Choosing a baby name can be a daunting task.
With an endless list of potential names for your little one, there’s no definitive right or wrong choice. Whether you’re after a classic moniker or something more unique, the decision is entirely yours.
However, this freedom can also bring about immense pressure, especially when you’re heavily pregnant or have just given birth and naming your child is the last thing on your mind. This often leads to parents feeling “rushed” into selecting a name for their child, as was the case with one mum who now admits she “regrets” her choice.
In a Reddit post, the woman revealed her daughter is nearly one-year-old and at the time of her birth, she chose the name Juliana because it was “uncommon” in her area and sounded “very feminine”.
A year later, however, the mum feels her daughter’s name is “a mouthful”, and she isn’t fond of the typical nicknames like Jules, Julie, or Julia. She also expressed that names ending in “-iana” seem “generic and too common”, even though Juliana isn’t particularly common where she lives.
She explained: “So my baby is almost one and I’m wondering if I chose the wrong name. It’s so difficult to think when you’re pregnant, and I feel like I felt rushed. Her name is Juliana. I liked it initially because it’s uncommon and it’s very feminine.
“Since she’s almost a year old I feel it’s too late to consider other options, but maybe you all can give me some reassurance or alternate nicknames that I like. I like ‘Lana’ and ‘Liana’, but I wonder if they’re too far of a stretch. I also don’t want her to go as her middle name.”
The mum sought advice from Reddit users, who offered comfort by saying Juliana is a “beautiful” name for her daughter and she shouldn’t harbour regret. One commenter remarked: “Juliana is a wonderful name. It’s a real name, with a logical spelling. It’s classic and well known, but not trendy or overused. It sounds pretty.”
Another added: “Juliana is a beautiful and not uncommon name at all! Very classic, and feminine! Eventually her friends will give her a nn such as Jules, Julie, etc. so you may have to come to terms with that but overall beautiful name!”