I hate my baby's name

[WatchingFriendsOnRepeat]

I didn't know where to put this post and I need as much advice as possible because I'm so torn!

I'm a single mum to 2 boys - 5yrs old (next month) and 8 weeks.

My eldest was named while I was 19wks pregnant and when he was born he fitted the name perfectly - i never had any doubt of his name and still love it! He is Teddy.

I couldn't find a name I loved during my pregnancy with my youngest, but I did have a list of names I liked. I still like those names but none of them fit. I went in for my planned c section with the name Charlie pretty much on top, but he has never suited it in my mind. I mentioned it to my mum the other day and she sheepishly agreed. We all call him "baby!" My dad keeps calling him Chuck or Chaz... I really hate when people immediately say "cheeky Charlie" when I tell them his name.

My eldest loves the name Charlie and said he will still call him Charlie even if I change it, which is fine. I think if I change it and stick to it anyway, he will eventually forget his original name.

I like Louis. He suits a Louis. My mum isn't too keen but that's partly because she thinks he is a Billy/William. I kind of do too, but my dad is Billy and my 3 siblings and I are extremely screwed up thanks to my dad, who is old and wobbly now but still a mean man and I see him everyday as I live next door to both my parents. I don't want to call him Billy and end up regretting it more than I do Charlie!

The baby's dad is not around at all so I can't ask his opinion. I feel embarrassed that my baby, in my view, has no name!

Did anyone else here have name regret? Did you change it or did the baby just "become" the name?

Please help...

[IndigoHexagon]

Change the name - and to the one of your choice, not your mums. You will regret it even more if you change it to Billy!

[memememe]

i wasnt keen on either of my sons names for ages, but i stuck with it and they totally suit them now. i used to call them baby and other nick names for a while. that said, hes still young so change it if you want to... but dont be pressured by your mum. you choose.

[PeskyRooks]

Change the name why not he's so little it's no bother to change the birth certificate. Use Louis though.

[Sexnotgender]

Change it to Louis. Don’t call him after someone you have a terrible association with.

Also your mum has had her chance to name babies. This is your turn.

[Talcott2007]

If you like Louis go with it. Louis and Teddy go nicely together IMO.
I wouldn't use Billy if you aren't sure about it also it might be a stretch and showing my age but Billy and Teddy makes me think of Bill & Ted's most excellent adventure!

[Spied]

I like Charlie and I like Louis.
Ultimately it's up to you.
Your ds won't be affected at 8 weeks whether you stick with Charlie or change it, and Teddy is very young and will soon catch on to the new name.
I'm not totally struck on my ds's name.
My dp chose it and I just went along with it.
My DS did grow into his name though and I now can't imagine him as anything else.
If you are going to do it then the sooner the better.

[badg3r]

I like both Louis and Charlie, they are both great names and both "go" with Teddy too. Can you put Charlie as a middle name?

[zscaler]

I know someone who changed her baby’s name after nearly a year, and it was totally fine. If it feels right, do it!

[sufferingsandra]

FWIW I think Charlie is a lovely name.

Also, THANK YOU for actually telling us the names. I was expecting a cryptic thread where no names were mentioned and it was all conjecture.

They’re your children so change his name to Louis if you wish. The only thing about Louis is pronunciation. For me, it’s pronounced Lou-ee like the French pronunciation but I know many will pronounce it like Lewis.

[Pollony]

I had this with my DD I spent about 4 weeks thinking I had made a massive mistake and she should have been a Sophie but I was too embarrassed to tell anyone or do anything so I stuck with the original name and now have no regrets and couldn't imagine her as a Sophie. Obviously change it if you want that's completely fine but you might grow to love Charlie?

[loutypips]

Louis is a name that will suit all ages, and be more professional if you like. Charlie is fine if it's a nickname for Charles, but not as a registered name. I'm really not keen on giving 'baby' names as a full name as when they are an adult it can seem odd.

[Winkywoop]

Both lovely names.

But i think you won't be happy unless you change it to Louis.

So do it!

[BreatheAndFocus]

If you’re sure the name is ‘wrong’, change it. All I would say is make sure you really do genuinely feel this and aren’t being influenced by your mum.

Make your own list of possible names, including Louis, then spend a few days mentally trying them out for baby. Do NOT mention any of the names to your mum or even what you’re doing. You want your opinions about each name ‘unpolluted’ so you can make a true decision.

Louis Charles sounds good and means your other DS can still use Charlie if he chooses (although I bet he’ll gradually change that to the name you choose over time).

[Isawamagpie]

Louis is lovely. If you're not happy 110% change it.

[Troels]

I was not happy with Ds's name at first, one tiny baby with a big name. He did grow into it very quickly.
If you are really unhappy with it, change it.

[WatchingFriendsOnRepeat]

Thanks everyone.

I agree, Billy is a no-go. And to the person "showing their age" we must be the same age then because it has made me think of Bill and Ted too lol!

I did like Charlie until every person I said it to immediately went "awww, Cheeky Charlie!" I hate that. It makes me think of a class clown and an idiot. Someone else said "I always immediately think of cocaine when someone says Charlie! Hahaha"

I did not laugh with them, but just looked at my beautiful baby whose name I was starting to hate more and more and now apparently reminded people of packet of drugs!

I do want to call him Louis and I will but I keep accidentally calling him Charlie... I guess that will stop as I get used to it?

I'm safe with the birth certificate because they have stopped all registrations of births and marriages during the CV19 epidemic, so he can't be registered until the government lifts restrictions on them. At the moment only deaths can be registered.

[Apolloanddaphne]

Change it but keep Charlie as his middle name. Then it won't be weird if your DS keeps calling him that.

[WatchingFriendsOnRepeat]

@sufferingsandra you're welcome! I hate cryptic threads - I'm always one of the people saying "just tell us the names"

And yes, it would be the french pronunciation :)

[Whichoneofyoudidthat]

Louis Charles. Job done.

[Dk20]

I cant believe peoples comments towards the name - ie the cocaine one.
I think Charlie is a lovely name.

But I completely understand where you're coming from. I have an 11 month old and I hate his name, it makes me cringe. Most of the time I call him 'the baby' when I speak to other people about him

But family, friends, work colleagues and other school parents say they like the name and will use the name if they talk about him - I dont think they would tell me if they hated it though.

[JustinMyJustin]

Can’t believe someone made that cocaine comment to you! Wtf is wrong with people?

Louis is a lovely name. How about Louis Charles? Very regal

[Thehop]

Louis Charles is lovely

I thing ru shortened from Rupert fits cute with teddy too, both bears x

[opticaldelusion]

Change it to Louis. I assume it will be Loo-ee and not Loo-is?

[WatchingFriendsOnRepeat]

@loutypips teddy is actually Theodore because I agree with you. Charlie would've been Charles on the BC if I had registered it. He is Charles at the doctors but it will be easy to change there I should think if there never has been a BC anyway. He's having 8wk jabs today (sorry anti vaxxers!) so I will ask them when I'm there

[Mydoglicksplates]

Even better then if he's not registered. Try out Louis, spend the next week calling him that, or call him Louis Charlie, I call my DS by both his first and his middle name (plus a load of nicknames) depending on the situation.