A mother has defended her decision to give her daughter an unusual name after facing heavy criticism online.
Emma Hutton, 35, chose the name Elae (pronounced “L.A.”) for her now one-year-old daughter. She says she wanted something different because common names, including her own, felt ordinary to her. Growing up, she shared her name with many classmates and did not want the same experience for her child.
After sharing the name on social media, Emma received strong backlash. Some people warned that her daughter could face bullying. Others mocked the choice and questioned her judgment. Emma says she finds it upsetting that adults would post negative comments about a child.
Although some family members were unsure at first, she says they have since grown to like the name. Emma admits her daughter may need to correct people who mispronounce it, but she believes many children today have unique names.
She remains confident in her decision and says she has no regrets. For her, choosing a distinctive name was about individuality, not attention. She hopes people will show more kindness and accept that parents have different tastes when naming their children.