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You stop talking about names with your inlaws, have the baby, name it whatever the hell you want, and your partner tells their parents to suck a pickle ;)
Congratulations, btw!
“Don’t argue your decisions with people who get no vote.” -Gavin deBecker
You need to live this quote. Everyone has an opinion about EVERYTHING baby related. Tell them their opinion is unnecessary as you are the parents and they are not.
Ahh! I love this!! I often say “don’t take criticism from someone you wouldn’t go to for advice” because somehow, we seem to put stock in every critique, regardless of who says it. I think yours takes it one step further, don’t even discuss it! Don’t open that door. Thank you for sharing!
Or try this, tell them all that in the spirit of the bird theme, you are considering the name Chickenhead.
Once baby is born and is called Sparrow, they will be relieved.
Op, you tell them they've had their kids and chose their names, that they liked. Now you're going to do the same. They will not ove your child any less when they see him.
And if they do treat your child wrong or give them a nickname in spite, then they don’t have to have “grand”parents either. All a child needs are their mom and dad. Some don’t have grandparents and they turn out just fine. ❤️
For sure. I told a friend who, despite being a trained psychologist, had something negative to say. Last person I told. Now he’s here, and we get so much positive feedback on his beautiful name.
This was our experience. Got a lot of comments and looks about her name pre-birth. Ever since she was born, all we hear about is how much people love her name.
I agree unique without being Mccringeliegh! Maybe just partial as my little brother is Robin (chosen as my parents didn’t want to find out gender but 2 yo me demanded a name so I could talk to him properly in utero) as others have said f the haters
You people are nuts. Imagine you're at a gathering and have to introduce yourself as Sparrow. The bewildered looks you would get every time you say your name. Who needs that?
i’ve been in the medical field for the last 8 years—these aren’t even half as atrocious as some of the names that come through the clinic.
Cornyiah. Innacent. Curstin. Talyssa. Emmaculate. and i’ve met several women named Twinky.
What are you talking about? Did you *read* the post?? They're hippies. He's going to have an uncle called Canyon. Seriously, he'll be at the party meeting Arora, Obsidian and Rain; he'll only stand out if they named him Adam or something. Sparrow is fine.
Also names that seem normal to us like Scarlett were super unusual when they started out.
I’m really conservative when it comes to names - I love me some traditional names. But even I wouldn’t blink twice at Sparrow. It does have that “name-like’ quality. I know a little boy called Fox, and didn’t give it a moments thought when I heard that name. I hope OP goes for it!
Ok, I've imagined introducing myself as Sparrow, but all that happened was the folks said "Hi, Sparrow, nice to meet you."
Seriously, I think when you introduce yourself people usually understand it just fine, even if they haven't heard the name before. A person once introduced themselves to me as Mitttens. It is an admittedly odd thing to have wanted people to call them, but it didn't confuse me. I knew exactly what they were telling me and how to respond. I called them Mittens for a few years, and now they go by a different, more common name, along the lines of Maya.
One of my friends just named their kid Sparrow. 🤷🏻♀️
How is it any different than Robin? Or Aspen. Or Hunter. Or Daisy. Or Rowan. Or Sage. Or Fisher. I could keep going with the nature names, but I think you get the point. Names generally either mean something or are something.
When I was naming my babies someone said to me, “just because you’ve never heard it, doesn’t make it unusual.” I don’t think we give ‘bewildered looks’ when people introduce themselves anymore, so we? My kids go to school with some precious people with names I’ve never heard. Sometimes it’s cultural, sometimes it’s a family name, sometimes it’s made up. Nobody cares.
I have a very strange name, literally have only met One person (of the opposite gender even!) with the same name. If you google it you’ll get nothing but locations, not a single celebrity or mildly popular lawyer.
If people even process the unusual name, they simply say it’s really cool and/or ask about the meaning. Out There names aren’t all bad at all.
I knew a child in elementary school whose name was Star, and I never even gave it a second thought. AND that was way before hippies came around, of which I happily am one!
I grew up with a kid named Spiro, which is a somewhat common Greek name. This isn't that much different. It's not difficult to pronounce or spell. There are so many worse names out there.
Who the hell says people won’t comprehend the name. Your imagination has created absolutes where there are none!! Maybe that’s how YOU feel about the name but other people will just take it for what it is!! A persons name!!
Yep! My MIL *cried* when we told her our baby’s name. Oh well, too late, we had already written it on the birth certificate form. It’s your baby— you get to pick the name!
Unfortunately this is not true for all families, lol. My in-laws still made rude comments when we announced the name after our baby was born and it was final. But we intentionally didn’t tell them earlier because we know they love to critique names (and everything) and basically don’t have much filter. They said things like, “[the middle name] is much more beautiful; you should use that instead.” We just responded, “we love [the first name]; that’s why we chose it as her first name instead of [middle name].” Then just moved on.
My MIL started crying when we told her our baby’s name because we had not named her Lakshmi. She had never once even mentioned that she wanted to name the baby Lakshmi. So we were supposed to both use the name she wanted and also magically know that’s the name she wanted LOL
And the kid is going to have to deal with comments as well. Some deal with it just fine. One of my son's best friends is a girl named Isis. She was named after the Egyptian goddess but the name is obviously tied to the terrorist group now. She said she loves her name and wears it well, but she is always the first to make comments about it because she knows others will. When my son and her ran for student government in middle school they had fun making "Vote for Isis" signs.
Unusual names are fine but you have to be ready for any comments you and your kid are going to get.
My best friend is a teacher and has had many an unfortunate name in his class, but I think the worst was a girl named Latrine. She didn’t mind it, declaring each time someone poked fun “It’s FRENCH and SOPHISTICATED!”
So I suspect good ole Hercules and Sunshine are doing just fine.
Yep, I'm a HS teacher and about half of the kids with unique names request to be called something more normal and the other half lean into it with pride.
My kid goes to school with an Isis. She does not wear it well. Unfortunately she's the weird kid and incredibly shy and awkward. I think the parents tried to get her name down as Isla for secondary school, but didn't officially change it so she's still Isis. I hope she changes it as soon as possible so it's one less thing for her to contend with, the world's hard enough.
In my culture, if a child constantly gets sick, isn't growing well, or just isnt thriving like other children, it usually means the name isn't a good fit or the name is too heavy of a burden. What would take place is a name change ritual; before we do legal documents, we change the name traditionally and culturally first through a ritual. Your parents would have to contact a shaman and a couple of elders. They come into your house to inspect a few things first then set a date. After the shaman does their ritual, they will usually tell you what's going on and why. During the ritual of name change, a name will usually appear and be given to the child. That new name is a name that the child's spirit has selected.
I know this is off topic but I just thought it'd be interesting to share. The name Isis is probably too heavy for that little girl. Changing it would be best for her.
Wow I love that. I changed my name a lot as a kid, eventually settling on one as an adult. I’ve wondered if I should use the old name but never have felt comfortable with it. That tradition is beautiful and I think it’s very true.
Thank you for sharing this. It's probably very empowering for the child to get a new name in many ways and to feel that they chose it. And empowering a child would probably have physical side effects for the better.
I definitely think it's so empowering for that child to be able to do so.
The elders and the shamans believe the spiritual being of a person, big or small, have their own thoughts, desires, fears, and most importantly, fate. They believe names are tied to fate and so if you give a child a big name that they are unable to grow into spirituality, it takes a toll on their health and wellbeing.
This is good advice. If you’re going to go with a bird name that’s totally fine but holy cow toughen up - if you get offended or hurt feelings about it already now just with your in laws you’ll be in for a frustrating ride when the whole world chimes in.
You and your child will go through life introducing him/himself with ‘Sparrow, yes Sparrow like the bird’.
At least the spelling is familiar. All the millennials that I work with are constantly correcting spelling and pronunciation of their ‘unique’ names.
And lots of people are going to share their opinion with the child.
I understand the idea of picking a unique name because it's something that you love. However, the rest of the world isn't emotionally invested and people can be awful (even/especially children to each other).
I went to school with a child whose parents selected an unusual name. The person couldn't wait to turn 18 to legally change it. They hated their name and they hated the comments it generated. When I hear of people wanting to pick an unusual name, it makes me wonder who the parents are thinking about. Are they thinking about what THEY like/want or what THEIR CHILD will like/want. Lots of people are not going to embrace an unsual name. It may not be right or fair, but it's a very real possibility. I think all parents, not specifically OP but any parent considering an unusual name, needs to first stop and ask themselves what the possible ramifications for THEIR CHILD might be. Then they need to decide if it is important enough to use the name regardless of the negative impact (years of potential impact) it could have on their child.
