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.

Goodness! So many people who like Audrey!!! That makes me super happy. Her middle name is also slightly unusual (meaningful), so that doesn't particularly help as she doesn't have a 'plain' middle name to fall back on.

I'm glad it's liked a lot more than it seems to be in real life! Definitely made me feel better. It's so difficult to decide what the best thing to do is.

@katzensocken yes!!! Love it! I liked that Audrey, so I think that's why I liked the name, quite shameful really!

I absolutely love Audrey. It was our our first choice for our dd but it really didn't go with our surname so we had to go with something else.

It is a beautiful name, please don't doubt yourself .

Audrey is a beautiful name and is actually on my list if we have another girl. Olivia is lovely too, but much more common. I would personally keep Audrey, but if you really genuinely no longer like it and have regrets, then there is no harm in changing it at this stage. Its not common practice but certainly not unheard of and i think the younger its done the better.

names.darkgreener.com/#audrey

No. 315 last year (up from 2683 in 1996!)

So, becoming more popular and not unheard of, though not "weird" either. You will almost certainly see more Audreys around in the next few years and the comments will stop. Please don't change her name!

Audrey is a nice name.

I wouldn't change it however because I believe when you change their name by deed poll you resign them to a life of carrying around a piece of paper to prove their change of name when applying for jobs, passports, uni, etc I remember looking myself because I hate my name, but seemed a hassle in the long run.

I know a lovely lady called Audrey, who’s nickname is Dree.

I love Audrey too!

I thought you were going to say Little Shop of Horrors though.

Just chiming in to say I love Audrey too, that is beautiful. Have none of the people who you’ve told ever heard of Audrey Hepburn? Absolute classic chic beauty.

Do what you feel OP but I would stick with Audrey x if you stick with it, say it proudly and don’t give anyone the chance to say they don’t like it. I personally have never told anyone I dislike their baby’s name so I’m not sure of the type of people you’re coming across!

When I hear Audrey, I think of Audrey Hepburn, so elegant, glamorous, beautiful.
Don't change it. Watch old movies with your baby in your arms!

Nothing wrong with Audrey, only change it if you don't like the name.

Audrey was on my list but I wasn't brave enough. I love it! I think it sounds like other people's negative reactions have put you off, not that you actually dislike the name yourself. You need to find some good strong comebacks to the stupid comments, if and when they occur.

Audrey is classy and timeless. It makes me think of Hepburn, of course, but also Sherilyn Fenn's amazing character in Twin Peaks.

Oh I LOVE the name Audrey. I really, really wanted to use it, but DH isn’t keen. Although he doesn’t hate it, just not his favourite and there are other names we both like.

If you want to change her nme, just do it, she is only 16 weeks old and it really doesn’t matter.

But I would definitely rather be the only Audrey than one of a million Olivia’s (although that is a beautiful name too)

Audrey is a nice name and not weird or ugly in the slightest.

There's nothing wrong with Audrey. It's not to my personal taste, but it's very zeitgeisty - fits right in with all the Avas and Violets and Gretas, and will be a bit more unusual than them. Olivia is a pretty name but extremely overused. I wouldn't change Audrey to Olivia. Perhaps add Olivia as a second middle name and then she has her 'mainstream' fall-back for the future.

"But I would definitely rather be the only Audrey than one of a million Olivia’s (although that is a beautiful name too)"

Yes, this. I do love Olivia but it's everywhere.

I am not keen on Audrey myself but as you can see on this thread loads of people love it. I know a few young children with the name and even though it isn't my personal preference, I don't think of it as particularly unusual although I can imagine it might be a bit divisive as it is still associated with the older generation to some extent. However you can say the same about loads of names that are popular at the moment so if you love it, stick by your guns! Even if you chance it to Olivia there will always be people that don't like that name either. You can't please all the people all the time so best to go with something you like.

Audrey is a lovely name, unusual without being made up

Also has some fabulous advantages, no one will ask which spelling - surely there is only one way to spell Audrey? Which in life is a great advantage. It’s a pretty name that not every other girl in the class will answer to. Audrey Hepburn was absolutely stunning 😁

Tbh I think you’ll regret not keeping such a great name

Another vote for Audrey- it's a lovely name. I like it!

It's a gorgeous name! I love Olivia too, but I would stick with Audrey.

The problem isn't the name - it's the rude people who have been thoughtless and mean spirited.

And there is absolutely nothing wrong with choosing a name from a TV series or a film.

How many Olivias now in their 20s were named because their mothers were fans of Grease in their teens?

Call her Rey while she's little.

Rey from Star Wars!

Audrey is a beautiful name, and it hits the sweet spot of well known but infrequently used (although I think it’s due a revival). Everyone will have their own personal view on whether Audrey or Olivia is nicer, but objectively, as Audrey is a perfectly normal name, changing it to Olivia won’t offer your daughter any advantages. And what if you then get negative reactions because of how common the name is, will you change it again?
At 4 months I didn’t feel that my daughter suited her name. It wasn’t that she suited any other name more, it’s just that she seemed to little to need an actual name and we mostly called her various terms of endearment. Suddenly around 6 months that changed, and now it’s totally her name; I can’t imagine her being called anything else. So I would definitely give it a few months before you decide.

I love Audrey and think it's so much lovelier than Olivia which is a dime a dozen. Don't change it unless you really hate it because of all the hassle with paperwork.

I used an even more old fashioned unusual (400ths) name for my daughter but I call her by a babyish nickname. I have had the full range of reactions from negative to positive which I expected and couldn't care less about.

Could it be partly a class thing? Reverse snobbery? I think of Audrey being slightly more aspirational and middle class than Olivia. It may sound more unusual if those around you are used to a different set of names. I agree maybe adopt a family nickname Rey/ Dree/ Dee (am presuming it is family and 'friends') but use her full name with new friends. Most children prefer a slightly more unusual name than being the second or third child in the class with the same name. I thought one of mine had a fairly classical but unusual name (she hasn't met many people with the name) then started primary school and there was a whole rainbow of unusual names.

Maybe watch some Audrey Hepburn films too and see whether you like it more or less, as many people will make that connection and it gives a good opening line with new people who will bring Audrey Hepburn into the conversation. Even if you don't like it more as a result people will use that as a lead in to a discussion. There aren't many people with my dd's name so people often say 'Oh, after to which dd looks at them scornfully and starts explaining the origins of the name and her parents just liked it. We get the 'named after' comments less with the dc with more popular names as no one celebrity springs to mind.