A new mum has been left “conflicted” after her baby’s unusual name choice was met with laughter from her family – and others were quick to condemn the moniker
A family has been left gobsmacked by a couple’s unusual choice of name for their new baby.
Picking the perfect baby name can be a proper head-scratcher, with parents needing to think about what their child will answer to when they’re a fully grown adult. Names often make or break first impressions, so it’s important to get them right.
Some mums and dads try to give their children names that are one-of-a-kind to make them stand out, but this can sometimes backfire with teasing from other children or even relatives. And it doesn’t just stop there – nowadays, odd names can prompt a battering on social media, too. Take for instance, when a Reddit user shared that she and her husband had chosen to name their baby girl Nyxiryn.
She said: “So, I (29F) recently gave birth to my first child, a beautiful baby girl. My husband (31M) and I spent months deliberating over the perfect name for her.
“We’re both into mythology and literature, and we wanted a name that felt unique but also meaningful. After a lot of back-and-forth, we settled on Nyxiryn (pronouncedNIX-er-in).
“It’s a combination of ‘Nyx,’ the Greek goddess of the night, and ‘Irina,’ which means ‘peace’ in Greek. We thought it sounded poetic, strong, and unique.
“I shared the name with my family a few weeks before she was born, and the reactions were mixed. Some of them thought it was cool and different, but others were clearly taken aback. My mum said it was ‘a mouthful,’ and my sister-in-law (34F) was silent for a while before saying, ‘Well, it’s… interesting.’
However, the “real drama” started at a family dinner after the baby was born, when the woman’s aunt “burst into laughter, like a full-on cackle” after hearing the baby’s name. She said: “You seriously named your kid that? Poor child. You’ve practically cursed her with that name.”
The new mum tried to stay calm and asked her aunt what she meant, and her aunt “went on a rant about how Nyxiryn is a made-up, weird name” and would make her daughter’s life harder as she would be “bullied in school” and “no one would ever spell it right”. The user continued: “I snapped back, saying that it’s our baby and our choice of name, and that she should respect it.
“She then accused me of being sensitive and said I wouldn’t last in the real world if I couldn’t handle a little feedback. The whole dinner turned awkward, and my husband and I ended up leaving early.
“Now, I’m starting to second-guess myself. My mum said my aunt was out of line, but also added that ‘people do have a point’ and suggested that we might want to consider a more ‘normal’ name. My husband says we shouldn’t change anything just because a few people don’t like it, but the whole thing has left me feeling conflicted.”
Many users likened the name Nyxiryn to a pharmaceutical product. One bluntly remarked: “It sounds like an off brand cough syrup.”
Meanwhile, another user commented: “I have an unconventional name and life has been hard. Less opportunities in pretty much everything and everyone judges you by your name.
“It’s a curse. I hate my name. Nope, not saying it so don’t ask. I won’t ever fully understand the selfish motivation that parents have.
“No forward thinking, no awareness of what your child would go through. Op, TBH, if you like the name so much, change your name to what you chose.
“If you don’t, please learn from my experience above. My name haunts me everywhere I go…”.
