[name]Hi[/name]! I’m due in 4 weeks and is it normal to start having 2nd thoughts on names??? My husband and I both love [name]Claire[/name] and have commented to a lot of family members that this is what we’re leaning towards. Which everyone really likes… so don’t really have any reason to doubt. But when I say ‘[name]Claire[/name]’ or else hear my relatives whom are now referring to my baby as [name]Claire[/name], there are some days that I have a hard time picturing my child with that name??? Maybe b/c it’s hard to put an identity to a child when she’s still in the womb! [name]Haven[/name]'t really ever known that many [name]Claire[/name]'s in my life (only one… she’s 5 and in my [name]Sunday[/name] school class) so really don’t know what image pops to mind when the name [name]Claire[/name] is said… Nonetheless, is it normal to have ‘cold feet’ with a name as due date approaches? Made a list of runner ups, but really confused!!! Any advice for me? Thanks! I have two boys - [name]James[/name] & [name]Noah[/name] - who are so excited to meet their little sister soon!!!
I think it is normal to have cold feet about your name choice…especially since you have not yet met your little girl.
Maybe have a few choices and see what fits her when she’s here
[name]Claire[/name] is a beautiful name but personally not my favourite.
I think these go better with [name]James[/name] and [name]Noah[/name] (in this order):
This is an interesting question. I don’t know what cold feet means for you - could just be sympomatic of the approaching life change or could mean that you really don’t think this is the right name. What was your experience with your other children? When I was pregnant, I picked my daughter’s name fairly early on (right after the doctors confirmed that she was a girl) and from then on, that name was her identity. I told everyone her name, and that’s what everyone called her, and I couldn’t have imagined changing it after that point (it would have been, to me, as unimaginable as changing the name after she was born). [name]Even[/name] as someone who loves names, I never so much as considered another name for her once I had decided. So, to me, the kind of doubt you describe suggests you haven’t bonded with [name]Claire[/name] as her name yet, and makes me think maybe the name is not right for you and that is what is preventing the bonding.
[name]Claire[/name] is a great name, as are the others on your list. You really can’t go wrong here, but you should definitely end up with a name that feels undoubtedly as though it is your child’s name. If [name]Claire[/name] is not it, then it might be wise to move on sooner rather than later.
[name]Claire[/name] is very pretty. I also love [name]Clara[/name], and it is fun to say.
My favorite of all your name ideas is [name]Lucy[/name]. I love [name]Lucy[/name]!
No matter what you name your baby, it always seems a bit odd at first. But if the name is a good choice, the baby grows into it after a while. In the meantime there are always nicknames. We called our son [name]Baba[/name] and our daughter [name]Yitty[/name] when they were very tiny.
Thank you so much for your thoughts! My experience with [name]James[/name] and [name]Noah[/name] was that we were very private with the revealing of those names. Didn’t tell ANYONE until after both of their births. [name]Even[/name] though we didn’t change either of their names at birth, I felt the freedom to do so since everyone close to me had no clue on the name… guess it just felt very private btw my husband and I. This time around, maybe b/c my sister just had a baby girl a few weeks ago and announced the name to everyone at 20 wks pregnant, we felt more inclined to share our top name early. [name]Hence[/name] completely different experience in that I feel like her naming identity is now permanent. i.e. if we chose something else now… feel like we’ll have some friends and family who will still see her as [name]Claire[/name] or else may feel like the choice we made wasn’t as good as [name]Claire[/name]. All of my family and relatives just [name]LOVE[/name] love love [name]Claire[/name]… and most days I do, too. But there just isn’t any name that I absolutely have no doubts on, and I’m completely exhausted with name searching. Have looked and looked and looked and read and posted and looked more and have printed every name from A to Z and looked over and over the list… So that’s where I’m at.
[name]Claire[/name] is pretty, as are many of the names on your list. I especially love [name]Susan[/name]'s suggestion of [name]Clara[/name], which is so lovely.
I think you should wait to see what the baby girl strikes you as once she is born. She may look to you exactly like a “[name]Claire[/name]” or maybe something totally different, but it will probably be easier to name her once she’s actually there and… real. And as to your family loving the name [name]Claire[/name], that’s great! But your other choices are just as, if not more, pretty as [name]Claire[/name] and I’m sure they’ll love (or learn to love) whatever you name your daughter. Good luck!
