How to know if you have chosen the right name?

[rachelhowell]

This is a question to all mums, how did you know if the name you picked for your child is the right one? See I have two options, so firstly I need to figure out how to decide between them, so if anyone has any tips on deciding between two then that would be very helpful. But also, once decided on one final name, how do you know you're sure about it and wont regret it? I am a very indecisive person so making decisions like this is impossible haha.

I think I knew I had chosen the right name because the thought of not using it made me feel sad.

I like a lot of names that my partner doesn’t but it is important to me that I love the names we choose and not just think it’s ok and go with it for the sake of compromise.

I go over and over names as I am also very indecisive but then both times I’ve had to choose a name (currently pregnant now) I just knew they were the one because I just felt sad at the thought of not using them.

My little girl is almost 4 and I still love her name but I also think they just grow into their names and you will love it cause it’s theirs if that makes sense. You also stop thinking about it after a while cause it’s just who they are.

I don't think it matters, as long as you like the name. I don't think there is a particular "right name". I think the name just becomes them. We toyed with several names for DD2, and I honestly think any would have been just as good.

For me I knew I'd found the right name when I stopped agonising over my name choice (after weeks poring over baby name lists). Currently expecting DC3.

I personally wanted names that had at least one shortening/nickname option to give the child choice in the future, and which didn't have lots of different spellings. Then we also used family names somewhere in the first/middle name combination.

I’d ask myself

Would I want to be called it as an adult?
Is it relatively straightforward to spell and pronounce?
Does it go with the surname?

Have I checked if it’s suddenly got massively popular?

And then go for whichever has a better score

We put our favourites in a hat and pulled one out. We kept the slips of paper in DD's baby book and she still,at 25,enjoys telling us "I can't BELIEVE you thought about calling me Constance!!" and "I wish I was called Aislinn!" (Real names, by the way)

Would you have picked the name 10 years ago?
Would you pick it in 15 or 30 years' time?
Is it a choice because of current trends in names?
Is it closely linked to a celebrity?
Is it likely to be shortened or lengthened?
How popular is it? Is it always popular or just one that seems to have become very popular recently?

Does it go with the surname?

This.

We settled on our DD name quite early in the pregnancy (we didn't know what we were having). We both liked it so just stopped looking at that point. I am hugely indecisive so was quite surprised how quickly we settled.

Once DD was born, they asked what we were calling her and my husband proudly announced the name we had chosen for months and suddenly I thought "oh my god I'm not sure, I need time to figure if it suits her, etc etc". I stewed over it for days.

In all reality, in those early days I didn't know my DD, I didn't know her personality, what she would be like, so I couldn't know if it suited her. But I really think any child grows into and owns their own name. As long as it is a name you like, that goes with a surname, and that will work well for him/her throughout her life, then go for it.

We liked quite common names. Not common as in "current trend" names, but common in that they have been around for a long time, classic etc....think Claire, Daniel, Anna, Sarah, David etc. I know loads of people with those names so I don't have strong associations with them. I know 10 David's who all have wildly different personalities/looks/lives but their name suits them all. That was why we picked DD name, we didn't want to pick a name so unique it would overshadow her. We wanted (and hope) her personality will be her unique feature to distinguish her from other people and other people with the same name. And she is an absolute firecracker despite the plain jane name !!!

Mine have never been named till they were born. We have a long list of names we like and it has just been obvious who they are when they arrive. For dd1 her name wasn't even on the list but it just came to me as soon as I held her, it's still perfect 13 years later!

It can be a bit nerve wracking when there is so much pressure to have a name chosen before they arrive but it's worked out for us.