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Name Regret

61 replies

PostpartumPolly · 30/10/2024 12:23

My DS is almost 5 months old and I feel like I have serious name regret. We have two DD’s and with both of their names we chose them in pregnancy and have always loved them. We found it much harder to name DS and had settled on the name Noah in pregnancy, which is a name I’ve always loved but was put off by the sheer popularity of it. We called DS Noah for around 4 months of the pregnancy, and then I had a lot of doubts about the name so we revisited the name lists and considered others. I went into the hospital to give birth with no name set in stone.

When DS was born my DH asked what name I thought he suited. I said Noah I guess, but was still unsure and wanted to trial a few names. One of the names I had brought up when having my wobble about Noah was Milo. I love the name Milo but always had worries about the wearability on an adult. My DH shared that he actually thought DS suited the name Milo more, and we didn’t really trial Noah or any other names - Milo just stuck.

DS does suit the name Milo, but I can’t help but feel regret that we didn’t use Noah. It almost feels like I was pregnant with a different baby because the baby that was in my tummy was Noah (probably sounds really stupid 🤣). I still have the same worries about the wearability of Milo on an adult. Everyone we have introduced him to as Milo have said they absolutely love his name, and when we’ve mentioned that he was nearly Noah they say they prefer Milo, but I feel like they would say they prefer the name we chose either way as it’s polite.

Have any of you experienced similar feelings? I don’t feel like we could change his name, I feel like it would be too confusing for our DD’s (youngest is 3) and I also don’t even think my DH would want to. I know this can be a symptom of PPD, but I have had that before after my first pregnancy and other than these doubts I actually feel so much better in myself so I don’t think it’s that.

OP posts:
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Snoken · 30/10/2024 16:30

Milo is great! My only association is Milo Ventimiglia (an adult) and don't think it's a particularly childish name.

diddl · 30/10/2024 16:45

Snoken · 30/10/2024 16:30

Milo is great! My only association is Milo Ventimiglia (an adult) and don't think it's a particularly childish name.

I was about to say the same re an adult Milo.

Also prefer it to Noah.

MerryChristmasToYou · 30/10/2024 17:02

@Calliopespa , name regret is often a symptom of post-partum depression and your comment is offensive.

ginasevern · 30/10/2024 17:02

Milo is definitely more original. There will be thousands of Noah's when he's an adult. The first time I heard the name Noah for a baby I thought oh how lovely but now I'm sick of hearing it. I don't see why Milo won't suit an adult. I actually think it's more grown up and sophisticated (if that's the right word) than Noah.

DeepRoseFish · 30/10/2024 17:11

You can change it and the time to do it is now.
Any longer and he will start to know his name.
Noah is much nicer than Milo.
I say go for it!

DeepRoseFish · 30/10/2024 17:12

Oh and stop asking others opinions. If he’s a Noah to you then that’s all that matters!

DeepRoseFish · 30/10/2024 17:15

I changed my baby’s name and SO glad I did. It’s more common than you think.
Sorry for multiple posts!

Firsttimebabymummy · 30/10/2024 21:08

Much prefer Milo!

I had something similar. I knew my little girl (now 5 months) would have the middle name Joy. Took me a while to decide on her first name. I referred to her as Joy whilst pregnant.
Felt so strange calling her Alexandra for ages after she was born! X

Calliopespa · 30/10/2024 21:51

MerryChristmasToYou · 30/10/2024 17:02

@Calliopespa , name regret is often a symptom of post-partum depression and your comment is offensive.

Sorry it wasn’t meant to be offensive, just a reassurance that it really isn’t one to sweat. She hasn’t mentioned pp depression, and even if she had it, surely the reassurance it’s no biggie is helpful. She and DH both liked the name, the baby suits it, the baby has it. It’s all good.

user1492757084 · 01/11/2024 09:51

Regret is a bit too weird for me.

I prefer Regina or Rebecca.

