Don't like my baby's name

[nina01]

I would really appreciate some reassurance - my little girl is 4 months old and I really don't like her name, it doesn't resonate with me at all. It was my husband's choice, and as I named our son I let him choose her name. I must have liked it at some stage, as i agreed to it a year earlier if we had a girl (sadly ended in a miscarriage when 3 months pregnant) but I felt pressured into it, and he wouldn't agree to any of the names I suggested. We needed an urgent birth certificate and passport, so she needed a name! My parents hate it, so I'm not sure whether that has changed my opinion. I am having anxiety attacks about it, and can't stop questioning myself! He said we could change it in a year if I'm still unhappy, but that's too late. I'm trying to call her by her name to get used to it, but keep calling her 'baby'. Friends have said it's a great name, but I'm really unsure. Her name is India, and I sometimes shorten it to indie

[RhondaJean]

Oh India is a gorgeous name!

I know a baby indie and she is gorgeous too.

[QuintessentialOHara]

India Rose is lovely. She shares her name with the daughter of a Spanish actress!

[nina01]

So many wise comments from everyone! I really appreciate it! Ou're right, runningblue, he would not accept Imogen and it does almost feel a little like grieving. It's hard when one is tired and hormonal post birth, as well as stressed moving house and renovating, that I doubted myself for feeling unsure and thought he might be right with the name as I didn't feel of very sound mind! And that's another thing I thought of, Startail, that it may suit her as an older child, and that she may not be happy that I changed it! I spoke to my mother again today, and she said again how she couldn't see her as India, particularly with the horrible things happening in the country India at the moment, ie rape of 5 year old girls.

I just think I won't be able to feel confident changing her name, and just accept I had my opportunity at birth and didn't push it, so I have to just lump it!

[MrRected]

Love the name India Rose. It's strong but feminine. I immediately think of a beautiful, independent child/woman when I hear it.

The suggestion of Dee or Didi or using her middle name/Rosie is a good one.

[Molehillmountain]

We had decided on ds name if he was a boy and both dh and I agreed although it had taken some thought. Still, when the midwife said "and does he have a name?" And dh said "yes it's x" I had a sudden panic. I think I felt rushed and not ready and for some months I felt we'd chosen the wrong name. I still have the odd panic about it, I'm sure it's not uncommon. But he is x now and I love him. I use shortenings mostly and I can't say I feel deep pain about it, just the occasional ouch. I had miscarriages too and then I'm not sure I was ready for a boy at all-my gut said that we'd lost a girl after our later miscarriage although there was no reason. So I assume its one of the brains weird tricks it plays on you sometimes-making you feel unsettled about one thing when actually it's another. Does that make any sense? A bit of displaced grief.
Hope all turns out well for you op-and as others have said I, unhelpfully think India is a beautiful name too,

[BergholtStuttleyJohnson]

I think it's a beautiful name and one she'll probably grow into. I love both my sons names but didnt think either of them suited a baby so called them by a nickname. They really suited the embarrassing nicknames I gave them. ds1 is nearly 3 now and I find myself using his actual name most of the time now as he seems to have grown into it. If you're having anxiety attacks that's probably more to do with hormones than her name and you should maybe see your gp or healthvisitor.

[starfield]

I love India. But ended up choosing Imogen! They're both beautiful names but India is a bit more elegant! Indy is a lot nicer than Immy, which is what my daughter gets (or Ima).

Could I suggest that you could be feeling very anxious anyway and it's sort of stuck to the naming issue? Apologies if I'm on the wrong track, it just seems to be making you so very unhappy that I wondered if you might need some tlc generally.

[TheCatInTheHairnet]

I agree with Starfield in gently suggesting that with a brand new baby andan impending move, the name thing is an easy place to lay your anxiety.

I also (gently!) suggest you ask your Mum to keep her opinion on the name to herself now, especially if you're not going to change it.

[bedmonster]

I really love the name, it sounds strong and beautiful. Do you have any connections with the country? I only ask as I wanted to use it for my DDs name and my great grandparents were Indian, but my DP said it was a silly name as we aren't Indian. I still love the name now and was all set to call DS Indy but bloody DP stomped all over that name too!
Having said that, if YOU don't like the name and want to change it, I think it's be better to do it sooner rather than later. How old is she by the way in case i've missed it somewhere?

