[Foradoption]

I was wondering if most of you named your child right after referral, or did you wait until further along in the process. Also, when you did name them, did you always refer to them by this name throughout the process?

Thanks a bunch!

[dspakowsky]

We kept our first daughter's birth name. For our second daughter - when we heard her birth name, we just felt that wasn't the name meant for her. I asked my family for suggestions, and I almost went with a few. But, I continued to pray about it. Then a name came to be I had rarely heard used before. I looked up the definition and it is Greek, meaning "like an angel". Perfect for her.

I always refer to her with her new name. Her foster family even calls her by that name.

[ManyTimesBlessed]

We named both Erick and Jayden when we accepted their referrals. For Erick, that was his Guatemalan name, so there was nothing to change. Jayden's name was "Victor" and that just didn't appeal to us. We had already decided that we liked the name Jayden, so we changed it. For the first few days we went back and forth, sometimes calling him Jayden in one sentence and then Victor in another. But, as we got more used to the idea he became Jayden. We still have to use his given name sometimes, though, on paperwork, etc. Also, remember that you won't be able to officially change your child's name until he/she is in the United States.

[cr653]

we had a name choosen for a good year or two, and never ended up using it!

instead,
we liked our first referral's name, Dairin, we pronounced it like the boy's name Darren, but it was actually pronounced DYeReen.

when we lost her referral we waited a LOONG time,
and finally choose our daughters name right before my visit.
BUT, for like the first day or so i just called her 'sweetie' or 'baby'!

LOL! i dont know about the rest of you all, but of all our kids, not one of them is without some kind of family nickname at all times!

so,
you can choose a permanent name,
but dont be surprised if you what you call you little one is quite different!
For a while little mira was even called 'Gak Gak"! cute, but wierd! and i dont know how we came up with it or when it morphed into a new nickname!


cris...who has no real nicknames at this time! just 'hey,mommy...."

[yaddakal]

We got our referral 3/10 and have just started to refer to her as Maya after our 2nd update. That is not her birth name but we found out that our lawyer's sister named her, so we feel even better about it. We our hoping after our next update that we are even more comfortable. We are still deciding on a middle name Good luck!

[astra]

We named our son when we met him at the Westin on our pick up trip! We had a long list but just had a hard time deciding.

We still haven't legally changed his name yet, so at all doctor's appointments he goes by his birth name. Which we call him still as a nick name. (it is going to be his middle name eventually)

[kcbailey777]

I felt very strongly that I should not name my daughter until she became my daughter. I was afraid I would lose the name if the adoption fell through. I had a name in mind and settled on the name after I saw her pictures.

The only person I told was her foster mother on the visit trip. I wanted her to start hearing the name. I can't tell you how many times I was asked her name but I never told. When I got out of PGN I told everyone.

Lisa

[ej-momtobe]

We had talked about names for months before we received a referral, but when we got the referral we really liked his birthname. We decided to wait until the visit trip to start referring to him by name. We are still deciding on the middle name.

[riptune2]

As soon as we saw his referral picture we started coming up with names. It never occurred to me to keep his birth name. After about a month, we decided on a name and kept it. He was never called our name until I went to pick him up. I never used his birth name. He didn't seem to have a problem with the sudden change of name. It was a big difference, too! Birth name - Erick. Our name to him - Alistair. No one we knew had ever heard of that name but every last one of them say that he looks like an Alistair!


Shannon

[chica_latina]

I had a huge list of names before we even began the process. We narrowed things down but we didn't want to make any final decisions until DNA was done... I guess we were trying to "guard" our hearts a bit.

I thought of not having a name for either until they got home, but I just couldn't wait that long.

[kandesmurphy]

For our first referral, after about 2 months, we decided to choose his name and start calling him that. We told everyone. Unfortunately things happen that we can't control and we lost him. We loved his name and it was very special through my husband's family but we can't use it again because it is his name! So this time we are waiting until the visit trip to officially decide on his name and start using it. We have almost completely decided on a name but we refuse to use it yet. I guess we're a little superstitious after last time!

Kathy

[cheri25]

We named our daughter right away because the birthmother did not name her, and the attorney asked if we wanted to. So she was given our chosen name and that is what is listed on her Guatemalan birth certificate.

[jnancynancy]

We called her Sol while we tried out other names, oh so many other names, then when it came down to it...we couldn't call her anything else. She is Sol Ana Alely(Allahlee) which is her birth name we just added Ana to her first name to make it more feminine.

[kauai2k]

We were asked to name our child when we accepted his referral. We haven't shared his name with many people yet (or pictures). When we exit PGN and I know the final decree has been signed - watch out everyone - posts, posts, posts!!!

We love his name and look forward to seeing a birth certificate with it printed - but as far as we know he is still being referred to within the foster family with his name from birth.

diane

[aniles]

We basically named him right after we recieved the referral. We kinda had a name picked out already, and so we decided to go with it. Our family has begun using it regularly now, too!