You spent nine long months reading books, writing lists and vetoing crazy suggestions before you finally settled on your baby’s name. The name you chose is one you and your partner loved. It is a name you hope will carry your child through to adulthood with strength, dignity and confidence. It’s not easy choosing a name for your child, in fact, it can be a really difficult decision to make.
So, when you’ve finally found a name you both know and love, you’re excited to share it with the world. You may have already shortened your baby’s name yourself or created a cute nickname you can call the baby. But what if somebody else has coined one you don’t like? After you’ve spent so long finding the perfect name, it can be pretty crushing to hear people choosing to use a nickname instead, especially if it’s one you don’t like.
What to do if you don’t like your baby’s nickname
Sadly, there might not be much you can do about it. Parents are rarely given control over their child’s nickname. However, if the name is really bothering you, there are a couple of things you can do about it:
- Be honest – if it’s really bothering you, tell the person who keeps using the nickname. Yeah, you might sound a little bit precious or protective, but so what? You’re a new mum, you can pull off precious and protective. This is the baby you spent nine months growing, of course, it deserves the perfect name. Be polite and explain the reasons why you don’t love the nickname. There’s not guarantee that they’ll listen, but it’s worth a shot.
- Don’t let it take off – if you hate a nickname, don’t start using it. Even if one person is insisting on using the nickname, you can ask other friends and family members not to. It’s not perfect, but at least it will keep your upset to a minimum. You can continue to use the beautiful name that you carefully chose for your baby and ask others to do the same.
- Accept it – ok, this one won’t help you win the battle, but it might give you an easier life. If one friend or family member is insistent on using a nickname you don’t love, it might be easier to just accept it and move on. It can be their special thing. It doesn’t mean your child’s name is changing, just that this one person will call the baby something else.
Have you encountered this problem and, if so, how did you deal with it?
Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.
This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.
