'I want to name my son after a Harry Potter character – it's so masculine' – The Mirror
A woman was so excited to name her first child after a character from her favourite film franchise – but when she was inundated with negative comments she crossed it off her baby name list
Choosing a name for your child is one of the most important decisions new parents make and a task that some parents spend years thinking about.
Names go in and out of popularity and there are several influences which affect which names you will hear in the playground. One thing that often has an influence on choosing a child's name is popular TV shows and films. A mum has confessed that she was planning on naming her child after a Harry Potter character – after being a fan of the book-inspired film franchise for a while.
However the mum "chickened out of" calling her firstborn the name after people said it "sounds like an illness" despite the mum thinking it was "edgy". The name in question is Lupin. The inspiration for the name came from Remus Lupin – a Hogwarts professor who first appeared in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
Any fans of the film will know that the iconic character turns into a werewolf. His name is fitting as it is an old French name which means "pertaining to the wolf", according to Nameberry. It is also an unusual flower name and is gender-neutral.
Taking to Mumsnet, the Harry Potter-loving mum, who wishes to remain unnamed, said: "My husband and I have loved the name since conceiving our first son. Lupin is edgy and unique. It also has the more masculine meaning of 'pertaining to the wolf."
The mum added that the name could be shortened to Louie or Lu. But when the couple were inundated with negative comments, they decided against it.
She explained: "We chickened out of using it last time because we got a few negative comments and thought it was a bit too unusual. But on the other hand, it could be paired with a very ordinary middle name that he could use if he preferred when older."
Taking to Mumsnet one individual said it would be "cruel" to name a child Lupin. Another added: "You are naming a human being, not a pet." "It's just awful," added another.
"Can you imagine him as a teenager with a name like Lupin?," one other pointed out. "Please don't saddle your son with a name like this," added one other. One other commented: "I can't believe you are even considering it, especially more than once."
Others said it sounds "like an illness" and pointed out it sounds similar to the disease lupus. Another said the child could be shortened to "loopy".
Do you agree? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Sign up to FREE email alerts with news to brighten your day