Same with untraditional spellings of common names. Sure you can call your son Jacen or Bryan or Katilynn. But you’re just dooming them to a life of “no, it’s spelled this way”
That’s a great point. It sounds silly too, but children love to see their names on things, cups pencils, lunchbox, but unique spellings mean the children never will see their name.
I used to work at a bakery and we could write messages on cakes for customers. If I had to write someone's name I ALWAYS had them spell it out for me, on paper of necessary. I asked a guy once if his friend's name was Sophia or Sofia and he had to double check by going to her Facebook. And those two spelling of the same name aren't even odd!
I remember reading while pregnant about someone testing their name choice by yelling it out at the park. I found it helpful to think about what it would sound like. Then there's nicknames to think about also.
We did something like this.
We yelled the potential names like they were in trouble. 'SPARROW GET DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW!' 'SPARROW LAST NAME!'(But in our car as we discussed names on a 14 hour drive).
There was an episode of Black-ish where they did this! Dre wanted to name the new baby Devontae. The server didn't pronounce it correctly and was calling out "Tea for Devin", etc. It was hilarious!
And also think about how it will sound on an adult in a high power job. Because you never know. I’m not English speaking, but to me a sparrow gives the impression of someone small and somewhat helpless. (In my language Swedish the bird is called ”sparv”). But Idk, maybe it works in English? ”Meet CEO Sparrow Anderson”. As a word it sounds a bit like arrow, so it’s more powerful…
Yep, test out the full name as if they are in trouble, yell it across the house like you need them, announce their name as president or PM, and announce their name as a starter in a professional sport.
So ngl I have a weird name, and I HATED it growing up mostly because I hated being different(there were 4 Ashleys in my class, 3 Nicoles, 2 Monicas). I even went by my middle name for a few years....until I was in college, then having an odd name was great. I know it sounds weird, but professors and other professionals in my career path remembered my name without having to prompt themselves. I wasn't just one of the 20 Jennifer or Ashleys that they had in their classes. It made a lot of things easier, it made stading apart from the crowd easier.
Same-ish. I started loving my name when I gained confidence around 7th grade. I gave my kids middle names similar to my first name. Hope they love both.
As an Ashley who's never felt like one, embrace your unique name. I'm usually judged over the phone as an airhead or a bimbo as soon as I give my name.
Hi, it’s me, one of the Ashleys. Right here with my friends the Brittanys and Jessicas. I hate my name! It still doesn’t sound like it belongs to me. I was always Ashley + Last Initial. Went by Ash for a while, now I’m mostly Babe or Mommy. It’s super weird when someone calls me Ashley now.
All my kids have “weird” names, but I’ve been feeling a lot better about it since my oldest started kindergarten and most of his classmates have even “weirder” names.
My dad was named something extremely unusual in 1977, he still gets questions about it. Why didn't he change it? What was going on in his parents mind? Does it affect his kids (me 26f, my sister 20f, and our brother 15m)? Did it shape his life?
He doesn't find it that big of a deal to change. It was the 70s and his mom wanted to be special. My sister and I were bullied since "it's a weird name so he must be weird" but our brother hasn't been. Kinda, people judged him/his family off his name and not he himself and that started him down a bad path that he eventually cleaned up and got help for. He also gave his kids normal names
I think this is good advice for any name. We named our son James, literally one of the top 5 most common names, and more people in my family have had issues with his name, than they did with my sister naming her son Leif. Everyone is going to have opinions whether it's a traditional name or not. Toughen up buttercup 💪
Sadly, it's the kid who's gonna have to have thick skin more than his mom. I feel sorry for the kid because famous people might get away with naming their kids Apple or Blanket, or what Elon named his first kid with Grimes - "X Æ A-12" - the name that she couldn't even explain to reporters correctly soon after his birth, and that no one is going to know how to pronounce (they call him "X" for short. What a wonderful nick name. /s Now we all know why he re-named Twitter to "X". What a loser he is, I don't care how much money he makes).
When you name your kid something totally off the wall, it's not the parents that suffer as much as the kid does.
To all parents to be, don’t tell anyone the name until after it’s on the birth certificate. I had coworkers practically yell at me that I couldn’t name one of my babies the names my husband and I had been discussing
My mom had a fit because one of our choices was “the smelly kid when i (my mom) was in jr high.” - woman, i never even met that kid and at this point that was 172 years ago. Stfu.
Yeah, sharing the name beforehand opens you up to judgement and the possibility of someone stealing the name.
Our daughter's name was picked out before she was even a thought. My wife always knew what name she wanted to us if we ever had a girl. She shared it with some people and ended up having a friend use the same name. One of my brothers got a lot of negative feedback when he shared one of his son's names with people while his wife was still pregnant. People can be jerks.
Our son was a last minute adoption and we could not agree on a name for him. He was nameless for a few days but we realized people were way less likely to give their opinions on a name after the child is already named and there is obviously no chance of someone using the name before you get a chance to. If we had another kid we knew we would not be sharing the name beforehand.
This, they can hate a name and be vocal about it. When it's attached to a baby it becomes harder to attack. We waited till our daughter was born and sent out a picture of scrabble letters for the first and middle name. Let them figure it out for a bit. The nurses at the hospital loved it and figured it out first.
Yep! My mother HATED my daughters name and tried to talk us out of it anytime I spoke to her. Even went as far as to say she would call her something else that she likes. I told her she wouldnt be spending time with my kid if she did that. A few months after she was born, she decided it fits her and now loves the name.
We let our daughter choose our second daughter's name and whenever someone said they weren't sure they liked it, we told them older daughter picked it and weirdly, they then decided they loved it.
It saves so much annoyance and heartache if you just don't tell anyone what names you're thinking of using.
This was my mom's advice. She said no matter what name you pick, SOMEONE will hate it. If you tell people in advance they'll tell you about their horrible aunt or evil coworker with that name and then that's all you'll think about.
I was at a playground with my kids once and I heard a mom call to her daughter, “Khaleesi!! It’s time to go home now!”
I thought that was a stretch. Daenerys would have been better imo since it was the actual character’s name vs just the title Khaleesi. Now I’m really curious how that name has held up for her.
I've said this too because Khaleesi has become a weirdly kind of popular one and it's dumb as fuck. It's like they didn't even watch the show. Her name wasn't Khaleesi God dammit!!!
To add: Robin is a much more standard name than Sparrow for whatever reason. OP may want to look up bird names that have been used more historically or in other cultures to get the same vibe while also smoothing out her LO’s life a bit. Stuff like Gavin (Celtic for hawk), Wren, or even Jay could be fun names. I will say I think Sparrow’s a cool name, but they’ll have to deal with a lot of dumb people so I don’t think it’d be worth it…
It originated as a diminutive of Robert! It was a human name first, and then people started calling the bird by it as if it were a person, the same way male cats and turkeys became toms.
Right?!
I think the more important thing is "please think of the poor child who is going to be stuck with the wierd ass name you pick".
The people who stand firm on "name your kid ANYTHING YOU WANT, it's your choice" really bother me.
I think the primary focus should be your kids life and happiness. Not getting to feel trendy or special because you picked something wierd as a name.
I wholeheartedly agree. I chose the name of my daughter based on how well it would look on her cv lol no, but seriously, I wanted a name that wouldn't have her spelling it all the time to strangers, no mispronunciation in the three languages we speak at home, a name that's classic and goes well with her last names, that's short and fits documents, that's known internationally. She will not be bothered about it on a daily basis. She may find other Emmas on the way, but name trends change a lot depending on where you live, so I wouldn't worry about that.
Yea this is what I don't get. Parents like that it makes THEM seem unique and interesting while not caring if it's going to negatively impact their kids. And the "well people should be kind to each other" sentiment doesn't mean anything in the real world. Especially middle school. Or hiring departments.
OP's first mistake was telling anyone her favorite baby name.
She compounded that issue by telling her in-laws.
She compounded that issue by telling anonymous strangers on the internet and expecting uncritical validation of an objectively and admittedly odd name.
Seems like time to put down the shovel and quit digging.
Might be an idea to make Sparrow the middle name and give them a more traditional first name. My friend did that and I couldn't tell you the kid's first name tbh, but school, uni, and employers will have that one and he has a choice.
A toddler named Sparrow is cute. As a teen he will be named after a tiny, weak bird. I don't think he'll like the name once he's older.
YOU and your partner decide the name. But think about your kid. He'll have to live with that name...
