Allowing Older Siblings to Name the Baby: Brilliant or Insane?
Since we found out two weeks ago that we’re having a boy, many of my social conversations have shifted from, “Do you know what you’re going to have?” to “Have you picked out his name yet?”
The answer is a big, fat NO. Boy names are tough, yo. I love chatting with my friends about it and gathering ideas. And as much as I love sitting around, spit-balling baby name ideas with people, the fact is that when we decide what this kid’s name will be no one will know what it is until his birthday. We believe firmly in keeping it a surprise to minimize comments from the peanut gallery. You know what I’m talking about. If I say, “Yes, we love the name Charlie!” then I will get unsolicited, unhelpful comments from the mailman/librarian/check-out clerk about how that was the name of some kid they hated in Kindergarten, etc.
Recently, one of my friends told me they knew someone who let their preschooler pick the name of their new addition. That is, they gave a three year-old total creative control and the name he picked was it.
To this I say: WHUCK?!?!
I am completely on-board with including the older kids in some capacity. We take their suggestions and write them down and sound them out with our last name. They seem excited that we are including them in the conversation and I hope it continues to keep them interested in the whole new-baby-process.
However, there is no way in hell they would ever be allowed to have final say in the name. Why? Because my four year-old daughter wants to name our baby son “Ariel” or “Francesca”. And the two year-old has announced repeatedly and emphatically that his brother’s name should be “Ketchup Pickle”. (Or is that hyphenated? Is ‘Pickle’ the middle name or part of the first name, I wonder?)
Would you ever let your child name your new baby?
Photo credit: iStock
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With my 3rd my (oh so helpful) children had “Teapot” and “Elmo” as their 1st choices! I promised them that if the baby came out red AND furry we’d go with Elmo! We did like you and asked for their suggestions but in the end we came up with a name we loved without out their help! With Baby number 4 they were a bit more helpful! :p
I do know someone who had twins and her older son was into Mario video games so each twin has 2 middle names first and second names were mom and dad’s choices but 2nd middle names are Mario and Luigi! And they were color coded red and green for the first year of life!!! lol!
I went to high school with a girl named Princess, thanks to her big sister!
My older daughter, Megan, was one day shy of three years old when her sister was born. Throughout my pregnancy, she consistently suggested that the baby be named, “a different Megan” or “Charlie”. The idea of naming her sister Charlotte and calling her Charlie for short, so then she would be able to say she named her baby sister, was so endearing to us…we almost did it. Her sister’s name is Emily, but I still love the story.
my son wanted to name his baby sister hallelujah