How did you deal with people who didn't like your baby's name?

[Teddyisonhisway]

We're going to call our son Teddy (it will be Edward on the birth certificate).
I thought that when you announced the name you'd chosen, people said "lovely, very nice", even if they don't like it - that's what I've always done anyway, anything else is rude! Okay, it's different if you're asking someone's opinion ("what do you think of Teddy?" "No, I don't really like that, sorry"), but I never did! So far SIL says he will be bullied, and my (racist) dad says we can't call him that because it's a Jewish name (WTF???). We're calling him Teddy regardless because we love it, was just wondering how do you respond with friends and relatives who hate the name you've picked? Or should I just be less sensitive and try not to give one ?

my mum didnt like ds1s name or ds3s.

'sod her' i thought.

she likes them now - they get used to it.

The only person who didn't like DS's name was an emergency nanny who inisited on calling him Josh for the day (he's actually called Joseph)

I think I would assume that they'll grow to love it - if they don't like Teddy they can always call him Edward, Ted, Ed, Eddie etc - the nn isn't written down in law....

We like Theo and when MIL told her mother (aged 89 and thinks she is entitled to say exactly as she likes regardless of people's feelings) GMIL said "I wouldn't even call my dog Theo!"
Luckily, I don't let it bother me and if she said it to my face my response would be "Well, it's just as well that it is my child not yours isn't it." (with a smile)
You will never pick a name that everyone likes and, to be honest, I would take other people's opinions with a pinch of salt and see them for the rude, insensitive people that they are!!

Well people will be more polite once the the baby is here and named. If you are telling them before the baby is born then they still feel they can offer and opinion to change your mind.

Moral of the story, as has been said many times on here is NEVER tell anyone the name before the baby is born.

I know many people didn't like DS2's name, but he was already here and named before they knew, so much more rude to say anything. The people who disliked it most were my Grandmas. One said to me, where did you get that from? and the other has never said anything to me but told my DB she will never get used to it. I imagine they would not have been so polite had it been before he was born.

a few ppl i know dont like my ds2 name or my grandson number 2s name its your choice ... they will have to get used to his name ,dont let it bother you ive bigger fish to fry so it goes over my head !!!!!!!!

It doesn't so much bother me they don't like the name, it's more how rude people can be when you never even asked their opinion! I need a good response for the next time...

You don't tell anyone until after the baby's born and the name is a done deal. By which time the vast majority of people will have the politeness not to say to your face if they don't like the name you've chosen. (although you will have some people going, "Oh, that's... interesting", but you can ignore htem).

If you ask before the birth, people will assume that you're inviting them to offer their opinion, so you can't really blame them if they give it to you. And by the time the world and its dog has said, "Oh but I sat next to a boy called Jack/Theo/Oscar/Reginald in primary school and he picked his nose the whole time, it was foul", or "The name Cleopatra/Sarah/Olivia/Mia always makes me think of fat old ladies with hairy chins", every last one of your choices will have been spoilt for you by other people's random memories and musings, which have no relevance to your situation.

So for future reference: Don't discuss names with anyone other than the father of your bump until after the birth.

frogs - I wish I'd known that on Friday! I will write that on my hand for next time

Yes - the mistake is in announcing the name before the birth....

I just thought 'fuck off'

Oh!!! Teddy is LOVELY Secret to this one is...dont tell people what you are planning to call your dc until the dc arrives......not many people will look into the eyes of a beautiful baby and say they dont like its name!!!! (and if they do they are nasty feckers who should be avoided at all costs!!!)

My parents dont like my ds2's name....my dad said "its a dogs name!" - He is called Toby.

Really dont care what anyone thinks about my dc names....although I was a bit naughty when MIL was getting on my nerves about names when I was expecting him.....she is VERY religious and I said I liked "Herod" for a boy

I can never understand why people get so het up about other people's name choices, it's none of their business and quite often there is a reason why the name was chosed. I've seen a couple of threads on here where people have been quite rude about names they've seen in the births collumn of a newspaper but for all they know, the name may have been chosen in memory of a dead relative or something. Sorry, have begun to rant...back to the matter at hand:

If you and DH like it then everyone else can go jump off a cliff, I think. You're never going to please everyone. But, people will come round because your son will grow into his name and it won't be long until they can't imagine him being called anything else.

