Made a mistake - what would you do? Time running out...

Alexander is a lovely name. Go for it!

But BOTH parents have to be in agreement imo!

Yes of course you should change it if you want to.

FWIW in Wales it's traditional, and used to be fairly common be called by your middle name by family and friends. (Your first name was used for official stuff).

We did this, actually. For various reasons we changed DS's name before he was a year old. We started calling him the new name as a nickname, just to get him used to it, then we quietly dropped the original name. He has half a dozen interchangeable nicknames as it is, so he barely registered one new one. Now we can't imagine him as anything else as he really suits his new name. It's possible to amend names on a birth certificate for up to a year after initial registration, so it's obviously not unheard of for parents to change their minds.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do!

My grandfather, two good friends, ex MIL and several work colleagues all go by their middle names, and that is just off the top of my head and the ones that I know of. I actually don't think it is that uncommon. Just go with whatever you and DH are happy with. DS will adapt happily at such a young age.

What's wrong with the nick name Nick? or Nicky?

We had doubts about DD1s name...but that was the name we chose and we stuck with it. Now we have gotten over the doubts....she is 8. I think it's a common thing...but people get over it.

I don't think it's too late to change his name - if you both agree, but if you don't both agree you are asking a lot of your DH. You must try to shut off the tears about this when you talk to him because it is just not fair to turn on the waterworks. If you are regularly in tears over this, you should consider some counselling - because it is not normal after a year to be so upset about a name that you yourself chose.

I agree that Alexander sounds a lot like Alisdair, if that's why your DH has vetoed it he's unlikely to come round. Dominic is such a lovely name - it's on our list if we have a boy (though I suspect DH is going to push for another name on the list that we equally love). I know a really cute little strawberry blonde Dominic so I don't think there are any rules about the name and the child's colouring!

Add Alexander as the first middle name - to give it the prominence it deserves. Then try to use the christening as an opportunity to acknowledge and accept the situation as it stands (it is really not so bad in the grand scheme of things!) and draw a line in the sand on the issue.

Good for you Captain and Mayanna that's my point exactly. Live with it, the poor boy!

Ha! DS3 is 14m and a Dominic. DS2 is nearly 4 and an Alexander! We have only ever called him Xander though. And DS1 is now 6 and still referred to by his full, 4 syllable name. I have every intention of Dominic also remaining Dominic as long as possible :)

OP said that her DH does not want to change the first name, Dominic, so I wouldn't think it was fair to change the name to Alexander if both parents aren't keen on the idea. I also think that at age 1 children start to recognise words and certainly know their name.

My cousin went by a totally different name until he was 4 when he became his middle name, it was strange for a few months maybe but now 20 years on I never give it a second thought. I'm from Wales and I have no idea whether it is a Welsh thing or coincidence but I have at least 8 family members (from both sides so not restricted to one side of family) that go by their middle name rather than given name including my Mum. It seems perfectly normal to me. I would put Alexander first of the middle names just in case you choose to revert to that one day.

Hang on. Are you actually intending to change the name you call him by, or just add a middle name that he can use in future if he wants to??

If you are intending to change the name you call him by - that's rather unusual at this stage and sounds like your DH wouldn't be happy with it?

If you are just intending to add a middle name that he can use in future if he wants, then I see no issues. I think the order of the names would be fine either way. However, sounds like that may not really satisfy you?

BTW I like both Dominic and Alexander - they are my top 2 contenders if I ever have a boy! And I am likely to have redheads... In fact the first Dominic I met was a redhead.

I know several people who are known by their middle name, it seems quite common, so you can add Alexander and call him that. I also know a family whose baby at nearly one is now known by a completely different name altogether as they feel it suits him better (it does). So do whatever feels best. Dominic could be shifted to middle name status easily, or Alexander added and then used as the given name. Don't live with something you don't like and don't feel suits him.

I would just go for it, maybe changing his name to Alexander Dominic V and losing the Robert (unless it is a family name). You have been upset by this too long already, don't let it drag on any longer.

However, you don't say what your DH thinks of Alexander as a name, does he know this is your preferred option? You need to make this decision together, good luck.

If you really don't like it, bite he bullet and change it now. Don't just add a name, make him Alexander Robert Z. Anything else will leave you just as unhappy as you are now because he will still be called Dominic.

He's not quite 1. This is the best time to change it. The longer it goes the harder it will be.

If you are regularly in tears over it then change it, your baby wont know it yet, it's just another word to him.

Personally I don't think simply adding Alexander as a middle name will make you feel any better about calling him Dominic.

If it helps, I was called one name at birth, it was changed once home from hospital to another name, then at the age of 4 I was given a different one again. My twin sister went through the same situation as well.

We both have always known our 'proper' BC names but are known by and use the names we were given at age 4. It's never really been an issue, except when I got my first proper passport. I wanted my 'known as' name on it, not my BC name. I explained this and was granted the passport.

If you like Alexander, do it now. He's only 1. Our 16mo is only just getting to realise she has a name, and we call her all kinds of nonsense on the side too. He'll adapt.

Good luck anyway!

My son has a 3 syllable name, which tbh I don't really like! Both DH and I liked the shortened version of it, and I know no one who uses the long version of this name (apart from their parents!).

But we always called him by the full version, and it's stuck. He's now 12 and doesn't like the short version (may well change when he's older).

So if the only reason you don't like the name is because of the shortened version, don't worry too much and just keep with the full version. DS's friend is called Dominik, and he also isn't known by any other name.

'Don' as in Don Corleone meaning 'lord' is derived from 'Dominus', as is Dominic. How about Don or Donnie as a nickname?

I know someone who is always known by her middle name, from birth, because her parents liked both names but the order sounded funny if they put their favourite name first.

Do you need to add Alexander? Couldn't you call him Robert?

Or just always call him Dominic and never Dom?

My DB has a name which is typically shortened but in our family he's always been known by the long version and he used to hit me if I tried to call him by the short version but then left home and is now always known by it

Well it's probably fair to say it's a rare occurrence but I wouldn't go so far as weird..

Sounds as if it's only me that thinks that calling a child Dominic and then calling it Alexander because you don't like it, thinks it's weird?

Go ahead and add the extra name. There's plenty of time for him to become know by a new name.

My DH was known by his first name till he was about 6/7, after that he started using his middle name. He just dropped his first name. As he had changed his name by common usage his middle name is now officially his name.

Our marriage certificate has his name as "Bob DawnOfTheDee formerly known as Bill DawnOfTheDee"*

*names have been changed to protect identity

I think there is no harm in adding another middle name. Either it will never be used / feature in which case it being there doesn't cause any problems, or your son might want to use it later in which case you'll be glad you added it! Either way if it helps you to feel better then I say go for it.