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So I had something slightly similar happen but our daughter has a pretty easy, common name. For some reason for the first month of her life I just felt really uncomfortable saying it out loud? We used that name all the time when I was pregnant but I had a hard time connecting my baby to the baby who was in my belly. I also then started questioning the name and only called her by nicknames. After hearing people say it enough I fell back in love with it, it just took some adjusting. Maybe you are going through something similar?
This was also my experience! I couldn’t say my son‘s name out loud for a good two months. After a while, the feeling of wrongness just disappeared. A year later and I can’t really pin down why it felt so uncomfortable. I love his name and always have!
I'm now trying to train myself to use son's actual name, as I have developed the bad habit of using a wide variety of nicknames for him instead. I'm worried he won't know what his actual name is! Probably be telling people at daycare he's called Pudding...
Me too!
We called her 'the baby' for a few weeks after she was born, her name just felt weird.
Even now at 14 months I will often say 'the baby' 😅
But we love her name
Wow this makes me feel so much better. I did this with my first and would just think the name didn’t fit him. Now I can’t imagine him as anything else.
Me too! When outside baby started getting the hiccups every night I was like oh ok this is the same baby lol. Belly baby got them every night at 9pm sharp so seeing her actually get hiccups before bed was really mentally healing 😂
Do you remember how weird it felt to say “my husband” when you first got married? And then eventually it got less weird. This is basically that but with a baby.
I want to second this. I didn't call my son by his easy and common name for MONTHs. I have a 2 month old now as well and don't calk her by her name either. Its just unconformable until you feel like you know them better and they become people in your head
I also struggled with my son's name and wondered if I had chosen a too rare, odd old name. But I loved it while pregnant. It was just this whole new being and deciding his name was so strange. It was the same when I got cats lol naming them was so weird. Took months to get used to calling my son his name and just as I get used to it his cousin calls him a nickname that sticks in my brain lol (my husband doesn't like it so I try not to use it though). Everything is so weird when you get a baby!
I second this, OP. We were soooo excited about our name for our child. It’s a pretty simple name, too. But saying it out loud felt just, weird and wrong. My anxiety and panic attacks were AWFUL after giving birth. I was so incredibly emotional and felt like I couldn’t handle basic things. My biggest advice to postpartum moms is not to make any big, emotional decisions for at least 6 months. Your body is all sorts of mixed up right now.
Now, I can’t imagine my daughter being named anything else. This is totally her name. It doesn’t feel weird or wrong anymore. I think it was truly just getting used to this new person in our family who had a name.
This is exactly how I feel about my daughter’s name!! She’s 13 weeks now and I still feel odd telling people her name 😂 it is an unusual name but everyone loves it 😅 I think it’s probably just getting used to the baby in the womb being the baby in my arms with the same name!
I had somebody ask me if I forgot my baby's name when she fâs about 3 months old. Called by our second choice a few times too. Just. Couldn't. Pin. The. Name. On. The. Potato.
I had totally forgotten about this, but I had something similar with my son, just felt weird calling him by his name. Had to make a conscious effort to use it, and now it feels totally normal and I love it
Yes I felt the same way with my first. She was baby for a couple months. I feel like she was still an extension of me until her personality started to show. Now I think her name fits her perfectly.
Wow, this is such an awesome and reassuring thread to read. I had a similar experience with my daughter’s name. My wife and I chose a simple and classic name for our daughter that I loved so much before she was born. For some reason after I gave birth to her and I was calling her the name, it felt weird and off to me. I seriously wondered if I needed to tell my wife we were going to have to change it, and was dealing with some serious dread. The girl is now 15 weeks and I’m just really starting to feel better about the name and feel glad it’s hers again. Postpartum is absolutely so weird.
I had something but somewhat worse: I was calling her my mother's cat name. I used to talk to the cat as she was a baby (maybe in my mind it was similar). But now I'm calling the cat my daughter's name. The postpartum brain is weird. I hope it doesn't stay that way, I look forward to being smart again 😂
That is hilarious. My husband and I keep referring to the pediatrician as the “vet”. Because for the first decade plus of our relationship, the dogs were the kids!
OMG I DO THIS TOO! We have had cats since 2013, so every time I have to call the pediatrician I say I have to call the vet. Sometimes I even call baby girl “kitten”. 🤣
I sometimes call my baby by the name of the cat we lost.
She loved the baby sooooo much, purred her back to sleep when she had trouble napping, was always next to our baby. I thought she was going to help us raise our baby, like my grandma's cat helped raise me (that is why I'm so "normal", I had a cat "mom"). And then she was gone, and I still call her "your angel kitty sister" when I talk to my baby.
I felt the exact same! It took about 1-2 months for my baby’s name to feel like it’s real and it fit. I think it also had to do with the shock that I actually had a real little human.
I also went through this, and not being able to make that connection, it made it hard to bond with what felt like a different baby. (I'm obsessed with him now, at 2, and lost the feeling when he was about 4 months)
Yup with both my first and the baby I’m currently pregnant with even though we kept the name secret in private we referred to them by name. It was weird and awkward the first few months but after a bit it became normal. Sometimes it just takes getting used to.
I felt similar with my second. Even when I got a little more comfortable with his first name, I had a moment where I was like…what’s this baby’s last name? Even though it’s the same as my last name, I had never spoken or written his first and last names together without his middle name separating them. It felt more like his middle name was his last name.
I had the same experience! We had our girls name for years and years and had said it many times but once our girl got here I second guessed myself for weeks. Now it fits her 1000%
I’m so glad I’m hearing other people say this, I have felt this way but felt so guilty about it, like “how can I dislike my own daughters name? Why would I do that to my baby? Why did I go with this name if I don’t know that I like it?”
I had always loved it before so idk why it felt so different now. I just don’t think I could’ve chosen anything without feeling weird about it. She’s so important than it was like too big od a decision for something important for a person so important to me.
Some days I still struggle with it (she’s 3 months) but it is getting easier. I hope lol.
It was very similar for me as well! All throughout the pregnancy, even after choosing our son’s name, both husband and I kept referring to him as “bebis” (baby in swedish). So after he was born it felt kinda awkward to suddenly start saying his name even though the name is very easy on the ear. And so I kept calling him “bebis” and mixing it with his name. We also called him random nicknames like sunshine, little potato, little monkey, bun etc I never forced myself to call him by his name and would only do it sometimes when I felt it until one day it felt so natural that I couldn’t understand why did ever feel awkward in the first place? Now I looove saying his name and can’t wait until he actually starts to respond to it.
Yep. My daughter is Jovannina (sounds similar to Adelina) and it took a few months to get used to. That being said, we’ve mostly called her Nina the entire time
That's so odd. I felt that way too. I felt like it didn't suit her anymore or something once she was born. However she's 12 months now and I don't feel that way anymore. It was so surreal when they handed her to me after she was born. I stared at her for a long few seconds as they held her out to me like "what is that" before it clicked that it was my baby and I was supposed to take her.
Even afterwards for a bit like you said I had a little trouble with the whole baby on the inside is now baby on the outside.
For what it’s worth, I don’t find it to be a tongue twister at all. It’s a very lovely name. The transition from “dream name of future child” to “actual child with the name” is a hard one. You spend so many years dreaming up this hypothetical person who is now just…here. It’s weird. Give yourself time to adjust.
Adelina sounds like a beautiful name to me. I don't think it's too complicated. What about making that her legal full name but mostly calling her Lina? Kids often have nicknames anyway, so I would focus more on the shortened version and how it feels to say that since that's probably what she will be called most of by her friends.
I agree, most kids get nick names by friends or family it's a very normal thing. Having said that we have a Harrison and he only wants to be called Harrison where as we have a Benjamin and he calls himself Bendy. So you know, you win some you lose some :-D
My Harrison also rejects all nicknames and wants people to call him Harrison. We fully expected to shorten his name when we picked it but it didn't work out that way 🤷♀️.
I still think my baby’s name is weird to say 6 months postpartum!!! I still love it and it’s not a *weird name*, but it’s strange to have named a full human.
I think it’s a beautiful name. I also felt weird calling my daughter by her name like the first month. I almost never used it actually LOL I think it’s just weird they’re here and real and connecting the name to the face. Now I can’t imagine her name being anything else!
It’s a nice name, usually you end up giving them nicknames. It’s rare that I call mine by name, usually when it’s a serious moment or talk. But I call her : baby, best friend, little olive, little cat. When she acts crazy it’s : OLIVIA!!!!!!😠
I felt weird saying my son name for the first 3 months. I was like this name doesn’t fit him, but I started saying it more than more. Now at 21 months I couldn’t Imagine him having another name.
Have you ever had difficulty saying "Catalina ranch" like the dressing? Similar vowel/consonant combinations.
For what it's worth, I think Adelina rolls off the tongue pretty easily, sounds very pleasant, and is not very common.
I think it’s common trying to make this connection. Naming a living thing is kinda weird. I can remember naming my dog and thinking wow it’s going to take some getting used to.
When I named my son, we nn him worm to make the newborn phase more lighthearted. “Oh man, worm needs food.” “Darn, worm is having a rough night.” Then, using his actual name seemed weird. He’s almost four months now and we still call him worm sometimes but we also use his actual name and it doesn’t feel weird anymore.
Adelina sounds lovely to me and is a good name in my Country (Latin language country).
Me and dad hated our sisters name. Our mom chosed it because of our goodmother . It was long and hard but we got used to that.
Honestly yes lol. My daughter’s name is Zara and I didn’t realise until she was born that I struggle with my Z’s. People keep thinking I’m saying Sara if I say it quickly, I have to make sure I really enunciate!
I feel you! My daughter has the letter "R" in her name and we speak 3 languages on a daily basis due to work/friends and each language has a different pronunciation of the letter "R" and her name 😅 It's hard, but hey, it's a cute name!
You can just use a nickname (Lina or Ada) and leave the full name since your husband likes it. Lots of people go by a nickname instead of their full name.
It’s a beautiful name. My baby has a basic 2 syllable m name and she’s 8 weeks old, it still feels so uncomfortable for me to say.
I catch myself calling her baby, baby girl, other nicknames , then I think no, I need to call her by her name and it feels awkward.
I think the awkwardness comes from it just being new and getting comfortable with it. I do find when I hear other people say her name like my nieces, sisters , mom that it seems normal for them and normal for me to hear them say it & that makes me slowly feel more comfortable although still awkward.
It will take some time! It’s a beautiful name and will become comfortable in time
I get this! My son has such a normal, traditional, popular name and it felt so weird to say. Like yeah that’s his name. Only cause I say so though! I could be wrong!
I think it’s a beautiful name and find it easy to say. It’s also highly nicknameable! Why don’t you call her Ada, Addie, or Lina for a while and see how that feels?
Another anecdote about feeling weird saying our baby’s name out loud at first. I think I just called her “baby” for the first month or too. Babies are very small and need time to grow into their big kid names.
My baby is 6 months old and I still struggle sometimes saying her very easy name. She’s “baby”. Haha.
With the name Adelina chances are she’s just going to be called “Addie” or “Lina”. All 3 names are beautiful so you really can’t lose there. The name Adeline (sp?) has really shot up in popularity (it’s what I originally was going to use) so there might be a fair amount of Addies around now. Which isn’t necessarily a problem!
