I want to change my baby name (6 months old)

So you and hubby couldn't agree, compromised and used your first choice as a middle name. Now you want to use the middle name alone, IE, if you and hubby can't agree you just use your first choice anyway?

I know someone who is fully known by her middle name as was only when she got married and they said her first name (and everyone was like whattt?!) that ever came up. I think the regret would be worse than the short lived change over period so I’d say do it!

@DisorganisedMummyTurningOrgnaised , The name change is recorded on the birth certificate and that's enough.

We did the same as you but one question I did have is if going forward he will always have to declare he had another name at birth? You know in legal forms where is asks if you’ve ever been known by something else, will we always have to put yes and his original name?

I changed my DS’s name at 6 months. DH chose the original name and I never liked it but thought I’d get used to it. I didn’t and it got worse over time. It caused me quite a lot of distress at the time. I’m so glad we changed it. His new name is a completely different one (we added it to the beginning so his old name is now his second name, and he has 2 middle names now). The old name is still on his long birth certificate and the new name is in box 17 (I think) at the bottom. Family and friends got used to it quite quickly and no one seemed to think it was a big deal

To add, I 100% do not regret the name change. We tried the new name out for 1-2 months before changing it officially. Best decision we made.

I think it is fine to do this but I would change them around ‘officially.’

I have name changed for this, but I was always going to be one name, let’s say Rachel. My middle name was going to be Helen, surname Harrison. Dad decided it would be amusing to call me Helen Rachel Harrison so my initials were HRH. Funny joke to him but a lifetime headache for me; I’m not kidding. Bank accounts, exam certificates, passports, tickets, even my fucking wedding day was tarnished by being called the ‘wrong’ name.

I appreciate he meant no harm but it really has been a pain in the arse and I just wish he’d never done it. (And the number of people who just can’t accept that my ‘real’ name is not Helen …)

I changed my son’s name at 7months. They just edit his birth certificate. There’s a field at the end of the birth certificate that says something like “name after baptism”, and they put the new name there (even though we aren’t Christian and he wasn’t baptised). Costs about £46. We haven’t changed the PP yet, but that is apparently more hassle (you need to attest photos and provide proof of new name being used, etc.). Our name change was completely different, not a middle name, etc.

I changed my son's name while he was in pre-school. It was absolutely the right thing to do and I've never regretted it for one second.

I think it is easier to do it when they are under one year old. I think you can just write it in on the birth certificate or something like that.

When older, it's still easy. You just print a deed poll form from the internet and fill it in and get two witnesses to sign it. No trouble at all.

inlaws thought I was nuts, but that doesn't matter one time bit in the grand scheme of things.

My sons 2 and I still hate his name !!! His dad wouldn't agree to the one I wanted in the end we chose his name from 2 others as we were in the car to the registry office ( well him and our other kids did ) when he was 6 weeks old . I went on the have another boy and refused point bank to call him anything other than the name i picked for our last child .

What does DH think?

Change it to what you love. This happened to me with my third. Thought I was having a boy. Already had two boys. Didn’t really plan girls names. She arrived I was rushed, pressured etc. 5 months on I got regret. Spoke to my husband who thought it was ridiculous. No way.
Waited a month, he agreed. Agonised over it for another few weeks, I felt quite embarrassed and was so anxious.
Did it officially at the registry office as soon as I did a weight lifted. Told closest family. Then did a social media post once we got used to it. People were so supportive.

I look back and laugh now, she has just turned 3.

For me not changing it and regretting would have been worse. Now no one even remembers.

Our relatives sent a Christmas card from all their family, using the baby’s new name, and a message saying she’d be known by this name going forward. It was a nice way of announcing it. Hardly anyone even remembers she had a different name now x

Don’t have a lifetime of regret to avoid a few months of awkward chats! What are the names?

Honestly OP, change it officially maybe swap the original name to middle and middle first. Do it now don’t carry on with a name that hasn’t grown on you. I met a mother whose son was friends with my son. We were chatting and she had an older daughter who was 11 and the first thing she told me was how much she didn’t like her daughter’s name and she wished she had changed it. I thought this was very sad. 😢 Everyone told her not to change it and it would grow on her. It didn’t and was the first thing she told me, a complete stranger, about her daughter.

I've always been known by my middle name - most of the family preferred it! Several of my cousins are also known by their middle names also.
Easier to change it now if that's how you feel.

My friend did this, when she messaged me to say I started reading it thinking something awful had happened, was relieved when I got to the end of the message! Before a year you can add it to the birth certificate and the new name is the legal name and on their passport etc. I’d absolutely do it if I felt that way.

I hope resolving this brings you peace x

I’d change it OP, only matters what you and your partner think.

I have name regret for my youngest I don’t hate it but I don’t love it as much as another name, was a similar story to yours we couldn’t agree, DH liked name which I half liked so we went with that, he still loves it, I never changed it and wont do now as they are much older

I absolutely still love my eldest’s name, suits them, and I just really love the name, wish I felt the same and youngest name!

Hello, we swapped our DC’s first & second names around when they were 3months - I just felt like the original middle name suited them better. We did it on the BC using the space 17 box. I did feel a bit awkward about it at first but now I’m so so glad we did swap their names around, I went for the approach of less explanation the best - eg just said we decided to swap to her middle name - best of luck!

If you are going to do it I’d do it soon, before changing it has the potential to be confusing for her. Someone suggested waiting till a year, I wouldn’t do that, she’ll be far too used to being called the original name, even at the age of 1.
Just out of interest does OH agree to changing the names around? If he liked the middle name too then why on earth didn’t you just go with that from the start?

My husband and I couldn't agree on our son's name and after a few weeks, we settled on one we both liked but didn't love.
He has grown into it and it suits him and more importantly, he likes his name.
It may end up being the same for you but if I was going to change it, I would do it before he gets any older as it would be confusing for him.

Do it officially. Not doing so will cause the child problems further down the line and they might get fed up at having to explain! Trust me, I know!

Do it before a year old on her birth certificate by re registering it’s much easier before she’s one

If it is a case of calling 'Nicola Clare Voiance' Clare not Nicola, then I'd do it officially and get the BC changed, seeing as it's straightforward at the baby's age.
Same with if they are changing Nicola Clare to Amelia Grace.

What to tell the rellies? A simple 'We can't get used to Nicola, it just doesn't seem to suit her so we've had the name changed to Amelia Grace Voiance'.
If the rellies don't like it, tough.

Is that what your sister did? @Cerialkiller