An expectant father has criticized his pregnant wife for suggesting “silly” and “tasteless” baby names.
With his first child’s due date fast approaching, an anonymous British man took it up Reddit to ask for advice on the dilemma.
The father-to-be said he preferred traditional names because he didn’t want his child to be “bullied” or “taken less seriously” because of a “ridiculous” name.
However, his partner has suggested a list of unique names, including Fennix, Park, and Diesel.
The man ridiculed these suggestions, but his partner said he was rude and dismissive. Now he asks others for advice if he is wrong.
An expectant father has expressed concern over his wife’s baby name suggestions on a Reddit forum (stock photo)
Posted on Reddit’s AmItheA****** forum, the father-to-be garnered sympathy from many who agreed that his wife’s suggestions were unusual.
He wrote: “My wife and I are expecting our first child in the next few months and we have chosen not to know the gender until the baby is born.
“Things are starting to feel very real now, so we’ve started discussing names well, but we’ve realized that we both have vastly different tastes in name style and we’re having a hard time finding the right one.
“My wife likes names that are out there and unique, but I find these names tasteless and silly and would prefer a more familiar, more traditional name.
“Last night she showed me a short list she put together and thought I might like it. The names on the list were:
Girl: Fern, Fennix, Rhodes, Faun, Brixtyn and Kinley. Boy: Spark, Diesel, Quincy, Phoenix, Buck and Fox
“These names are tamer than what she’s suggested before, but I told her they didn’t feel right. I suggested ideas like Rose instead of Rhodes, Felix instead of Phoenix, and Buchanan instead of Buck.
The anonymous man said that while he prefers more traditional names, his wife suggests more “unique” names
I finally snapped when she introduced Zoomer. I asked if she was serious and said it was a stupid name.
“She asked what my problem was and why I was so dismissive of all her ideas and shot down all the names she likes.
“I told her that we were naming a child, not a dog, and that names can have a huge impact on the child. I said I don’t want my kid to be bullied or taken less seriously for having a ridiculous name.
“She told me I was rude and that I was the bully because I made her feel unsupported. She started crying and went to bed. I decided to give her some time and space, so waited until she was asleep to go to bed.
“I feel bad for coming at her the way I did, but I also think it needed to be said.”
He added, “EDIT: When she came back I explained my concerns and apologized for how I reacted earlier.
She explained that she has a very common name and there were always multiples at school, and she doesn’t want that for our child. I’ve rarely experienced this so I can’t really say what it feels like.
“We decided to check the app to see what everyone is talking about, and explore our family tree to see if there are any names we both like. Thank you all for your suggestions!
Thousands of Reddit users quickly shared their thoughts on the situation, with many agreeing with the father
“A lot of people have been asking to see some of the names I like, so here goes- Boy: Oscar, Garrett, William, Benjamin, and Edward.” Girl: Matilda, Elizabeth, Katherine, Eloise and Harriet’
The post garnered thousands of comments from other members of the forum – with the vast majority siding with the man over the woman.
One person said, “NTA. So many people who name their children like a 9 year old who names a goldfish or a girl from the valley who names a pocket dog.
“Unfortunately, it indicates that the parent considering these names sees the child not as a person, but as a thing, a fun accessory to show all her fans how cool she is. This is the first of many battles for your child’s identity and autonomy.”
A second person agreed, adding: “NTA – although I think it was unwise to act the way you did with your pregnant partner late in the pregnancy, but at the end of the day you want the best for your child and you have right, it had to be said.
“For example, I was born in Europe and have a unisex name, when we moved to the United States as a child, I found out (at least in the 90s) that was seen as a girl’s name. I was dragged for that during the four years we lived there.
“And I really have a pretty common name. Now imagine one of the names your partner has suggested.”
A third person offered the struggling man a suggestion, saying, “My wife and I couldn’t agree on a name for our daughter, so we bought a huge book of baby names and a six-pack of sharp names.”
“We were both given full veto power and we each went to the book and crossed thousands of names. We were left with a dozen that we both liked, and there was no confrontation. Good luck!
Also NTA, anyone who wants to name their child Zoomer, must be stopped at all costs.’
A fourth wrote: ‘NTA. Your child is a human, not a doll. The name you choose for them is one they will have throughout their childhood, possibly their entire lives.”
Another person added, “It had to be said. NTA. This is a hill to die on. Don’t let your child end up with a man’s clothes they will most likely hate, instead use a different name and eventually change them legally as an adult. You save your child time, money and heartache.’