I’ve been feeling some name regret ever since my son [name_m]Lucas[/name_m] was born. For part of my pregnancy we were pretty sure his name was going to be [name_m]Jackson[/name_m], but my husband wasn’t a huge fan and we knew we wanted the middle name to be [name_m]Joseph[/name_m] and we didn’t like how if we named him [name_m]Jackson[/name_m] [name_m]Joseph[/name_m] we would have two kids with alliterative names and one who doesn’t (never mind the fact that [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f] has two middle names and neither of the other kids do). When he was born my love for [name_u]Evan[/name_u] cooled and so it seemed [name_m]Lucas[/name_m] would be the name. I prefer the name [name_m]Luke[/name_m] over [name_m]Lucas[/name_m] but we know that if we ever have another son (and we do plan on more kids in the future) we are pretty positive his name will be [name_u]Owen[/name_u], which is what I would have named [name_m]Lucas[/name_m], except it really didn’t feel right for him during my pregnancy and now that he is almost one it just doesn’t fit him. I feel it might help if we just called him [name_m]Luke[/name_m], but I feel like having sons [name_m]Luke[/name_m] and [name_u]Owen[/name_u] is way too close to [name_m]Luke[/name_m] and [name_u]Owen[/name_u] [name_m]Wilson[/name_m], but that’s also hypothetical on if we ever have another boy anyway. Also I hadn’t realized there is a model named [name_f]Isabel[/name_f] [name_m]Lucas[/name_m] until after we named him and it kind of bothers me especially since those are the kids names in order.
Both my husband and I love the name [name_m]Jack[/name_m] and now I’m really regretting not naming [name_m]Lucas[/name_m] that, but we are set on the middle name [name_m]Joseph[/name_m] and neither of us like two kids with alliteration and the others without. I guess another option is giving him two middle names like [name_m]Jack[/name_m] [name_m]Edward[/name_m] [name_m]Joseph[/name_m] or [name_m]Jack[/name_m] [name_u]Francis[/name_u] [name_m]Joseph[/name_m], but I’m not really feeling that especially since it is kind of a pain to deal with, which we hadn’t realized until we gave [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f] two middle names.
Or we could give him a different name altogether such as [name_m]Ethan[/name_m] [name_m]Joseph[/name_m], which solves the alliteration problem and I think would fit [name_m]Lucas[/name_m] well, but then I don’t like how if we have an [name_u]Owen[/name_u] we would have two boys with names ending in “n” and if we had a third we probably wouldn’t continue it (again this is all super hypothetical on if we even have more boys).
I actually experienced similar feelings after naming [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f], but after a couple of weeks they went away and I really do love her name. For me with [name_m]Lucas[/name_m] it just doesn’t seem like a name for a baby or a little kid and I thought that once he got older it would grow on me more and it would fit him, but that hasn’t happened yet. The other problem is that he is almost one so he knows his name and I feel like it would be confusing to change it and maybe create more problems.
My husband has similar feelings to me and would probably go along with whatever I decided so long as that if we did change it, it would be to one of the names we’ve agreed on, but he also is less obsessed with names than me so if we decided not to change it that would be okay with him too.
If you’ve read all this, first of all thank you! You probably think I’m crazy, but I feel bad that I don’t completely love my sons name. Please help
I like the name [name_m]Lucas[/name_m], but if it’s really not feeling right for your son and it bothers you, then I’d say change it… I think that because of his age and that he knows his name, [name_m]Luke[/name_m] (or even [name_u]Luca[/name_u]) would make the name change easier and less confusing for him than a completely new and different name.
I wouldn’t rule out names just because ‘you might have another son in the future,’ because you may not either…and you may not like the names you’re currently reserving for your possible future son when/if that time comes.
After hearing your children’s names, absolutely no one in real life is going to go through the mental gymnastics you just did to connect them with random celebrities. That’s your anxiety over this issue talking! I have a little name regret still too, but only because I pushed the name I really wanted for my son to the middle spot. Why not move [name_m]Lucas[/name_m] to the middle and call him [name_m]Jackson[/name_m] [name_m]Lucas[/name_m]?
