Picked an unusual-ish name and now regret it, should I change her name?

[AshleighT85]

Hi, really struggling here, so don't be too harsh. Tried talking to my mum about it and got "you had 9 months to name her, then a further few weeks" I know that. I did spend ages and ages going through names, but there wasn't any that I absolutely fell in love with, the name I ended up going with cane to me from watching a horror TV series, which I'd never admit! it's not unusual, unusual, but you don't hear it much now. It's in the 300ths for names, so it is known... I haven't had 1 positive response "oh" is my most common response, followed by "it doesn't matter what she's called, she's beautiful" to try and cover up the fact they hate it. I just seem to be regretting it a lot, the more and more I look at her, the less I like it and the more I start to think I can't have you with that name, etc.

It would be changed to Olivia.

Very curious what her name is?

As for changing it - absolutely you can! It’s hardly the case that you actually have nine months (the amount of times I would change my mind during pregnancy!) and then you need to pick a name that you and dad love AND that suits bub. Of course it might end in regret and there’s no shame in changing your mind.

My advice is: don’t worry even for a second what others think (seems like you’ll feel judged either way anyway) but decide what you and your DP want for your daughter.

What does her father think?
Olivia is a very very popular name. There will be lots of Olivias but it sounds like there won't be so many of the name she already has. I would rather not share my name with other people. Is this something you have considered?
What is her name.

Change it if it makes you happy. How old is she? If you’ve already registered her birth I think you might have to stick with it but only for formal occasions like passports etc. Lots of people use a different name to the one on their birth certificate. If you just start calling her Olivia people will get used to it and forget it was ever a different name

That should have ended with
?
Sorry!

Is it Gertrude?
If so Trudie is cute.
Olivia/Livia is lovely too, perhaps even more so imo.

Erm no, your child's identity isn't changeable. This is one of the oddest things I read about on Mumsnet, and it's really regular as well.

Do t change your child's name. They are not a pet or a doll or an invisible friend. She is your daughter and you have been teaching her to recognise her name for MONTHS. It's her name. Her identity. Don't be so fickle.

She is registered, but she's under a year old, so I thought it was relatively simple? She's 4 months, just about to sign up for her first class (swimming) and figured this would be a whole lot easier before people other than friends and family know her name. DP hasn't had much input on the name, I tried the whole pregnancy and always got greeted with "it's up to you babe" and most people told me I was lucky!!! I'd have loved some input. Still now "it's up to you babe, I couldn't care less if she was called table, it's still her" such a huge help!

Not Gertrude! Audrey.

Desperate to know what the name is!
Bound to be better than Olivia which has lost its shine due to overpopularity.

x-post.
Old names are not my style but I still say it's much more refreshing than Olivia.

Audrey is a beautiful name.

Oh Audrey is lovely! Pretty and vintage chic. I really like it. Much much nicer than Olivia. If you really want to change it, maybe consider Aubrey, which seems to be more popular.

Just checked-it's actually about the same in the charts so ignore me.

Love the name Audrey!

Audrey is lovely. What about a nickname like Auds? Or ray?

Or ree?

I was called a different name (a nickname) until I was 6 years old. My parents decided to call me by my my registered name from then on, I dont know why. I remember them sitting me down and telling me that now I was a ‘big girl’ I would be called by my big girl name. I felt honoured!
I dont see how a 4 month old child would be confused for very long, if at all.

Audrey is lovely I would be much happier to meet an Audrey than another Olivia. It's a pretty name and very classical.

Aubrey is a boy’s name.
I like Audrey.

Audrey is elegant and unusual but well known with a nice namesake in Audrey Hepburn. I suspect it's just a bit grown up feeling for your baby, so you might be more comfortable using a nickname when she is so tiny. Olivia is an perfectly nice name but very popular. Much more likely to end up as an Olivia P etc. It's nice to be the only one. Sorry your mum and partner have been a bit useless!

Audrey? There's absolutely nothing unusual about the name at all!

I agree with what others are saying about Olivia. It's a nice name and all but it's really common to the point where it's overused.

I actually like the name Audrey! It's a name you grow into though, maybe that's why you're getting all these "oh" comments.

Don't listen to them. It's a nice name. Keep it! If you have found a name you love after going through hundreds of names, then you'll know you've found your name. It's better than loving a bunch of names and now you can't decide! (me for example).

Keep the name you like and stuck with your gut instinct. Good luck! :)

Audrey is lovely. Olivia is nice too but she probably won't be the only Olivia in her class.

Oh I love Audrey, it is absolutely one of my favourite names.

However she is not my baby. Lots of people are called by a different name from what is on their birth cert, maybe you could just start calling her Olivia (horrible name).

Audrey is a fabulous name!!!

Audrey is really lovely. I do like Olivia a lot but it's rather popular.

My bully was called Olivia (one of many - Kelly was another!) so I'm biased against it, but Audrey is also a lovely name. IMO people are being very weird about disliking the name. "At least she's beautiful"???

Audrey is a very popular name for little girls in Aus, its beautiful, I wouldn't change it..