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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

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Original poster

Anyone else noticed the delay in naming trend?

49 replies

kerala · 17/04/2012 17:19

Lots of newborns currently not being named for days and days. Don't get it really - you've had 9 months to think of a name. When I was in hospital with DD she was the only one on the ward with a name and I was in a week. Whenever I asked the other mothers what their newborns were called they said they didn't know and I was given the distinct impression that I was seen as abit of an oddbod for having already named my baby.

Made me think about it again today as my mother mentioned a friends daughter who still hadn't named her baby after a week. Are they hoping to raise excitement/anticipation levels in friends and family or what? Its usually done by parents who pick really top ten names as well - weeks waiting for....Oliver or Josh.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

pictish · 17/04/2012 17:24

None of our three kids had a a name for a week (and longer) because we couldn't make up our minds. Is that ok with you?

No, we weren't trying raise excitement or anticipation levels. We just thought we'd wait until the baby was born, and then choose.

neolara · 17/04/2012 17:25

We didn't name two of our dcs until almost the full 6 weeks post birth. It was due totally to indecision. I don't imagine for a second that our dithering raised excitement / anticipation amongst friends and relatives. Both DCs got named in the end.

I'm slightly at a loss to understand why this bothers you so much.

belgo · 17/04/2012 17:25

Not only days, but weeks. The UK is very relaxed about baby registration, you have six weeks to decide after the birth, and then you can easily change the name afterwards anyway. It's a lot stricter in Belgium, you only have 2 weeks after the birth, and it's virtually impossible to change the name after that.

squoosh · 17/04/2012 17:26

People have so much choice these days it's hard to whittle the list down.

Better to take your time and name them properly than name in haste and start thread on MN 'Baby name regret, can I change child's name - he's 17'.

Tigresswoods · 17/04/2012 17:26

I'm with the OP, why is it so hard?

Original poster

kerala · 17/04/2012 17:28

It hardly keeps me awake at night . Just a thought I had today and was surprised that so many of the other new mothers seemed quite shocked that we had a name by day 3.

OP posts:

MardyBra · 17/04/2012 17:29

Sorry but I find your OP quite bitchy. It's their babies and if they want to wait before they name them, then why not.

We took about a month with both of ours - we wanted to get to know them.
And also our family objected to the names we wanted, but we found if we made them wait long enough they were grateful for any name. Not a recent trend as they are quite old.

And so what if their names are "top ten". They're obviously popular for a reason.

keepthechangeyoufilthyanimal · 17/04/2012 17:32

Surely it's better to delay one of the most important decisions you can ever make by a week or two, than get it wrong and subject your child to years of torment and have them end up changing their name?
Or have regrets yourself that you didnt choose the right name, because you felt pressured into just giving them any name for the sake of them having a name?
It's hardly a trend and I dont think people are doing on purpose.

Original poster

kerala · 17/04/2012 17:32

Its true. I am a bitch.

OP posts:

MardyBra · 17/04/2012 17:35

Sorry OP. Probably came in a bit hard there.

I really should hide the baby names topic. My ovaries are drying up and have no more naming plans, so I should stop getting involved.

shrinkingnora · 17/04/2012 17:42

Mardy, I have something for you to name! I'll PM you x

melodyangel · 17/04/2012 17:42

We had DS2's name for about 5 years before we had DS2.

And I'm off to rename DS1 tomorrow and he really is 17.

MardyBra · 17/04/2012 17:44

Ooh. How exciting nora!

Anypointinseeingdoc · 17/04/2012 17:46

We knew what ours would be called before they were born, but we took the full 6 weeks just to make sure and annoy people.

marcopuffin · 17/04/2012 17:47

And also our family objected to the names we wanted, but we found if we made them wait long enough they were grateful for any name.

That made me laugh!

Re naming; my family took the full six weeks when naming me. I've always felt vaguely resentful about that, as they tell the story again of how I was nearly called "baby" for life...

goingtoofast · 17/04/2012 17:50

I have three dc. I chose names for all of them before they were born, only one was used. Two of them didn't suit the names we chose so we thought about it for a few days and chose names that did suit.

BBQJuly · 17/04/2012 18:03

Never occurred to me that anyone would notice how long it takes others to name their baby, or that it was a competition or something to judge people on!

Totally agree with keepthechangeyoufilthyanimal Surely it's better to delay one of the most important decisions you can ever make by a week or two, than get it wrong"

gafhyb · 17/04/2012 18:21

It's exciting and fun to think of a name beforehand (I did). Equally, I can see there's an excellent argument for waiting until they are born and seeing what feels right for that child. Threads on here attest t the fact people feel they've made a mistake months down the line in what they chose. Important to be sure

Positiveplus · 17/04/2012 18:26

I agree with OP - you have at least 9 months to pick a name, why would you need anymore time?!

I heard of someone this week who literally had to go to the registrar as the 6 weeks were up and when asked the name she said they hadn't decided yet??! Even the registrar said that was the first time that had ever happened!

I also know someone who had narrowed it down to 2 names so spent the first 3 weeks after the birth calling the baby one thing then the next 3 weeks calling it something else. Talk about confusing!

I know it's a very important decision but come on people!!

BringBack1996 · 17/04/2012 18:28

Ours didn't have names until about a week or two and even then it was another couple of years months until they were actually known by their real names. Hasn't done them any lasting damage (yet!)

AwkwardMaryHadAnEasterLamb · 17/04/2012 18:35

my DD1 had no name right up till the cut off date...it was because we couldn't agree. We don't think it's harmed her! Why the worry?

FairyArmadillo · 17/04/2012 19:02

I had the name prepared before my due date. However when he was born I was tired, hormonal and overwhelmed by the responsibility of giving him the name he will be known by for the rest of his life! Does he suit it? Will he like it? What if he hates me for it! I changed the order of the names and he was known by the middle name I chose til the next day, then I went back to my original choice! Another friend had the name prepared but they felt the baby looked nothing like the name they had picked and came up with another one. As long as they end up named I guess it doesn't matter if they're named at birth or at the registry office.

BBQJuly · 17/04/2012 19:50

You've had (insert age) years to learn that not everyone does things the same way, but other ways may be equally valid

Nospringflower · 17/04/2012 20:04

In Scotland you only get 3 weeks - so that puts a bit more of a time limit on it.

RillaBlythe · 17/04/2012 20:08

Someone on MN suggested that the fact we hadn't named DD age 6 days showed I hadn't bonded with her. I thought that was pretty bitchy.

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