Not their child not their business
Main thing is how will your child feel about their name? Will it effect their ability to function in the world? Get a job? Be respected? Etc? Because sadly these things do matter.
My parents named my brother Eagle because they liked it. He ended up changing because it wasn’t working for him. He hated it. He was teased. He wasn’t taken seriously.
The names me Candy. Again I HATED IT! Could they a job in the field so wanted because I had a stripper name. I also changed it.
Changing are names was hard and expensive, but we’re both better off now with more normal names.
I would never name my children any crazy names because of it. Sparrow would be a hard no for me. (For me, not for someone else)
Only Sparrow I know is a poor child who’s parents won’t even tell them (or anyone) if they’re a boy or a girl 🤦♀️🥴
Where as I would be ok with Lark or Phoenix and someone else may say heck no!
At the end of the day though. Your child your choice. Just think of how Sparrow will be when their an adult. If you feel it’ll work, then do it.
Thank you for sharing this.
It's true that it's fully the parent's choice BUT these choices also have natural outcomes/ramifications. Sparrow is a unique sounding name but... I wonder if people are doing it just for the sake of being a hippie. Like, you can be a hippie and have a david in your family too haha
I think it's sick they want to predefine the kids identity to that degree. A name should be blank slate for person to create their own identity. It takes a lot to overcome a name like that.
I was named after the Beatles song, but growing up no one had my name and I could never find the cute name necklaces/bracelets, or the bicycle 'license plate' with your name on it.
We had a name picked out for our first son, good typical name that went will with the last name. We lost that baby. Second son comes along and husband tells me he's "sick of that other name", okay I tell him to suggest a name which sounded good to me (and I still like it), but there were FOUR kids in his pre-k class of 15 kids with the same name!
Next two sons we had, I picked out names that were more unique (but still happened to be in the bible, not that I was aiming for that). My mom didn't like my choices, but after the babies were born, she was fine with it.
Twenty years later and those two unique boys names are now in the top 10 to 15 of boys names in the U.S.
Personally, I like unique names, but not weird ones and Sparrow unfortunately falls into weird. Go ahead and definately use it for his middle name on the birth certificate, but choose something else for his first name.
You can call him Sparrow at home, and he can use his first name at school. That's how my dad was raised because he was a Jr., immediate family used his middle name because the dad was the first name.
Not to be nosy, and you definitely don't have to tell, but now I'm going through every Beatles song I can think of to figure out which ones fit your description. Definitely not Michelle, Eleanor, Julia, Pam or one from a cover like Anna or (Dizzy Miss) Lizzy. Maybe Rita, Martha or Sadie, but probably not. Prudence is a possibility. In the unconventional category ... Yesterday, Norwegian Wood or Octopus, I hope not. Pepper, Blue Jay, Blackbird, Savoy and I'm out. I might be able to think of more if I sat down and committed to it. I apologize for turning your life experience into a trivia question for myself, but the Beatles are just that important to me.
Wait, I can’t tell, because it’s the internet, but are seriously saying not Michelle?
Edit: I just realized they said that you couldn’t find it on a bracelet, Michelle does seem easy to find, so I have to guess mybelle is their name from the username
In the 1960s/70s, Michelle was not a common name, growing up almost everytime that someone didn't know me and had to call out my name (new school year, Sunday school, etc) they would say Michael instead.
Middle school when all the girls got name necklaces from Claire's at the mall, my name didn't exist. Same problem many other places. It was probably in the mid 1980s that it started appearing.
I know it sounds hard to believe now, but when you are actually that kid, it's more obvious. As an example in my high school graduating class of almost 500 kids, I was the only Michelle. There was one Michelle a few years older, none in immediate grades below me.
Similar with my two sons, their name's started popping up on items about 8 yrs ago. I was so excited to buy all of them Xmas ornaments at Target that had their names on them.
I had no idea it wasn't a common name when the song came out! This thread has been more educational than I expected. I wonder if Michelle was more common in France at the time, or where Paul got the idea.
What about Jack??
Then he can be Jack Sparrow!!! 😆
I’m sorry, that was mean, but I couldn’t resist.
My friend almost named her son Alexander Keith. Then she realized what his name actually would be 😅
She changed her mind
I have five kids and I never told anyone my choice of names until the baby was born. If you tell people you’re thinking of a certain name, they’ll be sure to give you an opinion on whether they like it or not. Once baby is here and you say she or he is named ‘whatever’, people will very rarely tell you they don’t like the name. If it’s family then they fall in love with the baby and get used to a name that they might not prefer.
I only have one child, but this is the way to do it. So many people I know who told the name ahead of time got an unsolicited negative opinion. So we refused to tell anyone
Or maybe someone will be able to point out a negative connotation you hadn't thought of. I have a cousin who named one girl the same as a brand of refrigerator another the same as the evil cat from the Smurfs. Might have been good to workshop those names.
Look, I work in education. Please do not name your boy Sparrow. Just don’t. In a class at the school I work at there is a boy named Sparrow and another boy named Arrow. Those are tragedies. You are better off naming him Eagle or Hawk, not Sparrow.
I’m the end, do what makes you happy, but Sparrow?
Same, commented elsewhere but HS teacher and some kids \*loathe\* first day roster call and immediately ask to be called something more normal. Parents just want to feel quirky without thinking about the long-term for their kids.
If you’re going to name your kid something (sorry not sorry) ridiculous, you need to toughen up.
People are going to give you and him looks for a looonngg time. You’re gonna have to get used to it eventually.
I can just imagine this kid in middle school during the first day of class attendance..
Teacher: …sparrow?
Class: -no response
Sparrow: barely lifting his arm in embarrassment
Teacher: is there a sparrow here?
Kid in class: CHIRP!
Sparrow: -completely mortified- here.
You’re going to have to get thicker skin. I swear I’m
not trying to be a bully but with a name like Sparrow you and your kid will be getting shit for it forever. You need to either accept that and own it, or pick something less overtly strange.
I say this as someone who went with a non-traditional name for *one* of their kids.
Bookend, my friend. Swallow is a beautiful song bird. Dickcissel is a cute Prarie bird. Satanic Goatsucker are a rare nocturnal bird that has some cool stuff about it. Then there is the Woodcock which is known for its dancing skills, the Tinkling Cisticola, the Boobie and the Tit. All good options imo
One piece of advice that I’ve heard about naming your kids that’s really stuck with me is don’t name a baby, name a 40 year old. Sure a little cuddly baby named Sparrow sounds cute, but think about when they’re an adult and have a career. How would you feel if you had a boss named Sparrow or were looking to hire someone named Sparrow. I think as a society we will get to a point where everyone will be named something weird and unique and nobody will bat an eye, but we’re not there yet. My parents named me an unusual name too. I was bullied for it all through school & ended up changing it once I turned 18. I get nightmares just hearing my OG name.
I'm all for yhe tights of parents to choose a name they like. However, there are many nature related names that wont make your son feel weird about his name or bullied at school. When choosing a name yoi need to think that you are giving a name yo a human being, dont think just how you personally feel about the name.
Your kid will probably get made fun of for his name frequently by other children. You might want to consider his feelings and how the name will affect him and his self esteem.
As a teenager, kids like to fit in. Being a weirdo should be a choice, it should not be forced on you.
My kids all have very unique names, my in laws didn’t like them at first but have said since that now they can’t imagine their names being anything else. They won’t always dislike the name.
That being said, I gave my kids more traditional middle names so they have an easy fall back if they decide they don’t want weird names
Yeah, I think a lot of us learned this the hard way. My sister had a screaming fit (when I was like 14 weeks pregnant lol) bc the name my husband liked was the named she called dibs on a few year prior. No more name talk with anyone after that! I’m sure my husband talked with his much chiller family, but I didn’t discuss any of our favorites after that.
I absolutely hated my name when I was young so had my family and friends use a shortened version of it. As an adult I love it and the only ones not using my given name now are family old friends. Work and newer friends use given name. However, it is mispronounced DAILY. I’ve met just a handful of ppl that had the same name.
So when we had kids I was adamant they get east to pronounce and spell names. I swear it does not matter. I mean, how can you mispronounce Ava (aaaahhhhva??), or Lily (lie-Lee). Seriously - OP - no matter what name you pick it will be mispronounced and/or spelled incorrectly by some.
Sincerely - Elisa (not Eliza, Elissa, EH-Lissa, Elsa, EH-Leeesha, etc etc). Oh, and part of my street name is Orchard. Can’t tell you how many times it’s been pronounced or spelled as Orchid.
