Changing baby name after 12 months!

For what its worth i also wanted to change my DD's name.DH decided on her name and i was never 100% about it.I never called her by her name and hated telling anybody.If i did tell anybody her name i always felt the need to explain her name.Fast forward to now and i couldn't imagine DD named anything else and i now think it really suits her.I can't believe i spent the fist year of her life calling her 'baby J' instead of her full name.
Talk to your DH about how you feel and take it from there.

magichomes, yes you can of course just use a different name for your baby

but legally he will still be called what he was registered as. it will have to be on his passport etc etc

if you want to change it legally you need to do it via deed poll once they are over 1

there is some info here about whether you would be able to get hte birth certificate changed

A true but daft story on naming changing. My parents have always called me XXXXX, eveyone else calls me XXXXX. However, the registrar couldn't read my Dad's hand writing, hence my birth certificate has YYY on it. However, my parents didn't discover this for 6 months as the birth certificate got chewed and mangled by next doors dog ... took mum and dad 5 months to get a replacement certificate whne they saw I wa legally YYY. Mum very not happy! So, I was baptised quick and got my name changed to XXXXX under the 12 month rule that applies in England and Wales. I have to say it has been a right pain all my life. Whenever I produce my birth certificate I ahve to draw people's attention to the tiny little box at the bottom which confirms my official name change to XXXXX.

i believe that any change by deed poll has to be declared, regardless of age when it was changed and whether he had bank account/passport etc

i could be wrong tho, so happy for those with more knowledge to correct me!!!

agree tho, that if he is only just over a year you may still be able to do it

a friend of mine did persuade them to let her change her sons middle name, tho it was over a year since he was registered (only just tho)

I know several adults whose name is nothing like their birth certificate name. My dad has a friend called Mick, we've known him for 30 years. Only recently did I find out his name is actually Brian. It's not a nickname, no story behind it, it's just what he chose to be called.

I know an adult who is known by a completely different name to on his birth certificate. I didn't even know until recently that is wasn't his 'real' name. I think the story is that one of his parents really didn't like his name so started calling him something else, which stuck. I don't think it causes him any problems and its an amusing little anecdote

It´s a bit more complicated for me as we live in Spain and DS2 already has a passport. Deed poll would not be recognised here.

The Spanish LOVE their paperwork and I just know it would prove to be very tricky further along the line for DS, and I don´t want to saddle him with a lifetime of explaining to do, life can be complicated enough. People just don´t change their names here.

No middle name to fall back on either, I think in all honesty it will haunt me forever...

How much older than 12 months is he? If he is only just over 12 months old you may still be able to change it on the birth certificate as you can make changes up to 12 months after the original registration. The General Register Office may be able to give you more info (0151 471 4806)

Can you not keep the official name and use his middle name everyday, it sounds like it will be a hassle for him in the future if you change it. Sods law says you will change it and when older he will prefer the one he has to write in 'previous names'! Or you could just adopt a similar name for him but keep his official name.

No advice rocketscientist but just wanted to say I know exactly how you feel.

I had a nightmare choosing a name for DS2 and felt railroaded by family members who ridiculed the only name I did have...fifteen months on and I still cannot get to grips with the name we chose. To me my little boy simply isn´t that name...don´t think I can do anything now but it makes me very [sad}

Do you have another name in mind?

i really feel we need to know what the name is to advise best!! is it that awful? what has changed your mind? i think it is probably not as bad as you think...?? cxould you revert to using the proper name and abandon the daft nickname?

i think it could be annoying for him in the future. you would have to do it by deed poll, which means he would then have to declare the name change on all manner of official documents (the bit where it says, have you ever been known by any other name)