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Baby names

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Original poster

Using a middle name as a first name? How does it work? Help me decide please!

28 replies

Jivegirl · 31/07/2008 21:55

I posted previously regarding changing my dilemma whether or not to change DD's name (5wks old) as she doesn't suit the name Charlotte.

We are now considering changing her 2nd name to Eve and calling her that, giving her the option to use Charlotte when she's older.

I would love to use Eve as a first name, but DP's surname is quite short (a long vowel sound) and although it doesn't sound ridiculous, it doesn't sound perfect!

So if we call her Charlotte Eve, but want her to be known as Eve, how does that work with registering her at the doctors, nursery, school etc? Do we just drop the Charlotte completely? If so, I can't help thinking we might as well just use Eve as her first name!

The other option is Evelyn as a first name, with Charlotte as a middle name, but I would only be giving her the extended name to make it scan better with the surname, which seems a bit daft

Your opinions please ladies and gentlemen - we have to register her name on Tuesday and I want to be settled!

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Blu · 31/07/2008 22:16

Give her your surname!

Or both your surnames. Especially if you have different surnames..

frazzledoldbag34 · 31/07/2008 22:16

Oh poor you. I love Charlotte (DD1 was always going to be that but we changed our minds when she was about 1 min old!)
Don't know if this is helpful BUT we called DD1 a name when she was born which we used until she was just over 2. Then one day she came home from nursery and announced 'me not [name 1] me [name 2]. Name 2 was a name she had either come up with or heard at nursery and although is similar and could be a derivative of her original name does sound quite different. There were no other kids at nursery called [name2] and it's quite unusual.
I quite liked it, but carried on calling her [name 1]. She refused to answer to her original name and so we caved in and started calling her [name 2] thinking she'd get fed up of it and forget. She's now 7 and a half and has been [name 2] ever since. She is called [name 2] at school and by everyone that knows her. Most people don't actually realise that [name 2] isn't the name on her birth cert. The only person that calls her by her proper / original given name is her great grannie.

When we go to the doctors they call out [name 1] and she knows that's her name and just tells the doc / dentist or whoever to call her [name 2]. It doesn't cause any problems at all- most forms for nursery and school etc have a box that says first name: and then underneath it says name to be called by: (or something like that).

So my (long-winded, sorry) point being just do what you want but if you do decide on Charlotte Eve but call her Eve I doubt it will cause problems - based on our own experiences anyway. And my DD1 quite likes being a bit 'special' and having two first names (plus two middle names in fact!)
By the way I think Charlotte and Eve are both very pretty.

Anyway good luck with whatever you decide and glad your baby is better.

Hecate · 31/07/2008 22:11

I don't think there's any point giving her a name you a) don't like and b) don't want to use, so if you don't like it enough to use it, bin Charlotte altogether. Why keep it if you don't want to use it? And you'll have to CONSTANTLY explain, and all official things - school gp, dentist etc etc, well, she'll be Charlotte no matter what you do!

If you call her Eve, everyone will call her Evie. Do you like that? If you like Evie, what about Evie-May or something like that?