My DH keeps shooting down all my name suggestions, are they really that bad?

[Awhimsy]

We may be expecting a child soon, so we have been stewing upon possible names. My recommendations have been Campbell if it's a girl (Not exactly as tribute to our insignificantly small Scottish heritage, more-so because I just really like the sound of it!) and Renn if it's a boy. Are these bad? I've thrown around the idea of Casimir, or Cassidy, but none of them seem to stick with him, is this a me issue?

Yes, unfortunately they are that bad.

It feels as though your husband has a preference for classic names (and pretty ones, if for a girl), while you have a preference for gender-neutral surnames used as a forename.

You might need to start by working together to establish some general rules, before trying to identify an actual name. For example Surname yes/no? Gender specific/neutral? Modern or classic? Any letters of the alphabet you particularly like or hate as a starting letter.

If you like out there names and your dh prefers classic names how about Xavier for a boy & Adeline for a girl? They are classic names but underused so would fit your unique name requirements.

Cameron? Can be for a boy or girl and nicer than Campbell.

just call your child something sensible, something that they will like or at least not mind. Magnolia is a paint colour, a plain one at that.

Hear hear!

Campbell makes me think of soup. I've never heard of Renn but it sounds like a small bird and no-one would know how to spell it.

Cassidy sounds extremely American and Casimir is just ridiculously awful.

Poor child.

“May be expecting”?

If you don’t even know you’re pregnant then just commit to sticking to the brainstorming phase for at least a couple of months - don’t get into debates over specific names or treat it like a problem that needs urgent solving. Keep tossing out lots of names and the other can say oh I like that/ maybe/ definite no. In a few months you’ll have a list of some that are at least a maybe from each of you and can go from there. There are far too many name options to get hung up pushing for something one partner really dislikes.

Renn is actually ok. Campbell is fine for a Scottish vaguely posh boy. Not a girl.

Renn - for a boy I don’t mind, but would be constantly saying “with 2 n’s”. I knew a Redd, and also know a River - both boys.
Aspen feels more like a boys name to me

For tree/plant names for girls: Hazel, Laurel, we know a (female) dog called Juniper, Rowan is unisex (have known one of each), dd was at school with a Willow

for girl’s names I’ve discovered I like some tree species names a lot. eg Aspen, or Magnolia.

I prefer @crumpet's tree names above like Rowan, Hazel and Willow which are much nicer names she could live with day to day. Having to constantly be Magnolia or explain your name is Aspen (surely everyone thinks of skiing not trees) is off-putting. You have to admit your taste is very specific so it not surprising he's not on board for most of them. I mean, even to say that you've discovered you like naming people after tree species! Why not start by naming them with human names? And then try giving girls a female first name not a man's surname. Honestly I am very fear from trad in my taste but yours are just off and will need more thought about the kid having to live with it forever.

(That first par was mean to be a quote from OP, can't edit it on this phone)

They sound stupid. You say the names he likes are too “tame” for your taste, but it doesn’t sound like you have any taste at all. Give your child a “tame” name and let them grow up to be whoever they want to be. Plenty of opportunities in life for tacky/racy things, names aren’t one.

A family surname as a middle name for either sex is quite traditional, not as a girl's first name though!

you really wanna name your wean after your husbands promotion?

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

hello this is my baby Goldman Sachs….

Shes a baby NOT a marketing tool ffs

Renn makes me think of Ren and Stimpy, the cartoon from the 90s that used to come on Cartoon Network.

I like Oliver. I think you two will be able to settle on names you both like if you just keep talking. After all, everyone I know has a first name so it all works out eventually.

Bloody well said 👏

If I was called any of those names I might consider changing my name TO deed poll. It would be better than the OP's whack choices.

Choose an actual name OP. Don't give the wee mite a cross to bear their entire life.

We have a family member that has chosen a bad name for her kid and people openly laugh in their face. She might as well be called Spudulike. I fear for the kid though.

Naming your daughter as a "homage" to a racing team is inexplicable. No words really, nor enough eye rolls, but your choice.

I'm with your DH on this one

IMO they are horrible names.

Campbell for a girl is very American-preppy.

I like Casimir and Cassidy.
MN can be extremely conservative and scornful about names that are even a little different. I don't love Campbell or Renn personally though.

@Nothinglikeagoodbook you know some people actually are American, even outside America 😯 and Casimir is used a lot in some ethnicities and you sound quite ignorant.

Dignified always wins over risking coming across as attention-seeking for no good reason, in my opinion.

The most British sentence ever. If someone does something you consider different it could never be because they like it or it works for them, nope, they must be "attention-seeking." Blegh.

I have taught quite a few boy Campbells. It's not a girls name I'm my opinion and I usually like less traditionally girly names.

Not for me. What else do you like?

Would Campbell for a boy be an option? Not to my taste but I lnewca called Campbell.

Rene for a girl? Similar to your Renn