What do you think about changing an adoptive childs name?

Question

Just out of curiosity, what do you think of the idea of adding another middle name to a child you have adopted? What about dropping their middle name and giving them a new one? I'm not talking about a child who is older than 8, I'm talking younger. And I'm not talking about messing with their first name (or the name they go by) either. I have been reading some books about adopting, and I have read that this is a common practice. I wasn't aware that was even an option. I just thought I'd get some thoughts on it. And please be as nice as you can...we haven't even adopted yet, I'm just asking your opinion. Thanks!

Answer 1

Hmmm well my sister adopted our other sisters children and kept their names but changes them to their middle names and chose a new first name for them Once you adopt someone... its up to you. I mean it is your child. If the child is under 6 its ok...

Answer 2

Keep keep keep the child's name.  It's all they have left of who they are/were.

People keep saying it depends on the age - like saying an infant couldn't care less.   This isn't true.   I was adopted as an infant and I am eternally grateful to my adoptive parents for honoring my name.  It means alot to me.

Answer 3

i think its a good idea

Answer 4

You can legally change any part of their name when you adopt. But do this with care. Our names are part of our identities and I think even very young children are aware of their names. Do not do this without extensive consultation with the child, even if it's "just" a middle name. The name they have now might have special meaning to them and they may resent you for changing it.

Answer 5

I asked the same question...got great responses....everyone agreed that it is better to add a middle name than to take away any name....I agree. While we are not going to call our child by his middle name, when others ask, we will say the middle name we gave to him...just for conveience. On his birth cert. and always when discussing it with him, we will tell him his original name and how we added a middle name after daddy's middle name.

Answer 6

we are in the middle of adopting and by the time we go get her- she will be 7 months old. She was left at a hospital on the floor abandoned. The nurse gave her a name so they weren't just calling her "baby" So in our case we will change the first name from Ruth to Trinity Ruth... If she was older and had a connection with her name i would never change it. Or if the birth family had given her the name i would never of changed the first name... That is just my opinion. Good luck and blessings!

Answer 7

i dont see anything wrong with it.

my partner was adopted at 4day old, on his original birth cert his name was

first name: Johnathan

middle name:Patrick

last name: ??????

he is now

first: Joel

middle: Alvin Johnathan

Last: not telling you what it is

my partner and his adoptive family arnt very close and he never see's his bio family,

adoptive mum tld me that the reason why she changed his name was because she wanted him to be her baby and that the only way was to change his name.

Answer 8

I agree with what most people say. Adding names is okay, but taking them away, or chaning them isn't right.

My aparents changed my name, because it was too 'irish' and i was meant to be english now. They took my entire identity away from me.

I legally changed it to my birth name a few years ago. I like it better anyway lol.

If they know their name, talk to them about changing it. But ask yourself why do you want to change it anyway?

Answer 9

Please keep all the adoptee's names.

They belong to the adoptee.

The adoptee is a child.

The adoptee has no say about decisions that adults make.

Add extra names - fine.

But please - do not remove what already belongs to the adoptee.

It's all they have left of their origins.

Answer 10

Well my 2nd son was adopted.... When I had him I named him Donald Anthony.. the Donald after my father... but we and everyone else called him Anthony...  Once the adoption was final.. they changed his name to Anthony Donald...  I was adopted when I was young... about 1year old.. and my birth name on my certificate was one thing... the lady that had me as a foster child called me something else... and my parents that adopted me changed my name legally to what it is now.. I don't remember ever being called anything different...  I don't think there is anything wrong with it.. as long as the child is old enough to adjust to the change...

Answer 11

I think with a child that is 2 years old or under then a name change is ok but after that they start to really learn their name and I think first names should remain the same unless they are old enough to request and agree to the name change.

Answer 12

We adopted two school age children from overseas.  We added American middle names (their country of birth generally doesn't have middle names) and tacked our last name onto the end.  So, it goes (birth first name) (American middle name) (birth last name) (adoptive family surname).  

Our children liked the middle names we chose (they had the option to choose something different).  

I don't see anything wrong with adding to a name.  We didn't take anything away from their names.