These days, cool, one-of-a-kind names are all the rage with parents. We’re increasingly choosing a variety of new names for the next generation, but people with weird names (“weird” as perceived by others) could attract ridicule and judgment. However, unlike the recent case of one child being mocked by airline staff, some of the weirdest names for babies can receive ridicule before birth.
Weirdest names for babies: Mom-to-be cancels baby shower after her baby boy’s name receives ridicule
One mom-to-be has become viral on the internet after apparently calling off her baby shower. The reason, she explains, was because family and friends did not approve of the baby name she chose: Squire Sebastian Senator.
Her Facebook post begins with:
Dear Members of the Squire Sebastian Senator Babyshower, I have a really important announcement to make. It brings me pain to have to tell you this, but I am cancelling the event.”
The anonymous woman continues, explaining why she did it. She says her friends were circulating “rumors and lies”:
“You all have been talking s*** about my unborn baby. AN UNBORN CHILD. How can you judge an unborn child??”
Later, the mom clarifies that she wasn’t “crazy”, “mentally unstable” or “drunk” at the time of choosing the three-word name.
Mom stands by weirdest names for babies
Her son’s name, however, isn’t just three words: it “is only his first name,” the mom continues in the post.
In fact, she clearly says that her son was “not allowed to have a nickname,” stressing out that he was to be identified “by his full and complete first name”, she writes.
The mom-to-be then justified her decision, explaining that her family’s lineage comes from a long line of “both squires and senators”:
“If you look back in our family tree, the survival of this clan is literally rooted in squiredom. We are all related to senators too. This name conveys power. It conveys wealth. It conveys success. My baby’s name WILL be a revolution.”
The mom-to-be then finishes her long Facebook post accusing her family of being “fake”and judging her choice of baby name. She also asserts that her son’s name is special and is going to make him “extraordinary”.
It may sound unbelievable, but here is the full Facebook post – as shared by other users:
Weirdest names for babies: the alleged full Facebook post of the mom. | Image Source: Facebook
Netizens respond just as equally harsh
The social media post, which was also shared on Reddit, garnered a lot of harsh criticism from online netizens. Many people on the forum website mocked the mom for choosing such a name for her unborn baby:
“No one’s talking s*** about your unborn baby. They’re talking s*** about your poor naming choices,” writes one user.
Another person says that the unborn baby may become the first child “to run away from home before he’s born”.
Other people urged the woman to think back on her choices by thinking of the life the baby might have growing up:
One Redditor advises the mom as she would to a pregnant friend, telling her to “imagine growing up with it yourself” prior to “settling on a name”.
Another Redditor talked about the woman’s note, which asked “’Why name your child something boring?” stating the reason that weird names could lead to the unborn child suffering from “school bullying” and “his job applications going straight into the bin.”
Parents, do think about the consequences of naming your child first
Giving a child a unique name isn’t wrong. However, imposing a name on a child that might be subject to future ridicule is.
Yes, parents do hold the authority and right to name their child as they wish. But before rushing things, they should think about the potential consequences when giving their child a name, too.
Weirdest names for babies (or, at least, perceived as weird) may possibly rope in taunts, and the child may become a victim of bullying. Parents will also have to check if the child’s initials may fall prey to others’ ridicule (say, Alice Sandy Sia – ASS; or Penny Imogen Goh – Pig).
Will the child be mocked throughout their life? Would they deserve to suffer for something that identifies them uniquely among others? Or imagine repeating the same long name over and over growing up?
After all, ultimately names are just labels. We hope that our child will have the attributes or meanings linked to their name. However, it isn’t a guaranteed factor of success — there are so many more factors in life that determine a person’s fate apart from their names.
The names are just there to identify these successes.
The Takeaway…
So parents, do remember that names are a lifelong gift to your children — but there are so many more things that matter. Please consider giving them a name that is not easily open to ridicule. Think about the consequences first.
Reference: New York Post
Also Read: Child named ‘Abcde,’ mocked by airline staff for unusual name
Republished with permission from The Asian Parent Singapore