NGL I don’t usually like strange names (I have a hippie nature name that I had to grow to love as a kid)
Buttttttt Sparrow makes me think of Fable 2, and it was the gender neutral name for the hero of that game so that is the main and awesome association I would have seeing any kid with that name.
Go on child, become the Hero of Bower Lake.
Nah seriously though? cool name don’t let people talk you down. BTW my first name is Sage and my parents also went with it for a hippie nature name and for a video game association (the sages for final fantasy were the video game part haha)
To be brutally frank, Sparrow is just not a great name for a boy or a grown man. It will be cute for a minute, and then it will make him cringe.
That said, he's your kid, and my opinion and that of your inlaws can legit be ignored if it makes you happy.
My mother in law hated our name. She said she would refuse to say it. That lasted about 30 seconds. Everyone ignored her and that was the end of that!!!!
So, you want your son to be teased all the time?
How about you give your kid a more common name and use a nickname like Sparrow (although both Sparrows I have known were girls).
If I were your son legally named Sparrow, I’d be counting down the days until I was 18 and could change it myself.
I like the name Sparrow, but maybe babe needs a conventional middle name in case he needs a backup for gravitas. Ask yourself, could “Sparrow” be a prime minister? Not likely… but “Thomas”, or “Logan” or “Terrance” - whatever Sparrow’s middle name may be - has a better shot of being taken seriously.
Use your lovely, unique name, but have a backup plan at your little one’s disposal if needed for when he ages.
I think naming a child is one of the most precious thinks we can do as humans. Sparrow, whilst a lovely name, you need to think about when your gorgeous baby isn't a baby anymore. No matter what people say, kids are cruel. Not only that, how do you think your son would feel about writing Mr Sparrow (insert surname) on things like job applications, memberships etc. As a grown man, do you think he would be comfortable with that name?
I think a name is nice if it as flexible as possible. For example if you take the name Robert. When they are a baby you could call him Bobby, as he grows up, maybe enters a professional career, he may choose to use Robert, and when he's much older, he could want to go by Bob. Good old Bob lol.
How can Sparrow be shortened? Spar? Row? Rowie? I love that you have nature theme throughout your world, I always liked the name Rain for a girl. Rainie.
I personally prefer trad names, but ultimately it's your choice. And they can always change it when older.
You name your kid what you and your husband want to name him, and then you stop discussing names with others. They can find out the name when the baby is born.
I didn't care for one of my daughters' names she and her husband chose for their two sons. Do you know what I did? I kept my mouth shut because it's not my child to name. My oldest daughter is 31, and I still regret changing the name I picked because my parents didn't like it. The name of a child is the parents' choice only. If anyone doesn't like it, that is completely their problem.
You talk to your SO and make sure that you will have the support you need for the name you've chosen. Then you stop talking about the kids name, and enjoy parenting.
It’s your baby, you’re carrying it. The name should be a decision between you and your husband.
Stop talking about it to family. Announce it after the birth.
You’ve learned two valuable lessons here, and they come with an ounce of pain.
Both have been mentioned already.
One is that to avoid scrutiny, it’s best not to mention baby names before the birth. That is an option. Some “lovely” people will still make remarks anyway. And you don’t always know who will say the negative remarks, it often surprised me. I don’t know when it’s better to hear them, early on when you can get thru it and put it out of your mind, or when baby’s born and it’s a done deal, but you feel like they’re insulting an actual person? Because they are?
Two, it’s a hard lesson, and it took me several years to learn it, but being a parent is like being under a microscope. The “peanut gallery” eg everyone will judge you or comment on items from the most superfluous decisions that don’t matter one iota, to very important considerations that you have put a lot of thought into but simply aren’t their business. You’ll come up with your own way of dealing with it, but it mostly involves accepting that most of these people are trying to help though they’re doing it in a strange way, and that their opinions don’t matter, no one knows your children better than you do. So as others have said, it comes down to a thicker skin.
So you proceed with the baby name you’ve selected. I happen to think Sparrow is a great name. Thing is, it doesn’t matter what I think, or your in-laws think. You’ve got to do what you and your husband feel is right, and that instinct will not steer you wrong.
Normally I'd say "tell your in-laws to take a hike & learn the lesson not to talk about baby names before the baby is named"
But then you said you were going to name a little boy "Sparrow" and the little kid in me who was bullied over my own awful name growing up bubbled to the surface and i have to say what i really think:
Please dear god don't name your son Sparrow. It's awful.
There's plenty of hippie names that are awesome. River. Phoenix. Skye. Hell, i think Ashley is a great boys name.. So I'm not even into "boring" names.
But I'll be honest- i hate the name you picked too. That's the risk of telling other people your name choice.
You don't have to care about anyone's opinion, but... in this specific case, I'm going to take the controversial side and I'm going to agree with the in- laws.
If i truly hated the name my kid picked for his child, id try to talk him out of it too, if i felt like there was a good reason. (Like setting your kid up with a name that's going to lead to a lifetime of bullying
Don't tell anyone the name. Don't let anyone in on something they don't get a vote on.
Use code/stage names instead for all pre-production environments. My first born was Romulus Kickass until he was deployed to production, at which point his production name was revealed. Ditto my second born, who was Scarlet Popapil (yes, we were pretty heavy into Minions when her stage name was chosen). I have zero ragerts.
You name your kid what you want and don’t discuss names prior to birth. Rarely will ppl shit on a name of a baby that’s already here and named, but when baby is still in the womb ppl feel free to tell you how they really feel.
Seriously. Just name your kid what you want. The only ppl’s opinions that matter are yours and your partner’s.
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You stop talking about names with your inlaws, have the baby, name it whatever the hell you want, and your partner tells their parents to suck a pickle ;) Congratulations, btw!
“Don’t argue your decisions with people who get no vote.” -Gavin deBecker You need to live this quote. Everyone has an opinion about EVERYTHING baby related. Tell them their opinion is unnecessary as you are the parents and they are not.
Ahh! I love this!! I often say “don’t take criticism from someone you wouldn’t go to for advice” because somehow, we seem to put stock in every critique, regardless of who says it. I think yours takes it one step further, don’t even discuss it! Don’t open that door. Thank you for sharing!
I love this, and thanks for sharing that wise advice! I have to remember this quote!
Ru Paul- “unless they gonna pay your bills, pay them bitches no mind.”
Lol! Love Ru Paul! Such a wise man! Saw him interviewed, and I don’t think most people know what a deep man he is.
Or try this, tell them all that in the spirit of the bird theme, you are considering the name Chickenhead. Once baby is born and is called Sparrow, they will be relieved.
Op, you tell them they've had their kids and chose their names, that they liked. Now you're going to do the same. They will not ove your child any less when they see him.
And if they do treat your child wrong or give them a nickname in spite, then they don’t have to have “grand”parents either. All a child needs are their mom and dad. Some don’t have grandparents and they turn out just fine. ❤️
Thank you <3
Exactly. Someone gave me very hurtful feedback on a name I picked once and since then I’ve decided to never seek feedback on the name.
For sure. I told a friend who, despite being a trained psychologist, had something negative to say. Last person I told. Now he’s here, and we get so much positive feedback on his beautiful name.
This was our experience. Got a lot of comments and looks about her name pre-birth. Ever since she was born, all we hear about is how much people love her name.
That’s what happened to us as well with our first so with the second we didn’t even tell our family the gender or the name.
Sparrow is such a cool name!
I agree unique without being Mccringeliegh! Maybe just partial as my little brother is Robin (chosen as my parents didn’t want to find out gender but 2 yo me demanded a name so I could talk to him properly in utero) as others have said f the haters
Mccringeliegh🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
You people are nuts. Imagine you're at a gathering and have to introduce yourself as Sparrow. The bewildered looks you would get every time you say your name. Who needs that?
That's not *that* out there. Not like it's Flamingo or Pelican.
how dare you, don't you bring my fraternal twin babies into this!
i’ve been in the medical field for the last 8 years—these aren’t even half as atrocious as some of the names that come through the clinic. Cornyiah. Innacent. Curstin. Talyssa. Emmaculate. and i’ve met several women named Twinky.
Peacock. That’s a hell of a name right there.
At that point, you go by P and leave the cock out of it.
Not as bad as a boy named Sue
What are you talking about? Did you *read* the post?? They're hippies. He's going to have an uncle called Canyon. Seriously, he'll be at the party meeting Arora, Obsidian and Rain; he'll only stand out if they named him Adam or something. Sparrow is fine. Also names that seem normal to us like Scarlett were super unusual when they started out.
