Help, explaining your child's namesake.

[MamaBlue4]

My ds asked me today why he has a funny name, apparently one of the preschool teachers couldn't pronounce his name and said it was funny name, I don't think she meant it in a malicious way but it upset my ds, to the point where he was crying when he told me.

I told he has a special name because it's special to mama, but he kept asking why and I told him we'd talk about it tomorrow after activity time - which I do plan on doing but I was hoping you could help me word it!

He's named after a character in a book - The name of the wind by Patrick Rothfuss, and ds3's middle name is a character from the same book, which I plan on mentioning to help.

How can I phrase it so mama doesn't sound crazy and in a way he understands. I never thought I would have to explain why he's called what he is.

I don't know why you couldn't just tell him today? Just tell him that his name was inspired by a character in a book. What's difficult about that?

I assume your DS is quite young?

Tbh I have no idea from what you've said! What is special to you about that book? Why was it important enough for you to want to keep it 'alive' by naming your DS'? Once you can condense that then you can scale it to age.

Or just 'you are named after a character in a book that is special to mummy' done.

It depends why you feel you have to go in depth really, if you want to or feel he needs to hear it. In many cases being child led leads to rapid resolution because, to be blunt, they only have a certain number of shits they give about any one thing!

Oh also - you may well find the doings of the day push it from his mind.
And I see preschool mentioned - I meant is he just 3 or nearly 5, it can make a huge difference.

Just fact that it isn't silly at all but famous. Just your bog standard reassurance!

He's 4 and always asking why? He's pretty smart for his age and won't accept the simply explanation of because 'mama liked that name' or it's from a book - I tried that.

I hoping he forgets because I don't think it's important why he's named that but before I put him to bed, he asked me to promise to tell him tomorrow. I'm surprised he didn't forget.

I'm not on the ball today, I'm all frazzled so I just wanted suggestions, because I honestly couldn't think of any when I posted. But I'll take the idea of condensing it.

I couldn't tell him today, because I didn't have time. I have small twins who needed my attention, and he had ice hockey practice to go to and honestly, I wanted to distract him to stop him being upset. It worked. Today has been crazy and I have not had the time to sit down and have one on one time to tell him.

I asked because I wasn't sure on whether to tell him the short or long version and wanted opinions. Thank you for the replies. :)

I see. I hope it goes well.

In fairness to 4 year olds he'll ask you why about the long, short or no answer!
If she made him cry then I'm not sure he'll care so much about the origin just that he's not got a funny name. Why is a catch all when you're four...and 5 and sometimes DH

Still you could develop it into a nighttime story, 2 of ours love hearing about when they were born - it's perfect because it's all about them and it is a very bonding thing. You never know you may start something.

4 and bright or no, conveying deep emotional connection to an abstract concept is a lot to expect him to understand hence my previous.
Best of luck with it anyway.

Name of the Wind is a great book, but it is a fantasy so like many fantasies the characters have slightly odd names. As someone with an unusual name I can tell you that people ask where it comes from all the time, so you have to have a good story up your sleeve.

So your ds needs a good and easy to explain reason that both satisfies him and those he is explaining to. It's from a book my mum liked isn't really enough I think, especially if your ds is going through a 'why' stage - I think you'll need to tell him something about why you liked the character as well.

Now of course I'm wondering - Kvothe, Bast, Abenthy, Elodin, Simmon, Wilem?

DD is named after the scullery maid in upstairs downstairs.
Your story OP is much better than hers.

nooka Because you actually know the book, I'll indulge you a little bit, and I see no harm in it. It begins with a K ;) and one of the twin's middle name is Elodin.

He is prone to stories and has one every night, how I never thought of that is beyond me, I might even read a little passage from the book :)

He's definitely in the 'why' stage. Google has been a great help in that department haha.

Thanks for the suggestions.

As someone with an unusual name I can understand why your son wants to know why his name is "different". I hated having a name that no-one had heard of. I still don't like my name now.

I think the pres-school teacher was being a little insensitive by saying that his name was "funny", but you surely expected that when you decided to give your son a wacky unusual name. Unfortunately you will meet this again, so be ready with a good explanation.

I expected it sure, because people are naturally curious but when he started I obviously said his name and told them how to pronounce it when they got it wrong, it irks me that she forgot (she's been teaching him since Jan) and mentioned it in front of him. He's pretty sensitive.

I'll be telling him in a form of bed time story tonight :)

I have a "why, why, why" 4 yo. I'd tell him (in his terminology ) "We named you after a really cool person in a really cool story that I like a lot. Because it is only a story I wanted a real UnusalName too. Shall I tell you the story?"

If it's the obvious K name from the book then he's going to be explaining it every time he tells someone his name for the next 80 years.

I would just say "it's a character from a book you can read when you're older. He was an amazing, magical person, just like you! Now, how about some chocolate"

I have just googled the book's characters. If your son is named after the main character then I agree that he is going to get rather tired of explaining the spelling and pronunciation of his name time after time after time.

Or Keith

Unfortunately she can't really tell him the story (well in any detail), a) because it's not finished yet, and b) because it's quite adult. The main character is a very interesting one, and so far the series is well written (the final judgement can't be made until the series is written in my opinion because sadly lots of fantasy writers start well and then fizzle out).

I like Elodin for a middle name. I'd not personally use a fantasy type name as a first name because the nursery teacher's response, although not very professional especially at this point in the year is probably very typical.

I must admit that having googled the book I might be interested in reading it. Is it in a similar genre to Lord of the Rings?

See, when I named him I loved the same and book, it never occurred to me that I'll be explaining it a lot, or that he would have to.

It's actually pretty easy to pronounce, I think it's the spelling that intimidates people as the V and E are silent.

I'll probably read bits of the book that are okay for little ears, he may not understand it but it may keep him quiet - here's to hoping anyway!

When he's older, I'll just tell him to tell people he's named after a character who's adventures were legendary and if they keep asking, I'd tell him to tell them to read the flippin book, haha.

Anything but Kevin and Keith! He could use his middle but Fred might be "uncool" to him.

name not same!

You seriously did not consder what it would mean when you named your child an invented name with two silent letters taken name from an adult fantasy novel? Really?

I would have pronounced the -e if I had to say the name.......

Not when I named him, no, because nobody never really needed to see it written down, the only place it's written down was his bracelet and birth certificate. and they just asked for the spelling.

There's more unusual, weird names out there, and to me the name isn't that strange.

The subject has never come up before because family etc, just pronounce as I do, and they ask if they need it spelling, it's never been a big issue, but now he's starting school, I can see how the spelling confuses people. To me and others who know him, it's simple.

It's pronounced like "quothe" basically replace the Q with K and don't over extend the K.

You're joking now, aren't you?

No sentient person names their child without considering how it will be spelt, pronounced, received, understood.

People who call their children nmes with non standard spelling do it as a talking point, because they want to stand out.

I'm not joking, no.

I named him because it's my favorite book and I genuinely loved the name. I don't like most traditional names back then, he was my first child and my dh agreed with the name. Why should we think of how others perceived it when he's our child and we shouldn't have to consider others opinions when naming him. I wanted a name we loved and would enjoy telling him about when he's older.

Anyway, we're getting off point to what my actual post was about. So I'll leave it there, unless you have an answer/suggestions to my post.