Would you consider changing your baby's name at 9 months

[namechangedforthisyikes]

I absolutely love our daughters middle name. We were between that and her first name. Went with the first name and whilst it's pretty, it has an unfortunate autocorrect and it also sounds like a few different words in other languages. None of that we realised before naming her.

It's eating me that we didn't go for the middle name.

Would it be very weird (I think yes) to start using her middle name as her first name?

She is at nursery, has siblings. So all of that would be a bit awkward and embarrassing.

I don’t see why not really. You don’t need to make a big deal of it with the kids, just starts calling her by her middle name sometimes and gradually transition to always using it. Why is it embarrassing?

I do think it would be a little odd personally, and if a friend did it I'd worry that they were ok as I know issues with names can be linked to PND.

In the grand scheme of things though it will just be a few months of potentially reassuring people that you're ok and correcting them, and then probably everyone will forget! I'd change their name officially though as otherwise throughout school they'll have to explain they go by their middle name.

Are you ok? Your reasons for not liking it don't seem deal breakers?

I think if you both feel this strongly about it then you should change it, 9 months is still tiny really and I think you can still change her birth certificate without much of a problem at this point? Don’t feel embarrassed, you didn’t know what you didn’t know! A friend of the family changed his name as an adult and even then it didn’t take long to only think of his new name, and that was after 20 years, so people will soon forget your DD’s name was ever any different.

A friend of mine started using her middle name as her first name when we were 7. Parents explained to the teachers and it was changed on the school register. I can’t even remember why, didn’t think to ask. No one found it strange or weird we just started calling her by her middle name like she’d asked.

Years ago babies were named after someone in the family, but were known day to day as their middle name, or a pet name. It’s not unusual at all.

Ive known two teenagers start using their middle name. Nobody cared. nd one whose mum named her after a relative with the first name but she has only ever gone by her middle name.

I know a little girl whose parents switched to her middle name around 1. I honestly didn’t think anything of it, other than they must prefer her middle name. Start calling her by her middle name at home and go from there.

Its fine. I have a good school friend who changed to her middle name between primary and secondary school ( her choice - she hated her first name) and another who changed to her middle name at 18, when leaving for university ( again, her choice, she didn't like her first name either) people do it, at 9 months, it will be no issue at all

DH uses his middle name, family tradition amongst the first born boys (🤮). It's not that big a deal at all.

I have two cousins who go by their middle names, most people don't even know what their legal first names are. My DH also goes by a nn. Just start calling her the other name (obviously change it legally too if you want)

I did it with one of mine at 11 months. Really simple
to do with the registrar and no regrets at all.
Can't imagine them still being called their original name, didn't suit them at all.

I'm known by my middle name and to be honest it's an absolute pain anything official from my school days all the way through to starting work I was called my first name and then the process of having to tell everyone I'm known by my middle name is quite frankly crap and it's not something I would do to my dc.

I occasionally called my DS his middle name, then DH started doing it, then nursery started doing it and it just kind of followed on and transitioned on its own...I love his first name and second and he answers to both.
I'm dying to know that the name is.. anyone else? Can we have a clue OP - an initial maybe?

My elder sister has always been called by her middle name. The first most of her friends realised she had a different first name was when it was used at her wedding.

Just change her birth certificate. I think you can do this up to 1 year. Just do it, don't go for this "known by middle name" shenanigans. I work in the NHS and it causes CHAOS because trust me, sooner or later she'll send up with 2 sets of medical records. And important stuff will be on one record but not the other. My own Mother has this to deal with her whole life, and as she's getting older and I'm helping her with more stuff it's becoming more of a faff and just taking up more time. "Mum, I'm just sorting out your mobile phone account online. Remind me, which name is it under?". Nooooo!! Save you/her/her own children from this faffing with this bollocks faff and either stick with her first name or change it officially. Please don't go for "known as middle name". Please.

My DD has a long traditional name but it gets shortened to a name that’s a name in itself. Half the people she knows thinks that’s her real name and all her teachers refer to that name as well.

As for nursery and your other children, it's only been 9 months so they'll get used to the change quicker than you think. It really isn't an issue. Kids are very accepting of things like this. They'll probably ask a few questions, shrug, and then just get on with it.

My sister is always known by her middle name. My v domineering gran insisted the first grand daughter was named after her so for an easy life they just complied but never used it.
Passports and all official docs are in original first name, she never bothered changing it. It hasn't been that big a deal as long as its consistent.

Yes do change it!

I've got friends who have always used their middle names, I use my nickname even professionally.

All of this! My dad and his dad are called their middle names and it’s been a pain all their lives. He asked me not to burden my children with the irritation.

I think it’s a weird thing to do personally, although see I’m currently in the minority in replies. I probably can’t articulate it how I mean but I think she’s not a thing for you to alter as you wish because you’ve changed your mind, she’s a person who you’ve given an identity to via her name and whilst she may be too young to know the difference, it doesn’t sit right with me to just make a change when she’s been that person for almost a year. I hope that makes some sort of sense!

What does her other parent think?

Both my siblings have been known by their middle name since birth. Bizarrely this has caused no end of problems with forms and bookings for one, yet the other never had any issue!

If she is Sophie Alison, currently known as Sophie, just use both names when speaking to /about her for a few months, then drop the Sophie and just call her Alison.

Fine if your husband is with you on this. If it's just your idea and he's not bothered, I think I'd leave it.

Both my parents are not reffered to by their first name. Think Billy for William and Mom is just her middle name. If you want to change it, change it if yiu want to call her by her middle name do it it doesnt really matter do what you like.

I would change it now before she wants a passport and stuff like that.