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Original poster

So, (D)M has just told me she hates our proposed name for DC2.

163 replies

Spoutlet · 02/07/2012 22:18

It is the only name that DH and I both agree on and I'm annoyed that she and F are being so negative about our choice. She launched into a rant about how the poor boy will be open to ridicule at school, it's a dogs name and they just don't like it. They'd prefer a name like Jack or Thomas. We probably shouldn't have mentioned it, but she asked and I knew they'd probably be a bit weird about it and would rather get their weirdness out of the way before DS arrives. The name is Otto, by the way. I did have a little reservation about using it, i.e. we have no German heritage, but I was starting to overcome this as we do really love the name. I'm now wavering! So, thoughts on Otto, please. Apologies for the mini rant!

OP posts:
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nilbyname · 02/07/2012 22:41

Enzo
Cassius
Lorcan
Vincent
Dylan
Theodore
Jolyon
??

droves · 02/07/2012 22:42

I like it , it's cute like Oscar used to be before it got too popular .

And best of all I don't think there is any horrid knickname you can get from otto!

tell your mum you've decided to call the baby shae'den or some other shite name , she will soon change her mind about otto ( which is lovely btw) . Wink .

TouTou · 02/07/2012 22:45

Love Hugo, love Caspar and loved Fabian and Raphael upstream of this.

Still think Otto is going to get fed up with the 'are your German' vibe to his name.

And this is from me who has a DD with a very German name. But in our case my Grandma is from E Europe so it's easy enough to explain. And people do ask - every time - why she is called that. I'm happy there is a connection. My MIL didn't love it though! I still don't think it would be her fave.

montmartre · 02/07/2012 22:47

Otto is great!

The country really does not need any more Jacks!

Remind her- she's had her turn at naming babies...

snice · 02/07/2012 22:49

How about Otis instead?
or Jasper

Viviennemary · 02/07/2012 22:49

I must say I'm not at all keen on the name. But it's up to you. Would you consider choosing a different name!

Kewcumber · 02/07/2012 22:49

Tell her to bugger off. She chose the names for her children, now its your turn.

Viviennemary · 02/07/2012 22:49

Ignore exclamation mark. It was a mistake. Sorry.

SLVC · 02/07/2012 22:50

Otto is lovely and you will hold a grudge forever if you dismiss it because of your DM.. We got a few raised eyebrows from older family members over DS's name, but now everyone knows and loves him it matters not a jot..

And the whole being teased at school thing is untrue.. DD has a wonderful mix of children from different cultures in her class at school, with some very exotic names.. no one would bat an eyelid over the incredibly easy to read and pronounce Otto..

When I was at school, Charlie, or Alfie or Henry would have likely been teased.. Things change..

CharltonHairstyle · 02/07/2012 22:51

I like it Grin

WhosPickleisThatOnion · 02/07/2012 22:53

I like it! It may lend itself to Germanic style teasing in school but children are little buggers and will find something to rip the piss out of in every name.

ArthurandGeorge · 02/07/2012 22:54

I think it's lovely and being easy to read and spell are more important than the views of your mother IMO.

mayanna123 · 02/07/2012 22:54

Otis is great. As is Raphael and Quentin. Or how about Oscar?

Original poster
Spoutlet · 02/07/2012 22:55

Thanks all for responding. I'm off to bed and will revisit this tomorrow Smile.

OP posts:
Strawbezza · 02/07/2012 22:56

Otto? Von Bismarck is my initial response. With a mental image of the pickelhaube. Don't do it.

zipzap · 02/07/2012 22:56

If you like it then stick with it.

In the mean time, choose a different, completely outlandish and completely not what you are going to use name that will annoy your pil even more, and say that instead of Otto you are considering Duke D'vil Lexus Lager Snotbuster (or whatever you think will rile your PIL - apologies to anybody that likes the names listed Grin).

They will have to either pretend to like the new name as you have said you are considering the new one because of them or they will rant and rave about how it is dreadful.

Then when Otto is born and you announce that actually, he looks like an Otto after all, they will be so relieved that you aren't calling him Duke D'vil etc that they will quite like it.

Oh and when my mum did this to my sis and bil about their dd2's name and said it was a dog's name (it's not, it's a nice girl's name that might occasionally get used as a dog's name by people that give their dog's people names rather than a dog's name iyswim) he decided to use my mum's name for one of his dogs or cows the next time he needed to name a girl animal Grin (not sure which it got used for, he's a farmer so there are plenty of animals around to name if need be) so that my mum - who of course considers her name to be a proper person name - now can't argue about it also being a dog name...

not sure if you have pets but maybe your next pair of goldfish/ferrets/dogs/etc could be called after MIL and PIL ?? [evil grin smiley!]

Queenofcake · 02/07/2012 22:57

I like it. When you said a dogs name I was thinking more of Fido and Rover Hmm

Go with what you like and so everyone else.

You could pick a stupendous hideous name and tell your mother you are calling him that instead - something that will horrify her alot more than Otto (not that I think Otto is horrifying at all). Then when you revert back to Otto she will be relieved.Grin

Springforward · 02/07/2012 22:57

It's not a name I'd choose but that's not really the point - it's your choice. I would politely but firmly tell them so.

MeDented · 02/07/2012 22:58

I still wish I had stuck to my guns and called DS Spike.

WhosPickleisThatOnion · 02/07/2012 22:58

Loving duke de'vil. Am pg at the mo mind if I pinch?

MoonlightandRoses · 02/07/2012 22:59

I think it's a good name, also, your DM has heard of Jack Russell, hasn't she? Wink

If you do decide not to use it though, would your DH consider Hugh (pronounced Hew) rather than Hugo?
Also, how about Octavian?

effingwotsits · 02/07/2012 23:01

I like it. I have never met a dog called otto. And it's your business what you call your baby. Your mum will just have to stick it!

WhosPickleisThatOnion · 02/07/2012 23:01

Let us know what you decide.. I got loads of moaning from my sister about ds name and now she loves it, and mil moans about every grandchilds name! Think it's a hobby of hers.

5madthings · 02/07/2012 23:05

i like it and i would ignore your dm!

if it helps my parents and my mil really did NOT like the names we chose for our children but they are fine with them now and htey have grown on them and they dont comment about them anymore, tho each time iwas pregnant my mil did ask if 'just this one time i would give her grandchild a name that she likes' Hmm when her choices were names like Gordon then umm no!

PorkyandBess · 02/07/2012 23:10

I love Otto! It's a great name.

Fwiw, my mum hated all her grandchildren's names, but she has just had to get used to them

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