I hate my friend's choice of name. Do I tell her?

[mollpop]

Ok. I have a friend who has recently given birth to a beautiful baby boy. She's thinking of calling him Miller and asked me what I think. Do I tell her (in a tactful way)? FWIW I think it's a dreadful name.

You could just mind your own business

How boring would it be if we all had the same taste in names! Let's be thankful that your friend chose a different name to those you'd choose!

You've also just outed her on MN - it's a pretty unusual name. Maybe get this thread pulled.

I'm not a fan of surnames as first names, maybe say that?

She asked your view, you laughed. I'm pretty sure she knows you're not a fan.

To go back to her and tell her again you don't like it would be really insensitive (and why would you?).

Just leave it and accept that thank goodness, we all have different taste in names.

The first person I told dd2s name to reacted with silence. It was a mum in the next bed in hospital. Then told me her sons names were Ben and Tom so knew we had very different taste. At least I pretended to like them though actually very dull over used names.

I really like it. It is one of my dad's middle names so I guess I am very used to it.

So your response was to laugh? She already knows what you think then doesn't she?

When my friend years ago chose Moses for her ds I smiled and said lovely. Before he was a year he went by his middle name. I did like Moses but back then it was !
Save your friendship and bite your tongue!

Don't.
I was a bit sensitive about the name we chose, it's very traditional but has fallen out of use. People often get it wrong too (which I genuinely don't understand...) Anyway, I never asked anyone opinion because tbh I didn't want to hear it. We loved the name and it suits him but I do occasionally see a raised eyebrow.
I'm far more confident about our choice now, in fact, I don't really care if people like it or not and I don't seem approval for it.
Regardless, I wouldn't be happy if someone told me they didn't like it.

Think you're being abit out of order posting about it on here and making clear how much you don't like it. That would upset me more

FWIW I don't see an issue with it, although I know have been saying it like David Tenant

Also bit mean to laugh as soon as she told you, what are your child/children's names then OP?

I think it’s awful but it’s not that bad OP. I doubt the kid would get bullied over it.

My kids have all got unusual (although not outlandish) names - I’ve never cared for other peoples’ opinions on our choices.
With era of all the Marks, Scotts and Stevens long over and there being a much wider variety of names out there these days, I think kids view less common names with indifference now. You only have to read the recent ‘misheard names’ thread on here to know that. Kids mistaking ‘Jonah’ for Tuna and ‘Alfonso’ for Rapunzel, and what’s more, simply accepting those interpretations as nothing of note, says our kids are far more used to the variety than we are.
I don’t think Miller will have anything to worry about.

It's a bit of her to ask you what you think. That puts you on the spot, rather.

I would point out that although it's nice (white lie - it's a nice surname and would be a crap first name) there are an awful lot of girls called Milly. And if youre as old as me you'll think of Windy Miller.

@mollpop
My cousin named her daughter Miller

It’s personal taste. You may not like it, many will think it is lovely. As a PP said, I don’t love it (but I isn’t horrendous) but I don’t like the very popular George, Jack etc either. I think you just want 100% to say it’s awful blah blah when it’s just a name as inoffensive as any other. You know how the world works, just tell her it’s nice and unusual and leave it at that.

If she's asked you what you think be honest, but tactful as at the end of the day it's her choice what to call her DS.

"If you've definitely decided on that name & love it, go for it, though if I'm honest, it wouldn't be my first choice, but he's your son & it's your decision to make"

As long as it's not offensive the only response is 'lovely', and then focus on how adorable their baby is. No matter what you think of the name you'll soon get used to it.

No. Of course don't tell her.

No

@bellinisurge her friend asked her opinion but she should mind her own business & not reply???

I might suggest that it doesn’t have an obvious shortening except Milly, which may not be the easiest to live with.....

She's asked you so tell her. It's a terrible, horrible name so you're doing her a favour.

I agree with SleepingStanding and others, if she's asked your opinion you'd be within your rights to say it's not one you like much, but that if she likes it your opinion shouldn't matter; beyond that you can't really say anything.

I also dislike the name though. Using surnames as first names is a US thing; I like traditional names that are more timeless.