When someone tells you name of their baby & you find the name minging...

[alardi]

Is it only me who feels guilty for the nasty face I must pull? I don't mean to, but sometimes it's the surprise of their choice. I'm really not a snob, people should call their babies whatever they like and other people should shut up. But sometimes I have a visceral reaction, just can't believe someone in real life has chosen that name.

What do you say, how best to distract from such unexpected dislike?

(Whispers) Met a baby 'Gus' today.

why don't you just re-form your features into a smile instead of a grimace

i can't believe that you cannot hide your feelings for a nano-second

I rather like Gus.

I was taken aback at baby Dennis the other day! and just said, 'oh that is a name that you dont hear a lot!'

and also baby Vincent.

I like Gus. I was thinking of Angus shortened to Gus but dh not keen.

I think Gus is a rather fab name. my kids had a soft toy called Gus Guts. It was massive with a gaping mpouth from which you could pull with a variety of internal organs...

Scummy! - you came back!

alardi - you need to practise, in the mirror, "mmm...what a lovely name!" I bet Ulrika Johnson's friends struggled with Malcolm though.

How could you not like the name Gus?

I know a kid called Gus and he's brilliant.
The name is an odd fit on a baby.
But I like it.

I like Gus (short for Angus I presume?)

The Gus I know is an Augustus, reethi.

Ooh x posts hatrick.

I like Gus, quite like Dennis and do like Vincent.

It's someone else's baby, not yours, so just smile you sour puss.

Do you mean you must pull a nasty face (in which case why?) or you think that your face must betray your inward feelings? I don't have an issue with Gus particularly, although I'd ask what his full name was and feel a bit "why" if it was just Gus (hate shortenings as given names me). The only name I really struggled to respond positively to in person was an "America" I met at a baby gym class once. Think I just didn't say anything.

If you can't hide the look on your face you had better not ask people in RL IMO
it would be incredibly hurtful for the parents to see this
better phone or text them and ask the name if you aren't able to control yourself

Gus and Vincent both great !

I couldn't manage not to look stunned when was introduced to baby Zeff

Oh come on, you can't plaster a smile on?

Well, then I suggest that you think of the most horrid name you can, and say that over and over and expect it to be that. Then, whatever they tell you is bound to be a pleasant surprise.

You smile. Start smiling before they speak and freeze it on there. You say, "Oh, how lovely." and you look at the baby and tell them it's a cutie.

My friend called her baby Zeph (Zephaniah - biblical) and I couldn't imagine him being called anything else

hecate I don't think I look disgusted/appauled but am not sure I couldn't look anything less than stunned with Zeff?!

dizzy - I was replying to the op, not to you!

really thats cute
and a big smile
covers it for me

my kids have normal but 'unfashionable' names and people are often quite surprised when I say "no, not Aaron...Alan" Don't think I have had a grimace yet though. Maybe you are only grimacing internally?