Baby’s name could break up my family

With a shortage of Florists flowers during the war, my mother was overwhelmed with bunches of garden daffodils from well wishers when I was born. In a weakened state she toyed with the idea of daffodil as a name, until it was tactfully suggested by my grandparents that she should delay a final decision until my father came home on leave from the army and she felt a bit stronger. They admirably resisted any temptation to try to impose their own suggestions. (Luckily for me my parents reverted to their original choice! )

My husband had a childhood friend called Jack Russell, oh boy did he get it in school lol

Just reading back, one of my closest friends has the maiden name Grocock.
Her brother changed his by deed poll as soon as he was old enough.
She never appeared bothered but was happy to be married and change it.

Any family which could break up because of a name for a baby is broken already.

Maybe they really liked his name but didn't like your daughters. Just because they named one child one after one side, it doesn't mean that they owe a name to your side. This is children's names, not point scoring. Let the parents have fun naming their child and don't get involved in their marriage.

OP, if the naming of the baby can break your family up then its already on very shaky ground.

gillybob

My little Evie was very nearly a Mabel MawB . She really suits her name but would have suited being Mabel too. I think it’s a cute name and reminds me of those lovely Mabel Lucy Atwell characters.

I can’t see how a name could tear up a family unless the baby is to be called Adolf or something hideous like that .

Anyway the names that we might’ve thought old fashioned, are all back in fashion now . I sincerely hope no poor little baby is ever saddled with my horrible name (popular in the 60’s) ?

Mea culpa.
Actually I really like the name Mabel, I think tgat like Matilda, it is very sweet and one of the nicer “old-fashioned” names that is becoming more popular. So I truly take that back
(They did also consider Arlo and Otto as boys names - both apparently popular these days.)
However, in mitigation their surname which also starts with “Ma ..” would not have gone well with it, almost rhyming, which now makes me think of those (genuine) souls afflicted with names such as Holly Berry, Hazel Nutt, Heather Glenn, any little boy with the surname Bates, or indeed Nicholas Hunt?

I think Gladys is a lovely name, two of the kindest women I have known were called Gladys, and had I had a daughter I might have chosen it.
I am not sure about 'family values', as people do view names differently. We had a post about 'Delilah' being a name that might upset some people, I can see why. Lolita and its variations were for a long time out of favour in English-speaking countries, but have returned.
There are some cultures where naming is important to other family members, as pointed out, fairly rare in much of the UK now.
It also sounds as if it is the baby's aunt / OP's daughter who might be the most upset, and we don't know her reasons.
Normskill - that may be where your tact and support is needed, if it something she had been banking on. Whatever her reasons for doing so, she (and any other family members) do need to accept the situation. I wish you luck.

Please don’t make this an issue. You could find yourselves estranged in the future.

I think you need to revisit your values Normskill. We are estranged from our youngest son and only GC and believe me, you don't want to risk a division in your family for any reason, never mind over a name chosen for a GC.

Lucca

Calendargirl

I am trying to think of the worst surname in history Dilly.

Tempted to suggest a few...
Shufflebottom?
Grocock?

Oh dear , I think Calendargirl was talking to Dillythegardener not suggesting “Dilly” was the worst surname .

Anchovy Banana has quite a ring to it Jane10 , would that be for a boy or girl?

I suppose would get “Anchy” for short .

I never heard of a family with such "family values". Maybe you could revise your "family values".

My little Evie was very nearly a Mabel MawB . She really suits her name but would have suited being Mabel too. I think it’s a cute name and reminds me of those lovely Mabel Lucy Atwell characters.

I can’t see how a name could tear up a family unless the baby is to be called Adolf or something hideous like that .

Anyway the names that we might’ve thought old fashioned, are all back in fashion now . I sincerely hope no poor little baby is ever saddled with my horrible name (popular in the 60’s) ?

Absolute madness that you and your daughter feel you have the right to dictate the name of any child that’s not yours. That your son is even considering his sisters feelings on this over his wife is so strange. Unless you have a odd set up where his sister is giving birth to his child his sister then she really is completely irrelevant. The entitlement and vanity of some people is awful.

I hope this is a wind up.

You were right the first time.
Families shouldn’t be involved in selecting the names of other family members and why it would be an insult is beyond me.
Go away and think of something important to worry about.

Argh! *family's

My grandson has his paternal grandfathers name. Nothing from my family at all. No one was bothered. We all adore that boy and his name is now firmly ONLY associated with him in my families mind.

Jane exactly ?

We had a Bastard at school I think you pronounced it ‘bs tard’ with the emphasise on the tard
I wonder if normskill has taken it on board as seems fairly unanimous posts

Time to break out of these ridiculous conventions. In my family the baby could be called Anchovy Banana as long as its OK and I can can be part of its life.

Bastard was a pretty rough surname. Seems to have disappeared over the years

With respect, isn't it rather vain to want a child (especially one who is not your own) to be named after you? I can't imagine feeling so important that I would expect any member of my family to name a child after me!

Isn't the issue here the fact that your son is talking to you about it? I have two sons and we are very close but I wouldn't expect to be drawn into a discussion about babies' names. Or any other matters which should be between him and his wife. Best to take a step back.

Calendargirl

I am trying to think of the worst surname in history Dilly.

Tempted to suggest a few...
Shufflebottom?
Grocock?