Using a mutual friends very unusual baby name…

[Sep88]

My husband and I can’t agree on boys names. The only one we both really like is very very unusual and was used by friends of friends. We never see them and they’ve moved to the other side of the country. However, we do follow each other on social media.

I’d be tempted to block them on sm and crack on, but I think our mutual friend will make it weird. They are a very gossipy couple.

There is a Welsh and Irish spelling and pronunciation of the name that we have toyed with. However, we like this particular version as it’s the name of a local beauty spot that means a lot to us.

What is the etiquette in this situation? Message and ask for permission? Ignore the fact and use the name anyway and accept our mutual friend will gossip but it will blow over? Use the alternative that is a bit halfhearted? Ta!!

Yes, exactly!

Friends of friends? Who cares?

If your mutual friend will "make it weird" they clearly don't have enough going on in their life.

Aw please tell us the name, it might not be that unusual

I have a Zelda, and this happened to us! I was so happy. Why people get possessive over names I'll never understand. 50 years ago everyone was called Sue, John or Dave and it's like we've forgotten that names aren't copyrighted property 😂

My oldest friend from school and I both named our daughters the same name- a fairly common, standard name that we both happened to like. My daughter was born first and I had absolutely no issue with it. The girls are at different schools and don't socialise and they added a middle name whereas my daughter doesn't have one. Can't see the issue at all ... as everyone says no one owns a name and everyone goes on to lead their own lives in any case.

One of my children has a name from Greek literature. It's very very unusual in the UK. A friend of a friend that doesn't even read English literature used it. They pronounce it incorrectly. I rolled my eyes and was a bit annoyed when I found out but haven't thought about it since.

Use the name you want. Do not block them as the mutual friend will tell them of the name use and then blocking them looks odd/guilty. Either give them a heads up or don't. Use the spelling you want.

Just use the name.

People you never see, who live on the other side of the country really don’t need to influence your decision.

To cut down drama with your friends don't tell them the name in advance (always the best plan anyway), after the birth tell them “xxxxx after the beauty spot but ha ha, didn’t your friends call their son that too? Great minds think alike! “

Lemme guess, Persephone, "Percy-phone"? 👀

I'm more intrigued by this one

Lysander?
Agamennon?
Endymion?
Andromeda?
Aphrodite?
Calypso?

Good guess! percy phone would be funny.

No, good guesses but not a boy

@CerealPosterHere I wish it was that, that would be hysterical. I think Persephone is pretty common now though?

@Riapia , OP said There is a Welsh and Irish spelling and pronunciation of the name.
The only ones I can think of are Owen/Owain/Eoin (Eoin has a different meaning to the other two) and Osian/Oisín. Can't think of the beauty spot.

The name is probably something completely different, as the names I mentioned don't seem that unusual.

I don't think she needs to do that though
No one owns a name and these people are only casual acquaintances she is unlikely to even meet again.
She should just choose the name she loves for her baby.

@DemBonesDemBones Eurydice? Hymenaios?

What is this highly unusual name?

Use the name.

What will the gossip be "Michelle and Mark's kid has that name" factual and not an issue and pretty boring chat.

or "i think they copied Michelle and Mark" Rude and I would think less of the person gossiping not you for using the same name as an acquaintance. (Think it is unlikely anyone would say this though).

I have a little girl with an uncommon name. It’s beautiful, not quirky but very unheard of. She’s 7 and stills gets “oh wow, what a lovely name” even now.
I had a friend who absolutely adored it, kept saying how cute it was, she loved it, what a beautiful name etc.
So she bought a grey Shar Pei that had a skin disease and called it the same name 😂 plastered “her baby” all over social media. I was mortified 😂 but I can’t monopolise the name 🤷🏼‍♀️

Little Cheddar will be happy, especially when you tell them you set aside llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch...

Listen, call your baby Wookey Hole if you like. No one owns a name. Better than Wookiee

Oops-edited due to user error!

I think I'd just stop seeing the gossipy friends instead.

It's just a name and these people aren't even your friends. I think you're massively overthinking it.

Use the name, you will make it weird if you block them.

I think Barry Island is a lovely name.