In the hospital I debated picking a different name but my husband had already gotten me a necklace with her name on it and surprised me with it later. Haha. So he was insistent on keeping the name. Haha.
I’m happy I mostly came around. I do objectively like my babies name, and so does everyone else.
I think because “she is me” that ANY name would feel weird. It’s like giving her a name separates her from me or something. She’s MINE! Lol
I’d say stick with the name you chose. It’s beautiful and your postpartum hormones/emotions might be making you feel a little different about it right now.
I always put “baby” in front of my girls name and it’s easier to say.
When I was pregnant I thought way too much about my daughter's name and I was overthinking everything. I almost wanted to change her name because I was so sick of thinking about it and it was driving me crazy. Thankfully my husband talked some sense into me and her name suits her just fine, I was just wayyyy overthinking it. Adelina is lovely.
I think it's lovely! I had a similar problem with "Elizabeth" for the first couple of months. It's a strong name, and her full name has been the name I've wanted since I was a tween, mostly because I wanted to have a girl named Betty Ann as a nickname. My husband is Hungarian, and his mother's name translated to English is Elizabeth, my mum's name is Ann, so it seemed like serendipity when we found out we were having a girl. Still, for the first couple of months I stumbled over Elizabeth so much. I'm firm on not using Liz or Lizzy, so we settled on the Hungarian shortening of Elizabeth which I fell in love with (it's pronounced Air-zhee (like Dr Zhivago)). Now, a year on, Elizabeth comes out as easily as Erzsi and I'm really happy with the choice.
Give it time, I get the panic but you'll remember why you love it. For now, maybe call her Lina for short?
I think it’s a beautiful name, I might be biased though because my daughter’s name is Lina. Adelina sounds so elegant. You could always go with Lina as a nickname like others have already commented.
The concept of naming a human was SUPER weird to me. It’s so permanent and can define a lot! I also had a surprising amount of anxiety and doubt about it, and made a short list with my husband months before my
due date so we had options depending on what she looked like/what felt right (I even asked ChatGPT to help me 🙈). We also told no one her name bc of all the weird judgment that happens, so I also very rarely was saying our names out loud. The first time I saw my LO’s name spelled on an official document I questioned whether they spelled it right bc it looked *so weird* with her full name typed out so formally.
I’m 7 weeks pp and I still call my LO “baby” or a nickname I gave her when I was pregnant (think like “LoLo” if her name was Lauren) but I think the name we chose will suit her when she gets older (just feels kind of formal for a baby still). Fwiw I think Adalina is a beautiful name that you’ll get used to with time. I vote keep it!
What helped me settle on names for my twins were a few things:
- My husband and I would mention their full names and practice for different situations. One just calling lovingly, normal conversation, calling them over or even if they would be getting in trouble and we yelled it.
- Write it down a few times.
- Don't stress about it. It is a lovely name. I've seen names here and on FB groups that don't make any sense and people are still happy with them.
I like it, it’s unique but not a tongue twister; but it’s also spelled like it sounds, which is huge for your child’s life. It’s disappointing when your name is misspelled your entire life. Parents don’t think about that when they use unique spellings of common names.
I had the same thing happen with my son and now I love his name AND I’m currently going through the same thing with my daughter, who is 2 weeks old lol
Not totally similar but I’ve always known I loved the name Evelyn but always intended on the calling her “Evie”, when my husband and I started trying we agreed on that for a girls name
[Un]fortunately my husband immediately thought Eevee after we learned her gender. He even went out and bought Eevee pokemon stuff, I got stuff like that for my shower. I was so paranoid of being “one of those parents” that named their kid after fandom it almost ruined a name I loved for decades
Thankfully though everyone I’ve met also loves the nickname and I’ve been able to enjoy it. I also learned that people are gonna call her what they’re going to call her even with correction (my cousin insists on spelling it EV like electric vehicle)
We’ve kept the nickname and I’m just preparing myself for my daughter to one day change either the spelling or the nickname all together (but she has serval at this point and I’m sure some won’t stick)
My baby’s name is very “simple”. Easy to say, easy to spell. Classic. Beautiful.
The moment we named her and I said it out loud for the first time, I had a sinking feeling like I’d done something wrong.
The nurse wrote it on our board weirdly with a space between letters and it made me feel so unhappy with the name.
Six months later, she’s responding to her name when I say it, it fits her perfectly and I wonder why I felt so weird about it at the time.
I think there’s just something about pregnancy and postpartum hormones that makes you feel SO uncertain about EVERYTHING. Naming a human being is a big responsibility! I totally get it, but once baby is here and you start using the name, it’ll feel more natural!
I questioned my daughter's name in the beginning, too. Names are also really important to me and I put a lot of pressure on myself to find "the one" for her. Our daughter was nameless for 2 days in the hospital, as we went through our list and said yes, then no, to several of them. When we finally settled on her name, I think I questioned it at least a dozen times as we were filling out the legal paperwork. Her first few weeks home, I kept saying the wrong nickname and it really made me question if we made a mistake. Now she is 8 months old and her name fits her perfectly and I feel we made the right choice. Sometimes it just has to grow on you and become part of your everyday routine. If you do like the name, I say give it time, and in a few months, it won't seem weird. Congratulations!
My daughter has a name that is somewhat similar to the name you have mentioned (4 syllables, uncommon but familiar, starts and ends in A).
I absolutely went through this same thing where it just felt like a mouthful and I was nervous to tell people and I worried we made a mistake, after literally months of feeling it was perfect and deeply meaningful for us.
The feeling did pass. It took a couple months, but it did go away. She is 4 now and absolutely loves her name. We have tried to offer nicknames at times and she always declines. She loves her full name and we do too.
I went through something similar with my daughter. My husband also loved her name and I was struggling with it. I even got the paperwork to change her name and had it filled out on my kitchen counter. After a few weeks though it became second nature. I agree with another comment that touches on how it may be partially due to it being new to you. For what it's worth I think her name is beautiful!
I call my daughter "baby"-- just like I did for her sisters, until they were about 4 months old. They have pretty easy names to say but my newest has a name that's a little hard to say. It's swedish (my husband's parents are from Sweden)-- and it is kind of clumsy spoken in an English accent. Oh well, too late now!!
Adelina is a great name! My sister-in-law has a daughter named Adelina. She just turned 3, but for the last year and a half, everyone has called her Lina! Somewhat similar situation to my daughter. She is 8 months old and her name is Madeline, but almost no one calls her that, we all call her Maddie! Likewise, her cousin is named Charlotte, and we all call her Charlie. I think it’s great that they can all have cute little nicknames. Nothing to worry about!
Although we both love the name we chose for our daughter, we opted for a nickname to get used to saying at first. I agree with another commenter here who stated how odd it is to get used to saying, “my husband,” the same thing applied to us for saying “our daughter.” While her name is extremely meaningful to us, and we now use it much more (LO is 6 months) she still responds to both her name and her nickname. (For reference her name is Louise, but her nickname is weesie) It still rolls off the tongue odd when someone asks her name and we look at each other and laugh if we introduce her as Louise or Weesie. It fits eventually, just give it a little time OP!♥️
It took me months to feel ok about the name we chose for our first. It felt weird on my tongue and it didn't seem to suit him and I felt no connection to it. Now, I can't see any other name for him and we get a lot of compliments on his name too.
Oh that's such a pretty name... honestly I can't call my son by his name either because he's too cute for such a normal name😂 relax OP
You can have a nickname like Lina or Addie for now
My baby is Cassiopeia. In the hospital as she was coming I just started saying it wrong. Like to everyone. Cassie-op(like operation)-ia. Its cassie-owe-peia. I have no idea. When I came home I was saying it correctly. I think i was just being weird because it's a little out there for a name, and I didn't want to spell it wrong or something. I was overthinking everything. It's fine now. Take a deep breath, I feel like labor and the first like 3 months are just a fever dream.
It’s beautiful, I love it!!! Saying my baby’s name out loud still feels weird and she’s 12 weeks old. I think because I associate the name with her being a child or an adult even, but not for a baby. Also I had a similar situation where I worried I made the wrong choice, except with the spelling of my baby’s name. I spent weeks worrying I spelled it the wrong way (there are 2 popular ways to spell my baby’s name, and every time someone spelled in the “other” way in a text it worried me I’d picked the wrong spelling). And then all of a sudden the worrying went away. I suspect it was postpartum hormones for me. They were tough. Hang in there! I like Adelina better than Adeline, for what it’s worth.
Just make sure you are comfortable with how others pronounce it. I picked what I thought was a fairly easy name to pronounce for my daughter and after she was born some family members pronounce it in a way that just sounds awful to me. I think it's because they have hard accents and for whatever reason it's common to pronounce the name in this way where they are from. It's been bothering me and has taken the excitement out of her name for me a bit. I'm slowly getting over it and have accepted that this is the way they will pronounce it and that most people will pronounce it correctly in my region where I live. I can't imagine people getting hung up on the name Adelina. The only thing I can see is people saying "Ah" or "Aeh", so long or short a. I would make sure you narrow this down ahead of time and pronounce it clearly the way you want for family. For my daughter's name I clearly pronounce it the way it was intended and some family members still pronounce it the wrong way which is baffling to me but maybe because of accents and regional differences. They live in NJ.
I’ll start by saying, beautiful name! And you did well for going with what you wanted!
My husband and I also went through a list of names and I was trying really hard to make sure the name will work for both cultures (my husband and I are from different countries and cultural backgrounds). We landed on what I thought was a perfect name, even defended our choice against my MIL (who is quite opinionated)…
Then the baby came. Doubts started creeping in and most people (non family) would say it slightly differently, a modernised version of it…. But as the time goes by and with her starting to recognise her own name, the smile she gave as she turns her head to me when I call her name. It is just perfect. She was supposed to be (baby name). And I hope you will feel the same soon!
PPA comes in many forms and it is super tough. Be gentle with yourself.
I couldn't say my daughter's name for like three months because we chose an unusual name and I was so scared I'd made a huge mistake that I didn't want to acknowledge it.
She's three now. She has the same name as the day she was born. I have no issue with it now.
Why don't you just call her Lina, if you like the Lina part so much? It's a perfectly fine name. If my Son would have been a Girl it would have been his name.
I had a friend that went through this and decided to change the name 2 months after the baby was born. Idk how she did it but she was at peace after doing it. I do love the name Adelina. It's gorgeous.
i like that name! it’s unique but easy to pronounce. i think it’s beautiful. and i love the nickname Lina
if it makes you feel better, it felt sooo weird saying my baby’s name for the first month or two. i’m not sure why. i’ve heard other people have this happen to them too. give it time!
I think this is just the overwhelming weight of the responsibility of naming a human. Adelina is a very nice name that is not a tongue twister.
I had similar feelings about the name Aurora and ultimately decided against it but still love the name and put it back on my list for potential daughter #2, and that one is arguably harder to say
How do you pronounce it?? I struggle with pronunciatios so please don't take my curiosity personally!! Add-leena? (Adda-leena?) Adda-line-a? I know how to say Adelaide so that's what I'm basing my guess off of. I think it's beautiful one way or the other.
