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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Ridiculous name for baby

824 replies

PegorySpeck · 23/09/2021 16:24

My step son and gf have recently called their newborn a really awful pretentious name. I know it’s their choice but neither me nor my husband can bring ourselves to say it in a sentence. Every time we talk about him we say ‘the baby’ or the ‘little one’. We have been very diplomatic and said things like ‘ oh that’s unusual’ but they have started to notice we don’t use his name in conversation and it’s becoming tense.

Any advice on how to move forward?

OP posts:
Sciurus83 · 23/09/2021 18:21

It's noooot abooouuut yooouuuuu!!!

Or your DH who is such a ridiculous man he would change the way he views his own son because of what he chose to name his child.

Unless it is something deeply offensive you both need to get over yourselves! Dying to know what it is. I cannot imagine anything short of a racial slur or famous Nazi at this point could be so extreme to make you think your reaction is reasonable?

MolyHolyGuacamole · 23/09/2021 18:22

It’s a bit like your first lot of names but they are tame in comparison. It’s not just about what we think it’s more about the abuse the poor child will get when he’s growing up. I just don’t think they have thought about that.

We all joke, but I agree with you. It's so self-centred for parents to give their children unusual names to appear 'cool'.

Is it possible to shorten it?

Also, is it Dreamcatcher?

MolyHolyGuacamole · 23/09/2021 18:23

@Sciurus83

It's noooot abooouuut yooouuuuu!!!

Or your DH who is such a ridiculous man he would change the way he views his own son because of what he chose to name his child.

Unless it is something deeply offensive you both need to get over yourselves! Dying to know what it is. I cannot imagine anything short of a racial slur or famous Nazi at this point could be so extreme to make you think your reaction is reasonable?

It's not about the parents either really, it's the child who has to live with it
3peassuit · 23/09/2021 18:23

I once met an infant Tarzan, I thought that was as bonkers as it gets. He was a very cute baby with nice, though batshit, hippy parents.

Droite · 23/09/2021 18:24

If they can't be persuaded to change the name, you'll have to use it. Refusing to do so will achieve nothing other than making the parents into your enemies. If the name is that terrible, either they will realise when it causes problems, or the kid himself will change it.

MolyHolyGuacamole · 23/09/2021 18:25

Sunshine?

Buttercup?

Daffodil?

Forgetmenot?

Also OP, I know someone with a grandchild with a rather unusual name, she refers to them literally by the first letter of their name

snanagram · 23/09/2021 18:25

@Bluesheep8

Unless you tell us the name, this is a really pointless thread

Yep

Don't be ridiculous. Imagine if the new mum (or someone else that knows her) comes to MN for some much advice and stumbles across the fact that there is a thread making fun of the name they have chosen. Can you imagine how hurtful that would be?

It's "outing" in the true sense of the word - nothing like admitting your husband plays golf.

So many new mums on here are struggeing to cope and this might just be the straw that breaks the camel's back.

There is a thread currently running about "most ridiculous names". Many of them are just parrotted, tired, apochryphal stories but one of the posts is almost identical to my actual name in real life.

I woud be beyond hurt if I thought that someone I knew had made a post to say that they thought my name was "hilarious".

Imagine if the child who is the subject of this thread grows up and does a bit of googling?

Would you like that to happen to someone you know?

AnotherFruitcake · 23/09/2021 18:25

I think you may be assuming everyone’s as judgemental and parochial about names as you are, OP. I don’t think children in reasonably multicultural settings even have a concept of ‘weird names’. DS has been at two schools, and has had classmates called Gray, Ace, Femi, Blessed, Ferdinand, Summer-Storm, Adebigo, Tadeusz, Phineas, Betsy-Blu. And Bernard. He doesn’t perceive any distinction between those and the inevitable Georges and Mias.

MichelleScarn · 23/09/2021 18:26

Oo I'm going for pp guess of Atlas now.

LookAtMoiPloise · 23/09/2021 18:26

I'm still betting on Atlas.

LookAtMoiPloise · 23/09/2021 18:26

Snap 😂

TidyDancer · 23/09/2021 18:29

We need the name OP!

BLACKTUESDAY1 · 23/09/2021 18:29

Is it Mask?

MonkeyPuddle · 23/09/2021 18:29

I know a 2 year old female Atlas. She gets called Attie a lot.

NormanStangerson · 23/09/2021 18:30

@PegorySpeck

I can bring myself to say it - it’s DH that’s the main issue, he sees his son in a completely different light now and not in a good way
Just say the fucking name or I’m reporting you for being a troll @PegorySpeck! 😫

I’m sorry you all had to see that. Threads like this just drive me insane.

Marmelace · 23/09/2021 18:30

Is he a boy named Sue?

FleetwoodRaincoat · 23/09/2021 18:30

Elephant?

Sciurus83 · 23/09/2021 18:31

But they might love it! And so often the "oh they'll get bullied" is thrown own by people who have got their judgey pants on because they disapprove, rather than a genuine concern for the kid. If you caref about the kid you would use his name and not offend the parents. Kids are called all sorts of mad names these days, they're not all getting bullied. As I say I will caveat that a bit if it's something actually offensive that's fair enough, but it doesn't sound that way from the suite of names OP has identified as "similar"

FateHasRedesignedMost · 23/09/2021 18:31

Bear? Storm? Hunter? Wolf? Forest? River?

It seems fashionable to choose nature names but they make me cringe too. I have a friend with sons called Bracken and Moss, I of course use their names but I feel like I’m referring to pets not children. I don’t understand the craze for noun type names.

Can you just refer to him by a nickname until he ‘grows into’ the name?

LookAtMoiPloise · 23/09/2021 18:31

@PegorySpeck

I can bring myself to say it - it’s DH that’s the main issue, he sees his son in a completely different light now and not in a good way
I don't understand this whatsoever?

Why?

That's just not normal (unless it's the name of a truly evil person or something).

CanofCant · 23/09/2021 18:32

Is it Crew?

Ileflottante · 23/09/2021 18:32

There is a thread currently running about "most ridiculous names". Many of them are just parrotted, tired, apochryphal stories but one of the posts is almost identical to my actual name in real life.

I woud be beyond hurt if I thought that someone I knew had made a post to say that they thought my name was "hilarious".

Yes but if you’re called Tepid Banquet von Trumplington, you can’t be surprised if people think your name is hilarious. And it’s not a slight on you, unless you chose it.

trumpisagit · 23/09/2021 18:33

I hope he's not Rainbow, but I do think you should suck it up.

Sciurus83 · 23/09/2021 18:33

I rather like Atlas Grin

LookAtMoiPloise · 23/09/2021 18:33

@Sciurus83

I rather like Atlas Grin
Me too