Drfox- yes this does help, thank you for your story! It helps to see the big picture and it’s reassuring you have never had that confusion. I logically tells me that my obsession is not really rational. I hope I fall in love as you and your daughter have fallen in love with her name. we do call her a nickname now but I was worried that because we are using that instead of [name_f]Anna[/name_f] that it is not helping me love her real name.
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Tori101- I’m so sorry you had to go through something similar also. I think I read your posts here, as I was searching for other name regret stories! [name_f]Anna[/name_f] was just such a quick decision that it completely freaked me out knowing I will use this name forever and ever and didn’t know if I put enough time into choosing it. Right now I do feel it’s the right name for her but I’m just struggling with the sound of it. I think I will continue with her pet name to give my brain some breathing space. I just wasn’t sure if me not using and loving her name was still red flags that I needed to change it… even though I don’t even know what I would change it to at this point.
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LouC- thank you. It’s nice to remember what I did want during my pregnancy, to honor my grandmother. I pray to be in the same space you are with your compromise name!
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I agree. [name_f]My[/name_f] husband fought and fought for my fourth child to be named [name_u]Spencer[/name_u]. I did not and still do not like that name AT ALL. But for some reason my husband was insistent that he be named that. (At least your husband has a reason for [name_f]Anna[/name_f] being an honor name, tradition and reflective of his heritage!) After one week of going back and forth I conceded and agreed to use my first choice name as his middle… [name_u]Spencer[/name_u] [name_u]Gabriel[/name_u] he was. Honestly, in the end, it really doesn’t matter as much what we the parents think or choose. It is more important that we love the child and not the name. [name_f]My[/name_f] son is 100% a “Spencer” (whatever that means). And now that he is an adult, virtually everyone except family calls him “Spence” (which I like even less lol). But on a scale of 1-10 how much do I care??? 1. Don’t let this eat at you inside, affect your relationship with your husband, or interfere with the joy and ability to be open and present with your daughter, no matter WHAT she is named. [name_m]Just[/name_m] my two cents. Best wishes with your little [name_f]Anna[/name_f]. 
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Oh yes! I was called “Maria Diarrhea” growing up lol. 
It actually became a running joke (no pun intended!!) ad my friends actually called me “Di” for years lol!! I would MUCH rather be called [name_f]Anna[/name_f] [name_f]Banana[/name_f], in retrospect.
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[name_f]Anna[/name_f] is a fine name, and very wearable. [name_f]Joanna[/name_f] is okay, but I can personally only imagine it on a middle aged woman. I think [name_f]Anna[/name_f] is more wearable for a young girl. Maybe that will help you like [name_f]Anna[/name_f] more?
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Honestly it’s actually so tough but I think postpartum hormones doesn’t help either having a baby is tough and I think everything
that comes with it can cause huge decisions like a naming a baby feel so all encompassing.
With me I think the public put me off [name_f]Lilia[/name_f] which made me regret her name. But trust me [name_f]Anna[/name_f] is lovely I hope you begin to love the name.
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I think I can relate to this somewhat. I wanted to call my son [name_u]Jude[/name_u], but his dad didn’t like it, so I settled for my second favourite name, [name_m]Reuben[/name_m]. I longed to use [name_u]Jude[/name_u] for weeks after he was born and it took me a while to see him as his name, but he’s a few months shy of 2 now and he fits [name_m]Reuben[/name_m] so much! I’m so glad it is his name.
I agree with PPs that you seem hyperfocused on hearing [name_f]Anna[/name_f] in everyday words and it isn’t as big of a deal as you feel it is. You’re also perhaps mourning the loss of ever getting to use [name_f]Joanna[/name_f]. These are both normal. If it means anything, [name_f]Anna[/name_f] is a beautiful name that is timeless and suits any girl. You can use [name_f]Anna[/name_f], [name_f]Annie[/name_f], [name_f]Anna[/name_f] [name_f]Banana[/name_f] (no, it doesn’t bother me, I think it’s super sweet and endearing). [name_f]Annalise[/name_f] is on my list with the nickname [name_f]Anna[/name_f], I love it! There is also a reason it is so timeless and loved (and used!) by many.
