[JohnnaMJH]

Our son came home at 3 and we didn't change his name. We went back and forth about it, but since his transition was so traumatic and he seemed very much attached to being 'Manuelito,' we stuck with that. W/our second adoption and our son coming home at 7mos, we changed his name to William from Nicolas since we had lost a son named Nicholas. His name is William Nicolas and we call him Memo. He is 'little Memo' to me as Suzanne's Memo is big Memo. It took him a while but he clearly responds to Memo now.

[brink]

Our boys were older...4yrs...when they came home. We changed their names and they had no trouble adjusting. I think as someone posted, they think we're just speaking another language anyway and they accept it. Our boys' names weren't names we cared for. They also sounded quite comical with our German last name, which I think is also something to consider. We also changed our daughter's name when she came home at 10yrs. She likes her new name also. Her name was unusual even to Spanish speakers, seeming to have been made up. The orphanage named her...or possibly made a spelling error from her birth name, since it was so similar. Someone told me they would be upset if they placed a child for adoption and learned that the name they'd given their child was changed. My thought was that she should understand then my desire to have the privelege of naming my own child. Though I think it is fantastic if you like and can keep all or part of your child's birth name, I also believe strongly that parents should have the privelege of giving their child a name they love. This is just as true for adoptive parents. I think it can be an important part of the bonding process...from the adoptive parent side of things. I think you need to do make choices you will also be happy with down the road. Who wants to have a name their mom never did like?? My husband has one of those names, because his mom felt the pressure to name him after a relative. She's said she never did like it, though she thinks her son is tops!

[DPline]

Our daughter came home at 9 months and our son at 20 months and we changed both of their names without any issues. I think WVUMom418 hit on it exactly. EVERYTHING sounded different, so a new name didn't seem to phase them. Quite honestly, I couldn't have said Daniel's or Lauren's name and made it sound anything like the way their foster mothers said it anyway!

[truegirl]

We are adopting a 28 month old whose given name is Marlen Judith ( Marlane Hoodeet ) We have decided to name her Mia Elaine Judith and we figure Mia is close enough to mija that it might also help with bonding.


Nichole

[kacmom1]

We changed our son's name too. He was 2 1/2 when we brought him home. There were not problems and he responded to his new name right away. We figured that he didn't understand what we were saying anyway...so, why not start right away with his new name!

[DPline]

[quote=DPline]Our daughter came home at 9 months QUOTE]

Ok, not sure where my brain went. She came home at 11 months!

[aylajs]

My son is from Russia & came home at 13 months...we changed his name, leaving his Russian name as a second middle name.