FWIW, I think Teddy is lovely .

Id say call him the name you like and stick to it, we never told anyone the name for my ds before he was here.
Once we announced it we got different reactions, most liked it, my family in particular were funny about it. Where have you come up with that from? was asked..its irish. and are you sure about that name?
We stuck to it because we really loved the name, so far hes a couple of weeks old and still he gets called 'the baby' by certain people!
Stick to the name u want, they will get used to it!

Id say call him the name you like and stick to it, we never told anyone the name for my ds before he was here.
Once we announced it we got different reactions, most liked it, my family in particular were funny about it. Where have you come up with that from? was asked..its irish. and are you sure about that name?
We stuck to it because we really loved the name, so far hes a couple of weeks old and still he gets called 'the baby' by certain people!
Stick to the name u want, they will get used to it!

I have 5 DC, with 2 of them either MIL or my parents didn't like it. I ignored them and luckily it grew on them in both cases! They got to name their kids, unless the name is stupid then it's just personal taste. I never say negatives about names unless asked. I like Teddy and Ted, it's a great name.

Ds loves his name and has never been bullied

I agree with not telling anyone your child's name until he/she arrives.

Just ignore them and refuse to discuss it with them any more.

I didn't call my ds Teddy (with Edward on birth certificate) because of the reaction of one member of my family. It is one of my biggest regrets. It is a great name. Ignore them; they will get used to it and you will really regret it if you change because of them.

When i told my mum DS's name she said "poor sod; can't you give him an English name?" WTF!!! My answer "well i at least know your true feelings with regards to DH" and my sister said he would be bullied. Even people in the street raise eyebrows. But i don't care and me and DH like it so ner [sticks tongue out smiley]

Fransandisco - I'm with you - though of course, you accompany it with a smile and are polite enough to say nothing.

We called our DD1 Romilly - the looks on my DH's family was priceless. I then got sat down by FIL with a baby book and he'd say, 'What about 'Richenda'?, what about Ruperta'?' which are just plain silly.

We called DD2 Nancy and MIL pulled that face and said she liked her middle names, and FIL started singing 'Nancy tickle my fancy', which apparently was a song from his youth.

We named DS1 after FIL so he didn't say anything about that - but MIL (they are divorced) pulled the face again.

But we made the mistake of telling people before they were born. And people, friends said - 'I don't like that'. I remember just looking at them and thinking 'And?'

Everyone gets the chance to name their baby how they want to - you included.

And just how is Teddy a Jewish name? (not that it matters if it is), it wouldn't even have occured to me.

laughing at becaroo!

kill them

Actually that's just reminded me - a friend of mine said, when asked, that they'd decided on 'Ulysses' and let everyone pull the faces and give their opinions.

They didn't call him Ulysses and never had any intention of doing so - but it did mean when he arrived, everyone was relieved when he was called something else.

Might be worth a go?

Don't tell anyone before the baby is here and named - until then people seem to think it is their duty to persuade you otherwise.

When the baby is here, in all likelihood the worst you will get is "how...unusual".

It's hard because people ask "Have you thought of a name" and then get tetchy because you don't want to tell them or say a horrible comment or start telling you the names THEY like or want to call their unborn children.

My husband's Aunt called me a week before my DD was born to tell me she thought it was hideously unlucky that we had already picked a name and that "To be honest, I always think of Hitler's girlfriend when I hear it" (DD is Eva obviously)

To which I replied "Well it is my Grandmothers name plus it's Polish so that works for my FIL so thanks for the input and I think it's more unlucky that you and your house smell like wee and you don't bathe". I may or may not have said the last bit.

I think Teddy is super gorgeous and am picturing a smiling, cute little lad with that as his name

Ignore them all; you can't please all the people all the time!