What to Do When Nobody Likes My Baby’s Name?
This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy through the link, I may earn a commission. Learn More.
It is not acceptable in a polite society to judge baby names.
That said, there is still plenty of judgment out there and you are likely to hear it all.
What do you do when people don’t like your baby name? Should you listen or should you unfriend?
What Do You Do When People Don’t Like Your Baby’s Name?
It is wise to be armed with a defense of the name you have chosen. Explain that the name has special meaning or significance to the family. You might also listen to what they have to say. Some of the critics might bring up a point that you hadn’t previously considered.
When Friends Don’t Like Your Baby’s Name
I will never forget the day that my husband and I decided on the name for our firstborn child.
I excitedly told my friends the baby’s name and was given a combination of blank stares, giggles and one “you’re not serious, are you?”
I assured them that I was very serious. My husband and I both wanted to name our son after our grandfathers, and that is exactly what we did.
No amount of snickering would change that. They shared that the name was too old fashioned and he would be bullied on the playground.
I felt it was rude of my friends to behave this way, but I have also been on the other side and I know what that’s like.
For instance, a good friend of mine decided to name her child Braiden Elizabeth. It’s a beautiful name, but her last name rhymes with Braiden.
It had not occurred to her before she shared the name that it rhymed as she had always said the first and middle names together.
When I shared that I did not like the name and why, she realized she hadn’t put as much thought into it as she should have.
If you have a name that you love and your friends don’t, ask them why. Don’t get emotional about it. Listen to their reasoning.
It could be that they’ve discovered that Allison Suzette Smith would have an unfortunate monogram. On the other hand, it could just be that they are short-sighted.
The old-fashioned name they hated then has become one of the more popular baby names in the United States. Regardless of the reason your friends don’t like the name, hear them out. Then, give your child the name you choose.
How to Talk to Your Family About Naming Your Child
I absolutely hated that my sister was naming her oldest child after a character in her favorite movie.
I thought using pop culture to name a pet was a fine choice, but that’s not how you name a person.
I told her as much. I believe her exact words to me were, “Shut up and leave me alone.” That was the end of the conversation.
My sister’s method for dealing with family not liking the name was maybe not the most diplomatic choice. However, it got the job done.
Also, my family is very blunt. We don’t use tact, drop hints or practice passive-aggressive behavior. Being direct is what works for us.
Your family might be a bit more refined than mine. If you don’t want to risk offending anyone by following my sister’s path, you can follow a more nuanced solution.
When your family member tells you they don’t like your baby’s name, explain to them why the name is important to you.
Then, tell your family member that you appreciate them, you love them, and your future child will love them too.
Strangers Weighing in On Baby Names
Strangers have the ability to be very direct in a way that many friends and family members don’t.
They will tell you if you have a terrible baby name. It might behoove you to listen. Their words may keep you from making a terrible mistake.
In my past career, I worked at a temporary agency, hiring workers for seasonal jobs.
One of the employees gave birth to a child who she named Cauliflower. I asked what made her decide on the name Cauliflower and she told me the tragic tale.
A stranger overheard her sharing the name she had originally planned. The stranger then suggested that the name might be illegal and she should consider changing it.
The name in question? Placenta.
I don’t know how she made the leap from Placenta to Cauliflower and frankly, I don’t want to know. I’m just glad that a stranger stepped up and did that child a service.
If a stranger offers an honest opinion to you about your baby’s name, take it to heart. On the other hand, strangers may be trolling you just for the sake of trolling.
This is especially true if the strangers in question are online. Take any online entity with a grain of salt. That’s the beauty of random internet strangers. They can be ignored and they can be blocked.
Key Takeaways
Your baby’s name is one of the most important things you will give them.
It doesn’t hurt to listen to the advice of others as long as you remember it is up to you to make the ultimate decision.
What baby name have you chosen? Tell us in the comments!
