To tell them their baby name options aren’t great?

[Ellase]

I can be fairly confident DS and DIL don’t use Mumsnet so I’m prepared to take a risk and post this.

DS and his wife are expecting their first baby, all very exciting, a little girl. Tonight they came over and we were chatting names and they told me what their two front runners are, and well they aren’t inherently awful, but they are diminutives that aren’t well established as names in their own right (so we aren’t talking Milly or Rosie which are now fully fledged names). I asked if they were planning to use a longer name too and was told absolutely not. This worries as I feel their child won’t much appreciate having a name that is not well established, sounds a bit off (I don’t know how to explain better than that), and could easily have a longer name that would provide more optionality however they choose to live their life.

Should I cautiously mention it or just bite my tongue? We have a very positive relationship generally and they tend to be open to advice.

I don't know why people say it's none of your business. Of course it's your business, it's your grandchild so you will be calling her one of these names if they do use one of them. Wasn't there a thread on here about a grandmother who never called her grandchild by their name?
Completely different if it's a stranger, you may not like the name but it wouldn't affect you, so yes none of your business.

I'd just suggest they have a formal name on the birth certificate and use Gigi/Tiggi day to day, frame it as giving your granddaughter the choice because no-one knows, until 10, 15, 20 years down the line if she wants to blend in with a more mainstream name or stand out with a more unusual name.

Ah they’re not so bad. At least they’re names and not fruits or a sequence of numbers.

They sound like the names of hair products to me, so no, not great OP.

She isn't OP's child. She doesn't get a say in the child's name so no, it's none of her business.

They have already very, very clearly told her 'absolutely not' when asked if they will be nicknames. Saying any more won't go down well.

I knew a woman called Pebble. She was a very successful teacher on the SLT at her school. I really don’t think being called Gigi will hold you back in your career, come on.

A friend of mine - thankfully - called her baby Gigi. I say thankfully because her alternative was Bunny 😱

Especially when it won't be unusual for her friends to be called the likes of Dolly, Bambi & Pixie.

Are you sure they are the actual choices? We got so fed up with everyone and his goat wanting to express their views on what our child should be called and which family member on which side should be the middle name, we started going with star wars names like Han and Darth and stuck with it for 4.5 months 🤣

I like Bunny. I like Bunty even more 🤷🏻‍♀️ Gigi…awful.

That’s why everyone gets to name their own child and everyone else (including Grandmothers) should just smile and nod.

Like many posters on here you appear to be having difficulty distinguishing between objective fact and subjective opinion. To clarify, what you actually mean is that you personally dislike those names and think they are awful, which is purely a subjective stance, not a statement of fact. Hope that helps.
OP, there is nothing objectively wrong with those names. I would always advise any prospective parent not to reveal their baby name to anyone, even close family, until the baby is here and the name is a fait accompli, otherwise people will, sometimes well-meaningly, try to talk you out of a name you love. There is no name which everyone will like. Some people take a strong dislike to names for a whole host of, often arbitrary, reasons, including having known someone with that name who they didn't like. These purely personal reactions are irrelevant to what someone else wishes to name their precious baby.
I would keep quiet, this would be my advice to anyone considering commenting negatively on someone else's baby choices. you will end up loving the name, whatever they choose, because it will be the name of your wonderful grandchild.

Oh dear god

I assume you don't get out much if you're shocked by the perfectly commonplace name Gigi.

You've named your offspring. Let them name theirs

Were her parents Fred and Wilma?

Yeah, they are pretty bad, especially Tiggy/Tiggi - why would you choose a name that could rhyme with Piggy? As a nickname it’s slightly different but as a given name imo, unless she is the slimmest girl ever it’s just asking for trouble at school. I wonder if there’s a subtle way to point that out like “Oh I’ve just remembered what Tiggy reminds me of… probably just me being silly but I hope it never causes any problems -you know what kids can be like”.

Gigi really isn’t my personal taste (sounds like a Cabaret dancer stereotype) but there were nearly 70 of them born in E&W last year and the name is rapidly increasing, probably thanks to Gigi Hadid. So I can’t see the name would cause their DD any issues these days. Horses for courses.

Whilst it’s not your place to say anything you definitely should recommend they use “ziggy wiggy” as a middle name.

Do you know that other ‘news’ sites pick up posts from here and repost them all over social media? Your son and DIL my not be on here but they will be on other sites

I had a cousin called Gigi (full name Giselle) who, as a child, gave herself a nickname that stuck,

Agree Tiggi does sound like a cat's name and (to me) Gigi could be a pony or horse - sounds like gee-gee

What century are you working in? Neither of these names would raise an eyebrow in my workplace now, let alone in 20 years.

There's an influencer on Instagram- super posh/rich. Her daughter is Gigi. It actually really suits her and it's grown on me as a lovely name. However, I do think it's short for Georgina.

There's not much you can do OP. Anything you say - it just won't go down well.

This is the weirdest shit I have read on the internet today, and that's saying something.

I was going to say that staying quiet is likely the very best option.

I've heard the names. Oh goodness, they aren't to most people's taste...

Probably best to still stay quiet for the sake of the relationship.

Are you sure they aren't pulling your leg?

My GC has a diminuitive of a few names (Ella), but I don't mind it as a stand-alone . I don't think any negative comments would have been appreciated and wouldn't have changed their minds. I arent keen on either of those names, still aren't convinced commenting would be the welcomed.

Actually Ada is how it was always spelt when it was popular in the 1930's. Ayda is the 'younique' spelling.

OK, they're both awful names and I'd think they were nicknames if I were introduced. However, their baby, their choice. If they love them, you'll get used to it. Tiggy is the better, if I had to choose between them.