Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Baby names

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

Name regret 😩

39 replies

SpongeCake23 · 19/06/2019 14:19

He’s 8 months and recognising his name. I really regret our choice.
I always really loved the name, for years. But it’s recently become so popular. I’m hugely regretting it. Me and OH couldn’t agree on anything else either!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
NanooCov · 21/06/2019 06:57

We have a 20 month old Archie and so I'm obviously biased but stick with his name. I was surprised and a bit saddened by a lot of the negative comments when Harry and Meghan decided to use it but still love the name. If he's recognising it as his name then I wouldn't change at all.

PCohle · 20/06/2019 21:49

If you like it who cares that it's popular? I'd try not to worry too much about it.

CaitlinEJ · 20/06/2019 21:32

If it’s any help my friend had a George and a Charlotte (as well as an Elizabeth and Thomas) before William and Kate had any of their children and they get lots of comments about how the family is full of “Royal” names, just try to ignite it, they have and learnt to love the names even more.

CaitlinEJ · 20/06/2019 21:30

My 4 year old is called Archie, I’ve had a few comments since Meghan and Harry had an Archie but it’s a lovely name, don’t choose it, you chose it well before they had their Archie so people shouldn’t really say things, there’s loads of people in the world with the same name.

ABitOTT · 19/06/2019 22:30

My son has a far more popular name & he only ever was in a class with another with the same name at sixth form. We are talking a hugely popular name too so don't worry about this. Give yourself some time to get through the emotional stuff & see how you feel then.

Huncamuncaa · 19/06/2019 21:52

I suffered name regret and now realise it was strongly linked to post natal depression - I do still like the name but for months I obsessed over it and it made me so upset. I felt I had messed up the one thing I had control over and it upset me that my partner didnt get how I felt.

Archie is a lovely name. It works in every situation. I think it's a weird modern obsession to make names completely unique. At one time 50% of boys in England were called John! Archie is still an uncommon name. The worst kind of name regret is if a name makes you cringe in the doctors surgery when it's called out or you are too embarrassed to shout it across the playground! You won't have that problem!

AverageMummy · 19/06/2019 20:10

I changed my baby’s name I just used both names together for ages & gradually dropped the old so it was never an overnight thing

ReganSomerset · 19/06/2019 19:18

I think it's pnd talking. There are so many of them, I can't see how it can have negative connotations. And yes, it's popular, but it has been for a number of years now.

hiyahen · 19/06/2019 19:08

I've been where you are! I loved a name for years and I once knew someone with the name, only one I'd ever met and he was lovely. We called our son it without even checking how popular it was and discovered that there were at least 3 in every baby group I went to. Even now, he's at nursery and he's know by his name and the first initial of his surname as there are another 2 boys with the same name.

This really got to me when he was a baby. I kind of regretted our name choice, but my dh still loved it and couldn't see our son as anything else.

I stuck with it and as his personality developed and he's become a walking, talking little person who says and writes his own name I felt less bothered.

He couldn't care less at the moment that he's one of 3 with the same name in his class and if he's happy, I'm happy!

I say stick with Archie, it's lovely Smile

plipliop · 19/06/2019 19:01

Archie is a cool name! I've taught loads of Archies and they have all been lovely.

I think you should stick with it.

1mummyinabigcity · 19/06/2019 19:00

Archie is a lovely name! Also, since yourself and your DH love it, I think it'd be crazy to change it. Ignore the popularity. The popularity just means your lad won't be bullied for a name choice and may take up a nickname outside of home. No big deal.

I had regret over my baby's name and just changed it to one that is even MORE popular than the previous one he had. But I really like that name much more than his previous name so it doesn't matter it's terribly popular.

BedraggledBlitz · 19/06/2019 18:50

I had pnd and a stressful period of name regret. So there was a link for me. I did nothing about it (apart from constantly seek reassurance about his name). He is 4 now and I am happy with his name.

One day it just becomes his, not yours and you accept it.

Topseyt · 19/06/2019 18:44

It's popular because people like it and it is a lovely name.

Why change a name you love just because it is popular.

Archie is a great name.

bridgetreilly · 19/06/2019 17:42

I don't think it has any negative connotations, and although it may be slightly more popular than it used to be, there really aren't that many of them. It's his name now, and I don't think it would be at all reasonable to change it.

Wolfiefan · 19/06/2019 17:10

I only know one of two of primary age in RL. I really like it. Personally I don’t care if Anne is popular. Just if we like it!!
Hope you are seeking treatment for the PND. That’s hard. Flowers

FizzyGreenWater · 19/06/2019 17:08

I would stick with it. Archie is pretty good. It's familiar, I don't see it as overused at all, it's pleasant and easy to spell, you've always loved it.

I think you'll come back round to liking it.

PotteringAlong · 19/06/2019 17:03

William is a lot, lot more popular than Archie (and I say that as someone who has a William!)

Pasgaddi · 19/06/2019 16:52

It's a lovely name. Quite often the names you think are common (as in frequent) or popular, you'll rarely actually meet one, whereas the unusual names oddly tend to pop up in the same class as each other!
My dc name has been around no. 12 for years on the ons list, yet we've rarely met any others.

LennieLou · 19/06/2019 16:48

My nephew is called archer, lots of people comment on it and like it but theres not many about... Yet. However I do like archieSmile

Fullmoons · 19/06/2019 16:22

Its easier to change before 12 months I think.

TatianaLarina · 19/06/2019 16:15

You’ve got plenty of time to change it, he’s only very little.

BlueMerchant · 19/06/2019 16:13

I think Archie was just as, if not more popular 8 months ago ( certainly was where I live).
I think it's too late to change it now.

LarkDescending · 19/06/2019 16:09

I liked Monarch of the Glen too! The main actor (who played Archie) now lives round the corner from me. If you watched and enjoyed it as a child, so did lots of your peers so it's not surprising they like the name too and are choosing it for their children. Perhaps Prince Harry has fond memories of watching it with his Granny.

It sounds like the perfect name for your boy for all sorts of reasons. Does it help to remember the reasons you loved and chose it? Those reasons haven't gone away.

MikeUniformMike · 19/06/2019 15:49

You've liked the name for years. Lots of people like the name.
Even if you had chosen an obscure or unusual name, you might find that he wasn't the only one in his peer group.
He was Archie first so forget the Sussexes.

diddlediddle · 19/06/2019 15:46

Stick with Archie. You clearly love it as a name and have good reasons for choosing it and honestly, who cares how many other kids are called it and if they are a prince. The fuss around the name will blow over, and your Archie will just be himself. As long as you like the name that's what matters.