Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

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

Original poster

Baby girl name regret? Anyone else felt this way also

41 replies

Mummytoone7 · 14/04/2025 21:54

Before I was pregnant I loved the name Ocean for a girl. And when I found out I was having a baby girl that was her name for a while.

My whole family kept putting me off Ocean, they didn’t like it. So we waited until she was born thinking she would look like a name.. we also had Raine on our list - pronounced “Rain” and I loved the name Elodie but my partner didn’t.

When she was born we just couldn’t choose a name but my whole family started calling her Raine and my Nan even wrote Raine in her Christmas card. The day we got her registered, I just went with Raine but everyday I feel a sense of regret. I am also glad I didn’t go with Ocean in the end.

I just feel I was kind of pressured to call her that name but my partner on the other hand loves it and always says he’s glad we named her that. She’s 4 months old now.
Anyone else been in the same boat?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
HugoYorway · 15/04/2025 10:51

H7529 · 15/04/2025 10:47

I think it’s a nice name, but you could change it to Lorena or Serena nn Raine?

But those are Lor-eena and Ser-eena. She'd be Reeny

H7529 · 15/04/2025 10:47

I think it’s a nice name, but you could change it to Lorena or Serena nn Raine?

DastardlyPigeon · 15/04/2025 10:41

Change her name to Ocean, it's a unique and beautiful name

God don't! It's a ridiculous name.

user1492757084 · 15/04/2025 10:32

Raine is the nicest of the three names.

Good choice. I think she will love the name. It's simple and smart like Jane.

HugoYorway · 15/04/2025 10:09

Her father is said to have presented Raine to his children with his new wife when she moved in. That's a lot for children to get used to.

Good job she wasn't on the Step-parenting threads. Smile

Viviennemary · 15/04/2025 09:38

Ocean is totally dire. Raine is a lot better but I'm personally not that keen but it's an OK name. Raine Spencer wasn't evil Diana and her brother hated her because their own mother walked out when they were very young and their father married Raine.

MumQ8 · 15/04/2025 09:34

Thanks 😊
It is truly such a difficult task, and it's a huge weight. It's their name, it's not actually so simple. Some people just know, the rest of us have had to go though the millions of names trying to figure it out.

I don't know you or know what it you going though, but it sounds like you knew what you wanted for your baby. I don't think this is a fussy thing or hormonal, I think to often we labeled that way, when we don't conform to others. And if you truly dont identity with Ocean anymore, then look again for a name you do.

And it's hard everyone can put so much pressure on you. It's more difficult when it's a case of giving a unique name, it's not the conventional. Everyone has there own opinions on names, and that's perfectly fine. But this is about you and your baby, so honestly look inside yourself, and drown out the noise.

Do you really have no name? Or is it Ocean and everyone's opinions have made you feel bad about it?

Original poster
Mummytoone7 · 15/04/2025 09:19

@MumQ8 aw thinking of you!
It is the most difficult thing naming a child, I thought a name would just come to me when she was born but in reality… there isn’t a name I like at all. Maybe it’s the hormones or I’m just fussy.

OP posts:
LivingLaVidaBabyShower · 15/04/2025 09:18

I was OBSESSED with my dds name before I even got pregnant.
My husband loved it.... So did my mum.

All good.

We register her and I'm like...oh god is this her name... I dont think it is... I feel "meh" about this name now 🫤😫

3 yrs in honestly i still feel fairly meh about the name i was obsessed with but I love my dd to the moon and back and it's her name and it's fine.

Fwiw I think Raine is quite nice

Original poster
Mummytoone7 · 15/04/2025 09:16

@Travellingraspberry That’s what I call her most of the time because I think it’s cuter for a baby ☺️

OP posts:
MumQ8 · 15/04/2025 09:14

I regret my babies name too. And in the process of writing my letter to my partner.

My advice if you can and your partner is on the same page. Change her name to Ocean, it's a unique and beautiful name. If that's what you feel is her name and suits her, name her that.

Drown out the noise of family and other people's opinions, she is your baby. You carried her, and birthed her, you need to feel that identity with her. Don't regret it because of others, or others opinions.

Listen to your own heart, and if it's set on Ocean, then she should be Ocean.

merrymelodies · 15/04/2025 08:08

I love Océane but Ocean, not so much.

Youvebeenframed · 15/04/2025 07:25

It’s a beautiful name, elegant and classy “La Reina - Queen” ✨💛
Ocean is just ridiculous btw

Northernladdette · 15/04/2025 07:19

Raine is a lovely name x

DastardlyPigeon · 15/04/2025 07:16

With luck she won't have to endure chants of "rain rain go away" in the playground but I'd still change it. There are so many lovely conventional names to choose from.

DaisyChain505 · 15/04/2025 07:07

Raine is pretty and perfectly acceptable. Ocean is not a great name in my eyes.

Laura5437 · 15/04/2025 07:05

Pealer · 14/04/2025 23:20

Could you change it to Raina? I absolutely love that and it was on my short list. I think it might be easier to pull off and very pretty. I think Raine is lovely too by the way, but I suppose Raina sounds a bit more like a ‘name’ that Raine
changing name is easier under 12 months old, so if you want to change it, do it
who cares what people might think/say
it will all be old news very quickly

Raina makes me think of Indian cricketers.

333FionaG · 15/04/2025 07:01

Raine is a lovely name. Congratulations!

HairyToity · 15/04/2025 06:58

I like the name Raine. I don't think Raine Spencer was ever evil. My daughter shares a name with Hitler's mistress... I forgot at the time of naming her. My daughter has a friend called Olive, in my day it would have been Olive Oil from Popeye. Olive is 12 now and this association has never come up. I wouldn't fret over Princess Diana's stepmother, we're 40 years on from her being in the news.

Travellingraspberry · 15/04/2025 06:45

Can you change the pronunciation to Rain-e. My DC has a classmate with that name and I think it's lovely

Busted2006 · 15/04/2025 06:39

I love it OP, I actually know two children called Raine.

What other names do you like?

Starbri8 · 14/04/2025 23:32

Raine is my daughters name , I always thought it was a beautiful name and not very common which is nice.

BunnyLake · 14/04/2025 23:28

I’d rather be called Raine than Ocean or Elodie.

Pyjamatimenow · 14/04/2025 23:23

I think Raine is nice for what it’s worth. I kind of feel ambivalent about my last daughter’s name. We just went with it because it was the only one dh liked and I liked. I didn’t love it. I do sometimes feel a bit irked about it but still can’t think what else I could have called her.
If there’s something else you like more you can still change it. She’s only tiny. Not keen on Elodie and Ocean is a bit daft

Pealer · 14/04/2025 23:20

Could you change it to Raina? I absolutely love that and it was on my short list. I think it might be easier to pull off and very pretty. I think Raine is lovely too by the way, but I suppose Raina sounds a bit more like a ‘name’ that Raine
changing name is easier under 12 months old, so if you want to change it, do it
who cares what people might think/say
it will all be old news very quickly

Swipe left for the next trending thread