Let the dust settle, 3 months is no time at all. [name_u]George[/name_u] and [name_f]Anna[/name_f] sound lovely together. You will come across plenty of names that can sound like something else but I have never, ever come across anyone bothered by this.
Good luck, I hope you learn to love [name_f]Anna[/name_f] like I do!
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I love that name! So classic! Has she got a middle name? Maybe you could call her that? Lots of people go by their middle names? You could of called her [name_f]Joanna[/name_f] and went for [name_f]Anna[/name_f] as a nn. [name_u]Or[/name_u] you could go for a nickname like [name_u]Anne[/name_u]. But, It’s not too late to change. for the first couple of weeks my parents thought I was going to be called [name_f]Minnie[/name_f]!
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But on the pro side. It is so lovely and [name_f]Joanna[/name_f] and Georhe sound to similar
Drfox- wow thanks for sharing about your spencer! [name_f]Do[/name_f] you remember when you stopped caring about your dislike for his name? I’m thinking that the name [name_f]Anna[/name_f] is not my favorite and my anxiety is scared I will dislike her name forever. However there are only a few girl Names that I actually do like and they would never work with my husbands need to honor his Greek culture. It’s reassuring to know that over time it doesn’t matter. When you call his name now, does the thought even cross your mind about his name? [name_u]Or[/name_u] just your love for him overrides that?
I feel like already she is turning in to a little [name_f]Anna[/name_f], that the name is for her, not for me.
I love HER so much, she is the sweetest little bundle of love. All of this has affected my marriage, my ability to be present, but I’m at a point now where I need to move on and accept.
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Eireann- thank you for the reassurance that you have never come across anyone bothered by this! I have goggled the hell out of this and haven’t found any other posts such as this. I’m so frustrated that it has happened to my brain, I swear I am not normally crazy like this lol I will keep working thru this postpartum anxiety.
When did you know your [name_m]Reuben[/name_m] was definitely your [name_m]Reuben[/name_m]?
I definitely think you’ll come round to it once she starts to look like an [name_f]Anna[/name_f], which I think she will! He was around 6 months old and saying his name just clicked. It felt sooo right and I was happy that [name_m]Reuben[/name_m] was the name we went with. I love saying his name out in public, I think he looks just like how I envisioned a [name_m]Reuben[/name_m] to look when I first fell in love with the name (years before I had him!)
Postpartum anxiety takes time to get through so don’t force yourself to love the name, as it’ll probably do the opposite. I don’t think it’s crazy to overanalyse your baby’s name and hyperfocus on it, we all want what is best for our children and the first thing you can do for them is give them a name you love and hope they will love, too. It is an intense amount of pressure, especially something to go through when you’re vulnerable after childbirth!
I just know that it was hard for me at first but I am so glad he is a [name_m]Reuben[/name_m] and not a [name_u]Jude[/name_u]. 
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I could have written this post about my own [name_f]Anna[/name_f]! First, big hugs. I was in your shoes last year when my [name_f]Anna[/name_f] was born and I drove myself absolutely nuts. For us, [name_f]Anna[/name_f] was also a compromise name. I was obsessed with my first daughter’s name [name_f]Lucy[/name_f] for decades but had the hardest time following up with another girl’s name. I went with [name_f]Anna[/name_f] for all the same reasons others mentioned. It really is a beautiful name! However when [name_f]Anna[/name_f] was born, I had the hardest time calling her by her first name! It felt so elegant for a little squishy baby. As time went on, my little Anna’s daredevil personality came out and she felt more like an [name_f]Annie[/name_f] to me. So now I call her [name_f]Annie[/name_f] 90% of the time. [name_f]My[/name_f] 3 year old calls her [name_f]Annie[/name_f] Bananie/ [name_f]Anna[/name_f] [name_f]Banana[/name_f] and it’s become a term of endearment. I don’t know if the nickname will stick come grade school, but it suits her now. Perhaps using a nickname in the interim will help you too. I’m glad you’re getting help for your postpartum anxiety. It can be such a tough time. Best of luck to you!
