I am regretting my 3 year old son’s name

[Tealbutterfly]

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.

I loved my dds name when she was born. It wasn’t common but also not too unusual. Unfortunately a film came out 4 years later and the main character had the same name. She got so much stick from children at school and about 3 of her friends now have little sisters with the same name. I always get asked if she was named after the film even though it should be obvious that she’s older than that. 😩

Oh it’s fine, honestly. Nice name. Has more positive than negative connotations I’d have said!

Actually I don't know any Archies around your son's age. I worked in childcare around 10 years ago and I think that's when it was at the height of its popularity. They'll all be around 13 and 14 now. Now there seem to be a lot of Albies and Arthurs.

I know a couple who changed their child’s name when she was a preschooler. Do it by deed poll, and before he starts school. Ease him into it.

Parent's control over what their children are called is fleeting and illusory. Through their lives from quite young, they will choose what they call themselves or will adopt names given them by their friends or by circumstances. Suck it up and move on!

@FlorenceWintle

I know a couple who changed their child’s name when she was a preschooler. Do it by deed poll, and before he starts school. Ease him into it.

no......child is not a dog to have his name changed at a whim

@FlorenceWintle

I know a couple who changed their child’s name when she was a preschooler. Do it by deed poll, and before he starts school. Ease him into it.

Way to fuck your kid up.

Please, please don't do this OP.

It's a popular name because it's lovely.

You could change it to Archer.

Archie is a nice name. But unless you choose a very traditional name (or old fashioned) then the majority of names are of their time. My user name is out of respect to a favourite Aunt Elsie Mary. Other names were Alice, Ella, Clara,Winifred Annie, Peggy which we thought of as funny as kids.

Names of my time were Karen, Wendy, Susan, Julie, Gary etc. Imagine this now.

My gd has a very unusual name indeed but we have grown used to it and younger people in particular really like it.

Don't have any regrets op.

@Swimminginmud

I loved my dds name when she was born. It wasn’t common but also not too unusual. Unfortunately a film came out 4 years later and the main character had the same name. She got so much stick from children at school and about 3 of her friends now have little sisters with the same name. I always get asked if she was named after the film even though it should be obvious that she’s older than that. 😩

Elsa?

There’s a girl at DD’s school called Elsa and she’s older than the film but i know people still associate her with the film. Must be so annoying.

OP Archie is a good strong name but if you feel that way then a nickname is the way forward. Be careful to choose a nn you won’t fall out of love with though!

Archie is lovely. I haven’t met one - and neither of my daughters have an Archie in their year group. Probably depends where you live. It’s a good name though.

If you really don’t like it, you could use a nickname. We use one for one of our dds who never seemed to suit her full name. School have been happy to use it even though it’s not an official name.

Use Archibald and possibly get him to grow a victorian moustache? Ilike archie anyway, has history and far better than the meaningless surnames as first names or hayjayzaykaydyns, and archie was the best character in hornblower (unless you can call him captain sir Edward Pellow)

I don’t know why people have such a thing about giving their child an unusual name. I hated the fact that I was the only one in my year until I was 14. Was so relieved when another girl joined and I was no longer different. A lot of the time children want to be at least similar to their contemporaries. And my name is not even unusual just classic.

I think its a lovely name as so many others have said. If your son is happy with it that's the main thing. My eldest has a name my husband chose which i wasnt sure about. But my son likes his name so that makes me happy.

Its not a bad name. I think its quite nice, although id probably not be able to stop myself calling him archibald for long

I know a couple who changed their child’s name when she was a preschooler. Do it by deed poll, and before he starts school. Ease him into it.

That is TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE advice.

Archie’s always going to be a great name. Remember what it means to you and just embrace it. Your little one owns his name.

His name is Archie.

Your problem is - and it's one you could have foreseen - yur problem is that you called your DS a short nick name.

Always best to use the full name, then there are a variety of options for daily or domestic shortenings. Because, you know, what if he becomes a public figure, and has to be called "Archie"? It's a trivialising babified contraction (the "ie" ending particularly), and a full version would be more dignified.

Like most people, we tried to pick a completely normal, but less popular at the time name for ds(17).

He was the only one with his name in his primary school year group (60+ kids), but once he got to secondary there are a few of them, one of whom is in his close friendship group.

His friends have resolved the issue of confusion by renaming ds using a shortened version of his surname so my child is now known and answers too a really bad 1960s boys name that I would never have given him 🤣, the last few years his birthday cards from friends have this name, even some of his teachers call him by it now! He doesn't mind, thinks it is funny, at least it is unique! The only place he is called his real name now is by family.

Archie is a lovely name, you need to just get over it.

Archie is lovely and you can't change it now, I imagine in another six months you'll love it again. If you find it unbearable could you use a new nickname?

Could you call him Arlo?

Don't express a dislike for his name in front of him otherwise he may start to dislike it himself.

When I hear Archie I think of the comic character or Archie Brooks from Emmerdale (I am ancient though)
Didn't think of Prince Harry's son !

Not being rude but Archie seems to be a popular dogs name now .................. but my DS is Max so of course I got alll that shit

Could you call him Arlo?

Depending on where the OP lives Arlo could be even more popular than Archie, it's definitely climbing the charts.

I sympathize with you. I named my son Brad, an unusual name, several years before Brad Pitt became famous and after he shot to fame and thousands of people called their sons Brad I could have cried I was so disappointed. His second me is Francis as I wished I had chose that as his first name. Once a child is about a year old I think it is too late to change to heir name.

@Tealbutterfly, I wouldn't change it now, but it was really popular in my circle about 13 years ago. By 3 years ago it had become popular for dogs.

It sounds a lot nicer in a scottish accent, and I think Monarch of the Glen sparked the popularity (and that of Lexi)

It isn't your name, it's your DS's so think carefully before you change it.

Look at it this way, it is popular because people like it.

Unusual? I know probably 15 under 5!

It’s a lovely name OP, but I’d also look for a nickname. Not necessarily for Archie (Arch etc) but anything!
We call our little girl Beany, it has absolutely no relevance to her name!

I get that completely. We named DS a name that I’ve always said I’d use if I have a boy. Decided on it in mid teens so 20 years ago! It’s now a very popular name, as people like to point out to me. I explain to them that I’ve always wanted to use it, but it’s still annoying.