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?

Nazareth is fine. Inoffensive, most Brits will know how to pronounce it too. It’s ok.

The Naz in Nazareth and the Naz in Nazi are pronounced quite differently… nah-zh versus Nath-zee

I don't mind it and in the school I work in, noone would bat an eyelid at it. I was expecting something much worse from your OP.

I would have thought Naz would be a common shortening. Can't see anyone thinking to shorten it to Nazi. I would go with Nazreen though probably if you like Naz (which I do).

Nazarath seems more like a boy's name to me. Not sure why.

Yes it is very unusual and your child is most probably going to get some comments .

If you love the name, use it. Maybe give a middle name your child can use if they prefer

Oh dear. No I wouldn’t do that to my child.

You know what, I actually don’t hate it. However I would assume boy if I’d heard it and didn’t know.

It’s awful (and has chavvy downmarket vibes)

and you know it

if your other two kids have “normal” English names it’s going to stand out even more as weird

Heavy rock band from 70s called Nazarath…

Ooohh I like it.

and now have the song from Nativity as an ear worm 🤣

It's not really for me but once I'd heard it I'd just move on and keep minding my own business. IME, that's what most people in real life do when they hear a new name but on MN there can be a lot of pearl-clutching - some people have quite narrow world experience.

Presumably you're not keen on Nazanin or variants of that?

I think the name Nazareth is lovely. However I personally dislike names like Sharon, , Wayne ,Tracey or newer names like Jordan, Courtney or Kyle and think 'they' are chavvy. So we all obviously have our own likes and dislikes, there is no pleasing everyone.

I think this is why it sounds like a boy's name to me - "I'm a bad bad boy and I'm gonna steal your love"

Oh I really like it!

It wouldn’t be my choice but I don’t think it’s really bad. If you like it I’d go for it

I love it!

That was meant to say ‘naat-zee’ not sure why it came out wrong

I like it - wasn’t expecting to! She can be Naz or Naza. It’s pretty and while connected with Jesus it’s still primarily a place name and doesn’t have a negative connotation. If it has meaning to you, use it. Everyone will get used to it and it will just be her name.

It’s fine. In the nicest possible way that was a real anticlimax! Was expecting something really horrific!

If she goes to school in the uk Christmas will be hell. Every single nativity. Every song that has the word Nazareth in it. I wouldn’t. Would you want to be called Nazareth.

plus with everything going on in Israel it does have certain connotations I wouldn’t be happy with in a possible future.

For me, it depends where your DD will be growing up. In a multicultural city I’m sure nobody will bat an eyelid at Nazareth. And by adulthood, she will just be known as Naz & again, nobody will question. It would stick out like a sore thumb where we are though & she would constantly be explaining her name.

I do like it, much better than all the Aurora’s, Lily-Mae’s & Harpers we keep getting here. But would I be brave enough? Probably not.

I live in Portugal and our neighbour is called Nazaré (ie the translation of Nazareth). It's not even close to being the most our there religious name I've heard here (Puri, short for Maria of Purification anyone?). So there are cultural equivalents in other countries if that makes you feel any more confident about the name!

I expected something much much worse. There are babies with place names. Much better than Harlow for example. Although Bethlehem could be cool too.

I don’t know why it would be shortened to Nazi?! There are lots of other names which start with Naz, do they get shortened to Nazi? As above, the starting sounds in Nazareth and nazi are different.

It’s not my cup of tea OP but it’s not dreadful, I can’t see people really hating it.

In Spain it is popular.