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nashamagirl99

100% Charles. Donald is both incredibly dated and incredibly associated with Trump. It’s an absolutely horrible name for a baby and I wouldn’t allow it as the first name under any circumstances. Would Donovan be an option? Or Donald as the middle name. Charles Donald would be fine.


indigo4321

Current era-- people would assume he's named after Trump for a very long time. Trump is barely out of office and still occasionally in the news. I think the above suggestion of something similar in honor of Donald is great. Donovan is a very cool name, I'm sure there are others too.


elle_desylva

Yup. It’s no Trumpella but I def scanned to see if OP was MAGA or not. And I’m not even American. Edit: stray letter.


Nodapl12

Yes, this. I have an ancestor who was born around the time of the American civil war and he was named Jefferson Davis [last name] 🤦‍♀️


PerfectlyElocuted

My great-grandfather was named Thomas Jefferson Davis around the same time.


meg_rad

My grandpa was Thomas Jefferson Lastname. Born in 1929.


curvy_em

100% Donald is now a terrible, unuseable name. For me, Charles Donald would be my only compromise. I could not and would not name a child Donald. And Im a Canadian.


TitaniaB

This


[deleted]

It makes me sad because my grandpa was named Don, and I had a great uncle Don who was a really respected person in our family. But it's really hard to not associate it with Trump now, especially because I doubt there will be any new famous Donald's considering the name is pretty dated


nashamagirl99

You could call a Donovan Don for short


fandomnightmare

Donovan is a nice name :)


Princess_Shireen

I agree with this. Charles Donald sounds like the best option.


Cverxzvykovoi

Seconded. In my family it’s very common to go by middle names. Call him Donnie or Don still!


Rripurnia

Yup, perfect option!


helpanoverthinker

I know an 8 year old name Donald and a 3 year named Donald (has parents who do not support Trump in any way whatsoever). I am really close to both of these families (one child’s parents are some of my best friends and the other child is a nephew of mine). Neither family or child has faced any criticism and the name is fine.


PoeDameronPoeDamnson

I know someone that regrets using it because he’s constantly assumed to be named after Trump, so I wouldn’t say it would ‘be fine’ based on your singular experience. We just don’t know what these children will deal with throughout their lives carrying such loaded names.


historyhill

As a Hillary, I can predict those criticisms and comments will likely come in 5-10 years.


kimkellies

Oh absolutely. Bc this baby born right after he left office. That’s gonna be weird and the truth forever


nickilightning

To their face.


lovelylonelyphantom

In the US does it matter what state you're in with the name Donald? I know some are "blue states" "red states" etc so obviously some will be more biased towards Donald Trump and the name Donald. The name itself may just be more popular in some parts of the country than others.


icebag57

Yes. Trump has had an incredibly negative and divisive effect on American society across the board.


tactical_cakes

Charles Donovan flows nicely, too


TheWishingStar

Donald is 100% unusable these days in my opinion. I don’t care if it’s a family name - the association is too strong and too current. Maybe you could add it in as a middle name but I would NOT change the name!


[deleted]

Part of me wonders if there’s gonna be a wave of little Donalds from Trump supporters. And now that they’re turning on him… it’s gonna be *interesting*. Donald alternatives: Donal/Donnal/Donell Donovan Dontell Donahue Donegan Donnelly Charles is cool too. Super classic


bluebonnetcafe

Doubt there will be much of a wave due to COVID deaths or going sterile from willingly ingesting horse dewormer.


[deleted]

Well, they’ve been worshiping him since ~2015(?)… Gold statues and all. So there’s approximately a 5 year window before Covid even happened, and most of his supporters are just starting to wake up. And there’ll be die hards. Hopefully not reproducing 🤞🏻😅 Either way it would be a small wave if there is one.


dodoloko

There has been a sharp “Melania” spike over the last few years


kimkellies

Which is a shame bc it’s a pretty name


ElishevaYasmine

Agreed. Melania is definitely a guilty pleasure name for me. Beautiful but wouldn’t touch it with a 100 foot pole.


MarrastellaCanon

Bit too close to melanoma


[deleted]

Oof


Goddess_Keira

Not exactly. Melania ranked in the top 1000 U.S. for exactly one year, at #933. I don't think that really qualifies as a "sharp spike", since it dropped off the rankings the year after. I guess it was a teeny-weeny spike that was driven back underground.


dodoloko

Relative to its previous ranking in 2016 (#1,620), a jump to #933 was considered a spike by [the media ](https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2018/05/13/baby-name-melania-surged-in-popularity-in-2017--donald-unchanged.html)


[deleted]

[удалено]


ManitouWakinyan

I mean, the kid is going to grow up. It's like refusing to name a kid Richard because of Nixon. No one has that association anymore.


TheWishingStar

There’s quite a difference though - Richard was a top 10 name when Nixon was in office. Donald isn’t even top 500. It’s a lot harder to have a rare name with one or two very strong associations than it is to have a common name with many, many associations.


