Mother in Law wont call my baby by its name?

Question

Ok my first son is Called Anthony but she calls him Antony. This drives me mad I find it disrespectful and very irriating. I finally said somethoing about it and now she goes through phases of calling him one or the other (depending on weather she likes me or not at that point).

Problem is we are expecting another baby in a months time firstly she hates our choice of boys name (noah) and will not hide the fact but what worries me is if its a girl we like Caitlin - which she calls Caitland!!!!

This is driving me mad and I cant face the months or irratation and arguing this will cause. Should we pick something new?

Answer 1

Don't change your choice of names for her. Just sit down with her and tell her how this frustrates you. Tell her that you want her to have time with your kids, but you can't deal with her mispronouncing their names, and it makes you want to cut back on time spent with her. Hopefully she will see how important this is to you and stop.

Answer 2

I can really sympathise with you. I have exactly the same problem. My mother in law never pronounces two of my three daughters names correctly and it still really annoys me. My youngest is Kimberley who she always calls Kimerley, and Lauren has been called Lawrence !! which really annoys me! She does get a lot of words wrong sometimes so I tell myself it isn't personal, but I don't think its asking too much for a grand parent to put in a bit of effort to pronounce their grand childrens' names correctly, no doubt you feel the same. We used to try to constantly correct her but she would just say ' well you know what I mean' , so we have given up trying most of the time. Lauren is old enough to correct granny herself now - which she does, but this makes no difference. Its most embarrassing when she calls Lauren 'Lawrence' in public because people think thats what I've named her! I've resigned myself to the fact that she can't be bothered to get their names right and that its her problem. Although, in my experience I don't think there is a lot you can do about this, definitely don't let it influence the names you choose, because its your baby and your choice. - and whatever you picked she may have 'difficulty' pronouncing unless it was her choice. I know exactly how you feel and wish I could be more help.

Answer 3

DO NOT CHANGE YOUR CHOICE, its her problem. She is doing it to get to you i think. I would talk to your hubby and tell him to talk to her about this as its not fair. Why should she be doing this to you and calling your son the WRONG name. You called him Anthony and NOT Antony.
At the end of the day the children are your's and your hubbys so she should respect what you have named your children. Talk to her and say to her if she keeps doing this then you will have to stop her from coming round your house. She is one of the mother in laws we like to call a C0W.
If that does not work the talking dont let her in your house. I have a saying my house my rules and im sure loads of people have this saying.
Good luck with sorting this out and Good luck with the baby.
Dont change the names you have already just to make her happy, stuff her.

Answer 4

Firstly, let me say you have chosen three beautiful names and the last thing you should do is change them to accommodate a woman who is determined to annoy you. Let's face it, it wouldn't matter what name your chose because you can mispronounce or misspel any name if you want to.

Perhaps, now is the time your husband should intercede and have a word with his mum. You never said what your name is, does she have a problem with that?

Anyway, stick to your guns, remember you can do without your mother-in-law, but you have to live with your baby's name for the rest of your life, so make sure you choose what you like!

Good luck with a healthy birth and your decision on names.

Answer 5

I believe that you should keep the names YOU want and not worry about what ANYONE else thinks. I went through the same thing and now everyone is getting use to the fact that I am not changing my mind. And ignoring the fact that your MIL is calling your child the wrong name will eventually work. It will probably take a long time. I have an unusual name and my grandmother always called me something else until I was old enough to say "That is not my name." Your children will correct her and she will be ashamed for her pettiness. You watch.

Answer 6

The whole thing is she is accomplishing what she is setting out to do. She is annoying the dickens out of you and enjoying every minute of it. Stop her enjoyment by ignoring her mispronunciations. If she says Antony....just act as though she said it correctly or that you didn't notice. It will stop being gratifying for her and she may start doing it correctly for the child (especially since she will think it doesn't bother you anymore).

So don't make any changes in the names, they are fine. Just learn to look the other way when she mispronounces them until she gets tired of you not acknowledging her. Best of luck with mother-in-law and new baby on the way.

