Bad Baby Names
Matt and Dena (Gavin's brother and his wife) are expecting their second child soon and they revealed the name of the baby: Regan (pronounced REE-gun).
Blech.
Before you tell me that it's not my child and I should shut up, let me tell you why I don't like this name.
1. I don't like the pronunciation. Or rather, the pronunciation with that spelling. I'm betting $1,000 that the child will be called "Ray-gen" constantly.
2. They don't know if it's a boy or a girl so the name will be used regardless of the baby's gender. This isn't a reason to not like the name, but it's more the 'oh, we won't bother looking for another name' attitude that bugs me.
3. But the main reason why it annoys me is they don't have a girl's name because it was stolen. By Dena's best friend. See, ever since she was a little girl, Dena wanted to name her daughter Megan. But when Dena's 'best friend,' Jan, was expecting before Dena was married, Jan asked Dena if she could use the name Megan because Jan and her lame-o husband couldn't find a name they liked and "Dena probably wasn't going to have kids because she would be pretty old by the time Matt married her." (Yes, she actually said that - Matt told me. Granted, it was probably a dig at Matt for not proposing to Dena sooner, but talk about a wicked thing to say to your 'best friend!!') (Oh, by the way, Jan is the 'best friend' who had the black lace maternity pants!)
In the end, I guess it's that I disagree with their naming practices and I'm mad at Jan for stealing the name before they had a chance to use it. But, whatever. I still don't like the name Regan.
But I do recognize it could have been worse... They could have named the kid John Blake Cusack Version 2.0, @, 4real or Metallica (great band, though).
32 spoke up!:
Wow. I hope they don't tell their child how they chose the name later in life.
"Oh honey, we just picked one name and hoped it would work for a boy or a girl."
(My niece is named Reagan [Ray-gen], but it's not bad. She was born before J and I were married anyway.)
The poor child, boy or girl, will never have their name pronounced correctly.
Actually, the name Regan is getting more popular. My son has a boy named Regan in his Kindergarten class, and one of my friends has a teenage daughter named Regan. Both pronounced "REEgan," without any trouble.
I can't stand when others steal names and such - it's just mean. And Dena's "friend" sounds like a "winner." Just thoughtless.
xoxo
My niece is named Regan. Ree gan. So now you are in big trouble as I am so totally offended-HA!
I think half the fun of being pregnant is thinking of all the names!!
I think her friend was a HUGE JERK for stealing the name. However, just because another child has the name, I don't see why Matt and Dena can't still use Megan. It seems silly to me. So what? Two kids have the same name?
Anyway, I love the name RAYgan, but don't have the same warm and fuzzy feeling for REEgan. Of course, most people don't like my daughter's real name and most people mispronounce both my son and daughter's names. Sheesh.
I was wondering when we we're going to get a good Dena story!!
I like the name, but I don't like the way they plan to pronounce it.
My son has one of those names that has been a boy's name for CENTURIES (per every single baby name book/website I've ever encountered, but I'm not defensive) but turned into trendy girl's name. I HATE it when people mention that to me...
I like the name Reagan (for a girl) bunches too, but now that it's sooo popular, I think I'll pass.
Hate the name, and hate the whole concept of 'stealing names'. Unless it is a name the person made up themselves, there is nothing stolen.
And also because it's DENA we're talking about here. Now the name Regan is ruined for me too, because DANG that woman is a royal PAIN IN THE ASS OF MOTHERS, isn't she? I'm with you dude.
(although I also named my kid Calum, which is repeated pronounced Cale-um instead of Cal-um.)
What I don't like about that name is that when you say it "their way", which then makes it the "right way", it sounds like you are mispronouncing it.
And THAT is annoying.
Anyway you slice it (Reegan or Raygen), I can't say I like it.
hmmm...i gotta say, it sounds like a girls name...if they have a boy...oh, that poor kid!
As someone who has had to spell their (last) name all their life, over and over, I have vowed to myself never to give my child a name where there is any misconception about how it is spelled! This is one of those names.
