How late is too late to change baby's name?

[SomethingBeginningWithX]

DD is just over 6 weeks old. We were choosing between 2 names and went back and forth until we registered her, but a few weeks on from that and I'm still feeling undecided!

The problem I'm having is that the name we've chosen, although lovely, can be pronounced in 2 ways and it feels like everyone uses the pronunciation we don't. I'd rather not say the name but it's along the lines of Esme. Every conversation goes:

Oh what's her name?
Es-may
Es-mee, how nice...

Or Maya

Her name is My-ah Jones
Ok and when was May-ah born?

They are just examples but I feel like almost no one says her name the way I'd prefer. It's really, really getting to me and bringing me down.

I should add I'm suffering with PND so not sure if I'm making a mountain out of a molehill. I don't trust my own judgement anymore and feel exhausted and deflated by the whole thing. I've almost got to the stage I don't like the name anymore DH is mildly annoyed by it but not overly so, he's much more laid back than me anyway.

Anyway, would you think someone was an absolute idiot for changing a baby's name at 6 weeks or more? Will people get used to it?

I feel really embarrassed that I've totally messed up naming her. She's also been bought a few gifts with her name on them and if I was to change it I'd feel really bad about those.

Help!

[Youngatheart00]

Don’t change her name if you love it!

Just correct people when they pronounce it wrong!

[NotMyCat]

I wouldn't change it
My name is REALLY simple. Think Samantha
I say "Samantha speaking" and get "oh hi Samuel"
yeah, wrong name, not male
There is ONE spelling. One. And people still get it wrong

[Hope478]

All you need to say is "oh, it's esMAY" or whatever the real name is.

I have a baby with a name more commonly used for the opposite gender, so sometimes I have to say, "she's a she, actually!"

[Justyouwaitandseeagain]

It depends.
I have DC with a frequently mispronounced name. This hasn’t improved over time. Many people still frequently get it wrong despite constant correction. Others have learnt. Our DC also now chooses to correct people herself BUT none of us wish we’d chosen another name. It is a beautiful name and we all still love it.
If you are struggling with the choice of name and mispronunciation then I think it is understandable if you do decide to change it.

[campion]

It's not too late to change it at 6 weeks.
If you think it'll be a continuing problem then keep correcting or give in.

I like Naomi for eg but would never use it as it's frequently mispronounced and would annoy me too much.

[Thinking2041]

So
Easy to change at 6wks!

[SomethingBeginningWithX]

Thanks everyone.

I think part of the problem is that I just don't have the right personality to correct people. I'm pretty shy and struggle with it.

Still undecided but I'll speak to DH again.

[SleafordSods]

If you don't feel confident enough to correct people abs aren't feeling the love for the name then definitely talk to DH again.

I know someone who changed their DDs name at around the same age and always says she's so glad that she did.

Hope you're getting some support for your PND

[Holly60]

Could you just change the spelling so that it’s clearer.

‘Her name is Elena’
‘Ahh hello EleanOR’
‘Oh no it’s Elena with an A on the end’

Would that work with the name?

[Holly60]

Either that or just change it. You could tell people you’ve changed her name around to use the middle name instead (you don’t have to tell people if this is a white lie)

If you would really feel happier then definitely go for it. I wouldn’t judge you - naming babies is hard!

[WallaceinAnderland]

Personally I'm not keen on names that can pronounced different ways because firstly you and then later the child, have to always correct people and it's just an annoyance that can so easily be avoided.

6 weeks is no time at all, I would change if you're not happy with it.

[teaandtoastwithmarmite]

My dd is called Sofia (sur-fee-ah) and I've had it pronounced all kinds of ways to the point where I thought I was pronouncing it wrong. It really wound me up at first but you do get used to it and now she's 8 she just corrects people herself .
If you love the name don't let it put you off

[Monday55]

I have a name which I still correct people. Obviously those I speak to everyday knows how to pronounce and spell it. But from time to time I have to correct those whom are saying my name for the first time. My husbands family are finally catching up on the spelling and pronunciation and I've known them for a few years.

It also depends if you moved area growing up. Because the way a name is pronounced up north might be different to how it's pronounced down south because of all the different accents etc.

[SleafordSods]

Is it Emmeline?

[Bolzana]

Think about it, you can change her name until she is one year old. I know that because I have changed the name of both my children! (Actually, I only changed DD’s nickname, not her actual name, but changed DS’s name). I make very bad decisions name-wise when I am all hormonal.

[raintropics]

I don't think you should change it but perhaps you could change the spelling? Guess it depends on the name.

[Blanketgirl]

@Bolzana what age did you change DCs name? We’re considering it at the moment but not sure what to do!!

[mrstea301]

My friend changed her baby's name at six weeks as she said no one was pronouncing it correctly - but she'd never corrected anyone! It wasn't a difficult name so if she was keen on it she could have corrected people.

[Bolzana]

[quote Blanketgirl]@Bolzana what age did you change DCs name? We’re considering it at the moment but not sure what to do!![/quote]
We told people to stop using my DD’s nickname when she was about two months old. And changed my DS’s name when he was 7 months old, but we had been using the new name for a couple of months by then. I believe, legally you can only change their name until they are one year old, otherwise it has to be them changing it when they are of age. And in the birth certificate the old name will always appear (actually, the new name is just a note, so a bit confusing)

[IVflytrap]

I'm wondering if it's Evelyn, as a colleague of mine had the same issue. All you can do is keep correcting people, most people will get it right after a couple of corrections.

I totally understand about not feeling confident in correcting people. Could you do it if you thought of it as doing something for the benefit of your daughter? I'm shy and lacking in confidence but I find standing up for people I care about much easier than standing up for just myself.

[MumofSpud]

I have an Esme (Es-May) I know it's only your example but it is annoying but not so much as I would have changed it !

People are just daft about getting names wrong !

[SomethingBeginningWithX]

Thanks all.

Still thinking it over but I'm leaning towards the original and just trying to learn to politely correct people or just ignore it without getting annoyed.

[wanderlove]

I have a Maya and as pp said. It’s mildly annoying but I don’t regret it as I love the name

[Luredbyapomegranate]

Change it if it’s bugging you. That would irritate me.
Try a new name for a week, see if it fits.
People will quickly get used to it if you go ahead with the change.

[Lal2021]

We actually changed our DD’s name at eight weeks old. Her original name was Lily but with Covid all the registry office appointments were really backdated so the earliest we could get was when she was eight weeks old! We were always between two names and on the day we were getting her registered we decided to change it to the other name! We didn’t tell anyone until after we had done it! We had a lot of gifts with the first name on, I just sold them on and used the money to buy replacements!