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Baby names

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

Original poster

Name regret - does it ever go away?

62 replies

everythinginthegardensisrosie · 07/05/2014 13:18

My DD is now 5, so there is absolutely no way I would change her name or let on to her that I feel like this.
Ever since we named her I've had namers remorse. I suffered from horrendous pnd after her birth which made me completely paralised in decision making and made it very hard to name her. Even after recovering from the pnd, I still feel like I made a mistake and I've let her down. The rest of the family have solid names such as James, Will, Anna, Lucy, Edward, George etc. I gave her a very fashionable name which I hear everywhere. I wish I had called her a classic too.
Just want to know if there are others that feel like this and if the feeling passes with time. She is very much her name now and it does suit her so I'm confused as to why I can't move on.

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HeyBungalowBill · 08/05/2014 10:04

Does she have a middle name OP?

Notsoyummymummy1 · 08/05/2014 10:00

Can I ask what her name is?

AMI88 · 08/05/2014 08:37

My other half has a very common name- Dan. It wasn't his moms first choice but was a favourite name at the time (25+yrs ago) she wished she had chosen a more unusual name, but every dan I have ever known has been so different,the fact that their names are the same seems pretty irrelevant, if you know what I mean?!
None of them look similar, and non of their personalities are the same, so they kind "wear" the name differently, so to speak.
If you DD isn't fond of her name in later life, she can always swap it! Try not to worry you, what's in a name after all! Xx

flavourflave · 08/05/2014 07:48

I found that the name I loved and still do I couldn't use on baby. It was too much. I tried to imagine her as an old woman with the name and it simply didn't suit her personality. The other name I love is a quieter, gentler name that suits her more. It doesn't have the marmite wow factor tho but its as good a name. However I had to make a choice and let one go. Its hard!

Sarah is a very common name but I think its still as beautiful as say something quirkier like Emelda. Met two Sarah best friends who run a company and they giggled about their shared name. Its

DogCalledRudis · 07/05/2014 23:44

My DS1 is Marvin, though i wanted him to be Kevin. Anyway, when that horrific book came out, though it is a very good book, i'm glad he's Marvin, not Kevin

flavourflave · 07/05/2014 21:29

What were the two other 'perfect' names? Is her current name in the top 5 I take it? I suppose the recent party where there were four other girls withe the same name brought it all up again.

MrsCocoa · 07/05/2014 20:08

Can understand this.

Does she have middle names already that you like? If not, could you possibly add one of the ones you love to give you a sense of resolution? Nice as an older child or young adult to have a choice of first names to play with a bit as you establish your own identity?

Original poster
everythinginthegardensisrosie · 07/05/2014 20:00

She's a confident and happy little girl and I think she is fairly happy with the name. She does get a little confused though as there are so many little girls with this name at the moment. At a recent party there were four girls with this name!

Yes I do think I am channelling my worries into one thing too. It's annoying as thought I would be over it by now. Don't think I have ever obsessed about anything else this much - seems ridiculous! It's all I thought about for the first year of her life and I would constantly notice other names at playgroups that I wish I had thought of - less popular, quirkier names - two inparticular which would have been perfect.

OP posts:
flavourflave · 07/05/2014 18:14

I have been in similar situation, cycling through names. I think I simply couldn't commit. It was and is a way of channelling all my worries into one thing.

Is there another name you prefer?

Forago · 07/05/2014 14:33

aw that's a shame, is she old enough yet to tell you if she likes it? I know a lot of people with trad names who wish they had something more unusual

Original poster
everythinginthegardensisrosie · 07/05/2014 14:21

Thanks for replying Squoosh. I feel a lot of shame when I think back to the mess I was in - I changed her names several times in the first few weeks and I think people thought I was mad. It's just that nothing felt right at the time.
I took my time when DC2 was born and I feel happy I made the right decision that time (even after having pnd again).
She has a lot of pet names but not one I could use as her every day name.

OP posts:
squoosh · 07/05/2014 14:06

Do you think it might be because naming her reminds you of having PND? Does she have a nickname that you quite like?

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