My friends say my husband and I have chosen 'cruel' names

[BooksBooks]

My husband and I are expecting our first child together in early June this year and we're both a mixture of nerves and excitement. We are both fans of traditional names and so have decided on Arthur for a boy or Edith for a girl (we've decided to wait until the actual birth to find out the gender). I think these names are really sweet and could work for both a child and adult. Both our families have said they love the names, however when I mentioned it to my friends they started laughing and told me it was cruel to name our child something so old fashioned as they'll be ridiculed at school. My husband and I don't see where they're coming from but I was just wondering if anyone had any opinions on this?

Im so disappointed opening this thread to discover both names are perfectly normal, acceptable names. Wheres Balonz?

Your names are great - your friends are a bit shite.

I hate threads where the OP disappears like a fart on the wind after their opening post.

Perfectly nice. Unusual but not wacko.

Nothing wrong with these names. Call them what you want. Lots of old names are back in fashion now. They come around in cycles, for instance when I was a child people used to say "who would call their child Jane, it's so old fashioned". The same with Ivy, Lily, William or George, which are all quite popular these days. I imagine that Charles is going to be quite popular during the next few years too.

Love them both, you call these people friends?

I think your friends are right, they make me think of elderly people and I can't imagine a 'hot' adult with those names either

Arthur was the tenth most popular boy name last year, @Judgyjudgy .

It's very likely that at least some of the hundreds of baby Arthurs will become 'hot' adults

Edith is a very cool and on trend girl name.

They are lovely names. I can only think either your friends are crap or they don't have/know any children so do not know current name trends. Or is it where you live? I've worked in schools where the children tend to be more names like Prince, Ceejay, Mercedes, Tiana. (Not knocking these names but they are not traditional names)

1. perfectly lovely and ordinary names. No one will bat an eyelid. Don’t change them.
2. this whole “they will be teased at school for that name” cliche comment is getting old isn’t it? Are we naming kids according to playground rules these days? Solution: don’t send your kids to school! (I don’t!) facetious - sorry 🤣
3. we always choose slightly different type names for our kids (5 kids) - and have a policy to never reveal the name to anyone before the child is born. People are far less able to have an opinion when that child already bears the name.
4. although I like an unusual name I cannot stand badly made up names - i bet there are tons of those in the local school - Neveahs and the like. Honestly, don’t even think about your choices in a bad light.

Congratulations and enjoy.

It's been almost a week since the OP posted about her basic baby names. I don't think she's coming back. Everyone loves Arthur and everyone loves Edith. Message received.

Your baby your choice! I know three Arthurs and two Ediths. The ‘old fashioned’ names seem to be becoming popular again.

My parents hated the chosen name for my second DD and told me so (because it was the name of a politician they didn’t like and said that every time they said DD’s name they’d be reminded of this politician). I told them (politely) to jog on!

My MIL is an Edna, I don’t know any young children called that, But Edith is lovely, so is Arthur. Art and Edie, Art Garfunkel, Edith Sitwell, all good stuff.

It's been almost a week since the OP posted about her basic baby names. I don't think she's coming back. Everyone loves Arthur and everyone loves Edith. Message received.

Exactly! The OP posted once then disappeared!

I think the problem here is, to my generation (growing up in the 60/70s, names like Edith (and to a degree Arthur) are solidly associated with elderly grandmothers and great aunts so it’s hard to associate them with modernity or (dare I say) attractiveness. But - to the younger generations, and your baby’s generation, these names won’t have that ‘fusty’ association and will be totally accepted. It reminds me of the British tv couple who did up a French chateau, their youngsters are called Arthur and Dorothy and I think the names are lovely and totally suit them. Had you asked me forty years ago I’d have been horrified at calling children these names.

Your friends are no doubt hoping you will follow this ridiculous Kayden, Jayden etc. Trend ffs. Timeless, beautiful names. Ignore them.

Love your chosen names and nns Artie/Edie. They are very popular names for young children where I am (SW London). Unless you are in part of the country where they have really not caught on, your friends sound very ignorant and/or jealous

Jayden and Kayden aren't particularly popular. Jayden was popular about 13 yrs ago. A friend's son is called Jayden, and I think it's ok, although the Jadon spelling is better. I know some Haydn/Haydens and Aidens and the names are ok.

I'd be very careful if I were you, however much you & your family like the names I think your friends have a valid point. Children can be very cruel, especially in puberty. I had a friend who's name was Hilda (named after her grandmother). She was teased mercilessly at school because of her name & it caused her a lot of stress & upset as a child & more throughout her teenage years. She changed her name as soon as she was able to do so.

They all come round again. My grandparents were Arthur and Elsie - both names now back in vogue.

@Roheine , I like the name Hilda. It's a bit like the Scandi names currently popular.
Her parents should have taught her some resilience.
Kids are cruel though and Artie does make me think of Arty Farty

I am 28 and these names are not cruel to me. We have favoured the more older fashioned names ourselves. I know babies called Maeve, Callaghan, Agnes, Otto, Cosmo, Rowan for example.

Your children, your choice of names.

Arthur and Edith are currently both in the top 100 names in England and Wales. Arthur is in the top 5.

I agree children can be cruel, but if OP names her child Arthur or Edith, then they’ll have a normal name as far as their peers are concerned.

I love your name choices @BooksBooks