Baby name regret - I think I'm going mad.......!

[AmIgoingnuts]

Sorry in advance for the very long post but I really need some advice as I think I'm going mad. My gorgeous baby girl is now over a year old. When she was born I was convinced I was having a boy. After her birth I felt pressured into naming her quickly - we had a few short listed girls names, but hadn't really given it a lot of thought. We promptly decided on a name which was on our shortlist and I felt v happy with, although I did mention to my dh that I felt slightly concerned had pronunciation variations. After a few months I became a bit obsessed about her name and felt that we had given her the "wrong" one after a few people had mispronounced it or misheard it. After many tearful discussions with DH, we finally decided to insert a new 1st name on her birth certificate which I thought I felt happier with.

Having decided on this new name and officially adding it to her birth certificate, I kept hearing the new chosen name EVERYWHERE (the original name we had chosen is quite unusual - although not unheard of). I find there are often other babies with the same name in the classes that we attend and whilst I do think the new name is lovely, I feel I have done her a real disservice choosing such a popular name in place of a rather beautiful and very much less used name. In retrospect, I feel I acted in haste in changing her name initially - I think I was consumed with "baby blues" and put all my angst into her name choice. Not a day goes by (a year on now) that I don't think about her original name - I wake up at night and obsess about it and I think I am going completely mad. I often call her by both names together (ie new 1st name and old 1st name) so her original name is certainly not alien to her. I am however increasingly thinking that we should have kept her original name and I feel really very upset about it.

So, would it be completely bonkers to revert to the old name now?? It is officially now her middle name so is still on her birth certificate. My dh could probably be persuaded to change back as he loved our original choice, but I am keen to hear other peoples' thoughts on this matter. I know people may think I am crazy, but I would rather get this sorted while she is too little to remember!

[burgatroyd]

Good for you Jacky!

[munchkinmaster]

My only other thought is that, at one, you need to commit to a name now as your daughter will be getting to know her name

[AmIgoingnuts]

Thanks everyone for your support! Wow, very similar scenario funnyoldonion! I have spoken to DH who seems very happy either way. I also mentioned it to my DM who I thought would be very negative about changing it again, but she was surprising reassuring about it and said (as many of you have said already) that many people go by their middle names so it's really no big deal. I feel much less stressed having spoken about it and have been using the "original" name a lot when speaking to dd. I feel almost certain we will revert back, I know I will always regret it otherwise!

[burgatroyd]

Speaking about it in RL help s. Glad you are making change

[funnyoldonion]

If anything it will be a quirky story to tell when she's older.

Glad you are feeling better, it helps to not see it as a big deal x

[ACM88]

Well done on talking about it and coming to decision, having read your posts I think it's the right thing to do- and no it's not a big deal, people will understand!! Would love to know the name

[Onesleeptillwembley]

Definitely a drinking song. If he's even slightly liable to take up (not limited to) rugby or sailing then I wouldn't.

[Blondiemama]

Well done OP. I just wanted again like many others already to reassure you that lots of people use their middle name as their first name (the whole of my dad's side of the family infact!) also, I'm a teacher and we see this a lot. It's never a problem :-)

I hope that now you have made your decision, you can enjoy your DD and her beautiful name x

[BeginnerSAHM]

Hello - just to add, there's really no need to change her name. Just use her middle name. Loads of my close family do that. My mother just preferred the sound of order of my sister's first and second name together but she has always been known by her second/middle name. It's never been a problem. Glad your husband and mother agree and are being supportive!