Should I change my baby’s name?

[Koalie]

Helllp?
My son is due to start nursery in a couple of months - he is 8 months old at the moment. My husband and I had his name picked out for years before he was born because we both loved it. However, since we named him we’ve realised that it’s one of the top names in the country and we’re hearing it pop up EVERYWHERE around where we live. There are already 3 little boys with the same name at his nursery!!
I am seriously considering whether we should start calling him by a shortened version of his middle name which we also really like (but not as much) and ask the nursery to do the same before he starts being known by his real name to everyone. I am thinking of him - I would have hated to have the same name as others in my class at school and have to stick the first letter of my surname on the end so that everyone could differentiate.
Please could you all give me your thoughts? Am I being silly? What would you do?
X

I went to school with 6 x Sarah’s!
Now I work with 1 x Sarah in my dept, know 2 others at the company and have 0 friends called Sarah.

If you like the name (which is why you chose it) then leave it. Everything will be fine!

Leo is a lovely name.

I'd say leave it. At 8 months he probably recognises his name. Theres only so many names in the world, you can't escape others having the same name.

And Leo is a lovely name 😀

It’s really only over the past 10-20 years that names in the UK at least have broadened out. If you compare how many Olivias there are to be #1 in 2022 with how many Jessicas there were to be #1 in say 1995, it’s much lower now than it was.

As it is, despite Olivia being #1 for ages, I know no Olivias under 30 but there are multiple Maeves at my toddler’s nursery.

Nah, I think by 8 months he’ll recognise the sound of his name - the only good reason to change it imo would be if you really really hate the sound of it or it’s a name that you suddenly realise might cause ridicule or make his life very difficult in some way.

A popular name like Leo doesn’t make your life very difficult- at least everyone will be able to say and spell it. And for every kid who grows up to hate that there might be 2 or 3 of their name in class, there are others who love getting junk from the shops with their name on, or are shy so appreciate that they didn’t stand out from their peers. Unfortunately you can’t tell ahead of time what sort of child you’ll get, so I suggest sticking with the name you love. If he wants to stand out more, he can always choose to go by Vincent when older.

No. Leo is really lovely. It's not common where I live South east uk.

I think I'm right in saying that the parents of Robert Davis had a similar dilemma and consequently changed their son's name to Jasper Carrott to avoid any sniggering with the rather overused nickname of Bob.

I'm sure he'll correct me if I'm wrong.

On my last project, out of 30 office staff, 3 were called Graham, 4 were called David, and 3 were called Peter. It didn’t cause any issues, we even called them by their normal names (as in not their surname or nickname) as usually it was obvious which one people meant. I really wouldn’t worry about it. You don’t spend the rest of your life with your nursery group. Once you’re an adult your interact with people a lot older and younger so the names are unlike to be as common by that time.

I'd say leave it. We named our DS (born in June this year) one of the top 10 boys names from the past few years because we love it.

I stressed over it quite a lot before we had him and ending up consulting a friend who was one of 3 of his name in our form at school.

He assured me that it never had an impact on his life, and he'd much rather be his popular name that blends in rather than an unusual one that stands out, because not everyone wants to stand out, particularly at school.

THANK YOU all ! I bloody love Mumsnet. I’m definitely going to stick with my lovely boy’s lovely name 🥰 thank you all for your insights xx

Stick with the name you love (as you've already decided to do).
DS1 has a top 50 name. He was one of 3 in his class in one school. Change of primary school, and he was the only one in the whole school that we were aware of.
DS2 is also top 50. He's bee n the only one in his year in primary. Not aware of another in his year ar Secondary. The stats are averages, and local variation and clusters appear. You might change to Vinnie, and then move to a place where Vinnue is popular and Leo is rare.

There's so many of them it's just dull now

Leo is a great name. It's the name you loved. The name you picked out and had in your minds for 8 years. I think it would be a real shame for you to change it now. Why shouldn't YOUR kid have the name you want. Who cares about the other kids.

@marshlellow At one of our midwife appointments we were talking about our oldest child and told her his name, Gilbert, and she said 'Oh thank god it's not another Arlo!' 😂

Registrar made a similar comment when I asked her what names she'd registered lots of lately 😅

That's incredibly rude of them they should be professional. For all they know they could have an arlo.

Leo is at least a million times nicer than Vinnie/Vincent.

Is it Theo?

@RedRobyn2021 , *Koalie · Today 13:41
Hahaha! People getting curious. His name is Leo
*

I love Leo! Don’t change it.

What's the name?

@crimpsalo , rtft

Honestly Leo is fine, lovely name

DS was in the top 10. Whilst pregnant never heard it once then it was everywhere once born. There is one in his pre school class so probably be in his reception class too. DD was in top 3 she is the only one in her primary school. Funny how things appear over time.

Leo is such a gorgeous name. My son's been through nursery and preschool and we've not met any yet. Stick with it. It's lovely.