Pretentious Baby Names (2 Viewers)

[Optimus Prime]

Does the Grandmother have a point? and what do you think about 'unique' names in general
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A doting grandmother is facing a major family dilemma after her stepson and his girlfriend gave their newborn baby what she described as a "really awful pretentious name."

The way parents pick baby names has changed dramatically over the past 20 years. According to Laura Wattenberg, founder of the website Baby Name Wizard, where once moms and dads stuck to tried-and-tested names, today many are seeking more unique monikers.

"In past generations, parents were much more concerned about their kids' names fitting in," she explained to Quartz. "But in the past 20 years, the focus has been on 100 percent standing out."

Wattenberg attributes this shift to the emergence of the internet. "All of us were choosing usernames and becoming accustomed to the idea that a name has to be unique to be usable," she said. The baby name expert also points to the prevalence of search engines in our everyday lives, with many new parents taking to Google to see if a specific name is "taken."

It's all given rise to an increase in the number of unusual baby names. But while a distinctive name might delight parents, lumbering a child with an unusual name can prove detrimental if they grow to dislike it.

As psychologist Jean Twenge told LiveScience: "Our names really are wrapped up in our identity," which can prove problematic if the moniker is despised. "People who particularly dislike their name and also if other people think it's an odd and unlikeable name, that can cause some problems. [They] tend not to be as well-adjusted," she warned.

Ultimately the decision rests with the child's parents but the use of an unusual name can still prove difficult to bear for some family members, like the disgruntled grandma who took to Mumsnet to voice her opposition to the "ridiculous" name her stepson has given his baby.

According to the grandmother, they have opted to name their child "Stormy-Water" while the baby has also been given the middle name "Cloud." She said what makes it worse is the story behind why they have given him such an unusual name.

"Stormy represents their life before they met, water is the continuity (infinity) of their love for each other and cloud was the 'silver lining' when they realized they were expecting," she explained.

Dismissing it as a "really awful pretentious name," the grandmother admitted she has so far avoided using it. "I know it's their choice but neither me nor my husband can bring ourselves to say it," she wrote.

Instead, she has taken to referring to the young child as simply "the baby" or the "little one"—but her stepson and his wife "have started to notice" and things are "becoming tense" as a result...........

MSN

 

[gboudx]

With the buildup in the article, I was expected much worse than "Stormy-Water Cloud". I don't really care what people name their kids, but maybe they should take a step back and think about life will be like with names given to the kids.

 

[superchuck500]

If there’s a problem with Stormy, it ain’t that it’s pretentious.

 

[sonicboom]

This isn't a concern, the bigger issue is parents raising their kids properly, and not getting divorced. Name your kid whatever you want, just make sure you raise it right. That would be my take.

This kid that swung by old neighborhood was named, Lucky. What a great name to have in my opinion.

 

[SystemShock]

She's destined to spin.

 

[Paul]

My son’s name is Wolf Claw and my daughter’s name is Fang.

I figured at worst, they could intimidate people before they even meet them.


Just kidding, btw.

 

[SystemShock]

This isn't a concern, the bigger issue is parents raising their kids properly, and not getting divorced. Name your kid whatever you want, just make sure you raise it right. That would be my take.

This kid that swung by old neighborhood was named, Lucky. What a great name to have in my opinion.

Yes. It is always better for the child when their parents stay in a loveless and/or abusing relationship, hating each others' guts.

 

[zatsnzapps]

my daughter’s name is Fang.

 

[kizzy821]

Stormy isn't so bad. I'd omit the "water" when referring to them by name lol. Just Stormy.

But this got me to thinking how your parents assign everything to you and you pretty much have to live with it your entire existence.

They give you your physical traits and your emotional traits. Whatever genetic defects or abnormalities they possess, you end up with some of them. They determine who your siblings are and where you'll live. They assign you a name and determine your socio-economic status. They give you their face. So many permanent factors that will shape your life. They're all determined by someone else.

And society says you're supposed to love yourself and who you are no matter what. But you had absolutely nothing to do with who you are. You weren't consulted about any of it. But hey - love it and be proud of it anyways. We're so backwards.

 

[bigdaddysaints]

And just to think, my Mother in law got mad because we spelled my daughters name differently, Bayleigh instead of the typical Bailey. The only drawback is she has never found a keychain with her name on it at the gas station...

 

[Optimus Prime]

Guess this can go here

I think I read that in Britain the baby often isn’t named right away but after a few weeks so the parents can get a sense of what name fits the best

Anyone have any name change stories to share?

