How to Change a Baby’s Name
[read part 1 of our baby-naming saga here]
I became a bit of a name nerd this pregnancy.
After we decided on Tabitha for our little girl, I was happy with it… for a few weeks. We’d made the decision so quickly that I hadn’t even considered other girls’ names. Somewhere along the way, I discovered the baby naming site Nameberry – a delicious and addicting smorgasbord of names – and I loved reading “the world’s leading experts’” opinions.
The only problem was my discovering how many options there are. Through exploring Nameberry and other sites, I began narrowing down my naming taste – two kids later! – and I stumbled on an obscure but classic girl’s name that I fell in love with.
“I’ll use it someday if God gives us another girl,” I thought. Meanwhile, while falling more in love with this particular name, I was growing more disenchanted with Tabitha by the day. Many reactions I got mentioned Bewitched, and I was already hearing her called “Tabs.”
I googled opinions and found cats and witches mentioned more times than I would’ve thought. I still think Tabitha is a lovely name, but I was having trouble getting over all these associations and nicknames.
A.J. knew I had had second thoughts, but finally, several weeks after our gender ultrasound, I told him I just couldn’t do Tabitha. I knew I was going to regret it if I stayed with a name I didn’t love.
He was disappointed but very gracious… and we had to start the naming process all over again. I just couldn’t talk him into the name that I absolutely loved. I was disappointed too, but it’s important that we both love the name we choose.
I started making a list of choices and running them past A.J. Eliza was on the list – so were Elsa, Violet, Nora, and some others I can’t remember. Usually it was an immediate no or a maybe.
Eliza was one of the only names we both really liked. I could check off various factors – the meaning (“consecrated to God”), the style (classic and old-fashioned but recognizable), the associations (Audrey Hepburn and Uncle Tom’s Cabin are much better than Bewitched), and the fact that it doesn’t beg to be nicknamed.
We both kept saying, “I really like Eliza,” and eventually decided that was our choice. We even found historical inspiration – apparently, Charles Spurgeon’s mother was named Eliza, and she was an amazing woman.
I’m still finding names fascinating, and I love hearing how other people choose a name. Although it was a bit awkward to change our baby-in-utero’s name after the fact, I’m glad I was up front with my discomfort with our original choice. I still feel content with our second choice, and I’m looking forward to getting to name another baby someday – and taking the whole process very slowly!
I know some people wait to make the final decision until they see their baby, and I can definitely see the benefits of that. I also know people who don’t tell anyone else their choice until the baby is born. Again, beneficial for a number of reasons. Unfortunately, I just wasn’t that discreet – maybe I’ll be wiser next time!
My son’s name was on my longer list of names I liked (but not my “love it” list)…however, the name has special meaning to his father so we went with it. My one reservation was that I had had a friend in high school with the same name, and I worried I would think of him whenever I looked at my little boy! However, once I saw his face, used his name, he started to own it. I think that maybe I could have named him just about anything and he would have made is special. 
Your little girl will make whatever you name her special!
Better to change now, then to regret it later! And l like it better too, for what it’s worth. I always hold onto the names loosely, myself, to make sure the baby “looks” like their name to me. Might be weird, but I think of certain names with certain hair colors, etc. so that matters a bit to me.
Like the new name!
I LOVE the name Eliza – she’s going to be a special little girl! Even though we kind of have names narrowed down for the next kiddo (yes, ALREADY, ha!), I think I’m probably going to go with the have-several-options-and-don’t-tell-anyone-until-after-they’re-born approach. It just worked out well last time.
i love her new name and the old. It’s amazing how a name can be ruined by its association. Like witches. Ick.
You picked a beautiful name! Once a name is associated with something its hard to get over it.
We never told names only because we could never decide (ya…hubby was reading off names in between contractions with the first….) I’m thinking there’s something nice about knowing before baby is born:)
[...] I shared the story of naming Eliza, I mentioned that I became a bit of a name nerd while I was pregnant with her. I have a few [...]
I think you’ll be so glad you changed it now, rather than later. I love thinking about the meaning behind the names we give our children. There’s something special about the naming of a child, more-so than just liking the name or thinking it’s “cool”.
We like to keep the name secret (for the most part) because to me there’s nothing like anticipating the birth of new life, and their name is such a christening into the world. Keeping the name quiet is like holding on to a secret before it’s shared and can never be taken back. Maybe I just subconsciously feel all sappy because my baby is going to be ONE next month.
I also love that you’re thinking about next time already.