I was thinking of naming my daughter a certain name, can I now change my mind?

 

Question:

At the beginning of my pregnancy, I was thinking (and perhaps voiced to my husband) that if I have a girl I’d like to name her for my grandmother who passed away several years ago (and for whom several babies have been named).

In the middle of my pregnancy, however, my other grandmother passed away, and now I would like to give her name. It would mean a lot to me and our family, this would be the first name given for her.

Is it okay to change the “plan”? (Once heard a story in A Glimpse Through the Veil about such a case and the original namesake came in a dream…)

I would not want to combine the names.

 

Answer:

You may name your daughter after your grandmother who recently passed away.

However, If you did make a statement which was in the way of a neder (like a promise or vow) that you will name your future daughter after your other grandmother – it’s advisable that you and/or your husband do Hataros Nedarim in front of a Beis Din of three in order to release you from your vow.

 

Reasoning:

Even if one were to act stringently to fulfill the commitment of their heart by way of extra piousness, nonetheless when there is a change of the situation, as in this case – many opinions maintain that one may change from their original intentions. See Shach at the end of Choshen Mishpat 204.

This is especially the case when the intent of naming after someone – ‘the recipient’ is not alive.

 

 

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