With my first, I told everyone I was going to name her [name]Emma[/name]- and was met with replies of ‘oh, it’s SOOOO popular!’ I still loved the name regardless, but had serious doubts after hearing everyone’s reaction- and didn’t have any other names, because she’d always been [name]Emma[/name]! The first time I saw her and looked into her eyes, she was an [name]Emma[/name], my [name]Emma[/name] :). No other name fits her, in my eyes. I’ve not a regret since! So I do understand wavering on the name, but when you see your baby, you’ll know!
I do love [name]Claire[/name], though. [name]Lucy[/name] and [name]Olivia[/name] sounds great too with your other names. Good luck!!
It’s so much better to be having these second thoughts now instead of on the way home from the hospital!
From your list, [name]Claire[/name] is one of my all-time favorites. I also very much like the following names from your list: [name]Ivy[/name], [name]Cora[/name], [name]Juliette[/name], and [name]Grace[/name].
What middle name did you choose? Are you comfortable with the middle name and flow with your last name?
Because our first two kids have Hebrew names (coincidence… we just happened to like the names), it wasn’t a criteria for the 3rd baby’s name to be Hebrew/Biblical, but we did like the idea of at least tying in a biblical mn. For [name]Claire[/name], we liked [name]Claire[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name]. Last name is 3 syllables and begins with ‘A’, so a shorter first name seemed to work well with a longer last name… We’re not set on [name]Elizabeth[/name], though… only if the first name was [name]Claire[/name]. Otherwise, we’d be open to other mn’s.
This is happening to me as well! I’m due in 6 weeks, and the name my husband and I agreed on, [name]Elinor[/name] [name]Cait[/name], is suddenly sounding so worn out and I too, have a hard time picturing my daughter as an [name]Elinor[/name] or [name]Ellie[/name]. I think [name]Claire[/name] is a great name, but if you cannot absolutely adore it, then I wouldn’t chose it. All of your other names are gorgeous, especially [name]Amelia[/name], [name]Juliette[/name], and [name]Evelyn[/name]. What I advise is that you try some other names that are completely not on your list at all, and see if you like them. This is what I did, and now I’m really considering [name]Matilda[/name] [name]Ruby[/name], a name/combination that was never, ever on any of the lists.
[name]Claire[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name] A------- sounds VERY pretty! However, the important thing is that YOU love it.
With a 3-syllable last name, a shorter first name (like [name]Claire[/name]) may sound best. Other ideas from your list include:
[name]Ivy[/name] [name]Claire[/name] A---------
[name]Cora[/name] [name]Grace[/name] A--------- (However, depending on the A sound in the last name, the a in [name]Cora[/name] and A in the surname MIGHT blend together.)
If you have specific ideas or new combos that you are leaning towards, feel free to post them. I’m sure you will get helpful feedback!
I think [name]Claire[/name] is a wonderful name! And I think it’s perfectly normal to have “cold feet” about naming your child. It’s a huge decision! My husband and I went through a million names before agreeing on [name]Josephine[/name] for our daughter, and we decided not to tell anyone. It didn’t really “feel” like her name, though. Really, no name felt like it was hers, you know, because I hadn’t met her yet. [name]Even[/name] after she was born, it took a while for it to start to feel like she was really a [name]Josephine[/name]. Now, 3 years later, it’s absolutely her to a T, and I can’t imagine her with any other name! I think babies will generally grow into whatever name you give them, especially if it’s a pretty, classic one like [name]Claire[/name]. My guess is that since you’ve already told people the name (which you didn’t with the first two), the “cold feet” you’re feeling is just normal fear of commitment. If you still love the name, and nothing else is leaping out at you, personally I’d stick with it. [name]Claire[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name] is lovely! Good luck!
[name]Hi[/name] C028448, I agree with Jlm on this. My own daughter’s name was hers before she was born-- like her name let me know she was on the way, and each time I thought of her name, the idea of my little girl would come to mind and vice versa. The feeling is strong enough that to wipe out one would be to wipe out the other.
I know that you’ve told your friends and family that your baby’s name is [name]Claire[/name]. I would advise that you keep a list of all the names you absolutely love and when she is born, see which clicks. You will know in your heart when you have the right name for her. You can always keep [name]Claire[/name] as a middle name or first name for that matter. She can be [name]Claire[/name] to everyone else and the name that is in your heart, let that be what you call her.
