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Baby names

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

Original poster

Has anyone changed their baby's name after it was registered?

90 replies

TooMuchMakkaPakka · 20/10/2008 00:33

Maybe this is a strange manifestation of pnd, but i don't feel happy with the name we chose for our lovely DS. She's just under four weeks old, we've registered the name and told everyone. She was even called a different name for the first three days before changing to current one. I really wanted a particular name (a third one, hope you're keeping up with this!), but in the stress surrounding the birth, she was early and i was in hospital weeks beforehand, it sort of didn't get picked. To be honest, feel DH wanted me to choose and put pressure on me to decide then and there - I hadn't had more than two hours sleep in the previous 48, or so it felt. I feel my little girl has got second best (well on the lists we wrote beforehand the name she's got was 9th on mine and 8th on DHs) so 8/9th best . Has anyone out there changed a name at this point and if so, what did you have to do, did your DH certify you (i think mine might!) and was it worth the complete confusion / ridicule of family and friends (some of whom (e.g DH work) have already been told of one name change already!).

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Dontrocktheboat · 21/08/2016 11:42

Oops just realised ancient thread!

Dontrocktheboat · 21/08/2016 11:41

You should change if you are unhappy with it and definitely prefer one of the others.

FWIW I think Naomi is much nicer and more unusual than your other choices though they are all good names.

Enkopkaffetak · 21/08/2016 11:14

User this is a really old thread. Try making a new post with your situation and I am sure you will get lots of comments.

user1467862767 · 21/08/2016 06:32

I am not feeling happy with my babygirl name that I chose for her. her name is Christina. I am thinking to change it to Isabella, Mia, Sophia ,Kayla. more new names.. I am afraid I would create a problem for her when she grows up as she has to mention her old name as per her records..any experience in that issue? she is only 3 months old.

mumoverseas · 26/01/2009 06:48

glad you've finally made the decision makkapakka and that you are happy with it.
Imogen Naomi is lovely name.

DH and I are currently 'testing' names for our baby who will be arriving in just under 2 weeks. Hope we choose the right one!

Original poster
TooMuchMakkaPakka · 26/01/2009 01:16

I just wanted to add a postscript to this for all those people who were considering doing the same thing.
A month on since the name change, it all seems to have gone pretty smoothly. I think DH still wishes she was called the original name but he seems fine with the new one and now the name has changed i am a lot less preocuppied by the whole thing which he certainly appreciates. I think it has helped me move on from the difficulties we had around the birth too.
People's reactions have varied. Some been completely underwhelmed, some very understanding - some have said that they wished they had too, but it is probably too late for their DC (lots of name regrets out there?) but a sizeable proportion of people have had eyes out on stalks, just in a curious way. I think a few thought i was joking at first. However, there are far more shocking things in the world.
My dad and brother seem to think it is a good thing to take the p out of me over, but hopefully eventually they will just forget it.
DH who was so worried about telling people at his work, just started using the new name to some people there and no one commented
I am enjoying the new name and really proud to tell everyone. It finally feels like the name she was destined to be (in my head at least, if that doesn't sound too corny).

OP posts:
Leo9 · 23/12/2008 16:12

Well done. Imogen Naomi is a lovely name. You obviously really needed to change it so don't worry, DH has clearly accepted it!

Imogen is a clever choice - so pretty, but not over-used at all now.

It's something that will give you a little 'glow' for EVER imo, when you love hearing their name and are proud of it.

Original poster
TooMuchMakkaPakka · 23/12/2008 16:00

I should add i have told some friends already who have been very supportive. One said she completely understood as she and her DH had had great difficulty naming their dog!

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Original poster
TooMuchMakkaPakka · 23/12/2008 15:58

Many thanks to all of you who've commented. I changed it today, she's now Imogen but we've kept Naomi has a middle name at DH's request. She's three months old today so a nice present

I found the comments of those who regretted not changing, or were talked out of it, very telling and it's good to know that you can survive the change fairly easily.

Thanks again, without your input I may never have had the confidence to make the change.

My one worry is the impact all this has had on my relationship with DH who really did never want to change it. In the end he was happy for me to change it to whatever i wanted as he just wanted a different topic of conversation in the house, so let's hope we can move forward from here.

I'd better change my mn name now as anyone out there will definitely know who i am after this! What to change that to???!

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laughgiraffe · 17/12/2008 03:56

Makkapakka, I've been keeping an eye on this, and plugging for you to resolve your dilemma. My ds was 2.4 when we changed angharad's name. He is now 8 and cant remember her as a baby, or as any other name. Your plan to keep the name as a middlename sounds fine to me, although we handled it differently. When we did it, we ditched the old name totally, and replaced it with angharad. Her middle name (tess) stayed the same. Either way, the only thing that matters is that you get to a name that you are comfortable with. Trust me, it will get easier. Wishing you all the best, and keep us informed.

Original poster
TooMuchMakkaPakka · 17/12/2008 01:03

Xmas cards went out in the current name, BUT

We are trying out another name at home this week (started on Sunday). Lots of chipping away at DH has made him realise that this is really important for me and won't go away. It is really hard to change, even for me, as i had got used to her name. Knowing that other people regretted not changing has inspired me to push this forward. I don't want to regret it for ever, just to avoid hassle now, so I think we may change it formally in the new year.

Her current name will still be a middle name (which means two middle names, not ideal but ok as all the names are quite short.

DS (2.6) is calling her either name and 'baby' or 'babby' - as he is completely confused!

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JodieO · 14/12/2008 21:10

My mum changed mine when I was about 3 months old and I love my name now.

deckchair · 14/12/2008 21:09

I have been keeping an eye on this thread. We have not yet 100% made our mind up.

