Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think enough is enough?

135 replies

MrsMagooo · 28/12/2008 20:07

DS is almost 5 months & has a strong, solid, albeit less common, bible name (old testement).

We knew that DHs Nan & Grandad wouldn't be keen on it but figured they would get used to it.

When DS was born & we announced his name DHs Nan said 'Well....it will take some getting used to' & DHs Grandad said 'I thought you would have called him something normal like Raymond'

Anywho - we figured after a few weeks they would get used to it.

Well we are almost 5 months down the line & they are still making a big issue of it.

DHs Nan refuses to say DSs name & always calls him 'the Baby' or 'that little fella' DHs Grandad always says to us 'Now, how do I pronounce it again?' it's really not a hard name to say/spell honest.

I've gritted my teeth until now but I am getting fed up with it.

We spent a long time choosing our sons name & I adore it, it suits him beautifully & will suit him all his life (I feel anyway)

I just think they are being damn rude now.

They can't keep calling him 'the baby'

I know that I should just be grateful that DS has great-grandparents & that in the grand scheme of things being reffered to as the 'little fella' is not so bad but it's really getting to me now.

They've had plenty of time to get used to it - it's almost like they think by keep going on about it we'll change his name!

Even MIL has said how daft it's getting now.

DH won't say anything as he doesn't see it as a big deal.

I don't like to shorten names & prefer DSs full name but have offered up the shortened version (even though I didn't want too) but they won't use that either.

So AIBU in thinking they should just get over it & start calling him by his name?

OP posts:
Divineintervention · 29/12/2008 10:57

I have a DS with the middle name Elijah, I love it and would have chosen it for first name if it weren't so common where I live....I heard two Elys in the park a few months before he was born.

Original poster
MrsMagooo · 29/12/2008 11:03

We live in a pretty small village so no other Elijahs here

I'm not keen on Eli but I know when at school ect his name will get shortened

OP posts:
BalloonSlayer · 29/12/2008 12:26

I also love Elisha, another OT prophet. But it has started to get used as a girl's name so I had to cross it off.

(then again, DS1s name has started to get used as a girl's name by Americans )

Divineintervention · 29/12/2008 14:25

Common, as in popular.... for me that's more than two.

Divineintervention · 29/12/2008 14:26

I have an Artemus and so go for unpopular names!!

Original poster
MrsMagooo · 29/12/2008 14:30

Ooooo I'm loving Artemus Divine what a fab name - so cool!! Do you shorten it or use his full name?

OP posts:
Divineintervention · 29/12/2008 14:36

He's seven weeks and so very much Artemus for me, although my boys shorten it to Artie, sometimes, and my daughter sometimes says Art!!

feelingbitfestive · 29/12/2008 14:42

I love Elijah, and Elias and considered both for DS. Sadly they both slightly rhyme with his surname so couldn't. He ended up as a Gabriel.
You wouldn't believe the number of people who pursed their lips at it, but it didn't last long and now everyone loves it.

They are being very childish (IMO) to keep it going for 5 months! By now, he is Elijah - so them continuing to reject it would piss me off too. I'm clearly nowhere near as nice as you - I'd have lost my temper long ago!

Original poster
MrsMagooo · 29/12/2008 14:56

Divine It's such a lovely name, bless DD saying Art!

Feeling Gabriel is just lovely! I'm about ready to snap so I have no doubt when we see them next I shall have words - especially as most people seem to agree that I'm not BU

OP posts:
MenaMilou · 29/12/2008 15:07

I like the name Elijah. My mother likes the names of both of my girls but she always called them "the baby" for ages and much longer than five months. Isn't that just what old people do?

Original poster
MrsMagooo · 29/12/2008 15:21

If they had done it with DD & my nephews/niece then I wouldn't have an issue as I would just figure that's what they did but they didn't.

They called DD by her name right from the word go.

OP posts:
Wilkiepedia · 29/12/2008 15:30

Lovely name - might nab it

They are just being OLD PEOPLE. Annoying YES but I think you should rise above it or ask MIL to have a word.

