What do you do when people hate the name you've chosen?

Our little man is due [name_u]June[/name_u] 10th and we are having such a hard time naming him! Our top choice right now is [name_m]Jasper[/name_m] [name_u]Jameson[/name_u] (last name one syllable). We have only told a handful of close family members and friends but the response has been less than positive. It seems no one likes [name_m]Jasper[/name_m]. :frowning: I know itā€™s pretty common on Nameberry but for the general population itā€™s a bit unusual. The most common thing weā€™ve heard from the people weā€™ve told is that it sounds like a dogā€™s name. I think itā€™s one of those names that might be a little unusual now but in a few years it will be much more common. [name_f]Do[/name_f] we just go with it and wait for the criticism or go with a ā€œsaferā€ choice? We are being nudged to switch it to [name_u]Jameson[/name_u] [name_m]Jasper[/name_m] but I donā€™t want him to be called ā€œ[name_u]James[/name_u]ā€. :stuck_out_tongue:

Thanks in advance!!

I think [name_m]Jasper[/name_m] is just fine! I think that if you went with it (and you should, if itā€™s truly what you want!) your family would eventually get used to it. If you did, by chance switch it to [name_u]Jameson[/name_u] [name_m]Jasper[/name_m], I donā€™t think you should worry about him being called [name_u]James[/name_u]. We are going with [name_u]Jameson[/name_u] for our little guy and none of our family has said that they are going to call him [name_u]James[/name_u] (except my crotchety old grandmother who Iā€™m not going to argue with about it because honestly, he will never remember her). Everyone has been only referring to him as [name_u]Jameson[/name_u]!

Iā€™m not much for alliteration but I think [name_m]Jasper[/name_m] [name_u]Jameson[/name_u] is a good name. As for the negative nellies, if you love the name then ignore them! [name_m]Jasper[/name_m] has been in the top 1000 boy names in the states since 2000 (#592) and has been slowly but steadily climbing in popularity ever since (#248 in 2013); I hardly think that the parents of those little fellows would think of it as a ā€œdog name.ā€

We watched a friend of ours get bullied into picking a more ā€œconventional nameā€ when her heart was set on a name that was a little more offbeat for her first child and to this day she says she wishes she had gone with her gut instead of popular opinion. We were lucky enough to learn from her mistake and we didnā€™t tell anyone the quirky name we chose for our daughter until after she was bornā€¦people seem to have less negative opinions (in the forefront) when they are cuddling a smushy little one :wink:

I have an ex named [name_u]James[/name_u] so thatā€™s why Iā€™m so adamant about it, lol. [name_u]Jamie[/name_u], [name_u]Jay[/name_u], JJā€¦ anything else would be fine. :slight_smile: Iā€™m glad to hear that no one other than your grandma has any plans to shorten it. Itā€™s so nice just as it is. :smiley:

Iā€™ve never been a big alliteration fan either. We were actually originally thinking [name_m]Jasper[/name_m] [name_u]Layne[/name_u] but when I saw [name_u]Jameson[/name_u] here on Nameberry I put the two together and really liked it! We werenā€™t planning on telling anyone for this exact reason but a few people squeezed it out of us and we were curious to get at least a few peopleā€™s reaction to the name. Lesson learned! Now that Iā€™m typing this though Iā€™m thinking [name_u]Jameson[/name_u] [name_u]Layne[/name_u] is not bad either, LOL. :idea: :wink:

Thanks so much for the input ladies!!!

I love love loveee [name_m]Jasper[/name_m]. Once they meet your lil dude any negative associations they had will fade. Itā€™s an awesome name, go with your gut!

[name_m]Ah[/name_m], other peopleā€™s opinions. I have 2 stories about opinionsā€¦A friend of mine was horrified by the name of her newest grand-daughter. She thought it was an ā€œold ladyā€ name would ruin the childā€™s life. This ā€œhorribleā€ name was [name_f]Sophia[/name_f]! When I was pregnant with my now 30 year old son, I wanted to name him [name_m]Jacob[/name_m]. You should have heard the howls of horror!

Times change, opinions and trends in naming change. As a grandmother of 3, take it from me, they will love a little [name_m]Jasper[/name_m] as much as a little [name_u]Jameson[/name_u]. Use the one you want and love.

I have to admit, I am not fond of the name that a family member has chosen for a new baby girl due later this year. However, I know that once I meet the little cutie all other associations I have with the name will go away and my little family member will be the only person I think of when I hear the name. Also, she will breathe new life into the name I have hated for years. Although I donā€™t like the choice I have kept it to myself.

If you love the name [name_m]Jasper[/name_m], then name him [name_m]Jasper[/name_m]. Your family and friends will love your [name_m]Jasper[/name_m] so much that they will find themselves liking the name as well. Like I am expecting, your little boy will put new meaning into the name for them. It will no longer be a ā€œdogā€™s nameā€ but their ā€œgorgeous handsome nephew/grandson/cousin etcā€™s name.ā€

[name_m]Jasper[/name_m] is an excellent name. Go for it!

Good luck!

