How do you handle when ppl hate the name?

CDBETKER · June 2010

I am pretty sure DH and I have our name for our little boy picked out - and tons of ppl hate it or it's just not their style, which is understandable but it's also kinda a downer to hear ppl's reactions all the time to it.....

I don't think it's a terrible name, nor totally unheardof, just a bit on the rarer side I guess (It's Lincoln, nm Linc, BTW). We just wanted something different but not super far out there. But to be honest, I'm also getting tired of hearing the negative comments about it from friends and family when we say it's our top contender.

So how would you handle that? Just suck it up and ignore it or should we see it as a sign and look for something else?

mtnovak1986 · June 2010

I personally like the name Lincoln. Also it is really rude of people to say they dont like the name that you say you picked out unless you ask for their opinion. But I think Lincoln is really cute!!!

Acendaneil · June 2010

I met a Linc once! Yes, short for Lincoln...and he was awesome. Very nice guy.

I just give up on asking for middle name ideas because it always goes towards the first name. We haven't told anybody we know in the flesh the name, because we know they would give bad reactions. So we're keeping it secret until she comes. Call me a wimp, but I don't like to be bashed on what we like, or what we decide for the baby, so I just don't ask for opinions on it anymore.

katiemac12345 · June 2010

If you guys really like it and have thought about it for awhile, then I would ignore the comments. Lots of ppl don't share the name until baby is born for that reason.

krissyh21 · June 2010

1) not share until the baby is here, everyone has an opinion and people *think* their opinions matter. Once a baby is born, people are less inclined to share an opinion since they can not longer change your mind.

2) Realize that not everyone is going to like every name out there. Unless you are being told by everyone that Neveah is the stupidest name they have ever heard of or Fenway was meant to be a dogs name, then take it all with a grain of salt.

3) I found that when the name is THE one, what other people say really does not matter. I never once asked peoples opinions on Dillon's name and I did not care what they said. It was and is his name and H and I love it, that is all that matters!

katiemac12345 · June 2010

Also, everyone will looove the baby once he is born and will love his name too, b/c its associated with him!

skyejo · June 2010

People are rude. It's one thing when posters comment on names when the OP asks for it, but it's another thing when your friends and family IRL are dissing the name. Why in the world other people think they have the right to name your baby is beyond me--unless of course you're asking for their opinions.

I'm keeping my name a secret IRL but I know that it's not well liked by the majority on the interwebz--Parker for a girl. I know some of my friends and family will love it and some will hate it. Just suck it up and try to ignore it. If you love the name then go for it. I'm not letting others influence a name that I love.

JillAly · June 2010

I'd say something like, "if it was good enough for one of the best presidents this country has ever seen, it's good enough for my son". Something along those lines.

Bottom line is you can never win- someone is always going to have a negative comment. We chose a very "normal" name - Allison. My step-mom and sister both made comments on how they don't like it. We just shrugged our shoulders- it's hurtful but it's our child, not theirs. If your DH and you both like it, that is all that matters. As soon as the baby is born, it's all forgotten anyway. Your child "becomes" that name and it's hard to see them by any other name- I guarantee a year from now your family will say something like "he is such a lincoln and I can't imagine him being named something else".

rach2100 · June 2010

I adore Lincoln (nn Linc)....that's my cousin's name. Good choice!

pawcall · June 2010

I think we probably just won't share the name we've decided on until after the baby is born. We don't want opinions, we like what we like, so everyone can just wait until LO is born to find out.

sunnyday016 · June 2010

I can see how Lincoln may not be everyone's style, but there is nothing terrible about the name. If it was truly a terrible name, I'd tell you. But it's not! I'm sure once he's here, people will be more accepting of the name.

oliviasmom08 · June 2010

It's too late now, but in the future, don't share the name. We made that mistake this last time. We were team green and if we had had a girl, she would've been Lila. My Dad HATED the name (no idea why). Part of me was wanting to change it because it was my Dad who hated it, but in the end, it's our baby and we'll name it what we want. So, yeah, try to ignore it and remember that it's your baby and your decision. GL!

still_a_bride · June 2010

I really like the name Lincoln!! I can't believe people you know IRL are being negative about it! :-( I would just ignore them or maybe even try to think of some comeback. People are just negative...if it wasn't about the name it would be something else. I had people saying things like, "have fun now because you won't after you have a baby." I'd just say, I love babies and can't wait to be a mom." It's terrible that people try to take away our joy when we're pregnant!!

FemmeNat01 · June 2010

Ignore them. I love the names we chose. Plus, I never told anyone the names until they were born and that way, they are less obliged to tell us that they don't like the name.

LPace84 · June 2010

Taht is tough. I personally like the name and think it is eactly what you were going for (different but not way out there). My husband and I will not be sharing our name choices before the baby is born fo rhtis very reason. People are a lot lss likely to offer their unwanted opinions with the baby right in front of them looking all cute. There will always be someone though. Just smile and politely tell tehm to shove off.

LPace84 · June 2010

Sorry for all the typos. I just re-read my post and know you all think I probably didn't make it through the 2nd grade. Woops!

itkatydid · June 2010

I named DS Kane- which you may know that Cain was the "bad" son in the bible. It was so annoying when I was pregnant that people would constantly tell me "you know that is the name of the bad son in the bible" Yes a-hole I do but it isn't spelled the same and we like the name.

Once DS got here and people were looking at his cute face no one said that to me anymore. However, if I'm at the grocery store and there is a crabby looking old person and they ask his name I usually just say Robert because that is his middle name.

brookelynpaisley · June 2010

I like Lincoln. It's very nice and will grow well. I haven't been blessed yet, but I imagine part of being a parent is growing thick skin and learning to do what's right for you and your family regardless of others' opinions. If people are so brazen to share negative comments, learn to walk away and say "I appreciate your opinion, but we're happy with our choice."

