An expectant father has asked for advice after his partner chose the name Domonic for their future son, a spelling he believes sounds 'demonic' and could cause problems for the child in life.
The dad turned to Reddit for a second opinion, explaining that his partner wants to name their boy Domonic, her own twist on the classic name Dominic. While the name would be pronounced the same way as the traditional version, the spelling has raised eyebrows for its similarity to the word 'demonic'.
Reddit users weigh in on the spelling
The father asked fellow users whether the choice counted as a 'tragedeigh', a term used in online parenting circles to describe ill-conceived attempts at creative name spellings. The word is itself a tongue-in-cheek misspelling of 'tragedy'.
He wrote: "My partner told me if we ever had a boy, she would want to name him Domonic, pronounced Dominic. I'm sure there are worse ways to spell this name, but is this still considered a tragedeigh?"
Commenters warn of lifelong consequences
Commenters were united in their concern, with many warning the unconventional spelling would dog the child throughout his entire life, from his first day at school to job applications and everything in between.
One user wrote simply: "It's giving demonic." Another highlighted practical headaches, adding: "Not to mention setting the kid up for a lifetime of correcting people about the spelling of their name."
A third offered no room for ambiguity: "I read that as 'demonic'. If she wants him to be named Dominic, then his name should be Dominic."
Partner's reaction after seeing the thread
Urged by several commenters to show his partner the thread, the father confirmed he had done just that. "I did, they're very embarrassed," he wrote.
One user replied warmly: "I'm glad it worked out. Sometimes you don't realise how stupid something is until a third party points it out. Best wishes to you both for a healthy birth/baby."
Giving a child an unusual name is not illegal in the UK, but there are rules to bear in mind. Names that are offensive or obscene, have numbers or symbols, are misleading such as title-based names like Queen or Lord, or are impossible to pronounce cannot be used. According to the UK Deed Poll Office, names that are racist or considered harmful to the child could be illegal and banned in some parts of the UK.
