A woman and her husband are at odds over what to name their first son, with the husband keen to continue an “outdated, nightmare” tradition. Choosing a name for a child is a major decision with long-lasting implications, as the name must suit not only an adorable baby but also an adult navigating the world.
While some parents seek the most unique name, others contend with family traditions and honoring relatives. This is the case for one woman, whose husband is a “third” in his family, named Robert Karl III. He goes by Rob, but was called Robbie as a child. His father goes by Karl, and his grandfather goes by Bob.
Reddit User Seeks Nickname Advice
The woman took to Reddit to ask for nickname suggestions for their first son if they continue the tradition and name him Robert Karl IV. She explained: “I thought Bobby was cute but my husband doesn’t like it. Thinks it sounds like an old man and reminds him of his grandma scolding his grandpa.”
Her husband wants a quirky nickname instead. She continued: “My husband thinks it’d be cool to call our kid Four, like Robert Karl IV. I think that’s kind of dumb and weird to call your kid a number.” She added that a couple of close people think it’s cool, referencing the character Four from the Divergent series. She also considered Bert but couldn’t imagine calling her baby that.
Husband Insists on Continuing Tradition
She said: “My husband feels like we definitely have to keep the name going. Since there's already three, then it’d be wrong to not continue it on. I'm okay with the idea. I'm not super opposed to it, but also I might like the freedom to just come up with an original name.”
Reddit Commenters Weigh In
In the comments, people shared their thoughts. One suggested using the full “Robert,” to which the woman replied that her husband would go by Rob and her son by Robert. Another commenter said: “Sure, I mean, you’re naming them the same thing, it’s going to be similar.”
One Redditor commented: “lol I don’t know what they expect. I hate this sexist naming convention.” Another agreed, noting the tradition is often only applied to boys. Someone shared their experience as a “3rd in a matriarchal naming line,” annoyed that people find it weird when men do it all the time.
One person simply said: “I don’t really have a nickname suggestion, but please don’t call your kid Four.”
Criticism of the Tradition
Another commenter called the tradition outdated and a “clerical nightmare,” stemming from men’s egos. They argued that the son grows up in his father’s shadow and that the mother, who does the work of pregnancy and childbirth, should have more say, especially if the child takes the father’s surname.
Another added: “In my opinion, the mother should have 100 per cent say over the first name given the work involved in pregnancy, labour, and delivery, and even more so if the child will have the father's surname.”
