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Baby names

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Original poster

Help, think I've given my baby the wrong name!

43 replies

RubiMama · 14/06/2010 12:13

DD is 5 weeks old and we've named her Rosa. Little sister to Ruben. Even though I love the name Rosa, and I do think it suits her it is eally bugging me that I chose two names with the same initial letter and I don't like the way they sound together. I'm finding that I'm avoiding saying them together, i.e. calling them the children rather than Ruben and Rosa, and when people ask me both their names I just don't feel quite right and I'm always wondering if people think it sounds silly.

So, MN jury, am I getting my knickers in a twist about nothing, or should I be couageous enough to tell family and friends we've changed our minds and Ruben's little sister is Laila which was our other top choice - which I also think suits her.

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Hedwig3 · 18/06/2010 14:38

I love the name Rosa SO much!

I actually know sisters Laila and Rosa, they have dark hair and green eyes.

I agree about being wary of the hormones!

funnysinthegarden · 16/06/2010 21:48

ah Rubi, nice to hear you have come to a decision, nothing worse than having doubts about you child's name.

Hormonal, yes, she is only a few weeks old. Give yourself a break!

Original poster
RubiMama · 16/06/2010 18:18

Thanks for all your replies, you've really boosted my confidence - I must be realy hormonal still . She is a Rosa, and it is a stronger name than Laila. And general consensus is that you wouldn't assume I was trying to be matchy, just chose two great names. Thanks again

BTW, Greek inlaws relieved as they thought Laila too Turkish...! Although partly I would like it to be Laila just to annoy them, but that is another story...

OP posts:
flopsy1974 · 16/06/2010 10:13

Ruben and Rosa sound lovely together. I'd stick with it.

halfawake · 15/06/2010 22:27

ruben and rosa lovely together! i also like laila but would stick with rosa if i were you, esp if you do think it suits her and you're all used to it and like the name

use laila if you have another daughter

walkingprimrose · 15/06/2010 13:06

Love Rosa. Beautiful, timeless, classic.
Laila nice enough, but not a patch on Rosa IMHO. Ruben & Rosa sound fine together, in fact not fine...LOVELY togther - not twee or silly at all. Both great names. BUT... go with your gut feeling. Just use the name you genuinely like the best. X

diddl · 15/06/2010 08:29

If you love it & it suits her-don´t change!

GooseyLoosey · 15/06/2010 08:20

I too prefer Rosa and think that they sound fine together.

funnysinthegarden · 15/06/2010 08:15

Rosa deffo is dark with olivey skin and big brown eyes

SandyChick · 15/06/2010 07:50

I think Rosa is a beautiful name, like it much more than leila. It wouldn't have even crossed my mind that your dc's names both start with same letter.

It's your decision, you need to be comfortable with it.

Original poster
RubiMama · 15/06/2010 07:40

Sorry! I meant, go the way of her brother and have brown eyes!

OP posts:
Original poster
RubiMama · 15/06/2010 07:38

Thanks everyone, you have put my mind at rest and when I look at her I do think I see a Rosa, but could also see a Laila if we got used to using it !
I agree with comment about Ruben and Laila sounding melodic, thats what I like about it. Changing it would be a big PITA as we are in Greece, and here, although people don't normally name baby until the batism at end of first year, we made unusual step of actually naming her on the birth cetificate and that means a court apearance and lots of beaurocratic hassle to change. DH has got used to Rosa and is woried about how sensitive Ruben (2y4mo) would handle it, but will go along if I really can't live with it. Don't know if I have to will to force it on them now - maybe I should ust fantasise about him growing up and falling in love with a Laila!

I take point about them not being a pair forever, but I will be saying their names together forever and thats what matters to me.

Out of interest , what/who do you think of when you think of a Laila or a Rosa?
She has lots of dark bown hair, slightly olive skin (half Greek) and probably will go the way of he br an have brown eyes....

OP posts:
Sakura · 15/06/2010 01:52

In lOts of cultures around the world, including Japan, you don't decide the baby's name until after its born. Change it if it's going to bug you. Rosa is a beautiful name. So is Ruben. Laila is gorgeous too though .

About a year after my DD was born I decided I wanted to give her a middle name. So in her school, passport and everywhere she's got a middle name, but not on her birth certificate.

ProfessorLaytonIsMyLoveSlave · 15/06/2010 00:38

Rosa is lovely and the Ruben and Rosa combination wouldn't bug me. But it's bugging you and your DD is 5 weeks old now. I think it's unrealistic to just sit tight and hope you'll stop feeling bugged. In your position I would change now while it's still easy for everyone to adjust.

What does your DH/DP think?

Buddleja · 15/06/2010 00:33

If it helps any I felt that I'd given my DS the wrong name at around 6 weeks

Love his name now!!

Though if you haven't registered her - it's not too late to change

However remember they aren't going to be togther forever

TheFallenMadonna · 15/06/2010 00:25

I love Rosa, but she's not my daughter.

What does your DH/P say?

jellybeans · 15/06/2010 00:04

I think Rosa is far far nicer and sounds great with Reuben. Stick with it, I love that name!

funnysinthegarden · 14/06/2010 23:29

I understand too I have an F & an R and have wondered if they sound right together, BUT they are two individual children. They are not defined by their sibling

PosyPetrovaPauline · 14/06/2010 23:15

i think Rosa is really beautiful and do understand what you say about the initial sound

with two children it sounds fine - if you have another - no R !

I really would stick with it but having said that I did change my babies name after about 7 weeks as it was not working
( can advise about that if you decide - it was fine btw)

DinahRod · 14/06/2010 23:11

I'm going against the grain, I like Ruben and Laila more, they are both melodic to my ear. And having made a mistake with dd's name, I know what you mean about hesitating to it. Fortunately dh has no such doubts and has enough assurance for both of us that her name is right. And as time has gone on I have got used to it.

But siblings names don't have to come as a matching pair (my first two have biblical first names, the 3rd won't) and if you like Rosa more than Laila, stick with Rosa.

My mother was one of 4 siblings ALL with exactly the same initials (first, middle and surname). It might sound completely daft - my gps were in every other way sane - but it just was never an issue for my mother or any of her siblings.

liliputlady · 14/06/2010 22:42

I think Rosa is lovely and don't think having the same initials matters one bit - a lot of people would choose to do that. And they are individuals - will be seen as a pair for a very tiny proportion of their life really.

CoteDAzur · 14/06/2010 22:37

At least Ruben and Rosa are both Jewish names so there is consistency there.

It sounds odd of a Ruben (Jewish) and a Laila (Muslim) to be siblings.

funnysinthegarden · 14/06/2010 22:32

eh?? Op didn't want to know which name you liked BEST. Just whether they were right for her children

zozzle · 14/06/2010 22:30

Like both but prefer Rosa.

Haliborange · 14/06/2010 22:24

If it doesn't feel right then change it while she is still small, but maybe give it a few more weeks. I always feel a bit funny about my DC's names in the beginning.

I do find the same initial thing a bit twee, but that's because I know whole families where everyone (parents included!) has the same initial. Reuben and Rosa are both nice names so it doesn't sound as though you only picked them for the initial, as some people seem to.