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West Australian
5 days ago
- General
- West Australian
Belle Taylor: Playing the baby name game
Imagine welcoming the arrival of a perfect little baby, staring down at it lovingly and thinking: 'I'm going to call you Sativa.' Yes Sativa, as in the plant, Cannabis sativa. Seems unlikely, but that's exactly what three sets of new parents in New Zealand tried to do last year. Luckily for the would-be Sativas, their folks were stopped by the New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs (if you're picturing a bunch of people in black suits and bulletproof vests bursting into maternity wards saying 'That name is NOT choice bro', then same), who have taken on the important task of not letting Kiwis name their kids dumb stuff. The list of names that were rejected by New Zealand last year was recently released and it makes for quite the roll call. Topping the list was King, requested by 11 sets of parents. Three different families tried and failed to name their children Kyng, Kingz and Kingi. There were 10 requests for Prince and four for Princess. Two families went rogue and requested Prinz and Prynce. Three families literally went for Rogue. Also on the list: Magesty (yes, that was the spelling), Major, Messiah and Mighty. Roil, Royal, Royallty, Crown and Crownos. Duke, Juke, Solvreign and for one particularly big Enid Blyton fan: Fanny. Some of these parents need to lay off the Sativa. Australian authorities don't release such a list, but we do have 89 banned names. I am unsure if anyone has actually attempted to name their offspring Bonghead, G-Bang, iMac or Scrotum — all of which are among the 89 banned Australian names. But I sincerely hope no one is out there crocheting a Bonghead baby blanket because that's going to be a waste of yarn. Naming a child is fraught everywhere, it seems. A recent survey by UK website Gransnet found one in five grandparents hated their grandchild's name. I'm surprised it's only one in five considering the list they then gave of their most disliked monikers. You would think it would be full of the type of names on the New Zealand banned list, but instead the names they can't stand sound like any kindergarten roll call: Aurora, Charlotte, Elijah, Finn, Jack, Lindsay, Noah, Sally and Tabitha. These grandparents don't know how good they got it. The parents need to try a little reverse psychology. Tell Nan and Pop you're naming the kid Solvreign and then at the last minute: 'Surprise! We settled on Jack.' They'll be thrilled. I learnt the hard way that you should never reveal the potential name of a child before you have inked it on the birth certificate. Not long after discovering I was pregnant with my son, my partner and I settled on the perfect name: Julian. My dad reacted as if we were naming him Humperdinkle Trusiwotsit. 'You can't name him that Belle!' he moaned. And then would call me at odd hours to shout new, increasingly weird, suggestions down the phone, like: 'Dusty! We can give him a tiny neck tattoo!' (It was 2017, Dustin Martin was everywhere.) We relented, Julian was off the list (to any Julians out there: you have a lovely name. To any Humperdinkle Trusiwotsits out there: good luck with that). Mum was no help either. After 40 plus years of teaching, she would look through my list muttering things like, 'Won't sit on the mat . . . runs with scissors . . . always with the runny nose . . . STOP rocking on that chair!' until she entered some sort of trance and I had to gently lead her to a chair with a nice cup of tea and say something soothing like: 'It's OK, you're not on playground duty today.' Of course, the grandparents don't get the final say. Parents should be able to name their kid whatever they like. But perhaps stay away from royal titles, military ranks, insults and slang for genitalia. And whatever you do, don't tell the grandparents.
Perth Now
5 days ago
- General
- Perth Now
Maybe some parents shouldn't get naming rights
Imagine welcoming the arrival of a perfect little baby, staring down at it lovingly and thinking: 'I'm going to call you Sativa.' Yes Sativa, as in the plant, Cannabis sativa. Seems unlikely, but that's exactly what three sets of new parents in New Zealand tried to do last year. Luckily for the would-be Sativas, their folks were stopped by the New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs (if you're picturing a bunch of people in black suits and bulletproof vests bursting into maternity wards saying 'That name is NOT choice bro', then same), who have taken on the important task of not letting Kiwis name their kids dumb stuff. The list of names that were rejected by New Zealand last year was recently released and it makes for quite the roll call. Topping the list was King, requested by 11 sets of parents. Three different families tried and failed to name their children Kyng, Kingz and Kingi. There were 10 requests for Prince and four for Princess. Two families went rogue and requested Prinz and Prynce. Three families literally went for Rogue. Also on the list: Magesty (yes, that was the spelling), Major, Messiah and Mighty. Roil, Royal, Royallty, Crown and Crownos. Duke, Juke, Solvreign and for one particularly big Enid Blyton fan: Fanny. Some of these parents need to lay off the Sativa. Australian authorities don't release such a list, but we do have 89 banned names. I am unsure if anyone has actually attempted to name their offspring Bonghead, G-Bang, iMac or Scrotum — all of which are among the 89 banned Australian names. But I sincerely hope no one is out there crocheting a Bonghead baby blanket because that's going to be a waste of yarn. Naming a child is fraught