Change name?

[Throughthewisteria]

My child is 1.5 years old. They have a shortened name as their given name. There are a few long versions. I feel bad not giving a long version. Do you think I can change it officially to the long version and not have to announce it because they still go by the given name. TIA

you have to announce it
don't worry about nicknames as first name - it's fine

Why would I? To close friends and family?

You have to announce it because you're changing your child name. Just tell close family and close friends. But it might be worth talking to someone close about how you feel. Name regret can happen because PND and PND could develop up to 2 years after child is born.

I would change it.

No I don’t see why you’d need to announce it if they are still known as the same name day to day. Although people would realise if they ever saw DC’s passport or other formal docs.

But personally I don’t think changing a name is worth the hassle once a child is over 12 months old - as my understanding is that is its bit more complicated legally, not just a simple amendment to the BC.

The exception might be if you’d called them something that could cause them problems in life (teasing etc) but Sam to Samuel/Samir or Evie to Evelyn/Evangeline etc just isn’t worth it this late in the game imo. Your DC will know their name now and so many kids have nicknames as given names these days anyway.

Personally I'm not a fan of shortened names on the birth certificate, as I think it's nice to give them the option of something more formal when they're older for certain situations, even if they're always known by the short form day to day.

However, although I would give this advice to someone who is pregnant and wondering what to do, I think it's totally not worth the hassle of changing it when they're 1 1/2. So many children are given short forms as given names now that it probably won't even be an issue when they're older anyway.

If you could turn back the clock, yes it might have been more ideal to choose the longer version. You decided against it at the time for a reason though and it's best to just own that now and stick with it.

Your child may even change their name by deed poll when they're older to something completely different (it's not unheard of, many people dislike the name their parents gave them). They may even change the gender they identify as for all you know. Then all of this would be rendered utterly pointless anyway. I honestly don't think it's worth the hassle.

I think as your child is still so young you can change it and you would not need to announce it. Their actual name in daily use is not changing so why is it anyone else's business what their birth certificate says? This is a decision you are making for your child to give them the option of a more formal name for use in the future.

Of course you don’t have to announce it. If your child is called jenny and will still be called jenny but you are going to change it to Jennifer officially why would you need to announce it?

Don't change it now, you'll be setting them up for a lifetime of having to fill out forms ticking the box stating they were previously known by another name

I don’t think you have to announce it if you don’t want to. It probably won’t ever come up with most relatives, and lots of people might not remember that he’s ‘just Tom not Thomas’.

As someone who has a name that can’t be shortened, I think giving him a long name that he has options over is right!

I wouldn't change it now. As PP have said, it could be hassle for the child. And i am a parent who changed their child's name. However, it was done prior to my child turning 1, so it's an amendment to his birth certificate, so nothing he has to do any different on forms etc, as it became his official birth name. It's different once they turn a year old, as it's changed by deed poll - they'll always have to announce the name change for different things.

In Scotland you can change it via birth certificate any time.

@chowmeinz I see. I'm not sure OP is from Scotland?

Not in Scotland, unfortunately!
People are saying filling information will be a nightmare for their lives, but which forms require you to state any previous name used?
Also thanks to all for mentioning PND, I've considered that but I'm not depressed. I am affected by what others think, and getting things right. I feel I haven't in this case and would love to rectify it. I love the name they have but would love them to have a more 'proper' name too.
Trouble is there are many that could fit but aren't the obvious long versions. I didn't ever love the obvious long versions hence why I didn't choose that. But I've come to realise there could be more, ones that are lovely.

Still worth a mention

Pretty sure I've had to do it for anything on HMRC, when I open new bank accounts, voting registration, anything to do with NHS. It's been really annoying

Maybe start calling the child the long form as a nick name sometimes (to appease your own ears) but leave the name as it is officially.

Realistically you would be causing a headache of form filling when mostly the child will know of themselves as short name anyway.
That is unless the name is sickly sweet juvenille like ..
Bobo
Dannii
Jojo
Stevie
Maxi
Chrissie