New parents have a long list of things to do before their little bundle of joy arrives and one of the most important tasks is deciding on a name. Coming up with a name for the baby can feel impossible, because even though the possibilities are endless, finding one both you and your partner agree on can take a lot of negotiation. It’s also hard to know if the name fits your baby before they’re even born, and new research reveals some parents aren’t happy with the decision they made.
Baby Center talked to 478 parents who have kids under five or are currently pregnant and found baby name regret is more common than you might think.
- Nearly one in 10 moms (9%) admit they’ve felt regret over the name they gave their child.
- Another 20% now prefer their child’s nickname to their legal name and about 15% prefer their child’s middle name to their first name.
- Some of the name regret comes from the way others react to the name, as 15% of moms have had people tease or mock their kid’s name.
- 11% of moms who chose a culturally-specific name for their child decided to call them an English nickname instead.
- While some parents prefer to wait until they meet their baby to decide on a name, others choose the name before the baby is born. And 10% of those who wait admit their child’s name doesn’t really suit their personality.
- Baby name regret changes over time, with 21% of moms feeling regret in the first year and 15% disliking the name within the first month.
- But only 6% say they have doubts about their child’s name after one year.
- Some parents can’t get over the feeling that they gave their child the wrong name and 6% have legally changed it after the baby was born.
Source: Baby Center