My cousin wants to name her baby Fructane and I’m dying inside
I really thought I’d heard it all when it comes to bizarre baby names but my cousin is dead set on naming her incoming daughter Fructane. She says it sounds “mystical,” and she’s convinced it means “fruitful.” She’s even telling everyone it’s some ancient Latin name that has been hidden for centuries (spoiler alert: I did some digging and it’s definitely NOT but please correct me if wrong because I very well could be).
I tried gently suggesting that maybe Fructane sounds a bit too much like “fructose” or “fruit cane,” but she doubled down and insisted it’s “elegant” and “will help her stand out.” Meanwhile, the dad thinks it’s “science-y” and “cool,” so it’s basically a done deal. Our entire extended family is bracing for the day teachers start calling role and stumbling over “Froo-tane? Fruc-tane??”
I have a bit of a woo-woo aunt who I love, and who I think semi-jokingly tried to talk them into at least going with “Fructuosa” (which honestly isn’t much better), but no—Fructane is apparently the one.
Am I totally off base to think this is going to be a lifetime of awkward introductions and fruity nicknames? Part of me hopes they do one of those last-minute name swaps but they’re already practicing how they’ll announce, “Welcome baby Fructane!” Wish me luck in gently telling them… maybe, just maybe it’s not the best idea. Or am I just supposed to let them live their weird baby-naming dream or jump off a cliff