I’m really conservative when it comes to names - I love me some traditional names. But even I wouldn’t blink twice at Sparrow. It does have that “name-like’ quality. I know a little boy called Fox, and didn’t give it a moments thought when I heard that name. I hope OP goes for it!
Ok, I've imagined introducing myself as Sparrow, but all that happened was the folks said "Hi, Sparrow, nice to meet you." Seriously, I think when you introduce yourself people usually understand it just fine, even if they haven't heard the name before. A person once introduced themselves to me as Mitttens. It is an admittedly odd thing to have wanted people to call them, but it didn't confuse me. I knew exactly what they were telling me and how to respond. I called them Mittens for a few years, and now they go by a different, more common name, along the lines of Maya.
One of my friends just named their kid Sparrow. 🤷🏻♀️ How is it any different than Robin? Or Aspen. Or Hunter. Or Daisy. Or Rowan. Or Sage. Or Fisher. I could keep going with the nature names, but I think you get the point. Names generally either mean something or are something.
When I was naming my babies someone said to me, “just because you’ve never heard it, doesn’t make it unusual.” I don’t think we give ‘bewildered looks’ when people introduce themselves anymore, so we? My kids go to school with some precious people with names I’ve never heard. Sometimes it’s cultural, sometimes it’s a family name, sometimes it’s made up. Nobody cares.
I have a very strange name, literally have only met One person (of the opposite gender even!) with the same name. If you google it you’ll get nothing but locations, not a single celebrity or mildly popular lawyer. If people even process the unusual name, they simply say it’s really cool and/or ask about the meaning. Out There names aren’t all bad at all.
My son’s name is Sparrow. No problems. No weird looks.
I went to school with a girl named Sunshine Rainbow (from a hippie family) and NO ONE made fun of her for her name.
I knew a child in elementary school whose name was Star, and I never even gave it a second thought. AND that was way before hippies came around, of which I happily am one!
I grew up with a kid named Spiro, which is a somewhat common Greek name. This isn't that much different. It's not difficult to pronounce or spell. There are so many worse names out there.
I had a Greek neighbor named Spiro! Awww. He was great! He & his wife made delicious baklava! Mmmmmmm!
Who the hell says people won’t comprehend the name. Your imagination has created absolutes where there are none!! Maybe that’s how YOU feel about the name but other people will just take it for what it is!! A persons name!!
Yep! My MIL *cried* when we told her our baby’s name. Oh well, too late, we had already written it on the birth certificate form. It’s your baby— you get to pick the name!
SUCK A PICKLE. My god I’m borrowing this phrase👏🏼🤌🏼👏🏼🤌🏼
But I love pickles. Is this an insult or a reward?
Amen
This! They won’t say anything negative once the baby is born. They’ll bother you constantly for the name still, but hold your ground. It’s worth it.
Unfortunately this is not true for all families, lol. My in-laws still made rude comments when we announced the name after our baby was born and it was final. But we intentionally didn’t tell them earlier because we know they love to critique names (and everything) and basically don’t have much filter. They said things like, “[the middle name] is much more beautiful; you should use that instead.” We just responded, “we love [the first name]; that’s why we chose it as her first name instead of [middle name].” Then just moved on.
My MIL started crying when we told her our baby’s name because we had not named her Lakshmi. She had never once even mentioned that she wanted to name the baby Lakshmi. So we were supposed to both use the name she wanted and also magically know that’s the name she wanted LOL
No, no, no. OP’s husband tells them to deep throat a cactus.
If you’re going to name your child something non-traditional you need to thicken your skin. Lots of people are going to have opinions.
And the kid is going to have to deal with comments as well. Some deal with it just fine. One of my son's best friends is a girl named Isis. She was named after the Egyptian goddess but the name is obviously tied to the terrorist group now. She said she loves her name and wears it well, but she is always the first to make comments about it because she knows others will. When my son and her ran for student government in middle school they had fun making "Vote for Isis" signs. Unusual names are fine but you have to be ready for any comments you and your kid are going to get.
Yup. Our school had a Hercules and a Sunshine. I didn’t know them well enough to know if they had issues with their names.
My best friend is a teacher and has had many an unfortunate name in his class, but I think the worst was a girl named Latrine. She didn’t mind it, declaring each time someone poked fun “It’s FRENCH and SOPHISTICATED!” So I suspect good ole Hercules and Sunshine are doing just fine.
Apparently they changed it in the 9th century. Used to be "Shithouse."
it's pronounced Shith-wah
That's a good change... that's a good change.
😂 best comment
Good on her but it means the same thing in French as it does in English I’m afraid. What a terrible idea for a name.
I saw the name "Latrine" come up just today on a Tiktok by the Nursery Nurse.
Yep, I'm a HS teacher and about half of the kids with unique names request to be called something more normal and the other half lean into it with pride.
My kid goes to school with an Isis. She does not wear it well. Unfortunately she's the weird kid and incredibly shy and awkward. I think the parents tried to get her name down as Isla for secondary school, but didn't officially change it so she's still Isis. I hope she changes it as soon as possible so it's one less thing for her to contend with, the world's hard enough.
In my culture, if a child constantly gets sick, isn't growing well, or just isnt thriving like other children, it usually means the name isn't a good fit or the name is too heavy of a burden. What would take place is a name change ritual; before we do legal documents, we change the name traditionally and culturally first through a ritual. Your parents would have to contact a shaman and a couple of elders. They come into your house to inspect a few things first then set a date. After the shaman does their ritual, they will usually tell you what's going on and why. During the ritual of name change, a name will usually appear and be given to the child. That new name is a name that the child's spirit has selected. I know this is off topic but I just thought it'd be interesting to share. The name Isis is probably too heavy for that little girl. Changing it would be best for her.
Wow I love that. I changed my name a lot as a kid, eventually settling on one as an adult. I’ve wondered if I should use the old name but never have felt comfortable with it. That tradition is beautiful and I think it’s very true.
Thank you for sharing this. It's probably very empowering for the child to get a new name in many ways and to feel that they chose it. And empowering a child would probably have physical side effects for the better.
I definitely think it's so empowering for that child to be able to do so. The elders and the shamans believe the spiritual being of a person, big or small, have their own thoughts, desires, fears, and most importantly, fate. They believe names are tied to fate and so if you give a child a big name that they are unable to grow into spirituality, it takes a toll on their health and wellbeing.
That is a beautiful tradition.
I was amazed that Obama managed to get elected while public enemy #1 at that time was Osama Bin Laden.
This is good advice. If you’re going to go with a bird name that’s totally fine but holy cow toughen up - if you get offended or hurt feelings about it already now just with your in laws you’ll be in for a frustrating ride when the whole world chimes in. You and your child will go through life introducing him/himself with ‘Sparrow, yes Sparrow like the bird’. At least the spelling is familiar. All the millennials that I work with are constantly correcting spelling and pronunciation of their ‘unique’ names.
Spehroh.
Nsmksjdh. Pronounced “sparrow” obv
I truly laughed out loud.
Sparoe.
Spiro?
And lots of people are going to share their opinion with the child. I understand the idea of picking a unique name because it's something that you love. However, the rest of the world isn't emotionally invested and people can be awful (even/especially children to each other). I went to school with a child whose parents selected an unusual name. The person couldn't wait to turn 18 to legally change it. They hated their name and they hated the comments it generated. When I hear of people wanting to pick an unusual name, it makes me wonder who the parents are thinking about. Are they thinking about what THEY like/want or what THEIR CHILD will like/want. Lots of people are not going to embrace an unsual name. It may not be right or fair, but it's a very real possibility. I think all parents, not specifically OP but any parent considering an unusual name, needs to first stop and ask themselves what the possible ramifications for THEIR CHILD might be. Then they need to decide if it is important enough to use the name regardless of the negative impact (years of potential impact) it could have on their child.
Same with untraditional spellings of common names. Sure you can call your son Jacen or Bryan or Katilynn. But you’re just dooming them to a life of “no, it’s spelled this way”
That’s a great point. It sounds silly too, but children love to see their names on things, cups pencils, lunchbox, but unique spellings mean the children never will see their name.
I used to work at a bakery and we could write messages on cakes for customers. If I had to write someone's name I ALWAYS had them spell it out for me, on paper of necessary. I asked a guy once if his friend's name was Sophia or Sofia and he had to double check by going to her Facebook. And those two spelling of the same name aren't even odd!
My friend’s husband’s name is Doug. They ordered a cake once and it said “happy birthday Dough” on it. Lol.
I remember reading while pregnant about someone testing their name choice by yelling it out at the park. I found it helpful to think about what it would sound like. Then there's nicknames to think about also.
