What can you do when you anticipate family conflict over what you plan to name your baby?
Babies are supposed to be happiness and joy and all things good. But sometimes, even the best of times bring about stressful situations. I recently heard about a mother who was worried because she knew that her husband’s parents expected their grandson to be named after his dad, grandfather and great-grandfather. She and her husband were struggling because they didn’t want to continue the naming tradition, but they also didn’t want to alienate the grandparents. Tricky indeed!
Here are some ideas for how to handle this sticky situation:
1. BE HONEST, BUT KIND — If you know that a family member is going to be upset that you’re ending a family tradition, a little preparation can go a long way. When you break the news, be ready to share all the reasons why you’re doing so. Keep the conversation positive by focusing on why the name you chose is meaningful for you instead of being critical about the family’s long-standing naming tradition.
2. CREATIVE COMPROMISE — Say the family name is Matthew Henry Smith. You may like the name just fine, but you just don’t want your son to be the fourth family member with an identical name. You could try a few things:
Middle Name — You could use “Matthew” or “Henry” as the middle name. You could even do a double middle name and use both. For example, Noah Matthew Henry Smith.
Different Name, Same Meaning — “Matthew” is a religious name that means “God’s gift.” You could use a different name with a religious meaning to show that you value the meaning and history behind the family name, while still choosing a unique name for your son.
Same Name with a Twist — You could use an International variation of Matthew (Mateo, Mats, Matisse, Matthias) or Henry (Hendrix, Enrique, Enrico, Henrik, Errico).
Switch the Order — Instead of Matthew Henry, maybe you prefer Henry Matthew.
3. REMEMBER, IT’S YOUR BABY — At the end of the day, remember that this is your baby and you can name him whatever you want. Your family should recognize and respect that. If they don’t there might not be anything you can do about it. After all, you can’t please everyone and when it comes to naming your baby, you definitely need to please yourself.
Have you had this problem? If so, let us know how you handled it! Post your comment here.
♥ Amanda
