Baby Name Code Responses:
When family or friends have a negative reaction to a parent's choice of name for their child, it would never do to say so, at least directly. Instead, we say things like:
"Well now, that's interesting!"
... which means, "You have got to be kidding!""Isn't that unique?"
... which translates, "The kid's life is ruined.""Really? What will you call him / her?"
In other words, "There is no way you can be serious with that name, so what did you really have in mind."(When my brother-in-law and his wife named their son Rembrandt they got this a lot. They finally came around to retorting with absurd answers like "Moondoggie" in a deadpan manner.)
"Is it a family name?"
... is the ultimate code phrase for disapproval. The gist is, "Such a horrid choice could only be rationalized by family pressure or tradition, else how could you?"
