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Baby names

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

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Original poster

Would you judge me if I changed my baby's name? 3mo

42 replies

gladtown · 04/11/2018 16:00

Hi,

Having a difficult time with DD's name. Registered it and regretted it.

Honestly I was really depressed in pregnancy and didn't give a toss about names. I know that sounds horrible. I am so bloody ashamed and embarrassed looking back. I just wanted it registered and done. I am in a much better frame of mind now and I am absolutely gutted that I didn't choose my favourite name for her.

She is 3 months now. Husband thinks we should change it as he's gone off the name as well.

And no, sorry I am not posting the names. I read a thread like this where the mum had volunteered the names and the entire thread turned into "Oh but I like X name better than Y" and vice versa. I just want to gauge the reaction of doing something like this.

Husband's told his mum and dad, sister and brother. Mum and dad didn't bat an eye. Sister laughed and said "you are having a hard time with names aren't you", said it will be a funny story and said it is going to be difficult for her to adjust. Brother sat on the phone in silence and said "I don't get it but it's your business". I told my mum and dad and they said no big deal. Aunt says "I get it, it's not weird"

I want you to be totally honest with me, what would your reaction be if I was an acquaintance, friend, or family member and I told you I had made a mistake and was changing DD's name? This seems a bit uncommon and I am feeling quite a bit daft about it, but I really want people to give me their true reactions.

And be honest, do you think DD is going to care about this when she gets older?

OP posts:

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Sparrowlegs248 · 04/11/2018 16:02

Have you posted before OP? If not there was an almost identical post a week or so ago. The general consensus was to just change it.

Littlelambpeep · 04/11/2018 16:02

She is only 12 weeks old. Change it- no one will really remember it but if you keep it you will be annoyed forever about it

SayNoToCarrots · 04/11/2018 16:03

Don't stick with a shit name for the rest of the kid's life just because you're afraid of looking stupid.

DramaAlpaca · 04/11/2018 16:03

Just do it.

missmouse101 · 04/11/2018 16:05

Totally fine, do it asap.

mumisalliam · 04/11/2018 16:06

Change it
I knew someone who announced the birth of her little boy with the name she had called her bump during the pregnancy
Then a few weeks later she posted a picture calling him a different name as she admitted the first one just didn't feel right
Cool
I didn't bat an eyelid tbh and honestly thought good for her!

Change it! It literally does not matter what anyone else thinks at all
And she's so young so she won't have a clue!

Original poster

gladtown · 04/11/2018 16:08

Nottalotta was there?? No I had just signed up for the site to post this actually. Makes me feel a bit better then that someone else has been in my shoes!

OP posts:

JeSuisPrest · 04/11/2018 16:08

Honestly, I wouldn't give it a second thought if I knew you. She'll never remember her original name. To be honest when DD was tiny I was so sleep deprived there were a couple of times I couldn't actually remember her name and made something up.

When she was about 12 weeks an acquaintance saw me pushing her in the pram in the street and we chatted. He asked what she was called and I had a complete brain freeze and blurted out "Isabel". DD is not called Isabel . He's never asked why I call her something different now

SallyWD · 04/11/2018 16:09

Do it. There's no problem at all.

Myshinynewname · 04/11/2018 16:09

I’d do it and I wouldn’t have much of an opinion either way if a friend told me they had done it.

Original poster

gladtown · 04/11/2018 16:11

JeSuisPrest lmao! Yes I completely know what you mean. I had registered DD and when people asked me her name I had to think for a moment. I wasn't incredibly sleep deprived, but I disliked her name so much and had no connection to it that I was like errrrmmmm....shit what is it now?

OP posts:

strawberrypenguin · 04/11/2018 16:11

If both you and DH want to change it then go ahead. People won't remember after a while but you'll always have to live with it. And no I wouldn't judge

Original poster

gladtown · 04/11/2018 16:14

Thanks everyone. I guess I am just feeling a bit "oh shit" as it's November now and she was born in July. I have let it go on far too long. Honestly I had been calling her the other name since a week and a half after I got her home and we just "went public" with it to everyone else about 2 weeks ago. so it has been a while.

I was so horrified about it that I just sat in silence thinking "what the fuck, what the fuck, what the fuck, oh no what do I do" for the past couple of months.

OP posts:

sabrinathethirtysomethingwitch · 04/11/2018 16:15

Just change it and then move on and forget about it. Enjoy your baby

NicoAndTheNiners · 04/11/2018 16:18

Change it. It will make no difference to a 12 week old. You’ll regret not changing it if you’ve already got to the stage where you dislike her current name.

What would I think if I knew you? I’d be a bit suprised as I don’t know anyone who has done this before but I’d soon forget about it. In all honesty I would not be that interested (sorry).

AtticaRose · 04/11/2018 16:22

I wouldn't think anything of it whatsoever. If anything, these boards have shown me how common it is!

If you both agree, just go for it. Baby won't remember, and will always have a good story.

silverliningsa · 04/11/2018 16:25

Yes definitely change it or it will keep bothering you. Just do it!

2128Cl · 04/11/2018 16:57

I would! I had my name changed as a baby and I'm glad, it's much better.

Oldgranny · 04/11/2018 16:58

Got nothing to do with us

Oldgranny · 04/11/2018 17:01

Yeah bad language helps

HabbyHadno · 04/11/2018 17:02

Do it. You can change the actual certificate if it's before 12 months.

Original poster

gladtown · 04/11/2018 17:05

HabbyHadno apparently they put the old name in a box on the certificate which is a bit eye roll... I just can't believe I've screwed this up. I feel so horrid but I suppose its that vs having a name that needs to go.

OP posts:

PenguinStar · 04/11/2018 17:11

DS1 was given a full name on his birth certificate, but we told everyone he was to be known by his nickname (think John on BC Jack nick name). He has loads of stuff with his nick name on (engraved money boxes etc).

He went to nursery at 1 year and there was another child in class with same nickname and so we said to call DS1 by his full name (he only went 2 days a week so we didn't think would be an issue).

By 18 months if you asked DS1 his name he gave his full name and became very cross if he was given his nickname. So we decided to go with it.

My DM's Father decided when she was 4 that he didn't like her name anymore and she was to be known by her middle name. My DM survived!

Change the name. It will be fine.

canihaveanap · 04/11/2018 17:15

I've seen other posts like this so it's definitely not just you. Poor you for feeling like this though. I wouldn't judge at all. What I would say is decide as soon as you can, get it done and move on so you can all adjust and settle with new name.
Maybe start calling her it from the moment you decide just so it's not dragging on for her.
My dd has never been called by her birth name. She thinks her name is a somewhat shorter version. A bit like Michael and mickey or Catherine and cathy, or Esmeralda and esme but the short version suits her so much that I just regret registering the longer version.

mummyhaschangedhername · 04/11/2018 17:44

I have a friend who did that with her daughter, about the same time. Just change it.

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