Mum criticised for wanting to change her four-year-old daughter’s name

Why.

Just why. At four-years-old, you tend to be pretty much set up with your name. You've had it for a long time, lots of people have called you by it, you'd be likely to get a bit confused if someone was to start calling you something else, in fairness. It wouldn't really be fair then if your own mam turned around and said that she wanted to change it. Yeah, would be fairly grim alright. That's exactly what one mum wants to do though - legitimately because she thinks too many other young girls have the same name. Honestly. Writing on parenting forum, Mumsnet, she said:

"My daughter is 4 years old and I gave her a name which, I thought, was very original as I hadn't heard another girl called it in about 20 years. Only to find when she started nursery another girl called the same but spelt differently. "She is due to start full time education in September and there will be 2 other girls with the same name so 3 in the class including her."

Right so... what exactly is the issue here? The mum goes on.

"Totally hacked off and really upset by this. Maybe an over reaction but in the 1970s I was one of 5 named the same in my class and vowed never to have my children live with the same. "Now history is being repeated."

She went on to ask whether she was being unreasonable to change her daughter's name before she starts school because she just hates how "common" it is now. People were, understandably, not sympathetic. "I don't think it's up to you, surely it's up to your daughter, it's her name now, not yours!" said one person. "Are you crazy! She's 4! You can't change her name," argued another. "I am so sorry but yes you are being unreasonable, she is 4 years not 4 months and will be so very confused if you change her name now!!" said another. Eventually the mum went ahead and said what she had named her daughter - Esmee. She also said that the "same thing" happened to her when she was younger so she changed her name. She also added that any time she hears her "real name", she shudders. Right so.