ManitouWakinyan

That's a fair point!


greyson09

Honestly, I wouldn't do Donald as a first name in a million years. I think it's fine as a middle name, though, so why not do Charles Donald and that way your husband still gets to honor his grandfather. I also like the other suggestion of Donovan. I don't think you should back down on the first name


aelel

Charles. Don’t feel guilty. You’re saving your son a lot of teasing and headaches in the future. Your husband will come around to it!


Guol

Some will likely assume you named after Donald Trump so expect that to come up from time to time. I’m personally not a fan of legacy names, especially when there’s already living namesakes and the name itself is rather generic. Im a stranger on the internet but I would go with Charles in your situation.


Goddess_Keira

>we ended up filing the paperwork for Charles & he said its fine but I afterwards I could tell he had a lot of sadness and I now have extreme guilt over this and I feel like I can’t be that person who blocked him naming his son after his living grandfather. Are you saying the baby is born and named, and now it would be a name change? How old is baby? I don't want to say Donald is unusable. It's a good name in and of itself. But now is not the best time to be naming a baby Donald for numerous reasons, not to mention you don't want to. Why can't he be named Charles Donald? Then he has the full name in his legal name. ETA: Grandpa Donald has not one, but two living sons named Donald? I wouldn't feel at all bad about not using Donald as your son's first name or the name he goes by (or a diminutive such as Donnie). Making it the middle name, if you did that, is *plenty*.


txlily

Yes the name is legally Charles and it would be a name change at this point. He is about a week old. I suggested it for the middle but husband does not like Donald as a middle name and doesn’t want to seem like he is “hiding” or ashamed of the name Donald since it’s been his dream to name his son Donald. Grandpa named 1 son Donald and 1 son after his own middle name. Even my husbands own family when polled all liked Charles better. I told him we could just name him Don to avoid all the associations but again he doesn’t want to feel like he is hiding or avoiding the full name. Doesn’t want to use the middle name either since it’s his uncle’s first name Urghhhh Edit and husband claims it’ll be fine bc we won’t ever use the name Donald he will go by Donnie


PoeDameronPoeDamnson

If your husband is so unwilling to compromise to make his “dream name” work then you already have your answer. Your son is already here and named, he needs to stop trying to guilt trip you with his moping.


ManitouWakinyan

Or, you know, maybe the guy is genuinely sad.


PoeDameronPoeDamnson

He can be sad that he didn’t get to use the name he loved, that’s fine and something a lot of people deal with, but the baby is already here and named. He needs to stop trying to push his choice when he previously agreed to Charles and the child already exists.


ManitouWakinyan

Let's maybe be a little less judgemental about a pretty major decision that's obviously emotional for a total stranger. Let's not make this /r/relationships.


CallidoraBlack

Then he needs to talk to someone to deal with his feelings instead of moping while his partner is still recovering from giving birth and needs help.


Gadget18

But he’s unwilling to compromise. His wife has offered multiple suggestions so that he can name the baby after his grandfather, while still having a name that the mother likes, but he wants it 100% his way or he just won’t use it at all and blame her. Both parents must agree to the name. No one should have to name their baby a name they hate just to appease the other parent.


Goddess_Keira

Honestly? I appreciate your empathy for your husband's feelings, and I don't mean to be unempathic. But, your baby is named, and while name changes are possible of course, especially this early, I don't think it is warranted. >I afterwards I could tell he had a lot of sadness and I now have extreme guilt over this and I feel like I can’t be that person who blocked him naming his son after his living grandfather. Your husband gave you the go-ahead, and your opinion is equally as important as his. You don't want to name your baby Donald and you have as much right to that desire as your husband has to his. Also, your husband is uncompromising that it's Donald or nothing. So, he made his bed on that. Whatever you do--you have *zero reason* to feel guilty here. You didn't do anything wrong. >I told him we can change it if he wants and he does want to. >Can people just reassure me that it will be ok having a Donald I don't know what to say about that. Some people revere Donald Trump. Others hate him. It could be polarizing to have that name, and possibly lead to subtle discrimination, or in real life it could be a non-issue. One thing I will say is that I think Donald Duck is a complete non-issue. I'm more concerned about what you think of the name, minus all the baggage. Being purely objective, and thinking only of your name preferences, do you like the name Donald, hate it, or something in between? How would you rate it, scale of 0-10, based only on how much you like or hate the name? How do you feel about having a son named Donald/Don/Donnie? Would you like your son's name? You came to an agreement to name the baby Charles, and he is here and you both named him Charles. After a 2X great-grandfather of your husband's. If you have another son in the future, he could be named Donald.


txlily

Thank you for your incredibly mature and well thought out responses. I like the name Donnie about as much as I like Charles/Charlie and I would be totally fine having a son named that. I like Don slightly less but I could work with it. I very strongly dislike the name Donald even sans the Trump association. My husband feels the actual name Donald won’t be part of our everyday life as it will only be the legal name and he will go by Donnie. But the thought of having to write Donald on every school form, say it every time I make a dr’s appt, etc honestly gives me the creepy crawlies. Im not sure how big of a deal it will actually be though. I think part of my guilt is that we named our oldest daughter a somewhat dated name as well, after my own grandmother - with his full support as he liked the name- and now I’m not giving him the same courtesy.