I think we may add another name into DS name. Then if he wants to use it later he can (let's hope he does!!!)
I spoke to my vicar about my dilemna and he said that to change the first name we would need to go via deed poll (which I knew) but we could call him it and hope that at confirmation time he chose the name we have called him for the last x number of years.
However, ds may not wish to be confirmed, so we would still need to do somethng legally before then.
I know exactly how you feel and wish I had been brave enough to change it when I had chance.

Kotek · 14/12/2008 15:13

I have a good friend going through this very same dilemma,so don't worry, you are not alone, and good luck with your decision!

Original poster
TooMuchMakkaPakka · 08/12/2008 17:24

walking primrose, i feel so much better hearing your story.

eviz i'm still not really sure whether or not its a phase that will pass. With
friends / family it seems ok but strangers often pronounce it wrong which drives me bonkers as i really don't like the mispronounciations. some days i feel i am getting used to her current name, other days i am very keen to change. maybe i am just fussy. But i love DS's name and never thought of changing.

have been trying to convince DH to change for xmas cards but i think we will probably wait until the time we had originally agreed. I would def rather change now but just have to convince DH.

apologies for lack of caps - post fed baby on knees

OP posts:
trulyscrumptious43 · 01/12/2008 19:07

If you change it now then you get the chance to stick the new name on all your xmas cards and let everyone know that way - it'll make a change from boring messages or unbearable round robins!

trulyscrumptious43 · 30/11/2008 22:47

I was never very happy with the name my son was given to him by my mum and my partner when he was born. I popped into the registry office the day before the 12 months were up and gave him the name I liked as an additional middle name. Kind of 1st birthday present. My DH was livid actually but I didn't care.
Anyway what I wanted to say was that it's REALLY easy to change a name before 12 months are up, and if you're not happy, then go ahead and do it, you definitely won't regret it.

Cadelaide · 30/11/2008 21:42

Ds2 is 2. We changed his name 1 week before he turned 1 (12 months is the legal limit).

We did it by post, had to send the birth certificate. The "short" certificate just shows the new name, the "long" certificate (that details what is actually on record) shows both the original name and the revision.

Glimmer · 30/11/2008 04:47

I agree with everybody that you should change it if you feel that's what you like. I have been using my middle name as main name for several years, so maybe you could just "add" a name or two and then you can pick your favorite one and she can choose which one she likes bast for the rest of her life.

rlp · 29/11/2008 15:57

Just a comment to say that my daughter is Naomi and I like it - but we have had a lot of hassle because we want people to pronounce it the way we do. I have stopped correcting people now as even our childminder doesn't seem to realise that she never repeats the name the way I say it. You say tomato....?

melimum · 28/11/2008 12:10

hi know you have loads of advice but just want to mention my circumstance as very different and regrets not good.
my partner chose my sons name and i did like it alot and it does suit him but i desperately wanted to name him after my father. when i hear that name now i sigh
worst of all i prob allowed current name to involve partner who actually ended up leaving us anyway so that was daft of me!
secondaly my ds has a nickname just used by me and noone else
he began school this sept and on parents eve last week the teacher told me harry said he would like to be called by his nickname.
i felt delighted he felt good about it.
thirdly my ex partner is known by his middle name always had been yes doc passport etc uses first name but never had any trouble

go with your heart you are mum and you will be using it the most!!

rempy · 28/11/2008 11:50

fwiw, i love my dd name, but didnt use it for months, and like my ds name, but didnt use it for months and am now actively trying to call him it as dd seems to think he is called boy.

tiny tiny ones seem odd with big person names, even if you like them, i dont think its odd that youre not calling her it yet.

but if you really feel unhappy, change it.

i had a clerical error - misspelt surname - on my sons cert. bit sad it can only be amended, not changed, and had to make a few visits to register office to get it sorted, but it can be done

Beachbabe66 · 28/11/2008 07:54

My mum hated her given name so much she actually changed it when she was in her 50's. She was Gertrude Clara, and had hated it with a deep and abiding passion for as long as she could remember. She loathed having to put it on official forms. So she asked eveyone for money for her fighting fund one year, and used it to change her name officially. She's now Trudy, and is delighted with her new name. So, however much you agonise, your child may still not agree with your choice!

mammaofthree · 27/11/2008 21:30

We registered our twin daughters names knowing that we would call them by nicknames in addition to that (maybe partly because we always use the shortened version of our son's name?). Their names are:

Amelia Bethan (Millie) and Imogen Elysia (Immie).

They are now three and have recently started at Nursery, where the teacher decided to call them by their 'proper' names, as there were several others in their class with similarly sounding names to their nicknames. This confused Millie a little at first (but only for a week or so), telling me I was calling her by the wrong name when I called her Millie! She is fine with it all now, and calls herself Milia most of the time! Although, having said that, they are also learning each other's names by sight at the moment, so recognises her name beginning with A rather than M...

When they were little, their older brother (2 1/2 at the time) called them both Mimi (and they also called each other Mimi when they began to talk!) yet they always seemed to know which one was being spoken to - I think they just adjust to the names as they grow.

I had also initially liked the spelling Emilia as an alternative to Amelia, but didn't want people shortening her name to Em as it would be too similar to Im / Immie.

Sorry to waffle on - and hope you are happy with your final decision!

Sev · 27/11/2008 21:16

Our DD has an unusual 1st name that i actually think is really cool, but as a nickname we use her middle name (Rain) but alter it slightly to Rainy...it suits her as much as her 1st name and she responds to both. She can choose either when she's older and it doesn't cause any probs!! I find Rainy is a cute nickname for her as her 1st name cant really be shortened to a cutie sounding name....its more bold...anyway, hope ur happy with the name u chose now! (everyone i know has at least 2 nicknames for their kiddies anyway!)