New Baby's Nickname

[MartinL]

My new granddaughter was born to my stepson and his wife, on Songkran day last week.

 

Her full name is still to be decided but her nickname is to be 'Ice', pronounced in the Thai way as 'Ai'.

 

When I was first told her name was 'Ai', I assumed it meant 'shy' in English and was OK with it. It wasn't until my stepson wrote it down that I realised I'd got it slightly wrong.

 

The explanation was that he wanted something connected with Songkran, although I fail to see the connection, myself. I explained my misgivings to my wife who passed them on to her son. I haven't heard his response yet and don't know if he'll change his mind. I made a couple of suggestions as did my wife, not necessarily Songkran-related but nice names, we thought. He seems to want an English nickname as he's also given his son one. 

 

I hate her nickname. It produces images of something cold and hard, uncaring, cold-hearted - all things I'd not wish the little girl to be. There's the mispronunciation, too, which tends to destroy any pretence at her nickname being English. Were I to use it, I'd pronounce her nickname as 'Ice' rather than 'Ai', which might cause some confusion for her later on.       

 

BTW, stepson and I get on extremely well in all other ways. 

 

At the moment, I feel I'd rather use her full name, when it's known, rather than her nickname.

 

Has anybody else been in a similar situation, where you hated a child's name? Were your objections (maybe too strong a word) noted and, maybe, acted upon? What was the outcome? Or am I thinking too much and should shut up?

 

I'm feeling a little nasty in voicing my feelings on this but I can't say nothing about a name I dislike. I might not be her 'natural' grandad but I'll be one of only 2 that she has and will love her whatever her name is. 

 

Edited April 18, 2017 by MartinL

[saakura]

You come across as a really sweet grandad. One thing that comes to my mind is something i read a long time ago : A rose by any other name will smell just as sweet. 

 

Whatever her nickname, i think you will love her just the same. Lucky girl!

[happylarry]

One of the pleasures of a parent is naming a new born, surely you are not trying to take away that pleasure for your stepson.

You are in Thailand so try not to compare what the name means in the western world.....how about nicknames like pooh etc.

Just enjoy the occasion mate and give support not bad feelings. Just my opinions.

HL

[FritsSikkink]

It is their kid, let them decide.

[lemonjelly]

She'll be called "Nong Ai (ice).... don't worry about it as the name has no negative connotations. I'm sure you're worrying over nothing..... 

[reenatinnakor]

Funny that... My niece is called Ice as well... Ai in Thai because they can't pronounce their s's... Any word with an s at the end is pronounced without it. It was weird at the beginning but I've always called her Ai.

Sent from my LG-H990 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[KhunBENQ]

For peace of mind.

I just stumbled upon a report about a famous Thai singer nicknamed "ice"

You can bet that someone in the family admires him.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saranyu_Winaipanit

https://th.wikipedia.org/wiki/ศรัณยู_วินัยพานิช

[starky]

On Wednesday, April 19, 2017 at 2:34 PM, lemonjelly said:

She'll be called "Nong Ai (ice).... don't worry about it as the name has no negative connotations. I'm sure you're worrying over nothing..... 

Well not completely true, there is that massive worldwide ice epidemic at the moment that is causing a few problems.

[starky]

No "objections" isnt too strong a word. "Hate" is too strong a word. Why would you hate Ice. I have met a beer, a bam, a Leo, a Fifa and some other doozies in some of my in law relatives and though they may not have been ideal choices I certainly dont hate their nicknames. Wont dont you just love and cherish your grandaughter and if you hate her nickname just call her by her real name. Not to mention, its not even your progeny, its your stepson and his (I assume) Thai wife so im guessing in their eyes it matters not a whit whether your ok with it or not. Why the colonial attitude?. Bizarre thread.

Edited April 24, 2017 by starky

[soalbundy]

I didn't give my son a nickname which i feel is a false construction, nicknames come of their own, i call my son by his name 'Noppohn' as did all the other family members but of late,as lazy as the Thais are, they have reverted to calling him just 'Pohn'. I must admit however that my step daughters daughter received her nickname from me, 'Whoopie', although she has the very beautiful name of Tschai-Ja-Da. Doesn't mean a thing,let it go

[thailand49]

My son nickname is Ice,  to this day can't pronounce his Thai name properly because it is so long. Relax and live with it, there are bigger problems ahead than his nickname.  If this bothers you better start to look for a burial site?

[elgenon]

There's a Thai girl in the States who is on my committee for Thai Cultural Day whose name is Ice. I like it.

[TGIR]

Try to relax Gramps.  This nickname, commonly pronounced AI sounds lovely.  Why try to change the Thai pronunciation to suit your English upbringing.....it Thailand, not your country.  

 

One of our auditors in the States had a husband named Dung.

 

My sister-in-law changed her nickname herself from muud to Jay when she was an adult, or her husband did, not sure which, but it wasn't ever mentioned by the family.  All of a sudden everyone just started calling her Jay and I felt like an idiot.  I didn't know what to call her.

 

My wife changed her given name by having a Monk bless it for her.  

 

As the kids say, it's all good.

 

Edited May 1, 2017 by TGIR
grammatical correction

[klauskunkel]

As a compromise, how about "AirCon"?  

