend has just had a baby. She announced the name to our friend group on WhatsApp. It’s very unusual. Personally, I don’t like it.
To be honest, I more than don’t like it and think it’s a ridiculous thing to call a child.

We all congratulated her and said he’s gorgeous (which he is!) etc but none of us have passed comment on the name.

She’s messaged me separately asking if the name is a bit much.

AIBU to tell her the truth, gently?

I would reply with 'Hi Friend, of course it isn't too much. I was surprised though as I expected you to do with something a bit more common/usual/traditional (delete as appropriate). Where did the name come from? Are you having second thoughts? Lots of love friend Means you haven't slated it but also have been fairly honest. If she's doubting it she'll want you to agree with her

@AmandaHuggenkizz

The name is Navy-Lee.

Very common surname- think Smith or Jones.

I thought it was going to be something completely absurd. That’s quite tame by comparison with some I imagined.

I know a little girl called Navy, really suits her!

I think the name Navy is fine, I’m not keen on the hyphen though, I would’ve just used Lee as a middle name.

'I haven't heard the name before... but if you like it, that's great! Are you considering any other names? Lots of parents end up changing in the first few days/weeks, so wouldn't be a problem to change it if you wanted.'

Don't be the person who slated the name, she keeps it and it's never forgotten about. Stay neutral.

Well, if she is on MN you won't need to say a word!

It's definitely a name that looks better written down than said out loud.

It's a really horrible non-name but don't tell her. She won't change it and also won't forget what you said.

She's really silly to have named her child something so silly and unusual if she can't hack a few funny looks though. We named our children with names from my husband's culture (that are not common here) and knew we'd get weird looks, comments and spellings but we DGAF. You have to not care if you do something like this - you can't do it and then be sensitive.

I like it

Navy is quite nice! But the -Lee part is very dated. I would suggest Navy Lee as a first and middle name that way you're not saying you don't like it but also possibly helping tone it down a bit.

At least it's not Slithery...

The Navy is not too bad, but the hyphen is stupid. SINCE SHE ASKED you can gently say the child would be spelling it out to everyone his whole life, and it sounds too much like Navel, or Naively. She asked so you can say something.

Navy on its own is actually a fab name

Well let's hope the Daily Mail doesn't pick this one up tomorrow. The OP may want to think about having the thread deleted I'd say.

Oh dear that’s awful, poor child. Can’t stand hyphenated names or made up names. I think I would say to her that it wouldn’t be my choice but it’s up to her and her DP really.

My friend gave her kid an unusual name, personally I think it’s awful and people will laugh at him behind his back, when we first met him she said to me “everyone keeps saying it’s unusual, but I don’t think it is, is it?” I just said if she likes it that’s all that matters and quickly changed the subject.

I think Navy-Lee is an absolute shocker of a name to saddle a child with, but presumably she has a reason for choosing the name.

Dairy Lea
Navy Lee Triangles

I like it

Poor baby having a name like that.

It's a bloody awful name, but most hyphenated ones /ones where parents try to be different are.

I would steer clear of telling her though.

It’s unusual but it’s not like she’s called him teapot or something.

My sister had a friend with the surname Potts and her parents said they'd dearly wanted to call her younger brother Terry (it was the 70s), but thankfully, they had the foresight to realise it would make T Potts and chose a name with a different initial instead.

I've heard far stranger names than that and original names seem to be in style these days. I wouldn't make a big thing about it. Just tell her you personally usually prefer conventional names but of course it's completely up to them.

I suppose it might be character forming going through school as Navy- Lee's Locker.
Maybe you could say vaguely, "Do you think he'll be bullied?"

I swear I've read this thread several times before. Always related to the colour blue....

She's asked your opinion, so be honest.

@RosesAndHellebores

Well let's hope the Daily Mail doesn't pick this one up tomorrow. The OP may want to think about having the thread deleted I'd say.

I know the Daily Fail is full of some seriously ridiculous articles, but surely if they did a story every time there was a “should I tell my friend her baby name is awful?” post on Mumsnet, they’d have to room for near-pedophilic images of teenage girls and blatant body-shaming of female celebs?

On par with North West so unless your friend is a Kardashian...
Can you get her mum or someone similar to tell her the trith?