Choosing a baby name can be a tricky business.
Whether you’re into timeless classics or unique and quirky names, there’s a lot to consider before settling on the perfect moniker for your little one. You’ve got to make sure it sounds good with your surname, avoid unfortunate initials, and steer clear of overly complicated spellings.
But one dad has found himself in a tough spot over his choice of name for his son – because people think it’s “too clever”. The man was left scratching his head when he asked for opinions on social media, as some accused him and his wife of “trying too hard” to sound intelligent.
In a post on Reddit, the dad revealed that he and his wife have whittled their list down to just two names – Atreus and Atlas. He’s leaning towards Atlas, while the mom-to-be is more keen on Atreus, so they were hoping for some outside input to help them make up their minds.
He wrote: “So my wife is pregnant, and we have two names picked out but can’t decide. The two options are Atreus (fearless) and Atlas (enduring). Our last name is Armstrong. Both names flow well with our last name. My wife is leaning towards Atreus and I’m leaning towards Atlas. Help us decide. What do you guys think?”
Many commenters didn’t offer the support the dad expected when he shared the potential baby names, with some suggesting he should scrap his ideas entirely and others bluntly labelling the names “terrible”.
If you cannot view the above Reddit post, click here.
One individual remarked: “In my humble opinion, no to both. It’s coming off a little too ‘clever’. You’re literally putting the world on that child’s shoulders by naming him Atlas.”
Another said: “Atlas Armstrong sounds like something a 12 year old came up with. Atreus is the annoying kid in the God of War series. Terrible names.”
A different commenter branded the names as “pretentious,” while some pointed out that the names could lead to teasing at school. They noted that Atreus is similar to “uterus” and Atlas Armstrong “sounds like a parody,” referencing the Greek myth where Atlas holds up the world, implying strong arms.
However, some were more constructive, proposing other ‘A’ names like Atticus, Alexander, Arthur, and Arlo. And one person offered less extravagant Greek mythology-inspired names such as Damon, Philip, and Hector.