Another "wrong name" post but 6mos old
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We had a terrible time naming DD. We had a really tough time even coming close to agreeing, and neither of us ever really loved a name. There were a couple that each of us really liked but the other hated them.
Now DD is basically 6mos old, and I rarely use her name b/c it just feels so odd...like trying to convince yourself to call daytime night. I almost always call her Sis, but I've heard a few names (Lauren, Bre, etc.) that I like much better than DD's name. DH and I didn't seriously discuss any of these (no idea why) before DD was born, and I have serious buyer's remorse. DH still doesn't love her name and really likes some of my suggestions now, but he hates it that I don't often use her real name, which has caused her to respond better to her nn than her actual name.
Announcements have been sent and we've lived w/a name that just isn't growing on me like I thought it would. 6mos later WWYD? I feel like we could still change her name if we wanted to now, but surely it'll eventually grow on me, right?
Re: Another "wrong name" post but 6mos old
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Ditto!
It is MUCH easier to legally change a name within the first 12 months than after. So if you are going to do it - do it now.
I recently had a friend do this (she had named her DD Poppy and didn't like the reactions she was getting) and she is happy she did. Who cares about announcements? It would be silly to stick with a name for the rest of your life because you are worried that the birth announcements have already gone out.
I personally would change it while she is young, especially if you have rarely called her that name.
Definitely curious to know what it is.
There are two posts on this board that make me say, yes change it. I wish I could find them.
The first is a poster named, Amy, who found out as an adult that her parents didn't really like her name. Basically it sucked to find that out, and if I can find the thread, I'll post it.
The second is a wonderful adoption mama had a hard time deciding whether or not to change her (soon-to-be) adopted sons name. That had a certain set of circumstances, but the responses showed me that it's more common than I thought. Granted your daughter isn't adopted (and according to your ticker, not even born yet), but I think changing it is more of an accepted idea for me now.
And no, if you don't like her name now, I hardly see it growing on you. That's like getting married and saying the spouse will change.
I say get it changed, sound out announcements, have a new name party and move on.
Other options would be to call her by her middle name, a pet form you like of her name or give her a nick name that doesn't have anything to do with her name. But I like the name change idea better. Unless of course, you'e going from a classic name to cre8ively spelled, trendeigh name...blah.
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I think it's sad to not love your child's name, so since she's so young, I'd lean toward changing it.
However, it doesn't really sound like you have any other name in mind that you "love". So I don't know that I'd change her name from one thing you're eh about, to another name that you don't love either.
I'm going to reply with an anecdote (annoying, right?), lol.
My grandmother wanted to name my mother Jennifer. Unfortunately the Catholic church would not approve the name choice, so they ended up going to the hospital without a name in mind. Shortly after my mother was delivered my grandfather up and suggested the name Janice, completely out of the blue--they had never discussed it before. Now, the story is fuzzy here because my grandfather insists that my grandmother loved it the moment he suggested it, but my grandmother herself says that it must have been the drugs in her system--she agreed, but she's hated it almost from minute one.
As a consequence, my mother has known almost her whole life that her mother hates her name. She would have hated her name anyway, simply because people always associate with Janis Joplin, but she has expressed several times that she wishes she had a more meaningful name.
Now, on the flip side, my mother gave me three names that all meant something special to her. I love both of my middle names, but on its own merits I would only sort-of like my first name . . . however, I love it because it means something to my mother. Even though I no longer use it (I go by my middle name, the reason for that is unrelated to my like/dislike of my first name), I would never dream of changing it because of how much it meant to my mother.
So, that's a very long story to say that I think it is exceptionally important that you choose a name you love, preferably one that means something to you. Your daughter will thank you later.
I'm confused by your tickers. Why don't you have a ticker for your 6-month-old?
I think if you really hate her FN, for whatever reason, the easiest option is to start using her MN instead. If that is not an option for some reason, then I guess you could change it now. I think it's strange to do so but if you really hate her name that much, I guess it's better than sticking with it. Like others said, 5 or 10 years from now most people probably won't remember.
But yeah, now I am also very curious to know what her name is.
Thanks ladies. I'm not sure why the ticker reset itself to 13wks or something like that. It's the old ticker from when I was pg that I haven't removed yet b/c I haven't been on here more than a few times since DD was born. Sorry for the confusion. I'll take the ticker down completely for now.
Her name is a nice name, but it isn't common. I'd rather not share the specifics...in all honesty I probably shouldn't have DS' name on here either, but it's at least more common. It's not a you-nique name or a cre8tive spelling, but it's not one that you hear too often. It's kind of one of those names that I've come to realize that I like...for someone else's child, which when I started feeling that way I thought I'd be over it by now.
I do wish there was a name that I just loved, but when it comes to girl names I've never felt that way about any of them. Boy names...sure...I have several that I love, love, love, but girl names just don't do it for me usually. I guess it just bugs me b/c I thought it would have grown on me by now. I appreciate the advice and the anecdotes. It's given me some food for thought. I posted here b/c when I try to talk to friends/family IRL (aside from DH) they all just kind of blow it off, and I wanted some honest opinions b/c while it apparently isn't a big deal to those close to me it is a big deal to me.
I agree with pp that "Sis" is not a great nn. If you won't post her name it's kind of hard to suggest nn's, but could you use her middle name? Or even her initials (like MJ or DJ, if they sound cute)
If you change it, can you at least keep it sort of similar - like Laura to Lauren? So it's not such a drastic change? I do think it's kind of weird to change a child's name, but it would suck to hate your child's name forever.
DD february 2010 | DS october 2011
*please excuse my typos, bumping from my iphone*
To be honest, if it is a name that you like, and you don't have an alternative name that you just LOVE, I would leave it. Odds are after you chang it to another name that might seem more "appropriate" to you, you may have second thoughts about that name too and wish you had kept the first one! It seems easier (to my mind anyway) to just stick w one name. Unless the name is awful, or embarrassing obviously, sometimes it really does take a long time for the name to grow on you- and the fact that you're not even calling her by her name is just making the process take even longer.
Really, I think that we make far too big a deal out of names nowadays. It has to be pretty, AND unique, but significant, have a nice meaning, honor family....sheesh! It really doesn't have to be all that and a bag of chips. It just has to be a nice, respectable name that will age well with a person their whole lives.
So...stop stressing. It's just a name.
My grandmother was named after her mother (first and middle) and disliked her name. She went by Sis her whole life. Stories vary, from the fact that her older brother couldn't pronounce "Lillian" to just the fact that she hated her real name.
As far as the birth announcements go, that makes me think of people who go through a wedding, even they have deep doubts, because the caterer is already paid, you know?
40/112
This.
I am weird and I think it is bad luck to change a child's name.
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