My lovely lovely grandma told my cousin that she shouldn't call her daughter her (unusual) name as she was 'already disadvantaged enough being black' (she's mixed race) - she didn't mean to be nasty she just said what she thought! but quite

Breizhette · 29/12/2008 15:37

I think your MIL or FIL should say something.

I am starting to regret giving my 5m DS a (very common) Irish name as my (French) family hates it. I thought they would get used to it, but at Christmas, I had a little niece asking me why I gave him a girl's name (obviously repeating what she had heard), and my cousin calling him by his second (French) name. I really agonised over the decision before he was born as I knew it might be a problem, and it's turning out to be one.
On the other hand, I have a very unusual name myself, and it didn't kill me (but it's been a cross to bear).
Sorry for the hijack.

SheSellsSeashellsByTheSeashore · 29/12/2008 15:41

Breizhette, when I first met Dh's nephew he asked me why I had given dd1 a boy's name children speak without thinking, she might not neccessarily have been repeating what she had heard.

FWIW dd1 is now 5 and loves her name. She always uses her full name when introducing herself to people and loves that she is the only one in her school and dance school that has her name.

Breizhette · 29/12/2008 15:53

True, Shesells. Do you live abroad? I still love his name but I am fed up adding "it's an Irish name" every time I say it to people. Now that I have picked it, I should just get on with it and hope he'll love it when he's older.

SheSellsSeashellsByTheSeashore · 29/12/2008 16:00

No I am in England but I have only ever met one other Bryonie in our whole town. DD1 was made up and now considers this girl to be her best friend. Despite that they have only met twice I had to explain lots of times to mil and DH that it was not a made up name it was Welsh and probably fairly common in Wales.

Loads of people still get her name wrong. She got a xmas pressie of DH's Aunt adressed to Breany. And at her bday party the organiser announced that it was time for Bronwyn's guests to go to the party room. She always corrects people when they get it wrong in an are-you-slightly-dim tone of voice.

ChristmasFairySantAsSLut · 29/12/2008 16:02

hmmm. op deends on how you pronounce Elijah, I suppose....if you pronounce it unusually,than it wouldn't be their fault....but if it is pronounced in the typical way (along the lines of Ee-Lie-Ja) than you are not being unreasonable to think that enough is enough

Original poster
MrsMagooo · 29/12/2008 16:19

It's pronounced the usual way - exactly how you've put it, Ee-lie-ja

OP posts:
ChristmasFairySantAsSLut · 29/12/2008 16:25

Well...than tell them, if a dumb german like me can get it right, they should be ashamed of themselves

Original poster
MrsMagooo · 29/12/2008 16:36

LOL!

It's only really DHs Grandad who keeps on about how to pronounce it.

His Nan just refuses to call him it even though she can say it

OP posts:
piscesmoon · 29/12/2008 16:37

I would just ignore them-I agree with your DH-it isn't worth making an issue of. If you don't mention it they are the ones who will look silly.

MsG · 29/12/2008 16:55

It's a lovely name, Elijah. Can't understand their attitude! Maybe get your MIL to have a word as she sounds all right. x

salsmum · 29/12/2008 17:01

I called my son Dean when he was born so it would'nt get shortened...24 years later everyone calls him Deano so if they don't shorten it they lenghen it I think it's nice to hear of people researching their childrens names [biblical names etc...] rather than just go with 'the fashion' My DD name is Sally-Ann it was my SIL who taught ALL her girls to call her Sal when she was a baby sooo I joined the game and called her DD Nix for Nicola and Lee for Leanne she soon got the message

Original poster
MrsMagooo · 29/12/2008 17:05

I like your style Salsmum

I much prefer older style names, wanted Mary-Kate for DD but DH refused so we chose Ava, sadly Mylene Klass then chose it so now the world & it's mother are using the name & people think we got the name from her even though DD was born the year before MKs DD!!!

OP posts:
ReginaFelange · 29/12/2008 17:55

I love Elijah. DH won't allow it though.

FWIW my Grandma told my brother she would never get used to DS2's name. But this is the woman who had to 'get used' to DS1 - Sam. Not quite sure what we could have picked that my Granny would like TBH .