Baby

Should I Let My Kids Name the New Baby?

Sh*t’s getting real in my house.

The final countdown to baby #3 (oh, and Christmas) is officially here. Three weeks (give or take) til baby. Four weeks til Santa.

And while I’ve managed to sort out the baby stuff AND also get Christmas sorted for my older two kids (go me), there is one last thing we need to do before baby #3 makes her appearance.

We need a name for this baby. My eight-year-old son and six-year-old daughter both have opinions on this.

When good baby names go bad

My son would like to name his second little sister Jeff. Which is actually a step up from his shortlisted monikers – Dogman, Terminator and I-Don’t-Care.

It’s also much better than what he currently calls her – Creepy Baby, and what he affectionately called his other sister for the first year of her life – Roast Baby.

But, alas, Jeff isn’t going to make the cut. And neither is Creepy Baby. And thank god Roast Baby isn’t on the table this time around.

have another baby

What’s in a name, anyway?

My daughter’s name choice – I’m keeping it under wraps for now in case we decide to use it – is actually normal and doesn’t insinuate cooking a child. It’s sweet, pretty and complements both older kids’ names.

But is it really a good idea to let her name the baby? Shouldn’t this be a decision for myself and my partner? After all, we are the ones who made this baby.

Let’s consider the pros and cons, shall we?


Is it okay to let older kids name the new baby?

NO! Naming baby is mum and dad’s job

For many couples, choosing a name that they both LOVE is more critical than including the kids in this very important decision.

After all, there are some decisions that are left to the parents in the household. If I let the kids make all the decisions, we wouldn’t sleep or bathe and we’d probably live off ice cream and Nutella. Not that I’m complaining, but, there’s only so many jars of Nutella I can stomach. Perhaps this decision, like the decision of what’s for dinner, is best left to the responsible adults in the household.

Another issue that can arise? It may take away from the excitement of selecting a baby name with your partner. This should be a bonding experience for you and him, something special to do together, as a team.

Part of the fun of pregnancy is going through 70,000 names and discovering you can’t even agree on ONE.

mum central

YES! Naming baby is a family decision

There’s a few valid points for the other side of the coin as well. Letting the kids have a say makes them feel included and connected (and hopefully not resentful of the baby).

This baby isn’t just “mummy and daddy’s” baby. It’s their baby sister too. And having free reign to name her can help them come to terms with this.

Of course, the name has to be suitable. And many kids aren’t that great at choosing appropriate baby names.

Case in point? My daughter’s other choices before she decided on her current name for her little sister included Cinnamon, Rapunzel, Hatchimal and Mokie (our cat’s name). I can’t say any of these made the shortlist.

how to introduce children to new sibling

The happy baby naming medium 

So is there a right or wrong answer here? No. Of course not. Whether you choose to let the kids name the new baby is entirely up to you and your partner.

But if you are tossing up the idea, one option to consider is letting the kids choose the middle name instead of the first name.

This gives them the opportunity to be involved in the baby naming process (within reason) but also ensures your child doesn’t end up being named after your cat. Maybe.

Did you let the baby’s older siblings name the new addition? If so, what did they come up with? And are you happy with the decision? Let us know in the comments below!

And if you want to steer the kids in the right direction, take a browse through our jam-packed archive of top baby names.

Avatar of Jenna Galley

Born and raised in Canada, Jenna now lives in Far North Queensland with her tribe. When the mum-of-three is not writing, you can find her floating in the pool, watching princess movies, frolicking on the beach, bouncing her baby to sleep or nagging her older kids to put on their pants.

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