Changing my babys name at 18months...?

[Camilla10]

hello,

I'm in a total state over my daughters name, Charlotte. I feel I got rail roaded at the hospital by my mother who practically made the decision for me whilst I was in recovery from a c section. By the time I came off the pain killers and felt myself again all the family members had been told it was Charlotte and my husband then said I couldn't change it.

It has been a nagging concern ever since and now 18 months have passed and I'm still not happy. I really like the name Coral which has much more meaning as my husband has always buys me lovely shells when in exotic countries.Do you think I should change it or is it too late?
Please help!
many thanks
Camilla

I don't think you can legally change a first name (as in on her birth cert.) only a surname.

I wish you could, I feel I've chosen the wrong name for my daughter.

You could easily just start calling her Coral, but everyone who knows her would have to do the same.

It could be confusing for her and others.

Sorry thats not very helpful really is it?

I think it is possible to change it via deed poll. Why not keep Coral as a lovely, meaningful nickname?

By the way, I think Charlotte is a lovely name, but Coral would work very well as a shortened verson!

I wouldn't change it - your dd is 18 months and knows her name. I do empathise with you though, as i feel that my dd3's name is wrong (although i am growing to like it more and more).

Coral does work well as a shortened version though, so i don't think there would be any problem in calling her Coral.

Charlotte is a beautiful name btw

Message withdrawn

Exactly!! Im a Charlotte!!

I think Charlotte is a lovely name but i do understand if you just don't see her as that.

If you feel that strongly then i don't think 18 months is too old to change it, after all she's going to have it all her life!

We baptised and registered our daughter as Freya Molly and after a few weeks she just seemed a molly to me so i started calling her that and the rest of the family stick with Freya. Don't think it confuses her at all.

My son is also a Zak and for some reason my nickname for him as always been peppy (don't know why!). I still call him peppy more than zak 6 years on and he answers to it.

I too have looked into this! It is possible to change first name upto the baby's 2nd birthday. A simple form has to be completed and a fee of £5 paid.

A surname however is more difficult. It has be be changed by deed poll and proof provided that the new surname has been used for 2 years before it can be changed on the birth certificate.

I hope this helps....If you do decide to change her name I would suggest doing it sooner rather than later.

Good luck

FWIW, my mum always says she regrets giving my sister the name she has - my sister is 25! so that regret might never go away.

Camilla, the same thing happened to me except it was my sister who disliked the name I'd chosen, and she was very rude about it. In the delirious haze of having my little girl safe in my arms after weeks of labour pains, I just wanted to please everyone. So I went with the name my sister preferred. As soon as I started telling people that name, I regretted it. It's very unusual so everyone wanted to know why. I just thought it was pretty, and I didn't really want something quite so unusual. We never use it, only the diminutive. The name I really wanted, Summer, was for someone I knew years ago, who was a really lovely person. I thought it was a wonderful happy name to give to a girl, and I do think it will gradually become a classic name.

I did change the name on the birth certificate, but I have found it hard to tell people, especially as my husband is also resistant to changing it. The way I see it now, she has one nickname for family and friends, one propername for formal use, and one name I use. She answers to all three with no apparent problem, and she's only one.