Baby names and family opinions

[Gordon_Sims]

I’d say not to worry about the family’s opinions about what you choose to name your baby. First and foremost, it’s not their kid. We learned long ago not to tell anyone what we were naming our kids until they were born. It really cuts down on the stress, fights and resentment. We endured all sorts of grief when our first daughter was born because we didn’t name her after this person, didn’t even consider that person, then a month after she was born we found out that her middle name was the same as the Confirmation name of a family member who we should have apparently known better than to consider naming her after. With our second daughter, we didn’t tell the names we’d picked at first until we’d endured a couple months worth of all sorts of outright nasty remarks because we still weren’t considering naming her after this person or that. We figured we’d tell people her name after that, which was even worse because, on top of the other complaints, nobody liked it. Before we announced her name, we had actually decided that, if we ever had another girl, we would use one family member’s name as her middle name, but that person was so awful to us we changed our minds and decided we’d never do that. With our last two we didn’t tell until after they were born. There were still some complaints, but not as many since their names were already set in stone. We have a short list of names picked out in case we ever have another girl and know that several in the family either won’t like them or will outright hate them, but it’s not their choice and the names will grow on them.

 

[mrajax]

As some of you guys have seen in my signature…hubby and I are expecting baby number 2 around the end of November.

In about 3-4 weeks we will find out the gender. If it’s a boy, we have a name picked out that we both agree on and this post will be a mute point.

If it’s a girl…then things will start to get a little complicated…hence this thread.

The first problem is that hubby and I cannot agree on a name. We both have our own ideas we like and each dislikes the other’s ideas.

I’m kinda hoping he will cave for me because he picked out our daughter’s name and our potential son’s name. I just happened to love them both.

The second problem lies with the fact that he has about 30 some-odd first cousins…many with children of their own…and I can’t seem to bring up a name I would love to give my child without hearing a “well…so-and-so cousin has named her daughter that” or “that’s so-and-so’s name.”

I had dreamed of naming my daughter Paige since childhood and fully expected that would be the name we’d use when I found out we were pregnant.
I ended up caving to pressure from him and his family because he had a cousin named Paige…a cousin I have never met and still haven’t met to this day…even though our daughter is now 15 months. Her middle name is Page.

Now, I love the name Claire…but once again…I’m feeling the pressure because another cousin named her daughter Claire. I have yet to meet this cousin as well…despite the fact that these people live nearby.

I told everyone I really don’t care what they think. They are popular names for one…but they are names I love.

Am I being unreasonable? Would this be a situation where you’d say “no way…someone else in the family has this name” or would you still name your child a name you love…despite it already being in the family?

I have a bright idea! Name her after me! I’m a good person you know! Lets see, my name, my name is… oh drat, I forgot my own name. It’s an issue that haunted me my whole life actually; I once got a zero on a test where I got even my own name wrong. Oh well…

 

[Della]

So we had our 20 week US today and we found out the gender…

Drum roll please…

It’s a GIRL!!! :extrahappy::curtsey:

AND…we have absolutely no idea what to do about names…oh well.

My husband wants to wait a little before we start hashing it out. We’ll see what happens.

Anyway, looks like Jelly Bean is going to have a little sister.

Congratulations! I second those who say to name your baby whatever you want. After all, those in your family that are objecting to the names you like are not going to be there, day after day, for her like you will be. In no time at all you’ll find it was a lot of fuss over nothing with the rest of the family. And it if isn’t, that’s life. You can’t possibly please everyone so do the sensible thing and please yourselves.

 

[Kathleen94]

Congratulations!

As I was reading through this thread, I thought of a name you might like. How about Mary Claire? This way, she will be named after two great saints, including the mother of God. I have a cousin with this name, and she usually goes by the full name, “Mary Clare.” Although it’s two names, it is only three syllables, so it’s not too long. Just a suggestion…

Whatever you do, please don’t feel like you need to give your daughter a name you don’t like in order to appease your inlaws. She is your child, after all!