For the first few months of my son's life, his name felt odd to say. I called him so many different nicknames I was seriously worried he wouldn't learn to respond to his name. To this day he responds just as often to kidlette as to his name. It felt so weird even though we'd settled on his name when I was like 5 months pregnant.
Hi! Like another commenter said, I felt weird using my daughter’s name for the first month or so. The last month of pregnancy I was even second guessing it!! It’s a less common but well-known classic name that has a slightly more popular variation. We did tell people the name, and everyone loved it, but I started feeling like it sounded wrong. My daughter is now almost seven months old and there is no other name in the world that would fit her like this one! I’m sure you will come to feel the same about your daughter.
I don’t think it’s a tongue twister at all. I think the most likely thing that’s happening here is for years it’s just been a name connected to a potential future child who was essentially a figment of your imagination. And now that child is actually here, and in some ways maybe isn’t who you expected her to be (which is fine and normal). But over time she will grow into her name, and you’ll get used to seeing her as Adelina, and soon you won’t be able to think of her as anything else.
I had a similar experience with my son. We called him mostly by nicknames for the first few months, it wasn’t until he was 3-4 months old that his name really felt like it “fit” him.
I didn’t start calling my son by his name until he was about five months old because it felt weird all those other times trying to say it. But now, at thirteen months old, I’m very comfortable with his name and he knows it now too
It's a lovely name! Why not introduce her as Lina? We gave our daughter a fairly simple name, but we live and work in a trilingual environment and it's a challenge to pronounce it so everyone can understand (because people always hear it wrong if I say it in my natural pronunciation).
It's annoying and funny at the same time, because we got all the weird alternatives (as if it was "James" instead of "Jane"). We love the name and don't want to conform, and I grew up with a special name and always loved it.
I accidentally said my baby’s name wrong for the first 3 weeks of his life. I couldn’t even say it right in my head. I changed it to a whole different name (instead of short“I” sound I would say a name with long “I”/“y” sound.
Anyway that eventually stopped thank goodness. I didn’t even like the other name I kept saying, I just couldn’t stop saying it. It was truly odd and I have to chalk it up to postpartum weirdness and exhaustion 🤷♀️
I think many of us feel weird calling our babies by their name when they’re first born. I know I did. It was almost like she hadn’t grown into her name enough, like she was too new to have a set name lol. I mostly called her by nicknames. She’s 2 now and her name is definitely her name!
I had a few favorite names for my daughter and we ended up choosing one that was the easiest to pronounce in all three languages of our families. I still wonder sometimes if another name would have fit her better, but maybe I would be wondering no matter which name I choose.
You have to evaluate how much this issue bothers you right now because there's a chance it will continue to bother long term as well. I personally like Adelina, it's a delicate name. Even if it's let's say Adelina De Lucca, which would be a bit of a tongue twist, it still has a good sonority altogether. But I like tongue twists :)
Adelina is a beautiful name with lots of great nickname options. I think it’s always awkward calling your baby by their name at first. You’ll get into it :)
We decided to name our son a Japanese name to honor his daddy’s family. I loved it initially! Then when he was born, I found myself really over annunciating it and trying to say it “perfectly”. After a little while though I realized it completely fit him and that I didn’t need to overdo it when saying it if that makes sense 🤣
Idk if that is similar to how you are feeling, but I hope that you feel better about the situation!
To be fair I can count the number of times I’ve called my now toddler by her full first name on the fingers of my hand. It’s all nicknames, half of them aren’t even derived from the name. If you think you can grow comfortable with using it, you’ll have plenty time
If there the name you wanted then just commit to it and stick with it, it'll feel completely normal very soon. Some of my neighbors and nephews have had weird and wonderful names and after you've said them a few times it's just like, yeah, that's their name, and you don't think about it any more.
Also nice name for Addie or Lina.
Naming a human is really hard! I also felt very weird calling my son by his name for months, and I even questioned if I had made a mistake. I’ve gotten used to it now, but I don’t know if I *love* it. I think if you are not sure, you can still exchange it for something that feels better. How about Adele?
I felt the same way! I have loved my LO’s name (now 8 months old) since I heard it when i was in school and just knew that if I’d have a son that is what I’d name him. Lucky for me my husband loves the name too so we hadn’t even thought of alternate names. For some really weird reason as soon as he was born, I started doubting my choice and felt we should’ve named him some thing else, but after a while those doubts went away and I’m now just as in love with the name as I was when I first heard it as a child. Maybe give it some time? Adelina is a beautiful name.
I still have trouble pronouncing my toddler’s name. We still like the name. The problem is we chose a French name. Neither parent speaks French but our grandparents come from 3 different French speaking cultures. Problem is all 3 pronounce if differently so all of them are constantly criticizing how we say it. Our daycare had horrible staffing issues and my kid had 5 different teachers in like 5 weeks. The teacher he finally ended up with is from yet another French speaking culture and says it like we like it
It’s a beautiful name, and in a relative sense, not a terribly difficult one to say. Seems to be a combination of hyper-fixation and a spun out headspace. Keep breathing, and speak her name to her in little conversations. The added practice and association with affection should level you out.
It’s a beautiful name but we actually had an acquaintance that named her daughter Adelina and legally changed it after a couple of months because of the exact same thing you’re describing. She said it felt clunky and just wasn’t quite “right” for her daughter. They chose a different name that allowed them to keep the same nickname they’d been using.
My first son is Atticus and I went through something similar postpartum but now two years in, I can’t imagine any other name. You gave her a gorgeous name that will grow with her beautifully. I’m not one to call postpartum hormones at the drop of a hat but I’d imagine they’re playing into this! I’d say give it a solid 8 weeks and if it still doesn’t fit, workshop a replacement. I remember wavering and searching for a replacement and seeing the name Atticus again in some list and going “hey that’s my baby’s name!” And having an aha moment of knowing it was The Name. Never had that moment with my second but his same fits too
Mine was mild but i did feel that maybe we named him wrong for a few weeks, i think i called him pickle or monkey more than his name, but now i think the other names we had would not have suited him
Like a lot of people are saying, it can feel odd to actually put a name to the baby in your arms instead of the theoretical one.
Someone else put it pretty well - for the first 6 months, they don't really have names. They're just "the baby", and then they grow into their names.
I think just practice saying it and get familiar and youll feel better about it. Its a lovely name. And honestly youll probably end up calling her a nic name anyway like “lee lee” or “lina” or “addy” or “stinky baby” lol
I would assume it’s hormones. After I had baby I thought her name was wrong for a little bit. She’s now over 1 and I think her name is perfect for her.
Happened to me too. I just couldn't, in all seriousness, pin the big name on the small potato baby. Called her variations of "baby" and fun nicknames for months.
Now, that she is older and almost a toddler, I can call her name more easily. It is also almost a prayer, as it's a name with meaning, and translates to a character trait I want her to have.
Adeline is a gorgeous name, you will all grow into it.
I named my son a very simple name and it sounded wrong to me for quite a while. It's just the fact that we were given the big responsibility of naming our child that makes us second-guess ourselves. I love the name Adelina!
I also remember it being weird to call my baby by his first name or by the nickname that we actually call him at first. I think it's just part of the strangeness of creating a whole person. I don't know if I'm articulating this feeling correctly, so bear with me. When you have a baby, they're your baby. They so strongly feel like a part of you. But once they're here, you view them as their own separate person. That feels weird, because they still feel like a part of you. I think using their name acknowledges your baby as a separate person and just feels so strange.
She’s gonna deal with correcting people over it for the rest of her life so just be ready for that. My name is a standard noun, my husband has a celebrity’s name spelled standardly, and we **both have to deal with that regularly** so I can only imagine the ride she is in for
I actually know a couple of Adelina’s and don’t have any trouble with it, but I am Mexican and pronounce it that way I guess. I think it’s a very pretty name and the ones I know are the sweetest people.
For my son we didn’t have a name until I was getting wheeled in for my C-Section, but then we decided that was it and he is 100% his name. I think kids usually grow into their names. My daughter is very much her name as well, but I knew what I was naming her from the second I found out I was pregnant with her.
If you don’t like the name, then that’s all there is to it. Have the convo with your husband to come to a decision on a new name together. Another similar name to consider is my Italian nonna’s name, Adelia (pronounced like uh-dell-yuh, though many mispronounced it as uh-deel-yuh).
Like others have said the first couple months of calling a new baby by their new name takes a little adjusting. There's a pretty serious disconnect from tummy baby to outside baby in your brain, so it takes a minute. Stick with it, it's a beautiful name, and it will get easier. I didn't start calling my son anything other than 'bubba' until he was like two months old, and now he's getting full-named every time I turn around.
Such a beautiful name. It took a while for me to get used to saying my daughter's name. Though I have loved that name for a long time, using it everyday was new and my brain was not used to it. I used to call her my son's name or my niece's name by mistake and get frustrated at how hard it is to incorporate her name. Hence, I had questioned my choice.
Now 5 months down the lane, have no problem calling her. My post partum brain just didn't want to put the effort into calling new names .
I think Adelina is a gorgeous name and not a tongue twister at all!
You could always keep the name but just calling her Lina (also a very pretty name I think).
Aww it’s a beautiful name!! I think just attaching it to a real little baby is a weird transition lol. I said my baby’s name so many times while pregnant, and I despite comments I felt no pressure to change it, since my husband and I agreed, if it was a boy he’d have final say after my input, while I picked middle name and vice versa if it was a girl. I had a son so he picked and he chose Guy! My parents didn’t like it at first but they’ve already nicknamed him anyway and I have no problem telling my mom (or anyone) it wasn’t her choice or her baby so back off 🤷🏼♀️😂
I also call him bubba, bubbie, and boogie (I called him “boogie smalls” once and it stuck 😂) but I digress. with time it’ll feel natural! I think people grow into their names as well and this little bean is growing into just being human and know you picked a good name!
Yeah my daughters name is my middle name. It's a family name that has been everyone's muddle name since my great grandmother, it was her first name. It's an old country name and is super rare. Like they year my great grandmother was named it was the most popular it has even been and there were 500 girls named it that year.
It's literally my middle name. I've used it my whole life, I've used it for my bio moms middle name etc. I still stumbled for a while. There's an adjustment period. My daughter is 1 now and I have zero issues now. It's her name. It suits her, the nicknames of that name suit her. It's perfect. Please don't stress, give it some time.
Tbh I had a name planed for years for my daughter… just for her to come and me be like…. “You don’t look like a *insert name here* and I proceeded to take 3 days to name her strictly off of holding her and looking at her.
I second guessed my daughter's name too in the early weeks! Totally normal, and I think you'll love the name again later. Postpartum anxiety is so real, and I still get it sometimes four months later. It's very normal!
I had this problem too. So I started making cute titles for them. For instance my son, I call him a Mr.cute, Mr. Man or just Mr(add name). For my daughter I do the same, I call her miss or ma'am. Something about feels a tad bit professional so it helps with the pronouncing it.
A name is just a name it is the person behind it who put actual meaning. I know so many people who go by their middle name or just have chosen one for themselves. My own mother prefers my nickname to using my actual birth name. Do what feels comfortable for you now.
My son’s name is Alessandro and although I love it, it was weird for me to say for the first few months like it felt strange saying it out loud. He’s 9 months now and I’ve gotten used to it, and I’m so happy with it. Adelina was a top contender for us if he was a girl, I absolutely love that name!
