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Talk

Baby names

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

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Original poster

When did you start referring to baby by their name?

92 replies

Kelsey28 · 06/01/2017 18:01

Just because I'm being really nosy! When did you start calling your baby their chosen name? Did you wait till they were born? When did you tell other people what you were going to call them? I've see lots of name announcements at around 16 weeks on instagram though these all seem to be American families!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

ATailofTwoKitties · 09/01/2017 10:39

I'm also assuming Ava's post was a piss-take - nicely done if so!

In DD's case, we started using her current name at about 3 weeks, having tried out several others (so she has a confusing array of cards congratulating us on the safe arrival of Katherine, Lucy and Rowan as well as her real name).

00100001 · 09/01/2017 10:49

@AvaBird

Come back and tell us!

MusicToMyEars800 · 09/01/2017 10:50

when I was pregnant I used to call mine sprog or sproglet lol I'm not sure why I chose this particular name for my baby, even when I chose a name I didn't use it until she was born, I done the same with my 2nd dd

00100001 · 09/01/2017 10:51

argh, pressed too soon.

Come back and tell us if you really are having a party to let everyone know you're having a girl?

00100001 · 09/01/2017 10:53

(and you want to call her Claire)

stops MN stalking Ava

IWantATardis · 09/01/2017 10:57

DS3 is 6 weeks old and he's still getting called "baby" most of the time rather than his actual name.

UntilTheCowsComeHome · 09/01/2017 10:57

I was thinking maybe AvaBird was a Duggar, they like these gender reveal parties and shit.

But if they're calling the baby Claire that rules that out.

CupofTeaTime · 09/01/2017 11:00

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Purplebluebird · 09/01/2017 11:01

When he was born :) We kept the name secret until then.

OneForTheRoadThen · 09/01/2017 11:01

As soon as I found out he was a boy. About 12 weeks pregnant I think (harmony test).

Mischa123 · 09/01/2017 11:52

we didn't find out the sex of our children so weren't called their names until after the birth. they were all given nick names though and so rarely actually get called their real names. I have 3 DDs 15,12 and 7 called Spud, Lou and Boo!

cx5221 · 09/01/2017 11:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SantasLittleMonkeyButler · 09/01/2017 12:12

With DS1 & DS2 their names were chosen by around 25/30 weeks pregnant, but we didn't actually refer to them as that name until they were born.

With DD we didn't have a name chosen until after she was born - we had a shortlist but were struggling to settle on just one.

SantasLittleMonkeyButler · 09/01/2017 12:23

Maybe Avabird is actually having a gender reveal party. As self obsessed as it sounds, it's definitely "a thing" nowadays. More in the US than the UK though as far as I'm aware.

Apparently people also bake & sell special cakes for babies to smash up and smear all over themselves. God knows who came up with that idea .

ASqueakingInTheShrubbery · 09/01/2017 12:45

I started to think of DD by her name while I was pregnant, probably 7-8 months. When she was born she was mostly called "the baby" for months and months, unless there was another baby around. Now it's about equal between her name and a silly nickname.

PlymouthMaid1 · 09/01/2017 12:52

I am so pleased that I had my daughters in the days when you never knew the sex of the baby to be. Gender reveal parties sound ludicrous. Apart from the parents and other close family does anybody care what sex your baby will be. It also all sounds a bad idea from the point of view of possible miscarriage or still birth. I remember that I didn't get any baby stuff until she was born although in those days we stayed in hospital for three days so plenty of time to dispatch shoppers for necessities.

Mindtrope · 09/01/2017 13:15

After birth.

I couldn't imagine giving my baby a name without first meeting him/her.

A pre chosen name may not suit.

Aki23 · 09/01/2017 15:24

Day of birth. 'Bump' up until then

MarmiteDoesYouGood · 09/01/2017 15:59

It also all sounds a bad idea from the point of view of possible miscarriage or still birth

What does?

Hulababy · 09/01/2017 16:54

TBH the fact that you may have a miscarry or the baby is born stillborn wouldn't be a negative concern. Some people may even be comforted by the fact their lost baby has a name. And even those who don't name the baby beforehand may well chose to name their lost baby when born anyway.
I don't believe in the superstition aspect either.

Shutthatdoor12 · 09/01/2017 18:14

When they were born. Don't think you totally know until you see their little faces.

PlymouthMaid1 · 09/01/2017 18:36

In my mind it seems a bad idea having lots of fanfare before baby is born as I presume it would make things even more emotional if baby didn't survive to term. Also gifts etc would be more upsetting if baby never used them. Maybe not though as I don't speak from experience but must be a bit superstitious about it.

Hulababy · 09/01/2017 18:43

PlymouthMaid1 - not sure it is really any easier if unnamed. I had an early miscarry so not told anyone, and no names - though obviously had started to think about the future etc. I found it very hard to have to go and tell immediate family, work and close friends what had happened - couldn't just hide it away and keep it a secret as I was in an emotional mess for a little while, had to miss time at work, explain appointments, etc. and tbh I didn't want it to be a secret. After that I saw no reason not to open about a pregnancy - although I still saw no reason to call my baby by its real name til born, but certainly not for any superstitious reasons or thinking it might make things easy. I just didn't want til until I had met and seen our baby to decide if the name suited him/her.

QuinionsRainbow · 09/01/2017 20:43

Ours didn't have names until they were born, as we didn't know their sex in advance. We did have boy and girl names ready for each one before hand.

raviolidreaming · 09/01/2017 21:28

I am so pleased that I had my daughters in the days when you never knew the sex of the baby to be. Gender reveal parties sound ludicrous

They're not compulsory.

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