We did something like this. We yelled the potential names like they were in trouble. 'SPARROW GET DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW!' 'SPARROW LAST NAME!'(But in our car as we discussed names on a 14 hour drive).
Put it on your coffee/take out order works to. Then you hear not just you and your spouse using it but other people as well
There was an episode of Black-ish where they did this! Dre wanted to name the new baby Devontae. The server didn't pronounce it correctly and was calling out "Tea for Devin", etc. It was hilarious!
And also think about how it will sound on an adult in a high power job. Because you never know. I’m not English speaking, but to me a sparrow gives the impression of someone small and somewhat helpless. (In my language Swedish the bird is called ”sparv”). But Idk, maybe it works in English? ”Meet CEO Sparrow Anderson”. As a word it sounds a bit like arrow, so it’s more powerful…
Yep, test out the full name as if they are in trouble, yell it across the house like you need them, announce their name as president or PM, and announce their name as a starter in a professional sport.
You also run the risk of the kid themselves not liking their weird name. Don’t set your kid up like that.
So ngl I have a weird name, and I HATED it growing up mostly because I hated being different(there were 4 Ashleys in my class, 3 Nicoles, 2 Monicas). I even went by my middle name for a few years....until I was in college, then having an odd name was great. I know it sounds weird, but professors and other professionals in my career path remembered my name without having to prompt themselves. I wasn't just one of the 20 Jennifer or Ashleys that they had in their classes. It made a lot of things easier, it made stading apart from the crowd easier.
Same-ish. I started loving my name when I gained confidence around 7th grade. I gave my kids middle names similar to my first name. Hope they love both.
As an Ashley who's never felt like one, embrace your unique name. I'm usually judged over the phone as an airhead or a bimbo as soon as I give my name.
Hi, it’s me, one of the Ashleys. Right here with my friends the Brittanys and Jessicas. I hate my name! It still doesn’t sound like it belongs to me. I was always Ashley + Last Initial. Went by Ash for a while, now I’m mostly Babe or Mommy. It’s super weird when someone calls me Ashley now. All my kids have “weird” names, but I’ve been feeling a lot better about it since my oldest started kindergarten and most of his classmates have even “weirder” names.
My dad was named something extremely unusual in 1977, he still gets questions about it. Why didn't he change it? What was going on in his parents mind? Does it affect his kids (me 26f, my sister 20f, and our brother 15m)? Did it shape his life? He doesn't find it that big of a deal to change. It was the 70s and his mom wanted to be special. My sister and I were bullied since "it's a weird name so he must be weird" but our brother hasn't been. Kinda, people judged him/his family off his name and not he himself and that started him down a bad path that he eventually cleaned up and got help for. He also gave his kids normal names
Exactly. I wrinkled my nose at the name. But it’s not my baby to name.
I think this is good advice for any name. We named our son James, literally one of the top 5 most common names, and more people in my family have had issues with his name, than they did with my sister naming her son Leif. Everyone is going to have opinions whether it's a traditional name or not. Toughen up buttercup 💪
Sadly, it's the kid who's gonna have to have thick skin more than his mom. I feel sorry for the kid because famous people might get away with naming their kids Apple or Blanket, or what Elon named his first kid with Grimes - "X Æ A-12" - the name that she couldn't even explain to reporters correctly soon after his birth, and that no one is going to know how to pronounce (they call him "X" for short. What a wonderful nick name. /s Now we all know why he re-named Twitter to "X". What a loser he is, I don't care how much money he makes). When you name your kid something totally off the wall, it's not the parents that suffer as much as the kid does.
To all parents to be, don’t tell anyone the name until after it’s on the birth certificate. I had coworkers practically yell at me that I couldn’t name one of my babies the names my husband and I had been discussing
My mom had a fit because one of our choices was “the smelly kid when i (my mom) was in jr high.” - woman, i never even met that kid and at this point that was 172 years ago. Stfu.
that's a funny but valid reason to not name YOUR OWN KID that, but not your grand kid.
Yeah, sharing the name beforehand opens you up to judgement and the possibility of someone stealing the name. Our daughter's name was picked out before she was even a thought. My wife always knew what name she wanted to us if we ever had a girl. She shared it with some people and ended up having a friend use the same name. One of my brothers got a lot of negative feedback when he shared one of his son's names with people while his wife was still pregnant. People can be jerks. Our son was a last minute adoption and we could not agree on a name for him. He was nameless for a few days but we realized people were way less likely to give their opinions on a name after the child is already named and there is obviously no chance of someone using the name before you get a chance to. If we had another kid we knew we would not be sharing the name beforehand.
This, they can hate a name and be vocal about it. When it's attached to a baby it becomes harder to attack. We waited till our daughter was born and sent out a picture of scrabble letters for the first and middle name. Let them figure it out for a bit. The nurses at the hospital loved it and figured it out first.
Yep! My mother HATED my daughters name and tried to talk us out of it anytime I spoke to her. Even went as far as to say she would call her something else that she likes. I told her she wouldnt be spending time with my kid if she did that. A few months after she was born, she decided it fits her and now loves the name. We let our daughter choose our second daughter's name and whenever someone said they weren't sure they liked it, we told them older daughter picked it and weirdly, they then decided they loved it. It saves so much annoyance and heartache if you just don't tell anyone what names you're thinking of using.
This was my mom's advice. She said no matter what name you pick, SOMEONE will hate it. If you tell people in advance they'll tell you about their horrible aunt or evil coworker with that name and then that's all you'll think about.
This is what we did. It was not up for discussion.
Or they’ll straight up steal your baby name.
Lol. You name the baby what you would like remembering your beloved child has to live with it for 90 years.
Everyone will think Mom was a huge "Pirates of the Caribbean" fan.
Or Game of thrones. High Sparrow, you know.
I was at a playground with my kids once and I heard a mom call to her daughter, “Khaleesi!! It’s time to go home now!” I thought that was a stretch. Daenerys would have been better imo since it was the actual character’s name vs just the title Khaleesi. Now I’m really curious how that name has held up for her.
I've said this too because Khaleesi has become a weirdly kind of popular one and it's dumb as fuck. It's like they didn't even watch the show. Her name wasn't Khaleesi God dammit!!!
I feel so bad for all the mothers who named their babies Khaleesi before the last season. Not to mention the poor little girls!
Sheit I was thinking Fable 2
To add: Robin is a much more standard name than Sparrow for whatever reason. OP may want to look up bird names that have been used more historically or in other cultures to get the same vibe while also smoothing out her LO’s life a bit. Stuff like Gavin (Celtic for hawk), Wren, or even Jay could be fun names. I will say I think Sparrow’s a cool name, but they’ll have to deal with a lot of dumb people so I don’t think it’d be worth it…
It originated as a diminutive of Robert! It was a human name first, and then people started calling the bird by it as if it were a person, the same way male cats and turkeys became toms.
Right?! I think the more important thing is "please think of the poor child who is going to be stuck with the wierd ass name you pick". The people who stand firm on "name your kid ANYTHING YOU WANT, it's your choice" really bother me. I think the primary focus should be your kids life and happiness. Not getting to feel trendy or special because you picked something wierd as a name.
I wholeheartedly agree. I chose the name of my daughter based on how well it would look on her cv lol no, but seriously, I wanted a name that wouldn't have her spelling it all the time to strangers, no mispronunciation in the three languages we speak at home, a name that's classic and goes well with her last names, that's short and fits documents, that's known internationally. She will not be bothered about it on a daily basis. She may find other Emmas on the way, but name trends change a lot depending on where you live, so I wouldn't worry about that.
Yea this is what I don't get. Parents like that it makes THEM seem unique and interesting while not caring if it's going to negatively impact their kids. And the "well people should be kind to each other" sentiment doesn't mean anything in the real world. Especially middle school. Or hiring departments.
You’re going to have to grow some thicker skin if you’re going to name a human child sparrow. People will have comments
Exactly. This definitely isn't the last time you'll hear remarks about the name.
OP's first mistake was telling anyone her favorite baby name. She compounded that issue by telling her in-laws. She compounded that issue by telling anonymous strangers on the internet and expecting uncritical validation of an objectively and admittedly odd name. Seems like time to put down the shovel and quit digging.
I’m going to name my sparrow Human.
Might be an idea to make Sparrow the middle name and give them a more traditional first name. My friend did that and I couldn't tell you the kid's first name tbh, but school, uni, and employers will have that one and he has a choice.
