Bad Name Choices?

[JesssIsCrazzzzzy]

A teacher at my childrens primary school called my name choices bad/tasteless. Names are Blaze, Hope, and Maizie. I recognize that Hope is uncommon, and Blaze was when DS was born, but it has grown in popularity. Maizie seems quite 'normal' to me. Have been getting comments, both negative and positive, on my DD Hope for nearly all her life, but mainly from my exs friends and family. So I have been brushing them off with ease until now. She seems to like her name, but is just now realizing it is a bit unconventional. I have been caring for my exs nephew since he was 2w, and went with the middle name his birth mother chose for him as his first name. I wonder if Covington seems alright to society, or if people haven't commented because he has Downs Syndrome. Are my choices 'bad', or am I being dramatic?

There’s nothing wrong with your children’s names and I’m surprised a teacher said that to you. The baby’s name is a bit strange. What was the first name if that’s the second? I guess it would grow on me though might shorten it.

His original first name was James, but we already had that as our DS middle name. His biological mother decided it was too much to have a disabled kid and told us we could pick what we wanted.

Hope sounds like the most conventional name to me out of them all! Blaze is quite unusual and i can see it being a bit of a marmite name, but there's nothing wrong with that. I've never seen Maisie spelt with a Z, so thats a bit unusual but not that out there!

Came to say the same: Hope is probably the most conventional.

Maisie I love, and it is perfectly normal, but I'm afraid I'm not so keen on unusual spellings of more common names. I think t is only the spelling that anyone would stub their toe on, not the name itself.

Covington is fine I think. He will end up following his own path with different pressures form your other dc, and I don't think will be as susceptible to judgment or teasing.

What a wonderful and loving thing to do, for you to look after him.

What a rude teacher!

Ime of uncommon names they make your dc stand out. . And give them confidence the dc with a surname initial after their popular name don't have.

I wouldn't go rhyming with Blaze and Maiz (ie), but theyre fine. Hope is lovely.

Did she say that to you face?! (I mean saying it all is unacceptable but to say it to you directly is horrendous and bizarre).

I think Hope is a perfectly normal, lovely name. I've taught 2 and come across another.

Blaze isn't my personal taste but not especially eyebrow raising with the huge variety of names out there.

Maizie is very sweet and completely normal. I would have used an s instead of a z but it's the same name.

I've never come across Covington but quite like it.

I'd take it as they think his name is fine.
My youngest has Down's and it didn't stop people from giving negative opinions on his name if they didn't like it. I chose a different style name to my 3 older children who all have traditional names. I still love his name and so does he.

I think in this instance there would be the extra hesitation in that op has done such a wonderful thing in mothering him. To turn round and criticise the name choice would be moving beyond the pale!

But in any case, OP, I also quite like Covington.

I think as another pp said, it might just be the combination of Blazey and Maizey sounds that prompted her to be so rude, and possibly the z spelling. I don't think any of them are particularly eye-brow raising in and of themselves op.

Blaze is unusual but generally ok. Hope is very mainstream. Maizie is annoying TBH - the name Maisie is fine but with the Z it's just irritating. Covington is way out there and James was a much nicer name but none of this really matters now as the kids are all here and those are their names!!

I too think Hope is the most 'common' out of your choices. I also know a Blaze. I too have never seen Maisie with a Z. Are you in the UK? How did the teacher tell you this info?

I assume Covington is a family surname? I personally prefer James and can't see the issue with using that, just because its your sons middle name? Covington reminds me of covid, but I realise its already his middle name.

I love Hope, I think it's really beautiful. Blaze sounds like a 'naughty boy' name to me. Maisie I love but putting a z in it makes it seem a bit chavvy IMO. Any teacher saying your names are bad or tasteless though is being very unprofessional, they are not 'out there' names at all.

Covington I don't like though I'm afraid, it sounds like the name of a street. I would have used James because middle names are rarely used anyway so it wouldn't matter that your DS has it as a middle name.

Who told you the teacher said that?

Covington is very identifiable, which is risky in the age of the internet. Do you use nicknames? Cove, Vinnie, Tony, Jim even.

Hope is normal. Virtue names have been around for centuries (Grace, Faith, Joy etc). Your ex's family sounds fairly unhinged so don't worry about their opinion.

Blaze = traditionally Blaise
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blaise_(name)

Maizie = traditionally Maisie
Unique spellings are annoying to the people carrying those names. They will be correcting people for the rest of their life. I have a traditional name spelled a few different ways, it was painful when teachers fucked up certificates etc.

This was after my son came out of paediatric intensive care after I almost lost him. It broke my heart when they criticized his name.
It doesn't ever make it ok to make a mum feel so distraught (in my case I was suffering post natal depression) that they develop serious hangups and their baby's name. I came so close to Changing it but glad I didn't.
He's 15 now, non verbal with complex needs but has always recognised and responded to his name.

That's a bit mind-blowing @Missyousomuchmum; I'm so sorry.

I understand why people are frank on these threads when people have actually come asking for input on a name, but the idea of saying it in real life boggles me - especially after the child has been called that.

In your circumstance, I can't imagine how anyone would be so unkind.

Hope is a perfectly normal name I don't think it's controversial or strange, Maisie is also a normal name but it's very strange and a bit odd to see it spelled with a Z and I also think Blaze is an odd choice
Covington is also very strange I've never heard it before.
But whatever the name a teacher should never comment. That is extremely unprofessional. And neither should people in real life comment on a child's name

Have you considered that people with Downs Syndrome often have speech and language difficulties. Covington may be very difficult for your nephew to pronounce. I have a lot of experience working with people with Downs syndrome and many of them would find a name like that very difficult to say.
But I think it's wonderful that you are bringing him up. Much better for him to be brought up with loving family members than in care.

The teacher is very unprofessional. There’s no name that’s universally liked so people will dislike your names as they do everyone’s.

I was quite surprised she said that, and didn't fully register what she had said until after the fact. I don't think I will mention it to the school, as I am already dealing with a lot of them. I'm glad to hear Hope is common, as my DD is the only one at her school. And I've always thought it was uncommon. I do actually somewhat regret using Z in Maizie, but I chose it because I thought it would go well with Blaze. Not sure yet if it does. My youngest DS has started speech therapy/aid, but we have not reached names yet, so he is essentially non-verbal as of now. But his communication skills are good, and he responds to his name about 50% of the time.

How horribly rude of that teacher. I would have reported her tbh.

Teacher shouldn’t have said that and agree with others - Hope is a usual name. Maisie with a z is just to have a unique spelling. Tbh, Covington reminds me of Covid and Blaze sounds like a wrestler 😂. You chose not only unusual names but marmite names so not everyone will
love them but own it and move on.

What a rude teacher. Honestly, she should mind her own business.

I like your children's names OP, although I would have stuck with James for your youngest. Surely you use a shortening as Covington is quite a mouthful for every day?

But definitely cross this off your list of things to worry about OP.

That teacher needs to keep their opinions to themselves.
You've done a wonderful thing for your nephew.
I loved Maisie. We chose it for DC2 if he'd been a girl in honour of my late DM. It's a pet form of Margaret (DM's name). A close friend stole used it shortly afterwards so by the time we had DD we chose another one.
I think Hope is lovely.

Strangely, we have never used a shortening for the youngest DS. He has grown to fit his name, and it always seemed right - no need. When COVID hit, I did have some regret as Covington and Covid are quite similar.

I do have to agree with the teacher - Blaze is tasteless sorry - then throw in a sibling with a “unique” spelling like Maizie just adds to the overall effect