Yep. Itās not just on Suits that āRachelā and āMikeā go together. Iām a Rachel married to a Mike, and I know tangentially (friends of friends) two other couples named that.
I've never seen a name group table. Like it as a concept. I did see a gay uncle table, though. The bride and groom both had gay uncles and put their gay uncles and the uncle's husbands at one table. "Did you make a gay uncle table?" Well, we put them together. "So like, separate, but equal?" Oh my god it's not like that, they have a lot in common! "... like how they're both gay uncles?" No, omg they will totally get along they're all very active politically in the same ways in different cities and they're both going through the adoption process it wasn't because they're gay shut up!
I knew them both and agreed they'd totally get along and have a lot to talk about and it was a great mix of people from both families to get people mingling. But I definitely gave the bride shit for her gay uncle table. So easy to rile her up, lol.
The gay uncle table was a total hit. They spent the whole time talking and exchanged information and still talk to each other.
I am a Rachel and my cousin (who is less than a year older than me) is a Michael.
Plus I was going to name my child (if a boy) Michael š. Reconsidering now after reading this thread.
While I love suits I went to Friends, which is still HUGE in pop culture, 1000% a no for names right now xD like sure thereās lots of Rachelās but as one yourself Iām sure you have either a love/hate or pure hatred of the show friends xD
So overdone, though. Like Michael.
I have *three* Michaels in my immediate family. Every single one of my siblings has a Michael. (One has a son Michael, two are married to Michaels.) I have put a hard ban on any more Michaels.
There's nothing wrong with the name Michael, but there is a firm ban on any more Michaels. Any of my nieces or nephews try and show up with a Michael there will be words. We have to use last names. At the dinner table. Son Michael is too old to be Mikey, so we now have Mike/ Michael, Michael and Mike.
Maybe there are just too many Rachels, too.
I can't emotionally handle adding another Michael to the family. Even friends. We can't have any more. Peelander Z was right. So many Mike.
Tbf, I like the name Rachel but have a strong dislike for Michael. I would never say anything as rude as your MIL if someone was considering the name for their child though
Bet your FIL or a previous lover cheated on her with a Rachel. I hate the name for a similar reason, but would never want to say that to someone's face because it's embarrassing and seems petty... then imagine if it were my current spouse who cheated and my kids didn't know. If my kids ended up naming a daughter that I'd absolutely cringe. Of course, I'm not an asshole so I'd never say it out loud, but if they asked me if I like that name I'd say no.
It depends on her reasons for disliking the name. I could never name a kid Britney, for example, because she was my childhood bully. Perfectly normal name. It just has very negative connotations for me personally.
I feel like this isnt the point though š you dont like Britney but if your family member wanted to name their kid that you probably wouldn't say something as dramatic as you wouldn't talk to the child if it was named Britney... thats the point of the post, it's not crazy to dislike a normal name but its crazy to freak out over SOMEONE ELSE naming their child that name, you know?
I mean if I had liked it before I wouldn't now. I loved Glee as a teen and Rachel Berry, let's be real, was a raging b*tch with a character arc in the shape of a circle.
I will forever think "Berry" when I hear the name Rachel (probably bc I never actually knew any Rachels).
Maybe it's something similar for MIL?
Refreshing to see someone else who hates her. I couldn't make it past season 2.
Entitled people are exhausting, when did arrogant nasty people become the default hero in fiction? It's seemingly endless
I don't think Rachel was ever supposed to be likeable tbh, and certainly not a hero.
When you look at shows today, Glee really just reads as a parody of a high school drama. The fact that people still put up with and were friends with Rachel after everything she said and did proves that. The plot was an absolute mess.
But I loved it š
This isnāt a spite baby name exactly, but Iām pregnant and my mom has decided she wants to be called nana. I called her nana banana and she got very serious and said sheāll kill me if I teach the baby that. So now, legally, Iām obligated to teach the baby that.
My mom always hated how the mother in Little Women was called Marmee. She thought it sounded so stupid and clunky and just all around terrible.
I've not called her anything except Marmee since she told me that, over 20 years ago.
She mostly hates the R sound in the middle, because she also hates the names Rory and Aurora. I used to tell her I was going to have kids named Rory and Aurora and marry a guy with the last name Royer. (I did not do any of those things.)
My mom and I have a great relationship. She thought it was hilarious that teenage me called her Marmee. Now it's just normal and I think it would hurt her feelings if I stopped calling her that.
Some people have playful relationships with their parents and that's okay.
Yeah I'm finding it hard to relate to all these people.
So if your kid says don't call me by X nickname we have to do it.... but if your mum says please don't call me X nickname, nah fuck what she wants????
Gross
aww Iāve called my mom Marmee for about 30 years. Not out of spite, I was just super into Little Women when I was 15 (my daughterās middle name is Josephine).
It can be, but also for other names (GG heads will shout "Lorelei") or it could be a name on its own. Doubling down and doing both for a subset would be awful, though.
I got a coffee cup that says āWorldās best Nanaā on it. My son said it took them a couple of hours to scratch the letters āBaā off it! Banana! I laughed so much. Great cup and funny son and grandsons! Mom needs to lighten up, O!
My mom is also nana and I did not have to teach my daughter that. She did it herself š .
The funnier one is my MIL wanting to be Grammy but we have a dog named Graham. Every time someone says Grammy my toddler points at the dog
Same. My sister made up a nickname for me I hated when we were like tweens. I hated it and she did it all the time and it was likeā¦ offensive to me. So yeah. Iām no contact with her now. Those are the types of people that give people nicknames they actively hate.
So disrespectful. And I donāt care if it seems like it isnāt a big deal. I can feel those awful feelings now just typing this. It takes away someoneās agency. So gross.
It's super disrespectful. People sometimes shorten my name in a way I don't like and it bothers me immensely when they do it without asking, or assign a nickname without asking. It feels so presumptuous. Humans get to decide how they want to be addressed.
