Is it okay to change your baby’s name?
By Livia Gamble
Choosing a baby name comes with certain pressures. What if your family doesn’t like it? What will your friends think? Or worse – what if you change your mind?
The truth is: baby name regret does happen. And according to Nameberry, it affects 10-20% of new parents.
In fact, a quick search through parenting forums reveals lots of confused mums asking for advice about their baby name choice.
“I can’t get used to it”
Taking to Mumsnet, one mum shared her feelings about her seven-month-old baby’s name.
“My second daughter was born almost seven months ago. My husband and I have very different tastes in names, and as a result, we ended up agreeing to a name we both liked, rather than loved … we vetoed all of each other’s first choices,” she writes.
“He is now happy with her name (I think!), but I can’t get used to it. I find myself referring to her as ‘the baby’ a lot, to avoid saying her name, which I know is ridiculous. Has anyone else felt this way? What can I do?”
While we feel for this mum, the good news (for other parents who are worried about baby name regret), is that it’s totally okay to change your baby’s name.
But for those who haven’t settled on a name yet, you don’t have to rush into making a decision (sort of).
How long do you have to name your baby?
It’s natural for parents to feel like they have to settle on a name straight away. But after narrowing down your list, it’s very possible that your baby doesn’t quite look like a ‘Frank’ once he’s here.
By law, you have 60 days to decide on a name in NSW, VIC and QLD. If you have any niggles about your chosen moniker, don’t ignore them. The way we see it, you have two choices: ignore your gut instinct and name your baby Frank* while considering changing it later, OR just take your time to find a name you love.
How to legally change your baby’s name
If, after a few months, you fall in the category of regretting your baby’s name, it’s okay to change it.
Although each state has its own requirements, in Queensland, you can change your baby’s first name once before their first birthday if they were born in the sunny state. The same goes in Western Australia.
There’s no mention of changing a name before their first birthday in NSW, but parents can apply to change their child’s name (under 18) through Births Deaths & Marriages. However, you can only make a change once in 12 months, and three times in a lifetime.
As for Victoria, parents can change their baby’s name if they are under 18 years of age, and born in Victoria.
If that doesn’t ease some of the stress that comes with naming your child, remember there are no rules when it comes to choosing the ‘perfect’ baby name. And maybe there’s no such thing!
*No offence intended towards the name Frank. We love it!
Have an opinion about the pregnancy or baby products you’ve tried? Earn rewards by reviewing baby products from home – you’ll earn points that can be exchanged for vouchers at Coles, Target and Kmart! Sign up here to start earning.
Read more:
