They’ve chosen the perfect name for their son due later this year. The only problem? Their friends and family hate the name. The Name Sage has some wise words for the parents.

　　Jocelyn writes:

　　I’m due in November with a boy!

　　We have picked the name Riggins Blaine. Blaine is his father’s middle name.

　　Since we’ve announced his name, several people have commented that Riggins is an “odd” and “strange” name.

　　It is making me second-guess our choice. I know I shouldn’t care what others think, but I’m curious about whether this is a bad choice for a name?

　　The Name Sage responds:

　　You’ve done all the hard work, and found the right name for your son. But when you joyfully share it with the world, they respond with a dismissive, “Meh.” Or worse.

　　The bad news? It happens all the time.

　　But that’s also the good news, because it reflects how varied the possibilities are for naming children in 2016. Nearly any name you announced could result in a negative reaction, from Abel to Zayn.

　　Unless you’re the parent of very young children, or maybe a preschool teacher, chances are that you simply won’t be aware of what counts as a normal name in 2016. Names as popular as Mason and Jackson might seem weird, if you were naming children back in the heyday of Michael and Jeffrey.

　　Riggins is a very unusual name. A mere 44 boys were named Riggins in the US last year. It just plain takes time to warm up to new names. We have to get used to saying and hearing them, and to thinking of Riggins as a given name.

　　But Riggins is on the right side of unusual, and here’s why it works:

　　We like unusual R surnames. Think of Ryder and Ryland.

　　That ‘s’ ending is heard in rising names like Miles and Brooks.

　　It sounds like other fresh name possibilities, including two names just inside the current US Top 1000: Ridge and Briggs.

　　Of course, it’s possible – and perfectly fine – if you want to consider other names between now and November. Just remember that any name can lead to a negative reaction, and your best response is a smile, and a reminder that you love the name – and you know they’ll love your child when he arrives.

　　Rest assured that while your son might never share his name with another Riggins, it won’t seem outlandish on the playground. Different? Yes – but only as different as every other kid’s name.

　　Have you ever received negative comments on your child’s name? How did you react?

　　Update: They named him Riggins Blaine! Thanks to all for the input.