Answer 7

Caitlin is a nice name. I actually like it, but not Noah! It sounds old! I like Anthony too! Maybe she just has trouble pronouncing names? I don't know, but to be as immature or disrespectful as that, I would try not prounouncing her name well too! But please don't fight with your mother in law. After all, she is your "mother"! I would just let it slide and see if in due time, she'll mellow out of her childish antics. I hope that this name thing doesn't bother you too much because from what I know from others, motherhood is tougher than being bothered by how someone pronounces their child's name! Good luck to you!

Answer 8

I love the name Noah but I would change the girls name. Pick something you know she will like as well but also you have to like it along w/ your hubby. I know it's hard to not get aggravated but choose to look at the situation in a more positive aspect. It will do you good for your overall emotional being. Sounds like she might be Spanish or Greek since she calls your son Antony. How about Elizabeth for a girl? so elegant but yet so rich & strong.
Here are some other suggestions. Hope you don't mind.

Magdalena
Alexandra
Zoe
Michaela or spelled Mikayla
Victoria
Daniella (I really like this name too)
Anastasia (Stacey for short)
Isabelle
Natalia
Sophia

I hope it helped. Enjoy and smile!

Answer 9

I can empathize with you on this one. Quite often, mothers-in-law are JEALOUS of the woman their son is married to because she is so used to being #1 and calling the shots. Now, you are #1 and you and he have to make decisions. She is feeling left out because she can't control anything. Believe me, I know first hand. My mother-in-law is the same way. My husband and I have twins (boy/girl). Well, my daughter's name is Elyssa Hadijah (my husband's aunt's name) Renee`(my middle name). Since the twins were born, she's called my daughter Hadijah. That really hurts me. I feel very DISRESPECTED. I correct her all the time, but she still does it. I don't even call her Renee` after me and I am her MOTHER!!! Mothers-in-laws can be such WITCHES. She is disrespecting you and you need to tell her so. DO NOT change your decision for your baby's name. Don't ever do that!!! Please. It is none of her business. She named her kids what she wanted to, and now it's your turn. IT'S NOT ABOUT HER!!! BE FIRM....Best wishes. God Bless you and your babies.

Answer 10

No name your kid what you want and don't worry about her.
Let me tell you my mother-in-law was the same way when my son was born.
She did not like the name Julian which is what i named my son and she kept saying that name sounds black and that alone pissed me off but what really set me off was she would call my son by his middle name!
She called him Hunter.. (I named him Julian Hunter Lee __________)
Oh that killed me and i believe she only done it to bother me. I stopped going around her for 6 months so that was 6 months she did not see him so she stopped calling him hunter. When she would call him Hunter he wouldn't look her way cause we called him Julian. She finally got the hint.
I had his name picked out before i had him and she didn't like it but i didn't give a flying **** what she didn't like.
I am the one who laid in pain and then went through a c-section so i named him what i wanted.
Forget her and name your kid whatever. But now my son is 5 years old and my mother in law calls my son by his first name. Now everyone is in love with his name. She acted liked it was some made up name or something from another world because no one else here has my son's name which was what i was aiming for.

Good luck and Congrats

Answer 11

you should choose whatever name you and your partner decide, its your choice.
if you have problems with in laws then simply ask them to call their grandchildren by their correct names pronouncing them the right way as it will help the children say them right.
its a tricky one as all names get shortened or lengthed by frineds and family but if its really bugging you then you should ask your partner to have a word with his mother and let her know how much its upsetting you.
you'l never please everyone and it seems she is being very petty so bite your tongue and try to be polite if it comes to you having to talk to her. Afterall a name is a name and its something that the child has to llive with forever and having the mickey or their name not being pronounced correctly throughout their life is not a
pleasant thing. The thing is when your child is older you can remind them that people should call them by their real names and not anything else....maybe grandma will listen once the child is telling her...
goodluck
p.s Noah is a lovely unusual name.