My little girl is 7 months old. Throughout the pregnancy we thought she was a boy so focussed on boy names. After the birth we managed to get the options down to two: [name_f]Florence[/name_f] or [name_f]Isla[/name_f]. Both names have sentimental importance.
In the hormone fuelled post birth fog we decided on [name_f]Florence[/name_f] because [name_f]Isla[/name_f] is hugely popular here in the UK (3 non close friends on FB have babies called [name_f]Isla[/name_f] and I seem to hear the name [name_f]Isla[/name_f] everywhere). However I just can’t shake the feeling that I should have called her [name_f]Isla[/name_f] despite the popularity thing, not least given that [name_f]Florence[/name_f] is also quite popular (though not as much as [name_f]Isla[/name_f]).
I think some of the problem is that my husbands family call her [name_f]Flo[/name_f] which I don’t really like. I’ve considered pushing other nicknames like [name_f]Florrie[/name_f], [name_f]Flossie[/name_f] or [name_u]Ren[/name_u] but I just don’t love them and husband refuses to even consider [name_u]Ren[/name_u] saying that [name_f]Flo[/name_f] is nice.
I find myself calling her the baby or other pet names. When I introduce her I feel a tad weird like the name [name_f]Florence[/name_f] is stuffy or posh. I’m worried that my baby will be teased at school and that when she is 15 she will want to change her name… I am definitely over thinking here but just wondered what people’s views are on the 2 names and whether you would change it if you were in my position?
Hmm, I think that if it’s to the point where you feel awkward about using her name and introduce her as “the baby,” then you should change it. 7 months still seems like a young enough age for everyone to adjust to the change.
I love [name_f]Florence[/name_f]. I much prefer it to [name_f]Isla[/name_f] ( which I agree is overdone) but if you are having name doubts now then it may be best to change her name. ? Sometimes children can grow into their names. [name_f]My[/name_f] youngest has only really started to suit his name ( age 3!) [name_f]My[/name_f] partner picked his name and whilst I was ok with it, it perhaps wasn’t my favourite at the time.
Oh and I don’t see it as stuffy or posh. It reminds me of Florence nightingale and I picture a sweet little girl who is good natured.
I normally don’t recommend changing. But in this case I think it would be a really good reason. [name_f]Isla[/name_f] still is an honor name and it seems you had both already agreed on it, so it’s not out of left field. If popularity still bothers you, the other day I found out [name_f]Isla[/name_f] can be used as a nickname for Irish [name_f]Aileen[/name_f] or Scottish [name_f]Eileen[/name_f]. But if she’ll always be called [name_f]Isla[/name_f] I would probably just go with that. Would her middle name stay the same? You could always do [name_f]Isla[/name_f] [name_f]Florence[/name_f] they have a nice flow together.
Hello! Wow, this must be tough! if you are struggling so much to even introduce your child then that may become an issue. She is also only 7 months old so she will adjust quickly anyway. On the other hand, [name_f]Florence[/name_f] is a beautiful name! I used to go to school with a [name_f]Florence[/name_f] and nobody remarked on it. Other nickname options include: [name_f]Flora[/name_f], [name_f]Lori[/name_f], [name_u]Rory[/name_u] and [name_u]Renny[/name_u]/Renna
I personally prefer [name_f]Florence[/name_f] but if you’re having a hard time introducing her to people I can understand your want to change it.
I REALLY love the nn’ [name_f]Flory[/name_f] and [name_f]Flora[/name_f]. [name_f]Flora[/name_f] seems like a perfect in-between of [name_f]Isla[/name_f] and [name_f]Florence[/name_f] for you! You should try calling her that for a little while and see how you feel about it. And don’t be afraid to tell your family you don’t like her being called [name_f]Flo[/name_f], I’m sure they’d understand.
Florence is such a beautiful name! But I understand if you feel like its not the right name for your daughter.
