Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Baby names

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

Flip

1 2

Original poster

When you love a name but your children don't...

42 replies

Justus22 · 17/03/2019 16:28

So my husband and I agree on and love the name Annabelle, our son's are not at all happy with it. I half think, well tough it's our choice but then I think, actually their input means the world to us and the very fact that they're showing so much of an interest in their baby sister at the ages of 8 and 10 is lovely. Their fave is a no go as it clashes with our surname completely as much as I love it, I said it aloud to a friend and we both burst out laughing. They also like the second name on our list which is Sophia but they've both said they'd prefer Sophie or instead of Annabelle maybe Annie (I am not keen on the variations at all.) They have other suggestions that are nice just not names I adore or I do really like them but my close friends children have the same name.... I don't have the heart to tell them they have no say. What would you do?x

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Justmuddlingalong · 17/03/2019 16:31

I would allow them to name pets. But not a sibling.

elQuintoConyo · 17/03/2019 16:32

Call the baby what you want. Your older children should not dictate.

You could use a name they suggest each as middle names, even if they're not to your taste, as you rarely see all 3 (or 4) names together.

Hushnownobodycares · 17/03/2019 16:33

I wouldn't have discussed it with them in the first place but if I had I'd now stop and take them to meet baby when she arrives.

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 17/03/2019 16:34

It’s your choice. Name your child. It’s not a sibling discussion, don’t talk about it in front of them.

PatrickMerricksGoshawk · 17/03/2019 16:35

I liked bizarre names when I was 10.
I gave them to my toys, not my siblings.

BlueMerchant · 17/03/2019 16:37

It's not up to them to decide. They will get their turn in the distant future to name their potential children. This turn is yours!.

Quintella · 17/03/2019 16:37

They get to name their own kids should they have any. They can also name any family hamsters.

I honestly wouldn't take their opinion into consideration in this case. Not for a moment.

BertrandRussell · 17/03/2019 16:38

If you call her Annabelle they can use Annie as a pet name. Sorted.

DramaAlpaca · 17/03/2019 16:40

I'm sorry to be blunt, but I'd tell them they have no say. Because they don't. You are the parents, so tell them so.

Rachelhaydenberk1 · 17/03/2019 16:42

I think their tastes will change and you and your husband should definitely decide the name. Is there a middle name you could give them a vote on? That may be a fair compromise.

AndNoneForGretchenWieners · 17/03/2019 16:43

What bert says. We asked the DSS their opinion on DS's name, but didn't give them carte blanche to choose a name from scratch. We were fortunate that both liked the name we had chosen, and it was quite a traditional name - our second choice name, Jack, had to be scrapped anyway as one of their cousins had a baby a few weeks before DS and called him Jack. DSS1 had since had a baby of his own and named him Jack.

BoomTish · 17/03/2019 16:43

If they have children when they grow up, they have have an input into their names then.

Only you and your husband should make this decision.

Rachelhaydenberk1 · 17/03/2019 16:44

Annabelle Sophia is really lovely btw

Easterbunnyiscomingsoon · 17/03/2019 16:45

My ds wanted his db to be Bobby after his friend's ddog!
We chose another name instead and ds was fine.
Buy him a fish and he can call it whatever he wants!
Remind him when he is a df he can choose then!

Quintella · 17/03/2019 16:47

Even if you did choose the name they liked I bet when they're 16 and reminded of this they'd be all 'lol, I don't remember that' in true teenage style.

Zebedee88 · 17/03/2019 16:47

I have a friend who's daughter is Annabel...but gets called Annie alot. Maybe your sons could call her Annie, it could be their nickname for her?

bullyingadvice2017 · 17/03/2019 16:48

Don't allow them to name anything!!
I have a cat called fluffy pussy!!! Names by ds who is 6. He thinks it's a nice name and every time anyone asks him what it's called they laugh. And he is hurt because it's not a silly name 😂😂😂

CaseofEllen · 17/03/2019 16:56

I think it's really nice that you want your DD siblings to be involved in naming her! But you still need to love the name you give her. Maybe use one of their suggestions as a middle name? I was allowed to pick my DSis middle name when I was four, I picked Alice from Alice in Wonderland and still call her Alice to this day!

CaseofEllen · 17/03/2019 16:57

She is 21 now btw! And I'm the only one who calls her by her middle name.

Lobsterquadrille2 · 17/03/2019 17:03

It's lovely that you're including them but I agree with PPs, it has to be your choice. I'm very close to my sister - my niece was 15 when I was pregnant with DD and she said that "Grace" would be a confusing name when before meals everyone was told to "say grace". It really put me off!
Annabelle Sophia is lovely.

Hazytimes · 17/03/2019 17:10

Yep get them involved by helping to choose a middle name. Worked really well for us, although I vetoed Tinkerbell, their second choice was Daisy which was great. Don’t get too caught up in worrying about them being interested in their new sibling, they most likely will be besotted, if they’re not, choosing the name won’t make a huge difference to that.

Original poster

Justus22 · 17/03/2019 18:01

Thank you everyone, you've made me feel better about wanting to use it regardless, I'm sure you're right too. I like some of their middle name choices so will consider them but like you say, they can always use their preferred nickname for her. They're very excited to meet her so I'm sure nothing will take the shine off that. Xx

OP posts:

Bin85 · 17/03/2019 18:35

I agree with them
Prefer Sophie to Sophia
Annie or Anna to Annabelle
Less fussy , stronger names .

FineFanks · 17/03/2019 19:51

Ell them you will name them Sophie and Annie as they like these names so much

theredjellybean · 17/03/2019 19:58

At 7 my dd1 wanted dd2 to be called "princess cinderella, pocahontas, sleeping beauty"... I said it didn't fit on a name tape for school.. Honestly children have no say in the matter

Flip

1 2

Swipe left for the next trending thread