If you’ve ever had a baby, you know that there’s a lot of preparation that comes beforehand. Doctor’s appointments up the wazoo, packing the hospital bags, oh yeah—and picking your child’s name! That’s perhaps the hardest decision you’ll ever make.
Sometimes, however, the name comes to you effortlessly. You might recite it over and over in your head, write it down on paper in different fonts, and just generally obsess over it. Until bam—something completely ruins it.
That’s just what happened to one mom, who picked her child’s name long before we ever knew what “COVID-19” was. In fact, it was back in 2017 when she was still trying to get pregnant. That was when she considered her baby’s name to be perfect. And now? She’s not sure she can use it.
The name is “Cove.” And the mom fears that it’s much too close to the virus’ name.
“I’m worrying that it’s too close to Covid, especially since she will be born during the pandemic,” she explained in a post on Mumsnet.
She still loves the name Cove and would honestly go on with using it no problem—she just doesn’t want her daughter to be teased in the future. “I’m not too worried about people liking the name personally, but more worried about whether she’ll be teased in future because of its association with Covid?” she said.
Personally? We think Cove is a lovely name! But the people on Mumset agreed with Mom—it’s probably not the most appropriate name for a baby born this year.
“On the one hand, you should choose a name you like,” someone commented. “On the other, and I’m being honest since you asked, if I heard of a child called Cove born in 2020 or during the pandemic, I’d think the parents were trying and failing to be funny and that it was a bad call.”
“I would absolutely avoid that at the moment,” another person suggested. “Perhaps save it for your next baby if you plan to have another.”
“Yeah, bad timing I’m afraid,” another replied. “I would definitely be wondering whether you’d done it as a deliberate nod to COVID.”
Some people hated the name, whether or not COVID was ever a thing. “Sorry, that’s an awful name, even without the COVID association, but given the timing, it’s almost cruel,” someone commented. “Why would you saddle your kid with that at birth?”
Well, geez! Remind us never to ask a question on Mumsnet. But seriously—what’s your opinion? Is Cove a bad name to use in 2020, a bad name to use at all, or should this mom name her child whatever she wants to without judgment? (We vote the latter!)