What is her middle name? Is there any possibility you could add [name_f]Isla[/name_f] as a second middle name and she could go by her middle name, at least some of the time if not all of the time? She could even decide for herself when she gets older if she wants to go by [name_f]Florence[/name_f] or [name_f]Isla[/name_f] is you make [name_f]Isla[/name_f] her middle.
Have you considered the nickname [name_f]Effie[/name_f]? That’s my favorite nickname for [name_f]Florence[/name_f], and I think it works because of the “F” start of the name.
Firstly I love [name_f]Florence[/name_f]! However, I totally understand the bring unsure about a name after the fact. I also didn’t choose [name_f]Isla[/name_f] for my daughter because of the popularity (I refused to even put it on my list and yet I have had many moments that I wished I used it anyways lol).
That being said I think she might grow into her name. [name_f]My[/name_f] daughter is 3 and I can confidently say that she has completely grown into her name despite me second guessing it quite a few times since naming her!
However if you really feel like [name_f]Florence[/name_f] is wrong then now would be the time to change it! What if you went with [name_f]Delilah[/name_f] and you could call her [name_f]Isla[/name_f] as a nickname but still giving her the option of alternatives as well. Something I like about [name_f]Florence[/name_f] is it has a ton of nickname options (I personally LOVE [name_u]Ren[/name_u]!). [name_m]Don[/name_m]’t forget that different family members can have different nicknames for her and that’s totally okay
I don’t know if this helped at all. But I think it comes down to it you really feel deep down that it’s wrong then change it. But if you are unsure then stick with [name_f]Florence[/name_f] and I promise you she would grown into it in her own way, 7 months is still so new! Good luck
I would suggest ‘trying out’ [name_f]Isla[/name_f]. Call her [name_f]Isla[/name_f] for a week and see if that feels right. I also really like the suggestion of [name_f]Flora[/name_f] a short a nice inbetween for [name_f]Florence[/name_f] & [name_f]Isla[/name_f].
I don’t know if this is your first baby but I know for me, it really took me probably about a year to comfortably get into my role as a mother, and up till then I worried about everything and nothing felt right for a long time (I wasn’t one of those mothers who just ‘took to’ motherhood) and if I had made any drastic decisions in that time it would’ve been more exhaustion and emotion/anxiety based and probably not the wisest, which may not be you!!! but I guess the point I’m trying to get to is, is it really the name you don’t like, or is it the worry/anxiety that you made the wrong choice.
If you decide it’s really the name you don’t like and Isla feels right, then change it, but if Isla doesn’t feel right either, then I’d suggest just waiting a little while
I love the name [name_f]Florence[/name_f]. It’s my daughters middle name, and sometimes I wish we had saved it for a second baby!! I actually really like the nicknames [name_f]Flo[/name_f]/Flo-[name_f]Flo[/name_f]!
Do you think it might be tricky getting friends and family to adjust to calling her [name_f]Isla[/name_f] instead?
Personally I prefer Florence I think it’s sweet and classic. Also Florence would definitely fit in with her classmates. I don’t think Florence is stuffy & posh it’s popular in the U.K. she will not be the only one and people will not bad an eyelid at her being called Florence. If your not a massive fan off Flo I would insist that she’s known as Florence. I was Victoria all throughout primary school I do occasionally get Vicky (at work & when I was at secondary school) but most the time it’s Victoria or just V. You can do the same with Florence. If I was you I would try out Isla for a week go to the park introduce as Isla, at Tesco wherever just introduce her as Isla if the name fits better consider changing to Isla. Maybe use Florence as a second middle name or whatever. But I would test run Isla before changing her name.
My opinions about the name itself: It’s beautiful and not too stuffy or posh. I can’t see why she can be teased for it, it’s a popular name in UK so there will be more of them and there’s nothing wrong with it. It’s a very safe name in my opinion.
But if you can’t stand it, if it just didn’t click change it as soon as possible. You should love your child’s name. Changing a 7 month old’s name is easier than changing a 2 year olds name.
