Choosing your baby's name is a deeply personal decision. Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to baby names, and there's no right or wrong in liking certain names over others.
While some parents might be tempted to seek public opinion on their chosen name to ensure it's well-received, many decide to keep it under wraps until the birth to avoid unsolicited criticism and judgment. One mum is now realising she perhaps should have kept her chosen name for her second son off the internet after receiving negative feedback.
Critics branded the name "unattractive" and "clunky", with some even suggesting it was "much worse" than her first child's name, potentially setting up her youngest for sibling envy.
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On Reddit, the mum shared that her first son is named Theodore, a name they love for its length and potential for "cute" nicknames like Theo and Teddy, as well as its religious significance to her partner.
They wanted to continue this pattern for their second child and are considering the name Thaddeus, with the nickname Thad. She explained: "For our second son we are thinking Thaddeus. We would call him Thad. I know Tad is an option, but there is already a family member called Thaddeus who goes by Tad, and they would technically be a second cousin to my child.", reports the Mirror.
"We like this name, and some family members like it, but we have gotten a lot of pushback from friends and a few side glances from family members. One friend straight-up told me my kid would be bullied and teased."
The mum insisted that having a longer name that can be shortened is essential for her, so she's not open to settling for a shorter name with religious significance, such as Micah or Jude. She also listed several names that are "no-gos" for her due to personal reasons, including Michael, William, Daniel, Benjamin, Sebastian, and Nathaniel.
Opinions among commenters were divided on the mum's choice of the name Thaddeus, with many finding it a nice name on its own but "clunky" when paired with Theodore. One commenter expressed they'd be "mad" if they were named Thaddeus while their brother was named Theodore.
Someone commented: "Thaddeus is okay-ish, and Thad is downright bad. I also think it's too matchy with Theodore but a lot less cute. It's likely that they're two forms of the same name, which would be a huge no for me."
Another said: "Not awful, definitely socially acceptable to have, but a tad clunky."
A third person remarked: "In all honesty, Thaddeus and Thad both sound pretty clunky and unattractive to me. That's a matter of taste, though; I don't think this is a name that will get your kid bullied or hinder their job prospects."
In a subsequent update to her post, the mother mentioned she would sit down with her husband to "look over" other options and possibly pick another baby name they both agree on.
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