New mother asks if she can change her baby daughter’s name because she’s worried it sounds like ‘cigarette’

A new mother has asked if she should change her baby daughter’s name because she’s worried it sounds like ‘cigarette’. 

The worried mother, believed to be American told Reddit that she’s been discussing nicnkames with her husband that they could use as an alternative, but they’re thinking of changing it altogether. 

The parent revealed that after a lot of discussion her husband suggested Sigrid, and she thought she liked it. 

Now, however, she’s worried that it sounds too much like ‘cigarette’. 

Few Redditors alleviated the original poster’s concerns, with many agreeing that it does indeed sounded like ‘cigarette’, if said with a southern US twang.

The mother explained: ‘Baby girl is one week old and her name is Sigrid. My husband and I struggled choosing a name. We both had a favourite the other didn’t like. 

‘Mine was Ottilie and his Aubrey. Etta was our compromise name, but he soon went off it after birth. He mentioned Sigrid and I thought I liked it and agreed. 

‘Now I’m worried she will get bullied for it sounding like cigarette. Husband loves the nickname Ziggy or Siggy. Could Sisi work (pronounced Ceecee?)’

Worried people wrongly assume the family is of Scandinavian heritage, she continued: ‘Also we’re not Scandinavian, although we both look it and husband has Danish heritage a couple of generations back.’

She said that she’s now thinking of Beatrix as a new moniker, adding: ‘He may be willing to change it.’

Commenter were quick to chime in on the matter, with many agreeing that the name Sigrid indicated Scandinavian roots.

‘Sigrid is sweet but people will definitely assume that you or your partner are Scandinavian,’ one said. 

But one didn’t feel this was an issue, saying: ‘So, you wouldn’t use a name, just because it’s not your heritage? 

‘I mean, I understand not wanting to name your child a really uncommon, hard to pronounce name from another culture. 

‘But Sigrid doesn’t sound like such a stretch. I’m in Western Europe, know no one that is Scandinavian, and I have heard of several Sigrid’s in my local network’.

Regarding the new mother’s concerns that Sigrid had a likeness to the word cigarette, one harshly wrote: ‘I’ve thought about it for awhile, and it’s pretty terrible sounding.

‘I don’t know where she lives, but as an American, the way I read it sounds exactly how southerners say cigarette’.

A different user said: ‘I like Etta and Aubrey way better, but Sigrid is a fine name. I agree that the English pronunciation does sound a bit like cigarette though’. 

One user ran to her defence: ‘Can I just say people on this sub need to go outside and touch grass? 

‘This is a one week postpartum mother who is looking for support and we are talking about the name of her one week old baby. 

‘Sigrid is a very normal name (although not as common in the US) and it doesn’t have to be your favorite to be her favorite’. 

The user then went on to instruct OP to ‘give yourself some grace and do NOT spend time searching this subreddit for name validation. 

‘I chose a name I love and although I have seen some people love my child’s name on here I will remember the outspoken few that have had really nasty things to say more. 

‘I had to delete this sub after having my baby because people on here are so mean’. 

Another user positively affirmed: ‘I love it! Sigrid has been on my list for years and I’ve never thought of it being close to cigarette. Sisi, Ziggy, or Siggi would all be great nicknames!’