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Should I change my 1 year olds name?

Casey - posted on 11/12/2012 ( 9 moms have responded )

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I have a 1 year old named Liam. I have never liked the name. I didn't want to name him that, and specifically told my husband while pregnant and in the hospital I did not want to name him Liam. I cringe when I hear it or say it. My husband and I have fought nearly to the point of divorce over the idea of changing his name. Now he is one and my husband has told me to 'just change it', but now I feel as if it may be too late. I don't want my older kid to make fun of him when he is older saying that Mommy hated you so much she had to change your name, but I also do not want to cringe when I say or hear my child's name. What should I do?

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Lacye - posted on 11/12/2012

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Personally, I wouldn't have named my child a name I didn't like to begin with. With my son (I'm 7 months pregnant right now), I told hubby that he could chose the middle name and I got to chose the first name. So I chose Bowen and hubby chose Jack. I loved it. Bowen Jack just sounded awesome to me. On the other hand, when our daughter was born (she's 3 now), he didn't want to help name her at all (because he was being an ass) but he didn't like her name at all and wanted to change it. I told him that he didn't want to help me pick out a name so I did and that is how my girl became Lily.



It really is a little late to do something about it now. If you didn't like it, you and your husband really should have just picked out another name to begin with instead of just giving in to a name you dislike. It's not fair to either of you.

Casey - posted on 11/12/2012

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I have spoken with an attorney about changing his name. I am just gun shy to pull the trigger. The paperwork is being prepared, and we will pay for it either way. I am just unsure if it is the right thing to do. I do not want my husband to resent the name and me as much as I have resented him. I feel that no matter which way I turn it will be the wrong decision. I know that I should just make a decision and stick with it. I just do not want to make the wrong decision.

Casey - posted on 11/12/2012

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I just say No, no. Then I either pick him up or take away the thing he is not supposed to be touching. It's not like he is unloved or uncared for. He is a thriving happy beautiful baby boy. He just doesn't know his name.

Becky - posted on 11/12/2012

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Maybe you could go see a counselor or an attorney? I think it might be best to stick with the name he already has. . . it is expensive and sounds like it might be more of a hassle than it is worth since so many in your family disagree. Can you learn to look past the fact that the name you wanted is not his name? Could you get them to agree to change his middle name to Theodore or Thaddeus or whatever? Could you just call him Teddy and keep his name Liam? I call one of my boys Spider more than I use his real name and I love his name (Rider). He could just be mommy's Teddy Liam. . . ?

Amy - posted on 11/12/2012

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I actually love the name Liam so I wouldn't change it but then again if I didn't really like a name I would of never named my child that. I do think you need to make a decision and be done with it, at this point he should know his name. When he's doing something wrong what do you say to him? I'm just wondering.

Casey - posted on 11/12/2012

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Honestly I don't even know at this point. Everyone hated my top pick so much that I ended up letting this situation happen. I loved Theodore, but everyone kept saying they hated it and it made them think of the chipmunks. So then I thought maybe Thaddeus (I love the nickname Teddy) Others I have considered include Keith or Mitchell after a favorite uncle.



But I feel like it may be too late to try to give him a new name. And I haven't called him anything but the baby so all names sound foreign for him.



I also fear what the extended family that we do not see on a regular basis will say and do. And I want to talk to people about this, but I do not want people to think I am psychotic. And I can't talk to my husband or mom about it without a fight.

Becky - posted on 11/12/2012

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How sad that he is just "the baby" and doesn't know his name at a year old : ( What would you like to change it to? Do you have something picked out that is more fitting for him?

Casey - posted on 11/12/2012

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My husband told me this is it. Get over it. And no. He does not know his name. He never hears it. People only refer to him as the baby, because they all know how much I hate the name. We tried his middle name for about 2 months but nobody called him that either. And my older child is 7. He also knows how I feel about the name and tells me we should just rename him Sonic after the hedgehog.

Becky - posted on 11/12/2012

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You should have made this decision before you named him. You had to sign the birth certificate correct? . Give him a nickname that you do like- and call him that (I would imagine you already have one). He is a year old and I assume knows his name. . . are you going to expect him to understand that you are talking to him if you suddenly start calling him something else? And how old is your other child? Is your other child going to understand when you tell him to call his brother something else?

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