Please help. Considering name change for my daughter.

Girl Names
1

My daughter age 3 is named [name_f]Elsa[/name_f].

We chose the name for many reasons. I thought it was lovely, sophisticated and worked well with our last name. It’s a variation of my middle name, [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]. It was the one name my husband loved immediately.

Near [name_f]Elsa[/name_f]'s second birthday, Disney released a movie you may have heard of: Frozen.

People used to say, “Oh [name_f]Elsa[/name_f]? That’s pretty/interesting/nice.” Now, we get several comments a day like, “Wait, her actual NAME is [name_f]ELSA[/name_f]? Really?” I’m feeling worse and worse about my name choice. Out in public, I find myself hesitating when I need to call her name out loud. I just don’t want to deal with it. And that feels horrible.

I know there are far bigger problems in the world. (Although you could argue that your name is a pretty significant part of your life and identity.) I don’t really care if the name becomes popular…We knew the name was on the upswing when we chose it. Yes, I know that the movie won’t be around forever. Yes, I know that kids will find a way to tease with any name.

What bothers me is that everyone in her generation (and many in mine) will forever associate the name with Frozen. I read this is the highest grossing Disney movie of all time. As the holidays approach, it’s like we can’t escape it. Walking through Target, there are huge displays of Frozen stockings, ornaments, wrapping paper, party supplies (to say nothing of the toys, costumes, dolls). The [name_f]Santa[/name_f] exhibit at the mall is Frozen-themed and blares the “[name_f]Wanna[/name_f] Build a Snowman?” song. And so on.

I’m starting to dislike my daughter’s name and it’s breaking my heart. I thought this would get better over time, but I feel it’s getting worse.

So, what do I do?

Go by her middle? Is that too confusing at this age?

Or do i just let it ride? As it stands, I recognize this is MY problem and not hers. She’s seen parts of the movie and likes the songs, but is still a little too young to be bothered by it. I can tell that the attention confuses her a little.

I worry about the long term, that she’ll have to live her entire adult life fielding questions about whether she was named after the movie and hearing various Let It Go comments.

I just want to love my daughter’s name again.

Would appreciate any advice. Thanks…

2

At this age, changing her name would be really confusing for your daughter, I think.
Does she have a nickname you can use for now? Maybe just [name_f]Elsie[/name_f] is already taking some of the Frozen association away?
[name_f]Elsa[/name_f] is such a gorgeous name and many little girls would love to have a princess name, maybe some kids will bother her with comments later on but a lot of them will be really impressed :slight_smile:

3

Thanks for the reply. I think the long-term worries me more than the short. Yeah, maybe she’ll love it at age 5, but what about 15, 25, 35, 45…

4

She’s pretty young for it to bother her. It’s a beautiful name aside from the movie (which I like, but is just everywhere). What is her middle? Would it drastically confuse her to be called by it? I would suggest just calling her by her name until she gets older. If the attention is still around and bugs her, call her by her middle. Does she have any nicknames that you could call her in public to avoid the Frozen comments? Maybe ones that kind of go with her first name ([name_f]Elle[/name_f], [name_f]Ellie[/name_f], or something with a similar sound) so she’s not as confused because it sounds similar to her name? Then call her by her full first name in more private settings?

I can sympathize with being driven mad over the Frozen references, especially since she was named prior to the movie but I don’t really think it is fair to her to change what she is called by because you don’t like the attention. If it bugged her, sure. She may end up liking that her name is shared with a movie that all children seem to love. It’s a lovely name and I wouldn’t want her to feel ashamed of her own name. When she’s a little older (school age maybe?) if she comments on it being a problem or annoyance ask if she’d like to go by her middle name or a nick name.

Good luck with whatever you choose to do and try not to doubt your naming choice :slight_smile:

5

Frozen’s popularity is probably at an all-time high right now. I don’t know whether its the same in other countries, but where I live all the merchandise has come out in the shops just in time for [name_u]Christmas[/name_u] and yes, its everywhere and its crazy. But from the beginning of next year, I’d predict it to wane and in a year or two its really not going to be a big thing. Yes, there will always be that connection to the movie but I don’t think it will be much of a problem in life in a year or so. I personally wouldn’t change it.

6

Firstly, I am so sorry you’re dealing with this. I know it’s not nearly the same, but when I was younger we had a dog named Bolt. Bolt was 7 years old when Bolt the movie came out and everyone looked gave us looks and acted like we named our dog after a really awful movie.