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I am a mama to a [name_u]George[/name_u] and an Anna!!! I felt the same way about her name in the beginning as well. I was very close to changing it, but we didn’t and now honestly, I can’t really picture her named anything else.
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SEK- no way! Thank you for sharing. I’m sorry you went through this also. It’s been an awful experience, as you know. I didn’t even consider the name [name_f]Anna[/name_f] until the day before I left the hospital so that freaked me out also. That I didn’t do enough research before postpartum.
Did you ever get confused when [name_f]Lucy[/name_f] talks? For example, my 5 year old son will say “and I’m excited” and I swear it would sound like “Anna’s excited”. And I’ll ask him “Anna’s excited?” And he’ll say “no I am!” It freaked me out. It doesn’t happen as much now than when we first came home from the hospital. Again, is this because of postpartum anxiety or is it because I never used her name before postpartum?
Also when [name_f]Anna[/name_f] starts to talk, will I get confused and not know if she is saying “Anna” or “and”??! 
Arknorth- no way!!! How did you pick their names?
[name_u]George[/name_u] is my father in laws name, Greek tradition to name him after my husbands Dad. So I had years to just LOVE [name_u]George[/name_u].
Anna’s name- picked in the hospital and was the only “family name” (besides Joanna) from my side. And I’m freaking out over it lol
When did you get used to Anna’s name? Did you ever get confused with it sounding like “and a” or “and I’m?” or when she learned how to talk… did you ever not know if she was saying her name or saying “and”?? 
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Not a mom of an [name_f]Anna[/name_f] but I love this name so much!
I think it’s easy to really become focused on details or things no one else will notice when we name our real life children!
To me, [name_f]Anna[/name_f] is very classic, pretty, and goes really well with [name_u]George[/name_u].
This is definitely a special time but can also be really overwhelming.
[name_m]Just[/name_m] my opinion but many names sound like words and my guess is you are just noticing this now with [name_f]Anna[/name_f] because it’s so new to you. To me [name_f]Anna[/name_f] is clearly a name…I see how it could sound like “and a” when spoken quickly but that isn’t something I would notice or have ever thought of.
Many very beloved popular names also can sound like other words…Emma, [name_f]Mia[/name_f], Noah…there are so many. I’m sure parents of little Emma’s (a beautiful name) at first hear [name_f]Emma[/name_f] a lot when they say/hear “I’m a…”
I don’t know if that makes sense but hope that helps!
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All.the.names- yes it makes total sense to me! [name_f]My[/name_f] mind never went there until I really started using her name. I just hope that it goes away soon so I can just tolerate her name and start to like/love it.
You are right that this could apply to other names also. And I would hate to change her name because of this reason alone, and then have this “brain hiccup” with another name. I guess that’s why asking on here helps me to sort out if this is even a rational thought and/or reason to change a name.
Thank you!
For what it is worth, I think [name_f]Anna[/name_f] goes better with [name_u]George[/name_u] than [name_f]Joanna[/name_f]. Joanna/Joanne scream mid 20th century to me, while [name_f]Anna[/name_f] is such a classic name. (she still has part of your Grandmothers name as [name_f]Anna[/name_f]. It might also help that both names have a very similar meaning. [name_f]Anna[/name_f] means grace while [name_f]Joanna[/name_f] is God is gracious.
I would have loved to call one of my daughters [name_f]Catherine[/name_f], but their father hated it. I hated some of his suggestions as well. There are times when we do have to compromise
[name_f]Anna[/name_f] and [name_u]George[/name_u] fit together very well as Greek and [name_f]English[/name_f] names, I knew a lady once who had sons [name_m]Nicholas[/name_m] and [name_u]Tristan[/name_u]. When her [name_f]Anna[/name_f] was born, she said she picked [name_f]Anna[/name_f] because the name had a Russian feel about it (to go with Nicholas) and it went with [name_u]Tristan[/name_u] as well.
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