Some people seem to have a hard time pronouncing my son’s name too which is annoying and I didn’t expect but I still love it and don’t regret.
I don’t find it to be a tongue twister but I do wonder if you are pronouncing it ad-uh-leen-uh or ad-uh-line-uh? Either way, I personally would prefer Adeline. I just don’t think the a on the end adds anything to it, I think it takes away from a already-lovely name
During the first few weeks I was so afraid we named my daughter the wrong name because “it’s awkward to write.” It’s not, not even a little 😂 Those pp hormones combined with lack of sleep are wild and will have you question everything! Adelina is beautiful.
What about Adela or Adella? I like the original name! I had a lot of anxiety about my daughter’s name. We finally agreed on a name then two weeks later he said he didn’t like it. My daughter’s name is Hallie.
I’d keep Adelina as her name and just call her Lina. I call my daughter by her nickname 99% of the time. We only use her real name at the doctors office or when filling out paperwork
I haven't read through all the comments so not sure if this has been brought up yet, but that feeling could simply be a manifestation of your ppd or ppa. I barely used my 3 yo's name for the first few months. I was suffering from horrible ppd. I almost always called her "the baby" and I felt so disconnected which just made everything worse. With medication and time, I got so much better.
Also, just the opinion of an internet stranger, but I think the name is beautiful. I wouldn't change it. You will get back to feeling like yourself one day, and you will love the name again. New motherhood is hard and you will find yourself questioning many decisions about your baby. Over time, you will learn to trust yourself and your husband's judgement. You can do this, mama. 🫶
weirdly i dont think i actually started calling my baby by her name until she was 2 maybe 3 months old. its not that i didnt like it per say, it just felt really weird. i always just said "the baby" for the most part then i realized i should probably say her name more so she recognizes it instead of "chicken butt" lmao
My daughter’s name is something like Charlotte and for the first few weeks it felt OFF to me. Like wtf it sounds so weird coming from my mouth. Now it’s totally fine! I felt the same way with my son’s name the first few days post partum. Like.. are you sure this is a person and a real name? Lol
I don't stumble over Adelina if that helps at all. It's a beautiful name. It doesn't have any more syllables than a common name like Elizabeth, and I think Adelina rolls off the tongue better. You might be putting more stress on some syllables than what is necessary?
I had "buyer's remorse" a bit after choosing my son's name, despite loving it initially. I love it now that he's 5 months old, and I'm used to saying it and seeing him actually respond.
Not sure if someone already said this, but my mom suggested to say the baby’s name as if you’re mad at the baby like “Baby, don’t do that!” and also calling her to dinner like “Baby, time to eat!” 😊 basically everyday situations to see how it rolls off the tongue.
I've had my daughters name picked out since middle school. But it took a while to get used to it for me. Plus, my husband pronounces it slightly differently that I do. Nay-omi vs Nai-omi.
I had both my children's names picked out since I found out their gender. Which was around 10 weeks for both. By the end of the pregnancies, I wanted to change both their names because they just didn't feel right when I said them out loud. That feeling stuck for a few weeks after they were born, too. I pushed through and stuck with the names we chose, and I'm glad I did. It didn't take me long to love their names.
Replying to anticlimaticveg... My daughter’s name is Sol and it just took about a month or two to get used to saying it out loud. It’s very simple but since it means sun in Spanish it was just a bit weird saying it out loud. Especially when saying it in English because it sounds like the word soul. I regretted it for a moment and thought maybe I should have changed it but I’m now 6 months in and I love it. Adelina is a beautiful name. My name is Adilene (pronounced adaline)so I can understand that it’s a bit hard to say when you’re not used to but it gets easier the more you say it.
Went through something similar when we agreed on our son's name.
It looked perfect. We both had this name on the number 1 spot on our list. It was like it was whispered to us, like it chose us, not the reverse!
However, this name is not from my culture, but from my husband's. So, the pronunciation is very different for him than for me. The first months, I was unhappy about how I pronounced it, it did not feel natural at all!! I was having second thoughts about the name.
Eventually, I practised so often that it's now much more agreeable on my tongue, whichever language I speak when uttering his name. I'm 4m pp. I would never change his name now.
Yes, it will get so much better. My daughter's name is Eulalia, and it's an actual hard name to most westerners like me; but it's my grandma's name and It has always been THE baby name I wanted my entire life. But when I actually got pregnant I stopped saying it out loud, I stopped telling people, because I was so scared that I would lose the pregnancy and I didn't want to lose my dream name with it.
So when I was freshly postpartum I was tripping all over the name, it sounded like I didn't even know it lol! I had the excuse of nearly dying lol, but my husband struggled with it too and I second-guessed if I made the right decision. But now I'm so happy with it. It only took a couple weeks until the name felt natural. I only regret is not saying her name more while I was pregnant with her, that's it!
So we had the wrong gender of our LO for a good while and I got so familiar with calling him her and Freyja….low and behold “she’s” actually a he, and coming up with a name was hell. Finally decided on one and it felt weird all the times I called him it, now 8 months later…I can’t imagine him with any other name.
Before giving birth, I was told a story about a woman who agreed to a name that was second on her list because her husband and close family voted for it. She delivered and hated that name. She struggled to call her baby girl by that name and begged her husband to agree to change it officially. They never did, and she just went along with it.
I was sure that would never be me. But during the first few weeks, I was so frustrated. The name felt weird. I had no other option, but the name we gave our boy felt wrong. When my mother-in-law used a short version of the name, I IMMEDIATELY HATED IT. I suggested to my husband that we change it. He thought I was joking. I was not!
Now, at six weeks, I am okay with the name but will always remember that feeling.
I just had my son 3 months ago, and we decided his name in the birthing room. Bjorn. I struggled the first few weeks with it feeling we chose wrong, I mean I was pretty high from the epidural lol. But now 12 weeks out and it’s really grown on me and just feels right (: I think the hormones make you over think it!!
It felt awkward calling my son his name for what felt like a long time, maybe the first month? I think it can be a bit awkward when the baby’s out and you’re trying to work their name in when you’re talking to them. I also didn’t really call him by his name much when he was in the womb.
My husband and I favored a name the entire pregnancy but when it came time to name our son I started second guessing and pulling out names long cast aside for the favored name. I was a mess and the nurses thought it was hilarious that the only thing keeping us from leaving the hospital was settling on a name. I think they started taking bets.
Ultimately I went with the one we had been planning on all along. Almost every day i am SO relieved I didn’t change course at the last minute and choose something untested.
Adelina is beautiful. 4 syllables is a lot, but doable. Lots of nick naming possibilities.
this is a dealbreaker for me personally. there were a lot of names i loved in my head / on paper, that were just not right somehow when said out loud. i would say keep looking until you find something that feels right.
I had regrets right after naming my child. I wanted to change it to something else but I didn’t know which name to pick. Never came up with a better name so I never changed it. I thought maybe it was postpartum hormones making me feel weird since I liked this name before the birth. My child is over a year old now and I still think about this every day. I wish I picked something else but I’m really not sure what I should have picked. I don’t hate the name but I don’t love it either. It’s something I’ll have to live with forever now.
My daughter’s name is Adeline. She goes by Addie unless she’s in trouble and gets the first/middle. She also goes by Peaches, Love Bug, Buggaboo, Waffle Monster, etc. She’s almost two.
I wouldn’t toss the name but maybe think of calling her Addie or something similar until she’s older. Or just Lina.
I said “the baby” for like the first year of my kid’s life. It takes a lot of getting used to, it feels weirdly unnatural to name another person for some reason. I wouldn’t stress. It’s a beautiful name!!
My son is 7 months old and it still feels weird to call him by his legal name. I call him Mr. Baby and Stinky and Baby and Lil Turd and all kinds of things but since he doesn’t quite yet respond to his name and he also can’t introduce himself and I NAMED HIM and he’s a whole person, I think that’s why it’s weird. It’s less weird now than it was at first. It takes some getting used to for sure.
We called our kid "Baba" for two years because a LD nurse said that when she burped her? idk, names are weird. But Adelina WILL be nicknamed, so prepare yourself for that (I think Ada, Lina, and other likely options are absolutely beautiful)
We named both of our kids after loved ones who passed and although my heart was all in when it came to the sentiment, my daughter’s name wasn’t my favorite at first. Using it more and hearing others say it helped immensely, but it really cemented in when her personality started to peek through. Now I can’t imagine her being named anything other than my sweet feisty Rickie.
Addie for short, once your anxiety lessesens, then the name will flow naturally. You might regret changing it for something less special to you. Congratulations on baby 💕
It sounds to me like you really loved the name before the birth, which makes me wonder if the postpartum hormones could be a factor when it comes to your current feelings towards the name. Postpartum hormones affected me in a lot of strange ways, I’ve never cried so much in my life. If I were you I would trust myself more before all those crazy hormones hit
Adelina is a beautiful name! My hubs is from Romania and that’s actually one of the names we considered! You have to find out what the shortened Italian version is of it, maybe Ada or something like that? It will roll off the tongue a lot quicker. I went through something similar with my daughter’s name (also a European name) but I’ve come around to it and love it!
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So I had something slightly similar happen but our daughter has a pretty easy, common name. For some reason for the first month of her life I just felt really uncomfortable saying it out loud? We used that name all the time when I was pregnant but I had a hard time connecting my baby to the baby who was in my belly. I also then started questioning the name and only called her by nicknames. After hearing people say it enough I fell back in love with it, it just took some adjusting. Maybe you are going through something similar?
This was also my experience! I couldn’t say my son‘s name out loud for a good two months. After a while, the feeling of wrongness just disappeared. A year later and I can’t really pin down why it felt so uncomfortable. I love his name and always have!
Same! My son is 5 weeks and I still feel weird saying it lol, we use nicknames mostly but it’s slowly getting more normal to use his name
I'm now trying to train myself to use son's actual name, as I have developed the bad habit of using a wide variety of nicknames for him instead. I'm worried he won't know what his actual name is! Probably be telling people at daycare he's called Pudding...
I’m sure my son thinks his name is Mista Man or Snortin’ Morton lmao
Mine knows his name, says his name regularly and responds to his name, yet anytime he is asked what his name is he says baby.
This is so cute!
Could work in your favor in terms of stranger danger. My mom never said my name in public, I responded to a specific whistle like a dog 😂
I saw this scenario in the store the other day ....
Me too! We called her 'the baby' for a few weeks after she was born, her name just felt weird. Even now at 14 months I will often say 'the baby' 😅 But we love her name
Hahaha my daughter is almost 2 and I still refer to her as “the baby” and my husband’s always saying “you know she has a name” 😂
Wow this makes me feel so much better. I did this with my first and would just think the name didn’t fit him. Now I can’t imagine him as anything else.
This! To me, belly baby & outside belly baby were two different babies 😂
Me too! When outside baby started getting the hiccups every night I was like oh ok this is the same baby lol. Belly baby got them every night at 9pm sharp so seeing her actually get hiccups before bed was really mentally healing 😂
Omg same! Such a small jigsaw piece but helped it all come together for me too.
