To be surprised at friends/family’s baby names

[AllyCatTown]

Anyone else been surprised at what people in their lives have called their children?

I do know some kids with number names and a few with say names (Tuesday, Friday) which I also really like

Why Vern?

Yea! Family friend gave their newborn son a name I've not heard on a human before. It's usually an object that animals are kept in.

Lots of so called old lady names are very common in other cultures.

And while they may be fashionable now there are people in their teens and older with those names who are definitely not all middle class.

My cousin just named her daughter Myla. I don't dislike the name, but when I heard it, I instantly thought of Myra ...Myra Hindley.

I've heard some absolute clangers (I'm in the thick of the new baby years), but most are down to cultural differences tbh. I've learnt to develop an automatic "Aw, lovely!" reflex. The worst off the top of my head are Serena (you can hear her from three blocks away when she's being delivered to nursery) and Manuel, whose south American parents just stare blankly at the umpteenth person holding back a Fawlty Towers impersonation.

My pet peeve, pun very much intended, is the dog name trend. In my local park people shout out for Rex, Barney, Bo etc, and I don't know anymore whether to expect a labradoodle or a toddler.

Penn?

tho Kennel or Cage would be more fun haha. Catbed?!

Hutch
Pen

My DS has one of the most unoriginal names in English history. It's not a made up name. It's a Classic. Yet I've only met another 2 or 3. I love it.

Guinea Pig Run. Unusual but I like it.

Edith - it's such an ugly name (sorry!). Also Florence - again it's ugly and a bit meh

My first daughter has a name that is regularly slated on here for being too popular and my second daughter was born at the end of last year and we named her something that doesn't even crack the top 3000 names (8 babies named this name in 2021!)

Family and friends have all been polite but it's definitely caused a bit of a stir.

TBH it wouldn’t be my first thought! I’d be like “Ooh, Myla! Like the underwear brand?”

(I have two boys so irrelevant in my case!)

I’ve been a teacher for 14 years so have heard my fair share of howlers.

I am so intrigued about this name! Is it Chino?

Zoo or Menagerie.

At work the kids with bad behaviour all had the same name. We had a group Alfie's and Josh's.

I don't like names like Hunter, Wolf, Bear or Teddy. Although, I met a lovely Ocean.

The worst name that I have come across IMO is Unique. I think it would be lovely if it was indeed Unique but we had several.

@Reugny yes, I am familiar...

This family are not Italian or speak the language. They overheard it on holiday but also didn't researched it. When they announced it to all of their British family and friends, there was a very mixed response.

And I did not criticize. But when I chose my DC's name I did check the context of their names in English but also the language of our host country. Plus initials, google the full name for context as well as considering initials. I thought this was entirely normal. Clearly not.

@Angelil Howler Smith - I reckon he'd be a right little monkey.

Paul?

Someone guessed it was Cape!

Crate?

Little girl, Normandie. Not my cup of tea

Shame it;s a C, I was hoping for Galloshes

All her life she's going to be asked if that's where she was conceived.

Boa??