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Original poster

Changing DD's name at 11 months - changed once already - help me decide PLEASE!

41 replies

eviz · 19/05/2009 08:55

Mumsnet jury - please help me decide!

After much deliberation, we decided to call DD2 Charlotte from me being about 38 weeks. Went into labour telling the midwife "she's going to be called Charlotte, don't let me change my mind!" (as I do this)

When she was a few weeks old I went through much angst, decided she didn't look like a Charlotte Elisabeth - loads of Charlottes around, didn't feel like a little girl's name etc etc. Left it till the last minute, but finally registered her as Evelyn Charlotte. We love the name Eve, but have a short surname so it sounds daft - hence registering her as Evelyn, wasn't wild on the full name but thought I would grow to love it.

Now she is 11 months and I'm ashamed to say I really don't like it. I've tried everything. Doctors pronounce it as Ever-lyn (we call it Eeev-lyn). DP nicknames her Evil-kenevil or just plain Evil, it drives me mad. I feel like we've really let her down. (DP never liked Evelyn but went along with it to keep me happy)

Now we've finally admitted neither of us likes Evelyn, we are debating whether to change her name to Charlotte Eve, but call her Eve. DP is keen on this and so am I, but we are both concerned that this will be confusing for DD2 - particularly at school etc. DD1 is nearly 3 and got confused enough when we changed it from Charlotte the first time. I love Charlotte + our second name, but do think she looks more like an Eve, but think her full name would be better for school etc. Eve + our second name doesn't sound great.

Sorry to ramble - please Mumsnet jury.. help us decide!

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Tortington · 19/05/2009 08:57

just use charlotte - you dont have to officially faff about.

inform everyone that she is now known by her middle name

belgo · 19/05/2009 08:58

Change it to Eve Charlotte. Stop worrying about how it sounds with your surname (as long as it doesn't sound ridiculous). If you change it to Charlotte Eve and call her Eve, then you'll only get annoyed at the doctor's surgery calling her Charlotte.

If you like Eve, change it to that. I agree, Evelyn is not a pretty name. i also don't know how to pronounce it.

Bobblebuddy · 19/05/2009 09:53

what a shame to end up with a name that neither you nor your dp is particularly keen on. i would consider changing it officially - to eve if that is what you like. if your dd doesn't like evelyn when she is older, and you don't like it either, it might become a stigma for your all. shame to put that on your dd's shoulders when you could do something about it now.

Bobblebuddy · 19/05/2009 09:56

if you need 2 syllables, how about evie?

sockmonster · 19/05/2009 10:07

Oh gosh this reminds me of myself. DD was registered as.. drum roll.. Evie Elisabeth, then I realised I HATED it as it wasn't a proper name and had done it in a moment of pregnancy madness, and also didn't want to be known as 'evil evie' etc. SO when I was less hormonal I changed her name to Lucía as it really suited her. BUT the only name DP liked was Charlotte, so there was then a big deliberation on Lucia/Charlotte until I refused to change her name again!
Anyway, you are not alone!! I think if you give a child a name that you never use, that child may wonder why you don't like his/her real name.

If you like Eve, go for Eve. If you want something with more syllables have you considered any Eve variations- other than Evelyn, like Evelina or Eva? I think Charlotte is also a pretty name, save it for DD3!

Honestly Eve Smith for example sounds fine, like a rock star. It doesn't really matter what your surname is I think you need to go with the first name that you will use on a daily basis that you like.

mamadiva · 19/05/2009 10:10

TBH it sounds a bit like nothing will ever be good enough and you just like changing your mind! Leave it as it is and pronounce it whichever way you want.

I love Eve but if it does'nt sound right with surname then Evie or Eva is nice too that way when DD is older she can pick for herself which name she would like to be known as officially!

I have a friend called Carys but the minute she left hospital she became Carrie. Never been officially changed and was registered as Carys that way she had the option when she got older without the faff.

Oh and FWIW I also have a friend called Evelyn and we pronounce it Ev-el-in I don't know if that makes sense but hey ho LOL.

mamadiva · 19/05/2009 10:14

Also know of people using middle name as first name although very confusing for a child when they start school trying to wrie teir name and was a PITA when I worked with kids because the register was always off!

rasputin · 19/05/2009 10:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

myredcardigan · 19/05/2009 10:42

But it's not as if you prefer Charlotte to Eve. Your prefered name is Eve. You've called her Evelyn (a perfectly lovely name)and Eve is a reasonable shortening of that.

