Guess our name choice slipped...

sarahakabmg

We told a few people the name we were thinking of after a few days looking over our boy choices. We do have a back up name incase the one we have in mind doesn't seem fitting once we see our son. But soon after getting settled on both we also choose best not to tell more people until the baby was born and they couldn't really give an opinion since it's our choice.

Well calling up my husband's mom the other day after our latest appointment just to keep her informed everything was good. She was like "Where did you get the name from?"(guess we'd told his little sister, she's really the only family he has that usually talks to him on a more than once a year basis since they all live on the other side of the country). Of course his mom put in her opinion that a name like William Bryan was better.... my husband's middle name is Brian btw... >_< We have already said no the the name William for one(more so not into any popular names) and are not going to give our son a misspelled version of the same middle name as a my husband.

So here's the thing, we're both nerdy/geeky, not so much hipster nerdy either. But I guess I should see in general what a large group thinks of it just so I know what's going to be said and hopefully be prepared to defend the choice over time.

Anyway we went with a fairly what could be considered Sci-Fi/Space name. Zapp Rigel, knowing alternates out there could be like Zach Roger or something like that. Since bringing up for fun baby names years ago Zapp has been our list, and my husband was like "Oh their nickname would totally be The Zapper!" I hadn't really found the right middle name until we were set on the name being a top choice, so I spent the day looking at what most people had picked for popular space names, I showed my husband a few and they all for both of us were just "eh" then I was like "I wouldn't go with Orion or Archer, but I actually like Rigel which is part of the Orion constellation."

We like Zapp because in Futurama he's totally supposed to be a William Shatner/Captian Kirk hybrid, again we don't like William or Kirk for that matter, so when I said Rigel my husband got all Star Trek fandom and was like "that's prefect, the first episode/Pilot of Star Trek they go to Rigel 7!" Also having an R middle name makes the nickname my husband has always wanted to go with kind of make more sense because he's already Zapp R. We've also considered they may decide to go by Rigel or even Z, or Z. R. some day, really up to them. And everyone always brings up the whole "when they go to school they should have a normal name" We plan to home school at this point... but either way if they did end up going to school we feel the name would probably fit in just fine in any group, but would listen if they got to the point of actually asking for a name change or at least to go by a different name. I have a brother that has always gone by Mick, but his name was Michael, and my parents had actually nicknamed him Mic, but my oldest brother was the the one that wanted to spell it different.

Further as things go we also have thought about how Zapp also fits with other things we like, such as in comic books lots of the action words usually include "Zap/Zapp" "Bam" "Boom" etc. And my husband growing up was one of many boys to be considered kind of a "Bam Bam" type, and pretty much can almost bet our son will not be one to sit still either. So we've decided it's the better sound than going with the usual just "Bam" since that might also might be considered over rated/bad rep even.

So... I guess let me hear it... what do you think of our name choice?

g8trkim

This is so long I tuned out. So your name choice is Zapp? I hope I'm misunderstanding.

nurse714

I think Zapp is awful and a joke. 

ETA: You should seriously go with the alternative, Zachary Roger.

sara1817

It's pretty out there as far as name choices go. I think you will end up having to explain it a lot to others. IMPO I would go with something else and use Zapp as a nickname. 

To each their own though, eventually as people get to know your son it will stop seeming weird.

MixedBerries88

....you're trolling us, right? There's no way that real life adults name their children, who have to grow up and have careers, after comics and sounds. No, you're messing with us.

wassuphoes

Why in God's name would you name your child after Zapp Brannigan?

valeriemarie24

I didn't read the whole post tbh, but Zapp Rigel is the name you are considering?

Please please don't do that. There are so many more wonderful names out there. And I know you and your hubby may be a Sci-fi fans, but please don't name your son after a space character

sarahakabmg

Since you're a roll with images... my profile pic is one of the pictures we got of him at our 20 week ultrasound btw... >_>

breezycat

I'm confused, are you really thinking of naming your child Zapp Rigel? If yes, you might as well get used to people criticizing your name choice because that's one cray cray name. I'm sorry but it's so awful that you can't be serious. Why not just name him Zippy Uranus or Bam Pow Stargazer?

megewy

I personally don't like it but not my child

MixedBerries88

breezycat said:

I'm confused, are you really thinking of naming your child Zapp Rigel? If yes, you might as well get used to people criticizing your name choice because that's one cray cray name. I'm sorry but it's so awful that you can't be serious. Why not just name him Zippy Uranus or Bam Pow Stargazer?

Zippy Uranus is the clear winner.

crf4

I am always such a bitch when it comes to made up names like this but you honestly sold me on it. I feel like you're both so into it that it really doesn't matter what people on a forum say - I just wanted to point out to you that as endearing as Mick is for Michael, he at least had the option to use a proper name when he is an adult. As much as we hope our kids will follow in our footsteps (some maybe less so) he may not be into comics and as you call it, geeky stuff.

jessnjuan07

Zapp is no where approaching a name

sarahakabmg

Sorry to say, but even the people being the most critical on the name have made me like it even more so far, some people just will never get it and I'm fine with that.

And as far as career and future.... my husband is co owner of a vintage toy store that is only going to expand and I'm a self-employed photographer and jewelry maker... and I really don't think a name like Zapp Rigel would hold anyone back from any career, hell it's a strong enough name he could probably end up running most places just fine, but he's set to probably go into business with either of us if he so does choose.

parenthood4

I really don't like Zapp. If you need that long of an explanation, maybe it's not a great choice. It's cute enough for a nickname or a pet name or something, but as a given name I really don't like it. If that many people don't like it, there's a chance he might not like it either.

g8trkim

It's bad! Really really bad! I think there's a reason you wrote a ridiculously long explanation... your trying to justify your terrible choice to yourself. Don't saddle it on a kid. Use it as a middle name if you must. He can go by Zapp as a kid but it at least gives him an out later when he realizes how douchey it sounds.