My only comfort to offer is that it will pass. I remember when Tangled came out, everyone was obsessed with it! [name_f]Every[/name_f] one of the little girls I worked with was obsessed with it. They still make dolls, but it’s hardly the insanity that it was just a few years ago. Give it time. By the time she is old enough to realise that she shares a name, the hype will have faded and it’ll be much easier.

7

Thanks elliekay. I’m sure I’m sensitive to it, as she’s my daughter. I feel like we can’t escape it, so it’s difficult to see light at the end of the tunnel. And as other commenters have mentioned, I guess the holidays mean MORE merchandize, MORE of everything.

I should probably also mention that I am 6 months pregnant and probably a little hormonal. :wink:

8

Actually I can relate to your daughter about this! I was five when [name_m]Lion[/name_m] [name_m]King[/name_m] 2 came out (my name is Simbas Daughters name) and I got people asking me the questions about it. I very sassily told people I was born before the movie came out.

It will blow over, I assure you. And there was no lasting damage. Call her by whatever you call her. [name_f]Elsa[/name_f], [name_f]Elsie[/name_f], baby girl etc and it’ll all calm down before she really remembers. You could even make her a little shirt disney hipster [name_f]Elsa[/name_f] that says

“I was [name_f]Elsa[/name_f] before it was cool.”

[name_f]EDIT[/name_f]:
Another thought, there are a lot worse things to associate to your little girls name than a movie about two sisters that love each other very much. I wish that was my sister and I!

9

I’m sympathetic. You chose a beautiful, uncommon name and could not have anticipated this. But in terms of her overall identity, I think it would do more harm to unilaterally change the name of a child who’s old enough to know what she’s called, then to let her share her name with a character. It would be one thing if she was older (or even now at 3) and complaining about her name.
You could start using first-middle as a double barrel and see if it feels natural to transition to a nickname based on that, but jumping to only calling her by her middle may be confusing. The nickname [name_f]Elsie[/name_f] is cute too. I know 20-somethings named [name_f]Jasmine[/name_f], [name_m]Aladdin[/name_m] was huge when we were kids, and they’re all OK.

10

I know a girl with the given name [name_f]Elsa[/name_f]; she’s about fifteen. She gets jokes, not spiteful ones, but you I’m sure know, and it’s probably tiresome but she doesn’t hate her name for it. I think it’d be just as tiresome as explaining to your [name_f]Elsa[/name_f]'s friends and family that little [name_f]Elsa[/name_f] is now a different name entirely. And the association isn’t a bad one; of the Disney princesses, at least her perceived namesake isn’t one of the ones who gets married at sixteen or loses her voice over some doe-eyed prince. Most importantly, [name_f]Elsa[/name_f] is a beautiful name. You chose it for a reason. I wouldn’t let a movie change that for you.

11

I have never actually seen frozen although I’m around young children all the time who love it.If I met a litle one named [name_f]Elsa[/name_f] I’d tell her she had a beautiful name I don’t think of frozen right away … And if someone says “let it go” I feel like facepalming give it some time you can look into NNs but you never know she might like her name more later thanks to the association

12

I think [name_f]Elsa[/name_f] is a lovely name, and three is FAR too old to be even considering changing her name, let alone doing it. As a child in the early/mid 90s, my best friend was a girl named [name_u]Ariel[/name_u]. Despite the popularity of The [name_m]Little[/name_m] Mermaid, the movie was rarely mentioned in connection with her name. Often when introduced people would comment or ask if it was intentional. But I distinctly remember her father saying something along the lines of “No connection here, our [name_u]Ariel[/name_u] is 100% human”.

I think that it will die down. Now, as an adult, no one mentions her name being used as a Disney Princesses. Think about all the [name_f]Jasmine[/name_f]'s you know? [name_m]How[/name_m] about [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f]/[name_f]Belle[/name_f]/[name_f]Bella[/name_f]? [name_f]Aurora[/name_f] is used and few mention the movie.

Frozen just came out. It was popular. It is the holidays. And they are capitalizing on the popularity of the film. By next [name_u]Christmas[/name_u] few will even mention it. And if it doesn’t bother your daughter… then why even worry? Like you said, there are so many bigger problems to deal with. And no, I do not think a name has that big of a connection to one’s inner soul and identity. Its just a name. Its just a movie. Its just a memory that will eventually fade.

