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AIBU?

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Original poster

I am regretting my 3 year old son’s name

251 replies

Tealbutterfly · 09/07/2021 08:08

I really wish we hadn’t called him what we have. I always liked the name, since I was young.
But now it’s become hugely popular and it’s lost its “charm” in my opinion, the charm I saw in it when I was younger.
He’s 3 years old, so we can’t change it.
I’m upset that it has a bit of a reputation now, when before it was a more unusual name to hear.

What do you do if you feel like this? I guess I’ve just got to suck it up really! As we can hardly change it at this stage in his life.

OP posts:
SnowWhite80 · 09/07/2021 09:12

Archie is a lovely name OP and works well for both a child and adult. Your DS will thank you in years to come

MajorNeville · 09/07/2021 09:14

Names are popular because they're nice names and of their time. I don't understand all the angst around having something unusual. My ds has a name that's been popular for hundreds of years, he's still got a great personality and is his own person. My dd's name is massively popular from about a year after she was born, I still love it and she really suits the name. Archie is a great name, it conjures up images of a good,solid, steady bloke who likes a laugh.

Seriouslymole · 09/07/2021 09:14

I still feel like that about my DS' name (Henry) and he is 12! But he seems to be growing into it as he gets older and most of the time I don't even think about it.

Goingdriving · 09/07/2021 09:16

Actually you CAN change his name

My mother changed my name when I was four

There was an awkward cross over period (several years) where my dad called me the old name and I’d have to correct him

It took me quite a few years to get used to it
I’m comfortable with it noe and the old name has no resonance for me

It was rather an odd thing to do.

She changed it because she thought it was too ordinary or some such peculiar seventies reason.

Tavelo · 09/07/2021 09:17

Honestly you might be overblowing the 'associations' in your own mind. Most decent people when they meet someone and learn their name do not instantly think about how common it is or other associations. They are more interested in a person's personality and that in turn affects their view of the name. Also he is only 3, if your perception of his name has changed in a few years then it may have changed again in years to come. As a side note I think it's a lovely name.

lanthanum · 09/07/2021 09:17

Perhaps there needs to be advice for first-time parents to run name choices past people who work in schools and nurseries. As names come into vogue, you're not necessarily aware if you don't know many children, unless they've hit the "top 10" lists.

Names that have been very popular in one generation tend not to be chosen much a generation later - my generation have stayed clear of things like Richard and Alison for their children (there were 9/10 Richards in my year at school).

My parents thought they were choosing an unusual name, and it definitely wasn't - but actually, I've met hardly any more than a year or two older than me, so they just happened to be at the start of the surge.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 09/07/2021 09:17

I called my son Rafael which is again a name I’ve liked since Uni. There’s another one in his class! None in any other class in the school (two form entry) but two in his class.

My dd and I have quite unusual names too (from our family origin) but had the same thing - another in the class, no others in the school.

OP, it’s a perfectly good name! It is quite popular but it just means people like it Smile

SVRT19674 · 09/07/2021 09:18

I gave my daughter a rarish name, in a village of 8000 we counted on her being the only one, lo and behold, we are sitting at a table beside a family with a little girl the same age with the same name. We now joke that the other little girl is X1 and mine X2 as she is three months younger. My name was the fourth most popular for girls in the 70s now it is almost unheard of. There is one little girl in the nursery called that and it is now super unusual. Hang in there it´ll pass. It is all a cycle. And I like Archie.

Divineswirls · 09/07/2021 09:19

It's still a lovely name though.

Did you choose a middle name you might want to start using.

Or start using a name you prefer so your DS gets used to it and you can ditch Archie. A bit like giving him a nickname which then just becomes his full name.

He won't even notice and then he can use the new name once he starts Primary School.

Divineswirls · 09/07/2021 09:19

Archie has been popular for the last 15 years at least

Blossomandbee · 09/07/2021 09:23

Archie is a nice name but I understand how you feel, my sons name took off massively just after he was born and went from unusual to the top 10. Then the same thing happened with my DD.
It could happen with any name you choose though. All you can do is embrace the name, or like others have said create a nickname.

Chocolateandamaretto · 09/07/2021 09:23

My dd2 is called Florence. I thought it would be reasonably unusual but we know loads of Florences of the same age! It happens, I guess it makes sense that people of the same age will have the same references that make certain names appealing.