This! [name_m]Reading[/name_m] through the post, I got the impression you were “making excuses”, for lack of better terminology, for why you can’t give your son a new name. Giving him a name you love seems more important than making sure you have a flawless sibset, or dealing with the pain of two middles, or whatever else might sway you away from making the decision to change his name or stick with [name_m]Lucas[/name_m]. Breaking a few rules for the sake of a name you actually like sounds preferable to regret that could last a lifetime.
If you want to hear anything in favor of [name_m]Lucas[/name_m]/[name_m]Luke[/name_m], I have a younger brother with this name and nickname and I always felt it suited a boy at any age. He wore it well as a child and now into adulthood. I think the nn [name_m]Luke[/name_m] does make it friendlier–have you used that for him yet?
I really like [name_m]Jack[/name_m] [name_m]Edward[/name_m] [name_m]Joseph[/name_m]. If you do plan on changing his name, this would be lovely. Looking at other names like [name_m]Ethan[/name_m] will only complicate it all the more. It seems like you and your husband really like [name_m]Jack[/name_m].
[name_m]Don[/name_m]'t worry about the [name_m]Luke[/name_m] and [name_u]Owen[/name_u] [name_m]Wilson[/name_m] association so much if you decide to keep [name_m]Lucas[/name_m]/[name_m]Luke[/name_m]. I didn’t think of it. Also, not a bad association!
[name_f]Isabelle[/name_f], [name_m]Lucas[/name_m] and [name_u]Owen[/name_u] are adorable as are [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f], [name_m]Jack[/name_m] and [name_u]Owen[/name_u]! Good luck with whatever you decide to do!
[name_m]Hi[/name_m], my heart goes out to you because I totally get wanting and needing to love the name you pick for your baby. I have a 5 month old with no name ! Because I just want to love it, when we were filling paperwork out at hospital, I started crying when my husband started writing the name, so I knew the name was wrong. We are narrowing it down so hope to have a name soon. Haha
My feeling is if you really don’t like it, change it, he will adjust to a new name and when he is older won’t even remember the original name. You will probably also get flack for it from family/friends, but don’t let that bother you, they will also get over it… :). Good luck
I don’t think you should worry about how [name_m]Luke[/name_m]/[name_m]Lucas[/name_m] matches with a future possible child’s name. That’s giving yourself a headache for nothing! Your tastes could change (just like how [name_u]Evan[/name_u] and [name_u]Owen[/name_u] were not ‘the name’ for your current baby) or your could have all girls next! You just can’t predict the future and I think you should try to put that out of your mind as best you can.
Also, people are not making celebrity name connections like you are, I promise.
If giving [name_m]Luke[/name_m]/[name_m]Lucas[/name_m] a different nn like [name_u]Luca[/name_u] is just not gonna cut it, then change his name to [name_m]Jackson[/name_m] since that’s the name you love!
Alliteration aside, that’s the name you feel the most connection with.
If you are worried that [name_m]Luke[/name_m]/[name_m]Lucas[/name_m] won’t recognize his name, start sprinkling whatever new name you may decide on into conversations with him. Babies are smart, he will catch on quickly especially if everytime he turns/looks at you when you say his new name you shower him in kisses or something.
Whether he stays [name_m]Luke[/name_m]/[name_m]Lucas[/name_m] or changes to a different name, he will still be the same baby you love, and with a handsome name to match!
What about changing his middle name to [name_m]Jackson[/name_m], start calling him [name_m]Lucas[/name_m] [name_m]Jack[/name_m], and then gradually drop the [name_m]Lucas[/name_m]?
My husband goes by his middle name and while it can be a pain in legal name settings, changing the mn and switching to that feels more doable to me at this point than straight out changing the first. He might end up liking or preferring [name_m]Luke[/name_m]/[name_m]Lucas[/name_m] in the future too!
(For what it’s worth I personally love the name [name_m]Lucas[/name_m] and think it suits a baby / child very well, and I don’t think it would be an issue if you had a son named [name_u]Owen[/name_u] in the future).
ETA: just read that you’re set on Joseph as a mn - how important is that relative to other considerations? You could also just add Jackson as a mn.
