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Baby names

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Name doubt

11 replies

Norastroud · 10/02/2025 21:25

Hello, our daughter is now 4 months old & I keep having doubts about the name we have given her.
My husband likes the name but it’s quite popular atm & I'm worried it may date.
We have an older son & I never doubted his name & have always been proud to say it but I feel a bit hesitant saying my daughters and often wish we had picked something a bit more classic.
Are these feelings normal?
I do like her name and am hoping it will grow on me again.
I think I may be feeling this way as we don’t plan to have any more children so keep thinking of names I might have used instead.
Id love to hear from anyone who has doubted a name and now loves it? Or decided to change it…
thanks in advance for any advice!

OP posts:
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Mumofgirls2017 · 10/02/2025 21:42

I feel same about #3 but it’s Her Name and she is deffo owning it at 21m. Unless it’s really problematic I think they really grow into it ❤️

Norastroud · 10/02/2025 21:49

Thanks for your advice, I’m hoping this will happen!

OP posts:
Moreteaandchocolate · 10/02/2025 22:21

Agree that the name become theirs over time and then you can’t imagine them as being called anything else.

GiovJones16 · 10/02/2025 22:41

What is the name OP?

Anewyearanewday · 10/02/2025 22:45

Your DC will grow into it.

I was going to change my DC's name but didn't in the end. I think it must have taken me six years to finally come to like the name again (not what you want to hear) but I'm now very glad that I didn't change it.

backpnceagain · 10/02/2025 22:49

I felt like this for a little bit when our eldest was born. We loved his name but I kept thinking of the name Ethan and loved it and felt like maybe we should've gone with that instead. But now our son is in his mid-teens and I could never imagine him as an Ethan now. In fact the uncertainty over his name kind of gradually faded for me over the first year. He suits his name so much and I've gone off the name Ethan, it's nowhere near as lovely as my son's name (to me). Give it time OP. Remember you're still early days and hormones can still be doing a number on you at this stage. I'm sure your daughter's name is perfect for her Smile

SkaneTos · 10/02/2025 22:53

You like the name.
Your husband likes the name.

I'm sure it's a lovely name!

Emanwenym · 11/02/2025 19:16

You'll be far more attuned to hearing a name after choosing it for your DD.

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 11/02/2025 23:16

For girls, the vast majority of popular names will date to some extent as technically there are very few have proved completely timeless (Elizabeth and maybe Maria? - even names like Alice, Eleanor, Charlotte, Emily, Anna, Rose etc have sometimes dropped out of the Top 100 ranks historically over the years).

And while I do really love a classic name as a “timeless” feel is particularly important to me personally (well as much as you can get for girls), it doesn’t seem to matter for a lot of people - and it doesn’t sound like you have a particular classic name in mind? More like that while you love the name you chose, you are worried it’s too popular? And so that has focused your worries about the name.

I wouldn’t worry about the popularity aspect at all - imo a popular name has far more pros then cons (unless your surname is super popular too so there could very easily be two “Isla Jones” at school or work). Pros are: more people will like the sound of the name than not, most will be able to say and spell it, will “fit in” with their peers, can buy tat in shops with their name on etc etc. Hope that helps a little ❤️

ETA: Btw I doubted my sons popular name for a while too (and it’s a completely timeless one, they are easier imo to find for boys). I think doubting is commonplace, no matter how many boxes a name ticks! For me it only completely went when he started referring to himself by his name- he won’t even use a nn, as far as he is concerned his name is his name iykwim?

Norastroud · 11/02/2025 23:41

Thank you so much for all of your kind and thoughtful replies - I now feel much more reassured about our daughters name.

I do think hormones have played a part in my uncertainty about it & also that time is flying this time around!

Thank you again - I really appreciated your advice ❤️

OP posts:
justanotherposterfrom · 12/02/2025 22:43

I had doubts about my first DD's name too.
I really questioned myself many times about it.
Never once did she say she didn't like her name, and she's an adult now and we couldn't even think of her having a different name. I think it's just something so important to us to consider when we have a baby that we sometimes develop doubts.
I'm sure you chose a beautiful name for your DD, and you'll soon wonder why you ever thought twice about it!

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