Bigmouth

[Picknickers]

So bigmouth OH told both our families our shortlist today at a BBQ. He's in the doghouse. The reaction was terrible especially to Vera which was my favourite. I know it's easy to say our baby our choice but the flak we got was so bad it's put us both off. I'm really upset. Would you honestly pick a name both families really hated ( my mum said it was like calling the baby Edna) and where do we go from here? I'm so mad I can't sleep and have just trawler another 5 name sites!

Will it cheer you up if I tell you I clicked on your thread because I actually thought you were asking for opinions on the name Bigmouth for your new baby?!

If you still want to call your baby Vera then you absolutely should, but on the other hand I can understand you might feel differently now. I wanted to call DS Toby and I didn't because everyone else hated it. If I had another DS I'd still want to call him Toby but I probably won't because I know everyone else will still hate it!

Can we help? What were your other names! What sort of names do you like?

Also, I can recall about 15 years ago my cousin announcing she was calling her baby Stanley. We were all a bit surprised because Stanley hadn't had its revival back then and was a bit unheard of.

Fast forward and there are now Stanleys and Stans at pretty much every baby group we go to. She was ahead of the trend and you might be the same with Vera!

Vaila instead of Vera? It's a Scottish island and would be a change from the Isla/Iona names, sounds like Vera but doesn't have any of the Coronation street connotations.

If it helps, it's sometimes hard for people who have contemporaries or aunts etc with a name to see it used for a baby and they may not be aware of the trend for names from that era at the moment.

Others similar to Vera:

Mara
Maura
Nina
Lena
Marla
Carla

I adore Vera. It's only connotation for me is Vera Brittain, and I don't think a little girl could have a better role model than her.

And besides, no one of your daughter's generation will have ever heard of a Coronation street character who had been dead and off the telly for a decade before they were even born.

Yes I picked a name all 4 grandparents hated and I did not give a fuck! They had their chance to name babies now it's your turn

Go for Vera. They will get used to it. Your baby . They had their choice of names when their own children were born. I like Edna too.

I like Vera and Edna but my favourite name is Evelyn.

Vera is very pretty, it doesn't make me think of an old lady but instead of a gorgeous Vera Wang dress Op

Vera is lovely!

Go for what you want. Mil hated our choices when we told her our chosen names. She came round with time and one choice is increasingly popular, maybe a bit too much! Stick with your choices.

I thought you were calling your baby big mouth for a minute there. .

I agree with your mum I'm probably her age and think that Vera is an Edna sort of name & not in a good way.

But it's totally your choice. Don't let anyone put you off if you & your DH love it.

Vera is lovely, tell them shove its your baby, your choice you'll regret it if you don't go with it over a bunch of stupid ignorant comments who don't realise very old-fashioned names are on trend right now Vera won't feel out of place with the Mabel's and Alfred's in of her era!

Nothing wrong with Vera. Your family were rude for even commenting and your OH a twit for saying anything. He’s going to have to learn to keep quiet about baby things or you’re going to get a lot of unwanted “advice”.

Good thing is they know now! Gives them time to get used to Vera.

My MIL is really old fashioned and objected to every one of SIL’s new names and every one of our old names.

It’s just an age thing. They are old and stuck in their ways.

Vera is a gorgeous name!

We gave DC1 the name of our choice, the name we absolutely loved. We were dragged over hot coals for our choice of name. He's in Sixth Form now and I don't think anyone in the family remembers how ghastly their reactions were. All they know is that they love this boy and the name IS so him.

You'd be mad not to go with Vera. It's a great name. You love it. And your family will love her sooo much. Vera won't just be some random name. It will identify the little girl they will love and cherish. And that changes everything.

Vera makes me think of Vera Lyn so has WWII connotations to me, and yes it does feel similar to Edna to me. However granny names have been popular for some time now so I suspect a Vera would probably fit in just fine with her own generation. The darker green names website is good for recent trends and Vera looks to be inside the top 1000 in the last few years (Edna much less so).

My mum was very unhappy about my dd's name, but I didn't tell her until after dd was born and the name registered (she is named after two grandmothers and my mum didn't like that). One tactic to recover from this is to think of some names that your family like even less and from now until the baby is born give those as your new top five. They will forget they didn't like Vera then and accept your actual choice (whatever it is) with relief

Vera is awful. I'm with your mum I'm afraid.
Obviously you can choose the name you like and everyone will have to lump it but they won't probably ever like it, which is a shame.

Vera is beautiful! No one will still hate it in a few months when it's attached to a beautiful baby

This is what I picture when I hear the names Vera and Ivy.

Valia is a nice alternative, Greek.

Don’t know those women GreatDuck but when I google images of Vera I get Brenda Blethyn (tv show) and a few models.

I like the name.

You called?

Honestly go with a name you love. It is your decision, my mil hated our ds name (first child) when we made the mistake of telling her out options before he was born. We stuck with our choice, she got used to it and says she loves the name now. If you tell people during the decision making process they think you want their opinion. So your dh did fuck up there!

Vera Duckworth and Ivy Tildsley spotthedot - two notorious battle axe's off Coronation street.

Vera is gorgeous. ViVi is a cute nickname. Go for it and in the mean time tell them you’re now considering Millicent and not shortenibgvit to Millie or Agatha but considering using Aggi as shortening.

They’ll be so concerned about those chooses they’ll forget their angst.

BTW nothing against those two options but they seem like the kind of babes OPs family would hate