Thank you everyone for your comments! It is really helpful to hear other peoples opinions on the situation and it makes me feel a lot better about it. We are set on the middle name [name_m]Joseph[/name_m] so that’s why we wouldn’t change it to [name_m]Jack[/name_m] or [name_m]Jackson[/name_m]. Also it helps to hear that people don’t think that having a [name_m]Luke[/name_m] and an [name_u]Owen[/name_u] is too much. I think I will start calling him just [name_m]Luke[/name_m] and see how that feels.
Honestly in all fairness to him your only option for change would be [name_m]Luke[/name_m].
The [name_m]Luke[/name_m] and [name_u]Owen[/name_u] thing isn’t a thing, truly- don’t worry about celebrities!
Where I live [name_m]Lucas[/name_m] is #1 so here are loads and loads of cute baby [name_m]Lucas[/name_m]'s!!!
That model isn’t very well known. That part of it I wouldn’t worry about. Same with [name_m]Luke[/name_m] and [name_u]Owen[/name_u] - they aren’t that popular or prominent these days.
Ugh I found out that [name_u]Owen[/name_u] and [name_m]Luke[/name_m] [name_m]Wilson[/name_m]'s other brother is named [name_m]Andrew[/name_m], which is my husbands name. Again this is totally hypothetical on if we ever have another son and name him [name_u]Owen[/name_u], but would that be too weird to have all of their names in our family? Please tell me I’m over thinking it.
you are over thinking it. The names are common enough that I doubt anyone would notice this or make the connection. I would suggest not looking into this any further because it seems to just stress you out.
I don’t understand why you don’t use [name_u]Owen[/name_u] if you both love it. [name_u]Owen[/name_u] [name_m]Joseph[/name_m] [name_m]Lucas[/name_m], for example. Right now you are completely stuck and can’t choose a name for your existing boy, because of the name of your next hypothetical kid. Naming him [name_u]Owen[/name_u] would resolve the problem.
I think this is the best decision. Also, you can give him a nickname that suits his personality that has nothing to do with his given name. Something about his personality, likes, etc. [name_m]Chip[/name_m] if he is like his father.
I haven’t read the above comments so don’t know if it’s been suggested, but is [name_m]Jack[/name_m] [name_m]Lucas[/name_m] [name_m]Joseph[/name_m] an option? That way he keeps his original name, but you get to call him [name_m]Jack[/name_m]. Additionally you have both the alliteration of your first daughter, and the double middle of your second. Seems to be a winner imo!
Alternatively, [name_u]Luca[/name_u] is adorable and much more kid friendly. I’d think about that for a while?
Really sorry you’re in this amount of mental turmoil, must be awful. Good luck for your family in the possible renaming process x
I haven’t read the comments, but I absolutely, 100% think you should call him [name_m]Luke[/name_m]. [name_m]Luke[/name_m] is an awesome name, and you may never have an [name_u]Owen[/name_u]. [name_m]Even[/name_m] if you did, few would make the connection and even fewer would think twice about it. (I love [name_m]Luke[/name_m] & [name_u]Owen[/name_u] [name_m]Wilson[/name_m] and I didn’t even realize what the problem was until you spelled it out). Call him [name_m]Luke[/name_m]! [name_m]Luke[/name_m] is a great name! I know a [name_m]Lucas[/name_m] who goes by [name_m]Luke[/name_m] and I much prefer it.
Why didn’t you name this boy [name_u]Owen[/name_u]? I’m just confused that you have this name already chose for a future boy, but you have this boy now? Perhaps you discovered it after he was born.
Updating this thread with our decision that we decided to change his name to [name_m]Jack[/name_m] [name_m]Edward[/name_m] [name_m]Joseph[/name_m]. Luckily we did it while he was still under a year old so it was less of a hassle than if he has been older. I was worried that it was going to be hard telling family and friends, as well as getting them to call our baby a new name, but I actually wasn’t as difficult as we expected. Our girls had been mostly calling him “the baby” so that wasn’t too hard and for everyone else we just would remind them that his name was [name_m]Jack[/name_m] now and at this point everyone pretty much gets it right. As for my husband and I, as soon as we decided to go with our gut and change it to [name_m]Jack[/name_m] I don’t think either one of us has mixed up his name because it feels so much more natural than [name_m]Lucas[/name_m] ever felt. We are so happy with our decision and thank you to everyone who commented on this thread with advice as it was really helpful. If we have any more children in the future, hopefully we never have to deal with name regret again!