everywhere, it seems. A recent survey by UK website Gransnet found one in five grandparents hated their grandchild's name. I'm surprised it's only one in five considering the list they then gave of their most disliked monikers. You would think it would be full of the type of names on the New Zealand banned list, but instead the names they can't stand sound like any kindergarten roll call: Aurora, Charlotte, Elijah, Finn, Jack, Lindsay, Noah, Sally and Tabitha. These grandparents don't know how good they got it. The parents need to try a little reverse psychology. Tell Nan and Pop you're naming the kid Solvreign and then at the last minute: 'Surprise! We settled on Jack.' They'll be thrilled. I learnt the hard way that you should never reveal the potential name of a child before you have inked it on the birth certificate. Not long after discovering I was pregnant with my son, my partner and I settled on the perfect name: Julian. My dad reacted as if we were naming him Humperdinkle Trusiwotsit. 'You can't name him that Belle!' he moaned. And then would call me at odd hours to shout new, increasingly weird, suggestions down the phone, like: 'Dusty! We can give him a tiny neck tattoo!' (It was 2017, Dustin Martin was everywhere.) We relented, Julian was off the list (to any Julians out there: you have a lovely name. To any Humperdinkle Trusiwotsits out there: good luck with that). Mum was no help either. After 40 plus years of teaching, she would look through my list muttering things like, 'Won't sit on the mat . . . runs with scissors . . . always with the runny nose . . . STOP rocking on that chair!' until she entered some sort of trance and I had to gently lead her to a chair with a nice cup of tea and say something soothing like: 'It's OK, you're not on playground duty today.' Of course, the grandparents don't get the final say. Parents should be able to name their kid whatever they like. But perhaps stay away from royal titles, military ranks, insults and slang for genitalia. And whatever you do, don't tell the grandparents.
Daily Record
02-05-2025
- General
- Daily Record
Top baby names hated by grandparents includes Scottish title with link to nature
Parents have recounted their experiences of arguing with their parents or in-laws over their children's names Deciding on a name for your baby is one of life's toughest decisions. Expectant parents may be ready to throw the A-Z baby name book out the window, agonising over what has the easiest spelling or the most beautiful meaning. Impressing family may also be on the minds of parents -to-be. Although choosing a moniker is down to personal preference, many would be lying if they said they didn't care what their own parents thought of their child's name. This week, an eyebrow-raising survey of 2,000 grandparents and parents conducted by Gransnet, alongside sister site Mumsnet, found that one in five grandparents have struggled to come to terms with a grandchild's name. A whopping sixty nine per cent of grandparents think that it's fine for them to give their opinion on their grandchild's name, while fifteen per cent of parents admit that a parent or in-law dislikes their baby's name. Sadly, four per cent of grandparents say that they still have not accepted the name, even over time. Two per cent say that they have fallen out with the parents over their baby name choice. Shockingly, six per cent even say that they temporarily fell out of contact because of the disagreement. Grandparents' objections to their grandchild's name included the name being ugly (28 per cent), the name was 'too weird' (17 per cent) and it reminded them of someone they dislike (11 per cent). The study listed the top names hated by grandparents, and one Scottish name with a link to nature is among them. The top names hated by grandparents Aurora Charlotte Elijah Finn Jack Lindsay Noah Sally Tabitha The name Lindsay is of Scottish origins ad carries a significant meaning attached to it. Lindsay is derived from the old Scottish Gaelic word lind-saigh or lind-seaig, which translates to from the lake settlement island. "This etymology suggests a connection to the geography of the Scottish landscape, implying a strong association with its natural beauty and mystique," explains. "Lindsay came to be associated with various noble families and clans in Scotland... participating in battles, politics, and holding prominent positions in society. "Their affiliation with the name Lindsay solidified its place in historical records and elevated its status within Scottish culture." Another name thrown under the bus is 'Finn,' which is an Irish boy's name, meaning 'fair,' or "blessed". The title is connected to a long line of Irish mythology Coming from the Irish Fionn, Finn was the anglicised name of a mythical Irish warrior and folklore hero. ITV This Morning viewers were let in on the findings on Thursday (May 1) and shared their own experiences of run-ins with parents and in-laws over their name selection, which some have to come to regret. One woman wrote: "We wanted to call our son Loki, but my mother-in-law kicked off and said she wouldn't use it. Ever. She said she would call him 'baby' instead and knowing her, she would have. "I had a horrendous pregnancy with him and couldn't be bothered with the argument so we picked a different name. He's nearly 16 now and we love his name anyway, but grandparents really should mind their own business." Another chimed in: "When my mum was pregnant with me, she wanted to call me Sky (from Neighbours). My nan said absolutely not... when I found out I was gutted, I loved the name. "Fifteen years ago I had my first daughter and named her Sky... my nan loved her name." A third recounted: "My mum hated my fourth son's name, my husband's grandmother hated my third son's name. I don't care, they are their names and they are pretty normal names." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
