DD will be 1 tomorrow, the final day to change her name easily, isn't it? Should I change it?

[ZoeXander]

I've obviously name changed for this.

DD has a name that I used to love. I ummed and ahhed about using it for ages, there wasn't a name I loved more, but when I finally thought I'd just go for it, I had lots of negative comments about it, etc.

It's a hyphenated name, but it kind of sounds like one name...

There's a whole different name that I have fallen in love with - it's very 'normal' so I don't think I'd regret it.

Emma-Lynn and Emmaline. They don't really sound any different.
TBH.

I know a Jade-Chelsea, who isn't judged (I assume) - she's in a great job, etc.

Emma-Lynne is fine but if you prefer Emmeline, go for it. However, I would be funny about changing her name now.

That's fine, she won't be confused because it sounds the same

Ooh, I can actually give you an opinion as an adult here because that's similar to my name lol my first name is Emma-Louise. It doesn't suit me at all lol I prefer Em but introduce myself as Emma, only using my full name on documents etc

Oh and I'm a teaching assistant, my name has never stopped me getting a job or anything

Emmeline is gorgeous! Not a name I would have ever thought of but l love it and love the connection with Emmeline Pankhurst the suffragette.

Having said that, I'm not a fan of hyphenated names but I certainly wouldn't judge someone with the name Emma-Lynne - both names are quite "sensible" and correctly spelled, and it's a nice combination so I wouldn't make any assumptions at all based on the name.

Sorry I'm so on the fence! But the names are so similar sounding that I don't think it'll matter to your daughter at all if you do decide to change. Lovely name either way

I would change it to Emmeline - it's a lovely name and similar enough that she won't know it's changed.

If the original name is Ger-Trude then you should change it.

Otherwise, couldn't you just drop the hyphen bit? So, Anna-Bella would become lovely elegant Anna?

I don't think that you should change Lily-Mae to Samantha though as totally different names.

I've changed both my children's names after registration but before 12 months - with both of them it was to change/add a middle name - and just thought I would add that the option is available for 12 months from registration, not from birth... Plus you don't need to make an appointment just turn up to your local registry office. I know this as in the case of DS we practically flew through the door last minute on the day before his birthday and were told we actually still had another month or so (we'd registered him quite late initially)....

In any case Op don't pay any attention to people saying it's too late, she knows her name now already, people will get confused, etc - the main thing is you don't have any regrets and feel DDs name suits her. We call DS in particularly any (or sometimes all) of 3-4 variations or combinations of his name and He always knows who were talking to or about! My Dad gets confused sometimes ('what are we calling him now??!') but he is getting on a bit...

I've just read entire thread.

I agree that you should change her name to a Emmeline. Are you just just changing the spelling or the pronunciation? If you go for the "leen" pronunciation, you'll be forever plagued by "Emily" confusion.

If you want to change her name, go for it. You're only really changing the spelling anyway, it's the same name.

Emmeline is super pretty. I work in an office with someone with a hyphenated first name and tbh just listening to her spell out her email address and explain the hyphen on the phone to people who somehow never understand is exhausting because it happens about ten times a day. But Emmeline is such a lovely name.

No, I don't like the leen pronunciation

This is really interesting- I personally like Emma-Lynne and it sounds unusual without being odd. Emmeline I am less sure about. But if I envisage them as people I see very distinct personalities. So the question is which name 'fits' your DD best?

Both utterly lovely names ...do what you think is right

Why don't you just shorten it to Emma. I wouldn't change the name of a child after a whole year. You had months to choose a name. You don't change it every time you go off it FFS.

I think a lot of people will assume Emmeline is pronounced emma-leen. If you don't like that pronunciation I wouldn't change it. Fwiw I think Emma-Lynne is a perfectly nice name.

She will be called 'Emmaleen' quite a lot I think, (that's the regular pronunciation?) so you might be swapping one issue for another.

Oh? I have met 4 Emmelines in my lifetime, all said as Em-eh-lyn

I'd pronounce it Emma-LINE (to rhyme with divine)...

Emma-Lynne is fine, but as someone else said, you could always just remove the hyphen and make it Emma Lynne, which makes it easier for her to go by just Emma as she gets older.

I would automatically pronounce it as Emmaleen (the French pronunciation, like Emmeline Pankhurst) so if you prefer the pronunciation Emma-Lynne, the obvious solution is to stick with Emma-Lynne

How about Emmalyn or Emmelyn?

I would pronounce Emmeline and Emma-Lynne differently.

I think her original name is fine. They're both sensible names. Like ThisUser * have a hyphenated first name (both of mine are traditional names). I'm in my late 20s, and my name has never stopped me getting a job!

The thing is, you really can't base changing it on whether she'll be judged or not for it. People are going to have positive and negative opinions no matter what you call her. Especially based on the opinions of a bunch of random people on mumsnet who you've never met.

You could call her the most 'run of the mill' well used name out there and some would hate it for being too 'common'.

I may have got this completely wrong, and apologies if I have, but it sounds like you actually really like your daughters name, especially the sound of it, and that you've read a few negative comments about hyphenated first names and it's caused you to doubt yourself. But that's really not a reason to change the name.

Emmeline is pronounced 'Emma-leen'

You can insist people pronounce it 'Emma-lynne' if you want, but it will be mispronounced fairly regularly I would have thought. Plus, if you're very concerned about what other people think, you may well be 'judged' for giving your baby a name that you don't pronounce correctly!

There is nothing wrong with Emma-Lynne. You can drop the hyphen if that bothers you. She will also have the option to go by Emma or Lynne when she's older if she doesn't like the double name.