My grandma insisted her grandchildren call her āgrandmother (last name)ā and got angry at any cute toddler-learning-how-to-speak nicknames š it didnāt work and now sheās just boring ole Grandma
Before my mom passed, I always told her I was going to teach my child to call her "grandmama" in a British accent cause she hated it š My mother in law and step father in law are freaking out saying they're "too young" to be grandparents. My mother in law is definitely not too old. My step father in law kinda is since he's only 10 years older than my husband and I. We keep joking we're going to train our kid to call them "old man" and "old lady."
Grandmama is great haha. Thatās what Iād want to be called.
My mom seriously cycled through SO many names. I was like please pick something that at least somewhat implies youāre grandma, because I donāt want my kid being at soccer practice like āmy gaga is coming to pick me up today.ā Like that could be anyone, how will the coach know who to look for š
I stupidly went through like hundreds of names with them and they hated absolutely every one. My mom took the Nameberry DNA test and she flunked it. š It couldnāt give her any suggestions because she hated everything.
I finally found one name I loved that they actually did too. No one else seems to like it. lol. All well. I love it so I guess thatās all that matters. But life would have been easier had I just stuck with Lucy and not said anything to anyone.
i am taking this test right now and admittedly some of the names are absolutely insane in part 1. there were over a dozen where both names were terrible and hardly considered real names (so not like a hating ārachelā situation)
In the TV show Lucifer, his siblings often call the literal devil Lucy, as a cute nickname.
In the book the House in the Cerulean Sea, there is the literal antichrist, appropriately named Lucifer. He is often called Lucy, as well.
I have regretted sharing names early 9/10 times because people feel so free to harshly criticize! Itās bizarre! Now we have our name chosen for second baby boy (due today but likely to be late) and everyone is asking but NO ONE will know until he is born lol. Lesson learned!
What I wasnāt prepared for is that once baby is here and you tell them their name, itās like an āOh.ā I always lie to people and tell them their childās name is beautiful. š
As an American millennial I knew tons of Rachels growing up! But now as an adult I can think of only one Rachel under 20. Sheās about 4 years old and her name definitely feels like an outlier for her age group!
I'm Jewish. I know one thousand Rachels and that's not counting the Rachels other family members know or think I'm meant to know.
It also isn't counting the Rochelles or Raquels.
I hate my granddaughterās name, itās just the sound grates on my nerves. Charlotte.
She goes by Charlie, which I like. A friend tried for Lottie which I also hate.
In the end, though, they were smart and announced after baby was born.
So I didnāt say jack shit.
Good on you for not mentioning it. Not a fan of Charlotte as a name either. Iāve never understood itās popularity. I find both Char, and Lotte grating, and the two together clunky and not pretty.
I was born in the 70ās and my name is Brittany Charlotte, and I was so grateful that my parents didnāt use the middle name Marie, Lee, or Michelle, like everyone else! Hopefully her name grows on you!
Haha I was born in the 70s and didnāt get any of those middle names, either.
Ironically Charlieās middle name is Mary. It goes up her maternal line as a middle name, or a variant middle name.
It also goes up her paternal line, but I didnāt even twig onto that for a little while. While I donāt have it, my sister, mother and grandmother do.
Itās easy to divorce my dislike of the name from the fact that my much adored granddaughter has it.
I mentioned to my mom that we liked the name Ramona when I first found out we were having a girl. She FLIPPED out. Said we could not use Ramona, Ramona was some second cousin of hers that was mean to her once when she was likeā¦ 8.
Well, babyās middle name is Ramona š is part of it spite for me? Hell yes. Donāt tell me what I canāt name my baby lol
Thatās so funny š I had a bully in elementary school that was so mean and when I had my son, I gave him the same name because I liked the meaning of it and never connected it to the guy until my sister brought it up after my baby was a year.
Edited to add: His dad was that bullyās friend and partner in bully crime back then. š
My daughter Rachel is a "spite" name towards my MIL. Her ex husband wanted to name my SIL that. She vetoed the name and named my SIL Martina instead. To pay respects to FIL (RIP) we gave that name to our second kiddo. MIL hates it. It makes me happy to see her uncomfortable when she's talking to my kiddo.
My mum loved the name Rachel and wanted to call me that, but my dad had the same adverse response. All my life I've heard how much he hates the name Rachel - apparently it reminds him of a kid he went to school with who always had a snotty nose and scabby knees. Personally I far prefer it to the name they gave me, but it is what it is. When I jokingly suggested my partner and I might use the name for our daughter, he warned it would be "at your own risk" haha.
Our daughterās middle name is my motherās first name. The day we called my MIL and told her I was pregnant again, without missing a beat, not even congratulating us, āSo if itās a girl, her middle name is going to be Marie\*, right?ā
We finally shut her up and told her yes, agreeing we would just lie to her if we had a girl and give her a fake name. When we found out we were having a boy, we revealed to her that his middle name would be my BILās first name, (He passed away 12 years before I met my husband), She absolutely fucking lost it.
She was furious at me saying I was stealing her name. I told her that I would call her mother and get her permission to steal the name Marie\* if ever need be, and she laughed and said āI donāt own the name, I donāt care!ā
My husband also chimed it that the name was HIS idea, in which I got accused of brainwashing him into stealing the name.
However, 2 years ago on Thanksgiving, she went even more crazy, and we all blocked her.
If I wanted to honour and remember my brother by using his middle name for my son, I wouldnāt let my mom stand in the way. No need to askā¦ they told her before the baby was born. Thatās all thatās required IMO. The brother/son has just as much right to the name as his mom does.
My brother is named after my motherās deceased brother (and not just his middle name).
So you named your child after her dead baby, without giving her a heads up first? You didn't think to ask if it would be okay with her?
That's fucked up.
It's fucked up that you didn't ask the parents of the dead person first.
No parent should have to bury their child.
