DD is 4wks old and we're having 2nd thoughts about her name. Anyone else been through this?

[Jivegirl]

Hi there,

Well, as the post title suggests.. DD2 is nearly 4wks old and we're not sure that her name (Charlotte) suits her.

Not sure whether this is just because she's a teeny baby and needs to grow into her name.

Her middle name is Elisabeth, but I guess one option is to pick a nickname from her middle name and call her that?

We haven't registered her yet, but of course we've told everyone she's called Charlotte, all the congratulations cards have her name on, her red book etc. etc.

We've tried shortening it to Lottie but it just doesn't feel right.

Is it terrible to change a name after 4wks? Has anyone else done this? I know it's daft, but I'm really worried about what other people will think. And that it's changing her identity in some way!!

[snowleopard]

Haven't any experience myself, but what about Charlie? Or Lotta?

[NorthernLurker]

It's better to chnage it now than spend the next 80 years thinking - 'you are really a Miranda' or whatever. What would suit her do you think?

[katiepotatie]

I know someone who's baby was Polly, and came back from holiday as Poppy, no one seemed to bat an eyelid. Remember she has it for life so go with what you are happy with

[windyweather]

Jivegirl,
It must be really hard for you right now. but...

you havent registered her birth yet so you are in perfect position to change it now.(could of been worse really).
Don't worry about anybody else, it your choice.
Good luck.

[StripeyKnickersSpottySocks]

I think if you're worried now then change the name or you will regret it. Especially as not registered the name yet.

People may be a bit suprised but they will get used to the new name and soon forget all about it. It'll be a funny story to tell your dd when she's older.

My SIL did this, at only a few days old but we wrote the card out to the name my MIL told me and we got to the hospital and SIL said this is X and we were expecting her to be Y. Don't worry about other people.

[bluenosesaint]

I'm just about getting used to dd3's name now (she is 12 months old!!) so hopefully it will just pass.

On the bright side, Charlotte is a great name to be unsure about because there are sooooooo many other possibilities (Charlie, Lottie, Char)

[Jackstini]

I was originally Lyndsey Marie, my Mum changed it after 2 days as I 'just didn't look like one'! (I know this is much shorter but it can be done.) You have 2 more weeks to the reg deadline iirc?
It could be that she is growing into her name. I knew a Charlotte that was called Charle (pronounced Sharl) as a baby

[Lilypink]

I never regretted calling my dd Lily but I was convinced that she looked like an Alice for about 2 months!! And really had a srong wish to call her that (i may even have done - I know my dh called her Lucy a couple of times!).

But now she couldn't be anything other than Lily - certainly not Alice!

As long as you still like the name then you will be fine. Its so strange having a new baby - hormones may still be a little haywire.

Does Lotty or Charly suit better?

[ravenAK]

Do you like Lisa/Lizzie/Beth or other diminutives of Elisabeth?

That might be the easiest. I teach several children who are 'known as' their middle name.

Apparently it's a Yorkshire tradition to call your eldest son Dadsname Nameyoulike Surname, then use Nameyoulike...

[LookattheLottie]

My dd is Charlotte and I love it, she really suits it though! Although when she was 3 weeks I heard a really beautiful name that I loved and started wondering if I could/would change it. I never did because I went off it quickly, where as I'd always wanted Charlotte. What about Charlie?

[LuLuBai]

You can change it, or you could give her a nickname which relates to either her first or middle name - or even something completely different.

There might be something else you can do with Charlotte other than Lottie or Charlie.

Is she your first child? I only ask as older siblings often generate nicknames which sticks. I know a Charlotte who is forever known as Shash because of her older siblings.

[slalomsuki]

Change it now and it will be forgotten by most people soon enough and you won't regret it.

Friend of mine changed her son's name at 5 weeks and even now I have to think about what his name is. Not because she changed it but because she had refered to X as the name all the way through her pregnancy and beyond and then called him Y from 5 weeks. She boasted about the name X to everyone who would listen as to how unusual it was and then dropped it.

[Jivegirl]

Hmm

I used to have a budgie called Charlie. So that's put me off that option

I do still like the name, and when people ask her what her name is I'm quite 'proud' of my choice (does that make sense?)

