... to be doing everything within my power to subtly put my pregnant cousin off a particular name?

[lolianja]

Long story short - she has a 7-month-old son called Matthew and is 5 months pregnant with another little boy. I have a 2-month-old son called Jimmy.

I say cousin, she's actually the half-sister of my second cousin David and thus not actually related to me by blood but the families are very close-knit and being a similar age (I'm 20, she's 22) and with similar interests, we're very good pals. We spend a lot of time hanging out with our babies and whenever she's in my vicinity (or I'm in hers) we'll head down to the park for a "baby picnic". Very therapeutic - much recommended by the way!

Anyway, I digress. After not minding it too much a few weeks ago, quite liking it a few days later and loving it shortly thereafter, she's now absolutely dead set on the name Carl for her little one in utero. I presume I'll not have to explain this to anybody that regularly watches ITV1 at 7pm on weekdays - but having already had remarks (often in gruff imitation Yorkshire accents) when we've been out with our two babies and passers by have asked what their names are - the idea of telling strangers that the three babies in tow are called Matthew, Jimmy and Carl fills me with a mixture of the unsuppressible urge to snigger and profound, face-clawing embarrassment.

Naturally she's perfectly entitled to call her little one whatever she and her boyfriend desire and Carl's a perfectly nice, sensible name otherwise. And I hasten to add I'm being semi-facetious here, but I confess I've been giving it the "ooh no, it's a bit passé, isn't it? I went to school with one who turned out to be a kiddy-fiddler/burglar/BNP official. No... I wouldn't go with that" with increasing vehemence. She doesn't watch the soaps (devil woman) and so the connotations mean nothing to her.

But I can't get past it. These last few days have been almost solely dedicated to putting her off the name Carl. I feel as though I'm impinging on her unarguable right to name as she pleases, purely to prevent hypothetical future embarrassment over nothing on my part.

Undoubtedly I'm pathetic. But AIBU??

(If I am, please don't shout at me! I'm pregnant as well. Any unreasonableness is entirely down to hormone undulation, I've decided.)

I don't watch it. Can you explain?

I have no idea what the connotations of the three names is, as I too don't watch soaps. Perhaps you could explain?

On the other hand I have never liked the name Carl so would try to disuade her for this reason alone.

I don't understand!! Is Carl so bad? Bit dated alright, but dated names are unusual. Never watch ITV. Is there an awful Carl on ITV?

Better than Tom, Dick, and Harry.

I dont get it....lol
I dont watch the soap (which one are you talking about is it corrie?)
yabu, I think its a nice name, but i do get how certain names can be hideous to you due to their associations, but thats your problem, not hers....you'll just have to get used to it, it wont feel so weird when she has the baby

Brothers on Emmerdale...no it wouldn't be that bad. Not all of the UK watch it.

The only Carl (Karl??) I know of in a soap is the Doc in Neighbours??!!

What programme is it?? I'm confoosed!

(Personally don't like the name Carl, can't imagine it 'suiting' a baby}

I'm more iinterested in the fact that you've both pregnant again so swiftly (unless I've mixed up my threads, in which case I apologize).

Really not having a go, don't get me wrong, just fascinated by those who can manage sex so quickly.

Unless you watch Emmerdale you are not going to get it.

But even if you had brothers call thomas, richard and Henry I wouldn't twig!!

My granddad was richard and hsi 2nd wife was francesca and they were both dead before my dad suddenly said, hey! dick and fanny!!!!

Don't watch soaps and the viewing figures are so low for them now that 90% of the population don't watch them either. I think Carl is a nice name.

Lol - Mabel we both said the same thing - 23 secs apart!!!

Just re-read the OP - I'm amazed too that you're PG so quickly after your DS (I'm not saying it's bad) amazed that you....erm...got back in the saddle so quickly, my DC were a good 8 weeks+ old before I even let DH talk about it PMSL!

Fimbo we did, and we'r eboth early at the cyber meet-up. Clearly we are of the same mind.

Fancy another one?

Um. I don't get it! Sorry, so IMO YABU

I don't understand a word of it!I don't like the name Carl but I can't see anything wrong with it, or why it doesn't go with the other names. She might have a girl.

@MsMargot - Dick and Fanny! I actually laughed out out loud.

I'm heartened and consoled by the number of people that don't get it - unfortunately this is not very representative of my experience!

I think what encourages my horror is the sheer number of "Oh they're lovely, what are their names?" "Matt and Jimmy." "Ooh flamin' Nora! There'll be plenty o' rivalry over t'famileh business in t'future ehh?" exchanges that we've had over the past few weeks with various friends, family and strangers who clearly all share a belief that they're god's gift to comedy. The main 3 soaps still get in excess of 8 million households viewing them frequently so that's quite a chunk.

Last time we were out we were perched outside a coffee shop and were asked "Where's Carl?" upon telling said stranger the babies' names. The idea of there actually being a Carl in not long is embarrassing even to contemplate. To make matters considerably worse, OH's niece who we often have to stay is a Sadie! Blasted Emmerdale!

I know I'm being silly - this is a wholly irrational foible. Well that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

And re: everyone being amazed at me conceiving a month after Jimmy's birth (and my cousin not long previously) ... I can only and confess to being equally amazed and horror-struck.

Only about 27 people watch Emmerdale! Don't worry honestly. They'll all have been written out or killed in a swine flu epidemic by the time the dc starts school!

I wish I lived where you live Margot (which reminds me, I love the name Margot). Everybody I know watches it. The woman that runs my modelling agency in Paris is one of the tossers (I jest, I jest!) that saw fit to make a har-har-Matt-and-Jimmy-where's-Carl-lololol gag - sigh - when shown a photograph of the two of them the other day.

I feel I can't escape! It seems I'm mixing in very lowbrow circles.

Another alternative would be to permanently shun my half-second-cousin and leave her to add to her corny Emmerdale tribute brood in happy ignorance.

OK now IABU.

Ok. So confusing.

Let's see.

1. Who are these Matt Jimmy and Carl people of whom you speak? Are they real?

1. No need to tell random passers by your babies names. No need to talk to random passers by at all.

1. What does second cousin David think?

1. She won't call her baby Carl. (No one calls their baby Carl.)

1. You have a 2 month old baby and you are pregnant again? She has a 7 month old baby and she is 5 months pregnant? OMG where do you live, Fertility Springs? At this rate, you better hope Matt Jimmy and Carl (whoever they are) discover some long lost brothers, pdq. Sounds like you both may be needing those extra names if you carry on at this rate.

(HTH)

MATT, JIMMY AND CARL ARE 3 BROTHERS FROM EMMERDALE.

I've never met anyone who watches Emerdale

maybe you should move

Is M, J, and C the sibling order of them? (excuse grammar, sat night)

And was there another one that died?

I didn't have a clue what you were talking about.