I felt pressured to pick a name for our perfect new baby in the hospital. I feel incredibly embarrassed and dumb for not understanding that I could have thought about it longer, but it is what it is. So, I decided on [name]Alice[/name] [name]Jane[/name]. I like the meaning of the names, I like the flow. Since we’ve been home, the name hasn’t felt right. I keep thinking about how I should have used the family name [name]Mary[/name] instead. My other children really want to call the baby [name]Allie[/name] though, so the [name]Alice[/name] has to stay. I can’t really change her birth certificate–I can only ammend it, so she will always have [name]Alice[/name] as a part of her. So, I have been debating over and over whether I should change her name to include the [name]Mary[/name] so I can call her [name]Mary[/name]? I have lot of positive associations with the name Mary. Or, should I just keep it as [name]Alice[/name] [name]Jane[/name] and call her [name]Allie[/name]/[name]Alice[/name] [name]Jane[/name]/[name]Janie[/name] and just get over it. I love this sweet baby very much and I worry she would be mad at me for being a lunatic about her name. I have had a hard time with post-partum this time around, but am not feeling so anxious now, so I need to make a decision and move on. It’s really expensive to ammend a birth certificate in the state where I live and I’m a little nervous to do it…I’m not sure why. Anyhow, I just want to put this behind me eventually. I think the name I give this little girl is really important–it’s going to be a part of her for her whole life.
Anyhow, does anyone have any advice? I am hoping this is a safe place to post where people will be kind.
I love [name]Alice[/name] [name]Jane[/name]! I am sorry you are having a hard time with her name. I actually prefer [name]Alice[/name] [name]Jane[/name] to [name]Alice[/name] [name]Mary[/name] - the flow is nicer.
[name]How[/name] about giving your sweet little girl a nn that only you can call her, such as [name]Allie[/name] [name]Jane[/name]? I like [name]Janie[/name] a lot, also.
First of all congratulations on your little [name]Alice[/name]! [name]Alice[/name] [name]Jane[/name] is lovely, two solid classic names, but [name]Mary[/name] has those qualities as well. There is something about the flow of [name]Alice[/name] [name]Mary[/name] that is so pretty and sweet. I guess what’s important is which name you like more and which one by comparison you would be ok with letting go. You can give it some time, I assume, I don’t know if there are time limits on amending birth certificates, just follow your intuition and go with your gut. I hope this helped a little. Also, I don’t think changing your mind will make your daughter think your a “lunatic”, but instead how much you cared about something so important that you bestowed upon her that will be with her the rest of her life. Best wishes to you and your family!
[name]Alice[/name] and [name]Mary[/name] are two of my favorite names! I love all these different combinations. [name]Alice[/name] [name]Jane[/name] is lovely and I would leave it. If you want [name]Mary[/name], then [name]Mary[/name] [name]Alice[/name] is gorgeous as well.
[name]Alice[/name] [name]Jane[/name] is a beautiful name! [name]Mary[/name] [name]Alice[/name] reads senior citizen to me. [name]Allie[/name] or [name]Allie[/name] [name]Jane[/name] work well as nicknames. I personally would leave it, but if it is really bothering you, then just do it! Maybe try out calling here [name]Alice[/name] [name]Mary[/name] or [name]Mary[/name] [name]Alice[/name] for a week and see how it feels.
I’d keep it! I think you have picked a great name and don’t need to criticize yourself for not doing it differently. I personally think J. is a great middle initial. My dad and husband both use their middle initial in formal settings so I always think about how the middle initial will work and J. is almost always awesome. [name]Alice[/name] J. Smithson. For me there is a bit of a slur with [name]Alice[/name] M. Smithson and I prefer [name]Alice[/name] J. Not a deal breaker of course but since you already have named her [name]Alice[/name] J. I’d say keep it.
I love them both. I think you and I have similar taste. I have one daughter named [name]Alice[/name], one named [name]Mary[/name] ("[name]Molly[/name]") and one named [name]Jane[/name]. I think [name]Alice[/name] [name]Jane[/name] is a very sweet combination and I like that you can use both her first and middle named like a double-barreled first name. They sound nice when said out loud together and [name]Janie[/name] gives you an additional nickname that you can use. I think [name]Alice[/name] [name]Jane[/name] has a slightly better flow than [name]Alice[/name] [name]Mary[/name], but if [name]Mary[/name] has a special meaning to you then now would be a good time to change her middle name. But I think both combinations are lovely so you really can’t go wrong with either of them.
Thank you for all your feedback on my troubles regarding staying with [name]Alice[/name] [name]Jane[/name] or changing to [name]Mary[/name] [name]Alice[/name]/[name]Alice[/name] [name]Mary[/name]. I appreciate your thoughtful words. I wonder if [name]Mary[/name] [name]Alice[/name] [name]Jane[/name] would work? My sister loves the idea of [name]Mary[/name] [name]Alice[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name] which I also think is pretty, but maybe a little bit long.
All in all, I am leaning toward [name]Mary[/name] [name]Alice[/name] so I can have my [name]Mary[/name] and the kids can have their [name]Alice[/name]. I wonder if [name]Mary[/name] [name]Alice[/name] is a little too “southern” sounding (we live on the west coast) but I would just use one name and nothing double-barrelled.
If I kept [name]Alice[/name] [name]Jane[/name], I would try to use that name together because I like it better that way for some reason.
Anyhow, thanks for all your nice thoughts. If anyone else has any opinions, I’d love to hear them.
Oh I can so relate to you! Such a tough feeling to be so in love with that sweet baby & so confused on her name!
Here’s my 2 cents;)
I just read your last reply so… I think whether you stick with [name]Alice[/name] [name]Jane[/name] or change it-you have such beautiful options you really can’t go wrong!!
[name]Alice[/name] [name]Mary[/name] [name]Jane[/name] or [name]Mary[/name] [name]Alice[/name] would be so perfect & I don’t think of [name]Mary[/name] [name]Alice[/name] or [name]Alice[/name] [name]Mary[/name] as “southern” sounding, but more old-fashioned vintage (in a great way!)
Best of luck to you!!!
[name]Alice[/name] [name]Jane[/name] is perfect! I much prefer [name]Alice[/name] as a first name as opposed to [name]Mary[/name]. If anything, I would add [name]Mary[/name] to the middle, [name]Alice[/name] [name]Mary[/name] [name]Jane[/name].
I think [name]Alice[/name] [name]Jane[/name] is beautiful, but so is [name]Mary[/name] [name]Alice[/name]/[name]Alice[/name] [name]Mary[/name]. I think [name]Mary[/name] [name]Alice[/name] flows the best and would allow her to go by [name]Alice[/name] or [name]Mary[/name]. It doesn’t seem southern to me, there are tons of [name]Mary[/name] combos, [name]Mary[/name] [name]Katherine[/name], [name]Mary[/name] [name]Helen[/name], [name]Mary[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name], [name]Mary[/name] [name]Claire[/name], etc. [name]Mary[/name] [name]Sue[/name] or [name]Mary[/name] [name]Jo[/name] might seem southern, but [name]Mary[/name] [name]Alice[/name] seems more classic and elegant to me, and could easily be from any location.
So my vote goes to [name]Mary[/name] [name]Alice[/name], but all of your choices are lovely.
I have had a hard time with post-partum this time around, but am not feeling so anxious now, so I need to make a decision and move on. 
Beautiful name x