My daughter [name]Evelyn[/name] is 14 now and keeps telling me she wants to change her name. She says that it is too girly ( she’s ‘more of a lime green kind of girl mom! duh! insert eye roll and ‘tsk’ noise’) for her not too girly but not too tomboy state. I always tell her that i believe [name]Evelyn[/name] [name]Skye[/name] is a beautiful name and i would be so sad if she changed it! What do you think? Is it wrong for me to not want my daughter to change my all time favorite baby girl name?
Does she go by any nn? I think [name]Eve[/name] could be a girly girl or tomboy. I think [name]Evelyn[/name] [name]Skye[/name] is beautiful. It is not wrong of you to not want her to change this name that you put a lot of thought into. I would tell her that she can change it when she is eighteen if she still does not like it, but at fourteen I would not make a major decision like that. My opinions changed all the time when I was that age. I was a tomboy too and wanted my name to be [name]Toni[/name] or [name]Sam[/name]. haha.I think when she gets older she will appreciate her name more and it’s classic beauty and be thankful that she was not given a trendy name like [name]Jayden[/name] or a unisex type name like [name]Madison[/name]. Hang in there momma.
14 years old is certainly the wrong time in life to change your name! 10 years from now she may love her name to pieces because it is classic and elegant and looks great on a resume and her mom did a really great job of naming her! Not to mention that whatever name she feels infatuated with at the moment may be repulsive to her in 6 months (6 weeks?). Maybe she could go by [name]Skye[/name] till she gets through this…it’s feminine but not frilly, offbeat, earthy and might help her feel ‘unique’. Hang in there…this too shall pass 
[name]Evelyn[/name] [name]Skye[/name] is a lovely name!
I remember wanting to change my name when I was her age. [name]Ashley[/name] was just so boring to me and I always irrationally hated [name]Marie[/name]. I always dreamed of all the other names I could have, and I think that’s one of the reasons I am into names so much. [name]How[/name] long has your daughter been talking about not loving her name? I talked about it for years, and I must have broken my mom’s heart because I know she still loves my name to this day. I ultimately decided that I wasn’t anything but an [name]Ashley[/name] [name]Marie[/name] and even though I like a lot of other names more, I wouldn’t change it. It’s who I am. Maybe your daughter needs some time to just play around with her own name, get comfortable with it. Classic and girly and lovely though it is, [name]Evelyn[/name] technically is a unisex name, so it sounds perfect for a tomboy to me! Especially with the mn [name]Skye[/name], which sounds very androgynous to me. Maybe she could go by [name]Skye[/name] for a while, see if it suits her more, or play around with some nicknames for [name]Evelyn[/name] ([name]Leni[/name], maybe, or even [name]Eve[/name]/[name]Evie[/name]/Ev…).
[name]Even[/name] though I always said I would change my name when I was old enough to do so (it never even entered my mind to ask my parents to do it for me), my parents never made it easy for me to do so. They always told me how much they loved my name and let it take its course. Maybe your daughter will grow to love her name, and maybe she won’t. Everyone goes through a stage of not liking their name at some point. Maybe this is that time for your daughter. Honestly, though, I would tell her that unless she is being teased mercilessly because of her name and her life is a living hell because of it, she’s going to have to live with that name until she can make a wise, informed, responsible decision–as an adult (maybe not quite in those words, but you get the picture). I didn’t know how I felt about it until I was at least 21–as some of the other pps have said, it’s impossible at the age of 14 to know how you’ll feel about anything a week from now much less a decade! So many things change in those crazy teen years. [name]Evelyn[/name] [name]Skye[/name] is a lovely name, and, in the long run, I think the name will suit her really well.
Good luck!
[name]Evelyn[/name] is far from girly, but if she doesn’t like it, then it’s her right to change it.
[name]One[/name] thing I don’t like about naming is that we never get the child’s input or preference, we just stamp a label on them for life, regardless of if they like it or not.
