Grandparents Are Bribing Expecting Couples for Baby Names Now
Some people really care about family names — they want their name to live on in their children + children’s children long after they’re gone. From last names to first names to even middle names, keeping family naming traditions intact is a sweet gesture but ultimately, the baby naming decisions are up to the parents, leaving some relatives feeling like they have no weight on the naming process. It’s understandable to want to have a child’s name be meaningful, but is it worth a price?
Some *grandparents* think so, apparently, because a trend is emerging where grandparents are offering up serious cash — we’re talking upwards of $10,000 — in exchange for naming rights to their kids’ kids. It’s a form of bribery, technically, but it really comes down to the desire to continue family traditions. “For thousands of years, choosing a family name was really how it was done,” said Linda Murray, the editor in chief of the website BabyCenter in a report by The New York Times. “Now parents are really trying to choose a name that is unique, that suits their child and that says something about their personality.”
While this pressure from grandparents seems a little over the top, the report revealed that this generation of parents are not totally opposed to turning down a monetary offer, especially those who are financially-strapped or living with their parents at the time of the pregnancy and birth.
This trend is sparking some creative baby names, though. Parents are creating new names by combining parts of a family member’s name with something else, which seems like a fair compromise when it comes to the baby naming saga. Regardless of your view on this topic, what’s really important when it comes to grandparents + grandchildren (and families in general) is that they cherish the memories they create together, right?
We’re curious: What do you think of this trend? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
(h/t The New York Times)