'I wish I was joking': Honest confidante rebukes the baby names chosen by her pregnant friend, saving the child from a lifetime of embarrassment

Author image for Jesse Kessenheimer
Jesse Kessenheimer • Writer and Editor
Dec 2, 2023 7:00 PM EST

One of the huge downsides of having 8 billion people on the this Earth is that there are only so many 'unique' names to chose from. With 1 out of 25 Americans named 'John', it makes you wonder how many parents feel forced to think of baby names that are out of the box. Well, with the turn of the century, it seems like a lot of people have gotten extremely creative with baby names– and not in a good way. 

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  • Every parent wants their baby to have a good life and the saga of living is born at the hospital where hormonal and emotional new parents are subjected to the final riddle of their pregnancy journey: 'What would you like to name this new beautiful baby?'

  • Scroll for a hilarious and oddly wholesome tale of how one person put their friendship with a pregnant woman on the line in order to save their future baby from a lifetime of bullying. All because of a name selection that was a liiiiittle too unique...

  • 01
    "She wants the name to be unique... but it's just terrible"
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  • 02
    AITA for telling my pregnant friend that her kid was going to get bullied for the name she plans on using? CONCLUDED
    via u/XxFireflyxxX
  • 03
    Original Post: November 22, 2023 One of my friends found out she was pregnant a few months ago, and she's really excited to be a mother. I'm happy for her and think she'd make a good mom, but there's one problem; she wants her baby's name to be unique and special, but the way she's going about it is terrible.
    via u/XxFireflyxxX
  • 04
    What I mean is, the name she plans on using is godawful. If it's a boy, she's going to name him "Daynger" (yes, spelled like that to be unique), and if it's a girl, she's going to name her "Tinkerbelle".
    via u/XxFireflyxxX
  • 05
    I wish I was joking. I asked her if she was 100% sure, and suggested if she was dead set on those names to make them the kid's middle name. When she asked why, I told her flat out that the child would get bullied if she named them that. I
    via u/XxFireflyxxX
  • 06
    kids can be; I know just how got bullied for my name, and changed it when I was 19. She got really upset and told me I was being unsupportive and I was a friend. She's been ignoring my texts ever since, and it's been more than a week. I'm starting to feel kind of guilty over what I said.
    via u/XxFireflyxxX
  • 07
    Regular-Switch454 7 days ago edited 6 days ago Partassipant [3] Ehhh NTA. The kid will be bullied. They will be forced to work minimum wage fast food jobs because nobody in the corporate world would ever accept Daynger's or Tinkerbelle's resume. And what if they wanted to run for office? A baby's name should work for them from birth to school to career to retirement.
    via u/Regular-Switch454
  • 08
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  • 09
    We had a conversation over call. I decided to tell her about my experience getting bullied for years because of my name (Shayleigh, called Gayleigh), and it turns out she's been going through a lot. Birth complications run in her family, and she's been really stressed out about it, along with finding out that her boyfriend (now ex) of 3 years has been exchanging dirty texts with a coworker of his. I had no idea about this, and she expressed regret for taking out her feelings on me.
    via u/XxFireflyxxX
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    She did decide to use "Daynger" (still spelled like that) as a middle name, which isn't nearly as bad as using it for a first name. On the bright side, the kid can tell people "Danger is my middle name". Thank you for all your advice, everyone. I really appreciate your help and suggestions.
    via u/XxFireflyxxX
  • 12
    knittedjedi 10 hr. ago Gotta Read'Em All On the bright side, the kid can tell people "Danger is my middle name". Probably the most positive outcome of all.
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  • 13
    recorkESC 10 hr. ago And a nice reflection of OP's humour and empathy! She comes across as a nice, caring person. 206 Reply Share JulesLovesYou1993 9 hr. ago Yeah honestly I kind of thought her message to her friend was going to be like "Wow, that's really stupid and you should not name your kids that." But she was actually very tactful and kind about it.
    via u/recorkESC
  • 14
    peter095837 10 hr. ago I am not a parent but you shouldn't give such a bad/dumb name for a child. Having a name like Tinkerbelle or so will 100 PERCENT result in bullying and teasing. It's good that OP's friend got a reality check but the idea she thought giving her child a name like that is pretty baffling to say the least. I do Tinkerbelle is a cute nickname for the child as a toddler and all. But as like a legal name? Absolutely not.
    via u/peter095837
  • 15
    TheSilkyBat 10 hr. ago I think some people forget that they're naming an actual person. Someone has to go their whole life with a ridiculous name because their parents didn't think how it would be once the child grows up. Tinkerbelle maybe cute for a new born, but a 35 year old? No.
    via u/TheSilkyBat
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    themomerath 12 hr. ago I worked with a guy whose first and middle name were Justin Case. Legal name. His dad wanted the dad joke, and it worked so well because it's a middle name. Nobody knows it unless they see it or you tell them.
    via u/themomerath
  • 18
    Indigo-au-naturale. 10 hr. ago The only appropriate dad joke name, imo, is the one an acquaintance of mine chose. His name is Jay. His son's name is Jason. Reply Share 262 TyrconnellFL 9 hr. ago I'm actually a far pettier, deranged w... Every uncle's eyes light up with glee when a sibling names a daughter Denise.
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    Cheezburger Image 9845010176
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  • 20
    The_Sceptic_Lemur · 7 hr. ago My mom was a teacher and purposefully gave me a unique name because she taught classes with three jennifers and five steves and she wanted me to stand out in the crowd of repetitive names. Thankfully she went for an unusual name and not a ,,let's add random letters to break the scrabble wordcount" name. I'm okay with my name, though it comes with its own set of issues.
    via u/The_Sceptic_Lemur
  • 21
    Designer Comment - 9 hr. ago Here is a child-naming tip: If you're determined to name your kid something impossible to spell/pronounce/say with a straight face because it's "unique" and "special," CHANGE YOUR OWN NAME. Don't think you'd want to live with that r/tragedeigh name you've picked out? Your kid wouldn't either!
    via u/DesignerComment
  • 22
    Bupperoni 10 hr. ago A lot of people think that being a supportive friend means being a "yes man," but in my opinion a supportive friend tells you when they think you're wrong too. OOP brought up a very valid concern and was respectful but direct. Those are the type of people I want in my corner.
    via u/Bupperoni
  • 23
    Halospite 9 hr. ago Everyone wants to make their kids super special but it just makes them a target. I use a name that's different from my legal name in day to day life, but it's also unusual. I chose a conventional name that's very similar partly for reasons outlined above (people get confused when they hear how different my legal name is from my chosen name, so they interrogate me about it and it's annoying AF), but also partly so that I can't be easily tracked or stalked online. Known too man
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  • 24
    OffKira 9 hr. ago People think the only options are John and Daynger. Jesus, just look up unusual names instead of giving a human being a name most people wouldn't even give their pets. Man. Daynger is special, even as a middle name. Hopefully he won't need to spell it often? lol
    via u/OffKira

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friendship wholesome terrible honest baby baby names name ideas friends parenting names pregnant parent Reddit unique funny children
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