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Baby names

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

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Original poster

Wish I had kept my mouth shut... inconsiderate family

51 replies

BadFam1 · 04/10/2013 15:34

Bit of a rant, but also I need some rational people to give me their honest opinions on a name.

DH and I have had a nightmare deciding on a boys name. We narrowed it down to two, but one is definitely our favourite. We weren't going to tell anyone our choices because we didn't want to be influenced, I'm sure you all get the 'I went to school with someone/ dated/ met a kid with that name and they were terrible comments'

Anyway, over the last couple of weeks I think we have become pretty set on our name of choice.

I was at my Nans on Sunday with my mum, auntie and uncle. Over dinner names came up as my cousin has recently had a little girl, who coincidently they also do not like the name of.

Anyway, I reluctantly admitted that we are keen on the name Owen.
We wanted something different, and something that couldn't really be shortened.

His full name would be Owen Geoffrey Pretty.

Finding a name that goes with my DHs surname is already a challenge in itself but we thought we had escaped possible name issues.

This is the response I got

"You can't name him that, it's a surname'

"His initials will be 'OP', hi 'OP'

His signature will be 'opretty' which then prompted my mum to wander around the room to chorus's of 'O so Pretty' etc etc.

I left on Sunday feeling deflated, and it has now really made me question my choice, but everything else I look at just doesn't feel the same to me.

What does everyone else think... is being Mr O Pretty so bad?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

SanityClause · 04/10/2013 18:57

This is why you must never tell anyone the name before the child is born.

Only those who are beyond rude would make a derogatory comment about a name when introduced to a newborn.

Oh, and FWiW, Owen is a lovely name.

MoonsMamma · 04/10/2013 19:03

Your family = rude imo.

It's your baby, if you want to name him a lovely, classic name - good on you.

If that's their only issue, imagine what they'd think of Ivan/Ian Pretty?

Go for it - its your son and fwiw, I think it's a great name.

Original poster

BadFam1 · 04/10/2013 19:09

Thank you everyone - I feel much better.

We both love the name - it was just a bit of a shock (probably made worse by hormones) to sit in a room with 4 people taking the Mickey out of a name we had thought hard about. My DH wasn't with me, so felt a little ganged up on. It's not like me to hold my tongue - normally id have told them to p off but was all so out of the blue. It hurt to watch my mum behave like that - her opinion did matter to me.

Now I agree at the end of the day it is mine and dh's decision what to call our child and as long as we are happy that is all that counts

Thanks again

OP posts:

WitchSharkadder · 04/10/2013 19:25

I think it's a lovely name and it's only you and your OH who have to love it, sod other people.

And FWIW, I know a little boy called Owen and he's adorable, beautiful and the sweetest little thing

cuppachai · 04/10/2013 19:55

My Dm made a long groaning noise which developed into an 'ohhhhhwwweeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww no!!' when I said we were calling DS his name. Now she clucks about his name saying she loves it because it's his name and he suits it etc etc etc. Fuck'em. It's not their choice, it's yours.

Littleen · 04/10/2013 23:28

People will always have opinions. Screw them! Go for Owen if that's what you love :)

cartoad · 04/10/2013 23:39

Think of another name. A horrible strange name. Whizzscruff or Marmapop or some such (Roald dahl is a good place to look for such names - can you tell I've been looking at it recently!!!).

Say that you've taken into consideration their reaction to Owen and you're now considering and you will have no comments on it, that's it.

Then when the baby comes along and is actually a little Owen - they'll be so pleased that it's not a Whizzscruff that owen will sound lovely.

And it is a lovely name - stick to your guns and use what you want. And let them know that you were hurt by their reaction to your name too.

ChippingInNeedsSleepAndCoffee · 04/10/2013 23:44

No comment on the name - it's your choice.

However, do you not think the name is 'soured' now? Wont you think of this all the time? I would. I'd chose another name and not tell them till the baby is born and I would be telling them you do not want to hear anything other than 'that's lovely'.

squoosh · 05/10/2013 00:37

How is the name soured just because some loud mouthed relatives (sorry OP) have laughed at it? Once they see the adorable, chubby baby it belongs to they will learn to love it.

