A mum has been urged to reconsider the name she’s chosen for her son, as not only is she naming him after an animal, but people also say it sounds ‘irritating’
Everyone has different tastes when it comes to baby names, and no matter what name you choose for your little one, you’re bound to find some people who don’t think you’ve made the right decision. Not only is there a divide in preference when it comes to classic names versus unique ones, but there are also differences in opinion over what syllables sound nice together and whether a given name “fits” with the baby’s surname.
One mum is finding out the hard way that it’s sometimes best to keep your chosen baby name to yourself, as she’s been told to reconsider naming her child after an animal. The mum believes the moniker is perfect for her baby boy due in January, but said one person in her family has even “begged” her to change her mind.
In a post on Reddit, the mum claimed she and her husband were planning on naming their child “Badger”.
She said her husband’s initials are “BAJ”, and she initially wanted to give her son the same name, making him “BAJ Jr”. The couple would then call him “Badger” for short, but the dad isn’t keen on naming his son after him, so wants to just call him “Badger” as his legal first name.
The mum wrote: “Why are boy names so hard? I had my girl names picked out already, and they’re old-fashioned and very pretty. But the only boy’s name my husband and I can agree on is Badger. Hear me out.
“My husband’s initials are BAJ (he’s also named after his great-grandfather). I just wanted to name the baby BAJ Jr. and call him Badger as a nickname, but my husband thinks it’s weird to name a baby after himself. He just wants the baby’s name to be Badger.”
Since telling some of her friends and family about it, the mum has received some “mixed reactions”. Some don’t mind the name at all, but one person in particular has said they hate it so much that they have “begged” her to change it.
She added: “I have gotten mixed reactions to this. Some people love it, but one person in particular hated it and begged us not to name our child Badger. I don’t think it’s as crazy as naming a kid Fox or Bear (which I have seen happen!)
“Tell me! Is Badger too weird? Let me know now before it’s too late!”
Commenters on the post were quick to tell the mum that they weren’t keen on Badger as a name. Many pointed out that not only is a badger a mammal, but it’s also a verb meaning “to pester” someone.
One person stated: “I wouldn’t do it. The verb ‘to badger’ means to pester or harass someone persistently. It implies a relentless and annoying effort to persuade or convince someone, often to the point of irritation.”
Another added: “Badger is a very, very weird choice. I suppose it will be easy to pronounce and spell but in addition to the animal, it means ‘to pester’. Cannot recommend.”
While a third posted: “I am SHOCKED that you’ve received mixed reactions and not 100% negative.”
One commenter also noted that the “old English” for badger is “Brock”, which several people suggested would be a better name than Badger.
Someone replied: “Brock Andrew for a legal name and Badger as a nickname for now. He can decide what he wants when he’s older.”