Expectant Mum Plans On Calling Her Baby Gaylord But In-laws Claim It’s Child Abuse!
Expectant Mum Plans On Calling Her Baby Gaylord But In-laws Claim It’s Child Abuse!
An expectant mum is seeking advice after receiving backlash from her husband’s family when she revealed plans to name their unborn baby boy Gaylord.
The name is a tradition in her family with both her father and grandfather named Gaylord. Apparently the family would be very upset if she chose not to give their son the family moniker.
Due in August, the 23 year old says she’s beside herself with anguish because her husband’s family think the name is a form of child abuse. Writing on Reddit, she said: “In my family, our genealogy is extremely important. The firstborn son since the 1800’s has been given this name.”
The mum-to-be understands thatGaylord isn’t the most popular name so she had planned on abbreviating it to ‘Gail’. She added: “I get it, trust me, I know most people hate it.
(Meaning of name Gaylord: English surname transferred to forename use, from a respelling of the Old French byname Gaillard, meaning “dandy.” )
Not a total monster, the woman says she’s been in close discussions with family on both sides to ensure everyone is happy with the decision.
“That is why I’ve been able to discuss with my parents and grandparents that he will go by Gail in daily life so that he doesn’t have to deal with bullies. They really didn’t like the idea, but I wore them down and they have agreed and don’t seem too offended by this. They see the backlash over the name today as a fad that will eventually disappear, and I agree seeing how accepting each generation tends to become. When society stops being so immature about it, he can start using the full name.”
I hate to break it to you but we’re pretty sure Gaylord will ALWAYS be a name people find funny. No matter what century your son is born in or what school he attends. People will laugh!
The mum-to-be said: “I now have his whole family hounding me and overreacting, telling me it would be abusive even when we’d just be calling him Gail. “My mother told me my MIL has called her to scream at her over the phone. My in-laws are telling me that even Gail isn’t an acceptable boy’s name, and that I need to ‘get with the times’ and choose something more appropriate.”
“They gave me a list of approved names like I’m a child, which is incredibly offensive to me. Not to mention they were trendy names that would never stand the test of time.”
She thought her husband wouldn’t have such a big problem with the name if it wasn’t for “his family sticking their nose where it doesn’t belong”. She even went as far as saying she should be the one to name the baby as her family has naming traditions while her husband’s don’t.
“How could I be expected to break a centuries old family tradition? Are we really going to let immature homophobia dictate what we can and can’t do? I can’t get past this, and neither can my in-laws.”
The post on Reddit racked up so many responses that it eventually went viral. People commented with advice for the expectant mum given her alternatives to Gaylord. But the woman was adamant the name should be used, adding: “His classmates would never have to know the full name because that’s something you can discuss with the principals and teachers to not share.”
Some suggested the spelling of Gale instead, while others said changing the spelling to Guillard, and going by Guy for short, could be a good option.
That didn’t go down well with the woman’s family, as she later added: “I just got off the phone with my family. They were offended by Guillard and Guy because they’re too different, so that’s off the table.”
She said: “We managed to work out that Gale Gaylord would be a reasonable compromise, with Gale being the complete first name, and Gaylord being the middle name. My husband can then add a second middle name after Gaylord if he wants.
“So I’m going to wait til my husband calms down and offer this as a solution. I’m thinking that with the more masculine spelling, my in-laws might come around to Gale. I’ll also offer my husband free pick for our second child’s name, and will accept whatever he chooses.”
The majority of comments sided with the husband’s family. They all agreed that her son would no doubt be bullied once his real name was discovered.
One person said: “I don’t think there is a school where he wouldn’t get bullied for that name.”
Another wrote: “I work with elementary age children and this is a terrible idea. I’m sorry, but no. Definitely do not name your child Gaylord in any form or fashion.”
A third thought: “I feel like this has to be a troll, right? Like… no one would actually sit down and think that Gaylord would be a good mame for their kid in 2020, right…?”
While another person added: “Some traditions reach the point where they are no longer suitable for modern times. This is 100% that time. Pick another name.”
Suddenly Elon Musk’s baby name of X-Ash-A-12 doesn’t sound too bad does it?!
Images: Pixabay
Chrystal Lovevintage
Chrystal is a writer and blogger who loves nothing more than watching back to back episodes of crime shows. Should she ever find herself needing to cover up a crime, she'll know exactly what to do! Her dream is to one day live in Palm Springs where she can do her writing poolside while drinking endless gin and tonics. Mum to the cutest twin boys in the world, she loves nothing more than the sound of their laughter (usually heard when they're conspiring against her). Entertainment writer and pop culture junkie, she will be bringing you all the celebrity gossip and news that your brain can handle. You can follow her blog at https://lovechrystal.com.au and on Instagram at Chrystalovevintage