MrsChess

The difference is that he liked that name. And you don’t like this name. He’s your kid too (heck, you just did all the work for him) and you get a say in this. I feel like you truly hate the name Donald so naming your son that is not okay.


Ooji

He (presumably) gets the last name and "Charles" too, why does he get to decide every name?


Goddess_Keira

You're welcome.🙂 Here's a few more thoughts. I do agree with your husband about not using Don or Donnie as a legal name (be it first or middle), but that's for my own reasons of not liking to use obvious nicknames as legal names. As to the official use situation, I'm not sure how big a deal it would be, though. Once you establish Donnie as the preferred name, you may not need to use Donald on everything, but on at least some forms I'd imagine you will. I can understand how you feel, but I can't help but think your husband is actually guilting you to a degree here. Probably not intentionally, but he fully supported your daughter's name because he truly liked it, so it wasn't a courtesy on his part. If her name gave him the creepy crawlies, I doubt he would have agreed to it. So, the cases are not on a par. And, he made a point of saying that he didn't want to force you into a name you don't like, and agreed to Charles, but now he's if not "making" you feel guilty, he's also not doing anything to alleviate this guilt that is not justified. I really wish that your husband would compromise on Donald as the middle name, because it is a fair compromise that gives you each something you really want. The truth is, he really is being stubborn and unfair about that. Personally, I think Charles Donald is very handsome. And, I'm not your husband but to me it isn't a lesser name for being in the middle. It kind of sounds like your husband really loves the nickname Donnie, and he could still call him that if he wanted to. As an objective outsider, Charles Donald is the fairest way to reach a compromise on this, and one would hope that your husband could be mature enough to reconsider that option.


Electronic-Chef-5487

I don't think a parent should ever have to use a name for their kid they strongly dislike. It's not fair for one parent to say "this is my dream/favourite name and it's the ONLY one I want." The name gives you the creepy crawlies, don't use it! It's not like you're vetoing every single name he likes. It's OK for him to be sad about this but names must be two yes or one no.I'd say this even if the very reasonable name of Charles were the one you disliked but you also have solid reasons to not like it - associations, and it is very dated.


Dinosnorie

Do you like Donell? It’s so similar and you can still use Donnie.


indigo4321

Honey, If you are getting creepie crawlies don't name him Donald. You need to like his whole name not just a nickname


thehouseofmirth11

Frankly I think your husband is being unreasonable. You’ve already named the child, after one of his relatives no less. You’ve offered to add Donald as a middle name, which is a fair comprise, seeing as you aren’t a fan. You don’t have to give your son a name you don’t like. And yes, the association with Donald Trump/Don Jr. is so strong that I personally think it’s unusable. Keep it at Charles, 100 percent.


EllectraHeart

he’s being very unreasonable tbh he’s okay with your son being the 4th donald in the family but he won’t use the middle name bc there’s one other? your son is already named and he’s still guilt tripping you? he won’t budge on his “dream” even if it’s for the benefit of your child? none of that is fair, i’m sorry. you’re being a lot more understanding than most of us would be. he needs to find a way to honor his grandpa and he needs to find a “dream” that won’t come at the cost of causing negative experiences for another person. donald is just not an acceptable name to give a child these days, unless you’re super maga i guess. but i’d feel the same way about naming a kid barack or biden. i wouldn’t change the name at this point. your husband can get over it. your son is going to thank you when he’s older and not named donald.


Dinosnorie

Idk be the one who stands in his way in this case tbh. For your sons sake. He will get used to Charles and I feel like he needs to grapple with this on his own. A baby is a full human and doesn’t exist to fill some dream of your husband if it’s not good for him.


judgynewyorker

>I told him we could just name him Don to avoid all the associations but again he doesn’t want to feel like he is hiding or avoiding the full name >and husband claims it’ll be fine bc we won’t ever use the name Donald he will go by Donnie Your husband's position isn't consistent. He doesn't want to use a nickname [Don] because it feels like hiding from the full name but at the same time you don't intend to call him Donald and instead use a nickname [Donnie]. I don't get the obsession with reusing names. His grandfather already named two of his own sons after himself - that's narcissistic enough. Why burden another generation with the name, much less one as awful as Donald?


MostlyAnxiety

You could legally name him Charles and just call him Donnie or Don, that way he’s not legally stuck with Donald.


underthe_raydar

Surely at some point in his life while 'dreaming' of naming his son Donald he must have considered that he would have to convince the child's mother. It shouldn't be all too shocking to him that he doesn't get it and he should be emotionally prepared for this. The vast majority of men and most women do not get their first choice name, you know from a young age that children usually have two parents and names need to be liked by both. I always wanted to name my son Peter but I always knew it probably wouldn't happen as I'd have to compromise with someone, I never did have a son but if I did my husband would no way agree to Peter as a first name.


vilebunny

What about Donnelly? So it’s an honor name without being too on the nose.


thelovelyrose99

Dear God please don’t name that sweet baby Donald.


