Naming a baby probably is one of the most exciting things in every parent’s life. But together with excitement comes a huge responsibility - won’t the kid get bullied or laughed at? Will it fit them? Will they like it? However, it’s also important to remember that in most naming decisions, there are two people who are responsible and can usually have different opinions.
So it's no surprise that it may lead to quite an argument sometimes. One Reddit user found herself in such a situation after her partner gave their baby a name that she really hates.
More info: Reddit
Naming a baby is a big responsibility and is usually both parents’ decision
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Woman shares how once her boyfriend found out she’s pregnant, he bombarded her with his ideas for naming a boy and her ideas were quickly shut down
Image credits: RDNE Stock project (not the actual photo)
She noted that her boyfriend started listing names that belonged to his grandpa and great-grandpa that were Chad and Oliver
Image credits: Pixabay (not the actual photo)
She hates the name 'Chad' as they know a couple of Chads and they are not nice people, thus the woman hoped she would have a girl
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Well, it was a boy and despite the woman’s objections, she finally gave up and the baby was named Chad
Recently, a Reddit user shared her story with one of the communities dedicated to getting personal things off one's chest. She opened up about hating her baby’s name in which she had no say and still avoids saying his name. The post caught quite a lot of attention and collected 2.5K upvotes and 450 comments.
The original poster (OP) starts her story by sharing that her boyfriend was overjoyed when he found out she was pregnant and bombarded her with boy names. She noted how her ideas were quickly shut down and he started listing names that belonged to his grandpa and great-grandpa; Oliver and Chad. OP emphasized that she hates the name Chad. She also said she’s not the biggest fan of 'Oliver' either but that it’s better than Chad.
Then the woman shared how the entire 8.5 months of her pregnancy, she was anxious and was hoping that it was going to be a girl because at least then she would be happy with her name. However, after 13 hours of labor - their baby boy came into the world. When it was time to sign the birth certificate, the woman saw that his name was written as ‘Chad Beau Smith’.
OP noted that she ended up fighting with her boyfriend over it, but after about an hour, she gave up and just signed the baby's birth certificate. Now, after about a month, the woman shared that she still avoids saying the baby’s name and is even disconnecting from her relationship as she feels like she doesn’t matter in the whole situation.
Community members supported the woman but questioned why she is even in a relationship with such a person. “You're not overreacting. This is not a frivolous thing and I agree with others, you need to get away from him, because it will not stop with your child's name,” one user wrote. “Have his name legally changed. Leave your husband. This is abuse,” another added.
Image credits: Vinicius Maciel (not the actual photo)
“It’s very important that both parents feel a positive association with the name, because it becomes your child’s identity,” shared Jennifer Moss, the founder and CEO of Babynames.com with Bored Panda.
She added that often couples get into a nonproductive situation where one partner is researching and suggesting names and the other person just vetoes. “It’s important for both parents to come to the table with a list of names so you can brainstorm equally,” Jennifer emphasized.
We also were interested about specific name trends or fads that she has observed tend to generate more disagreements among parents - “I think the fad of taking a common name and giving it a “creative” spelling has created a lot of debate - not only among parents but on the internet in general,” she noted.
“Kimberly being spelled Kymberleigh, for example,” Jennifer pointed out that it’s their opinion that parents shouldn’t make their child’s name in the manner of “will they have to spell it for people their entire lives?”
And finally, it’s obvious that external factors such as societal trends or popular culture have an impact on the parents' decision when naming their kid and Jennifer agreed that, in fact, they have a huge influence on baby naming. “The name Khloe (with a K), for example, was never on the birth charts until Khloe Kardashian became a celebrity,” she shared.
So if you are looking for a unique name for your baby, a fictional character, or just loving names - check out babynames.com!
As it is clear - the baby should be named by both parents. But what do you guys think about this situation? How should the woman have solved it? Share your thoughts below!
Redditors didn't approve of the woman's boyfriend's behavior and suggested she legally change the baby's name
