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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

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Original poster

"Reserving" baby names?

40 replies

CruCru · 21/04/2013 13:55

I have a family member who has a list (not a long one) of baby names she wants to use when she has children. I'm not planning to use any of these but...do you think this is a funny thing to do?

OP posts:

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thermalsinapril · 21/04/2013 14:07

In what way has she "reserved" them? Has she said she doesn't want anyone else to use them? If so, then she's being unreasonable, obviously. It's first come first served where names are concerned, and even then other people are entitled to choose the same names if they wish.

AKissIsNotAContract · 21/04/2013 14:07

Yes it's bloody ridiculous. Does she pull the list out on first dates?

exoticfruits · 21/04/2013 14:08

Smile, nod, ignore.

Original poster

CruCru · 21/04/2013 14:10

Well I do see your point but also I would be reluctant to use any of the names, given that I know she wants them. It would begin a child's life on a bit of a sour note.

OP posts:

exoticfruits · 21/04/2013 14:20

I think it would be very easy to say- after you had named your DC , in a vague way - 'sorry, completely forgot'.

thermalsinapril · 21/04/2013 14:24

She certainly can't bag all of them.

TheRealFellatio · 21/04/2013 14:25

I don't think it's funny for her to plan ahead but I do think it's unreasonable of her to expect other friends and family to not use any of the names if they have a baby before she does.

The best way is to keep your list totally secret in your head. If you tell your friends it gives them ideas, and they will nick them and you will feel pissed off. If you don't tell your friends and they still use them, then it's evidence that you were not as original as you thought, and you should just up your game and look elsewhere for a name when it's your turn. If your friend picked 'your' name then chances are so will loads of other people.

thermalsinapril · 21/04/2013 14:31

Are you thinking of using the same names? If she has others on her list she can always use one of those, if you've got there first.

MummyBurrows · 21/04/2013 14:32

I don't think there's anything wrong with having a list of names in mind for when u have children..."Reserving" them on the other hand is completely different. U can't tell someone they can't call their child a certain name just because its one u want when u eventually have kids,that's wrong. If u know the names on the list then u can choose not to use them out of respect,especially if they're not names ur likely to pick anyway but if there's one u really really like and want to use then go ahead and use it, like thermals said,its first come first served when it comes to names anyway. I'm sure there's plenty of other names on this list the FM can use when the time comes,plus who's to say she will have enough kids to use all the names or that her future baby daddy will like or agree to using any of them anyway?!

DontmindifIdo · 21/04/2013 14:38

I have a good friend who has had 2DSs, however when she was expecting the second and didn't know what she was having, she was informed that one of the few names she and her DH could agree on was not 'allowed' as it was her grandmother's name and her older sister (not pregnant) had always said she'd name her DD after their grandmother.

As I said, she had another boy so it wasn't an issue in the end, but I did think it bonkers that they all pandered to this and she had ruled out the name on this basis.

OP - 'reserving' names like this is a sign of someone who thinks they are more important than everyone else, I have no problem with ignoring that. if you like that name, it wouldn't be starting your DCs life on a sour note unless your whole family are in agreement she has a right to do this. You could say that it was always on your name list too...

ivykaty44 · 21/04/2013 14:38

tell her all the names on her list are already reserved by another family member - for their animals so it would be unwise to use any of the names as she may offend uncle or great aunt etc

MiaowTheCat · 21/04/2013 16:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MortifiedAdams · 21/04/2013 16:58

I have a list of baby names I want for future dc I may or may not have. Wouldnt bother me a jot if someone I knew used the names - there is a finite number of names in the world.

Has she specifically said "dont use...."?

Are you creating a problem where one doesnt exist?

rowtunda · 21/04/2013 17:33

What names are in the list - just being nosey!

Original poster

CruCru · 21/04/2013 22:52

I'm reluctant to say them as the whole family knows what they are. 2 girls names, 1 boys name, all very popular at present. I wouldn't choose any of them partly because I already know children with those names.

OP posts:

lottiegarbanzo · 21/04/2013 23:06

Well she can't reserve them against the rest of the population making them more popular before she's able to use them, which is what happened to some of my favourites.

Has she never watched Friends? Saying your favourite name out loud is the best possible way to make your friend, who hadn't considered it previously, think they just must use that particular name.

Keeping quiet is the only safe option and allows you to change your mind without exasperating people.

tallulah · 21/04/2013 23:27

I had a list, but it was private. As it turned out my list was of girls names and I had one girl followed by 3 boys. By the time I had DD2, 21 years after DD1, all the (then)unusual names on my list were in the top 10 so I didn't use any of them.

My BIL mentioned before they had DC2 that they were going to call their DD Sophie. We never mentioned that was the name of our cat, and they had DS2 anyway

OneFingerSjupesUpTheYoni · 21/04/2013 23:33

My sister and best friend named their dds the names of my pet rats from a good ten years ago it was fun reminding them of the ratty heritage..

There are names i like for boys that i'd be sad if a friend used before we decided to stop at dc3 but i wouldn't have made a big deal of it, now i'd be happy for the names to be used just so i could say them and get that wee giddy feeling

nooka · 22/04/2013 04:38

If it's only three names then really I can't see the problem. Likewise I don't see why a sibling saying they would really like to use a family name is a big deal. With thousands of names to choose from avoiding two or three doesn't seem like an issue to me. If I had a name I was very very attached to (which I haven't since I was very young and planning on 11 children ) I would ask my siblings / close family to avoid it, or more likely let them know it was my dream to use it.

exoticfruits · 22/04/2013 06:48

I would keep quiet because they likely wouldn't think of it. I think people would think me odd if I 'reserved' a name, especially since I can't control whether they take any notice.

NotTreadingGrapes · 22/04/2013 06:55

It's not U for her to have a list.
It is U for her to reserve the names (if not even a tad madster)

My Mum's friend's daughter, who I hadn't, and indeed, haven't seen since she was about 4 (she is now 35) went cosmic when I named dd because she was going to use it for her child.

YoniOrNotYoni · 22/04/2013 06:57

Many moons ago, my friends and I sat in a pub garden and wrote an Offficial list of Reserved Names. We signed it and everything

As a joke with your mate, fine. As a real attempt to ban a name, unrealistic.

Lancrehotpot · 22/04/2013 09:53

It does make things a bit awkward. At a birthday meal a few months ago, my SIL not-quite-jokingly told me and DH the names she would choose for her future children and one of them was a middle name we had considered. Now I wouldn't go there. We are expecting DC2 and SIL has no plans for kids just yet. I just don't understand why people get so possessive over baby names.

expatinscotland · 22/04/2013 09:56

Yes. I'd tell her, too.

HagsFlungOut · 22/04/2013 11:29

Surely everyone has a short list of names they plan to call their child/ren. Many talk about it and others keep it to themselves. Why would anyone think this is "a funny thing to do"?

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