To change their name!

[Chesternut]

My DD is 4 years old and I gave her a name which, I thought, was very original as I hadn't heard another girl called it in about 20 years. Only to find when she started nursery another girl called the same but spelt differently. DD is due to start full time education in September and there will be 2 other girls with the same name so 3 in the class including DD. Now there's another in other DC's class.
Totally hacked off and really upset by this. Maybe an over reaction but in the 1970's I was one of 5 named the same in my class and vowed never to have my DC's live with the same. Now history is being repeated.
AIBU to change my DD's name before September? I love her name but HATE it's so common now.

Don’t do it.

I’ve already made my tray labels and book stickers have been stuck on!

I’ve never had Esmee down as an unusual name?

I’ve met a few throughout my time. My niece is an Esme and my friends little girl is an Ezmae.

My DD is an ‘E’ name that is uncommon

First thing that I thought of was

girlscomicsofyesterday.com/2013/03/the-four-marys/

Your dd could be famous one day.

I know about three Esmes. You can't chamge your daughter's name now don't be silly.

I don't think you can change it now, especially as it is due to your issues not hers,
I have a very common 70's named, never bothered me,
My DD has an uncommon name, in fact there were only 7 girls in the country named her name the year she was born, guess what, one of the other ones is in her class.
Doesn't bother her either

Just begin using a nickname. No big announcements or anything, just gradually fade out use of the full name and start using the shortened - I think Essie sounds lovely! Youve got the whole summer to get her used to a shortened version, by the time school is back in Sept she will be used to it and you can ask school to amend her name to the shortened version on their records.

We had this with my DS. I chose Oliver because it was the name Id have had if I was a boy - a nice gesture for my DM. Turns out its incredibly popular. DS indignantly tells everyone hes not Oliver but Ollie, and the other boys in his class that share his name use either the full version or a super shortened version.

I have a really unusual name. I always had to explain it and spell it. I secretly wished I could have been called Sarah or Rachel at school. My sons have top ten names because of this.

My eldest is Oliver! Love it.

Your daughter is more than her name. Leave it be.

What an utterly ridiculous thing to be bothered about, and I can’t believe you’re giving it serious thought. Get a grip, she’ll meet plenty of others with the same/similar name throughout her life and I’m sure she’ll cope just as well as every other person who knows someone else with the same name as them!

I named my two a bog standard Amy and Charlotte - they have never been in the same class as or friends with anyone with the same name (and their middle names are May and Rose!!!)

There are some meanies here I think, giving you a bit of a hard time, but I empathise with you, having had a very common name at school and hating being "Sarah #3" all my life. I'd probably try to go down the nickname route if it were me, if you can introduce something she'd take to or adapting the one she's got.

However, if you do change her name, the paperwork is really not that much of a hassle. Informing people is was more annoying as you'll have to answer the same questions about why over and over again! Probably most important is how you and she feel about it! Good luck whatever you decide.

My class had 4 Emmas,2 Lauras,2 Aoifes,2 Alisons,2 Jennys,2 Katies,2 Aislings and a few other multiples. It was more unusual to have your 'own' name than share. We all survived.

Think you’re being a tad ridiculous really - the millions of Olivias and Charlottes etc in the world seem to cope with the same issue. You’re just pushing your baggage, insecurities and shit experiences onto your daughter, which isn’t really fair on her. She’s 4 - how on earth will she understand that her name has changed, and will she be happy that she had 0 input in this? It’s not like you’re changing it due to abuse etc, but for a very frivolous reason - she will resent you in the future.

Honestly, life is much MUCH harder when you have an uncommon name that people can’t spell/pronounce/remember; when people then force nicknames onto you to ‘make it easier for them’. Forever having comments on how weird or uncommon it is. Having to literally brace yourself to introduce yourself to people or speak on the phone. It’s dehumanising at times. Think of people with ‘ethnic’ or ‘foreign’ names - your ‘problem’ pales in comparison.

Also Esmee/Esme is a fairly common name, especially in middle class/home county social circles. I’m 22 and know a fair amount of people my age with the name, they just all seem to be very middle class. Although it’s not extremely popular, I definitely wouldn’t consider it a unique name.

Haven't RTFT, but you can definitely give her a nickname that is either related to, or completely unrelated to her real name! Or start using her middle name.

Then let the teachers know at school that she "goes by [nickname]". It's only a hassle on the first day of school when the teacher is taking attendance, then they make a note of the correct name to use and it's all sorted for another year.

What if you change her name and she then ends up with girls with that name too? You'll kick yourself and wish that since there's every chance she'll end up with similar named kids that you'd stuck with Esme.

We have a lovely little 5 year old Esmee in our family. Only ever answers you if you call her Buzz.

Well maybe dont name your kids after reading Twilight and you wouldn't have had this problem. Esme was a ridiculously popular name even 8 years ago so why you thought it wasnt 4yrs ago is beyond me.

Don't change it. It's her name. As others have said - how would you explain it to her? She'd give into school already thinking others in her class have stolen her name!! And the legal paperwork and hassle she'd have for the rest of her life explaining it would be awful. Also, what if you change it and then she goes to high school and there's more of her new name? You going to change it again?

I was one of 4 with my name in my year - didn't bother me. Had a nickname I thought was cooler anyway.

Has she got a middle name? You could ask her, after she's started and tried it out, whether she'd prefer to go by her middle name, but that's absolutely as far as I'd go.

I think the OP has a slight obsession with changing names. She changed her own name due to it being popular and now is considering changing her 4 year old DDs because she won't be the only one in her class with that name!

I wouldn't change a 4 year old's name. If in the future she wants to change it, it needs to be her choice alone without any hinting.

That was going to be ds's if he was a girl- almost 15 years ago. I still love the name!!!

This is your problem not your daughters. Stop inflicting your disapointment on her. Oh and i know loads of girls with this name. A bit confused as to why you thought it would be so unique...
“Mummy wanted to change because...” poor kid
Get on with it

Oh and ds1 would have been Isobella. As it is ds2, has a name that is also in the book series. This was all before the books started.