Metro
01-05-2025
- General
- Metro
I told Mum my baby's name – she thought I was joking
When I became pregnant, I instantly knew that my daughter was a Mabel. It comes from the Latin Amabilis, which means 'lovable' and 'loving'. And even while in the womb, I knew that my daughter was completely lovable. I could feel her adorable vibes emanating from inside me. It was the ideal name for our beautiful little bundle of joy. My mum, however, instantly made it clear that she absolutely hated it. I'll never forget the moment that I told my family about it. We were having afternoon tea at a posh hotel overlooking the sea to celebrate my birthday. My mum and the rest of my extended family were all there for the special occasion, along with my fiancé. I broke the happy news that I was pregnant and expecting a girl. Like you'd expect, it wasn't long before the chatter turned to baby names. When asked if we had any ideas yet, we proudly announced that we'd already named her Mabel. I was expecting coos of adoration, but instead my mum glared at me and said, 'You're joking?' There was a frosty silence and awkward looks all around until I clarified that this was indeed our chosen name. My sister tried to smooth over the tension, saying it was a beautiful choice. Then my granny uncertainly said, 'Well, I suppose the old names are coming back into fashion.' But my mum insisted that it reminded her of an elderly lady who smells of mothballs, knits tea cosies, and collects ceramic cats. Oblivious to my upset, she continued, 'You know she will get bullied at school? The children will laugh at her, and she will hate you for it.' I felt too sad to reassure her that Mabel wasn't an awful name. It's old-fashioned and traditional, but plenty of kids have vintage-inspired monikers. Yet, as far as my mum was concerned, I was setting my first child up for years of playground humiliation. This was the first hint that new motherhood wasn't going to be the warm, supportive family experience I'd expected. My mum's judgemental reaction set the tone for years of tension between us – and I'm not alone. A 2017 Gransnet survey found one in five grandparents hate their grandchild's name and The Telegraph this week profiled the rise of 'ugly' baby names. Do you like your grandchild's name? It doesn't matter if I like it or not While heavily-pregnant, a few months after the initial announcement, I met up with my mum and her bestie at a pub. They were clearly a couple of cocktails in, as they were loudly offering their opinion on every aspect of my impending motherhood including my child's name. Before long, they launched into a tipsy brainstorming session, cackling away and rhyming Mabel with all kinds of words. 'Table, stable, able.' My mum kept parroting, 'It's in the stable, Mabel.' Then she begged me not to call my baby Mabel again, insisting that my daughter would thank me for changing my mind one day. I sat there in stunned belief at the ridiculousness of it all, suddenly realising that I no longer cared what my mum thought. In the end, I got up and left the pub. BabyCenter's annual ranking of the most popular baby names found Olivia to be the most popular choice for girls and Noah for boys. Olivia Amelia Emma Sophia Charlotte Noah Liam Oliver Elijah Mateo Even after Mabel was born and her name was officially on her birth certificate, my mum hadn't accepted that it was here to stay. She would ask whether I'd considered referring to Mabel by her more 'conventional' middle name. This, apparently, was a much better thing to do. She also tried calling my daughter 'Mae' and 'Belle' at various points, then wondered why Mabel frowned at her in confusion. But since becoming a mum myself, I've developed a much thicker skin when it comes to my own mum, who, frankly, is rarely pleased with anything I do anyway. I've stopped trying to defend my parenting and life choices now. Mabel's currently in early primary school and she's never been bullied over her name. As it happens, her two best friends also have vintage-inspired names. The only drawback of calling our daughter Mabel is that she's never found her name on those delightfully tacky souvenir keyrings or giant pencils at the beach. Funnily enough, we would often hear stories of another Mabel of the same age in a neighbouring town. Her name would sometimes pop up at gymnastics class or yoga, with people mentioning her in passing. I kept secretly hoping that we'd bump into the other Mabel. Then one day, the two Mabels finally met at a play park. More Trending I called out my daughter's name and two little girls said 'yes'. They looked at each other in bewilderment, then gasped in excitement when they realised they'd met their name twin. The pair had great fun playing together all afternoon. I spoke to the other Mabel's mum and it emerged that they'd spent ages hoping to bump into my Mabel too. Interestingly, she told me that her mother-in-law was no fan of the choice either. But as we looked at the two Mabels, we agreed that they were happy, adorable, and totally living up to their name, despite their opinionated grandmothers. Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailing Share your views in the comments below. MORE: 'My husband took control of my finances and left me penniless and homeless' MORE: Every year, I'm forced to spend an unnecessary £200 on my daughter MORE: UK resort with attractions 'better than Center Parcs' brings back £1 kids' tickets
