[tilghman]

Hi,

Just came across this article at the Ethica site on changing your baby's name. We are planning on changing our baby's name, he turns 3 months tomorrow, don't know how old he will be when we get to pick him up. May impact some of you.

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/...631507546.html

Barbara

[chrismat]

What is the NSW Adoption Act referred to in the article?

Jackie

[DKIM]

We saw that article too, and we're still changing our little one's name. We've had her referral since she was 2 mos old, and our agency gave the foster family the new name so they could start using it. Of course they haven't been using it at all!! We wanted our kids to each have a biblical name; a family name; and then to keep one of their birth names. That way they have a connection to both our family and their biological families or a connection to their past.

[DadToBe]

There were some posts about this on the "big list" recently. The Supreme Court in question is Australia's, not the United States'.

It's an interesting issue, and apparently one with strongly-held views on both sides. Changing/choosing a name is definitely something to weigh carefully, but I don't think there's much chance of a similar law passing in the U.S.

For what it's worth, we're keeping our son's birth name as a middle name, and going with a different Latino first name. But it took us weeks to decide how to handle things...

[Inanna]

We kept our son's birth name. My husband's is Latino by birth but he was given his step-father's last name which is very German. Carlos does not sound right with it. However, we know that names are very important in the Latin culture and wanted to keep that part of his identity intact. His given middle name is Daniel so we decided to keep his entire birth name and just add our last name to it, and call him by his middle name. So, the poor kid has five names but we think he will appreciate it when he's old enough to understand our reasons for it.

[KDhappygal]

Some names just don't work well from one culture to another....

[sassafrass]

This is my crazy way of dealing with it.

I have 3 bio children that all have Irish first names. My husband is Greek so only one of my children actually looks Irish.
I felt my adopted child should have an Irish name too so that she doesnt feel shes the only one that doesnt.

So, her first name is Irish. Her middle name will be her Birthmothers first name. (Graciela)

We are cath. and will be baptizing her in her birth given name.
Is this crazy??

[jaeden]

First of all, as a parent I believe I should be able to name my child. The only time I would reconsider is if it were and older child and they have been called something for several years. An infant on the other hand will adapt quickly. With our children from Guatemala, in their paperwork, their birth name is listed. It's on their original birthcertificate. Eventually they will have this information. My intention was not to disrespect the birthmom, I just had a name I liked. If he desires to change or add back to his name when he's older he's welcome to do so.

Michelle

[Glenna]

We are adopting an older child (8 yrs.) and feel that she has known herself as Marta Julia for too long to take it away from her. So we are combining the two names into one long first name, Martajulia, and giving her my maiden name, Cairl (pronounced Carol), as her middle name. I like it!

Glenna
Waiting with John and Jahnna (3y.o. from Guat.) for Martajulia (8y.o.)

[csw]

Glenna,
I really like your daughters name. We were lucky that I got to name our daughter on the original birth certificate, since we had our referral before the baby even left the hospital! With our son, we changed his name from Antonio to Sean, and took my husbands first name as his middle name. Looking back, I wish I would have either kept Antonio or at least used it for his middle name. I ask my son if he wants to change his name and he says no. I guess at the time I thought an American name would be better for him..and I had always loved the name Sean. He sure looks more like an Antonio than a Sean.! Take care, Cathy

[Bella'sMomToBe]

Our foster mom has been calling our baby Isabella since we requested that she do so at one month of age. It was a name my husband and I agreed upon when deciding to adopt from Guatemala since the name matches her culture.

I really like her middle name-Carolina and her birthmom's middle name-Milena but unfortunately, I need to use her middle name to honor my mom (Julia) and my special niece (Brianna) so her middle name is Julianna.

I had thought of giving her three names but then decided her names are quite long enough. I hope she will be okay with that!!!

[Sharon]

An interesting side note:
I have worked with small children in a group setting for many years, and have had the opportunity to observe the evolution of "naming" over the past decade. I live in an area that has a large hispanic population, and so I have the opportunity to teach both caucasian and hispanic children.
Name-wise, we seem to have entered an "anything goes" period... I've taught children named Shylo, Almandine, Corinthian, Piper, Arajah... the more creative, the better, it seems. At the same time, a counter-trend toward traditional names is emerging... in the past few years, I've taught kids named Grace, Katherine, Olivia, Hannah, and one dear little punkin named Enid.
My point in regard to this thread is that this "anything goes" theory on naming seems to have affected the hispanic and anglo communities alike; even parents who are first-generation Americans are as likely as not to name their children "Haylee" ( or Tiffany, or Brianna, or Kaitlyn, or Ashlynn). It struck me when I went to that link and read the article entitled "Ming to Kylie" or whatever it was... that at least in my community, a child named "Ming" is just as likely to be Caucasian or African American as she is to be Asian, and a child named "Kylie" might come from any cultural background imaginable.
It seems to me that the new generation of young parents is breaking the mold as far as names are concerned, and using their childrens' names as an opportunity to celebrate their childrens' individuality and uniqueness, as well as our common heritage as citizens of the global community, with every culture in the world to draw upon for inspiration.
~ Shar

[Cheryl Wirth]

We are also changing our daughter's name when she arrives, but our Pastor said that we can use her birth name as her Baptismal name. So she will be Mary Elizabeth Rosa. I also know a family whose son was Jose Benjamin in Guatemala and they changed it to Benjamin Joseph. They call him Ben. I do think its important to keep some of their birth name to connect them with their culture.

[JoelPapi]

this topic is very interesting...

Joel was given a name- by who? we don't even know-
but his name is Edgar Armando (then a last name)
but EVERYONE called him Armando even before we
had the referral- we looks so much like an Armando-
LOVE that name-

but we added Joel- and a new middle name- so his name now is Joel Armando Henry ( then our last name)

so it's a long name but we felt keeping the Armando was
important and Joel and Henry also has a meaning for us.


my little Joel Armando

jen

[Shoshana]

I'm a namenerd. After months of searching for the perfect name, I chose
Marielena (MAR ee uh LAY nuh) Janelle. Marielena is a Spanish name, Janelle is the name of my parents' biological daughter who died of leukemia at three.I though Mari would make a cute nickname.

The baby's birth name is Yulissa (who-LEE-sa) Xiomara (see-oh-MAR-uh).

As an adoptee, it never bothered me that my name is different than my birth name (Elizabeth Ann vs. Anna Marie).

Now I'm wondering if I SHOULD choose Xiomara (it was already on my favorites list) at least for a middle name. I don't care at all for Julissa - either the Spanish or American pronunciation.

opinions?