I'm arguing with this girl about who is entitled to name the first born son.  I think it has to be the father, she feels it's the mother.  

Discuss.

IBTP

And it should be the first person walking by.

I agree with you, but then I was fortunate she had twins, so she got to name the second born son (45 minutes later).

Mike

ETA - as the Father's name is generally the name that both the wife and husband share, and that first born son will carry on that lineage (sir-name) it's only right that the dad get to do the honors, IMO.

Legally? Only the MOTHER can name the child.
Other than that, the "should" falls to BOTH of them.

I always thought that the parents talked about it and agreed on a name together.

If push comes to shove though, then I'd say it should be the father. He is the head of the house.

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We agreed on the name I chose.

Quoted: I always thought that the parents talked about it and agreed on a name together.

+1

You can always negotiate.  Do you really hate the name your wife wants?  

If your wife is adamant that she has to name the child, you should push for concessions.  For example, you might push for "i get to pick the middle name, plus I buy a new battle rifle and give that rifle whatever name i want".

Think about it this way.  What would you like MORE than the privelege of naming your firstborn son, and push for that in exchange for letting your wife name him.  Then you both end up being happy.

I named my first son wife liked the name. She named second son and I liked the name

What century is this again??

Both obviously.

for all our kids, we both made a list, then we each rejected from the others list those that we absolutley did not want, narrowed it down, and picked, and have been very happy with that method.

At Common Law, the father naming the child has to do with legitimacy, succession, and bastards.  The father should name the children in partnership with the wife but the father should do it even simply to say the kids are his, even though most people don't care about ceremony or rites anymore.

The laws in many states/western countries making the mother the only one who can legally name the child was a legal move to prevent children from going sometimes years without a legal name (when fathers were at sea or war) and to de-stigmatize bastards by removing a documentary evidence of that status.  It mattered more when succession ran to the legitimate son(s), and also was contradictory to other religions/cultures, so it was done away with.

wow. So much freedom with you westerners.

For Chinese people, the paternal grandfather has names lined up for every one of his grandchildren. I fully expect my dad to be the one picking my kids' names.



But I think one of my friends have the best system. Boy = he picks. Girl = she picks.


I got no qualms as long as the kid is mine and has my last name.