Newborns look like a name?

ktomorrow

FTM here so be nice. I'm just curious about comments that newborns came out looking not like one name or def looking like another. To me all our wonderful lil miracles come out looking like squashed messy grumpy aliens. (In the best possible way obvi) So STMs and others, what in a newborn led to a name eureka after birth?

bbiutmcph

We always picked names prior to birth so to us once we met them they were already a Trent or a Giada etc. I know a lot of people do the wait until you meet them for a name to fit but personally I've never met a newborn and thought the name fit them perfectly or thought they totally looked like a certain name as being honest most newborns look wrinkly and not adorable even my own kids. 

SmrBrd2012

We went in with 2 names and I didn't think LO looked like one or the other...He looked like a baby I just met, lol. I don't know if it was because I was exhausted or what but I could not make the decision one way or the other. I made my husband choose. He turned into the name we decided easily enough!

SunnySurprise

Definitely see where you're coming from! I'm a FTM too, so I can't tell you yet how it's going to be for me, but it was certainly a big concern for us going into it, searching names that could "fit" them well. The dilemma we've encountered, was liking a name we can totally see a person growing into and owning at a later age, but that is a bit tougher to imagine on a tiny newborn. So for us, it isn't about judging whether the name fits when we meet them, but rather whether they could own the name as adults. They're going to be adults far longer than babies. I can't imagine that the name they'll "look like" when they're small will fit them well when they've matured. The solution for us is having a name with nickname options, in the hopes it'll grow with them a bit.

In my opinion, newborns are a blank slate, so chances are they're going to start owning the name as they grow into themselves and not the other way around. If you have a name picked beforehand and you're going into it with the intention of sticking by it, I think you'll automatically see the child as "such and such name".

Don't know if I'm making any sense here, but I tried explaining what I mean as best as my pregnancy brain will allow

ETA: This is also why I had a lot of trouble deciding on a name definitively. Because I feel like I'm going to name the person, not the baby. Didn't want to fall into the "but it will sound cute calling them this when they're small and clumsy" trap... Which I fear would happen to easily if I had waited to pick a name at birth. Not saying others would have the same problem, just my perspective. 

Disneygeek77

It is hard to describe.  We were torn between Nora and Anna for DD. When she came out, well she just looked more like a Nora to me.  

Cricket99

For me it wasn't so much a name that fit my LO as an emotional high that made me realise that out of the two names I picked there was one that I really loved more. You are right about the grumpy alien look, so figuring out what a newborn looks like is a bit weird to me too

yellowbean15

We took a list to the hospital but chose a front runner a couple days before. He didn't look like any name when he came out, so the front runner it was! I also don't generally think babies "fit" their names. They kind of need to grow into them. 

GhanimaAtreides

Newborns come out looking like PISSED OFF elderly people to me. It takes a couple days for their ears and nose to spring back into shape, months before residual eyelid bruising goes away, years for stork bites, etc to go away. As for how they look later, this is going to sound weird, but... H makes clone babies.

Like, when my paternal grandmother saw my kids for the first time in about 4 years she stood dumbstruck for a few seconds looking between the 2 of ours together, mine from a previous (he looks just like the male version of me but with his dad's dark Italian/Hispanic hair & eye color), and at H and exclaimed in an almost Mrs. Doubtfire-like high-pitched voice "OOOOOOO! (H's name)! You have such strong genes! Oh my heavens!" 

H and SIL look very similar, and it's a running joke that DS is actually SIL's kid that she gave us to raise because I don't see myself in his features much at all. That is unless I'm looking at photos of H at the same age (DS has softer features and wider-set eyes). H has a DD from a previous relationship and she and DS could pass as twins shy of gender. DD looks a bit more like me than DS but still has the typical (H's last name) features by a landslide. I mean, even the profile and the curve of the nose is obvious in ultrasound pics.

Long story short, I get a list of names and if I can't see H or the female version of him (SIL) wearing the name well, I toss it. But that pretty much guarantees that appearance-wise, the handful I have narrowed down to WILL fit. It's the personality I want to get a feel for. Certain names carry an extrovert-vibe and others an introvert-vibe. KWIM?

queenbone

I agree with you on newborns looking like aliens. That said, we always waited until we were at the hospital to finalize on a name. For us it was more, what feels right while holding him vs. what name does he look like. 

doodleoodle

We went to the hospital not having a name picked, but having a handful of names that we liked. When she was first born she definitely just looked like every other baby I'd ever seen in my life. By day 2 or 3 she looked different. The two names I liked best were rural sounding (Georgia and Daisy). Unfortunately, my LO looked prissy and proper to me and those names didn't seem to suit her. That may sound crazy, but DH completely agreed lol. I thought she looked like a Cecilia, a name I had never even considered before. DH hated that name so we eventually agreed on Penelope as it was one of the names that had been in our top 5. I think Penelope suits her... But if I'm being completely honest with myself I have to admit that she still looks like a Cecilia to me.

ktomorrow

Lovin all these responses!

