22% of parents in Scotland would rename their child

The study, conducted by name label manufacturer mynametags.com, found that a third of parents in Scotland (33%) regret the name they gave their child because they don’t think it suits them. The other most common reasons for people regretting their child’s name are because they were pressured into it by their family, they felt they had to follow their partner’s family tradition, or the name is too common.

When it comes to the process of naming their child, 32% of parents in Scotland said it was a stressful experience, and a third (33%) said they fell out with their partner or family over the decision.

The pressure parents feel when naming their child is significant. According to the research, 23% felt pressure from other people including their friends, whilst 20% admit they cared too much about other people’s opinions when choosing a moniker for their newborn.

Nationally, just under a quarter (23%) of parents would rename their child, meaning parents in Scotland are among the least likely to be dissatisfied with their child’s name in the UK.

The most regretted baby names in the UK:

1. Jack

2. John

3. Katie

Lars B. Andersen, Managing Director at mynametags.com, comments: “After tracking baby name trends for over two decades, we were interested to discover how parents' opinions of their child’s name change over time.

“Our research shows a surprising number of parents have some regret over their child's name. It’s also interesting to find that the name Jack is the most regretted name in the UK, despite the name featuring in the top 15 boy names since yearly ONS records began in 1996.

“The pressure to pick the perfect name can be immense, with parents battling external influences and internal worries. Despite this, we hope our research gives parents the confidence to ignore external pressures and choose a name that feels right for them and their child, both now and as they grow up.”