It’s hard to believe that nine months is quite the stretch to pick a baby name, yet somehow, I felt rushed. When my daughter was just a month old, I glanced at her adorable, tiny face and thought, “This little one is definitely not a Presley.” Oh no, we had named our child incorrectly.
Despite my feelings, I kept quiet, hoping I would eventually adjust. Everyone around me, including my husband and family, referred to her as Presley, while I internally cringed. It’s not their fault; that was her name after all. I often resorted to calling her “the baby” or experimenting with names like Mia or Sophie when I was alone.
Time moved on, and one day, I casually brought it up to my husband, “What do you think about changing Presley’s name?” He looked at me as if I had lost my mind since our daughter was six months old by then. But let’s be honest—he knew what he was signing up for when we got married, right?
After a couple more months of deliberation, we finally settled on a new name when she turned eight months old. Yes, eight long months. Surely, this sort of thing happens to others too!
And that’s how “Presley” transformed into “Autumn.” I must admit, I borrowed the name from a character in the now-defunct TV show, “The O.C.” While some parents might choose names inspired by sports icons or Hollywood stars, I find that names from nostalgic teen dramas have a certain charm.
Changing a name legally isn’t straightforward, especially in New York City, where they made sure I wasn’t trying to rename my child to escape a scandal or some hefty debt. I can’t say I’ve monitored every moment of her napping, but I believe she’s been living a pretty honest life.
It took six trips to civil court to make the change official. During one of these visits, I watched as people stood up to request their name changes. There was a man named Leo who wanted to be called Ole. A transgender individual seeking a more feminine identity. A father wanting to Americanize his kids’ names. And a woman who couldn’t recall if her middle initial “J” stood for Jane or June; she had simply forgotten.
In that moment, I realized two things: 1. Being a judge in New York City must be full of surprises. 2. Maybe I wasn’t so crazy after all.
If you’re on the hunt for the ideal baby name, consider exploring the Scary Mommy baby name database for a variety of options and inspiration.
In conclusion, we all have our own journeys when it comes to naming our children, and sometimes, a change is necessary to find the right fit.