TheTallOakTrees · 09/07/2021 09:23

Archie is a nice name and because of that it is very common now, especially at primary school, in some areas but not the most common boys name

Each decade or generation have common names associated with them.

1970's you would get lots of Debbie, or Deb or Deborah.

1980's Karen and Edward are a couple

1990's Olivia and Oliver very common

2000 ish Chloe and Jack - millions of them

2010's Olivia and Jack, Olivier so again will be lots of adults with those names

2020 - Sophia, Muhammed

Whinge · 09/07/2021 09:23

@Goingdriving

Actually you CAN change his name

My mother changed my name when I was four

There was an awkward cross over period (several years) where my dad called me the old name and I’d have to correct him

It took me quite a few years to get used to it
I’m comfortable with it noe and the old name has no resonance for me

It was rather an odd thing to do.

She changed it because she thought it was too ordinary or some such peculiar seventies reason.

I agree you can change a child's name, but I don't think popularity is a valid reason for such a huge change.

If you had called a child Isis before the increasing news and negative associations, then of course you should change a child's name. However, choosing to do so because it's too popular is, in my opinion, confusing and has no benefit for the child.

FoilWrappedBiscuit · 09/07/2021 09:23

@thedancingbear

It's a lovely name.

I've got triplets, and all three of them are called Archie.

Grin
Aberteifi · 09/07/2021 09:23

One of my sons is called Archie and when i named him i hadn't really heard it before
When i came home from hospital i put on Emmerdale and a baby born premature was born and they called him Archie i was gutted because i knew it was going to become really popular but i stuck with the name because i love it.

I have another son is called Mason a name which i loved since childhood i heard it in a film and hadn't heard it anywhere else.
Within a couple of years i heard the name everywhere.

Sweetpeasaremadeforbees · 09/07/2021 09:24

I think people choose names that they think are unusual so that there aren't 3 other kids in their class with the same name. DD had 3 Jessicas and 3 Joes in her primary classes. We gave her a 'normal' name that isn't currently popular (not aware of anyone else in her secondary school with the same name) but if we went to Scotland there might be loads!

TheTallOakTrees · 09/07/2021 09:24

@Chocolateandamaretto

My dd2 is called Florence. I thought it would be reasonably unusual but we know loads of Florences of the same age! It happens, I guess it makes sense that people of the same age will have the same references that make certain names appealing.
When they become adults it can point to what decade a child was born in sometimes (not always because some names go through several decades)
TatianaBis · 09/07/2021 09:24

You absolutely can change a name OP. It’s easier if you change it before they start school.

IfWishesWereKisses · 09/07/2021 09:24

I have an Archie! It’s a wonderful name and he really suits it. He’s named after my grandfather and he’s the only Archie in his whole primary school so not as popular here as some places.

MrsSkylerWhite · 09/07/2021 09:25

Disappointed, was hoping to read something way out there Grin

Archie is a very good name.

TheTallOakTrees · 09/07/2021 09:26

@Goingdriving

Actually you CAN change his name

My mother changed my name when I was four

There was an awkward cross over period (several years) where my dad called me the old name and I’d have to correct him

It took me quite a few years to get used to it
I’m comfortable with it noe and the old name has no resonance for me

It was rather an odd thing to do.

She changed it because she thought it was too ordinary or some such peculiar seventies reason.

Oooo intrigued by this - what was your old name? May I enquire your new one? Just being nosy but tried guessing and no idea.
drpet49 · 09/07/2021 09:26

Archie has been hugely popular in my area for at least 8 years now.

TulipsTwoLips · 09/07/2021 09:26

Archie is a lovely name. I knew a really great Archie. My take on it is that teens/20s etc often don't spend time round hundreds of kids, so names seem rare. Then you have kids and are surrounded by loads of them so are much more likely to meet others with the same name.

I think the best thing to do is to just focus on your Archie and not give a thought to others with the same name.

Costumeidea · 09/07/2021 09:27

@Youdiditanyway

My 10 year old DD’s name wasn’t even in the top 100 when she was born, I don’t even think it was top 200 but now it’s in the top 20 so I feel your pain completely. Almost pains me to hear endless toddlers named that because it was just so rare when she was born.
I don’t get this. Why would it almost pain you?