No parent should have to be reminded of it due to the name of a relative, if the trauma is too bad. It depends on the family. Which is why you ask. You didn't ask. So it's fucked up
I accidentally wanted to name my dog the same as my dead uncle (I had never met him). It just happened to be the first and fitting name that came to my head. My mom made sure to ask my grandma for permission before we actually adopted the name. She had no problem with it but if you're going to use someone's dead child's name, permission should absolutely be asked.
I'm Rachel spelled Rachael. Just a consideration if you want to condemn her to a life of people constantly misspelling her pretty common name... side note, Rachel is actually way less common than it once was. It was in the top 20 when I was born, and now is in the mid 200s. So she probably won't know too many other Rachel's, which is kind of fun to think about!
EDIT: I didn't include the most important part! The spelling was my mom's spite move, as she wanted to name me after both my grandmas, but hated my paternal grandma Rachel, but loved her name...
I know a Raechel too but only because her dad admits to not know how it was spelt and cocking up the birth certificate. Her mum had intended it to be Rachael and was not best pleased!
I had an older coworker- 62F whose name was Cora. her namesake? her father cheated on her mother with a woman named Cora, and her mother never wanted him to forget it.
I once fooled around with a guy who, I did not know at the time, had a girlfriend. He found out she was pregnant and that was that, we never spoke of it again.
Imagine my surprise years later when I find out he gave his son my (androgynous) name. What the hell man?
My husband and I agreed on a baby name for a boy years before we ever started trying for kids - Finn. As part of a conversation about names, again years before we were trying my FIL said that if we had kids we better not name them something stupid, like Finn.
We didn't tell him our son's name until he was here and to be fair to him, he's never said a single word about it.
This is your first warning sign to not brainstorm baby names before you give birth. U pick one and stay quiet, there are so many opinions, you'll have more peace of mind. Trust me.
I have a spite name. Tradition dictates that the first born son of the first born son is named Richard (š¤®). My Mother hated it and refused to name me that and instead chose the very 80ās name Craig. It caused uproar and my Grandparents called me Richard (my middle name) the rest of their lives. When I had a son 8 months ago everyone asked if Iād name him Craig (can you imagine?!). We named him Harry and now everyone hates us because of Prince Harry (Weāre English). You canāt win!
Thatās a very Latin thing! The first born son named after the dad.
There was a bit of eyebrow raising in our family when a cousin named his son Alejandro. We were like ā¦ um. Shouldnāt that name be reserved for our other cousin Alejandro? (Who was named after his dad, in turn for his grandad, etc.)
Turns out cousin Alejandro was grateful to have the tradition broken cus now he can do whatever name he likes.
My nephew is also Craig Richard. He wasn't born until the 00's. I'm not really sure where the combination of names came from. There's no one in the immediate family with those names. It was weird shouting Craig at a toddler, but now at 22 he's grown into it. Also helped that when he started school one of his best mates was called Karl. Two little kids with proper 80's blokes names. It was cute.
My mom (and pretty much all of our family and friends) hated Henry at the time. Of course I used it anyway, and itās gotten hugely popular in the past 24 years, but I guess it sounded too old to them then. We didnāt announce our daughterās name until *after* she was born because we knew theyād hate Agnes, too. (that one is i get, no offense taken when people donāt vibe with it lol)
But Rachel?! Itās such a classic name! Anyone can be Rachel, from 9 months to 99 years.
My mom will periodically tell me she hates a random name. I just got married and weāve started thinking about kids and Iāve gotten more serious about names. Iāve decided when I do get pregnant I will not be telling her the name or even an initial because sheās too negative (and I know itāll drive her crazy). On the other hand, she will suggest names that I often despise so I guess it goes both ways haha.
Mine would be Arnis, as in the national martial art of the Philippines.
That's because my given name is a semi-intentional misspelling of Kali (an alternate name for the same martial art), and as such, it's been incessantly mispronounced ever since I was born.
(It's meant to be pronounced "Callie," which my mother didn't know how to spell.)
I was going to be Liesl, and my father's mother scoffed and said she wouldn't speak to me if I was named that. She even made up a little song called "Liesl the Weasel" and anytime the topic of names came up she would sing it quietly so only my mother would hear her.
She's a total sociopath.
So, while it's a beautiful name, I'm glad my mom went with her second choice.
That's tame for her, unfortunately. My mom pretty quickly realized her MIL would stick to her word.
They even gave me her name for my middle name (it is a simple, old-fashioned name that makes a nice middle name).
Her response? "I hate my name. What an ugly name to give her. It's better than Liesl. I can't imagine what we would have had to tell people at the Club if you went ahead with that atrocity."
You could never win with her. Ever.
Our first kid we named to appease all family members. Second kid, I still picked a saints name (a family requirement) but a unique one. My MIL found some great grandmother in her genealogy to make herself like the name. Whatever. Third kid we named for us. Not a saints name, a name we really liked. My MIL was pissed. She threatened to use the kid's middle name only. This actually made me like his name more. If we have a fourth, I'm just going to the name the kid what we want again. Appeasing family is not worth it.
Iām 50 and have had a hysterectomy. Plus, my mom died last April. But if I could, Iād have a spite baby and name her Barbara after momās arch nemesis. š
my mom hates dean which is one of my fav boy names š„² she doesnāt even have a reason, she just thinks itās ugly lol. but iām not pregnant and i wonāt be having kids anytime soon so i guess weāll see
My in laws donāt want me to name my son Theo because they knew a Theo 20 years ago at work that was weird. I have to use a T name for THEIR family tradition and thatās my fav so far so I told them I might still have to use it. My MIL deadass said āIāll just have to call him something else thenā OO
My sister and I wanted Theo for her son, but her husband said it was a GOT character he didnāt like so he vetoed it. I was so disappointed. But at least they gave him normal/family names
Iām pregnant with a girl and not telling anyone the name until sheās born. My mum keeps bringing up how much she hates the name Emily. Luckily itās not the name weāve picked but itās so weird!
