Are my kids' names strange ?

[ClaudineSeymour]

Hi!

My husband and I are expecting our 4th child together in August. I was speaking to some family about baby names (I didn't reveal what name we had chosen as I had been warned against it) and my MIL said something along the lines of 'Oh I hope the name you select won't be as strange as the others you chose' To which a few others nodded or giggled. Now I've never thought of my kids' names as strange and neither has my husband. A little traditional or old-fashioned maybe but not strange. My children are Arthur, Joanna and Alfred. We're hoping to call our next little girl Matilda when she arrives in a few months. Are these names strange? I love my kids' names and will call my baby Matilda no matter what but I was just wondering if others thought the names were strange?

Perfectly lovely names.

the older generations generally aren't up to date with naming trends, so Arthur will sound incredibly old fashioned to them even though there a million little boys with that name in 2024.

I love the Scott Walker song Joanna.

Very normal names. I had twin girls in April and one of them is Matilda, great choice. 😊

DS is Rupert and I got similar comments about it being weird for a baby. It suits him perfectly.

Apart from Joanne your children have vey popular names

Absolutely beautiful names. Not strange, not old fashioned. Just really strong lovely names.

They are perfectly normal names.

I thought you were going to say they were called Mushroom, Cloud and Buddleja!

Lovely names, all of them.

If it helps when we announced the name of our second baby my MIL texted back and said, "I take it you're joking?" before following up with, "my friends tell me it's a lovely name, so what a lovely name!"
For what it's worth she very quickly grew to adore our child's name and loves telling it to anyone who'll listen now that our child is a teenager!

They are not strange at all. What planet does MIL live on?
I haven't met a child called Joanna but it's still a perfectly nice name and not weird at all.
Matilda is lovely!

Your MIL is very rude and so are the other relatives who giggled.

I love both Alfred and Arthur but do you ever get them confused OP? I couldn't even have my kids share the same first letter as I know I'd constantly muddle them up! Must be to do with how I "see" words.

They are nice names.

I was guessing Ocean.

I came onto this thread to reassure you that actually I have heard a couple of little Oceans being shouted for at soft play/in the park recently.

Your names are perfectly normal. I'm a bit disappointed.

Gorgeous names, all of them

I think some people have VERY strange ideas about names. When I announced that a new baby had been born in our family I was told by a colleague that my family always chose such posh names . . . the new baby was named Joseph!

At my primary there is one Arthur and two Alfies so no idea if they are actually an Alfred. Joanna is not common these days but it’s nice. We also have a Matilda at my school.

Joanna is such a pretty name!

So what batshittery did MIL name her kids if she thinks yours are unusual?? 🤔

Lovely names. Just ignore her.

They are all lovely names and not strange at all.

I've had comments that my daughters' names are posh, pretentious, old fashioned, odd etc. They are called Isabella, Susannah and Philippa, all completely normal names!
Your names are similarly a bit historical and are all lovely so take no notice.

Just normal, unremarkable names, nothing strange about them at all.

Think you need to send her a link to the top baby names list.

I thought you were going to say your kids are called Kong, Petunia and Megatron or something. Perfectly normal names. Your MIL sounds strange

From the title, I was expecting some really way out names.

Your dc's names aren't strange at all.
To your MiL's ears, potentially old fashioned - but I am very aware that what I consider to be 'old fashioned' names have been very much 'in fashion' with women of child baring age for some years now. As has always been the case. Apparently my Grandmother was horrified that my parents gave me the name they did 60 years + ago "because it was old fashioned" yet I've never been in a class, hobby group or workplace where there wasn't at least one other person with the same name. Absolutely 'current' for my year of birth.

Arthur is fine. Joanna is strange, yes. I don’t think it’s classic as others have said, it’s just dated. Alfred would be better if it was Alfie. Matilda is the nicest name of the bunch.

'Ocean' is quite nice I think.