There both equally lovely names. [name_f]Florence[/name_f] isn’t stuffy or posh I think it’s a soft and gorgeous name. I think if it’s getting to the 7 months and you still don’t like it then maybe change it to [name_f]Isla[/name_f]. I think changing it now is easier then changing it when she’s 3 years old. I think people can adjust to calling her [name_f]Isla[/name_f] instead of [name_f]Flora[/name_f].
I love the nickname [name_f]Lori[/name_f] like someone suggested and [name_f]Effie[/name_f] as well.
Could you tell your husband and his family that by them calling her flo seriously makes you want to change her name? So maybe the will stop.
I think isla would be a BIG switch. And it is popular. So think about telling her when she’s older like hey your name used to be [name_f]Florence[/name_f] and we switched. Would that be something that might bother her?
I love my name because it’s super unique. Kids will always find a way to tease. But your FAMILY shouldn’t.
Thanks for your replies everyone and also for being kind because I was worried that people would just be like “you’re being ridiculous”.
I’m enjoying the other nickname suggestions like [name_f]Effie[/name_f] and [name_f]Lori[/name_f]. I’m also glad that everyone thinks [name_f]Florence[/name_f] is a lovely name- of course people say that to me when I introduce her but I think people won’t say “urgh that’s awful” to your face. That said, we all like different things so to a large extent all that matters is that we like it and that it feels right.
I am really indecisive in general so am concerned that if I had called her [name_f]Isla[/name_f] I would be having the same doubts and wondering whether I should have called her [name_f]Florence[/name_f]. I am going to try out [name_f]Isla[/name_f] for a few days and see how it feels, husband has agreed to do the same (probably thinks I’m ridiculous!).
I love [name_f]Florence[/name_f] and like it more than [name_f]Isla[/name_f], which is quite overdone. I don’t see [name_f]Florence[/name_f] as stuffy - just rather sweet, but also strong. I agree with the idea of trying out [name_f]Isla[/name_f] for a while. [name_m]Don[/name_m]’t rush the decisio though as you admit you may have had the same doubts if you’d called her [name_f]Isla[/name_f].
Hello! I am the mother of four daughters (no sons). I felt this way the first full year with my youngest–so strange, and upsetting, really. BUT! It stopped. Her name started to suit her so well in her second year. I would say: [name_m]Don[/name_m]’t change it. There are millions of nicknames, or you can just make one up (often how nicknames go anyway), or split the difference with, say, [name_m]Ola[/name_m], or [name_f]Ula[/name_f] (sounds like [name_f]Ila[/name_f] but could be derived from the letters and sounds of [name_f]Florence[/name_f]). Or what nicknames come from combing with her middle? The reason I wouldn’t change her name is not because of the names (tho’ I also prefer [name_f]Florence[/name_f] to [name_f]Isla[/name_f]), but because of the story you’ll tell her someday. One last thought: [name_f]Florence[/name_f] is more of an adult name, classically, and often any name like that just takes a bit of growing to fit. [name_f]Fifi[/name_f] might be another adorable one to add to your list for now, when she’s so small…
Been thinking about this today and wanted to add a few stories lol
I really wanted to name my son [name_u]Wiley[/name_u]. I loved the name and my family didn’t and my sons father liked the name silas. When he was born I thought he looked like a [name_u]Wiley[/name_u] even my sister said so and she wasn’t fond of the name. We ended up naming him silas and everyone kept calling him that in the hospital. It wasn’t upsetting and kind of just fit him. I ended up calling him bubba for the first year because he was so chunky lol. Sometimes I think silas is too popular or trendy. But we’ve never met anyone in his school with the name. [name_m]Justin[/name_m] Timberlake named his son that around the same time which people kept telling me about which was annoying. later in his life I thought to myself. Darn I wish I named him [name_m]Silo[/name_m]. I think that’s kind of unique but similar. But also I don’t think his father would have named him after something that holds corn.
Now I’m pregnant and I’m excited to use [name_u]Wiley[/name_u] specially if they look alike I know it will suit him. Or if it’s a girl I’m gonna call her [name_u]Milo[/name_u]… which is similar to [name_m]Silo[/name_m] lol