Lots and lots of people called their child by a 'full' name just because they love the shortened version. They never use the longerversion but it gives the child options in the long run. My DD1 is Elizabeth. I don't mind Elizabeth but I love Lizzie and that has always been her name. A good friend of mine has a Charlie who is Charles but I have never heard him called that other than at his Christening and he is 7.

Soooo, just call her Eve. You like it, it's lovely and it sound fine with one syllable surnames unless they are something like Heave. No faffing required.

belgo · 19/05/2009 10:43

In Belgium we get two weeks after the birth to decide on a name and register. You can't change the name after that. You choose a name and you get used to it.

seeker · 19/05/2009 10:46

Just call her Eve. She can still have her full name officiallly, but she'll be known as Eve. My name is Cathleen, but I have never been anything but Kate all my life.

Don't worry about it - just call her Eve all the time from this second onwards.

GreatGooglyMoogly · 19/05/2009 10:58

What about

Genevieve
Yvette
Yvonne
Aviva

shortened to Eve/ Yve or Evie if it sounds better with your surname?

sockmonster · 19/05/2009 11:25

On reflection I think Evelyn Charlotte is a lovely name, and would advise you to:

  1. Keep the name as it is (it's beautiful) and just call her Eve.
  1. Change Evelyn to Eve, as the first name, if Evelyn really does bug you that much. Don't call her Charlotte Eve if you intend to call her Eve, too confusing for a small child/ school/ appointments/ passports etc.
mrsjammi · 19/05/2009 11:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

HuwEdwards · 19/05/2009 11:31

agree with Custy, don't make a big deal of it.

Twims · 19/05/2009 11:35

Just call her Evie or Eve - doesn't matter if you have a short surnane - I thnk you have left it too late tbh as she will know her name and you will only confuse her and I agree that in another couple of mpnths it sounds like you will change your mind agan.

scarletlilybug · 19/05/2009 11:36

My friend has an "Evelyn" - always known as "Eve". Don't worry about changing it on the birth certificate.

I don't know what yiour surname is but, tbh, I don't think a single-syllable forename and surname necessarily sounds bad - actually, it can sound quite cool - e.g. Kate Moss,
James Dean.

thehairybabysmum · 19/05/2009 11:51

So if you want to call her Eve then dont change to charlotte...that makes no sense at all.

I know an evelyn who is Evy (pronounced as Ev-vie, like heavy) and thats lovely.

It does sound like you dont like charlotte any more than evelyn so dont switch to that.

I think youjust need to use Eve all the time and stop thinking about it!

Bobblebuddy · 19/05/2009 11:52

I take back what I said earlier, that you should change it officially. I neglected to remember that your DD is nearly 1.

I agree with other posters - if you like Eve or Evie etc, go with that, and keep Evelyn as the full name. It is a lovely name and if your dd already recognises her name, it might be disruptive to start calling her something entirely different at this stage.

Kate - for example - is almost always short for Catherine (whatever spelling) but most kates i know never use their full name.

Eve or Evie is gorge, and agree with the Eve Smith = rock star (or whatever your short surname is - it should work fine). But tell your DP to stop with the 'Evil' nn as that is just plain unfair to your dd .

lynniep · 19/05/2009 17:15

I rather like Evelyn, although thats my step-mums real name, and she hated it so much she's been called by her middle name for the last 60 years!

claireybee · 19/05/2009 17:20

Just call her Eve, no need to change. At the dr's etc you can say 'known as Eve' and that'll be the name they call. We've done it with ds because he is known by his middle name

jellybeans · 19/05/2009 17:22

I like all the suggested names but I would suggest change to Eve or Eva Charlotte. I prefer Eve to Charlotte and it's less confusing this way. She can go by middle name if she wants anyway when older. My gran is Evelyn pronounced Eve lyn.

hippipotamiHasLost29Pounds · 19/05/2009 17:27

I love love love the name Evelyn (I would pronounce it ev-eh-lyn)
I would keep it as Evelyn Charlotte and just call her Eve. When she is older she can tell others her name is Eve or Evelyn or any variation thereof.
But don't change it again, just shorten Evelyn to Eve and be happy

And just in case you feel she has to be officially renamed Eve - why? Think of all the Samuels known as Sam, Thomas's known as Tom, Eleanors knows as Ellie, Henrietta's knows as Hettie.

MrsMattie · 19/05/2009 17:38

If you like Eve, call her Eve. No brainer.

SoupDragon · 19/05/2009 17:43

Just call her Eve and use that everywhere.

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