Ruined child's life with the name?

[Leolala]

So the DD name is Alexia. At the time of her birth I was aware of dyslexia term but it was not everywhere like it is now and it never appeared to either of us that alexia is also a medical term, we just struggled to find a name and both really liked it. When we googled it back then we discovered it meant “men defender” and thought it had a good meaning.

She is 8 and I am constantly obsessing over the choice we've made to the point that I am not sure if also made a mistake with our second DC name. She can't go by Alexa either for obvious reasons - mumsnet constantly slams both of the names whenever they come up. This made my anxiety worse with all the negative comments over both of the names.

I do feel like I would want to change it but DD loves her name and doesn’t want any NN or other name. She is not aware of negative connotations but she may find out one day.

Is the name really that bad? What would you think if you hear it on a playground?

I have never heard of it in medical context.
I really don’t think this is ‘a thing’ in and for itself. It feels like a hook that your anxiety can hang on, a way for you to express it. Though, I am sure it feels very real. I say that with no judgement. It’s something I have done many times.
Is there anyone professional you can explore this with?

It’s a lovely name. People don’t make connections about names in real life the way they do when they see them written down on mumsnet. I worked for a guy called Mike Jackson for a good six months before I realised that his full name must be Michael Jackson

Really? She's 8, you'd change her name, legally, against her wishes and force the new name on her despite clear indication she likes her name?

Wow.

I didn't even make the connection between Alexia and dyslexia until you said it and I have 2 dyslexic dc so it's a word I hear often. I assumed you were referring to the Alexa issue which it's different enough to not be the end of the world

It’s a beautiful name. It doesn’t remind me of those two terms you mentioned, at all. There’s a way to distort any name. You can also give her a sweet nickname that you both love and call her both, to relieve your anxiety.

It’s like a feminine form of Alexander (the Great) which is an excellent name. I think you did very well. It’s kind of a grand name. Names are important to me too.

I think it's a lovely name. Have never heard of the LD. I also like Alexa, FWIW. In the nicest possible way OP, the problem is that you are worrying about nothing and need to take care that you don't pass this on to your DD.

You need to stay off the baby names thread OP. Your daughter loves her name, that's good enough. You really do need to see someone like your GP because this level of obsessive thinking isn't healthy

You are making something out of absolutely nothing. It’s a nice name. It is not a medical term that people have heard of, even those working in the health care sector or in the field of dyslexia are unaware of it. If you Google any name and dissect it enough there will be negative connotations. You need to drop it now. You’ll make your daughter paranoid when there is no need. There was a lady on here yesterday unable to get her GP to see her child with scarlet fever, I wouldn’t want to be you when having the conversation with the doctor’s receptionist.

OP. Haven't RTFT. But. I hate my given name, I really don't like it. An actual source of shame. Too late now to change it; to a certain extent any time after about a few months is always too late to change. If your DD LIKES her name - which is a fine name, there is literally nothing wrong with Alexia and I've known a couple - then let her enjoy it and let her like it! At this point - again, also because she LIKES it - the choice isn't yours anymore. So come to terms.

I'm a nursing student and I've never heard of it! It's a lovely name. And she loves it which is what matters!

Alexia is a beautiful name!

Have you done any online checklists for anxiety and depression? That's a good starting point for something to bring the GP.

Don't worry about feeling like an imposter. People with perfect lives get depression and anxiety all the time, it's not necessarily related to your circumstances, it can be hormonal or imbalance in brain chemicals etc.

Does she get Lexi ? That seems to be the norm for Alexas ?

I do feel like I would want to change it but DD loves her name and doesn’t want any NN or other name. She is not aware of negative connotations but she may find out one day.

That's your answer. You would only need to worry if your daughter hated it.

Alexia in the medical sense is not anywhere near as common as dyslexia. It's really really rare for someone to lose the ability to read. As a previous poster said, words like alexia, aphasia and ataxia are all formed in the same way to show absence or inability. It's not the sort of word that would be used at school.

All names have got connotations. I've got a friend who knows someone called Adolf - he's not from Europe. There is a Barcelona footballer called Alexia Putellas. She is the Messi/Ronaldo of women's football. You could use her as a positive example of someone with that name.

AlwaysLatte · Today 20:31 I would change her name by deed poll to Alexis and gradually call her either that or a diminutive: Lexi or Alex, and eventually the name Alexia will be removed from any sort of use.
WORST ADVICE ON HERE

Hey kid, i know you love your name, the name that YOU will have to live with forever, but i've decided i hate it so i'm forcing you to change it, and i'm going to insist school etc never use your old name again. No, i don't care that you like it, it isn't about YOU.

Any sense and she'll turn 18 and change it back.

When I was suffering from anxiety i obsessed over my child's name until he was about 4. I lost confidence in the choice I'd made. I know how this feels.

I don't think this thread is helping you. Pushing nicknames onto children who love their name is nuts. You are going to give her an issue over it. It's a lovely name. No one can see the weak links you are making. I think you might have anxiety issues over protecting your child from being teased. Sorry if I'm over stepping but take a step back and look at this situation. She's now 8 and will be able to tell you if she hates her name and wants to be called something else.

I just googled Alexia and the first meaning that comes up is 'a given name'.

It's not a bad name. It's not a medical term. I think you need some help (kindly meant) for anxiety. Don't change her name. That's bonkers!

Our school use the Lexia programme.
No link to the lovely name

She likes her name! Stop stressing. I have never seen a single name on the baby name boards that every poster likes. (As an aside, the only Alexia I can think of is that 90s popstar - how's that for an obscure reference?)

No it isn’t.

People can call themselves by whatever name they want, as long as it's not an attempt to defraud. I've never been known by my first name; even by my parents who christened me with it 🤔. There's no reason to spend money on fees for a government deed poll change. Surely the most important thing is whether the person who goes by the name is happy with it. There's no way anybody should be changing a child's name by deed poll if the child is old enough to like their name.

As far as I'm aware the main reason to get a name changed by deed poll is to alter a name on a birth certificate if parents have different surnames and child needs a passport, and then both parents would have to agree to that. I could use my dog's name if I wanted to, but I'm not sure he'd agree to that as it's unique to him and allows him 'access to all areas'.

The acquired condition alexia is PRONOUNCED DIFFERENTLY to your daughter's name, and it's a specialist and unusual term at that. Nobody else is going to make the connection. Please don't put your daughter off her pretty, perfectly normal name. I do think you might need some help with this, and I say that gently and kindly.

My daughter is called Alexia, she is 9. I have always loved the name, from when I was in secondary school and a girl in my class was called it - I thought it was SO cool!
I thought it was sort of sexy without trying too hard... it's snappy and memorable, feminine but not soppy. Also modern but timeless, effortlessly stylish, and it's 'international' : lots of Alexia's in France, Alessia in Italy etc.
Also gives her the option of nicknames (Alex/Lexi - though I now think Lexi is a bit common). So far, she doesn't use the nicknames as she loves her name!

I am mildly annoyed at the whole Alexa thing, as people often call her Alexa, but she corrects them immediately and it's really no problem.
The medical term is totally unknown outside the medical profession!
If it helps - one of Matt Damon's daughters is called Alexia, as is one of the Dutch princesses! :) www.thebump.com/b/alexia-baby-name

I grew up disliking my name - so please don't put your daughter off hers, it's so great that she likes it!

You're creating an issue out of nothing. Ex medic here and it's a term I never used and I've not heard it in common usage either.