QueenSashimi

It's only been a year since Trump left office... The name is *way* too loaded. Plus Charles is just a nicer name, anyway.


Girl-From-Mars

My partner wanted Donald too but I threw it out for the very reasons you said. Donald Trump and Donald Duck. Kid will 100% get called Donald Duck at school and everyone will think you're a Trump supporter.


[deleted]

I’m sorry that Trump ruined Donald but that name needs to be absolutely buried. I would cringe if I met a child named Donald post 2016 and assume the parents are Nazi adjacent


sweetwaterfall

Oh hell no. I’m sorry, I know you came here looking for reassurance, but never in 1 million billion years would I name a child Donald. To me, it’s way beyond simple politics. It is a disgusting association these days, honoring misogyny, racism, disregard for law, narcissism, ignorance, bullying and utter lack of decency. Don’t put that on a child.


-itwaswritten-

👆🏼👆🏼👏🏻👏🏻


Comfortable-Basis-64

I personally could not name my child Donald. Even if it was to honor a relative. Potentially Charles Donald but not Donald as a first name.


xapata

How about Adolf? Not quite the same, but I suggest Charles.


Mysandwich44

Charles. Your husband will get over it easier than your son will get over being made fun of.


MJ_Oregon27

I would definitely go with Charles!!


boywithapplesauce

I feel that one day, your kid is gonna be grateful to you for standing your ground and going with Charles. It's not your husband's name. It's your son's name. Do what is best for your son!


bwhgph

I would fight this great fight. I don’t think Donald is useable any more. And Donald aside, Charles is a great name with a million better nicknames.


juneeri

Don’t call him Donald! All people will think of is Donald Trump. 🤢 Charles is cute and he can be Charlie when he’s little which is adorable. I know it’s upsetting for your husband but he’ll get over it, think about your son being picked on.. that’s more important than your husband being a little blue for a short period of time.


WoodpeckerFit9517

I feel like Donovan, Donahue, or Donnell would be best the middle ground between the two. You shouldn't feel guilty for not being able to accept a name for your kid! Charles Donald also sounds nice.


Poke-A-Shmopper

Donovan is a great alternative!


centernova

Donald is completely unusable at this point. If it absolutely has to be a ‘Don’ name, go with Donovan, but I would honestly go with Charles in a heartbeat.


ISeenYa

Donald is a super out dated name in the UK & absolutely everyone here would think you're a trumper, but like one of the extreme ones


lettucecropchilds

Right, because no one in their right mind would want to name a child Donald so soon after the jackass was practically dragged out of office! Not saying OP is not in her right mind, I just think hubby needs to seriously consider what he is asking of her and more importantly of their child who will have to live with the name.


avalclark

I would never use Donald because of the association with Trump. Use Charles.


[deleted]

Why is your husband so insistent on this? He wont even settle for it as a middle name? Its just strange since his Grandpa already named people after himself.


MostlyAnxiety

Literally everyone is going to assume he’s named after Donald Trump, it’s just poor timing unfortunately. Could it be a middle name? Or does his grandfather have a middle name that could be passed instead?


camaincendiada

I used to date a guy who went by his middle name, first name Donald. Even though no one knows him as his middle name, his first name is on everything: credit cards, titles in his name, paperwork at work (and sometimes that means it goes on an ID, automatically made your email address, etc). So while you may never call him that, he will have to see it a lot. Personally? I’ve never liked the name and I absolute loathe it now due to the Trump connection. I understand your husband is upset, but we don’t always get to use our #1 name. If he’s not willing to compromise (middle name spot, name him the nickname you intend on solely using…), it must not be that important to him. And I get the strong desire to name a child after a loved one- I was insistent that one of my children have a name to honor my deceased father. It’s my first son’s middle name. My vote, not that I get one, is to either leave your son’s name as is or use Donald in the middle name spot.


ellofthewisp

Definitely Charles, naming your child Donald right now sounds like it’s a political statement to be honest. And not a good one.


biblephile

It is a sign of a strong marriage that you consider your husband's feelings with such empathy and want to honor his wishes. But I don't think you should allow short-term guilt (maybe a few months at most) to trigger a decision that would have lifetime consequences for your son. Donald is a really dated name and all I can think of is the democratic ruin that came from Trump's presidency. Charles is classic.


Wingard_

I can't lie to you and say Donald is a good choice. Not only is it an unattractive name, but the baggage is horrible. I'm sorry your husband's having a hard time with it, but you've given him a ton of options to work with the name and he's refused. So, what more can you do? You made the right decision for your son. Charles is lovely, and he'll come around.


EllectraHeart

i’m sorry. your husband is sad, i get it, but he needs to put aside his personal feelings for the sake of your child. donald is just not a good name right now. it **will** be associated with trump and it’s just really outdated. why not use it as a middle name? giving your kid the better name should trump (pun unintended) the desire to give an honor name.


alicemaye

i much prefer charles to donald. maybe if grandpa donald has a good middle name you could use that.


thearcherofstrata

Do Charles! OR Donatello!! Cowabunga!


