A mum is beginning to regret the name she gave to her son six months ago, as some members of her family refuse to say it out loud, claiming it's 'awful' and 'too feminine'12:27, 04 Aug 2026Choosing a baby name that everyone in your life likes is an impossible task. As a parent, naming your child is your decision, but you must be aware that there will be people in your life, be it family or friends, who don't like the choice you've made.‌Most people can understand that baby names are personal choices, and will keep their true thoughts to themselves, but as one mum on social media is finding out, that's not the case for everyone. In fact, her family have been very vocal about their dislike for her six-month-old son's name - and some of them won't even use it.‌In a post on Reddit, the woman said she welcomed her son into the world six months ago, and ever since, her family has been adamant that the name she chose is "terrible" and "too feminine".‌Her son is called Bellamy – and she often calls him either Lemmy, Bell, or Bam for short. But her family have caused her to question whether his name is "truly awful" and whether she should consider changing it.She 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."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."‌The mum asked Reddit commenters to share their honest opinions on the name so she could gauge whether it is "truly an awful, overly feminine name". And many commenters were quick to tell the mum that the name she had chosen was "fine".Several commenters told the mum to put her foot down with her family, stating that if they can't call her son by his name, then they shouldn't get to see him.‌The mum replied to these comments, insisting that none of the offending family members has met her son yet, and she doesn't plan on letting them meet him until they change their attitudes.One person wrote: "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 also shared: "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."Can you change your 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 her son's 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 the mum waited longer and tried to change her son's name after his first birthday, she would need to go through a deed poll. This still requires the agreement of everyone with parental responsibility, and generally costs around £53.Article continues belowOnly the parents or legal guardians of a child can register to change their child's name, and you'll need your child's birth certificate to start the process. You may also need documentation proving your marital or relationship status.You can find out more information on the Gov.uk website.