 @GhanimaAtreides     My DH is def the dominant genes of our pairing so I'll have to put his face (no SILs sadly) on my unborn baby girl and see what sticks lol

GhanimaAtreides

There are all kinds of apps to see what a person looks like the opposite gender

holli0801

We picked a name and stuck with it. No regrets...

virginiaunicorn11

We had two names, with a clear front runner - the other was a back up "just in case the baby didn't look like a [Hazel]." The baby just looked like a baby (elderly alien), so we kept the favorite name.

LizaKate1213

We picked our name months beforehand, I don't believe babies look like any specific name.

PhoebeJune1984

We walked in with almost 20 names on separate lists still (we were Team Green). I was holding out and fighting for my #1 pick. Well she came out, and not only did she look nothing like my #1, she didn't look like ANY of the other five names on my portion of the "girl" list. However, she instantly felt like one of the names on my husbands "girl" list. I took one look at her, and said "OMG....she totally looks like a ______!" The name and everything just felt right. 

So, it does happen for some, but I am sure not for others. Our cousin went in with two names, and it still took her two days to decide. 

We are going in with a short list for both sexes for this baby, and we will wait until we see him/her and decide at that point. 

g8trkim

I don't really think babies look like a certain name. We always picked out a name ahead of time. However, I've had friends go to the hospital with a few choices and once they met the baby decided which one they felt more connected to. Everyone's different.

CaptainPhasma

My mom was torn between naming me Camille or Catherine. I came out 2 weeks late, full head of curly black hair, powerful 10 lbs of screaming. To her, Camille was a delicate dancer name, Catherine suited her big powerful baby better. I think narrowing it down and then deciding when you see your baby is a great way to go.

tmk0325

I also am not going in with set names for this reason.. I feel like sometimes they just don't look like that name! I do have front runners, but I'm not 100% set on them. It's kind of like the Friends episode when Rachel hears Monica's name and is like awwe she looks like an Emma!  

jmesue1030

My sister went into the hospital with two names for her baby boy and when he came out with red hair and looked identical to her husband she just had to incorporate his name which totally didn't go with her original two choices. She could not decide for two days and was told by the nurses that she had to choose a name for the birth certificate or they wouldn't discharge her!  She finally went with William Christopher and now says that he is the one of her three kids who's name fits perfectly! So I think there definitely is something to deciding when you see the baby!

groovylocks

So... the problem with babies is they change a lot. 

Olive is 11 weeks old today. She came out looking exactly like an Olive. Because she came out looking exactly like her 3D ultrasound pics. But over time, she began to change. Right now yeah, sure she looks like an Olive because that's been her name since the start but truth be told, if i walked up to this kid as a stranger and had to guess her name, I'd guess either Kira (our second choice, btw) or Marie. Here we are. Don't agonize over it too much - they'll change their looks over and over again. She looked NOTING like this when she was born. She literally changes daily, before my eyes. It's surreal as hell. 

ktomorrow

 @groovylocks  Aww teary eyed over here. Y'all are beautiful! I can't wait to meet my little Josie, Nori, Hazel... well TBD 

DanandVan

I'd like to add that sleep deprivation, meds, and crazy hormones do not help the "lets name her when we see her" process. We always pick a name and stick with it, no regrets. 
With that said, my sister was supposed to be an Andrea but came out with a fiery disposition. My parents, after 3 days, decided she needed a stronger name and changed it to Krista, which was never on their list at all  

mthoomom

We will be waiting till we meet LO to decide on a name. We have about 4 names to choose from. After having 2 kids already, I'm firmly in the "wait and see" camp. 

FutureMrsCaesar

DH is really pushing the 'wait and see what she looks like' on this one.  We usually have a name picked out.  It's actually driving me nuts (super type A over here) and I agree with most others, I don't think my newborns have ever 'looked' like their names at first.  It's just a name we gave them and they grew into it.  BUT I would LOVE to be wrong this time and take one look at her and magically agree on the perfect name.  We shall see (in the next week or two hopefully!!)

little_bren

It doesn't make sense to me either. DD's name was chosen well before she was born and we'll do that this time around too. To me, a baby just looks like a baby not like a name. However, as a two year old, "Sophie" fits DD very well. GL!

LoveLee2014

We took four names into the delivery room. It took two seconds to realize which one fit!!!!! I can't explain it, it just happened! Suddenly, my DH and I agreed on a specific name and it is perfect. 

karlimonster

We had a name for our son way ahead of time. It was just perfect. When he came out he didn't look like anything. In fact, I think it was weeks before I ever used his name. He wasn't a real person to me yet. Maybe I'm a weirdo! Ha ha.

TNgoldengirl

LoveLee2014 said:

We took four names into the delivery room. It took two seconds to realize which one fit!!!!! I can't explain it, it just happened! Suddenly, my DH and I agreed on a specific name and it is perfect. 

I would love for this to happen. It sounds so special! I am just worried we WOULDN'T agree and be stuck still deciding.