If they say anything once Owen has arrived . . . . tell them you very much dislike their names!

peanutMD · 05/10/2013 00:49

Nothing wrong with Owen, i have a pretty awful surname (think old broken castle building) and was teased for it at school but to be honest i was picked on fir a million other reasons too.

Noone cares about initials IMO its nit like they're used regularly and as for "O Pretty" how often are they actually going to be known as that? Although i personally don't see the issue anyway.

Go with the name you love and feck everyone else!

NoComet · 05/10/2013 01:03

Owen, I wanted to have sex with Owen.

Xollob · 05/10/2013 01:06

It's a lovely name. Ignore, ignore.

fanjodisfunction · 05/10/2013 02:55

Owen is a fab name, my nephews name.

It is a hard lesson to learn not to tell the relatives, they always think they have a say.

My DH told his parents that the name we had chosen if a girl began with O, we were hounded and laughed at for a day as they guessed and guessed the name. They happened to home in on the name we had picked and ripped the shit out of it. We still called her it, and they went on and on at how pretty it was. See they never have a go when the baby is here and named. (Unless they are very heartless)

AdoraBell · 05/10/2013 03:04

It's a lovely ñame OP and regardless of his initials he will decide what his signatura will be when he's old enough to develop a signatura. Your DM will have no say in and if he wants to sign everything Owen Geoffery Pretty with a flourish then he will not be using opretty as predicted by small minded rellies.

rundontwalk · 05/10/2013 03:11

Genuinely don't see the issue,it's a lovely name. Ignore them! People don't think,I'm sure your mum would be mortified to know you're this upset. Congrats on your pregnancy!

holidaysarenice · 05/10/2013 03:15

Owen is lovely! I know lots of lovely owen's!

If you don't want OP initials, what about the Eoin spelling of Owen? Personally tho OP is cool!

My mum changed my first name so my initals wouldn't be HRH, personally I would have thought it cool!!!

ElBombero · 05/10/2013 08:48

No it's a great name. I had this recently one day after having my DS n it hurt a lot. Started a thread about it if you take a look, some good advice.

Owen Pretty. It's a fab name x

DontmindifIdo · 05/10/2013 08:59

It's a lovely classic name. However, I bet whatever name you chose, with the surname pretty your parents will take the piss if they feel like it, think about it, it's not the name Owen they were joking about...

What I would say is if you think they will make comments when you first announce little Owen, you think carefully about when you see them post birth. I wouldn't want someone visit in the first 24 hours post birth if I was going to feel on edge that they might upset me, and certainly not to visit unless your dh was there too with strict instructions to have words if they start being rude. You are too vulnerable in the first few days to cope with people who'll create stress, even if they are family.

BestIsWest · 05/10/2013 21:42

It's a lovely name. And as for Owen being a surname, if it helps you can tell them it's a Welsh patronymic surname which means it was originally a first name.

everlong · 05/10/2013 21:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CruCru · 08/10/2013 15:49

Owen is a fine name. Everyone can spell and pronounce it.

clairemum22 · 08/10/2013 17:30

I like Owen too

Anri · 08/10/2013 17:43

I think that some people just enjoy complaining about what other people name their children. Complaining about celebrity baby names is a pretty popular activity, isn't it?

I think that the name you've picked is lovely and that all of their complaints are far-fetched. I also think that right now they're only seeing the name in a vacuum, but they will feel differently about it once they come to associate the name with your son.

boardingschoolbaby · 08/10/2013 17:52

I think it is lovely. I can't honestly see O Pretty being an issue.
My inlaws asked what names we were considering, I told her our favourite, they laughed (skype) and said "no, seriously what names are you thinking of?" We then had to explain that that was genuine. Now they adore his name- he is 4 months old and keep telling me how much other people love it when they tell them what their grandson is called.
Don't sweat it. If you love it, go for it.

xXjunebugXx · 09/10/2013 11:28

I don't get what is wrong with O Pretty, sounds fine to me. Owen is a lovely name. Definitely use it x

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