Also, living in Europe 'n all, I would chose a name that not only the people in MY country know how to pronounce, but can go pretty much anywhere in the world. I've lived in 3 countries so far, all with different native languages.
I'm glad I will have 9 months to think about this and pick a name.. LOL
Was Megan going to be pronounced MEE-gun? Pretty tacky of her friend either way.
My husbands daughter gave both of her daughters the same middle name (Kaye) which happens to be her mothers name (the hubs ex). I think it was a dig at him for him cancelling the credit card that he gave her because she told him to stick it and the cash we gave her each month up his ass!
Ha ha to the MEE-gan comment. I was thinking the same thing. Dena's whole life is drama isn't it? Seems that she surrounds her self with friends like her too. Geesh.
regan, reegan, megan, meegan. let's call the whole thing off.
I've honestly never understood the whole stealing names thing - two kids can have the same name, it won't kill anyone....
I actually don't mind that name (sorry). But stealing a name is just plain wrong.
My mom's ex-boyfriend's name was Regan. I always pronounced it "reh-gen" (Like the president), even though it was supposed to be "Reegan." I was a grammer bitch when I was nine, too, apparently.
I'm not fond of the name...but it could be because I fit it to an old fat biker and not a baby.
I am such a name fanatic, I was thinking of what I was going to name my kids before I even had them and even now I have names even though we're not having anymore kids. I kinda like the name they chose except for I do agree with the fact that noone is going to say it right. I think my daughter Claire is a fairly easy name to figure out yet people still want to call her Clara, why I havent a clue.
And was Megan going to be "MEE-gan"? ;)
Blessings,
~Toni~
Wait, wasn't Regan the name of the girl in The Exorcist?
I think its a cute name, i worry about leaving Scotland and people never been able to say my youngest daughters name properly (Eilidh is pretty common here).
I had friends name there daughter Michael a few weeks back as they could't agree on a girl name and had thought it was a boy so decided to still go with it. poor Kid
Ray gun, pow pow, you're dead :)
these names are better!
I love, love, love your Dena stories. Not only do they make me laugh my head off, but they are a constant reminder to make sure I am not THAT PERSON to my sisters in law. Yesterday I read your past stories and I about died at the "PENNY" story and your nephew....and your conversation before you knew what he was referring to.
As for names....That's hilarious that they won't use their "favorite" name because someone else "stole" it. As a past first grade teacher, I can not begin to tell you how many name repeats there are. Who the heck cares if friends use the same name??? It's WAY better than having a name that the child will have to correct EVERY time someone new says it. I've NEVER heard of Reagan=Reegan. Good luck to her and baby Reagan (pronounced with emphasis REEEEEEEEEGAN.)
I think they should use Megan. That's hardly such a unique name that anyone can have "dibs" on it. If she likes the name, she should use it. There will be more than two girls on the planet with the name Megan anyway.
I'd probably still use my first choice, even if it had been stolen by my "best friend."
Especially because it would likely annoy the name-stealer.
They should just name her Megan and pronounce it "Mee-gan" unless it's a boy then...I got nothin'.
I'm laughing out loud every time you post about your SIL!!! ;)
#3 reminds me of that friends episode where Rachel can't think of any names to name her baby so she takes the name that Monica's had picked out since grade school.
I have two cousins named Taylor because one of their dads stole it from his brother. The two men didn't care, but I've never been sure how my aunts felt about it. We called one Taylor and the other T.J. for AGES. Now he's older and wants to be called Taylor as well. Now it's a confusing mess, especially since my two cousins are also best friends with each other!
Hi! I'm a 31-year-old girl and my name's Regan ("Ray-gun"). It's funny to me that the name is now so popular. I was constantly ridiculed and ostracized growing up for having such a "weird" name! Ha! I actually had one boy ask me, "What kind of a name is 'Regan'?" all disgusted-like. Times they are a-changin' for the name "Regan," I guess!
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