Of course most times/people love their names, and have no real qualms, but for others they do. Yes, it hurts that your daughter wants to change your all time favorite baby girl name, but she’s not a baby anymore, and it’s not your name. It’s not her favourite, it’s yours. If she’s really unhappy with it, then it’s best to let her find a name she likes.
At any rate, she’s only 14, and going through a phase. I don’t care what teenagers say, they all go through a phase in their early teens. I’m 18, and I would not suggest she change her name now. Legally she can’t anyways, at least were I live. You have to have parental consent.
She can try rearranging her name for nicknames, use her middle name, or a nickname from her middle name. Or even pick out a totally new name, and test run it. I know a girl who did that for grade 7, 8 and 9. [name]Every[/name] grade she had a new name, she’d go by, and now I think she’s using her birthname.
Her dislike of her name can just be a phase, or it can be a serious dislike. Eitherway, there’s zero harm in her finding a name she likes, and using it unofficially wherever she pleases. It’s her name, and she’s the one who has to spend her life with it.
The more adamant you are about not letting her do so, the higher the chances of her hating her name even more will be. [name]Trust[/name] me, I speak from experience.
I agree with pps try a funky new nicknames. [name]Even[/name] better let her come up with some nicknames.
Something like [name]Ever[/name] sounds like a ‘not girly’ teenage type name- but lets her keep her real name too. Maybe the ES initals could be something like Essi?
Give her time, she won’t be 14 that long.
emiliaj
[name]Evelyn[/name] [name]Skye[/name] is a beautiful name, and one combo that I have never heard before, so kudos to you Mum for choosing such a good combo!
I like the [name]Eve/name [name]Skye[/name] in her name too. My gdaughter is [name]Chloe[/name] [name]Skye[/name], someone nicknamed her once [name]Cloudy[/name] [name]Skye[/name], you can’t win can you?
She could go by [name]Skye[/name] if she goes to another school otherwise I think she will have to use [name]Evelyn[/name] or [name]Eve[/name], Ever or [name]Evie[/name] or whatever nn her friends give her and be happy.
rollo
When I was 14, I wanted to change my name too. My problems were that it was too girly, too long, and too hard for other people. I’m only 16, and I’m definitely over it. I wouldn’t change my name ever, so I wouldn’t let her do it just yet. However, you could help her find a nn that she thinks fits her. I started going by [name]Mo[/name], whic fixed all of my name problems. Maybe she can just be Ev, [name]Leni[/name], [name]Eve[/name], [name]Len[/name], or maybe even (as suggested above) [name]Ever[/name]. She’ll most likely get over it in a year or two, but I wouldn’t be too pushy about her loving it like you do. If my parents did that, I can guarantee that I’d still be on track for changing mine the second I turned 18
Her name is so adorable! and yeah, I agree, maybe she could go with [name]Skye[/name] (as nn) instead of [name]Evelyn[/name].
I agree with those who say that since she’s 14, it’s probably just a phase and if it isn’t she can change her name when she is 18 or older. I 2nd or 3rd the suggestion of [name]Ever[/name] as a possible nickname. Honestly, it seems silly to go through the legal hassle (with possible big regrets later) of a name change when with [name]Evelyn[/name], there are multiple nickname possibilities to choose from.
First of all, maybe point out that there have been male Evelyns? So it’s really not that girly.
