To tell my friend that I’m not keen on her baby name?

[AllHailKingLouis]

Friend told me today she has chosen the name Susan for her baby. I don’t like it personally but automatically said “oh, that’s nice”.

she’s just WhatsApp me asking if I really liked the name as she got the feeling that I didn’t (oops, I’m a shit liar).

would I be unreasonable to admit that I don’t? Or should I carry on lying about it? (Which I can do easier via WhatsApp!)

Say something like ‘I was just a bit surprised, it’s not a name you hear so much these days’ and leave it at that.

My best friend married a bit of a pretentious twat (he’s improved greatly over the years thank god) and when she was pregnant with DS1 she said they weren’t going to tell anyone their preferred name because they didn’t want any negative reactions. When he was born I really feared for the worst, expecting Jonquil or Ladder or something, but….. Samuel. They’d called their baby Samuel 😂

Sorry..I didn't mean to come across unenthusiastic. It's a classic name, due for a revival. I just had a Great Aunt/schoolfriend/hamster called Susan and I must have been a bit a bit distracted thinking about her.

Maybe if I had been in primary school with lovely girl called Suzi, not Susie, things would have been different!

She doesn't NEED others to like it, all she needs to do is like it herself.

To me it’s a dogs name as the first Oscar I met was our neighbours dog.

Lie through your teeth! Say you are now so accustomed to everyone calling their babies Ava/Ottilie/Emilia/whatever that you were expecting her to say one of those - but Susan is brilliant (which, in fact, it is - one of my best school friends was called Susan, though we called her Soupy).

This. Perfect answer.

She phoned OP for a reason. She wants to know.

I think saying that the name surprised her because it's not one we hear these days, is ideal. If the friend is worried about it being dated, she can take that from it. If she thinks Susan deserves a comeback, then OP has said nothing that she's not expecting.

It's a great name

has Sooz from As If nostalgia

This is the thing, people tend to name their baby after their grandparents' generation unless they call it fucking Princess Appletise or something . So your friend may well just be ahead of the curve...

unless you intend to let your friend pick your baby names, butt out.
Smile tell her that so long as she likes the name everyone else has no input.

I love Susan. So yabu

I wanted to be her! I called myself Sooz for ages and even had a lip piercing. I was not as cool as her though by any stretch of the imagination

I like it, as a discworld fan. Death’s granddaughter

I would tell her you love it. Just say you were a little surprised when you heard it so we're may have seemed like you were unsure.

Personally I would be subtle and just say it’s not something I would choose but if you like it she’s your baby, as long as her and baby’s dad are happy with their choice that’s all that matters.. I couldn’t care less what anyone thinks about the name I’ve chosen for my daughter she’s my baby and no one would influence my choice of name other than her dad.

My friend of 42 years is a Susan. Everyone calls her Sue, except me. I call her Susan or Sues. No one shortens my name, I don't like it but Susan does and she is the only one that I don't mind doing it.

I know a Susan who calls herself Zizi,
its a lovely name and if you friend loves it , that’s all that matters

Who are these adults who can't just politely respond in a normal manner when their friends ask them about many names? Fgs, just be polite and respond like a normal grown up with manners 🙄

I think that she asked you and the baby hasn't arrived yet I would give a honest answer. My neighbour told me when my baby was born she didn't like the name, which I didn't find rude. But then she said she would call her by a nickname instead from now on..that was rude!

I'm pretty sure my friends would tell me the truth and I wouldn't be terribly offended. I wouldn't ask otherwise...
Personally, If I really liked it, it wouldn't stop me.
Susan is a bit like calling a baby Derek or something though, it's not great.

"It's not a name that I would choose, but it's not my baby. If you love the name, use it."

This ☝️

Someone once said to me even if you don't like the name because you'll love the child you'll grow to love the name.

Makes me think of little friend Susan in Milly Molly Mandy. I think it's sweet.

that is such a strange thing to post.

I like Susan, sounds nice, a bit different and lots of lovely nicknames like Susie etc. 10/12 girls in my little girls class have a name with three or four letters ending in A.