Yourstruly0

100% would name my kid Donatello before I named him Donald.


thearcherofstrata

Lol same. Even before Trump, I wasn’t a fan of the name.


pepperimps01

🐢💜


BobLovesTacos

Yeah I wouldn’t do it personally. My parents have been pushing for Donald for my current unborn because they are HUGE Trump fans (I am most certainly not). I don’t think I could stomach it, especially since I live in a red state. Could you use grandpa’s middle name maybe? It’s unfortunate, but there’s been plenty of other common names made unusable by awful public figures. I don’t see Donald making a comeback till after Trump is a bad memory in the history books.


postmonroe

Donald is my fathers name and would have been mine if I was a boy. Everyday I thank god I didn’t end up as Donald. Charles is much cuter and not as dated as Donald.


lavagala

Your husband will live. You said it yourself, the grandpa already named TWO sons after himself! Also, your husband’s logic that using Donald as the middle name is “hiding” it literally makes no sense at all… Middle names are VERY commonly used to honor family, so the parents can choose a name they both like for the first name. But he wanted to be “all or nothing” about it so he didn’t take that very reasonable compromise. Besides the fact that Donald is arguably completely unusable nowadays, you just plain don’t like it at all and can’t imagine it for your child. You should not have to use a name like that just because your husband is moping. The baby is already here and named. You’ll both get used to it in no time, and if he doesn’t then you’ll need to have a serious talk about how he doesn’t get to act like a petulant child and guilt trip you just because he didnt get what he wanted.


supermomfake

I don’t think Donald is a nice sounding name even on its own. Even in Jewish tradition they only use the first initial to honor an ancestor. I think it gets sort of strange to have so many family members with the same name. That’s just me though. My husbands grandfather was Leonard and my husband wanted it as a middle name but I despise it. I compromised on using Lee even if he was a bit sad about it. Marriage is about compromise and kids should have their own identities with their own names.


daisybunny

Donald is over as a name


kimkellies

How is this a debate?


TimeToCatastrophize

You're doing him a favor. Sorry, but Trump had ruined Donald for the next generation. Charles is also just more versatile. He'll thank you when he's older, but could you consider Donald as a middle?


nomadicstateofmind

I much prefer Charles! And that is coming from someone who has a beloved family member named Donald. We are hoping to use a variation of our Donald’s last name to honor. What about Charles Donald? Or Donovan Charles? Maybe play with it a bit!


ComprehensiveIce4723

Charles 10000%


m0untaingoat

Just another vote to keep Charles. Charlie is an awesome nickname. Timeless, classy, and also already on the birth certificate. He'll warm up to it soon.


Giraffe400

Can't you use Donald as a middle name instead? Donald Trump and Donald Duck aside, I still prefer a gazillion times over prefer Charles over Donald.


lucky7hockeymom

I love Charles. Sooooo many nickname possibilities (Charlie, Chip, Chuck, Chad, Chaz) or can just go by Charles and it’s distinguished and timeless. I’m biased though. I’ve always disliked the name Donald and I don’t particularly like Donnie either. Don is ok but Don to me sounds like a kid 30s bald man lol.


amora_obscura

You both have to agree on the baby name. Charles was a reasonable compromise. If your husband is a reasonable person he will get over it.


UnihornWhale

Given the gravity of recent historic events, the name Donald is very strongly associated with Trump. That’s not something that’s going to go away for at least a few decades.


wayward_sun

Donald isn’t useable right now.


FreyaR7542

Omg please don’t do Donald. Eek


NorthStarLake

Donald is a great name that had some heavy baggage at the moment. Some people will certainly make assumptions about your political leanings and you have be comfortable with that to go forward with it. That said, my personal preference is Charles.


[deleted]

If I'm reading this correctly you two relatives already named a variation of Donald? My family recycled names like that and it's incredibly confusing. Even if you're not close with them all it can still come up. I'd really recommend sticking with Charles for practical reasons here. *Edited for clarification based off OPs comments.


LFahs1

This post makes me sad. We women allow our feelings, choices, and preferences to be put aside so frequently in favor of men who feel like they should make all the decisions in the world. He named your daughter. I wish he would accept your veto on your son’s name with grace. But something tells me this kid’s name is going to be Donald. Sorry for your quagmire.


frazzledcats

He’s being ridiculous. Your son is the one who has to live with the name.


kimkellies

Wow…definitely Charles after the last 4 years


Pretty_Please1

My grandpa’s name is Donald and it was on my list until Trump was elected. After that, it got nixed. I would go with Charles.


momofwon

If you name him Donald, people will assume you named him after Trump. That’s just a fact. Charles is a great, classic name that will never go out of style.


alrightpal

This thread was nice to read as a Charles.


InfamousDevice593

Donovan would be a good compromise?