MerryChristmasToYou · 01/11/2024 10:39

@Calliopespa , she did mention PPD. know this can be a symptom of PPD, but I have had that before after my first pregnancy and other than these doubts I actually feel so much better in myself so I don’t think it’s that.

It was Kindly op, ... You are looking for drama in life. that I objected to.

Notreat · 01/11/2024 10:45

VerityUnreasonble · 30/10/2024 13:35

Milo is a lovely name, if you are worried about "wearability as an adult" why not go for Myles / Miles (or even Emilo, or pushing it a bit Mitchell) and just continue to use Milo but with the option of an alternative?

Milo is much nicer than Miles which for some reason I really dislike. And Emilio is a good name but only if you have Spanish heritage.
Milo in itself is a perfectly fine name for an adult as well as for a child

Julimia · 03/11/2024 19:20

Milo is a lovely name. Stick with it Don't persecute yourself by overthinking this. Whatever his name he is the same gorgeous baby. Enjoy every minute.

EffinMagicFairy · 03/11/2024 19:28

Milo was number one on our boys list but we had a girl, I love it!

Attelina · 03/11/2024 19:33

Both names are lovely.

I have known a Milo from baby to adult and the name suits him well at all stages of his life.

TheLittleOldWomanWhoShrinks · 03/11/2024 19:39

Milo is the hero of The Phantom Tollbooth, which is a fantastic book. Keep it for that reason alone.

If a name 'just stuck', I think that's not a bad sign that it's the 'right' one, or not unright anyway. Milo's not unusual these days and I think it's a decent all-age name.

LoyalCrab · 03/11/2024 19:43

Milo is a lovely name

. Also, I’ve never taught a Noah that wasn’t a pain in the bum. So I do associate Noah with children that are naughtier in school.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 03/11/2024 19:52

I have never met a Noah (to my knowledge)

Milo is nice but there are a lot of dogs called Milo round our way .
My own DS (25) is Max which I know my FIL disapproved of as a dogs name but my DS was never put off by this and I only ever knew one other Max all through his school and University .

Abbyant · 03/11/2024 19:52

I had a similar wobble when I had ds with dd we had a name set in stone from about four months pregnant but with ds we we couldn’t agree and decided to let dd pick the name Anthony from a hat. However for weeks after he was born I was unsure if it was the right choice but we kept it and now he’s nearly 3 we both think it was meant to be as both dp and I had family named Anthony who passed away while I was pregnant.

villainousbroodmare · 03/11/2024 19:56

Milo infinitely better imo.

TortolaParadise · 03/11/2024 19:59

Milo - hot drink.

thesunisastar · 03/11/2024 20:01

Milo is great, and I don't see any issues at all with it as an adult. To me, Milo sounds like a relaxed, laid back kind of name but not cutesy or childish. Perfect for a guy at any age.

Noah is OK, but I'm not a massive fan.

User28473 · 03/11/2024 20:09

I have known three people change the name of the baby before age 1, which is the deadline to change the birth certificate name without having to go via deed poll. People adjusted very quickly to the new name. I'd have a serious discussion with your DH about it if you feel so strongly. I wouldn't worry about the 3 year old, as most babies end up with nicknames that change frequently, and you can do it gradually. Noah-Milo or Milo-Noah and drop one of them. You could trial using both for now, and see how you feel. Fwiw, I like Milo. I actually nearly called my son Milo, we tried it for a few days but it just didn't suit him, and we were just saying today that he really wouldn't suit it (he's 7!). Miles is another option if you just aren't sure if it suits him.

TheThreeCheesesOfTheApocalypse44 · 03/11/2024 20:10

Stick with the bible theme and call him Moses ??

Toucanfusingforme · 03/11/2024 20:17

I think Milo is a great name. And I totally understand what you mean about baby names when a baby is inside you. For each pregnancy we had boys names and girls names. But for the second pregnancy I couldn’t think of using the girls name we had for first time round (and didn’t need) because it felt like it belonged to a different baby who didn’t arrive. Odd perhaps, but that’s how I felt.