Regret with "Bastian"

This is great advice, thank you for the wisdom.

[name_m]Baz[/name_m] is cool. I like it short for [name_u]Basil[/name_u]. You could change it to [name_m]Sebastian[/name_m] (totally fine) and call him [name_m]Seb[/name_m]. I don’t think it’s too late to change it. It’s all about what you want ultimately as his parents. I changed my legal name when I turned 40 to something very different, and I am very happy I was determined enough. People are very supportive. If you want to change his name to [name_m]Matthew[/name_m] or [name_u]Max[/name_u], I think it’s fine. Also, [name_u]Max[/name_u] [name_m]Sebastian[/name_m] is awesome, too.

I think you can change the name, two years isn’t such a long time in the grand scheme of things. I think it will take some time to adjust but will be worth it if there is something else that you love!

I also wanted to say, as a name enthusiast, I very much support common, comfortable names. [name_f]My[/name_f] own favorites are [name_m]Nathaniel[/name_m], [name_u]James[/name_u], and [name_m]Zachary[/name_m].

Also, I will say I think [name_m]Bastian[/name_m] is not horrible, but a bit like bastard.

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I really think it’s too late to change his name. It’s probably the biggest part of his identity right now. I know my lo is very connected with her name. It’s her name now, no longer just the name I loved best for her. There were some pretty good nn suggestion, though.

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As a childcare professional, it unfortunately could be.

His name is now part of his identity more than it is yours. Think of it as changing your friends name, for example. The decision isn’t about what you feel sounds better, but about their identity and self concept. It’s the same for a two-year-old.

At this age, toddlers are finding themselves and their individuality — names are a big part of that, and it’s just not an ideal time to disrupt the creation of his self image.

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Not to adults, but the development during these years sets the trend for the rest of your life. Your current relationships are impacted by the bonds you formed as an infant, even though you can’t remember them. And on and on! These are the most critical stages of development, IMO as someone in the field.

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First of all, I am so sorry that you are experiencing name regret. It must be very difficult.

I am a childcare professional too and I believe two years old is late for a name change (@quietosprey explained very well why). Coming to terms with the name your son currently has is probably the best option, even though it is difficult. Something I noticed is that you like the nickname [name_m]Baz[/name_m] more than the other options the berries suggested. I think that is a good sign, in the sense that you may like that nickname enough to feel at peace with his name eventually.

[name_f]My[/name_f] 6 months old son happens to be a little [name_m]Bastien[/name_m]. To me [name_m]Bastian[/name_m] is a wonderful name, so if you ever want me to sold you the name again, don’t hesitate :slightly_smiling_face: I think you choose a great name for your son: it sounds gentle, a bit adventurous and it’s international. I’ve met three [name_m]Bastien[/name_m] and one [name_m]Bastian[/name_m] (aside from my son) and they were all really nice and sociable.

Good luck with this process :heart:

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I have a [name_m]Sebastian[/name_m] of my very own, so please take my opinion with a grain of salt, but I do think he’s too old to change his name. I know everyone here shares a love for names and we take them very seriously, but I would say a name isn’t worth causing confusion or frustration to a person, particularly one that is so young and would not understand your motives for changing his name. [name_f]My[/name_f] intention is not to be dramatic or make you feel worse than you already might feel.

Does he like his name? Perhaps if you and he do something fun around his name (something crafty, colorful and easy), so he can enjoy it and feel proud of it, you will be able to share in that and see the name under a different light. You could love the name because he loves it himself :blush: .

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I know it probably doesn’t help but I absolutely adore the name [name_m]Bastian[/name_m]. It’s one of my absolute favourites! [name_m]Bax[/name_m] is a really cute nickname as well, perhaps using that instead of [name_m]Baz[/name_m] might make his name feel fresh?

To be honest, I don’t think you could realistically change his name at 2 years old. I have a 2 year old and I know she’d be incredibly confused if we said her name was no longer what she’s always known it to be. To be honest, I don’t think she’d accept it. Plus, from my experience 2 year olds don’t love change!

Out of curiosity (if you don’t mind sharing), what’s his twin’s name?

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This is good advice & very true!

My son really likes his name. He seems happy & proud when introducing himself to people. The way he feels has dissolved any niggling doubts I had previously.

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I like the suggestion of [name_u]Max[/name_u] [name_m]Sebastian[/name_m], if you’re unhappy with it, I don’t see a reason why you can’t change it. I would still call him Bastian/Baz, in case of any confusion, but then if it doesn’t suit him and he wants to have a more traditional name he can choose to go by [name_u]Max[/name_u] in the future. A lot of people have nicknames especially when they’re younger or pet names their parents have that are different from their full first name, my parents call me by a masculine shorter version of my first name which is technically a different name to my formal name and it didn’t cause me any issues so I don’t see much difference if you keep his nickname the same but he has a different formal name, totally normal for a child imo.

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Sorry you’re feeling this way. I hope you can take some comfort in the fact many people feel regret for years after their baby is named, even if only at times. Like Mamabear, I sometimes think maybe I should’ve used different names and could’ve changed the oldest’s but also suspect I’d do the same second guessing with any choice. [name_m]Bastian[/name_m] is a fine name, and the fact that your son and his father love it are important and meaningful. You’ve done a good job naming him even if you don’t feel that way. I think the suggestion of using [name_m]Ian[/name_m] is quite clever if you like it, and not [name_m]Sebastian[/name_m].

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Not sure. I’ve been avoiding asking him or drawing attention to it in case it makes him think something is wrong with it.

Dahlia

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At two years old he already has a strong sense of self-identity and I don’t really think it’s your choice to make. Does he seem to like his name? A two year old isn’t a baby anymore and I think it’s important as a parent to foster their autonomy and teach them that they are in control of themselves. And part of being a parent is coming to terms with the fact that your child is their own individual person and you’re supposed to guide them and teach them as they grow, but they are not an extension of you or something you can have complete control over. As others said, his name is his name now, it’s not just a name you picked, it now belongs to him. So something as big as changing their name, which is a big part of your identity, during a time when he can understand what his name is but can’t understand why it’s being changed, doesn’t seem like a good idea to me. I would try to keep it and either find ways to fall back in love with it (you did pick it for a reason to begin with, try to remember what you loved about it before!) [name_u]Or[/name_u] try using a nickname that could help. I think the suggestions of [name_m]Ian[/name_m], [name_m]Ben[/name_m], and [name_u]Ash[/name_u] are good. I also would like to add [name_m]Stan[/name_m] as an option. As he gets older you can talk to him about it more and maybe change it legally when he’s able to make that choice for himself and understand it more.

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I just want to add that your daughter’s name is beautiful. I think it pairs well with her brother too

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They make a beautiful pairing!

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I know a [name_m]Sebastian[/name_m] who goes by ‘Tian’ tee-ahn. [name_m]Baz[/name_m] is cool though definitely on par with [name_u]Max[/name_u].

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I agree that keeping his name, but finding a nickname you like is the best solution. I just wanted to say I think [name_m]Bastian[/name_m] and [name_f]Dahlia[/name_f] are a beautiful, dreamy pair or names!

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