I would keep the name to myself until after he is born. People are much more likely to criticize when they think there is a chance of swaying the decision. [name_m]Jasper[/name_m] is gaining popularity (along with many other vintage boy names). Go with what you love!

[name_m]Even[/name_m] in my small hometown there have been a couple [name_m]Jasper[/name_m]'s. Itā€™s not out there anymore thanks to Twilight. If you love it, then use it!

Thanks so much everyone! Youā€™ve made me feel so much better! :slight_smile:

I donā€™t discuss our preferences on names with family & friends for this very reasonā€¦ People always say the wrong thing & taint a name youā€™ve finally settled on! I like [name_m]Jasper[/name_m] & [name_u]Jameson[/name_u] but as I seem to be telling people a lot lately, [name_m]Jasper[/name_m] is my preference as Iā€™m hesitant on the surnames as first names thing. Personally Iā€™d keep looking for something else you love & then donā€™t ask their opinion! :wink:

This is excellent advice. Thank you. :slight_smile:

I just wanted to add, my father in law confessed to me when my son was a year old, he had some reservations about our sonā€™s nameā€¦ mostly negative personal associations. To his credit, he never breathed a word, and let us make our choice without raining on our happy moments. He also added that any negative associations have been replaced by new memories of his sweet grandson.
So later on, when another family member attacked a name my husband confessed to liking, I remembered my father in lawā€™s comments, and smoothly replied, ā€œWell, if we use (such and such a name), hopefully our child will create new associations for you and help you to find a new appreciation for his name.ā€

[name_m]Say[/name_m] what the hell and name him what you like!

[name_m]Jasper[/name_m] is a great name! If they want to name a child, they should get pregnant.

PS Dogs tend to me more noble than people, so donā€™t worry about it being a ā€œdogā€ name.

[name_m]Jasper[/name_m] is absolutely fine. I think that if you and your partner both really love the name, then you shouldnā€™t worry about what everyone else thinks. Itā€™s your decision and yours alone.

Keep [name_m]Jasper[/name_m] and stop telling people his name until heā€™s born.
The problem with telling people before hand is that everyone thinks they are allowed an opinion and that because he isnā€™t born yet they get to tell you exactly what they think.
I have a friend who gave her daughter a name I find to lofty for her but as itā€™s a real, name and actually very pretty (just not quite right for the family - imo) I kept my mouth shut. If I had been told before Iā€™m sure I would have said something like ā€œoh thatā€™s pretty. a little involved for me I prefer [name_f]Alexa[/name_f] to [name_f]Alexandrina[/name_f] but cool.ā€ or something. Obviously I altered the name listed here but you get the point - even as someone who knows better Iā€™m not sure Iā€™d be able to always control myself with wanting to give a suggestion. Somehow it makes people feel like they are involved.

I personally love [name_m]Jasper[/name_m] and would use it in a heartbeat - seriously - if it didnā€™t break one of our naming rules. (No J names as we are a trilingual Spanish-English-[name_m]German[/name_m] household and Jā€™s sound stupid different in each language).

The only name we have openly discussed with family members is [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m], because my husband didnā€™t want his two brothers to take the name if their wives ended up pregnant before me (which they have ā€“ our nephew [name_m]Xavier[/name_m] wouldā€™ve been [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] if we hadnā€™t asked them not to take ā€œourā€ name). [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] is pretty much set in stone for us, but at this point I wouldnā€™t be upset if another family member used it ā€“ weā€™ve been TTC for over two years, itā€™s hard to reserve a name for that long.

But I would keep our little girlā€™s name a secret. I just donā€™t care to have the opinions of others. Iā€™d rather it be a surprise and then everyone can love her and her name when she arrives.

Anyway, quit talking about [name_m]Jasper[/name_m] [name_u]Jameson[/name_u] to everyone. I wouldnā€™t speak about it until heā€™s born. :slight_smile: Good luck!

I wouldnā€™t worry too much about something being a dogā€™s name. Thatā€™s not to say you should disregard what they say but what theyā€™re basically telling you by that is that they are unfamiliar with the name as the name for a child. But [name_m]Jasper[/name_m] is actually pretty popular as a name so they just donā€™t know many youngster Iā€™m guessing. Or too many dogs.

The thing is, these days dogs are getting people names and thatā€™s how some people come across a name first. Doesnā€™t make it a dog name. Jasper has a long history of usage as a male name. Itā€™s not like youā€™re naming your child Rover or anything. According to VPI pet insurance, some of the top ten names for dogs are Bella, Lucy, Molly, Daisy, Sophie, Chloe, Max, Charlie, Jake, Jack, Cody. Sounds a bit like a kindergarten class, yes?

[name_m]Don[/name_m]'t listen to them!! I am a teacher, and [name_m]Jasper[/name_m] is totally normal. It isnā€™t common, but itā€™s certainly normal, not to mention adorable. [name_f]My[/name_f] cousin had some resistance to names she chose for 2 of her kids, but everybody got used to them and no one complains anymore. Stand firm and I think everything will end up just fine! People may grumble from time to time, but as previous posters said, nobody complains about a name when theyā€™re holding an adorable little baby.