A mother is having second thoughts about the name she gave her son six months ago after her family branded it 'terrible' and 'too feminine', with some refusing to say it aloud.
In a Reddit post, the mum explained that her family has been vocal in their disapproval of the name Bellamy, which she often shortens to Lemmy, Bell, or Bam. The backlash has made her question whether the name is truly awful and whether she should consider changing it.
Family's Reaction
The mum wrote: "I had my son 6 months ago and ever since then my family has been adamant that the name we chose is terrible, too feminine, and some of them won’t refer to him by his name at all. His name is Bellamy."
She added: "I like uncommon names, and I'm also big on names that have a nice meaning, so Bellamy means handsome/good friend. I love his name and thought it worked fine as a boy's name, but with the way some of our family has reacted to his name, I'm questioning if it really is that bad, and maybe I'm just delusional."
Support from Reddit
Reddit commenters were quick to reassure the mum that Bellamy is a perfectly acceptable name. Several told her to stand firm with her family, suggesting that if relatives can't use the name, they shouldn't get to see the child.
The mum responded to these comments, noting that none of the offending family members have met her son yet, and she doesn't plan to let them until they change their attitudes.
One commenter said: "The name is fine. Your family members are out of line. They can call your child by his name, or they can call him the child they no longer get to see."
Another added: "I was bracing for impact and got whiplash from Bellamy. I was expecting, I don't know, Jhakxsyn or something. Not a normal, albeit uncommon, name. It's an established name, and your family is being beyond rude."
A third wrote: "I don't love the name, but that's beside the point. It's your son's name. They can either get on board or not see him. Those are their options."
Changing a Child's Name in the UK
If the mum chose to change her son's name, she could do so within the first 12 months of his original name being registered. Before a baby's first birthday, their first name can be changed once on their birth certificate, as long as both parents listed on the certificate agree to the change.
However, if she waited longer, she would need to go through a deed poll, which requires the agreement of everyone with parental responsibility and generally costs around £53. Only parents or legal guardians can register to change a child's name, and you'll need the child's birth certificate to start the process, along with documentation proving marital or relationship status if applicable.
