My husband won't agree with the name I chose for my son!?

Question

Hi there. I need some honest opinions please. I am 7 months pregnant, and we are expecting a baby boy. All my life I've loved the name Ichabod. Yes, I know about "ichabod crane" but that doesn't matter to me! That name sounds to cooool... But my husband won't hear of it! He says if I name my son Ichabod he won't sign the birth certificate!

So I put in a list of names he could choose from. I am trying to be reasonable. I think Wilbur is nice, or Orville (yes, in honor of flight) or maybe Ned or Beauford. Also Humphrey or Petunius.

Well, don't you think he's being unreasonable? He just REFUSES to choose any of these! He wants some awful generic name like Michael or Brandon. UGH!

Can you please talk some sense to him?? He'll be reading the replies tonight. Thanks!

Answer 1

Are you living in the 1800's????
Those names are so old its disgusting!

Answer 2

To be fair, naming a child is ideally a compromise of BOTH parents' tastes, and it seems from the wording of your question -- the name YOU chose for YOUR son ;) -- that you're being equally stubborn. However, after reading through the entire post, I can completely understand how disappointing it would be to have your partner so obviously dislike the name you've loved for so long. Likewise, it seems the two of you both need to be a bit more flexible if a solution is to be found.

For example, you say he prefers a more "generic" name like Michael or Brandon. Ok, you have Ned on your own list. That would be a nickname for Edward, Edmund, Edwin, etc. ... doesn't get much more "generic" (or rather, traditional) than that! So it certainly seems the two of you could reach a compromise.

Perhaps he'd agree to Ichabod as a middle name, with a first name you could both be happy with. Or if there's a specific reason he dislikes the others you offered, you might find something similar that doesn't have that same association for him. For instance, if he finds Wilbur, Orville or Humphrey too tied to certain famous individuals or unusual/old-fashioned for his taste, something more in the middle, such as Willard, Oran, Harvey or Henry might work? Or if he says Petunius reminds him of Petunia, and therefore seems too floral and feminine, a more masculine-sounding option with similar attributes might be a good alternative. Augustus, Angus, Rufus, Aloysius or Ignatius (though given the above examples, he probably wouldn't go for these two either), Silas, Cyrus, Julius or Quintus (nicknames Jude and Quinn might win him over), Magnus, Titus or Thaddeus, for example. ;)

If none of that seems to work, try having him make a LONG list of names he would find agreeable, and you do the same. Then compare lists and see if there are any that appear on both or any from his list you like (and vice versa). If you're lucky, you might just end up with a short list of names you could actually agree on. ;)

Just keep in mind it's all about compromise. You really do have to love your child's name equally, so it seems you both have some bending to do. ;) Good luck!

Answer 3

I don't blame him. Sorry but your names aren't very good. I wouldn't want my son named any of those names. I would choose Michael or Brandon over yours. Ichabod is awful, no offense. The others are extremely old fashioned and I think they are ugly. I'm sure he would get made fun of with many of those names. Especially Petunius. If you must I would go with Beauford and call him Bo maybe. But if your husband truely refuses to sign the birth certificate maybe you should just choose another name to avoid problems for your unborn son.

Answer 4

Congratulations on the boy. I like that you really want to name your son something special and unique. But I think you may be going over the top with this. Its great you want your child to be different, but just think about it. Having many younger siblings I know how much they hate it when people spell their names wrong, especially teachers and other people they know. When I was 5 I absolutely lost it when no one could spell my name in the school game we were playing. Kids hate to be different. And the most important thing is that you give your child a name they won't be ashamed of. I'm telling you right now, elementary school kids will make fun of all those names(Humphrey to Hump-free, Petunius to Penis, etc). Not a confidence builder. Kids do that though. I have friends that would laugh about those names the minute you turn away. I would suggest something different but not unheard of. Avoid possible stupid nicknames that might come out of it. Don, Luca, and Patrick are all nice names for a boy, and he wont hate it when he gets older. Just don't name your kid Moon Unit, alright? Just some advice from a teacher.

Answer 5

We had the same issues when it came to naming our son. I loved traditional names like John and Mark and wanted to have Christopher for a middle name.

One day my husband came home and decided that our child would be named Talon. (like the BIRD CLAW!!!) I about fainted b/c everyone on my side of the family is traditional Italian and just would not get it. However, my husband prevailed and we went with Talon Christopher. Now I LOVE it...it has grown on me and my son says that his favorite thing about himself is his name.

That being said, Ichabod.... You don't want it to be so strange that your son gets teased. There are plenty of cool names. Can you choose the first name and your husband picks the middle? What about Braedan? Love that! That was going to be the name of our second child if it was a boy but we got a girl and now have sweet Alyssa Grace. LOL

Answer 6

i understand that you want an unique name for your son, but the names you chose are kinda...old-sounding, or maybe a little too out of the ordinary.
ok let's look at it this way, what would you son think when he gets older? No offense, but petunius, orville, beauford sounds majorly like horse names, he will be embarrassed.
ok i feel bad for typing the above, but it is true.
michael and brandon are names that your son might actually appreciate more when he gets older, because people will actually know how to pronounce it and such.
to compromise, why don't you guys pick a name that is not so generic, but not so extreme like ichabod.
sorry if i was a little harsh...
congrats!!! hope you find a name..

Answer 7

sorry hunny... but i would feel SOOO bad for your kid if you named him Ichabod, Wilbur, Orville, Beauford, Humphrey, or Petunius.
Seriously, are you really considering these names or is this joke? if your serious that is an awful thing to do to your kid! Listen to your husband and pick a normal name. normal names are not a bad thing.. find a normal name that you like because not only your husband... but pretty much everyone will think those names are rediculous. They are really awful.
Ichabod Crane
Wilbur from Charlottes Web
Orville Redenbocker (popcorn)
Beauford.. just makes me gag.. Beau .. as in "BO" is good.
Humphrey.. gunna get made fun of for having "HUMP" in there and is just an ugly name
Petunius is gunna be called pet and is just an ugly name

so sorry... but please respect your husband.. i cant imagine what he is going through right now if your seriously making him chose from those names

Answer 8

Sorry but I like Brandon and Micheal. Ned is ok, but not a name a child would wan to go by when he is 25 and trying to get his first real job. The names you like don't seem like a name someone would like to hire a Beauford or a Petunius. I think your husband is trying to name your son something reasonable and would seem professinal when he's older. I think he is trying to watch out for your son's future. I really like Brandon.

Answer 9

Some times tradition is beautiful Michael is a lovely name as is johnathan or james or Isaiah or Micah or anything like that maybe you could ask him to find some origonal but charming names and one of yours could be the middle name...sorry orvill wilbur beauford and icabod are very um....literary names and he will not out grow the character references...they are sort of out dated and golly not trying to be mean--but ugly names for a beautiful life. I asked my husband to name our second girl and he chose Jabin--which is a boys name but is fantasticly origonal and sort of pretty too.

Answer 10

I have to admit that I am not a fan of "normal" names like Michael but the names you have picked are horrifying. Ichabod!!! He'll be like a lamb to the slaughter when he goes to school? In my opinion Humphrey is about the only acceptable one on your list, possibly Ned.

I think the 2 of you need to both write a list of names you like and also write a list of names that are acceptable and, hopefully, there will be something you can agree on.

Good luck

Answer 11

Both of you go through a book of names seperately and write down the names that you like the best. then compare your lists. if there is a couple of names that are on both lists then write these names on a seperate list, and decide together wich name you like the best.I
If that doesn't work, then try naming your son after someone in the family who you look up to. Maybe after a father or grandfather, or even a brother.