Wife argues baby name husband wants is ‘overused’ and ‘boring’

‘Your husband doesn’t have to agree with the reasons you don’t like the name, he just has to respect your preferences,’ a reader argues

Kaleigh Werner
New York
Monday 15 July 2024 12:06 BST
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A wife took to Reddit to source advice as her husband insists they should call their daughter Elizabeth, but she dislikes the name
A wife took to Reddit to source advice as her husband insists they should call their daughter Elizabeth, but she dislikes the name (Getty Images)

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One mother-to-be majorly upset her husband when she expressed her distaste for the name Elizabeth.

Wanting to know if her reasons for vetoing the potential moniker were valid, the woman took to Reddit’s popular discussion forum, Am I The A**hole, to gather outside opinions.

She explained that her husband favored the name Elizabeth for their daughter in their brainstorming chats ahead of her birth. With two months left before she’s born, the Redditor isn’t stressed about deciding on a name yet, but she’s certain that Elizabeth isn’t an option she’s willing to consider.

“I am frustrated because he has mentioned the name 10 different times now and I said no each time,” the original poster confessed, “until I finally told him Elizabeth was on the official veto list and could not be brought back up again for consideration.”

To her, the name is “highly overrated,” “boring,” and “overused.” Of course, her partner disagrees entirely.

The woman said: “He considers Elizabeth to be one of the best names and even went as far as telling me nobody can dislike the name, which I quickly corrected.”

To see what others thought, the Reddit user’s husband took a poll on social media, and the results lent him major support, especially from the couple’s relatives.

“A lot of our family members apparently love the name,” the Reddit writer noted. “I know it’s popular for a reason but it’s not a name I ever cared for.”

Her husband’s compromise was to let the Redditor choose from the slew of nicknames associated with Elizabeth. Still, she wasn’t pleased.

The writer said: “I told him if that’s the case then every girl would be named Elizabeth. But I told him that doesn’t happen so clearly there are other choices out there.”

In her husband’s eyes, the Redditor is being “unreasonable” and “petty” because she won’t agree to use the name he loves. Regardless, she explains: “The classic and timeless features of the name also hold no appeal.”

When posed with the question of who they thought was in the wrong, many readers sided with the Redditor. They argued the focus shouldn’t be on that particular name. As partners and co-parents, they should want to agree on one they both love.

“Your husband doesn’t have to agree with the reasons you don’t like the name, he just has to respect your preferences and move on,” a supporter wrote, while another added: “When naming a child both parents must love the name and agree to it. If either one disagrees for ANY reason the name is dropped.”

Some supporters thought the Reddit user’s husband was being manipulative by taking a poll on social media.

One person commented: “He didn’t really think it would change your mind, he thought it would put social pressure on you to give in regardless of your opinion.”

“Your husband is showing you such an incredible lack of respect that I find it concerning. Your opinions are valid,” a blunt reader remarked.

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