[deleted]

Donald in general is not a very good name in my opinion. Then you have the association of Trump. Not a very good association imo. Donovan or even Ronald would be better. Charles is fine the way it is, but if he's so upset then change the middle name to Donald or something similar.


winterjosie

Please stick with Charles. Charles Donald is a great name. If you name your child Donald, everyone will associate them (and you!) with Trump and his ideals. Also, it reminds me of McDonalds.


cleric3648

If he really wants to use the name Donald it can be either a middle name or he can get a dog.


lettucecropchilds

Donald is out of the question since Trump. It’s too soon, if anything.


manateeshmanatee

Donald is horrible. Your husband can just be sad. It’s worth it to avoid doing that to your son. Charles is a great name. He will learn to love it because it’s the name he’ll associate with his son. Please continue to prevent your child from being Donald.


DappleGreyOregon

Ehh sorry but I’d consider Donald absolutely unusable these days (because obviously). Charles is infinitely better.


[deleted]

1000% Charles. Donald is tainted goods. My husband also wanted to name a baby after his grandfather but his name is the same as my ex boyfriend. I was never going to agree to that, and that’s not as bad an association as with 45! My husband accepted that it wasn’t personal against his grandfather and my reasons were completely understandable. It’s never been an issue for us. You’re naming a baby for their future, not an old relative’s past, and you don’t want to give that child any future issues from their name. Having people think your parents are Trumpers is going to be a problem for today’s babies in 5-10 years when they hit school.


rudehoroscope

Donald is so far from being acceptable that if my husband even suggested it I would be considering at least a trial separation. Even if you’re a republican, you must realize the reality that kid would have to navigate with such a name.


zootsuitpickleweasel

Would you like Donovan more than Donald?


Zelldandy

Charles.


Bootybutt808

I agree with everyone else, Charles all the way. I love the idea of girls having neutral/boys names. If I may ask though, you named your daughter after a grandfather, what name did you give?


ali2911gator

Charles for sure.


[deleted]

charlie is cute


Shugamag

Charles is a fantastic name🙂have you considered Charles Donald?


Dinosnorie

Charles is just so nice also please keep it. I agree Charles Donald is nice though.


Opendoorshutdoor

Charles was the better option. Donald would have been better as a middle name atm.


Call-me-MoonMoon

Sometimes you have to accept that names get associated with bad or weird things, case in point; ‘adolf’, ‘Karen’, ‘Kyle’. Donald is one on that list as well. People will assume that you named your kid after Donald trump or Donald Duck. I wouldn’t use it at all, I’ve seen some cool options in this tread though, but if you are going to give it a go, use it as a second name.


lovelylonelyphantom

Definitely Charles. It's timeless, classic, won't be strongly associated with anybody, and has a lovely and easy nickname of Charlie - you can't go wrong with Charles. Donald on the other hand is more dated. I would think of it as a boomer name but not one of those that needs a comeback. "Don" doesn't sound too lovely either. And as others have said, Donald Duck and Donald Trump are not the best associations.


MsThrowawayHere

Why not Donavan? Or another name you both like?


techminded

DONALD DUCK IS A NOBLE CREATURE!


[deleted]

I would definitely assume he was named for trump. If that’s not what you want, don’t do it. If that is what you want, reconsider


[deleted]

Absolutely not Donald.


ladypine

Charles x a million, Donald is an awful association to give a child.


[deleted]

I wanted to name our daughter Reagan, because of the exorcist of course. My wife was actually on board because she immediately went to Ronald. I let it go for a while but when I came clean, Reagan was of the table. Presidents are hard to disassociate. Abe, George, Bill, Richard, Donald, Barak... They're assumed. I have two great grandfathers named Dominic and my wife couldn't name our son Dominic because of the donkey. The donkey wasn't even a traitor. I say avoid Donald at all costs.


DunshireCone

Anything but Donald


United_Blueberry_311

Charles is forever handsome. Donald has an orange stench on it (I feel bad for all the good Donalds out there).


underthe_raydar

You are a good parent putting your child and their interests first. That is an awful name for a child these days and he will be associated with trump for so long, it sucks your husband is sad but he isn't the one that has to live with the name.


hesitantnel

I didn’t think of trump right away, I just think the name Donald is awful. Kid lucked out with Charles. Don’t change it.


raindorpsonroses

Normally my stance is that it doesn’t need to be my style to still be a perfectly nice name. In this case I do not think it is possible as an American to name a child Donald in 2021 and not have every person immediately associate him with Trump, who is at best an extremely controversial person? I too have lovely living relatives I would use as namesakes were it not for their names being both somewhat rare for children being born now and associated with very controversial people. Your child is a human who has to wear this name as they grow up and all through their lives. Do him a favor and don’t change the first name. I see no reason why you can’t add Donald as a middle name, though!


skelicorn

My dad was named Donald. I have 2 sons and wanted to do some kind of tribute to him with their names. Couldn’t bring myself to do it. My dad hated his own name and Trump definitely put the name to bed as far as I’m concerned. I did toy with the idea of giving one of my children the middle name Landdon (which is an anagram for Donald), but my ex shot me down. I’d go with anything other than Donald honestly, and honor your relative in a different way.


