To wonder what the government official would call our child?

[peanutfoldover]

We are pregnant with no.2 and we cannot agree on a boys name at the moment, although I’m sure we’ll come to a happy compromise eventually. With our DD1 we chose a name before she was born and registered it as soon as it was possible.

However, out of pure curiosity I wanted to know what would happen if we never registered a name for this child (that won’t happen but, you know.... I was curious!). I checked out the rules: Turns out you have 42 days to register and if you don’t by then its a £200 fine and a government official will choose a name instead!!

THAT got me wondering if anyone has ever allowed this to happen and, if so, what name did the official choose?? Is there some kind of system for choosing a name in these circumstances? I assume this happens to some children by default if they are abandoned as babies or put straight into care etc, but I more mean parents who just don’t know and are happy for an official to choose for them and pay the fine.

It must have happened at least once for the rule to even exist right?!

Random name generator?

I think/guess they have an alphabetical list too choose from with a new name each week/month?
eg: January - Alfred and Ava
February - Benedict and Beatrice
etc. with maybe a few special names if they are born on special occasions like St Patricks day (Patrick) etc.
That's how I would do it anyway!

I reckon they'd call him Aaron. Pick the first name at the start of the baby name book.

Although I am curious as to how they would really decide.

“We are pregnant”?

No, you are pregnant.

www.name-generator.org.uk/male/

If I was that official I would get really invested in the whole process. Make sure the name sounded ‘right’ with the surname etc. Maybe check out the family record to ensure no clashes with siblings, perhaps ancestor named as inspiration. I have names I’d love to be brave enough to name a child but have been vetoed by my husband (Maximilian and Maverick are just 2) so they’d be near the top of my list!

And maybe I’d pick a slightly more flamboyant name to counterbalance the apathy of the parents.

I have a family member who didn't decide in the time, they didn't get fined and still chose their name even though it wasn't until about 70-80 days - it did however cause a huge administrative nightmare and there was lots of tutting and extra paperwork

I am a social worker and have had to name a couple of babies when parents refused for various reasons. My colleagues and I spent hours deliberating over a name that we felt suited the child, and could be given with some sense of meaning.

I’ve just had so much fun with that name generator! I really should get a bloody life

@FamilyOfAliens.....why be arsey?

Perhaps they should use the names of storms or tornadoes. They always have names!!

The boring but sensible thing to do would be to pick a name from the current top ten baby names so the child would have something which fitted in with their contemporaries.

@ Elieza I read that as names of tomatoes, was a bit confused.

@sunshinerobots wow! what a responsibility that was! Pleased you though about it suiting the child as apposed to just randomly selecting any name.

Thinking about it now, it seems obvious some children are named by social workers and government officials etc, but for some reason it has never occurred to me before. I wonder whether they get asked to choose the name by parents who just can’t decide??

80 days to pick a name is crazy given you have the whole pregnancy to think about it. I say that despite my husband hating al my names and me hating all of his

sunshinerobots That is really lovely of you and your colleagues, sometimes you hear on the news about babies being left outside hospitals and the drs/nurses always choose special meaningful names for then too.

I read that as names of tomatoes, was a bit confused.

Naming a baby boy after tomatoes would be easy. Just call him Tom

The government will probably be far too interested in how you both managed to become pregnant with the same child than to worry about it’s name.

That generator is fun

Oliver Twist

Good algorythm too! We're due DC2 next month - I put in the surname, nationality, and religion and it gave me DHs name, 2 names we'd considered, and others we'd liked but already knew other people with the same name. Off to try with girls now!

They'd call it a miracle because two people had been pregnant with her/ him.

I take that back - I put in my nationality instead of British/DHs and it gave awful suggestions (eg wrong sex and nationality).
Probably best a real person is in charge!

Sometimes the authorities might make better choices! DD was born prematurely and we were in hospital for 6 weeks, so we registered the birth at the hospital when the registrar came on their regular visit. She said she was so pleased that we were choosing a 'nice, traditional name' as that morning she had registered a baby boy named Geronimo.

Yikes.

That was how Oliver Twist got his name.

You could do worse.

“We are pregnant”? No, you are pregnant.

@FamilyOfAliens a resident fun sucker makes an appearance. Do jog on.