I agree that in the future, keeping the name secret is the way to go. That's what we plan to do if/when I get pregnant. As we'll know the sex, it'll be nice to have just one surprise.

Under.the.Rose · June 2010

We're not sharing out name choices with anyone we know until the baby is born for this very reason. If you choose to tell you're just ASKING for people to give their opinions, so you can either choose to see it as helpful or just brush it off. I like having the opportunity to share on here at least because sometimes other people's opinions are totally valid (they might think of a horrible nickname you child might get that you never considered, etc.).

jcsntms06 · June 2010

I like the name Lincoln. I hate when people are rude about the name that you decided. Sorry your going through this. Maybe next time, try not to spill the name until the baby is here.

gjkhjr01 · June 2010

I love it! I knew a guy named Lincoln and I thought his name was cool/fitting. They'll all politely shut up once the name is on paper.

Temp984666312503071 · June 2010

I think you have to expect all kinds of reactions when you share a baby name prior to the birth of the baby. Are you wanting them to fake a positive reaction to make you feel good? Say nothing?

You will never find a name that everyone likes. We all have different tastes in names. My aunt isn't crazy about our top name choice right now (Connor) but I have to remember that I don't particularly like my cousin's (her son) name very much (Dylan). Different strokes!

BizEB · June 2010

When we were tossing around names, not set on anything, I floated names by close family and friends to get honest opinions. I took what they said to heart- I don't want to be one of those parents that gets so wrapped up in a name I like that I forget that my kid has to wear the name forever and what I likely hear about the name, he/she will hear one day.

For example, DH and I love the name Jasper for a boy. No one in my family liked it and a few of my close friends hated it. They had different objections (girly was one that came up alot, pet name was another) so we listened to them and chose another name. I guess I'm just saying you should listen to why people don't like the name and determine if what they are saying has merit or not.

j_luvs_r · June 2010

sweetheart18:
I think you have to expect all kinds of reactions when you share a baby name prior to the birth of the baby. Are you wanting them to fake a positive reaction to make you feel good? Say nothing?

You will never find a name that everyone likes. We all have different tastes in names. My aunt isn't crazy about our top name choice right now (Connor) but I have to remember that I don't particularly like my cousin's (her son) name very much (Dylan). Different strokes!

Actually, that is exactly what you should do unless you are specifically asked for an opinion. Especially when it's the final choice! Saying anything negative at that point is flat out rude.

OP - I love Lincoln & I'm sorry that you're family & friends are so rude. Don't change the name unless you agree with their negativity. I'd just start telling people to get used to it because it's what you've chosen.

Good luck!

queenbone · June 2010

I wouldn't change it to please other people. Even if they hate it now, it will eventually grow on them. Our friends named their son Harry (just Harry) which isn't something I would ever choose, but it seems totally appropriate and cute now. Our top contender for a second baby is Francis which is super unpopular, but we are keeping it mostly to ourselves to avoid criticism before the fact. People usually zip it once the baby arrives and the name is already on the birth certificate.

And fwiw, Lincoln is a nice name.

amcam24 · June 2010

Well, I decided that my taste is better than my family's anyways, so if they don't like it, it must be good.

I do read about names, and ask on message boards, and if everyone hated a name, I'd drop it. I don't want my kid going through life with a name everyone hates.

That.Just.Happened · June 2010

This is precisely why we are not sharing even options with anyone IRL. People will never say the kinds of things about the name once the baby is here and named, so I would just stop telling people. If you love the name, their opinion doesn't matter and I certainly wouldn't change my mind based on others opinions.

Poplin2007 · June 2010

Honestly, if I was getting lots of negative feedback I'd reconsider the name. I wouldn't want my kid to get that kind of reaction for the rest of his life (school paperwork, job applications, etc). That said, I think Lincoln is pretty cute.

sara1817 · June 2010

I really like this name! I wouldn't share name options anymore. We didn't share Dd's name because of potential negetive reactions. When asked I would just reply "We haven't decided yet, we're weighing a lot of options."

Tuscana · June 2010

we aren't sharimg because we don't wish for feedback or input. We had both a boys and a girls name selected and now that we're having a girl we'll still be keeping our boys name quiet just in case we have a boy one day down the road.

MrsEricH · June 2010

Don't let it bother you- Lincoln is a perfectly fine name- there's a boy in my class named Lincoln and he's a really good kid so I have a good association with it

We've had our boy name set for awhile and my godparents just asked me last week what we had decided on, and they both were like, "Really. Isn't that a last name? Yeah, that's a last name." And they kept going on about how they'd never heard it before, and that it was a last name. I just ignored them; we're not going to change our mind because of a couple people's opinions. Everyone else loves the name we've picked.

I say go for it.

*littlered* · June 2010

I'd probably reconsider - just b/c I wouldn't want my child to get that his whole life. I definitely would not say anything about President Lincoln - haha - his LAST name was Lincoln - totally different.

JLGY · June 2010

Next time don't tell anyone until it's too late and the baby is here and named. That's what we did (for this reason) and did not get one bad comment. It worked out great.

Stensgard · June 2010

I wouldn't pick it because I've encountered several dogs named Lincoln. HOWEVER, if it's a name you really love, just ignore everyone else.They chose names they liked for their offspring, you do the same.

jennvee77 · June 2010

I would say..."I was not really looking for your opinion"

Everyone will always have something to say. If you do not want others opinions your best bet is to keep it to yourself until baby is born.

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