My wife and I are new grandparents. The parents are in their late 30s with this baby probably being their first and only. The name of the baby is concerning and upsetting to me and my wife. To protect our children, I will describe the name, not provide the actual name selected.
The first name is a mixture of each parent’s maternal grandmother, which we do not care for, but have bigger concerns for the child on account of the middle and last name. The middle name is the name of the monster demigod, which was a character in a film released in 2021. The movie was part of a popular comedy, action-themed movie franchise, which began in 1984.
I totally understand that it is the right of the parents to name their child and as grandparents, we must both respect and stay out of their decision. Nonetheless, I do not understand how a parent can select as a middle name for their child a monster demigod because my son-in-law liked the movie.
Out of curiosity, what do you think would happen if you were to raise your concerns to the parents? Are you imagining they would say, “You know what, you’re right” and start the paperwork to revise the birth certificate? You have to know that’s not going to happen. So you have to try to find some acceptance of the situation here.
A good way to do that might be to try to put the ridicule-worthy names in perspective. Yes, if you’re right, the kid might be teased. But most kids are teased for something, at some point. And their problems could be so much more serious. The baby has two loving parents and two loving grandparents. Your letter mentions no major financial struggles or illness. No looming divorce. No neglect, abuse, or even concerns about parenting styles. They’re doing just fine.