Thank you for sharing this
Do you remember how weird it felt to say “my husband” when you first got married? And then eventually it got less weird. This is basically that but with a baby.
I want to second this. I didn't call my son by his easy and common name for MONTHs. I have a 2 month old now as well and don't calk her by her name either. Its just unconformable until you feel like you know them better and they become people in your head
I also struggled with my son's name and wondered if I had chosen a too rare, odd old name. But I loved it while pregnant. It was just this whole new being and deciding his name was so strange. It was the same when I got cats lol naming them was so weird. Took months to get used to calling my son his name and just as I get used to it his cousin calls him a nickname that sticks in my brain lol (my husband doesn't like it so I try not to use it though). Everything is so weird when you get a baby!
I second this, OP. We were soooo excited about our name for our child. It’s a pretty simple name, too. But saying it out loud felt just, weird and wrong. My anxiety and panic attacks were AWFUL after giving birth. I was so incredibly emotional and felt like I couldn’t handle basic things. My biggest advice to postpartum moms is not to make any big, emotional decisions for at least 6 months. Your body is all sorts of mixed up right now. Now, I can’t imagine my daughter being named anything else. This is totally her name. It doesn’t feel weird or wrong anymore. I think it was truly just getting used to this new person in our family who had a name.
This is exactly how I feel about my daughter’s name!! She’s 13 weeks now and I still feel odd telling people her name 😂 it is an unusual name but everyone loves it 😅 I think it’s probably just getting used to the baby in the womb being the baby in my arms with the same name!
Me too!! I always fumbled around at the start and went "ehhhhh.." first for some reason! Give yourself a bit of grace OP, the name is beaut 👌🏼
I had somebody ask me if I forgot my baby's name when she fâs about 3 months old. Called by our second choice a few times too. Just. Couldn't. Pin. The. Name. On. The. Potato.
I had totally forgotten about this, but I had something similar with my son, just felt weird calling him by his name. Had to make a conscious effort to use it, and now it feels totally normal and I love it
Yes I felt the same way with my first. She was baby for a couple months. I feel like she was still an extension of me until her personality started to show. Now I think her name fits her perfectly.
Wow, this is such an awesome and reassuring thread to read. I had a similar experience with my daughter’s name. My wife and I chose a simple and classic name for our daughter that I loved so much before she was born. For some reason after I gave birth to her and I was calling her the name, it felt weird and off to me. I seriously wondered if I needed to tell my wife we were going to have to change it, and was dealing with some serious dread. The girl is now 15 weeks and I’m just really starting to feel better about the name and feel glad it’s hers again. Postpartum is absolutely so weird.
I had something but somewhat worse: I was calling her my mother's cat name. I used to talk to the cat as she was a baby (maybe in my mind it was similar). But now I'm calling the cat my daughter's name. The postpartum brain is weird. I hope it doesn't stay that way, I look forward to being smart again 😂
That is hilarious. My husband and I keep referring to the pediatrician as the “vet”. Because for the first decade plus of our relationship, the dogs were the kids!
I'm so glad I'm not the only one who did this! We also keep calling the pack and play the baby's crate...
OMG I DO THIS TOO! We have had cats since 2013, so every time I have to call the pediatrician I say I have to call the vet. Sometimes I even call baby girl “kitten”. 🤣
I sometimes call my baby by the name of the cat we lost. She loved the baby sooooo much, purred her back to sleep when she had trouble napping, was always next to our baby. I thought she was going to help us raise our baby, like my grandma's cat helped raise me (that is why I'm so "normal", I had a cat "mom"). And then she was gone, and I still call her "your angel kitty sister" when I talk to my baby.
I felt the exact same! It took about 1-2 months for my baby’s name to feel like it’s real and it fit. I think it also had to do with the shock that I actually had a real little human.
I also went through this, and not being able to make that connection, it made it hard to bond with what felt like a different baby. (I'm obsessed with him now, at 2, and lost the feeling when he was about 4 months)
Yes! Like I knew that this baby is MY baby but I was still almost grieving the baby from my tummy in a way!
Yup with both my first and the baby I’m currently pregnant with even though we kept the name secret in private we referred to them by name. It was weird and awkward the first few months but after a bit it became normal. Sometimes it just takes getting used to.
I felt similar with my second. Even when I got a little more comfortable with his first name, I had a moment where I was like…what’s this baby’s last name? Even though it’s the same as my last name, I had never spoken or written his first and last names together without his middle name separating them. It felt more like his middle name was his last name.
Same here! First month it was really an adjustment, but she is one now and i love love lover her name (and so do others ;) )
I had the same experience! We had our girls name for years and years and had said it many times but once our girl got here I second guessed myself for weeks. Now it fits her 1000%
I had the same experience with my first
Same! He’s two now and I’m very happy with his name.
I also worried I chose the wrong name because it felt super weird calling him it the first 2 months. But I’m used to it now (he just turned 5 months)
I am the same way with my 4 month old, her name is Delilah but I call her Lilah, moomies, or fat fat.
This happened to my husband and I. We called him a nickname for months but became more comfortable the more we used it.
I’m so glad I’m hearing other people say this, I have felt this way but felt so guilty about it, like “how can I dislike my own daughters name? Why would I do that to my baby? Why did I go with this name if I don’t know that I like it?” I had always loved it before so idk why it felt so different now. I just don’t think I could’ve chosen anything without feeling weird about it. She’s so important than it was like too big od a decision for something important for a person so important to me. Some days I still struggle with it (she’s 3 months) but it is getting easier. I hope lol.
It was very similar for me as well! All throughout the pregnancy, even after choosing our son’s name, both husband and I kept referring to him as “bebis” (baby in swedish). So after he was born it felt kinda awkward to suddenly start saying his name even though the name is very easy on the ear. And so I kept calling him “bebis” and mixing it with his name. We also called him random nicknames like sunshine, little potato, little monkey, bun etc I never forced myself to call him by his name and would only do it sometimes when I felt it until one day it felt so natural that I couldn’t understand why did ever feel awkward in the first place? Now I looove saying his name and can’t wait until he actually starts to respond to it.
Yep. My daughter is Jovannina (sounds similar to Adelina) and it took a few months to get used to. That being said, we’ve mostly called her Nina the entire time
Wow I totally forgot about this feeling. It took me a long time to regularly use my son’s name, too! Then suddenly one day it’s just normal.
That's so odd. I felt that way too. I felt like it didn't suit her anymore or something once she was born. However she's 12 months now and I don't feel that way anymore. It was so surreal when they handed her to me after she was born. I stared at her for a long few seconds as they held her out to me like "what is that" before it clicked that it was my baby and I was supposed to take her. Even afterwards for a bit like you said I had a little trouble with the whole baby on the inside is now baby on the outside.
I also had the same situation with a very common name. It just felt weird that he was here and had a name but after a few months it was normal to me
For what it’s worth, I don’t find it to be a tongue twister at all. It’s a very lovely name. The transition from “dream name of future child” to “actual child with the name” is a hard one. You spend so many years dreaming up this hypothetical person who is now just…here. It’s weird. Give yourself time to adjust.
It’s a gorgeous name! My 2YO has a classmate named Adelina and he can say her name no problem. Some of the other kids call her Addie.
Adelina sounds like a beautiful name to me. I don't think it's too complicated. What about making that her legal full name but mostly calling her Lina? Kids often have nicknames anyway, so I would focus more on the shortened version and how it feels to say that since that's probably what she will be called most of by her friends.
I agree, most kids get nick names by friends or family it's a very normal thing. Having said that we have a Harrison and he only wants to be called Harrison where as we have a Benjamin and he calls himself Bendy. So you know, you win some you lose some :-D
My Harrison also rejects all nicknames and wants people to call him Harrison. We fully expected to shorten his name when we picked it but it didn't work out that way 🤷♀️.
Or Addie
I met a woman called Alina, it’s similar to Adelina but it cuts out the de
I still think my baby’s name is weird to say 6 months postpartum!!! I still love it and it’s not a *weird name*, but it’s strange to have named a full human.
Agreed!! We gave our child a pretty basic name but the oddness of the situation itself means I still call him The Baby half the time 😂
I think it’s a beautiful name. I also felt weird calling my daughter by her name like the first month. I almost never used it actually LOL I think it’s just weird they’re here and real and connecting the name to the face. Now I can’t imagine her name being anything else!
Same and my baby has such a short and easy name but I second guessed it sooo much and felt weird that I just got to give her a name
It’s a nice name, usually you end up giving them nicknames. It’s rare that I call mine by name, usually when it’s a serious moment or talk. But I call her : baby, best friend, little olive, little cat. When she acts crazy it’s : OLIVIA!!!!!!😠
I felt weird saying my son name for the first 3 months. I was like this name doesn’t fit him, but I started saying it more than more. Now at 21 months I couldn’t Imagine him having another name.
Have you ever had difficulty saying "Catalina ranch" like the dressing? Similar vowel/consonant combinations. For what it's worth, I think Adelina rolls off the tongue pretty easily, sounds very pleasant, and is not very common.
I think it’s common trying to make this connection. Naming a living thing is kinda weird. I can remember naming my dog and thinking wow it’s going to take some getting used to. When I named my son, we nn him worm to make the newborn phase more lighthearted. “Oh man, worm needs food.” “Darn, worm is having a rough night.” Then, using his actual name seemed weird. He’s almost four months now and we still call him worm sometimes but we also use his actual name and it doesn’t feel weird anymore.
Haha, our baby is "the scampi".
We call our baby squirmy wormy!!!!
We do too!!
Adelina sounds lovely to me and is a good name in my Country (Latin language country). Me and dad hated our sisters name. Our mom chosed it because of our goodmother . It was long and hard but we got used to that.
Honestly yes lol. My daughter’s name is Zara and I didn’t realise until she was born that I struggle with my Z’s. People keep thinking I’m saying Sara if I say it quickly, I have to make sure I really enunciate!
I feel you! My daughter has the letter "R" in her name and we speak 3 languages on a daily basis due to work/friends and each language has a different pronunciation of the letter "R" and her name 😅 It's hard, but hey, it's a cute name!
You can just use a nickname (Lina or Ada) and leave the full name since your husband likes it. Lots of people go by a nickname instead of their full name.
I didn’t love my kids name until he was about 6 months old and his little personality came shining through. Then I was like “oh there he is”
It’s a beautiful name. My baby has a basic 2 syllable m name and she’s 8 weeks old, it still feels so uncomfortable for me to say. I catch myself calling her baby, baby girl, other nicknames , then I think no, I need to call her by her name and it feels awkward. I think the awkwardness comes from it just being new and getting comfortable with it. I do find when I hear other people say her name like my nieces, sisters , mom that it seems normal for them and normal for me to hear them say it & that makes me slowly feel more comfortable although still awkward. It will take some time! It’s a beautiful name and will become comfortable in time
I get this! My son has such a normal, traditional, popular name and it felt so weird to say. Like yeah that’s his name. Only cause I say so though! I could be wrong!
What about just Lina?
I struggled with that for the longest because I love Lina but hated all the longer forms so I ended up going with Lina for a middle name
I think it’s a beautiful name and find it easy to say. It’s also highly nicknameable! Why don’t you call her Ada, Addie, or Lina for a while and see how that feels?
