MiL Nightmare

[Ziggimajiggi]

My father was Danish and Mother is English, and I have a very scandinavian name. My wonderful DH is Scottish from a Scottish family and - surprise surprise - has a very Scottish name.

We're choosing names for our wee baby and DHs mum asked me what we were calling her grandchild. I knew this would probably end badly with such a pinted remark, but I was honest with her about the names both I and DH like.

It was worse than bad...she literally bellowed NOOOO at our favourite boy's name and started talking about how much the little one would be bullied if we gave it pretty much any of the names we have on our list. I was never bullied about my name and uber traditionally named DH was bullied terribly - so I really don't understand!

This was about a month ago, but I can't stop thinking how much she'll hate it when we call the baby one of our slightly less traditional names. DH says it's our baby and our family so we can call it what we want...but I feel this big weight of responsibility.

So...what do you think of our choices?
Boy: Magnus Stephen
Girl: Aurora Astrid

We didn't call DS1 Tom because of a comment my FIL made and he IS a Tom

Ignore ignore ignore

Daft woman

I actually know of (friends of friends) a Norweigan/Scottish couple who named their son Magnus as it reflected both cultures! It's a great name!

Both lovely. I have a Magnus so I am a little biased, but have not had any negative comments. His Danish relatives do insist on the Danish pronounciation though, so bear this in mind - it's quite different (assume you are aware of this?).

I think the names you've chosen are fantastic!

My Mags even has a version of Stephen as one of his middle names, to reflect part of his heritage.

They are lovely names and you should ignore any negative comments.

It's your baby and your choice. Your MIL has had her chance at naming her baby and now it's your turn.

Putting Magnus on my list should I ever have another DC although I am intrigued at how the Danish pronounce it. Soft guttural G?

I think your names are lovely.

Scots are often quite conservative when it comes to baby names. She might genuinely think that the child will be bullied. I doubt she's right - in fact I grew up with a Magnus in Glasgow (his family were mildly eccentric, mind you, but that's no bad thing).

Stick to your guns. Unusual names are far more common these days and Magnus sounds like a good fit for your family. Aurora is really pretty (and can have a lovely Scottish nn in the form of Rory)

Don't give in to her, she sounds like a control freak. Give into her at your peril - telling you what to do for the next xx years.....

Lovely names by the way, enjoy your pregnancy!

Both lovely names that respect your Scandinavian roots. I know a little Magnus and a little Aurora in Norway, very cute. Your MIL sounds like mine was, 5 years ago when i had my 1st daughter, our previously good relationship is now not the same. And don't let her remarks make you doubt your names, mine didn't like my son's name and 3 years later I still have mixed feelings about it after her negative comments.

My MIL wanted us to call our first baby LeShawn for a boy or D'Shawn for a girl.

She actually stopped speaking to us when we broke down laughing said we wanted to pick out own baby name for our own child.

Please note, my dh is not called Sean or Shawn. Feck knows where she got it from.

I'm Scottish and I know 2 Magnus..both with red hair!

Stuff your MIL...she's named her babies.

Gorgeous names! You have great taste. MILs are there to be annoying, mine drives me bonkers. It only makes me want to wind her up all the more.

Savoycabbage that's hilarious!

I Think they're beautiful names! Ignore MIL, She had her chance!

It was my grandmothers that objected with my DC, Grandma insisted that DD1 & 2 had the middle name Caroline as it 'runs in the family'. It doesn't, it's just mine and mum's middle name!

When i told my nan DS's name she said " I thought you would call him Lee or Stuart, I like those names!"

You can't win, Just please yourself cos you're the one who has to use it day in, day out! :o

giving you a different perspective

I grew up in Denmark to and moved to England. met dh and married my mother doesnt like ANY of the names we have picked for our children and when we announced our sons name (Conrad) her reaction was "Its HORRIBLE" I replied "I dont like any of your names WHY do you think you will care for what I name my children?"

they are great beautiful names works both in Danish and in English so stick with what you and your dh likes for YOUR son.. your MIL had her chance and thats kinda the end of it. and yes next time dont tell her.. I didnt after the 1st w my mother

No child is bullied because of their name - if a child is going to me bullied then they will be teased about their name even if it is James or Sarah.

They are beautiful names, very unusual and had someone told me they were going to name their child Magnus Stephen or Aurora Astrid I may have been a bit and at first but the more I think about it the more I like them.

I had Swedish friends at school called Lief and Sven. No-one ever teased them. In fact, they were generally hero-worshipped for being tall, blond, handsome and cool.

They're gorgeous names and I have known more than one Magnus in Scotland.

Astrid is particularly beautiful, IMO.

It's no one's business but yours and DH's what you call your children!

It's not up to your mil, it's up to you and dh.
Not sure why this is even an issue.

One of my dearest friends is called Astrid so I adore it. She was named after the Belgian Princes that died very young in a car crash.... Love Magnus,and have always had a soft spot for' Marius' . Go ahead and name your children whatever you and your DH want. They are YOUR children.

lovely names :)

we had Astrid as a possibility for our dd.

my mil didnt/doesnt like the names we gave our kids, but they are OUR children and they suit their names and she is used to them now.

when will people learn to stop telling others their chosen name before the baby is born. I see this thread time and time again and it is the same story every time.

Magnus is lovely (DS was nearly Magnus) and would have been my top suggestion for a Scottish/Scandinavian couple wishing to reflect both backgrounds.

Aurora is a little Disney Princess for my personal taste, but it's a perfectly fine name on someone else's baby. And we had Astrid on our shortlist for DD2.

I think sometimes our parents' generation is just out of touch with current naming trends and thinks perfectly mainstream names will sound "weird".

This is the exact reason we are keeping our name shortlist a secret - but that doesn't stop the in laws asking weekly (at least!) if we will share them with them!!

I have told them we are looking at quite classical, not-too-popular names for DD - FIL's suggestions have included Terri and McKenzie. Yet he has slagged off Jemima as being too 'new-fangled' (which he doesn't know is one of the names we have been considering).

It just goes to show that peoples' perceptions of names is massively varied. FWIW I think both your names are lovely. And if I were you, if MIL brings it up again, I would gently mention that your lovely DH was bullied (due to his name?) so perhaps he is a better judge of these things than her.