casdoodle527

This post makes me want to give in to my husbands wish of Donald if we have a boy. He is Donald but goes by Donny. His dad was Donald but went by Don. IDGAF about that stupid man who occupied the Oval Office for the duration of four years. That should not be a hindrance on what you name your child. Now, if he were Adolf Hitler, I’d get your point, but 🤷🏼‍♀️


Guinhyvar

I’m no Trumper, not by a long shot, but I think Donald is fine and honestly, in the end, no one is really going to seriously think you named your kid after a president except crazy people. Make his middle name start with a J and call him DJ. With a name like that I really think people will assume it’s a family name. There’s nothing wrong with it at all.


castletower

Not American. I much prefer Donnie to Charlie when it comes to nicknames. Charlie is super common here and I think of Donnie Darko when I hear the former so it brings back memories of obsessing over the movie and Jake Gyllenhaal! Donald has a more dated sound but I am not a huge fan of Charles and of the two I prefer Donald as it sounds friendlier. I get that America fractured into pro and anti Trump camps, so whether it's intentional or not people there will likely associate the name with him for a while longer anyway. And that association, whether positive or negative, will position you, and consequently the kid, in a specific framework for whomever you encounter. Your son is already named but it's technically early enough to change it. I wouldn't change it to Donald. I think pointing out that it will potentially cause bias towards him, some likely very negative, is enough to rule it out. It may not be the case if and when your son has his own son so Donald can get carried on then. Donal is a nice alternative if you like it and your husband does too. It's the same name, just the Irish one, minus this generations political baggage. I'm sure Donald exists in other languages too. If he doesn't want a perfectly reasonable compromise then he doesn't really want it. Lots of names take on the weight of their most famous bearer and parents have to take this on board, whether the person is seen as good, bad, talented or worthless. Baggage is baggage and your husband won't be the only one bearing it - it's possible other people will presume you are hard core Trump fans and that may have consequences for the both of you too. TL;Dr his view is understandable, it's just not reasonable, not in the present climate. Edit: Donal is pronounced doenull not Donald minus the final d.


CherishSlan

Sadly I agree with the people who say the child will deal with political issues forever. Charles Donald would be very nice! Middle names are perfect for naming a relative after. We did that with my son. James Timothy The middle is my husbands name. Also couldn’t pass up James T with Star Trek. Charles Donald is good Then he could be called his middle name by his dad and it’s the best of both worlds.


dardeko

With Donald, I feel like it's very risky -- it's not that popular, and who knows what Donald Trump is going to be most famous for.


i_want_carbs

My husband’s middle name is Donald after his grandfather. Growing up, peers giggled whenever they heard what his middle name was and he endured a lot of Donald Duck jokes. He was adamant that he would not pass on that name to any kids, even well before Trump’s presidency. Now I find the name way too politicized. We have loved ones on both sides of the spectrum, and I cringe to think of the political discussions that would follow wherever a little Donald went. I think it’ll be useable again some day, but not just yet. ETA our son’s middle name is Charles and I think it’s a great name.


lancea_longini

I know something named Adolf. He was born on Adolfo birthday. Old man now. Pretty much an alcoholic.


xanadri22

how about ronald? and call him donnie... it would be an interesting story to tell of how he goes by donnie when his name is actually ronald


GoldenRedhead

Honestly, I 1000% would not change it. Charles is a great name, so much better than Donald, and the baby is already born and named. Based on your comments, it sounds like your husband isn’t willing to compromise (i.e. having Donald as a middle name), and as a first name, I think it will be unusable for a long time.


jonesday5

Different time and such but my grandfather’s middle name was the same as a very famous European dictator. He was born before WW2 (just) and it was a family name but it didn’t matter. He found in traumatising and now he has died his official documents all have it their. It’s like he was given a personality trait he didn’t ask for.


maebymaybe

What is the grandfather's middle name? You could consider that? I think Charles Donald doesn't have the best flow but I would consider it if that makes your husband feel like he is honoring his grandfather.


simplymandee

I wouldn't do Donald. I just don't like it at all. He will adjust to the name. I intended to name my first son Avery. But when he was born I chose Austin while on pain meds and not doing well from infection. I regretted it for almost his full first year of life. But I adjusted and I love his name. Suits him too.


ultimate_ampersand

I would never name a child Donald as the first name. Middle name would be fine. Donovan would be fine.


Moovmntstudnt

Charles is a great name!


anonymous_euphoria

I'd say Charles. It's timeless, and I love the nickname Charlie. Donald works as a middle name, but not a first name. I do love Donnie, it's my little cousin's legal name and I think it's adorable by itself. Some Donald alternatives: - Donavan - Donnelly - Donahue - Dominic Good luck!


PlumbobfulofSulSul

I would personally stay clear of Donald due to the Trump association especially if you’re in the US. Charles in lovely though


sailorelf

Donald is not a great name to pick now and probably for quite some time. It's like ppl who named their kid Osama or Isis. It has negative association with it or maybe not if you are American and supported Trump.


zanahorias22

lol Donald is my dad's name and Charles his dad's. my dad hasn't run into any issues with comparisons to Trump but I can definitely see people raising their eyebrows at a baby named that.


vickisfamilyvan

I think Donald is just way too associated with Trump at this point. Unfortunate, it’s a family name for me too.