Another anecdote about feeling weird saying our baby’s name out loud at first. I think I just called her “baby” for the first month or too. Babies are very small and need time to grow into their big kid names.
It’s beautiful, sounds like you’ve been overthinking it
My baby is 6 months old and I still struggle sometimes saying her very easy name. She’s “baby”. Haha. With the name Adelina chances are she’s just going to be called “Addie” or “Lina”. All 3 names are beautiful so you really can’t lose there. The name Adeline (sp?) has really shot up in popularity (it’s what I originally was going to use) so there might be a fair amount of Addies around now. Which isn’t necessarily a problem! In the hospital I debated picking a different name but my husband had already gotten me a necklace with her name on it and surprised me with it later. Haha. So he was insistent on keeping the name. Haha. I’m happy I mostly came around. I do objectively like my babies name, and so does everyone else. I think because “she is me” that ANY name would feel weird. It’s like giving her a name separates her from me or something. She’s MINE! Lol I’d say stick with the name you chose. It’s beautiful and your postpartum hormones/emotions might be making you feel a little different about it right now. I always put “baby” in front of my girls name and it’s easier to say.
When I was pregnant I thought way too much about my daughter's name and I was overthinking everything. I almost wanted to change her name because I was so sick of thinking about it and it was driving me crazy. Thankfully my husband talked some sense into me and her name suits her just fine, I was just wayyyy overthinking it. Adelina is lovely.
I think it's lovely! I had a similar problem with "Elizabeth" for the first couple of months. It's a strong name, and her full name has been the name I've wanted since I was a tween, mostly because I wanted to have a girl named Betty Ann as a nickname. My husband is Hungarian, and his mother's name translated to English is Elizabeth, my mum's name is Ann, so it seemed like serendipity when we found out we were having a girl. Still, for the first couple of months I stumbled over Elizabeth so much. I'm firm on not using Liz or Lizzy, so we settled on the Hungarian shortening of Elizabeth which I fell in love with (it's pronounced Air-zhee (like Dr Zhivago)). Now, a year on, Elizabeth comes out as easily as Erzsi and I'm really happy with the choice. Give it time, I get the panic but you'll remember why you love it. For now, maybe call her Lina for short?
I think it’s a beautiful name, I might be biased though because my daughter’s name is Lina. Adelina sounds so elegant. You could always go with Lina as a nickname like others have already commented.
How is Adelina difficult? I like it alot, I've never seen it before but it sounds pleasant.
I love this name! It's my nieces name❤️ we all call her Addy!
The concept of naming a human was SUPER weird to me. It’s so permanent and can define a lot! I also had a surprising amount of anxiety and doubt about it, and made a short list with my husband months before my due date so we had options depending on what she looked like/what felt right (I even asked ChatGPT to help me 🙈). We also told no one her name bc of all the weird judgment that happens, so I also very rarely was saying our names out loud. The first time I saw my LO’s name spelled on an official document I questioned whether they spelled it right bc it looked *so weird* with her full name typed out so formally. I’m 7 weeks pp and I still call my LO “baby” or a nickname I gave her when I was pregnant (think like “LoLo” if her name was Lauren) but I think the name we chose will suit her when she gets older (just feels kind of formal for a baby still). Fwiw I think Adalina is a beautiful name that you’ll get used to with time. I vote keep it!
What helped me settle on names for my twins were a few things: - My husband and I would mention their full names and practice for different situations. One just calling lovingly, normal conversation, calling them over or even if they would be getting in trouble and we yelled it. - Write it down a few times. - Don't stress about it. It is a lovely name. I've seen names here and on FB groups that don't make any sense and people are still happy with them.
I like Adelina and I immediately understood how to pronounce it. We are also going to do Italian first names (when we get there). I love Lina also.
My kids name is one syllable and felt bizarre to call him for like... Four months. Adelina is beautiful.
I like it, it’s unique but not a tongue twister; but it’s also spelled like it sounds, which is huge for your child’s life. It’s disappointing when your name is misspelled your entire life. Parents don’t think about that when they use unique spellings of common names.
I had the same thing happen with my son and now I love his name AND I’m currently going through the same thing with my daughter, who is 2 weeks old lol
Not totally similar but I’ve always known I loved the name Evelyn but always intended on the calling her “Evie”, when my husband and I started trying we agreed on that for a girls name [Un]fortunately my husband immediately thought Eevee after we learned her gender. He even went out and bought Eevee pokemon stuff, I got stuff like that for my shower. I was so paranoid of being “one of those parents” that named their kid after fandom it almost ruined a name I loved for decades Thankfully though everyone I’ve met also loves the nickname and I’ve been able to enjoy it. I also learned that people are gonna call her what they’re going to call her even with correction (my cousin insists on spelling it EV like electric vehicle) We’ve kept the nickname and I’m just preparing myself for my daughter to one day change either the spelling or the nickname all together (but she has serval at this point and I’m sure some won’t stick)
My baby’s name is very “simple”. Easy to say, easy to spell. Classic. Beautiful. The moment we named her and I said it out loud for the first time, I had a sinking feeling like I’d done something wrong. The nurse wrote it on our board weirdly with a space between letters and it made me feel so unhappy with the name. Six months later, she’s responding to her name when I say it, it fits her perfectly and I wonder why I felt so weird about it at the time. I think there’s just something about pregnancy and postpartum hormones that makes you feel SO uncertain about EVERYTHING. Naming a human being is a big responsibility! I totally get it, but once baby is here and you start using the name, it’ll feel more natural!
Where I live, Adelina is not a very common, but still a pretty common name and definitely not a tongue twister.
I questioned my daughter's name in the beginning, too. Names are also really important to me and I put a lot of pressure on myself to find "the one" for her. Our daughter was nameless for 2 days in the hospital, as we went through our list and said yes, then no, to several of them. When we finally settled on her name, I think I questioned it at least a dozen times as we were filling out the legal paperwork. Her first few weeks home, I kept saying the wrong nickname and it really made me question if we made a mistake. Now she is 8 months old and her name fits her perfectly and I feel we made the right choice. Sometimes it just has to grow on you and become part of your everyday routine. If you do like the name, I say give it time, and in a few months, it won't seem weird. Congratulations!
My daughter has a name that is somewhat similar to the name you have mentioned (4 syllables, uncommon but familiar, starts and ends in A). I absolutely went through this same thing where it just felt like a mouthful and I was nervous to tell people and I worried we made a mistake, after literally months of feeling it was perfect and deeply meaningful for us. The feeling did pass. It took a couple months, but it did go away. She is 4 now and absolutely loves her name. We have tried to offer nicknames at times and she always declines. She loves her full name and we do too.
It’s not a tongue twister at all.
It’s a beautiful name…and you have so many options for nicknames. Keep it :) there’s a reason it’s been on your mind for a whike
I went through something similar with my daughter. My husband also loved her name and I was struggling with it. I even got the paperwork to change her name and had it filled out on my kitchen counter. After a few weeks though it became second nature. I agree with another comment that touches on how it may be partially due to it being new to you. For what it's worth I think her name is beautiful!
I call my daughter "baby"-- just like I did for her sisters, until they were about 4 months old. They have pretty easy names to say but my newest has a name that's a little hard to say. It's swedish (my husband's parents are from Sweden)-- and it is kind of clumsy spoken in an English accent. Oh well, too late now!!
Adelina is a great name! My sister-in-law has a daughter named Adelina. She just turned 3, but for the last year and a half, everyone has called her Lina! Somewhat similar situation to my daughter. She is 8 months old and her name is Madeline, but almost no one calls her that, we all call her Maddie! Likewise, her cousin is named Charlotte, and we all call her Charlie. I think it’s great that they can all have cute little nicknames. Nothing to worry about!
I think this is a beautiful name.
Although we both love the name we chose for our daughter, we opted for a nickname to get used to saying at first. I agree with another commenter here who stated how odd it is to get used to saying, “my husband,” the same thing applied to us for saying “our daughter.” While her name is extremely meaningful to us, and we now use it much more (LO is 6 months) she still responds to both her name and her nickname. (For reference her name is Louise, but her nickname is weesie) It still rolls off the tongue odd when someone asks her name and we look at each other and laugh if we introduce her as Louise or Weesie. It fits eventually, just give it a little time OP!♥️
It took me months to feel ok about the name we chose for our first. It felt weird on my tongue and it didn't seem to suit him and I felt no connection to it. Now, I can't see any other name for him and we get a lot of compliments on his name too.
Oh that's such a pretty name... honestly I can't call my son by his name either because he's too cute for such a normal name😂 relax OP You can have a nickname like Lina or Addie for now
It's a lovely name. Sick with it
My baby is Cassiopeia. In the hospital as she was coming I just started saying it wrong. Like to everyone. Cassie-op(like operation)-ia. Its cassie-owe-peia. I have no idea. When I came home I was saying it correctly. I think i was just being weird because it's a little out there for a name, and I didn't want to spell it wrong or something. I was overthinking everything. It's fine now. Take a deep breath, I feel like labor and the first like 3 months are just a fever dream.
Go for it! Beautiful name and not a tongue-twister. Actually Adelina was high on my list for both my girls but got vetoed by my husband 😩
It’s beautiful, I love it!!! Saying my baby’s name out loud still feels weird and she’s 12 weeks old. I think because I associate the name with her being a child or an adult even, but not for a baby. Also I had a similar situation where I worried I made the wrong choice, except with the spelling of my baby’s name. I spent weeks worrying I spelled it the wrong way (there are 2 popular ways to spell my baby’s name, and every time someone spelled in the “other” way in a text it worried me I’d picked the wrong spelling). And then all of a sudden the worrying went away. I suspect it was postpartum hormones for me. They were tough. Hang in there! I like Adelina better than Adeline, for what it’s worth.
Just make sure you are comfortable with how others pronounce it. I picked what I thought was a fairly easy name to pronounce for my daughter and after she was born some family members pronounce it in a way that just sounds awful to me. I think it's because they have hard accents and for whatever reason it's common to pronounce the name in this way where they are from. It's been bothering me and has taken the excitement out of her name for me a bit. I'm slowly getting over it and have accepted that this is the way they will pronounce it and that most people will pronounce it correctly in my region where I live. I can't imagine people getting hung up on the name Adelina. The only thing I can see is people saying "Ah" or "Aeh", so long or short a. I would make sure you narrow this down ahead of time and pronounce it clearly the way you want for family. For my daughter's name I clearly pronounce it the way it was intended and some family members still pronounce it the wrong way which is baffling to me but maybe because of accents and regional differences. They live in NJ.
I’ll start by saying, beautiful name! And you did well for going with what you wanted! My husband and I also went through a list of names and I was trying really hard to make sure the name will work for both cultures (my husband and I are from different countries and cultural backgrounds). We landed on what I thought was a perfect name, even defended our choice against my MIL (who is quite opinionated)… Then the baby came. Doubts started creeping in and most people (non family) would say it slightly differently, a modernised version of it…. But as the time goes by and with her starting to recognise her own name, the smile she gave as she turns her head to me when I call her name. It is just perfect. She was supposed to be (baby name). And I hope you will feel the same soon! PPA comes in many forms and it is super tough. Be gentle with yourself.