I actually introduce my daughter by her nickname as it’s simple enough that no one can butcher it by mispronunciation (Her full name is entirely European and without fail, we encounter difficulties most places we go). It’s her family and close friends (all the people that love her) that use her full name. Therefore, [name]Claire[/name] could still be ideal for a first name for your daughter… you just pick something else as a middle, for yourself. I really hope this helps.
I prefer [name]Clara[/name] to [name]Claire[/name]…
[name]Amelia[/name] (nn [name]Mia[/name]) and [name]Olivia[/name] are names we are considering…love them!
Also from your list I love:
[name]Juliette[/name]
[name]Ava[/name]
[name]Molly[/name]
[name]Cora[/name]
[name]Isla[/name]
[name]Evelyn[/name]
[name]Annie[/name]
[name]Emma[/name]
[name]Ella[/name]
[name]Alice[/name]
[name]Grace[/name]
[name]Lucy[/name]
[name]Ivy[/name]
[name]Anna[/name]
you have great taste!! good luck in your choice (:
[name]Claire[/name] is a lovely name and right in the middle of your list in terms of popularity. It might help to narrow your alternates list, but I’d advise going not toward more popular names like [name]Ava[/name] and [name]Emma[/name] (though everyone in your family might say they like those) but toward your more distinctive choices: [name]Juliette[/name], [name]Cora[/name], [name]Alice[/name], [name]Eliza[/name], [name]Ivy[/name]. [name]James[/name] and [name]Noah[/name] are great and don’t really restrict you in any way in terms of your girl’s choice.
When you see your little girl, you will make the right choice, and we can’t wait to hear it!
I like [name]Claire[/name], it’s lovely.
I really love:
[name]Elsa[/name]
[name]Alice[/name]
[name]Nina[/name]
[name]Lena[/name]
If I was forced to choose one of them, it would probably be [name]Lena[/name]. Or [name]Alice[/name]…
[name]Danie[/name] - [name]Love[/name] your idea of trying other names that aren’t on my list at all, but how do you do that??? Where do you start? Having a hard time thinking outside of my box!
Everwaiteing - Funny you mentioned [name]Cora[/name] [name]Grace[/name]. This was a combo my husband and I were originally considering. [name]Don[/name]'t usually like [name]Grace[/name] b/c really popular as mn, but its popularity doesn’t bother me with [name]Cora[/name]. Hesitated with [name]Cora[/name] b/c wondered what my family would think… shouldn’t matter, but feel they’d think [name]Cora[/name] was very different and not a recognizable classic. [name]Claire[/name] or any other more common classic name seems to produce less of a shock factor. Wish I didn’t care what others would think, but don’t want my little girl to be teased at all by family or friends… Similar story with [name]Ivy[/name]… is it just too different?
jenevieve - also like [name]Clara[/name], but my own name is [name]Sara[/name] so don’t like how they both rhyme [name]Hence[/name], gravitated toward [name]Claire[/name].
pam - Guess if I were to try and narrow, I’d choose: [name]Amelia[/name], [name]Olivia[/name], [name]Cora[/name], [name]Alice[/name], [name]Lucy[/name], and [name]Anna[/name]. Really like [name]Ivy[/name], but husband not on board. Like [name]Eliza[/name], too, but wonder if people would hear [name]Elijah[/name] when I said it? [name]James[/name], [name]Noah[/name], and [name]Elijah[/name]… and mistake my little girl for a boy Still like [name]Danie[/name]'s suggestion of putting fresh names on list, but can’t get out of my thinking pattern!
Also like idea of bringing list to hospital and seeing if a certain name just fits when I see her!
You may be stuck because the names your family is going to approve of – the recognizable classics like [name]Claire[/name] – are not necessarily the names you and your husband agree on and love most, like [name]Cora[/name]. My advice: Go with what you really really love, what your gut tells you and what makes your heart soar.
It’s like choosing a spouse or deciding to have a child: Sure, you want your family to approve, but you have to feel it deep inside or it’s never going to work!
I do love [name]Claire[/name], but may I say, it makes a great middle name!
with a name as due date approaches? Made a list of runner ups, but really confused!!! Any advice for me? Thanks! I have two boys - [name]James[/name] & [name]Noah[/name] - who are so excited to meet their little sister soon!!!