I'm wondering whether it's just because she's so tiny, obviously she doesn't 'do' much yet so doesn't really have a personality as such, so it feels a bit weird to use her name?? Charlotte also feels quite formal. But I think it would really suit her as a toddler..

Dunno, think I am talking out of my arse now! We haven't even settled on a surname yet (DP and me not married, still deciding whether to get hitched or not!!) Poor DD2

[beansprout]

I think you should change it. There is this grace period/time limit to register the birth and in a year's time you will be glad you did. Cards and what people think are not the most important things!!

[mavornia]

I think you should change it if you have a clear idea of what she actually should be called

I called ds Daniel and even now I'm not entirely convinced that it is "his" name (his pics are on my profile - I think he may have suited Oliver/Ollie...) - however, due to a long and convoluted tale which involved me shooting my mouth off and dh's brother almost stealing our name, I felt obliged to keep it for dh's sake

it's horrible to have a nagging feeling that you should have picked differently

[fourlittlefeet]

I think you do feel odd about names when they are so little. Almost everyone I know had a nickname for their baby too. If its a name you've liked for ages, it'll just be the hormones and lack of sleep making you dither!

[LuLuBai]

Oh stick with it if you feel proud of it. That is the right way to feel.

They do take time to grow into their names. We referred to DD as 'our baby' (along with some other silly nicknames I won't mention)for months before we started using her name.

[Jivegirl]

LOL Slalomsuki - one reason never to share your intended name outside of Mumsnet!!

Lulu, DD1 calls her Lally (to rhyme with Charlie) because she can't say Charlotte properly.

Going to have a good look at her at her next feed and see if there's another name that suits her better.

It's weird, we named DD1 a name which at the time we really liked the shortened version of, but although other people call her the short version it now really grates on me and we never use it.

[4andnotout]

My dd2 is now 3 and all the way through the pregnancy dp called her Bodecia, but i wouldn't let him call her it but now she looks and acts like a bodecia or bodie!
DD2 (10 months) doesn't look like a Maisy yo me i always think she looks like a Peaches but it's too late now

[Slickbird]

I think Charlotte Elizabeth is lovely (and that's odd, because my middle name is Elizabeth and I never liked it much - but with Charlotte it seems really nice). It is difficult tho, because babies as a rule, don't look like their names. When my DD2 was born, I wasn't sure Carla was right, especially as people kept getting it wrong and calling her CLARA! But we stuck with it and now I can't imagine her being anything else. I once met a baby called Norman. I suppose if you're going to be called that as an adult you have to start as a baby! . I hope you are happy with whatever decision you make! Good luck. P.S. My DD1 wishes she had been called Charlotte and tells everyone it is her middle name even tho she doesn't have one!

[KristinaM]

i have a friendswho changed her baby's name after a year. so its better to do it now

no doubt someone will give you a hard time about it but they will get over it. you don't want to regret it later

although i woudl agree that charlotte Elizabeth is a lovely child's / woman's name so may not seem to suit a baby.Personally i think they are both lovely names and i woudl keep them. But she's not my DD

And then lots of silly ( IMHO) people use names that only suit babies and wonder why their teenage goth daughter doesnt like to be called Fifi

[MadBadandDangeroustoKnow]

Yes, I had doubts up to about my daughter's second birthday, but by then she really seemed to 'own' her name and to suit it.

If you really can't face her being Charlotte Elizabeth but also don't want to tell people that you've changed your mind, could you register her as Charlotte Elizabeth Newname and then just keep calling her Newname until everyone catches on?

[Hopeysgirlwasntbig]

I knew a Charlotte once and her nickname was Char, pronounced Shar.

[Jivegirl]

lulu that's good to hear. I vaguely remember calling DD1 'little girl' for months because using her name felt weird (like referring ourselves as mummy and daddy initially!)

We changed our minds about names a hundred times before she was born. Charlotte was the latest decision the night before she was born and we just decided to go for it.

[seeker]

0y friend changed her baby's name from Rebecca to Penny at 6 weeks - on the way to the Register Office!

The funny thing is, everyone breathed a sigh of relief and Rebecca vanished as if she had never been called it - and she was instantly and completely Penny!