Name anxiety

[QueSyrahSyrah]

Now this may well be because I'm overdue, hormonal and emotional, but I'm getting myself into a bit of a state about names for our imminent arrival.

We don't know if we're having a boy or a girl, which is a decision I'm still happy with but it's doubled the load of name picking of course.

I had a vision that we'd find the perfect names that we both loved and that would be it, but instead we've got a handful for each sex, and just keep going round in circles, sometimes adding one, sometimes crossing one off. I keeping thinking we've nailed it for a few days and then I overthink and start to worry that I'm going off it and what if that happens after we've registered the name etc.

It doesn't help that all the names we both like equally are top 10, which I rationally know doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things but it niggles at me all the same.

I feel like we've gone over every name under the sun, from both mine & DH's nationality, and are still not there! I'm worried that after baby arrives I'm going to be more hormonal and more tired and it'll be even harder to decide

Did anyone else feel like this and either found a name they loved or grew to love the name they chose?

I didn’t even think about names until my babies were born. We tested a few but it’s surprising how a name just suits a baby once they start to get a little character.
Don’t worry about top 10, everyone always seems to stress about that but it’s for the whole uk and there might not be any others in class anyway! (For example there are only two Amelia’s here for a school of 200!)
You have a few weeks to decide after birth; Keep adding to the list and something will pop out at you.

Top tip: don’t post your list on mumsnet, they will ruin every name

Thank you @Apollo365. I admit I've posted names here earlier on in pregnancy and yes that's probably created some of the problem!

DH and I had a name picked out.

It wasn't my favourite but it was one we agreed on.

I was having a section and fully planned on playing the "I've been cut open so we're going with my favourite name" card.

She popped out and looked very much like the name we'd picked together and nothing like my favourite name.

Sometimes you just know on sight.

Hiya . . . have you worked through a list of questions to see if the names match your criteria? This may shorten your list and make you more comfortable with your choice

E.G. my criteria would be:

~ If I call my child by name in a park, will 10 ten other children come running?

~ Does the name come with an expectation? e.g. Joy sounds to me like a person who will always be happy. Heidi conjures up a picture of a little Swiss girl with a fondness for goats!

~ What will the name look like when written on a job application form?

~ What will the name sound like on their wedding day? (this relates more to 2nd forenames which can sometimes come as a shock as they aren't always known to friends)

~ Does the name balance well with the surname? Are the initials problematic? And, for a girl, if she changes her surname, could she end up with problematic initials?

~ And, most importantly of all, is the child likely to be happy with their name? Obviously you can't guarantee this but if you choose a name that is well known and doesn't get queried or commented on every time it's announced, I think they are more likely to like it

Thank you. Yep we've been through most of those questions! I've also spent some time writing options down repeatedly and in full, which has been surprisingly helpful (I'd had a boy name with a specific diminutive in mind for years, but when I saw it written down with our surname it so reminded me of a sitcom character that it instantly ruled it out!)

I'm trying not to get hung up on the popularity thing, I've actually just about made my peace with our favourite boys name being number 1 in our region last year.

For some reason I'm finding it harder not to worry about popularity for girl names, which is ridiculous because we like a name that was number 7 or something last year but neither of us know or have ever known any in real life, and we also like a name that just scraped into the top 100 but we know two!

I like @KnitnNatterAuntie approach. I would only add that the name should sound ok on your languages if it’s the case.
My DD’s name wasn’t top 10 at all, but my nephew’s name was however he was mostly the only one with his name at nursery and school all the way.

My son has a top 5 name and I don’t regret choosing it - I just love it! And he’s the only one in his school with the name at the moment! There are two boys with names outside the top 100 in his class though!

We had agreed on a name if DC2 was a boy but we're very much in a similar position to you with girls names.

DC2 is of course a girl.

Like others have said, just wait until LO is here. Once DH was holding her he suggested a bake which I loved but he'd previously rejected. It's a strong name and it definitely suits her.

Oh agree with this!
also consider if you shout it in a park will dogs come to you instead of kids.
and shout it alone in your house 100x and see if you still like it (sometimes that what’s it takes to get them down for dinner/get shoes on/get them out the door) speaking from experience 🤭

I did the same and it every name was shot down.
I used the one I wanted and it suits my youngest perfectly.
Hope you are ok OP. Pregnancy is such an anxiety inducing time!