changing baby's first name officially at eight weeks. advice needed.

[flavourflave]

Have decided to change dd's first name. As she has already been registered old name will always be on birth cert so she will know when she's older.

Those who have had their own named changed, or changed their baby's name or know someone who's been in this situation, could you please tell me what reaction was of person who's had name changed. Resentment or is it a funny story.

Also has there been any problems with official docs, applying for passports etc?

Thanks

[dreamingofwineandcheese]

I think I read on a thread last week that you can actually get the birth certificate changed but I don't remember the details, sorry!

I think it would be better to get it changed officially as then it will cause less issues with passports etc later on.

[flavourflave]

I will get it changed officially just wondered if anyone has done it and what their kids thought about it as adults. Did they prefer original name, find it funny?

[funnyoldonion]

I changed my DD2 at 4 months but she's only 5 months now so who knows. I've a sneaky feeling she'll always prefer the opposite name to the one I went with!

Someone did mention in a thread that they knew someone who resented the fact that their parents omitted the original name completely as they felt that they'd had a part of their identity taken away. Incidentally I left my daughters name exactly how it was but added a new name in front.

What are you changing to and from?

[flavourflave]

Don't want to out myself but name is like Cara in that it can be easily confused with Clara, Lara, Carla. I'm changing name to another variation of same name, just easier to prn.

[flavourflave]

Bump

[funnyoldonion]

From the research I did on the matter it seems it's just a funny family story, don't get hung up on the guilt, she's a baby she won't even know any different by the time she's learns of it and shell probably thank you for not having to spell or pronounce her name ten times a day x go for it x

[flavourflave]

Thanks onion!

[flavourflave]

Onion have you changed baby's name too?

[funnyoldonion]

Yes I changed her name last month x

[flavourflave]

Onion have you changed baby's name too?

[flavourflave]

Thanks onion!

[nikki1391]

I changed my daughters name on birth certificate at 11 months...I didn't actually change her name as such, I shortened it as I dropped 2 middle names as I felt it was too long. (She was given 3 middle names thanks to her father)

I haven't had any problems...I contacted child benefit and child tax credits via telephone who made the change on their system quickly and simply

I also just sent off for her new passport, her first passport is in her original name as we had to get a passport done in an emergency before we made the name change. The post office just made a note on the application of the change and I enclosed the birth certificate with it, I also contacted the passport office beforehand who said it should be no problem

[nikki1391]

I also wouldn't change a babys name so soon, give it a few more months and see how you feel...you have upto 12 months after the registration date to decide what to do

I regretted my daughters first name for months and months, when she was a year old I asked her dad if we should change it (he also wasn't too keen on the name) but he said no. my daughter is now 3 years old and Im glad I didn't change it. Shes definitely grown into her name and it suits her really well

[flavourflave]

Nikki I still like original name. New name similar just easier to pronounce that's all. If people didn't keep getting original name wring I would have kept it...

[nikki1391]

People kept getting my daughters name wrong aswell, still do actually. Her name is Alyssa (a-liss-ah)...its a very common girls name in America (every year for the past few years it's been in the top 50 names) but no so common over here. We struggled to pick a name during the pregnancy and I pretty much picked it on the way to the registry office when she was 4 weeks. Everyone pronounced it wrong and called her Aleesha. I quickly regretted the name choice. But then we started calling her Allie as a nickname and it suited her a lot, then after a few months her name didn't bother me at all and as she grew older the name suited her more and more. When she was 11 months I asked her dad if we should change it to Ava and he said no and I'm happy I didn't change it. I grew up with a name that people always got wrong (nikki isn't my real name lol its a shortened version of my middle name) it bothered me when I was younger but now I don't care and I would never dream of changing it..these days people tend to say it right anyway. If you're sure you want to change it then 100% go for it

[Linguaphile]

I named dd in a panic on the c-section operating table, and although I did have name regret for a few months, it seems to be suiting her more and more as she gets older. I'd say to wait a bit and see--as your original choice isn't that far off, maybe you can pass off the new name as a nickname for the moment. I think it's easy to second-guess the decision you made as you're still getting to know your baby, but often kids do grow into their names!