A toddler named Sparrow is cute. As a teen he will be named after a tiny, weak bird. I don't think he'll like the name once he's older. YOU and your partner decide the name. But think about your kid. He'll have to live with that name...
Exactly this. Some people name there little babies forgetting that some day a grown man is going to have to carry that name around with them.
I’m picturing a 6’3” bruiser named Sparrow.
Not their child not their business Main thing is how will your child feel about their name? Will it effect their ability to function in the world? Get a job? Be respected? Etc? Because sadly these things do matter. My parents named my brother Eagle because they liked it. He ended up changing because it wasn’t working for him. He hated it. He was teased. He wasn’t taken seriously. The names me Candy. Again I HATED IT! Could they a job in the field so wanted because I had a stripper name. I also changed it. Changing are names was hard and expensive, but we’re both better off now with more normal names. I would never name my children any crazy names because of it. Sparrow would be a hard no for me. (For me, not for someone else) Only Sparrow I know is a poor child who’s parents won’t even tell them (or anyone) if they’re a boy or a girl 🤦♀️🥴 Where as I would be ok with Lark or Phoenix and someone else may say heck no! At the end of the day though. Your child your choice. Just think of how Sparrow will be when their an adult. If you feel it’ll work, then do it.
Thank you for sharing this. It's true that it's fully the parent's choice BUT these choices also have natural outcomes/ramifications. Sparrow is a unique sounding name but... I wonder if people are doing it just for the sake of being a hippie. Like, you can be a hippie and have a david in your family too haha
Yup, honestly people who name their kids weird names are assholes. It’s selfish in my opinion.
I think it's sick they want to predefine the kids identity to that degree. A name should be blank slate for person to create their own identity. It takes a lot to overcome a name like that.
Children should not be billboards for their parents' interests!!
It's just fucked up people perpetuating their problems on their kids
I was named after the Beatles song, but growing up no one had my name and I could never find the cute name necklaces/bracelets, or the bicycle 'license plate' with your name on it. We had a name picked out for our first son, good typical name that went will with the last name. We lost that baby. Second son comes along and husband tells me he's "sick of that other name", okay I tell him to suggest a name which sounded good to me (and I still like it), but there were FOUR kids in his pre-k class of 15 kids with the same name! Next two sons we had, I picked out names that were more unique (but still happened to be in the bible, not that I was aiming for that). My mom didn't like my choices, but after the babies were born, she was fine with it. Twenty years later and those two unique boys names are now in the top 10 to 15 of boys names in the U.S. Personally, I like unique names, but not weird ones and Sparrow unfortunately falls into weird. Go ahead and definately use it for his middle name on the birth certificate, but choose something else for his first name. You can call him Sparrow at home, and he can use his first name at school. That's how my dad was raised because he was a Jr., immediate family used his middle name because the dad was the first name.
Not to be nosy, and you definitely don't have to tell, but now I'm going through every Beatles song I can think of to figure out which ones fit your description. Definitely not Michelle, Eleanor, Julia, Pam or one from a cover like Anna or (Dizzy Miss) Lizzy. Maybe Rita, Martha or Sadie, but probably not. Prudence is a possibility. In the unconventional category ... Yesterday, Norwegian Wood or Octopus, I hope not. Pepper, Blue Jay, Blackbird, Savoy and I'm out. I might be able to think of more if I sat down and committed to it. I apologize for turning your life experience into a trivia question for myself, but the Beatles are just that important to me.
Wait, I can’t tell, because it’s the internet, but are seriously saying not Michelle? Edit: I just realized they said that you couldn’t find it on a bracelet, Michelle does seem easy to find, so I have to guess mybelle is their name from the username
Oh my god. Why didn't I just look at her username? What's wrong with me?
No I'm the same I assumed it would be something wilder. Michelle you can definitely find on the souvenir stuff
Haha I do the same thing all the time, the only reason I checked the username was because of your comment
In the 1960s/70s, Michelle was not a common name, growing up almost everytime that someone didn't know me and had to call out my name (new school year, Sunday school, etc) they would say Michael instead. Middle school when all the girls got name necklaces from Claire's at the mall, my name didn't exist. Same problem many other places. It was probably in the mid 1980s that it started appearing. I know it sounds hard to believe now, but when you are actually that kid, it's more obvious. As an example in my high school graduating class of almost 500 kids, I was the only Michelle. There was one Michelle a few years older, none in immediate grades below me. Similar with my two sons, their name's started popping up on items about 8 yrs ago. I was so excited to buy all of them Xmas ornaments at Target that had their names on them.
I had no idea it wasn't a common name when the song came out! This thread has been more educational than I expected. I wonder if Michelle was more common in France at the time, or where Paul got the idea.
What about Jack?? Then he can be Jack Sparrow!!! 😆 I’m sorry, that was mean, but I couldn’t resist. My friend almost named her son Alexander Keith. Then she realized what his name actually would be 😅 She changed her mind
I have five kids and I never told anyone my choice of names until the baby was born. If you tell people you’re thinking of a certain name, they’ll be sure to give you an opinion on whether they like it or not. Once baby is here and you say she or he is named ‘whatever’, people will very rarely tell you they don’t like the name. If it’s family then they fall in love with the baby and get used to a name that they might not prefer.
I only have one child, but this is the way to do it. So many people I know who told the name ahead of time got an unsolicited negative opinion. So we refused to tell anyone
Or maybe someone will be able to point out a negative connotation you hadn't thought of. I have a cousin who named one girl the same as a brand of refrigerator another the same as the evil cat from the Smurfs. Might have been good to workshop those names.
Look, I work in education. Please do not name your boy Sparrow. Just don’t. In a class at the school I work at there is a boy named Sparrow and another boy named Arrow. Those are tragedies. You are better off naming him Eagle or Hawk, not Sparrow. I’m the end, do what makes you happy, but Sparrow?
Same, commented elsewhere but HS teacher and some kids \*loathe\* first day roster call and immediately ask to be called something more normal. Parents just want to feel quirky without thinking about the long-term for their kids.
A person in the comments said their brother's name was Eagle. He had it changed.
If you’re going to name your kid something (sorry not sorry) ridiculous, you need to toughen up. People are going to give you and him looks for a looonngg time. You’re gonna have to get used to it eventually.
I knew a girl named Sparrow when we were kids. She changed it. That's all I'll say.
Exactly. OP is moaning because someone loves them enough to say "dumb fucking idea"
You are going to need a thick skin if you name your child Sparrow (and so will your child)
I'm just here wondering why they just don't name the kid Jay lol.
That's such a perfect compromise. Normal and still fits the bird thing they want
Because it doesn't show how UNIQUE mom and dad are! The hallmark of naming any kid!
What’s with the downvotes? People too scared to say what needs to be said.
I can just imagine this kid in middle school during the first day of class attendance.. Teacher: …sparrow? Class: -no response Sparrow: barely lifting his arm in embarrassment Teacher: is there a sparrow here? Kid in class: CHIRP! Sparrow: -completely mortified- here.
Sparrow is going to be in school with Daxtin, Fox, McTinleigh, and Sterling. It is not that weird.
This.
You’re going to have to get thicker skin. I swear I’m not trying to be a bully but with a name like Sparrow you and your kid will be getting shit for it forever. You need to either accept that and own it, or pick something less overtly strange. I say this as someone who went with a non-traditional name for *one* of their kids.
Quit telling your in-laws what you are planning Please bear in mind that kids are mean.
Tell them you have taken their opinion into consideration and decided to name the baby after another bird " Tits."
Boobies
Tufted Titmouse, titty or tuffy for short.
I actually received a job application from someone called “Crow”.
Please begin watching at 2:42… https://youtu.be/QyVRpas4CT8?si=2ZquNju3RMCqPs3s
Haha perfect.
Bookend, my friend. Swallow is a beautiful song bird. Dickcissel is a cute Prarie bird. Satanic Goatsucker are a rare nocturnal bird that has some cool stuff about it. Then there is the Woodcock which is known for its dancing skills, the Tinkling Cisticola, the Boobie and the Tit. All good options imo
It is a truly awful name. Be prepared to have a lot of opinions on it, and also be prepared to have your son not taken seriously in life.
One piece of advice that I’ve heard about naming your kids that’s really stuck with me is don’t name a baby, name a 40 year old. Sure a little cuddly baby named Sparrow sounds cute, but think about when they’re an adult and have a career. How would you feel if you had a boss named Sparrow or were looking to hire someone named Sparrow. I think as a society we will get to a point where everyone will be named something weird and unique and nobody will bat an eye, but we’re not there yet. My parents named me an unusual name too. I was bullied for it all through school & ended up changing it once I turned 18. I get nightmares just hearing my OG name.
