Mumsnet Talk

Agghhhh....almost every day I wonder if I made a mistake with my first daughter's name...she is called Mia (middle name is Elizabeth for family reasons, which is fine). I just can't quite be happy with the choice of Mia and keep wondering if it is too 'faddy' and whether it's too late to change it now she is four (not that I know what I would change it to..). Second daughter is Rose, which I love.

Any thoughts?

Baby name regret sucks.

But surely now she IS Mia?

I often think if my eldest was born now she wouldn't be the same name - but thats because I have different taste now...But she could never be anything else iyswim?

I don't think it would b fair to a child of 4 to change their name.

Its part of them......

FWIW, I think Mia Elizabeth is gorgeous.

At 4yo, I think it might be very confusing to start calling your DD by a completely different name.

If you really decide you don't like Mia, could you start using Elizabeth (or one of it's many variants) instead? My DM went through life using her middle name as she loathed her first name.

Yes, yes you are so right - she IS Mia now and I guess it would be quite weird to change it (although I think along the lines of changing it to something Emilia 'formally' and still calling her Mia for short...bla bla...but that's getting a bit complicated isn't it?)

Anyway, thank for the reassurance, and it's nice to hear that you like the name, and you are right about tastes changing etc.

I like Mia and it was on my list for years. I thik it's a pretty but simple name, much like Rose.

Mia Elizabeth is lovely. I don't think it's faddy; it's been very popular for a while now which is a good sign.

Emilia NN Mia could work. If it would make you feel better about it then it's worth considering.

I used these for name change before and they are very good http://www.ukdps.co.uk/

Great name, i wouldn't change, most names are abit faddy/popular and nearly all will sound dated at some point but that is OK i think, gives each generation an identity!!

Ohhhh you are all so helpful, thank you for fabulous and thoughtful responses, I should have discovered Mumsnet months ago and saved some of the angst!

I think that to change to Emilia would simply move her from 'mid-noughties' to 'late-noughties' if you are really concerned about faddiness.

Mia is a pretty name. I know a two half Japanese Mias (it's a name there too), one about 18 and one two. Its also often used as a diminutive of Maria in Holland and Flanders, ie its not faddy really. And if she doesn't like it Elizabeth is also lovely. School friend of mine used her mn from the age of 11.

I agree with bellissima about the faddy aspect.
I too think four a little old for a name change.

Mia is a lovely classy simple name, I don't know any and certainly wouldn't think it faddy. Emilia does seem to be getting really popular though.

I think Mia is quite popular, but rightly so. It is a very pretty, but not too girly, and classy enough to last her a lifetime.

BUT, I do know what you mean. One of my DSs is Charlie, which has become incredibly popular now (I thought I was being really original, but then Charlie and Lola came along .....). Sometimes wish I'd called him Matthew, his second name.

Charlie suits him though, and he really like it, so ....

You could always start calling her Mia Elizabeth and see how she likes it as a double name.
Then once she is used to it and everyone else is too, you could drop the Mia and call her Elizabeth?

I think Mia is a beautiful name, my friend is Maria, but my dc call her Mia as Maria was too hard to pronounce when they were little!

Mia and Rose sound lovely together

I have a Mia Elisabeth too! (With an s.) I'm baffled as to why you're wavering about it – it's classy, sweet, simple, will suit her all her life (IMHO!). My only teeny reservation is that it's getting really popular now – no. 9 in England & Wales I think.

Agree with the possible use of variants of Elizabeth though, there are so many: Liza, Eliza, Betty, Beth, Lissy, etc etc

mia is an absolutly gorgeous name! dont know why you would want to change it i think its lovely, and she would be very confused if u did change it and u would have to explain to a lot of people why, calling her emilia could work tho, but mia is perfect. its always up to u though x

agree with most of the posters - it's a lovely name, don't change it - she's 4!

Mia is a classic name - think Mia Farrow....

I think Mia is completely gorgeous, but if you are going to change it then you are doing the right thing by thinking of something that is a version of Mia. It would be much less of a shock to her to become Emilia than to become Charlotte for example.

But its so lovely, dont change it!

I have a bit of this, baby naming regret..

but my dc1 is 7 now, and it does start to matter less every passing year!

I wouldn't pick Mia but it's not a disadvantageous name in any way. I like the idea of Emilia or Amelia as a full name, but it's not necessary. Short names like Joy or Mia or Beth sometimes have more impact in a sea of Isabellas and Amelias and Eloises... iykwim

Agree with everything Bellissima said.

I know a Swedish Mia whose real name is Maria! She's my age. I also know an Irish Mia my age too, so I think of Mia as being a less fashion susceptible name than AMelia/Emilia, I know none even roughly my age.. Apologies for the term fashion susceptible, and the spelling too!

my dd2 is 5 and in the class above her there are 6 mia's (some are pronounced m e a and some are m y a iyswim) and strangly 2 have elizabeth as second names.

dh named my dd's and i named ds so definately no regrets in our humble home

I think Mia is a timeless classic.

Im feeling similar about my dd's name - she is known as a nickname of her first name, and whilst I like the nickname, I don't like the proper name, and wince when anyone says it in full.
(Was v hormonal when she was registered and got too swayed by other's opinions rather than sticking to my guns.)
So I completetly understand what you are feeling - and I don't see why you can't change her 'proper' first name to Emilia and keep Mia as a nickname and what she is known as in daily life.
You can easily change it by deed poll. Or, as she is four, why not ask her what she would like to be called? (though obv there is always the danger she could turn round and say something like 'peppa pig' or 'dora the explorer'!)

No! Don't ask her what she would like to be called!!!

She will think "Um...why"

I think unless she had a really odd bizarre name that everyone talked about, I am sure she has never thought of what she would like to be called?!.....

To everyone who replied to my 'Name Panic' post, a HUGE thank you to you all. It has been so helpful and reassuring to hear all your thoughts. THANK YOU!