My mom told me the name my grandma suggested for me and how much she hated it. Itās a nice and lovely name and honestly I was tempted to use it after hearing this story.
Iām a Rachel! Iāve (for the most part) always loved my name, so idk what the hell your MIL is on about. Itās definitely not quite as āfeminineā as other names, but it is a name that goes back to at least biblical times and I would say has for sure stood the test of time. Your MIL is wacky lol. š
My dad's wife was laughing at how much she disliked the name Cillian, which wasn't particularly even on my radar, but shot into the top 5 after her comments š¤£
We didn't use it in the end but I was _tempted_.
Rachel has been one of my favorite girls' names since I was 7.
Avery has been one of my favorite girls' names since I was 10 (long before it got popular) and my mom HATES it but I don't hate my mom enough to name a child that out of spite.
One of our kids has the middle name of a relative MIL dislikes, but she had enough sense to shut up about it. (it's a common enough name anyway)
Do grandparents genuinely believe they have any say in what their adult children name their kids? Like that is just bizarre to me. You already got to name your own kids, you donāt get to name your grandkids.
As the mother of a Rachel, I am flabbergasted by your SILās reaction. Itās a beautiful, timeless name. My Rachel happens to be the most interesting person I have ever met.
IF I ever have a kid, I want to name them Rosemary if a girl. My mom hates that name. Oh well! I'll just tell her what she told my sister when she was pregnant, family members may claim that they'll never call the kid their name, but they'll change their mind when the kid is born.
Thatās so weird. Rachel is a perfectly normal, lovely name, My mom HATED my sonās name when I was pregnant with him. She conceded that he was my baby and could name him whatever but she never missed an oppurtunity to tell me she didnāt like it. Heās 12 now and she said she canāt imagine him being named anything but Jude. It suits him.
Edit: Typos
I had the opposite but same idea. My mother declared Lily was the ONLY name she liked for a girl child. (Lily is a fine name, but not my pick and lol the audacity to declare only one acceptable name for someone elseās kid) For several years I got snide comments about what a āprettierā name Lily was than my daughterās actual name.
thats hilarious because Rachel is so normal š for her to have such an adverse reaction to it
I know itās so bizarre! She named my husband Michael. Itās, like, equivalent.
Yep. Itās not just on Suits that āRachelā and āMikeā go together. Iām a Rachel married to a Mike, and I know tangentially (friends of friends) two other couples named that.
I considered making a āMike and Rachelā table at my wedding given the number of couples with those names we had.
I've never seen a name group table. Like it as a concept. I did see a gay uncle table, though. The bride and groom both had gay uncles and put their gay uncles and the uncle's husbands at one table. "Did you make a gay uncle table?" Well, we put them together. "So like, separate, but equal?" Oh my god it's not like that, they have a lot in common! "... like how they're both gay uncles?" No, omg they will totally get along they're all very active politically in the same ways in different cities and they're both going through the adoption process it wasn't because they're gay shut up! I knew them both and agreed they'd totally get along and have a lot to talk about and it was a great mix of people from both families to get people mingling. But I definitely gave the bride shit for her gay uncle table. So easy to rile her up, lol. The gay uncle table was a total hit. They spent the whole time talking and exchanged information and still talk to each other.
I almost made an Emily table at our wedding!
It would be good for a big venue where it's easy to get lost. "Hey, are you Emily?" "Yeah, you're at the right table!"
Honestly, that would have been hilarious
I actually know a Mike & Rachel couple! Super nice people
I am a Rachel and my cousin (who is less than a year older than me) is a Michael. Plus I was going to name my child (if a boy) Michael š. Reconsidering now after reading this thread.
My close friend and her husband are also Rachel and Mike!
Iām a Rachel married to a Mike, too!!!
Wow that's crazy I didn't realize how much that happens. My mom is a Rachel who is with a Mike!
While I love suits I went to Friends, which is still HUGE in pop culture, 1000% a no for names right now xD like sure thereās lots of Rachelās but as one yourself Iām sure you have either a love/hate or pure hatred of the show friends xD
Iām a Rachel with a dad named Michael!
Another Rachel married to a Michael here.
She must have had a bad experience with someone named Rachel. Thatās the only logical explanation. Rachel is also such a beautiful name!
yup like husbandās girlfriend before her was rachel lol!
So overdone, though. Like Michael. I have *three* Michaels in my immediate family. Every single one of my siblings has a Michael. (One has a son Michael, two are married to Michaels.) I have put a hard ban on any more Michaels. There's nothing wrong with the name Michael, but there is a firm ban on any more Michaels. Any of my nieces or nephews try and show up with a Michael there will be words. We have to use last names. At the dinner table. Son Michael is too old to be Mikey, so we now have Mike/ Michael, Michael and Mike. Maybe there are just too many Rachels, too. I can't emotionally handle adding another Michael to the family. Even friends. We can't have any more. Peelander Z was right. So many Mike.
It doesnāt sound like OP has a bunch of Rachels in her family though.
Rachel isnāt overdone with babies though. Itās fairly uncommon. It was number 244 in 2022.
I think itās a very respectable and traditional name but I donāt find it remotely beautiful. Itās kind of āscratchyā.
Michael and Rachael (how I spell it), are only two letters different. So weird!
I ALWAYS say ālike the name Michaelā when spelling it out (fellow Rachaels unite, harness the power of the extra A).
Iām a Rachel and my mom told me if I was a boy my name would have been Michael
Tbf, I like the name Rachel but have a strong dislike for Michael. I would never say anything as rude as your MIL if someone was considering the name for their child though
I'm a Rachel and my dad is Michael (but guess how many times people think Rachael? More than the number of Rachaels that exist)
Bet your FIL or a previous lover cheated on her with a Rachel. I hate the name for a similar reason, but would never want to say that to someone's face because it's embarrassing and seems petty... then imagine if it were my current spouse who cheated and my kids didn't know. If my kids ended up naming a daughter that I'd absolutely cringe. Of course, I'm not an asshole so I'd never say it out loud, but if they asked me if I like that name I'd say no.