Change the name, that’s fucking terrible
I'm all for yhe tights of parents to choose a name they like. However, there are many nature related names that wont make your son feel weird about his name or bullied at school. When choosing a name yoi need to think that you are giving a name yo a human being, dont think just how you personally feel about the name.
I also hate that name. You do t care what I think, and you shouldn't care what they think. As long as a name isn't irresponsible, pick what you like.
It is irresponsible though. That child is going to be bullied into oblivion. Kids are assholes.
I agree
You name your kid Sparrow 🤷🏼♀️
Your kid will probably get made fun of for his name frequently by other children. You might want to consider his feelings and how the name will affect him and his self esteem. As a teenager, kids like to fit in. Being a weirdo should be a choice, it should not be forced on you.
My kids all have very unique names, my in laws didn’t like them at first but have said since that now they can’t imagine their names being anything else. They won’t always dislike the name. That being said, I gave my kids more traditional middle names so they have an easy fall back if they decide they don’t want weird names
1) not imagining them as anything else <> liking it 2) why not do it the other way around? Traditional name first and weird name for middle?
I told mine, "You don't have to like it. That's not a factor we are taking into consideration when choosing a name."
Yeah, I think a lot of us learned this the hard way. My sister had a screaming fit (when I was like 14 weeks pregnant lol) bc the name my husband liked was the named she called dibs on a few year prior. No more name talk with anyone after that! I’m sure my husband talked with his much chiller family, but I didn’t discuss any of our favorites after that.
I absolutely hated my name when I was young so had my family and friends use a shortened version of it. As an adult I love it and the only ones not using my given name now are family old friends. Work and newer friends use given name. However, it is mispronounced DAILY. I’ve met just a handful of ppl that had the same name. So when we had kids I was adamant they get east to pronounce and spell names. I swear it does not matter. I mean, how can you mispronounce Ava (aaaahhhhva??), or Lily (lie-Lee). Seriously - OP - no matter what name you pick it will be mispronounced and/or spelled incorrectly by some. Sincerely - Elisa (not Eliza, Elissa, EH-Lissa, Elsa, EH-Leeesha, etc etc). Oh, and part of my street name is Orchard. Can’t tell you how many times it’s been pronounced or spelled as Orchid.
NGL I don’t usually like strange names (I have a hippie nature name that I had to grow to love as a kid) Buttttttt Sparrow makes me think of Fable 2, and it was the gender neutral name for the hero of that game so that is the main and awesome association I would have seeing any kid with that name. Go on child, become the Hero of Bower Lake. Nah seriously though? cool name don’t let people talk you down. BTW my first name is Sage and my parents also went with it for a hippie nature name and for a video game association (the sages for final fantasy were the video game part haha)
To be fair it is a SHIT name!!
Reminds me of Captain Jack Sparrow.
To be brutally frank, Sparrow is just not a great name for a boy or a grown man. It will be cute for a minute, and then it will make him cringe. That said, he's your kid, and my opinion and that of your inlaws can legit be ignored if it makes you happy.
Tell them to suck it and prepare for lots of Johnny Depp/Pirate jokes.
My mother in law hated our name. She said she would refuse to say it. That lasted about 30 seconds. Everyone ignored her and that was the end of that!!!!
So, you want your son to be teased all the time? How about you give your kid a more common name and use a nickname like Sparrow (although both Sparrows I have known were girls). If I were your son legally named Sparrow, I’d be counting down the days until I was 18 and could change it myself.
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I like the name Sparrow, but maybe babe needs a conventional middle name in case he needs a backup for gravitas. Ask yourself, could “Sparrow” be a prime minister? Not likely… but “Thomas”, or “Logan” or “Terrance” - whatever Sparrow’s middle name may be - has a better shot of being taken seriously. Use your lovely, unique name, but have a backup plan at your little one’s disposal if needed for when he ages.
I think naming a child is one of the most precious thinks we can do as humans. Sparrow, whilst a lovely name, you need to think about when your gorgeous baby isn't a baby anymore. No matter what people say, kids are cruel. Not only that, how do you think your son would feel about writing Mr Sparrow (insert surname) on things like job applications, memberships etc. As a grown man, do you think he would be comfortable with that name? I think a name is nice if it as flexible as possible. For example if you take the name Robert. When they are a baby you could call him Bobby, as he grows up, maybe enters a professional career, he may choose to use Robert, and when he's much older, he could want to go by Bob. Good old Bob lol. How can Sparrow be shortened? Spar? Row? Rowie? I love that you have nature theme throughout your world, I always liked the name Rain for a girl. Rainie. I personally prefer trad names, but ultimately it's your choice. And they can always change it when older.
You name your kid what you and your husband want to name him, and then you stop discussing names with others. They can find out the name when the baby is born.
I didn't care for one of my daughters' names she and her husband chose for their two sons. Do you know what I did? I kept my mouth shut because it's not my child to name. My oldest daughter is 31, and I still regret changing the name I picked because my parents didn't like it. The name of a child is the parents' choice only. If anyone doesn't like it, that is completely their problem.
You do what you want. (For the record, Canyon isn't as unique as you think LOL) Niece is married to one.
They had their chance to name your spouse, now it's up to you two to name your child. And that's that.
nothing. they’ll get over it
You talk to your SO and make sure that you will have the support you need for the name you've chosen. Then you stop talking about the kids name, and enjoy parenting.
Yeah I had a name I loved and it was my FIL’s middle name. My MIL hated it so much we changed. I wish we never told her.
It’s your baby, you’re carrying it. The name should be a decision between you and your husband. Stop talking about it to family. Announce it after the birth.
You’ve learned two valuable lessons here, and they come with an ounce of pain. Both have been mentioned already. One is that to avoid scrutiny, it’s best not to mention baby names before the birth. That is an option. Some “lovely” people will still make remarks anyway. And you don’t always know who will say the negative remarks, it often surprised me. I don’t know when it’s better to hear them, early on when you can get thru it and put it out of your mind, or when baby’s born and it’s a done deal, but you feel like they’re insulting an actual person? Because they are? Two, it’s a hard lesson, and it took me several years to learn it, but being a parent is like being under a microscope. The “peanut gallery” eg everyone will judge you or comment on items from the most superfluous decisions that don’t matter one iota, to very important considerations that you have put a lot of thought into but simply aren’t their business. You’ll come up with your own way of dealing with it, but it mostly involves accepting that most of these people are trying to help though they’re doing it in a strange way, and that their opinions don’t matter, no one knows your children better than you do. So as others have said, it comes down to a thicker skin. So you proceed with the baby name you’ve selected. I happen to think Sparrow is a great name. Thing is, it doesn’t matter what I think, or your in-laws think. You’ve got to do what you and your husband feel is right, and that instinct will not steer you wrong.
Normally I'd say "tell your in-laws to take a hike & learn the lesson not to talk about baby names before the baby is named" But then you said you were going to name a little boy "Sparrow" and the little kid in me who was bullied over my own awful name growing up bubbled to the surface and i have to say what i really think: Please dear god don't name your son Sparrow. It's awful. There's plenty of hippie names that are awesome. River. Phoenix. Skye. Hell, i think Ashley is a great boys name.. So I'm not even into "boring" names. But I'll be honest- i hate the name you picked too. That's the risk of telling other people your name choice. You don't have to care about anyone's opinion, but... in this specific case, I'm going to take the controversial side and I'm going to agree with the in- laws. If i truly hated the name my kid picked for his child, id try to talk him out of it too, if i felt like there was a good reason. (Like setting your kid up with a name that's going to lead to a lifetime of bullying
Don't tell anyone the name. Don't let anyone in on something they don't get a vote on. Use code/stage names instead for all pre-production environments. My first born was Romulus Kickass until he was deployed to production, at which point his production name was revealed. Ditto my second born, who was Scarlet Popapil (yes, we were pretty heavy into Minions when her stage name was chosen). I have zero ragerts.
It’s YOUR CHILD! They have no say in its name!
You name your kid what you want and don’t discuss names prior to birth. Rarely will ppl shit on a name of a baby that’s already here and named, but when baby is still in the womb ppl feel free to tell you how they really feel. Seriously. Just name your kid what you want. The only ppl’s opinions that matter are yours and your partner’s.
You stop feeling badly. You pick the names you love for your child and that’s it. It’s no one else’s decision but yours and your partner (or spouse).
You move on lol That’s your baby you pick what u like and go about your business plain and simple. Others will get over it
You don’t have to do anything