Let's talk about name claiming...

Name claiming is one of the most annoying things I have come across during the last 33 weeks of pregnancy. If you haven't come across this yet (wait until you are expecting you soon will) this is basically the opposite to people who have top secret baby names, like me. These are people who haven't even started trying to conceive however have told you 20,000 times already that their baby will be called 'James' and basically if you call your baby 'James' you will be struck off of any future Christmas lists in permanent marker.

Not everyone is so obvious with their name claiming, some probably don't even realise they are doing it. Everyone is excited to hear what names you are considering for your impending arrival which is completely understandable. Discussing names makes me quite uncomfortable. We found out at 20 weeks we was expecting a girl and decided not to keep the gender a secret, the pink nursery sort of gives it away, so our list of names are kept private as it will be a nice surprise when she decides to grace us with her presence for everyone to then find out her name. 

When I have tried to back out of conversations around names people tend to say 'oh you don't have to tell me, but I like X Name and I have always thought if I had a daughter I would call her that.' The awkward thing is if that was my chosen name you will now be wondering for the rest of your life if you gave me that idea and actually I stole your name (Rachel and Monica in Friends style) otherwise I will have to tell you then and there that it is on my list and then the cat will be out of the bag. 

I have even had someone, who's wife isn't pregnant yet, tell me in no uncertain terms that they had chosen 'Emma' and that was the only name they like and they really hope 'no one' uses it. Unfortunately that name was in our top 5 and now I feel like we definitely can't use it. So our list of chosen names grows smaller yet again. 

I totally understand that baby names are important and can be meaningful and personal and you wouldn't want anyone to take the name you have been dreaming of since you used to play with your dolls. But if you are not in that stage of your life yet I would say don't be desperate to confide your favourite names with your seven month pregnant friend (especially if she is me) who keeps telling you she DOES NOT want to discuss names!! 

Have you encountered any name claiming? Has anyone pipped you to the post?