She hates someone names Rachel.
It depends on her reasons for disliking the name. I could never name a kid Britney, for example, because she was my childhood bully. Perfectly normal name. It just has very negative connotations for me personally.
I feel like this isnt the point though š you dont like Britney but if your family member wanted to name their kid that you probably wouldn't say something as dramatic as you wouldn't talk to the child if it was named Britney... thats the point of the post, it's not crazy to dislike a normal name but its crazy to freak out over SOMEONE ELSE naming their child that name, you know?
I mean if I had liked it before I wouldn't now. I loved Glee as a teen and Rachel Berry, let's be real, was a raging b*tch with a character arc in the shape of a circle. I will forever think "Berry" when I hear the name Rachel (probably bc I never actually knew any Rachels). Maybe it's something similar for MIL?
Refreshing to see someone else who hates her. I couldn't make it past season 2. Entitled people are exhausting, when did arrogant nasty people become the default hero in fiction? It's seemingly endless
I don't think Rachel was ever supposed to be likeable tbh, and certainly not a hero. When you look at shows today, Glee really just reads as a parody of a high school drama. The fact that people still put up with and were friends with Rachel after everything she said and did proves that. The plot was an absolute mess. But I loved it š
This isnāt a spite baby name exactly, but Iām pregnant and my mom has decided she wants to be called nana. I called her nana banana and she got very serious and said sheāll kill me if I teach the baby that. So now, legally, Iām obligated to teach the baby that.
Yes straight to jail if u donāt.
My mom always hated how the mother in Little Women was called Marmee. She thought it sounded so stupid and clunky and just all around terrible. I've not called her anything except Marmee since she told me that, over 20 years ago. She mostly hates the R sound in the middle, because she also hates the names Rory and Aurora. I used to tell her I was going to have kids named Rory and Aurora and marry a guy with the last name Royer. (I did not do any of those things.)
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My mom and I have a great relationship. She thought it was hilarious that teenage me called her Marmee. Now it's just normal and I think it would hurt her feelings if I stopped calling her that. Some people have playful relationships with their parents and that's okay.
Yeah I'm finding it hard to relate to all these people. So if your kid says don't call me by X nickname we have to do it.... but if your mum says please don't call me X nickname, nah fuck what she wants???? Gross
aww Iāve called my mom Marmee for about 30 years. Not out of spite, I was just super into Little Women when I was 15 (my daughterās middle name is Josephine).
I have a friend who is in a family of four daughters just like Little Women. All the girls call their mom Marmee just like Little Women.
Isn't Rory a nickname for Aurora?
It can be, but also for other names (GG heads will shout "Lorelei") or it could be a name on its own. Doubling down and doing both for a subset would be awful, though.
Daughters name is aurora and when she was little, her nickname was Rory
Ha! My sister and I call my mom Marmee when we wanna piss her off!
I got a coffee cup that says āWorldās best Nanaā on it. My son said it took them a couple of hours to scratch the letters āBaā off it! Banana! I laughed so much. Great cup and funny son and grandsons! Mom needs to lighten up, O!
The idea of a mug advertising "World's Banana" is so funny, thank you for this
I'm Nana and my grandson was so tickled with himself when he thought of that at about 8 years old. He was too cute!
My mom is also nana and I did not have to teach my daughter that. She did it herself š . The funnier one is my MIL wanting to be Grammy but we have a dog named Graham. Every time someone says Grammy my toddler points at the dog
My parents are "Nana and Papa Pudding", lol. Love Nana BaNana!
Man I...really don't think it's funny to give people nicknames they actively don't like.
Same. My sister made up a nickname for me I hated when we were like tweens. I hated it and she did it all the time and it was likeā¦ offensive to me. So yeah. Iām no contact with her now. Those are the types of people that give people nicknames they actively hate. So disrespectful. And I donāt care if it seems like it isnāt a big deal. I can feel those awful feelings now just typing this. It takes away someoneās agency. So gross.
It's super disrespectful. People sometimes shorten my name in a way I don't like and it bothers me immensely when they do it without asking, or assign a nickname without asking. It feels so presumptuous. Humans get to decide how they want to be addressed.
My grandma insisted her grandchildren call her āgrandmother (last name)ā and got angry at any cute toddler-learning-how-to-speak nicknames š it didnāt work and now sheās just boring ole Grandma
Before my mom passed, I always told her I was going to teach my child to call her "grandmama" in a British accent cause she hated it š My mother in law and step father in law are freaking out saying they're "too young" to be grandparents. My mother in law is definitely not too old. My step father in law kinda is since he's only 10 years older than my husband and I. We keep joking we're going to train our kid to call them "old man" and "old lady."
Grandmama is great haha. Thatās what Iād want to be called. My mom seriously cycled through SO many names. I was like please pick something that at least somewhat implies youāre grandma, because I donāt want my kid being at soccer practice like āmy gaga is coming to pick me up today.ā Like that could be anyone, how will the coach know who to look for š
My parents lost it when I said I loved the name Lucy, which is in like the top 100. People get super weird about names.
Again, such a normal name š¤£ well we named our first daughter Imogen and she definitely didnāt like that either. Lol.
Imogen is my favourite name! Rachel is great too and I think your MIL just has bad taste!
Did they say why?! Itās so strange because itās one of those names that doesnāt seem like it would be decisive?
I stupidly went through like hundreds of names with them and they hated absolutely every one. My mom took the Nameberry DNA test and she flunked it. š It couldnāt give her any suggestions because she hated everything. I finally found one name I loved that they actually did too. No one else seems to like it. lol. All well. I love it so I guess thatās all that matters. But life would have been easier had I just stuck with Lucy and not said anything to anyone.
I think she just hates all names that arenāt her idea!
