No matter how fond you are of a potential baby name, it’s a no-go unless your partner is on board too.
The age-old wisdom in baby naming is that if both parents don’t say yes, the answer is no. This means full agreement is essential when deciding on a moniker for your newborn; otherwise, it’s off the table. While there may be special cases, and each couple needs to determine what’s best for them, this rule of thumb is invaluable to keep in mind.
Nonetheless, one woman shared her husband doesn’t seem to grasp this principle. He’s adamant about the name he wants for their would-be son, despite her strong aversion to it. Although not pregnant yet, she’s been discussing future baby names with her partner. But the name her husband insistently proposes – Yves – has left her enraged.
With no French background and no link whatsoever to France, her spouse just fancies the name. On the other hand, his wife, who is Korean-American by heritage, strongly opposes the choice owing to her childhood experiences.
In a post on Reddit, she revealed that being mocked for her Korean middle name at her school in the US had left a scar she doesn’t want to pass down to her future children.
She reflected: “I’m probably more sensitive to this than others because I’m Korean and have a Korean middle name that I used to hate as a kid. It wasn’t even my first name, but kids would find out and make fun of it. My brother has a Korean-English first name that my parents made up, and he also was made fun of.”
The woman shared her concerns with her husband, insisting that people will “learn how to pronounce it”. She was adamant about not wanting her future children to endure the same teasing she faced at school over her name.
She added: “He genuinely believes that being made fun of because of your name is not a big deal. It honestly upsets me so much. Can others please chime in, or is he actually right? Yves would be a great name for a boy that most people would recognise and pronounce correctly?”
Commenters on her post shared divided opinions. Many felt the name Yves was perfectly acceptable for an American child, but they concurred that if she wasn’t comfortable with it, the couple should consider other options.
One commenter remarked: “Sorry, I actually think it’s a fine name. I know Yves, and he doesn’t have any problems with his name, as far as I’m aware. He’s Australian of East Asian descent, possibly Korean, so he’s in a similar situation as your potential child. Having said that, when both parents are present, both get a say in naming a child. A name that is disliked by one parent should be removed from consideration.”
Another posted: “I think it’s a very beautiful name, but in America, it will absolutely be uncommon and unlikely for people to pronounce correctly on the first try. Also, I know you said you’re not thinking about kids currently, but either way it’s a ‘two yes’ situation on baby names. There are a lot of beautiful names out there that will match both of your specifications.”