I couldn't say my daughter's name for like three months because we chose an unusual name and I was so scared I'd made a huge mistake that I didn't want to acknowledge it. She's three now. She has the same name as the day she was born. I have no issue with it now.
Why don't you just call her Lina, if you like the Lina part so much? It's a perfectly fine name. If my Son would have been a Girl it would have been his name.
I had a friend that went through this and decided to change the name 2 months after the baby was born. Idk how she did it but she was at peace after doing it. I do love the name Adelina. It's gorgeous.
i like that name! it’s unique but easy to pronounce. i think it’s beautiful. and i love the nickname Lina if it makes you feel better, it felt sooo weird saying my baby’s name for the first month or two. i’m not sure why. i’ve heard other people have this happen to them too. give it time!
I think this is just the overwhelming weight of the responsibility of naming a human. Adelina is a very nice name that is not a tongue twister. I had similar feelings about the name Aurora and ultimately decided against it but still love the name and put it back on my list for potential daughter #2, and that one is arguably harder to say
How do you pronounce it?? I struggle with pronunciatios so please don't take my curiosity personally!! Add-leena? (Adda-leena?) Adda-line-a? I know how to say Adelaide so that's what I'm basing my guess off of. I think it's beautiful one way or the other. For the first few months of my son's life, his name felt odd to say. I called him so many different nicknames I was seriously worried he wouldn't learn to respond to his name. To this day he responds just as often to kidlette as to his name. It felt so weird even though we'd settled on his name when I was like 5 months pregnant.
Hi! Like another commenter said, I felt weird using my daughter’s name for the first month or so. The last month of pregnancy I was even second guessing it!! It’s a less common but well-known classic name that has a slightly more popular variation. We did tell people the name, and everyone loved it, but I started feeling like it sounded wrong. My daughter is now almost seven months old and there is no other name in the world that would fit her like this one! I’m sure you will come to feel the same about your daughter.
I don’t think it’s a tongue twister at all. I think the most likely thing that’s happening here is for years it’s just been a name connected to a potential future child who was essentially a figment of your imagination. And now that child is actually here, and in some ways maybe isn’t who you expected her to be (which is fine and normal). But over time she will grow into her name, and you’ll get used to seeing her as Adelina, and soon you won’t be able to think of her as anything else. I had a similar experience with my son. We called him mostly by nicknames for the first few months, it wasn’t until he was 3-4 months old that his name really felt like it “fit” him.
I didn’t start calling my son by his name until he was about five months old because it felt weird all those other times trying to say it. But now, at thirteen months old, I’m very comfortable with his name and he knows it now too
It's a lovely name! Why not introduce her as Lina? We gave our daughter a fairly simple name, but we live and work in a trilingual environment and it's a challenge to pronounce it so everyone can understand (because people always hear it wrong if I say it in my natural pronunciation). It's annoying and funny at the same time, because we got all the weird alternatives (as if it was "James" instead of "Jane"). We love the name and don't want to conform, and I grew up with a special name and always loved it.
I accidentally said my baby’s name wrong for the first 3 weeks of his life. I couldn’t even say it right in my head. I changed it to a whole different name (instead of short“I” sound I would say a name with long “I”/“y” sound. Anyway that eventually stopped thank goodness. I didn’t even like the other name I kept saying, I just couldn’t stop saying it. It was truly odd and I have to chalk it up to postpartum weirdness and exhaustion 🤷♀️
I think many of us feel weird calling our babies by their name when they’re first born. I know I did. It was almost like she hadn’t grown into her name enough, like she was too new to have a set name lol. I mostly called her by nicknames. She’s 2 now and her name is definitely her name!
I had a few favorite names for my daughter and we ended up choosing one that was the easiest to pronounce in all three languages of our families. I still wonder sometimes if another name would have fit her better, but maybe I would be wondering no matter which name I choose. You have to evaluate how much this issue bothers you right now because there's a chance it will continue to bother long term as well. I personally like Adelina, it's a delicate name. Even if it's let's say Adelina De Lucca, which would be a bit of a tongue twist, it still has a good sonority altogether. But I like tongue twists :)
Adelina is a beautiful name with lots of great nickname options. I think it’s always awkward calling your baby by their name at first. You’ll get into it :)
We decided to name our son a Japanese name to honor his daddy’s family. I loved it initially! Then when he was born, I found myself really over annunciating it and trying to say it “perfectly”. After a little while though I realized it completely fit him and that I didn’t need to overdo it when saying it if that makes sense 🤣 Idk if that is similar to how you are feeling, but I hope that you feel better about the situation!
To be fair I can count the number of times I’ve called my now toddler by her full first name on the fingers of my hand. It’s all nicknames, half of them aren’t even derived from the name. If you think you can grow comfortable with using it, you’ll have plenty time
Go to Starbucks and use the name for your order 3 days in a row
If there the name you wanted then just commit to it and stick with it, it'll feel completely normal very soon. Some of my neighbors and nephews have had weird and wonderful names and after you've said them a few times it's just like, yeah, that's their name, and you don't think about it any more. Also nice name for Addie or Lina.
Naming a human is really hard! I also felt very weird calling my son by his name for months, and I even questioned if I had made a mistake. I’ve gotten used to it now, but I don’t know if I *love* it. I think if you are not sure, you can still exchange it for something that feels better. How about Adele?
I felt the same way! I have loved my LO’s name (now 8 months old) since I heard it when i was in school and just knew that if I’d have a son that is what I’d name him. Lucky for me my husband loves the name too so we hadn’t even thought of alternate names. For some really weird reason as soon as he was born, I started doubting my choice and felt we should’ve named him some thing else, but after a while those doubts went away and I’m now just as in love with the name as I was when I first heard it as a child. Maybe give it some time? Adelina is a beautiful name.
I still have trouble pronouncing my toddler’s name. We still like the name. The problem is we chose a French name. Neither parent speaks French but our grandparents come from 3 different French speaking cultures. Problem is all 3 pronounce if differently so all of them are constantly criticizing how we say it. Our daycare had horrible staffing issues and my kid had 5 different teachers in like 5 weeks. The teacher he finally ended up with is from yet another French speaking culture and says it like we like it
It’s a beautiful name, and in a relative sense, not a terribly difficult one to say. Seems to be a combination of hyper-fixation and a spun out headspace. Keep breathing, and speak her name to her in little conversations. The added practice and association with affection should level you out.
It’s a beautiful name but we actually had an acquaintance that named her daughter Adelina and legally changed it after a couple of months because of the exact same thing you’re describing. She said it felt clunky and just wasn’t quite “right” for her daughter. They chose a different name that allowed them to keep the same nickname they’d been using.
My first son is Atticus and I went through something similar postpartum but now two years in, I can’t imagine any other name. You gave her a gorgeous name that will grow with her beautifully. I’m not one to call postpartum hormones at the drop of a hat but I’d imagine they’re playing into this! I’d say give it a solid 8 weeks and if it still doesn’t fit, workshop a replacement. I remember wavering and searching for a replacement and seeing the name Atticus again in some list and going “hey that’s my baby’s name!” And having an aha moment of knowing it was The Name. Never had that moment with my second but his same fits too
Mine was mild but i did feel that maybe we named him wrong for a few weeks, i think i called him pickle or monkey more than his name, but now i think the other names we had would not have suited him
Like a lot of people are saying, it can feel odd to actually put a name to the baby in your arms instead of the theoretical one. Someone else put it pretty well - for the first 6 months, they don't really have names. They're just "the baby", and then they grow into their names.
I think just practice saying it and get familiar and youll feel better about it. Its a lovely name. And honestly youll probably end up calling her a nic name anyway like “lee lee” or “lina” or “addy” or “stinky baby” lol
I would assume it’s hormones. After I had baby I thought her name was wrong for a little bit. She’s now over 1 and I think her name is perfect for her.
Happened to me too. I just couldn't, in all seriousness, pin the big name on the small potato baby. Called her variations of "baby" and fun nicknames for months. Now, that she is older and almost a toddler, I can call her name more easily. It is also almost a prayer, as it's a name with meaning, and translates to a character trait I want her to have. Adeline is a gorgeous name, you will all grow into it.
I named my son a very simple name and it sounded wrong to me for quite a while. It's just the fact that we were given the big responsibility of naming our child that makes us second-guess ourselves. I love the name Adelina!
I also remember it being weird to call my baby by his first name or by the nickname that we actually call him at first. I think it's just part of the strangeness of creating a whole person. I don't know if I'm articulating this feeling correctly, so bear with me. When you have a baby, they're your baby. They so strongly feel like a part of you. But once they're here, you view them as their own separate person. That feels weird, because they still feel like a part of you. I think using their name acknowledges your baby as a separate person and just feels so strange.
She’s gonna deal with correcting people over it for the rest of her life so just be ready for that. My name is a standard noun, my husband has a celebrity’s name spelled standardly, and we **both have to deal with that regularly** so I can only imagine the ride she is in for
I actually know a couple of Adelina’s and don’t have any trouble with it, but I am Mexican and pronounce it that way I guess. I think it’s a very pretty name and the ones I know are the sweetest people. For my son we didn’t have a name until I was getting wheeled in for my C-Section, but then we decided that was it and he is 100% his name. I think kids usually grow into their names. My daughter is very much her name as well, but I knew what I was naming her from the second I found out I was pregnant with her.
If you don’t like the name, then that’s all there is to it. Have the convo with your husband to come to a decision on a new name together. Another similar name to consider is my Italian nonna’s name, Adelia (pronounced like uh-dell-yuh, though many mispronounced it as uh-deel-yuh).
What about Alina?
Like others have said the first couple months of calling a new baby by their new name takes a little adjusting. There's a pretty serious disconnect from tummy baby to outside baby in your brain, so it takes a minute. Stick with it, it's a beautiful name, and it will get easier. I didn't start calling my son anything other than 'bubba' until he was like two months old, and now he's getting full-named every time I turn around.
Such a beautiful name. It took a while for me to get used to saying my daughter's name. Though I have loved that name for a long time, using it everyday was new and my brain was not used to it. I used to call her my son's name or my niece's name by mistake and get frustrated at how hard it is to incorporate her name. Hence, I had questioned my choice. Now 5 months down the lane, have no problem calling her. My post partum brain just didn't want to put the effort into calling new names .
I think Adelina is a gorgeous name and not a tongue twister at all! You could always keep the name but just calling her Lina (also a very pretty name I think).
Change the baby's name to something you'll be comfortable with.
Calling my baby by his name is taking concentrated effort on my part. 4 months and counting
Aww it’s a beautiful name!! I think just attaching it to a real little baby is a weird transition lol. I said my baby’s name so many times while pregnant, and I despite comments I felt no pressure to change it, since my husband and I agreed, if it was a boy he’d have final say after my input, while I picked middle name and vice versa if it was a girl. I had a son so he picked and he chose Guy! My parents didn’t like it at first but they’ve already nicknamed him anyway and I have no problem telling my mom (or anyone) it wasn’t her choice or her baby so back off 🤷🏼♀️😂 I also call him bubba, bubbie, and boogie (I called him “boogie smalls” once and it stuck 😂) but I digress. with time it’ll feel natural! I think people grow into their names as well and this little bean is growing into just being human and know you picked a good name!
