The only person’s opinion that matters is my SO. I told my mom my short list when I was pregnant with my daughter and if she didn’t like any of my names she didn’t let me know. I guess since they were names I was considering she didn’t want to be negative so she only talked about the names she liked on my list. We eventually had it down to two names and my [name_f]MIL[/name_f] was asking what names we were considering. I told her the two names and she was like “well what about so-and-so”. Nooo, these are the two names, we aren’t considering any more. lol. And then when I mentioned the name on fb since we said that was going to be her name instead saying we were just considering it, we never got negative feedback. I don’t discuss names with anyone but my SO. I’m sure if friends/family saw my long list I would definitely get some negative feedback. I think with my next kid I’ll probably just tell my mom my short list again and tell everyone else after s/he’s born.
I do not allow anyone to dictate what I want to name my children. From the get go I knew my names would be most different, more unique, most uncommon. It was a gimme. I gave my first son a “gasp, really” type of name but my family quickly came around. [name_m]Even[/name_m] those who seemed most in opposition have long accepted it and probably would agree that no other name would simply fit. My ____ is a ______ through and through, it was a perfect fit. Weird or not. All the weirdness has long worn off too, we’re all so used to it that it feels like a common name, it IS a common name for us now. It’s weird to consider it being weird anymore LOL.
I consider safeness, but I am pretty brave when it comes to naming, so many people might think my list is weird (see signature)
The problem is, nothing is guaranteed to be “safe”! For instance, my mother in law has always been against unusual names (because she hates her own unusual name) - but ironically the name she would be most offended by at the moment is our country’s #1 boy’s name: [name_m]Oliver[/name_m]. Luckily for her, I won’t use it because in spite of the fact that I love it, its too popular for me. But she knows an [name_m]Oliver[/name_m] her own age, who isn’t exactly her favourite person in the world so she couldn’t imagine having a grandchild with this name.
Which means I go back to my basic philosophy on naming - there’s few “right” and “wrong” names and no matter what you’re never going to keep everyone happy so just go with something you love. If you choose something too popular, they’ll always be known as ‘[name_m]Oliver[/name_m] B’ or whatever. While if you choose something too unusual they’ll have to spell it to people. And even if you choose to avoid one of these problems, there’s no guarantees - our playcentre a while ago had only two girls and they were both very similar names starting with Y - how often does that happen?!!
I’m also in the camp of not telling people before they’re born. I’m not doing it to surprise people or be smug - it just saves me the hassle of having people comment on it before its definite, trying to change my mind. Plus it gives me the option of changing my mind if I please up until the time I announce it.
I suppose it’s unusual, but I actually think about my future child when considering names. It’s not my name, it’s not my family’s name, it’s not my neighbor’s name. It will belong to the child from the day he or she is born and he will have it his entire life. I certainly don’t want to have my own selfish wants and desires lead to the child possibly hating the name and then needing to go through the hassle of a legal name change.
I think it’s fairly safe to actually consider the child. I know who I am and I have a general idea for how I’m going to raise the child. I can guide my child in a certain direction, but in the end, I can’t predict who my child will be 30 years after birth. I can give a name that can grow with the child and can also travel well across hobbies and careers and the like.
Of course, I wouldn’t gift a name that I absolutely loathe. I have to be comfortable saying it everyday. There are thousands to choose from so it’s not like eliminating the ones I loathe truly limits the choices for my child. I just know that I’m not going to be a selfish parent and give him or her and outrageous name simply because I think it’s awesome and cool.
My parents react fairly negatively whenever I mention any names, it’s just how they are unfortunately. However, when my nephew was named an unusual name, they got used to it very quickly and now quite like it. I think they are just of a certain generation and have not accepted that names have moved on a bit since they were naming children.
I have not let their opinions (or their perceived opinions) change the names I love. The only person I am going to consider when it’s time for me to have children is my SO. That said, I do consider the general impact that a name can have on a child. I wouldn’t want to use a name that would hold my child back or cause them problems. It is difficult though, walking the fine line between an unusual but acceptable name, and a name which is unsuitably unusual.
My main issue is that I almost have to choose an unusual name, because I either dislike or am ambivalent towards most popular names.
My name lists are definitely not “safe”. I’ve just asked my mom and sister what they think of my short lists and they both cringed because they’re not familiar with these names. Sigh.
Actually, I don’t really care what others might think of my choices. If I can get my partner on board, and I will try my best to, I am planning to use really rare names for my children. My only concern would be that they can turn boring, dull people with fancy names, but I hope with a crazy mom like me, they won’t. 
No way! Most people’s taste in names (around here anyway) is so tame and boring that if I WEREN’T raising some eyebrows, I’d be concerned.
I’m not really worried about causing a stir, but I have gone through my loooong list with my SO to see which names he likes and doesn’t like, so that by the time we’re expecting eventually, I’m not blindsided by the fact that he doesn’t like some of my favourites. So, the names on my list are “safe” in that they’re pre-approved for serious consideration.
Anyone who knows me knows that names are my hobby, so they’re expecting something a little off the beaten path. I’m not worried about people reacting poorly. I feel like our choices are respectable and respectful, and not really worthy of much backlash.