[KatKyn]

It is a lovely name and very grown up which is a good thing, my dh ruled out lots of flowery names and so forth as he couldn't imagine her being taken seriously in a board meeting. In that respect India will be a great name. We changed ds name after a couple of days and never regretted it. My dd is 15 weeks and I'm still getting used to the name we chose, I don't think it suits her yet. You have a year to change it and is apparently more common than you'd think.

[tallulah]

We gave our DD1 a beautiful name that I'd always planned to use for a DD. Despite that it felt odd calling her that - it was such a grown up name for a little tiny baby. We both were calling her other things instead - sweetie, darling etc instead of her name, and DH started calling her pumpkin. That got shortened still further and we called her a contraction of pumpkin for the next few years until she grew into her proper name

(her real name is nothing at all like pumpkin btw)

[PicardyThird]

India Rose is a lovely, elegant name - it's not one I would choose myself, but I can see it's a lovely name with both beauty and gravitas -, and Didi would be a fab nickname while she's little.

Do you and dh have an alternative name on which you both agree? That said, as your dd has a lovely name already, iyswim, I would only be thinking of changing it if you both really loved the name you intend to change it to.

[MrsLettuce]

How about shortening it to Dia (Dee-a)? Could you hack that?

[Claphammama]

Hi nina. I'm 15 weeks pregnant and thinking about names. I love the name India and would love to choose it if it's a girl :-) Just searched for it on mumsnet to see what people thought and this thread came up! I think it's very delicate and elegant and for me it has an extra special meaning as I love India as the country and have spent a lot of time there over the last 10 years. Just trying to convince DP now :-)

[Nerfmother]

I am going to go against the grain here, sorry. I don't think it matters if other people like it although it is reassuring.
I have four dcs and I hate ds' name six years later. I really wish I had changed it when I had a chance and when do might have come round. I sat and sobbed my way though the registration and the registrar told me we could change his name later it was so obvious!
Can you talk to dh and get his view? I hate all this I named dd so he gets ds stuff.

[Wishfulmakeupping]

As lovely as the name is if you don't like it you need to change it sooner rather than later if you are sure that YOU don't like it forget about your parents views- do you like it?

[cooper44]

My dad chose my name and my mum always disliked it so she just called me something else and always did. No-one but my mum ever called me it. And it's so much nicer than the boring name my dad chose.
Not sure what my point is. I think India is beautiful but you absolutely need to feel comfortable with your children's names so i would address it now.

[chrome100]

I know quite a few Indias, most of them my age (late 20s/30s). Although it wouldn't necessarily be my first choice, it is a nice name and one that is perfectly acceptable. That said, if you are not happy with it then I think you should change it. Maybe give it a little more time to see if you can grow used to it, but otherwise I think do it now whilst she is still little.

[sarahtigh]

maybe you need to talk to DH again you can change before age 1 without too much trouble; however Imogen is out of the question as DH does not like it, you agreed he could choose as you choose DS's name so I think it would have to be a choice that he could veto as fair is fair, or maybe you could ask him for a couple of alternatives for you to choose between, you really both need to be happy with choice which is why I do not think the you choose one and I choose the other name works

[ghosteditor]

Sorry that you dislike it - nothing we say can change that!

But I love it and wanted it for DD, but DH wasn't so taken with it.

Hope you find a solution you're happy with!

[zxcv123]

I'm going to go a bit against the grain and say that four months is long enough for you to have reconciled yourself to the name - and if you haven't and you are still unhappy about it, then you need to discuss with your DH changing it now before she is old enough to know/care and whilst legally you can change her birth certificate (12 months I think).

I was forced into calling my two DCs names I dislike. I've never called either of them by their first names, always their second names and so the DCs have always called themselves by their second names too. It has caused no end of grief with schools/doctors/hospitals/passports/official certificates etc and it still makes me unhappy every time I hear their real first names mentioned. I should have changed their names when they were tiny.

(PS An "Indie" I know is actually Indigo - would that be better?)

[Bleurose]

I think India is a beautiful name. My cousin who is 50 is named India & she loves it. (Other children sometimes called her Dee)
Ashley’s sister in GONE WITH THE WIND was named India. Also there is singer India Arie. It is very feminine sounding. Just repeat it over a few times & notice how pretty it sounds. She will probably be the only India in her classes in school which is another plus.

[DuchessOfSausage]

I'm not keen on it, @nina01 . It sounds nice but it's the name of a country.
Imogen is much nicer.
You can change a baby's name quite easily in the first year.

Baby name regret is not uncommon, and it might be a symptom of something else. Might be worth having a chat with your GP