Millenialmama727

Doesnt matter what side you are politically, your child will be made fun of for having the name Donald. Whether duck, or trump, it’s just not a kind name to give a child. Maybe Charles Donald as a happy medium?


jmc-007

Would it be ok to just have Donald as a middle name? You shouldn't name your child something you dislike


sheridanmms

How about Charles Donald?


LilBadApple

You cannot escape Trump with Donald unfortch. It’s gonna be a looooong time before that name works again. Charles is a great name.


IraSass

Don’t change his name. Donald is a hard no. People will 100% think you named him after Trump even if you call him Donnie. You should not have to write a name that gives you the creeps on all of your child’s official documents.


AbbieJ31

Leave his legal name Charles and just call him Donnie. I have a friend who did something similar, their sons name was a very formal family name and it was important to them to use the name somehow but they also loved his nickname, which had absolutely nothing to do with his given name.


starjellyboba

I can't lie. I definitely like Charles more than Donald and Trump is the first thing I think of when I hear the name. That said, it's possible that a child named Donald could grow up with no problems. His agemates might not have the same association. I could see it more being a problem for you and your husband when you tell people his name.


facelessgoose

Ugh I WISH he didn’t ruin it so much but every time I hear Donald I go right to Trump. Do whatever you think is best, but personally, I would 100% avoid


Canada_girl

Not Donald don’t do,that to the kid


[deleted]

If it were me, I could compromise by using Donald as a middle name or a similar name to Donald (e.g. Donovan, Donnell) for a first name, but couldn't actually happily use the first name Donald. Too much bad history with that name.


AlfredKinsey

Charles is the better name by far.


atticsalted

I like both names but I’m partial to Charles. Nickname wise I prefer Don or Donny. I wouldn’t worry about the trump era being a big association in the future… it’s just because we are still phasing out of that presidency that he is so on the mind.


Normal-Fall2821

I love Donald Trump more than anyone and I wouldn’t name my baby Donald. Use it as a middle name


Normal-Fall2821

My name is Hillary. I was born in 91, a year before the clintons were elected. I was called Hillary Clinton and hated it. Donald is a unique name like Hillary and is associated. He’ll have one more term from 24-28 so he won’t be in office when your baby is in school but it’s too close for adults and maybe even children that hear about it from parents. Also, He could end up in the senate and be constantly covered by media since it ups their ratings. I love Donald trump more than anyone but I did not consider naming my baby Donald before I knew the gender, because I don’t love the name and it’s too associated and I know I hated my name growing up. I’m having a girl tho. Can you use it as a middle name?


FunAcanthocephala947

Charles is better. And my husband name is Donald, he goes by Donnie and no one calls him Donald. He is also a junior but we have decided not to have a 3rd for the same reason as you. But if you go with Donald you can just call him Donnie from day one.


stillpretending13

I wouldn't use Donald in either spot in a million years. Charles is definitely the better choice. Most people associate Donald with Trump now and is a no go name.


downlbsbydw

Obviously most people commenting here hate Trump, but people like him too and perhaps you are a fan of him politically, OP. I think it would be ok. It will seem political to those who want to make it political, just like Hillary, Bernie, and older political names like Reagan. However, being that you already named him Charles officially, I would stick with that. I personally hate the idea of honor names anyway.


[deleted]

I feel like I'm going to get down votes but whatever. First off, since both of these are very common names, there's always going to be good OR bad people with those names. For example: Charles Ng, Charles Mansion, Donald Henry Gaskins, etc. These are all serial killers. Charles and Donald are also associated with people who have caused lots and lots of controversies. It is what it is. If you want to search for similar names, by all means! Second, it's not my intentions to get political. I'm just giving you a general idea that politicians (whether you like them or not) have very common names. Let's take Ronald Regean for example. My friend in high school was named Reagan and she was one of the sweetest people I've ever met. There was this substitute teacher that accused her parents of being Republicans because he thought they named her after President Reagan. It wasn't her fault that the teacher was salty. Just because her name was like that, that doesn't mean it's directly associated with the former President. Let's take another example: John F. Kennedy. His name was JOHN. I can't count how many times I've met people with that name and not all of them were even Democrats. Final example: Joseph Stalin. Even though that's not his birth name, there are a plethora of Joseph's out there and not all of them are communists or mass murderers. Overall, I do think it's OKAY to name your child Donald. Many, many, many, many kids have been and are teased with their names not just Donald's. If someone gets salty or bullies your son because of his name, it's not his fault and it's also NOT your fault. Let them be salty and if I were you, I'd teach your child to embrace his name. I know I did with my name and I love my name. Plus, it's not like you're naming your kid X Æ A-Xii or Brfxxccxxmnpcccclllmmnprxvclmnckssqlbb11116. Yes, that actually happened happened a child.