 

[mandajane]

Random story about having the same names… The friend of mine that led to my conversion to Catholicism was the youngest of five girls. They ALL have the same first name, Mary. They have different Middle names that they go by. So, it’s all “Mary Rosalind”, “Mary Katherine”, “Mary Jane”, “Mary Patricia”, and “Mary Margaret”.

So hey, if anyone gives you trouble, you can always mention them…

 

[VivienneJ]

Random story about having the same names… The friend of mine that led to my conversion to Catholicism was the youngest of five girls. They ALL have the same first name, Mary. They have different Middle names that they go by. So, it’s all “Mary Rosalind”, “Mary Katherine”, “Mary Jane”, “Mary Patricia”, and “Mary Margaret”.

So hey, if anyone gives you trouble, you can always mention them…

Hmm, this would work well in the morning rush, “Mary, get in the car right now or we’ll be late”

 

[aemcpa]

Random story about having the same names… The friend of mine that led to my conversion to Catholicism was the youngest of five girls. They ALL have the same first name, Mary. They have different Middle names that they go by. So, it’s all “Mary Rosalind”, “Mary Katherine”, “Mary Jane”, “Mary Patricia”, and “Mary Margaret”.

So hey, if anyone gives you trouble, you can always mention them…

That’s actually fairly common in traditional Catholic circles. I know two different families that did that.

 

[_Jenn]

Congrats on a little girl! You name that lil sweetie whatever you want!

As a Jennifer, I like to steer clear of the popular names. I don’t like anything weird, but being one of far too many all the way through college (and beyond…there are 3 of us with that name at my job now, out of 7 people total in the office!), I don’t do super popular either.

 

[aemcpa]

Congrats on a little girl! You name that lil sweetie whatever you want!

As a Jennifer, I like to steer clear of the popular names. I don’t like anything weird, but being one of far too many all the way through college (and beyond…there are 3 of us with that name at my job now, out of 7 people total in the office!), I don’t do super popular either.

You must be in your 30s like I am. So many Jennifers growing up.

Of course, now is a perfect time to use the name Jennifer - it’s dropped out of the SSA’s Top 100.

 

[Bklynguy]

As some of you guys have seen in my signature…hubby and I are expecting baby number 2 around the end of November.

In about 3-4 weeks we will find out the gender. If it’s a boy, we have a name picked out that we both agree on and this post will be a mute point.

If it’s a girl…then things will start to get a little complicated…hence this thread.

The first problem is that hubby and I cannot agree on a name. We both have our own ideas we like and each dislikes the other’s ideas.

I’m kinda hoping he will cave for me because he picked out our daughter’s name and our potential son’s name. I just happened to love them both.

The second problem lies with the fact that he has about 30 some-odd first cousins…many with children of their own…and I can’t seem to bring up a name I would love to give my child without hearing a “well…so-and-so cousin has named her daughter that” or “that’s so-and-so’s name.”

I had dreamed of naming my daughter Paige since childhood and fully expected that would be the name we’d use when I found out we were pregnant.
I ended up caving to pressure from him and his family because he had a cousin named Paige…a cousin I have never met and still haven’t met to this day…even though our daughter is now 15 months. Her middle name is Page.

Now, I love the name Claire…but once again…I’m feeling the pressure because another cousin named her daughter Claire. I have yet to meet this cousin as well…despite the fact that these people live nearby.

I told everyone I really don’t care what they think. They are popular names for one…but they are names I love.

Am I being unreasonable? Would this be a situation where you’d say “no way…someone else in the family has this name” or would you still name your child a name you love…despite it already being in the family?

Congratulations!

As to the name–name the child what you and your husband what and tell the extended family to butt out. Tell him you can care less what his distant cousin that you never met is named. Sounds harsh–but sometimes you have to be blunt as people can’t take the hint.