My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Baby names

I think I want to change DD's name...

166 replies

AutumnName · 28/08/2017 20:11

DD was born on Halloween (2016) and I named her Autumn. I really like the look of it and the sound of it in my head. Since using it as a name, it doesn't seem to work as well as it did in my head? Lots of people don't get it. My mum actually makes jokes about it - "I can't wait to see my grandaughter who hasn't got a proper name" or she directly speaks to her and says "you might as well have been named 'Season'". No one else really says anything, but I feel like they think the same. I'm just really close to my mum, so she probably feels like she can say it.

SadSadSad

OP posts:
Report
Babymamamama · 28/08/2017 20:13

Yes change it. At this point she's too young to know any different.

Report
Imstickingwiththisone · 28/08/2017 20:14

Wow your mum sounds really horrible!

I can guarantee that no one else feels as strongly about your daughter's name as your mum. I like Autumn.

If you change her name because of this what will you do? Just let your mum pick it and hope you like it to?

Report
tinkiiev · 28/08/2017 20:14

I think it's a lovely name.

You can change it easily but don't do that just because your mum makes snarky comments.

Report
kj90 · 28/08/2017 20:14

I think Autumn is a beautiful name! But if you want to change it then you should do so whilst she is so young. But I think her name is lovely!
xx

Report
DiscoDiva70 · 28/08/2017 20:15

I'm not keen on this as a first name, and imagine if she ends up marrying someone with the last name Winter.

Report
MrsJoyOdell · 28/08/2017 20:15

Autumn is a perfectly valid, and lovely, name. Do you like it, OP? Because she's your daughter, not your mum's!

Report
AutumnName · 28/08/2017 20:15

The thing is, I feel like other people do think "oh, that's odd" because whenever I say her name, I normally get a look and a "Autumn? Like the season?" And it's really embarrassing.

OP posts:
Report
KindleBueno · 28/08/2017 20:16

It's a lovely name. I would end up using Otty as a nickname though which is really pretty too.

Report
AutumnName · 28/08/2017 20:16

@DiscoDiva70 - what would be the issue? She clearly just wouldn't take the surname. She's being brought up to realise traditions like that are sexist Hmm she has my surname, so won't really think that's the norm anyway.

OP posts:
Report
Rainybo · 28/08/2017 20:17

It's a really beautiful name. Your mum is being horrible.

Report
ThroughThickAndThin01 · 28/08/2017 20:17

I love Autumn. Your mum is rude.

Peter Phillips wife is called Autumn, the Queens granddaughter in law. If it's good enough for the Queen........

Report
Lenl · 28/08/2017 20:17

I thought I was close to my mum until i realised our relationship was actually entirely unhealthy. Her comments are horrid and actually quite controlling - she doesn't like the name so she is needling away at you.

I used to work with a little girl called autumn and think it's a lovely name. If you don't like it for other reasons then change it but not if it's just to please your mother/get her approval.

Report
Jooni · 28/08/2017 20:18

Autumn is an absolutely fine name! It's not stupid or even that unusual - #148 in 2015. It probably seems odd to your mum because it wasn't widely used when she was naming babies, but times change, she's had her turn, and now it's yours. Change it only if you want to - it's not your mum's place to pressure you into doing so and I think it's incredibly rude, insensitive and underhand of her to make those kind of comments! Angry

Report
AutumnName · 28/08/2017 20:18

Yeah, I do really like it. I just feel like the more and more I say it, the more I'm finding it hard to realise it's a name, due to everyone else's looks and the comments off my mum are really putting me off Sad

OP posts:
Report
mistermagpie · 28/08/2017 20:19

I like it! Your mum is being horrible. And yes, what a ridiculous comment about what would she do if she married someone called winter... Hmm

Report
user1459464195 · 28/08/2017 20:20

Autumn is a lovely name and your mum needs to stop with the horrid comments about her granddaughters name.

Report
NotTheDuchessOfCambridge · 28/08/2017 20:20

I like it, my friends niece is called Autumn. It's very pretty. It's also my favourite season so I may be biased. So what if she does (miraculously) marry someone with the surname Winter? It's hardly a big deal is it!
If you like it, keep it. Tell your mum how you feel when she makes those comments, I bet she'll feel mortified that she has made you doubt the name you gave her.

Report
mostfertilewomanever · 28/08/2017 20:20

Autumn is a beautiful name. Don't change her name, change your mum instead! Flowers

Report
IndianaMoleWoman · 28/08/2017 20:20

I don't like the name, but I also don't think you should change it based on your mother's rudeness and the opinions of internet strangers!

If you feel uncomfortable introducing her as Autumn and you want to change it to give you/her an easier life, then fine. But if it's the name you love and you want to stick with it, that's also fine. I think there might be a deadline to change it before they are one?

Report
seven201 · 28/08/2017 20:20

You need to tell your mum to stop making the comments. Autumn is not an uncommon name!

Report
Imstickingwiththisone · 28/08/2017 20:21

I think your mum has made you feel like that tbh
I had it a bit with my dad but to a lesser extent. The name i chose felt really out there (but it's not, like Autumn isn't) and i felt like everyone thought it was bizarre because of how my Dad reacted. But when i started saying it would more confidence i realise people just didn't hear what i said / we're just saying it back to me without any sort of angle. Basically i was just projecting. I love the name again now.

Report
igotyoubabe · 28/08/2017 20:23

Your mum probably thinks she can get away with having a 'joke' about it because you're close. Have you had a serious conversation with her about how this is hurting your feelings? If she knew the affect it was having she may think twice? You name your baby for you, no one else. It's one of the few privileges we get as a parent! Don't let anyone give you doubts.

Report

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

Jooni · 28/08/2017 20:24

And I guarantee other people aren't giving more than a few seconds' thought to your child's name. Not meaning to be harsh, I just mean don't get preoccupied with what other people may or may not be thinking. I (and you, most importantly!) like Autumn, but no name is going to meet with everyone's approval. As long as it's not embarrassing (check) or offensive (check), you're good.

Report
krustykittens · 28/08/2017 20:24

I think Autumn is a beautiful name, it is also my favourite season. Your Mum is making you paranoid, she is rude and ignorant. Tell her you don't want to hear another word about YOUR daughter's name. TBH, she sounds like she would be needling you over something, even if you changed your daughter's name to a name she picked!

Report
Lillygreen · 28/08/2017 20:25

It's an unusual name, but I like it. Your mum's probably not come across it before (although I think its becoming popular too!)

When we told my dad my son's name he laughed as he thought it was from a TV show like Game of Thrones. (It's definitely not, it's just a name he hadn't come across)

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.