A mum is grappling with severe anxiety over the name she selected for her son seven months ago, despite her husband’s fondness for it.
Picking a name for a newborn isn’t a walk in the park; when co-parenting, you need to find a moniker that both parties agree on, and one which suits not just a baby but also an adult.
Many parents, eager to give their children a “unique” name, may choose controversial or nonsensical options that others ridicule. Some parents, however, opt for a name they don’t feel is “right”, either to maintain harmony or because they’re too exhausted to discuss alternatives.
This appears to be the situation for one mum who gave birth to a son seven months ago. On Reddit, she titled her post “I hate my baby’s name” and wrote: “I had my son, Sawyer, seven months ago, and I still hate his name. To me, it sounds ugly when I say it out loud and I feel like it’s hard to pronounce. We pronounce it ‘Soy-er here’.”
She added: “There weren’t any baby names that we truly loved, but when we chose Sawyer it felt wrong in my gut. My husband loves this name. Please help me. I want to overcome this and move on because it gives me so much anxiety.”
Reddit users chimed in with their reactions in the comments section. One user commented: “If it makes you feel any better, I think it’s a great name. It reminds me of Sawyer on Lost. He was tall and handsome.”
Someone suggested: “I called my kid Bean for the first 24 months of their life. (And it has nothing to do with their actual name.) Could you just choose a playful nickname that doesn’t have to do with Sawyer’s name?”
A third person advised: “Talk to your husband. Also, what’s his middle name? Maybe you could try using that and see how you feel?”
Another Reddit user, empathising with the baby name regret, shared: “I feel the same way with my baby’s name. He is three months old. Honestly I could have written this exact thing! I think it’s not that uncommon [to be honest].
“Our hormones play a role for sure overthinking and anxiety and wanting their name to be perfect. I personally love the name you’ve chosen and wouldn’t think it’s hard for people to pronounce. I hope you find peace with it soon. I know the feeling!”
Many commenters suggested she should discuss the possibility of a name change with her partner. She later added in a follow-up comment: “My hubby knows how I feel and he’s very supportive. He tells me that if I truly want to change it, I can.
“But I can see how much he loves the name, which makes me not want to change it. I just want someone to give me a magic pill that will allow me to love the name.”