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Most popular baby names of the 2010s
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Parents: Baby name regret may be more common than you think.
A new report reveals that nearly 1 in 10 moms said they wish they had chosen a different name for their child.
BabyCenter surveyed nearly 500 parents between July and August and found out that about 9% of moms said they experienced "name regret," and 6% of moms said they went as far as legally changing their child’s name after birth.
"I tried calling him MJ for several months after he was born. It just doesn't fit him," a BabyCenter community member told the pregnancy and parenting company.
(File / Imgorthand / Getty Images)
BabyCenter said that picking a baby name is one of the biggest and earliest decisions that a parent can make for their baby.
"The possibilities are endless, and it's hard to know whether a name fits before your baby even arrives," the company wrote.
Reasons why moms regret their baby’s name
There are several reasons why mothers said they regretted their decision on a baby name.
The survey found that 20% of moms preferred their child’s nickname to their legal name, whether it was a shorter version of their legal name or a different name altogether. Meanwhile, 15% of moms said they preferred their child’s middle name to their first name.
In addition, 15% of moms said they had people critique or mock their child’s name, and 10% said the name didn’t suit their child’s real life attitude and mannerisms.
One mom told BabyCenter, "I named my son Kyan (rhymes with Ryan), but every time I introduce him, most people say, 'Like cayenne pepper?'"
Baby name regret: What to do
BabyCenter said if a parent is pregnant and nervous about choosing their baby's name, they should know that the risk for name regret usually subsides over time.
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The company said that if a mom likes their baby's name at their first birthday, they are probably in the clear: 15% of moms said they experienced some name regret in the first month, and 21% reported feeling that way at some point during the first year.
Yet, only 6% of moms said they felt any regret after the first year of the baby’s life.
How to change baby’s name
If a parent is planning on changing their baby’s name legally, BabyCenter said they should try and do it sooner rather than later.
The name-changing process varies from state to state, but in most cases it will require a filing with your local court and submitting forms to agencies like the Social Security Administration that supply and track your child's documentation. This is often easier (and potentially cheaper) if the changes are made shortly after giving birth.
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In addition, BabyCenter said that babies start to learn their names when they are about 6 or 7 months old.
But, BabyCenter noted that name regret isn't anything to be ashamed of. Many BabyCenter moms noted that giving their child a nickname – or even legally changing their name – helped them feel more connected to their little one.
Name regret also isn't always permanent. As one BabyCenter mom explained, "I have felt [name regret] for each of my three children, but eventually I [began to] feel like their name suits them, and I'm back to enjoying it."