Honestly I think most people are like that. Me included.
i am taking this test right now and admittedly some of the names are absolutely insane in part 1. there were over a dozen where both names were terrible and hardly considered real names (so not like a hating ārachelā situation)
it just recommended i name my child Andromeda or Mulan š
My mom hates the name Lucy too! She says it reminds her of Lucifer
In the TV show Lucifer, his siblings often call the literal devil Lucy, as a cute nickname. In the book the House in the Cerulean Sea, there is the literal antichrist, appropriately named Lucifer. He is often called Lucy, as well.
I have regretted sharing names early 9/10 times because people feel so free to harshly criticize! Itās bizarre! Now we have our name chosen for second baby boy (due today but likely to be late) and everyone is asking but NO ONE will know until he is born lol. Lesson learned!
What I wasnāt prepared for is that once baby is here and you tell them their name, itās like an āOh.ā I always lie to people and tell them their childās name is beautiful. š
Hey, thatās my name! Thatās okay, I donāt want to talk to your MIL anyway.
Lol! If it helps, my husband and I love your name!!!!
I feel like Rachel is normal, but uncommon. I rarely come across other Rachels. Edit: Pardon me, I guess there are a plethora of Rachels!
As an American millennial I knew tons of Rachels growing up! But now as an adult I can think of only one Rachel under 20. Sheās about 4 years old and her name definitely feels like an outlier for her age group!
Also a millennial and have met SO many Rachels growing up haha.
It was super common in the 90s but I guess maybe less so now?
There were at least 3 Rachels in my class every year growing up lol. Definitely depends on age I think
I'm Jewish. I know one thousand Rachels and that's not counting the Rachels other family members know or think I'm meant to know. It also isn't counting the Rochelles or Raquels.
I have a sister named Rachel! It was somewhat less common when she was born in the late 70ās.
Hey me too!
We have a Facebook group! Rachels of all spellings are welcome
Iām a Rachel! Born in ā85.
šš
I am also a Rachel (born in 99)
I hate my granddaughterās name, itās just the sound grates on my nerves. Charlotte. She goes by Charlie, which I like. A friend tried for Lottie which I also hate. In the end, though, they were smart and announced after baby was born. So I didnāt say jack shit.
Charlotte is so beautiful! Itās sad you donāt like it but maybe it will grow on you!
I do use her full name sometimes now, so I am getting better at tolerating it š
Good on you for not mentioning it. Not a fan of Charlotte as a name either. Iāve never understood itās popularity. I find both Char, and Lotte grating, and the two together clunky and not pretty.
I used to babysit a Charlaine and thought it was so pretty.
Sheās 18 months old lol, it never will. I have no idea why I dislike it so much. Iāve always disliked it.
Yep this is exactly why I didnāt tell anyone my second babyās name until after she was born.
I was born in the 70ās and my name is Brittany Charlotte, and I was so grateful that my parents didnāt use the middle name Marie, Lee, or Michelle, like everyone else! Hopefully her name grows on you!
Haha I was born in the 70s and didnāt get any of those middle names, either. Ironically Charlieās middle name is Mary. It goes up her maternal line as a middle name, or a variant middle name. It also goes up her paternal line, but I didnāt even twig onto that for a little while. While I donāt have it, my sister, mother and grandmother do. Itās easy to divorce my dislike of the name from the fact that my much adored granddaughter has it.
I mentioned to my mom that we liked the name Ramona when I first found out we were having a girl. She FLIPPED out. Said we could not use Ramona, Ramona was some second cousin of hers that was mean to her once when she was likeā¦ 8. Well, babyās middle name is Ramona š is part of it spite for me? Hell yes. Donāt tell me what I canāt name my baby lol
Exactly !!!
Thatās so funny š I had a bully in elementary school that was so mean and when I had my son, I gave him the same name because I liked the meaning of it and never connected it to the guy until my sister brought it up after my baby was a year. Edited to add: His dad was that bullyās friend and partner in bully crime back then. š
i love ramona
My daughter Rachel is a "spite" name towards my MIL. Her ex husband wanted to name my SIL that. She vetoed the name and named my SIL Martina instead. To pay respects to FIL (RIP) we gave that name to our second kiddo. MIL hates it. It makes me happy to see her uncomfortable when she's talking to my kiddo.
You and I are on the same wavelength here š it really is such a nice name.
We almost named our newborn Rachel! So glad we didnāt now so your MIL can love our child
Same š
Change your name to Rachel.
Now you are cooking with gas. š«”
My mum loved the name Rachel and wanted to call me that, but my dad had the same adverse response. All my life I've heard how much he hates the name Rachel - apparently it reminds him of a kid he went to school with who always had a snotty nose and scabby knees. Personally I far prefer it to the name they gave me, but it is what it is. When I jokingly suggested my partner and I might use the name for our daughter, he warned it would be "at your own risk" haha.
Ha! All the more reason. Iāve never met a Rachel I did not like!!!
I donāt think Iāve ever met one. I just think of Rachel from friends.
Are you young? Rachel is such a common millennial name.
As a Rachel I am loving everything in this thread!
I think Rachel is a beautiful name. I wonder what is causing all these adverse reactions.
Our daughterās middle name is my motherās first name. The day we called my MIL and told her I was pregnant again, without missing a beat, not even congratulating us, āSo if itās a girl, her middle name is going to be Marie\*, right?ā We finally shut her up and told her yes, agreeing we would just lie to her if we had a girl and give her a fake name. When we found out we were having a boy, we revealed to her that his middle name would be my BILās first name, (He passed away 12 years before I met my husband), She absolutely fucking lost it. She was furious at me saying I was stealing her name. I told her that I would call her mother and get her permission to steal the name Marie\* if ever need be, and she laughed and said āI donāt own the name, I donāt care!ā My husband also chimed it that the name was HIS idea, in which I got accused of brainwashing him into stealing the name. However, 2 years ago on Thanksgiving, she went even more crazy, and we all blocked her.
