Husband hates baby name: "Should I refuse to sign the birth certificate?"

Some couples name their kids family names, and other couples create a shortlist and decide together on the final name. Some parents take turns in naming their kids. One parent names one, and the other parent names the next, but what happens if they hate the baby names the other has chosen?

One dad has shared on reddit that he has found himself in a sticky baby naming situation, “Our agreement was that I got to name the first baby, and she got to name the second baby.”

Naming the first baby was an easy decision, “She didn’t have any strong opinions or preferences with regards to naming our son so I went with what I thought was a strong, somewhat unique name but that could just as easily suit a musician as a lawyer or doctor. I picked the name Calvin Heath, the middle name after my brother who unfortunately passed away and my wife was fine with it.”

Now his wife is expecting their second baby and he’s not keen on the name she’s picked, “My wife told me she wants to name our daughter Ever Winter Rain, where Ever is the first name and Winter Rain is the middle name.”

“I don’t think this is a good name”

The 36-year-old father is not a fan, “I don’t think this is a good name and that it isn’t fair to our daughter because Ever is a word and I don’t think it passes the supreme court justice test — it doesn’t sound professional, it’s confusing because it’s a word and I don’t think it would suit her into adulthood.”

While Ever is a unique name, it isn’t one that hasn’t been used before. The name Ever is from English origin, with actress Milla Jovovich naming her daughter Ever in recent years.

A deal is a deal, and this dad is trying to wrangle his way out of this sticky situation, “I suggested Winter as the first name with a more normal middle name like Emma so she has options but my wife refused. But our agreement was that she got to pick the name.” He’s suggested that he’s going to refuse to sign the birth certificate so that she can’t be named Ever.

What do you think? Should he accept that his wife wants to call his new daughter Ever Winter Rain?

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41 Comments

- - mom492462 said
  - 27 Feb 2023
    8:42 pm
Ever is a beautiful name.
The name will grow on you.
By your own admission you acknowledge your wife kept to her side of the deal regardless of her reasons.
So in other words you want to choose both kids names.
You both made the agreement now you want to bully your wife out of her choices by not signing the birth certificate.
Shame on you.
Step up and do the same

- - hopefullyheidi said
  - 03 Mar 2022
    9:13 pm
What a tricky situation to be in. I hope they find a resolution.

- - mum300445 said
  - 30 Jan 2022
    9:33 pm
Ideally both parents should be happy with the name. Totally understand that it can be very hard. Personally I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

- - mom103778 said
  - 03 Jan 2022
    10:47 am
Ever Winter Rain is very unusual, I’m sure you can drop the word Ever and call her Winter Rain and as your daughter grows up she can decide whether she wants the name Ever Winter Rain. She might just want Winter.

- - jrobin260 said
  - 01 Jan 2022
    7:27 am
A name lasts forever and it’s a big decision. I actually don’t mind the name Ever, and I suppose she can just be called something else if she doesn’t like it?

- - SAS185 said
  - 25 Dec 2021
    11:02 pm
I can see where the dad is coming from here. Mum needs to think about his her child is going to feel later in life being called Ever. The middle name is just as bad.

- - Dockerchic said
  - 29 Nov 2021
    7:10 pm
I think you need to be honest. It isn’t fair for her to insist on a name you hate.

- - ~Loui~ said
  - 24 Sep 2021
    4:12 am
I think they both need to at least like the name. Hopefully they can work it out before their baby is born.

- - tessie said
  - 21 Sep 2021
    1:25 pm
Naming your child is a wonderful thing but you both need to agree to the chosen name. I don’t like the name Ever for a child and I don’t think your daughter will like it when she is older. I’m just wondering if she’s to see if you stick to the deal. Hopefully she changes her mind and picks a better name that you both agree on.

- - mom450003 said
  - 13 Sep 2021
    8:18 pm
both parents need to agree

- - ashna9 said
  - 13 Sep 2021
    5:57 pm
Both parents need to find an acceptable name. If one hates it, it would be terrible for the kid in the future.

- - mumof3 said
  - 10 Sep 2021
    11:03 pm
I think it’s something both parents needs to agree on. Deal or no deal.

- - nadine_hill said
  - 10 Sep 2021
    3:04 pm
I think entering into such an agreement was a silly thing to do and now the father is indeed in a sticky situation. By not agreeing with her choice of name (especially after she agreed with his choice) will only cause her to lose trust and respect in him. I feel he needs to honour his side of the ‘bargain’ ……
- Ellen replied
  
  12 Sep 2021 , 7:36 am
  Yes, I totally agree with this
  - mom468034 replied
    
    08 Jan 2022 , 9:34 am
    
    i kind of agree with you. I also think that they should both think of the daughter who will face years of people going “huh?!” at the name. Also, it does smack a tiny bit of wanting to pick a unique name, rather than wait and meet the baby and see if it actually fits her. So many celebs strive for uniwue names for their kids and tbh, it is a bit naff!
- - sars_angelchik said
  - 10 Sep 2021
    9:19 am
I think making such a deal is silly to start with- you both should like and have input in the names. But now you’re in the situation you might need to accept it. Maybe spell it differently? Eva?

- - mom101628 said
  - 10 Sep 2021
    12:10 am
Naming children is always fraught with danger. The other thing is, as I found out, sometimes the names prepicked just don’t suit that beautiful baby bundle you are holding. Two of my four children were named on the spur of the moment because the names we had previously picked out just didn’t look like they would fit.