13

I’m really sorry this happened to you. [name_f]Elsa[/name_f] is such a lovely name. And it’s a shame that people have negative reactions to it when they hear that it’s your daughter’s name. If I encountered a little girl named [name_f]Elsa[/name_f], I wouldn’t assume she was named after the Disney snow queen. (And even if she were, I would not see it as a bad thing at all since there are worse characters to share a name with than a magical queen who dearly loves her little sister.)

I would second not changing her name because it would be so confusing for her. And because I think her name won’t pose a problem for her later in life. Frozen definitely is everywhere currently because of the holidays, which has to make it even more difficult for you right now. But like someone mentioned, I think the long term outlook is probably a lot brighter. The same thing happened with Tangled when it came out, and even though kids still like the movie, it’s definitely not the same blown-out-of-proportion thing it was a few years ago.

If it bothers you to say your daughter’s name in public because of the (totally rude and non-sensical) reactions you get, I’d also suggest trying the nickname [name_f]Elsie[/name_f], like a few pps mentioned. I don’t think most people would associate [name_f]Elsie[/name_f] with Frozen half as much as they do [name_f]Elsa[/name_f]. That way she keeps the same first name but you wouldn’t have to deal with the comments as often.

I feel like I’ve mainly repeated what others said but I hope it helps and that you will eventually be able to wholeheartedly love your daughter’s name again. :slight_smile:

14

Here in Chile, it’s difficult to find Frozen merchandise, everything is sold out. A lot of girls are crazy about Frozen.

15

I would feel the exact same way. It seems like Frozen is everywhere, and [name_f]Elsa[/name_f] is an uncommon name, so the connection is unavoidable. But, I agree with the others who have made some great points already (you’re so smart, berries!). [name_m]Just[/name_m] wanted to say I don’t think it’s trivial at all, and I’m sorry you’re going through it. I do agree that Frozen is at its saturation point, and it will get easier.

As far as using a name to avoid cringing in public, I think just [name_f]Elle[/name_f] is cute too.

16

It’ll blow over. Call her [name_f]Elle[/name_f] or [name_f]Elsie[/name_f] in the meantime if there are too many annoying comments. Also, I’d like to echo what a previous poster said about Jasmines, Ariels, etc, in their twenties and thirties–these are well-adjusted people.

17

I can imagine how you must feel. It’s one of the reasons I don’t like popular/common names. Names that I hear too often start to annoy me and I’d hate to feel that way about my own child’s name. But of course you can never predict what names will be thrust into the spotlight. Things will die down over the years but [name_f]Elsa[/name_f] is now forever a ‘Disney name’.

I would start calling her [name_f]Elle[/name_f] or E when in public.

18

hmm never heard of Frozen lol and in my country of origin (I live in [name_m]Oz[/name_m] now) [name_f]Elsa[/name_f] is a quite wellknown name, almost common Id say… I think its a good name but totally understand your annoyance. You cant possibly predict these things and I wouldnt let it bother you or be ashamed of the name at all!

19

[name_f]Elsa[/name_f] is a beautiful and classic name. I understand why you chose it- it really wasn’t on the radar at all three years ago.

I also understand why this bothers you so much, I am sure it is vexing to have people make comments about it. But I wouldn’t change it. She is three, she owns her name at this point. I would also continue to introduce her as [name_f]Elsa[/name_f] and really try not to cringe when you do. She is old enough to pick up on your discomfort, but not old enough to understand why it would upset you. If people comment, just tell them that they named the princess after her.

Since every little girl I know loves Frozen and wants to be [name_f]Elsa[/name_f], I think she is going to love her name when she gets a little older. But if the connection bothers her, she can always choose a nickname herself in the future.

20

This is definitely 100% your thing. For what it’s worth, my cat’s name is [name_f]Elsa[/name_f]. I named her such because [name_f]Elsa[/name_f] was one of my all time favorite names and it was at a point where I thought I was never going to have children myself. No one seems to think that I named my cat after a Frozen character. [name_f]Every[/name_f] now and again I’ll get a few jokes about it, but that’s it. You have to imagine that any child with a name featured in ANY movie must get their fair share of teasing or ribbing, but is it cause to change your daughter’s name? No. It’s a gorgeous, classic name that will certainly grow with her and mature as she matures. Eventually, Frozen will be something in the past and won’t be as popular.