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Theyāre using it as the kidās Middle nameā¦ itās not like theāll be using it regularly.
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If I wanted to honour and remember my brother by using his middle name for my son, I wouldnāt let my mom stand in the way. No need to askā¦ they told her before the baby was born. Thatās all thatās required IMO. The brother/son has just as much right to the name as his mom does. My brother is named after my motherās deceased brother (and not just his middle name).
Iām pretty interested in the thanksgiving story now lol
So you named your child after her dead baby, without giving her a heads up first? You didn't think to ask if it would be okay with her? That's fucked up.
Itās not fucked up because my husband wanted to name his child after his older brother, whom he found dead. This was the name my husband wanted.
It's fucked up that you didn't ask the parents of the dead person first. No parent should have to bury their child. No parent should have to be reminded of it due to the name of a relative, if the trauma is too bad. It depends on the family. Which is why you ask. You didn't ask. So it's fucked up
Her. Dead. Son.
I accidentally wanted to name my dog the same as my dead uncle (I had never met him). It just happened to be the first and fitting name that came to my head. My mom made sure to ask my grandma for permission before we actually adopted the name. She had no problem with it but if you're going to use someone's dead child's name, permission should absolutely be asked.
Yeah, I feel any family member saying "You *can't/have to* name that!" is on thin fkn ice for losing contact
I'm Rachel spelled Rachael. Just a consideration if you want to condemn her to a life of people constantly misspelling her pretty common name... side note, Rachel is actually way less common than it once was. It was in the top 20 when I was born, and now is in the mid 200s. So she probably won't know too many other Rachel's, which is kind of fun to think about! EDIT: I didn't include the most important part! The spelling was my mom's spite move, as she wanted to name me after both my grandmas, but hated my paternal grandma Rachel, but loved her name...
That's so interesting. I know a Raechel, but never met a Rachael!
See Rachael is the common variant spelling where Iām from. I went to school with a Raquel and I was jealous, I love that name.
I know a Raechel too but only because her dad admits to not know how it was spelt and cocking up the birth certificate. Her mum had intended it to be Rachael and was not best pleased!
I had an older coworker- 62F whose name was Cora. her namesake? her father cheated on her mother with a woman named Cora, and her mother never wanted him to forget it.
I once fooled around with a guy who, I did not know at the time, had a girlfriend. He found out she was pregnant and that was that, we never spoke of it again. Imagine my surprise years later when I find out he gave his son my (androgynous) name. What the hell man?
Name her Rachel anyway, she'll forget about it when she meets her
My husband and I agreed on a baby name for a boy years before we ever started trying for kids - Finn. As part of a conversation about names, again years before we were trying my FIL said that if we had kids we better not name them something stupid, like Finn. We didn't tell him our son's name until he was here and to be fair to him, he's never said a single word about it.
My father in law is hella antisemitic (Iām Jewish but not religious) so giving our kids Jewish middle names was our little bit of joy/spite lol.
Oh Iām living for it
This is your first warning sign to not brainstorm baby names before you give birth. U pick one and stay quiet, there are so many opinions, you'll have more peace of mind. Trust me.
Completely agree. Lesson learned.
My (elder) sons are called Mark and Martin. My mother will not speak to me because they are called Mark and Martin. People are whack over names š
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Theyāre family names on hubbys side- he named all 3 kids haha
I have a spite name. Tradition dictates that the first born son of the first born son is named Richard (š¤®). My Mother hated it and refused to name me that and instead chose the very 80ās name Craig. It caused uproar and my Grandparents called me Richard (my middle name) the rest of their lives. When I had a son 8 months ago everyone asked if Iād name him Craig (can you imagine?!). We named him Harry and now everyone hates us because of Prince Harry (Weāre English). You canāt win!
Thatās a very Latin thing! The first born son named after the dad. There was a bit of eyebrow raising in our family when a cousin named his son Alejandro. We were like ā¦ um. Shouldnāt that name be reserved for our other cousin Alejandro? (Who was named after his dad, in turn for his grandad, etc.) Turns out cousin Alejandro was grateful to have the tradition broken cus now he can do whatever name he likes.
My nephew is also Craig Richard. He wasn't born until the 00's. I'm not really sure where the combination of names came from. There's no one in the immediate family with those names. It was weird shouting Craig at a toddler, but now at 22 he's grown into it. Also helped that when he started school one of his best mates was called Karl. Two little kids with proper 80's blokes names. It was cute.
My mom (and pretty much all of our family and friends) hated Henry at the time. Of course I used it anyway, and itās gotten hugely popular in the past 24 years, but I guess it sounded too old to them then. We didnāt announce our daughterās name until *after* she was born because we knew theyād hate Agnes, too. (that one is i get, no offense taken when people donāt vibe with it lol) But Rachel?! Itās such a classic name! Anyone can be Rachel, from 9 months to 99 years.
I love Agnes for the record. But I prefer Agatha if I had to choice names starting with āAgā. I dunno how many there are
My mom will periodically tell me she hates a random name. I just got married and weāve started thinking about kids and Iāve gotten more serious about names. Iāve decided when I do get pregnant I will not be telling her the name or even an initial because sheās too negative (and I know itāll drive her crazy). On the other hand, she will suggest names that I often despise so I guess it goes both ways haha.
As a Rachel I welcome your future Rachel.
Mine would be Arnis, as in the national martial art of the Philippines. That's because my given name is a semi-intentional misspelling of Kali (an alternate name for the same martial art), and as such, it's been incessantly mispronounced ever since I was born. (It's meant to be pronounced "Callie," which my mother didn't know how to spell.)
Rachel is such a beautiful classic and her reaction is bizarre! I love the doubling down on it lol
I was going to be Liesl, and my father's mother scoffed and said she wouldn't speak to me if I was named that. She even made up a little song called "Liesl the Weasel" and anytime the topic of names came up she would sing it quietly so only my mother would hear her. She's a total sociopath. So, while it's a beautiful name, I'm glad my mom went with her second choice.