When I was her age, I HATED my name and wanted to go by [name]Kat[/name] (my middle name is [name]Kathleen[/name]). My parents wisely pointed out to me that it would be a huge hassle, and very confusing, to do so in high school. They suggested waiting til college, when I could establish a whole new identity! By the time college rolled around, I was more comfortable with who I was, and couldn’t be bothered to introduce myself to everyone as [name]Kat[/name], and learn to answer to the “new” name. I think my issue (and maybe your daughter’s) was that I thought that I was way more of a “[name]Kat[/name]” or even “[name]Kate[/name]” than my given name. It seemed to fit me better. My given name is a girly name that was last popular in the 70s. I figured [name]Kat[/name] was more artsy and cool, [name]Kate[/name] was more dignified and preppy. As I matured, I realized that it doesn’t matter what my name is, I am who I am regardless. I’m not more or less me because my name doesn’t automatically conjure up an image of a bookish short brunette. I don’t know if she’ll get that right now since 14 is a tough age, but maybe try phrasing it that way? [name]Even[/name] if she is a lime green kind of girl, well, then she can make [name]Evelyn[/name] a lime green kind of name!
I agree with others that she is 14 and what she wants today is probably not what she will want as an adult. I’d let her shorten her first name any way she like, but not change it legally unless she is old enough to do it without your signing off on it. Good luck 
I too wanted to change my name at her age. [name]Elisabeth[/name] [name]Charlotte[/name] was so girly and formal and I was sick of [name]Libby[/name] as a nickname. I wanted [name]Charlie[/name]…my dad suggested I start going by E. [name]Charlotte[/name] and use [name]Charlie[/name] and if I wanted to change it later, I could. It was so hard to remember to correct people and then I got to college and people complimented me on [name]Elisabeth[/name], I forgot all about it.
We call her [name]Evie[/name] and Ev a lot and her younger siblings who can’t say [name]Evelyn[/name] call her Eenie ( [name]Hanson[/name], now 12, always called her this when he was little, trying to say [name]Evelyn[/name], and the name has kind of stuck). Haha thanks so much! I think it might be one of her ‘fine then, i’ll just change my name’ kind of things, but she’s held on to this for months now!
I agree with many of the other posters, she’s 14. If she still hates it in four years, then she can put some serious thought into a name change.
[name]Evelyn[/name] is hardly frilly, but she could try [name]Evie[/name], [name]Eve[/name], [name]Eva[/name], Vel, or [name]Essie[/name] (combining her E and S initials). I know an [name]Evelyn[/name] who has been [name]Lynn[/name] her whole adult life. She could also try out going by her middle name for awhile.
We call her [name]Evie[/name] and Ev a lot and her younger siblings who can’t say [name]Evelyn[/name] call her Eenie ( [name]Hanson[/name], now 12, always called her this when he was little, trying to say [name]Evelyn[/name], and the name has kind of stuck) so i’ve been telling her she doesn’t have to go with just [name]Evelyn[/name]. I think it might be one of her ‘fine then, i’ll just change my name’ kind of things, but she’s held on to this for months now! Thank you all so much for helping me out! Maybe i’ll make Ev read all of this and see that her name truly is precious!
When I was 12, I wanted to change the spelling of my name to the more common one.
When I was 14 I wanted my name to be [name]Gianna[/name]. [name]Just[/name] liked it. I told my parents I would change it one day.
Now I’m 24. I realize that I look scandinavian and the name [name]Gianna[/name] would be kind of ridiculous. Also I don’t really like it anymore, at least not where I live.
I started to love the spelling of my names in my teen years. It’s not too unique, but still I’m the only one in my city.
I think my name is too girly and I wished there were some nickname options or I had a middle name. But even then, this is my name, this is me, my parents thought a lot about it and I like it so much better than all my friend’s names. Wouldn’t ever change it!
So… she’s 14, wait some years. You did a good job with her name.
Also she is so lucky cause there are so many great tomboyish nickname options ([name]Skye[/name], [name]Ever[/name]).
I’m 100% sure it’s just a phase she’ll grow out of. I know a lot of people who wanted to change their names around that age… it’s the whole adolescent thing haha. [name]Evelyn[/name] is a girly name, yes, but her feelings about it will change. [name]How[/name] about a nickname like [name]Evie[/name]? [name]One[/name] of my friends is named [name]Evangeline[/name], which she finds to be way too long and girly, and she goes 100% by [name]Evie[/name], which suits her very well.