Not There Yet

Heh, while I appreciate your fandom, if it were me, I'd consider reversing the names to Rigel Zapp. 

bbiutmcph

El oh el

queenwog

This has to be a joke. Are there cameras on me somewhere? This can't be real.

MixedBerries88

sarahakabmg said:

Sorry to say, but even the people being the most critical on the name have made me like it even more so far, some people just will never get it and I'm fine with that.

And as far as career and future.... my husband is co owner of a vintage toy store that is only going to expand and I'm a self-employed photographer and jewelry maker... and I really don't think a name like Zapp Rigel would hold anyone back from any career, hell it's a strong enough name he could probably end up running most places just fine, but he's set to probably go into business with either of us if he so does choose.

Why did you even ask then? Honest question, not trying to be snarky. If you love it so much and it's so you, then why is it worth the effort to put it out here?

erinnlou

Not sure what your definition of a strong name is, but I really don't see Zapp as a strong name. Honestly it just sounds ridiuclous. "Hi, my name is Zapp." Just no.

lola2bee

There were a lot of "We's" in your story but remember it's no longer all about you. what you guys like is not necessarily what your kid will like, be interested in or want to carry as baggage for the rest of their life. Give the child a blank slate to forge their own interests not just to be a walking billboard of what you guys like.

This is heartfelt advice from a fellow nerd who would love to Warcraft name all my children but that's so not cool. ;-)

jasbaby2

I think it's great. You should totally name your child zapp.

jnnfrrose6

Ok, I get the whole fandom thing and the positive thinking that your husband's toy store is only "going to expand" (good luck with that, not the easiest business to be in), but Zapp is a nickname no matter how much you try to reason otherwise. I really don't have any issues with Rigel, especially in the MN spot, but Zapp just doesn't cut it. Sure, it can be the name you choose to call him (along with zapper), but there's got to be some legit name you can come up with that would let this be a nickname and give your child an option as he grows up. You may be free spirited, artistic,whatever you want to call yourself, but that does t mean your kid will be. Don't strap them down with a name they may not want to live up to.

queenwog

If you really want to use the name Zapp, get a dog. Actually no, name the dog something normal like Spot and get a goldfish you can name Zapp. Please don't put that on a child who will someday grow up and have to apply for college and jobs and expect people to take him seriously.

CaboBride2015

No but really... this is a joke right?

sarahakabmg

My dog's name is Spike... but thanks.

magsugar13

I prefer Zip

or zappos

zappa

maybe some zapp's potato chips?

zapp comics?

there is a band called zapp

i just can not fathom giving this name to an actual human

i think it is assinine

sarahakabmg

Being that we're not Italian, we have no desire to name our kid Zappa just because "Zapp" is in it. And we are aware of the brands that have the name Zapp...

magsugar13

Being that we're not Italian, we have no desire to name our kid Zappa just because "Zapp" is in it. And we are aware of the brands that have the name Zapp...

I do not even know what that is suppsed to mean.  

MixedBerries88

So...I think we should all stop feeding the troll.

sarahakabmg

It means that I invested more time in researching a name than simply saying "yep that's the name" I probably know more about the middle name than anyone here has considered as well since they've just thrown out random other space things like "Uranus" I mean really people?

And I could have explained the name in a shorter summary, but being that I enjoy writing I can't even just settle for a simple explaination for anything. So sorry you had to read today...

oneblessedmess

If it takes you three long paragraphs to justify your name choice, then I think you can do better. For the record, I don't think Zapp is a strong name at all. I think "silly" before strong.

If it means so much to you I guess so it. But I say at least give him a semi-professional middle name he can fall back on.

redshoes2015

With a name like that, you are for sure going to have to homeschool that poor kid. Terrible choice.

jessilee15

It makes me think of the old Batman TV show "bam" "pow" "wham!" it's not a name

flyingmombula

I foresee this kid getting made fun of and growing up insecure because of it... better off as a nn

eta: kids can be really cruel, in case you don't remember!

breezycat

I honestly think parents that name their children crazy names are selfish and immature. Your son is his own person, he's separate from you and your hobbies and it isn't fair to him to saddle him with such a ridiculous name.

Grow up and think about your child's feelings and not just your need to announce to the world that your cool and unique.

kerismatic

So I totally couldn't invest the time in finishing reading this post either... I agree with @kh1824, name a pet Zapp.  If you're so sold on it as you appear to be, I would consider the suggestion @NotThereYet made about reversing the order.  In truth, this is what Zapp made me think of:
 
But as PP mentioned, if you're so sold on the name, I'm not quite sure why you brought it here.  Hope your future child appreciates the "meaning" as much as you and your SO do.  GL!

rpazzaam

Why not allow that as a nickname and name him a name that's not based on a made up cartoon?

elowen15

I feel so much better about my inability to name this baby after this post.... I'll just keep telling myself, "it could be worse... I could want to name her Zapp."

queenwog

If you think PPs pairing it with Uranus is bad and unreasonable, I dare you to walk into an elementary school classroom the way your child will have to someday and tell all those kids that your name is Zapp and see what their reactions are. Then consider that being that you're an adult, their reactions will be tempered in comparison to how your child, one of their peers, will be treated. The bullying will be incessant for life.

It's cruel. If it upsets you to be told that your baby name selection is cruel, then keep it to yourself. Or just pick a better name.