Mom refuses to change her baby's name because her father-in-law hates the name: 'Her name is Elena. If you can’t use her actual name, we’re going to have a problem.'

Her name is not even outlandish to begin with!

Should a parent have to consent to the nicknames other family members give their baby? It really depends! If your brother-in-law keeps calling your baby "Stinky" as a joke, that might get old after a while. You wouldn't want your little girl to feel insecure because she was constantly called "Stinky" throughout her childhood. Then again, "Stinky" is one of those nicknames that's relatively harmless if it's only really used when the baby is pre-verbal. If your baby can't understand language yet, the only people who might take umbrage with such a nickname are the adults around them. If the mother of the baby is upset that the whole family keeps calling her pride and joy "Stinky," it's probably time to retire the nickname. 

Not all nicknames come from a place of affection. Some of them come from a hatred of somebody's full name. If your mother-in-law started calling your baby by a nickname because she was bitter that you didn't choose the baby name she wanted, you would tell her to get a grip, and rightfully so! It's totally normal for a nickname to evolve because it's shorter and easier to say than the full name. Adopting a nickname isn't inherently disrespectful of one's full name, but it certainly can be. Just ask the parents of baby Elena! Apparently, that name is far too long and complex for her grandfather to handle.