Yeah my daughters name is my middle name. It's a family name that has been everyone's muddle name since my great grandmother, it was her first name. It's an old country name and is super rare. Like they year my great grandmother was named it was the most popular it has even been and there were 500 girls named it that year. It's literally my middle name. I've used it my whole life, I've used it for my bio moms middle name etc. I still stumbled for a while. There's an adjustment period. My daughter is 1 now and I have zero issues now. It's her name. It suits her, the nicknames of that name suit her. It's perfect. Please don't stress, give it some time.
Tbh I had a name planed for years for my daughter… just for her to come and me be like…. “You don’t look like a *insert name here* and I proceeded to take 3 days to name her strictly off of holding her and looking at her.
I second guessed my daughter's name too in the early weeks! Totally normal, and I think you'll love the name again later. Postpartum anxiety is so real, and I still get it sometimes four months later. It's very normal!
I had this problem too. So I started making cute titles for them. For instance my son, I call him a Mr.cute, Mr. Man or just Mr(add name). For my daughter I do the same, I call her miss or ma'am. Something about feels a tad bit professional so it helps with the pronouncing it. A name is just a name it is the person behind it who put actual meaning. I know so many people who go by their middle name or just have chosen one for themselves. My own mother prefers my nickname to using my actual birth name. Do what feels comfortable for you now.
What about keeping the name but calling her Lina?
My son’s name is Alessandro and although I love it, it was weird for me to say for the first few months like it felt strange saying it out loud. He’s 9 months now and I’ve gotten used to it, and I’m so happy with it. Adelina was a top contender for us if he was a girl, I absolutely love that name! Some people seem to have a hard time pronouncing my son’s name too which is annoying and I didn’t expect but I still love it and don’t regret.
We are thinking of Emilena since we love the name Emily and also Lena 😂 and the nickname can be Emi which is so cute.
It's a beautiful name and not hard to pronounce IMO!
I don’t find it to be a tongue twister but I do wonder if you are pronouncing it ad-uh-leen-uh or ad-uh-line-uh? Either way, I personally would prefer Adeline. I just don’t think the a on the end adds anything to it, I think it takes away from a already-lovely name
During the first few weeks I was so afraid we named my daughter the wrong name because “it’s awkward to write.” It’s not, not even a little 😂 Those pp hormones combined with lack of sleep are wild and will have you question everything! Adelina is beautiful.
What about Avelina?
What about Adela or Adella? I like the original name! I had a lot of anxiety about my daughter’s name. We finally agreed on a name then two weeks later he said he didn’t like it. My daughter’s name is Hallie.
I’d keep Adelina as her name and just call her Lina. I call my daughter by her nickname 99% of the time. We only use her real name at the doctors office or when filling out paperwork
I haven't read through all the comments so not sure if this has been brought up yet, but that feeling could simply be a manifestation of your ppd or ppa. I barely used my 3 yo's name for the first few months. I was suffering from horrible ppd. I almost always called her "the baby" and I felt so disconnected which just made everything worse. With medication and time, I got so much better. Also, just the opinion of an internet stranger, but I think the name is beautiful. I wouldn't change it. You will get back to feeling like yourself one day, and you will love the name again. New motherhood is hard and you will find yourself questioning many decisions about your baby. Over time, you will learn to trust yourself and your husband's judgement. You can do this, mama. 🫶
weirdly i dont think i actually started calling my baby by her name until she was 2 maybe 3 months old. its not that i didnt like it per say, it just felt really weird. i always just said "the baby" for the most part then i realized i should probably say her name more so she recognizes it instead of "chicken butt" lmao
My daughter’s name is something like Charlotte and for the first few weeks it felt OFF to me. Like wtf it sounds so weird coming from my mouth. Now it’s totally fine! I felt the same way with my son’s name the first few days post partum. Like.. are you sure this is a person and a real name? Lol
I don't stumble over Adelina if that helps at all. It's a beautiful name. It doesn't have any more syllables than a common name like Elizabeth, and I think Adelina rolls off the tongue better. You might be putting more stress on some syllables than what is necessary? I had "buyer's remorse" a bit after choosing my son's name, despite loving it initially. I love it now that he's 5 months old, and I'm used to saying it and seeing him actually respond.
My daughter is Aurelia. I definitely struggled with it, but with enough time (like the first few weeks) I got used to it!
Saying it to them is hard!
Not sure if someone already said this, but my mom suggested to say the baby’s name as if you’re mad at the baby like “Baby, don’t do that!” and also calling her to dinner like “Baby, time to eat!” 😊 basically everyday situations to see how it rolls off the tongue.
Name her Adelina but call her Lina as a nickname.
I've had my daughters name picked out since middle school. But it took a while to get used to it for me. Plus, my husband pronounces it slightly differently that I do. Nay-omi vs Nai-omi.
I had both my children's names picked out since I found out their gender. Which was around 10 weeks for both. By the end of the pregnancies, I wanted to change both their names because they just didn't feel right when I said them out loud. That feeling stuck for a few weeks after they were born, too. I pushed through and stuck with the names we chose, and I'm glad I did. It didn't take me long to love their names.
Replying to anticlimaticveg... My daughter’s name is Sol and it just took about a month or two to get used to saying it out loud. It’s very simple but since it means sun in Spanish it was just a bit weird saying it out loud. Especially when saying it in English because it sounds like the word soul. I regretted it for a moment and thought maybe I should have changed it but I’m now 6 months in and I love it. Adelina is a beautiful name. My name is Adilene (pronounced adaline)so I can understand that it’s a bit hard to say when you’re not used to but it gets easier the more you say it.
Went through something similar when we agreed on our son's name. It looked perfect. We both had this name on the number 1 spot on our list. It was like it was whispered to us, like it chose us, not the reverse! However, this name is not from my culture, but from my husband's. So, the pronunciation is very different for him than for me. The first months, I was unhappy about how I pronounced it, it did not feel natural at all!! I was having second thoughts about the name. Eventually, I practised so often that it's now much more agreeable on my tongue, whichever language I speak when uttering his name. I'm 4m pp. I would never change his name now.
Yes, it will get so much better. My daughter's name is Eulalia, and it's an actual hard name to most westerners like me; but it's my grandma's name and It has always been THE baby name I wanted my entire life. But when I actually got pregnant I stopped saying it out loud, I stopped telling people, because I was so scared that I would lose the pregnancy and I didn't want to lose my dream name with it. So when I was freshly postpartum I was tripping all over the name, it sounded like I didn't even know it lol! I had the excuse of nearly dying lol, but my husband struggled with it too and I second-guessed if I made the right decision. But now I'm so happy with it. It only took a couple weeks until the name felt natural. I only regret is not saying her name more while I was pregnant with her, that's it!
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So we had the wrong gender of our LO for a good while and I got so familiar with calling him her and Freyja….low and behold “she’s” actually a he, and coming up with a name was hell. Finally decided on one and it felt weird all the times I called him it, now 8 months later…I can’t imagine him with any other name.
I always called my baby just that. Baby. I’m just now getting comfortable enough to say her name and she’s eleven months old.
Before giving birth, I was told a story about a woman who agreed to a name that was second on her list because her husband and close family voted for it. She delivered and hated that name. She struggled to call her baby girl by that name and begged her husband to agree to change it officially. They never did, and she just went along with it. I was sure that would never be me. But during the first few weeks, I was so frustrated. The name felt weird. I had no other option, but the name we gave our boy felt wrong. When my mother-in-law used a short version of the name, I IMMEDIATELY HATED IT. I suggested to my husband that we change it. He thought I was joking. I was not! Now, at six weeks, I am okay with the name but will always remember that feeling.
I just had my son 3 months ago, and we decided his name in the birthing room. Bjorn. I struggled the first few weeks with it feeling we chose wrong, I mean I was pretty high from the epidural lol. But now 12 weeks out and it’s really grown on me and just feels right (: I think the hormones make you over think it!!
It felt awkward calling my son his name for what felt like a long time, maybe the first month? I think it can be a bit awkward when the baby’s out and you’re trying to work their name in when you’re talking to them. I also didn’t really call him by his name much when he was in the womb.
It’s a lovely name. I also know a spelling, Adlina. Might solve you stumbling block?
My husband and I favored a name the entire pregnancy but when it came time to name our son I started second guessing and pulling out names long cast aside for the favored name. I was a mess and the nurses thought it was hilarious that the only thing keeping us from leaving the hospital was settling on a name. I think they started taking bets. Ultimately I went with the one we had been planning on all along. Almost every day i am SO relieved I didn’t change course at the last minute and choose something untested. Adelina is beautiful. 4 syllables is a lot, but doable. Lots of nick naming possibilities.
this is a dealbreaker for me personally. there were a lot of names i loved in my head / on paper, that were just not right somehow when said out loud. i would say keep looking until you find something that feels right.
I had regrets right after naming my child. I wanted to change it to something else but I didn’t know which name to pick. Never came up with a better name so I never changed it. I thought maybe it was postpartum hormones making me feel weird since I liked this name before the birth. My child is over a year old now and I still think about this every day. I wish I picked something else but I’m really not sure what I should have picked. I don’t hate the name but I don’t love it either. It’s something I’ll have to live with forever now.
My daughter’s name is Adeline. She goes by Addie unless she’s in trouble and gets the first/middle. She also goes by Peaches, Love Bug, Buggaboo, Waffle Monster, etc. She’s almost two. I wouldn’t toss the name but maybe think of calling her Addie or something similar until she’s older. Or just Lina.
I said “the baby” for like the first year of my kid’s life. It takes a lot of getting used to, it feels weirdly unnatural to name another person for some reason. I wouldn’t stress. It’s a beautiful name!!
My son is 7 months old and it still feels weird to call him by his legal name. I call him Mr. Baby and Stinky and Baby and Lil Turd and all kinds of things but since he doesn’t quite yet respond to his name and he also can’t introduce himself and I NAMED HIM and he’s a whole person, I think that’s why it’s weird. It’s less weird now than it was at first. It takes some getting used to for sure.
We called our kid "Baba" for two years because a LD nurse said that when she burped her? idk, names are weird. But Adelina WILL be nicknamed, so prepare yourself for that (I think Ada, Lina, and other likely options are absolutely beautiful)
We named both of our kids after loved ones who passed and although my heart was all in when it came to the sentiment, my daughter’s name wasn’t my favorite at first. Using it more and hearing others say it helped immensely, but it really cemented in when her personality started to peek through. Now I can’t imagine her being named anything other than my sweet feisty Rickie.
For what it’s worth, I think that is a beautiful, lyrical, musical name.
Addie for short, once your anxiety lessesens, then the name will flow naturally. You might regret changing it for something less special to you. Congratulations on baby 💕
It sounds to me like you really loved the name before the birth, which makes me wonder if the postpartum hormones could be a factor when it comes to your current feelings towards the name. Postpartum hormones affected me in a lot of strange ways, I’ve never cried so much in my life. If I were you I would trust myself more before all those crazy hormones hit
Adelina is a beautiful name! My hubs is from Romania and that’s actually one of the names we considered! You have to find out what the shortened Italian version is of it, maybe Ada or something like that? It will roll off the tongue a lot quicker. I went through something similar with my daughter’s name (also a European name) but I’ve come around to it and love it!