[metisdead]

Some nonsense posts and replies have been removed. 

[dotpoom]

On 18/04/2017 at 9:59 PM, saakura said:

You come across as a really sweet grandad. One thing that comes to my mind is something i read a long time ago : A rose by any other name will smell just as sweet. 

 

Whatever her nickname, i think you will love her just the same. Lucky girl!

Nice one......God Bless Ye.

[1FinickyOne]

Ice does not stay hard for too long here... and not fully ice - but Ai - not Oy... I have nephews and nieces named "F" & "I" & "Bell" & "View" and "Grace" pronounced Gray... 

 

Congrats on your lovely granddaughter... if you already care enough to worry about her name, which is really not bad... then she is going to be one lucky little girl to have you looking out for her... 

[holy cow cm]

Take no offense but: It is really non of your business what the Thai people name the child even if you do consider your self a member of THE family. Short time Expats (10 yrs or less) who mostly don't speak Thai, don't really spend their time with Thai as spend most all of their time conversing and hanging with foreigners always have the biggest muddled opinion where it doesn't belong. Why don' you ask the Thai Government to change the name of the main airport so it will read properly too! I have 2 children to my Thai wife (16 + 14), have 1 Thai step daughter I consider my daughter as spent a long time raising her (17rs), and yes, all the money came from me to even put her through University, Naming is entirely up to her, the mom (dad's dead), or the husband if had one, and honestly unless I was asked, I stay out of it as we cannot give a Thai nickname to a Thai as this is reserved. Lighten up. I have met way too many cranky foreigners who want to put their western moralistic opinions out there which is basically only complaining about everything such as driving, loud music, commentators on microphones at the mall selling things etc as the list is ongoing. This is Thailand, not our land, but I for one am happy to be here and accepted. I don't ever gripe except, but his time yes on this forum right now as perturbed by this post a bit. My guess is you have some problems in your family or with your wife as you always want to be the chief. Lighten up!

[sead]

<deleted>. Just tell them that ICE is a fracking drug name is your country. Man up ......

[Ridler]

Recent nicknames I have heard for newborns are: Bible, ATM, iPhone, mobile and Manu (Manchester United)

ice is a popular name - and really, it doesn't have anything to do with you so stop complaining and moaning

[realenglish1]

This is an easy one Tell your family you do not like the nic name and want to change it Simple

 

You have the right to do so 

 

Good luck and duck the flying plates when you do 

[holy cow cm]

4 minutes ago, realenglish1 said:

This is an easy one Tell your family you do not like the nic name and want to change it Simple

 

You have the right to do so 

 

Good luck and duck the flying plates when you do 

None of his business as well as yours prodding him on. The pet dog and naming would be fine, otherwise none of a non Thai's business. He is barking up the wrong cultural tree.

[realenglish1]

Newbie here spouting off Get a life 

[holy cow cm]

6 minutes ago, realenglish1 said:

Newbie here spouting off Get a life 

Here in Thailand 24 yrs Pal. Just don't care about Thai visa as my life, but I do like to read the news. If I can judge by your sign up time to Thai Visa, your 5 years here in Thailand qualifies you for squat! Don't make assumptions as your too many posts in 5 years is not an accomplishment. You could do that from your own country staying indoors. So what is the difference of you here or in your birth place? Nothing!  

[realenglish1]

Just now, holy cow cm said:

Here in Thailand 24 yrs Pal. Just don't care about Thai visa as my life, but I do like to read the news. If I can judge by your sign up time to Thai Visa, your 5 years here in Thailand qualifies you for squat! Don't make assumptions as your too many posts in 5 years is not an accomplishment. You could do that from your own country staying indoors. So what is the difference of you here or in your birth place? Nothing!  

Actually I have lived here now for 22 years and starting coming here in 1984 So you assume too much and I am not your Pal

[lanng khao]

I had a mate who's nickname was shagger!, You probably thing wow that's some name ,must be a character,but to be fair, she hated it..

[holy cow cm]

Pal is a matter of negative expression. Don't kid yourself. FYI. Don't back-seat drive and incite backing to the original OP, all you are doing is fueling a bad situation that he will push at his home with wife and with the step daughter. Nothing good will come from it.

[Jonmarleesco]

The Thais are nickname nuts, often humorous when interpreted, but most often based on personal attributes. You might notice that any form you complete in regards to a child (or often an adult) asks for their nickname. This includes foreign institutions, who also presume there to be one. My son doesn't have one (Thai), though he might have had one given to him by his school friends. 

 

But you don't have to use it. And you'd be using the Thai version, anyway, not the translated one.

Edited May 1, 2017 by Jonmarleesco

[Nokawou]

The only problem with "Ice" pronounced as "ia" is that is is confused with "I" in English had a little spat with Miss Nok when she was telling me "Ia" was paying for something and I said absolutely not you are NOT going to pay for that. After a while it turned out she was referring to someone called "Ice" . It is actually not such a bad nickname it conjures up images of beer and coffee in Thailand no connection with the drug IMHO.

[GOLDBUGGY]

Tell them to call her "Anna", which is a popular Thai Name.

 

Then after that you can call her "Anna Banana".