Would you choose a baby name you know most people dislike?

[BisB]

We're considering giving our daughter a name that we already know is going to be almost universally disliked. It's a very uncommon name (don't think there have been any registered in the UK). We both think it's pretty, and it has (religious) meaning for us. Our other children have more common names that are generally liked by the majority of people. We have saved this name prior to this baby because I haven't been brave enough to use it. DH really wants to just go for it. He couldn't care less about what other people think, but I am more concerned that they're going to be cruel and judgemental and think that we were trying too hard to be "unique" (which isn't our intention). I would like to avoid saying the name on this thread because I am looking for opinions on the situation rather than opinions on the name itself. What would you do?

I wouldn't as first name. Could work as a middle name.

Could get shortened to Nazi

Why don't you change your own name to that since you love it so much and give your daughter a normal name. And if you don't want to have it as your own name then thats your answer

That was my first thought

I thought you were going to say Lucifer or Satan 😂 Go for Nazareth if you like it, I’ve heard worse

Are you white British OP. because if so I think it will really stand out not in a good way. You had probably better give her a good middle name because she will probably use that when she has the choice. Why don’t you start introducing yourself as Nazareth when you meet new people and see what their reactions are.

If you’re happy for her to be known as Naz when she’s older, go for it.

I don’t think you should saddle a child with this name.

I like it. Don’t think it’s any stranger as a name than Eden and there are loads of them around!

I like it , it’s not offensive and can be shortened easily off she doesn’t like it

I’m an atheist. And I like it. Naz is particularly cute, and inoffensive if she wants to blend in.

That’s a place name. You might as well name her Jerusalem or Birmingham or Slough.

My first thought is that Nazareth is a boys name. It will get shortened to Naz or Nazi. If your other children have more 'usual' names she may grow up wondering why you lumbered her with such an unusual name. To me it sounds too much like trying to be different. Change your own name to Nazareth if you love it so much but don't bestow it on your child.

Or Florence, Paris, Chelsea or any one of a number of others.

Honestly, I've heard worse. I'm not a massive fan of city names (Brooklyn, London, Geneva, etc), and I guess Nazareth has the added layer of being 'Jesus of ...', but it's not a bad name. If you love it and it has meaning for you, go for it.

Well, as a word it is pretty but it’s a place name. A very famous place with very definite associations to a particular time and place in Christian history. Are you very Christian?
I don’t hate it but I wouldn’t use it if I was you. It doesn’t sit well as the name of a real person in my opinion.

Your child will have absolutely no on line anonymity if they are they only person with a particular name in the country. It might not seem like a big deal but it means they can't ever leave any dodgy teenage photos behind or blend in if some is trying to find them or tell a potential employer that no it wasn't them that said/did whatever.

I like it, @BisB

I quite like it and I'm not religious. If you like it go for it. Never mind what others think.

Just worried that if you are on here asking strangers that's telling me you aren't 100% behind it and your daughter is going to need you to be 100% behind it to carry it off.

Keep us posted. X

What about Bethlehem? She could then be nicknamed ‘Beth’?

Of Stoke?

I think you should care what people think. Your daughter needs to live in this world and why make her life unnecessarily difficult? The name sounds ok, but I wouldn't use it because of the Nazi shortening.

If you are 100% in love with the name, use it. People won’t care enough to hate it, they’ll just be surprised by it, though I can imagine that many people brought up in secular homes won’t know it.
My post lady is called Bethlehem, funnily enough.

No , it would be an awful name to saddle a little child with .
I have the most ridiculous middle name , I never use it and I have managed to eradicate it from 99% of my documents . And I was teased -children can be cruel.

The shortening will be to Nazi - do you want that ?

You want to call a child Nazareth? How would you feel if it was you? The NN Naz would be a given, but what if it was Nazi..? At least Bethlehem could be Beth.. I’d have a rethink if I was you..