Or think you or one of your children have the ‘wrong’ name?

Interesting how many of the parents in the article could tell pretty quickly that the name they originally wasn’t right
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It’s one of the first high-stakes decisions a parent can make: What to name the baby?

Parents must weigh questions of originality against tradition, ease of spelling and pronunciation, how to incorporate culture, whether they want their child’s name to stand out or blend in or somewhere in between.


Some parents-to-be know the perfect name when they hear it.

Others spend hours scouring books and websites, sounding out first and middle names and gaming out every possible burden each combination could bring. And others are guided by the family tree, naming every firstborn girl Margaret or every firstborn boy Junior.


But sometimes, no matter how carefully or confidently that name was selected, parents look at their bundle of joy and realize it just doesn’t fit.


It happened to Kylie Jenner, who announced on social media last month that she and Travis Scott had changed their child’s name. Born in February, the baby was initially named Wolf. However, Jenner said, “we just didn’t really feel like it was him.” The baby’s new name has not been publicly shared.

The celebrity couple is hardly the first to realize that they chose wrong. The Social Security Administration recorded nearly 30,000 baby name changes in the past five years, according to data shared with The Post, including both spelling corrections and outright reversals.

We heard from dozens of Washington Post readers who fell into the latter camp. Their responses, below, have been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Amethyst to Rose

We were going to name our daughter Amethyst and call her Amy.

On her second day, on March 9, 1980, in Anchorage, the low sun reflecting on the snow outside created a pink glow everywhere, and her lips were like a tiny rosebud.

Without any discussion whatsoever, my husband and I turned to each other and said her name must be Rose, and we called all of the relatives and changed it.
—

Rita Eagle, 69, Anchorage


Mark to David


We named our baby Mark.

But we live in Boston, so people called him “Maaak.” When his uncles started calling him “Maaakie,” I couldn’t take it.

When he was two months old, he became David. Of course Rhode Islanders call him “Davit,” but it’s better than “Maaakie.”
— Barbara Fournier, 75, Milton, Mass.


Sean to Kevin


My youngest son was born March 12, 1991, about 1 a.m., a perfectly normal delivery. We had decided on the name Sean if we had a boy, and off I went with baby Sean to our hospital room, and off my husband Bob went to get some sleep and spread the news.


I distinctly remember holding this little person in the morning, looking at his face, and realizing his name was most definitely not Sean.

The only way I can describe it is that it felt too “soft” and “vowely” for him. He needed a name that was firm and had hard consonants. He just looked like Kevin.

So when my husband arrived later in the day, having told the known world that Sean had been born, I had to inform him that he “doesn’t look like a Sean, he looks like his name is Kevin.”


The aftermath? Bob had a bunch of phone calls to make, family and friends sent “Welcome Sean!” cards, and for years, Bob’s best friend introduced our youngest as “Kevin, not Sean.”

When Kevin, now 31, wants to give me a hard time about something, he reminds me that “this wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t switched my name.”

Mary Ellen Maher Harkins, 66, Pennsylvania…..

https://www.washingtonpost.com/parenting/2022/04/08/can-i-change-my-babys-name/

 

[Semper]

I have friends who named their kids oddly in my opinion. One of them is named Magnus and the other is Atlas. Not related 2 sets of friends. The ones who named their kid Magnus call their daughter Lovey instead of what they named her. I just roll my eyes and keep my mouth shut. We also have a relative whose son changed his name to Paisley and we all received emails informing us at family events we are only allowed to use gender neutral words since Paisley is now gender neutral and finds words like he or she to be hurtful. My in laws are interesting characters.

 

[bigdaddysaints]

My wife's cousins name was always Lil Danny (real name was Daniel Jr). When he was grown, he decided he wanted to be called Danny Jr, and would be pissed if anyone called him Lil Danny.
So we all called him Danny Jr and never thought anything else about it and didn't care. Because you know, that's what he wanted to be called so that's what we called him.. I know it's a novel idea these days..
I honestly don't care if someone names their child king mountain, then that's what I'll call them..

 

[SystemShock]

I had neighbors from Hungary who named one of their kids Attila, which the pronounced Utila (with the emphasis on the U).

 

[Devildog]

I know some people who named their daughter Kinniddi, as in Kennedy. Ok, weird name for a girl, but whatever. Any time I reply to a social media post they made with her in it, I always say something like, "Kennedy looks really cute!" Or, "Kennedy is so talented!" It drives them bananas, because they're uber pretentious, and it gives me 2 seconds of joy in an otherwise miserable week of work.