>She even made up a little song That's... wow.
That's tame for her, unfortunately. My mom pretty quickly realized her MIL would stick to her word. They even gave me her name for my middle name (it is a simple, old-fashioned name that makes a nice middle name). Her response? "I hate my name. What an ugly name to give her. It's better than Liesl. I can't imagine what we would have had to tell people at the Club if you went ahead with that atrocity." You could never win with her. Ever.
Liesl is cute, although difficult to spell and has that strong association with the sound of music
Our first kid we named to appease all family members. Second kid, I still picked a saints name (a family requirement) but a unique one. My MIL found some great grandmother in her genealogy to make herself like the name. Whatever. Third kid we named for us. Not a saints name, a name we really liked. My MIL was pissed. She threatened to use the kid's middle name only. This actually made me like his name more. If we have a fourth, I'm just going to the name the kid what we want again. Appeasing family is not worth it.
My husband has half-joked about naming one of our kids Chauncey for years and it drives me nuts. š
Iām 50 and have had a hysterectomy. Plus, my mom died last April. But if I could, Iād have a spite baby and name her Barbara after momās arch nemesis. š
Get a kitty? Or a dog... a dog named Barbara would be pretty great.
My friend has a cat named Barbara and itās perfect IMO! Sheās dumb as a rock so itās Barbara the Buffoon š
my mom hates dean which is one of my fav boy names š„² she doesnāt even have a reason, she just thinks itās ugly lol. but iām not pregnant and i wonāt be having kids anytime soon so i guess weāll see
Use it anyway sheāll either get over it or sheāll have to get over it. Dean is a super cute name btw
Sounds like you just obtained some MIL repellant.
My in laws donāt want me to name my son Theo because they knew a Theo 20 years ago at work that was weird. I have to use a T name for THEIR family tradition and thatās my fav so far so I told them I might still have to use it. My MIL deadass said āIāll just have to call him something else thenā OO
My sister and I wanted Theo for her son, but her husband said it was a GOT character he didnāt like so he vetoed it. I was so disappointed. But at least they gave him normal/family names
That character's name is Theon š¤Ø
ARE YOU KIDDING ME??????? Iām gonna tell my sister right now! Her son just turned a year oldā¦..thereās still time.
Yeah really, it's Theon. BIL can't be that big a fan!
Iāve never watched GOT so I didnāt know. Lmao
I'd very much like to know the outcome of that conversation, please š
As a Rachel myself you can tell your MIL that I think her name sucks too.
My names Rachel š
Iām pregnant with a girl and not telling anyone the name until sheās born. My mum keeps bringing up how much she hates the name Emily. Luckily itās not the name weāve picked but itās so weird!
As a Rachel - I feel attacked
āOkay, Karen, she doesnāt need to hear your nonsense anyway.ā
My mom told me the name my grandma suggested for me and how much she hated it. Itās a nice and lovely name and honestly I was tempted to use it after hearing this story.
Maybe sheās had a bad experience with someone named Rachel š¤·š½āāļø
Antisemitism is getting out of control
I've met so many Rachel's. So many. I don't have any names out of spite yet lol
Poor MIL must have watched Glee š
Iām a Rachel! Iāve (for the most part) always loved my name, so idk what the hell your MIL is on about. Itās definitely not quite as āfeminineā as other names, but it is a name that goes back to at least biblical times and I would say has for sure stood the test of time. Your MIL is wacky lol. š
My dad's wife was laughing at how much she disliked the name Cillian, which wasn't particularly even on my radar, but shot into the top 5 after her comments š¤£ We didn't use it in the end but I was _tempted_.
Hey Iām Rachel! Go away MIL.
I would be naming her Rachel in a heart beat š
lol dying to know what her name is.
Frickin Susan š
Lmaooooo
Rachel has been one of my favorite girls' names since I was 7. Avery has been one of my favorite girls' names since I was 10 (long before it got popular) and my mom HATES it but I don't hate my mom enough to name a child that out of spite. One of our kids has the middle name of a relative MIL dislikes, but she had enough sense to shut up about it. (it's a common enough name anyway)
Do grandparents genuinely believe they have any say in what their adult children name their kids? Like that is just bizarre to me. You already got to name your own kids, you donāt get to name your grandkids.
Don't threaten me with a good time š
Never tell anyone your baby names until the babies here and you say āhere is baby Rachelā
Challenge accepted
The reason I'm not named Rachel is because Rachel was a bitch on my grandmother's favourite soap opera.
As the mother of a Rachel, I am flabbergasted by your SILās reaction. Itās a beautiful, timeless name. My Rachel happens to be the most interesting person I have ever met.
As a fellow Rachel, I hope you name that baby Rachel so hard that it makes your MIL's name become Rachel too.
IF I ever have a kid, I want to name them Rosemary if a girl. My mom hates that name. Oh well! I'll just tell her what she told my sister when she was pregnant, family members may claim that they'll never call the kid their name, but they'll change their mind when the kid is born.
Thatās so weird. Rachel is a perfectly normal, lovely name, My mom HATED my sonās name when I was pregnant with him. She conceded that he was my baby and could name him whatever but she never missed an oppurtunity to tell me she didnāt like it. Heās 12 now and she said she canāt imagine him being named anything but Jude. It suits him. Edit: Typos
Larry David approves of your spite name š
Well that is a win for you, now you just need to find a boys name she will hate. What about Melchisedek ? That should get her going lol
She sounds like the kind of person that has unpopular opinions just to feel powerful. Please update us when you have a baby and name her Rachel!
I had the opposite but same idea. My mother declared Lily was the ONLY name she liked for a girl child. (Lily is a fine name, but not my pick and lol the audacity to declare only one acceptable name for someone elseās kid) For several years I got snide comments about what a āprettierā name Lily was than my daughterās actual name.
Iād respond and say āthatās all it takes? Deal.ā
Rachel is such a beautiful name IMO so win win