A couple of weeks ago, Chantal from Breadcrumbs in the Butter ran a lovely series of posts about how each of her four kids came to be named. I am fascinated by how people choose names, and always love to hear the story behind someone’s name.
I suspect I might have already told the story of how Tristan and Simon got their names, partly because I so love the topic that I tend to talk about it often and partly because after 600+ posts, it’s inevitable that I start to repeat myself. Those of you who know me in person are nodding vigourously at this point.
Regardless, because you know the topic of baby names had to come up eventually, and because I don’t have anything else percolating for today, let’s talk about names.
With Tristan, we always knew what his name would be. I don’t remember exactly when we decided on it, but we were thrilled at the ultrasound to find out he was in fact a he because we were solid on the name of Tristan for a boy and had not even an inkling of a name for a girl.
Tristan was chosen because of Beloved’s love of the Arthurian legends – King Arthur, knights of the round table, and whatnot, and I simply refused to allow any son of mine to be named Gwain or Galahad or Lancelot. Not that there’s anything wrong with those names, if you happen to like them. But as soon as he said “what about Tristan?”, I knew it was the one. (It didn’t hurt that Brad Pitt had played the noble but wounded Tristan in Legends of the Fall just a few years before, either!)
Tristan’s middle name was also an easy choice. My dad’s name is Louis, Beloved’s middle name is Lewis and his grandfather’s name is Louis. We knew unequivocally that he was Tristan Louis from the time I was five months pregnant.
The sticky part came with his surname. I didn’t change my last name when Beloved and I got married, and when I was pregnant we agreed that my surname would be a second middle name for any kids. But the more pregnant I got, the more important it became to me to have my surname equally represented. Unfortunately, our names hypenated are a bit of a mouthful, and Beloved was resistant to the idea.
We were still undecided when Tristan was born, but we were literally not allowed to leave the hospital until we completed a health card application for him – with his full name. We were all packed up, and Tristan was dressed in his going-home outfit, purchased specially by Granny. I was sitting on the bed and Beloved in the chair, and we glowered at each other, each unwilling to concede. In the end, Beloved capitulated, and I cried tears of relief as I filled out the form with the hyphenated surnames. There have been many times, as I spelled out his name for a pharmacist, or to make an appointment, that I silently apologized to him for saddling him with such a mouthful of a moniker. But mostly I’m proud that both boys carry my name, a name fairly unique and unusual, and I’ll let them decide if they ever want to truncate it to a single name some day. To my surprise, I just noticed the other day when Tristan’s first school picture came home that he is the only child in his class with a hypenated name.
The naming of Simon is a little bit less dramatic. Right up until he was born, we were vacillating between three names, even though Simon had been a front-runner in my mind even when we were naming Tristan. My brother had a friend named Simon when we were growing up, and he always struck me as kindly and thoughtful – two characteristics I attached to the name Simon. The other choices were Thomas and Lucas.
When Simon finally made his way into the world, 10 days past my due date and after nearly 30 hours of efforts to entice him to leave the womb, I knew when I saw him that he would definitely be Simon. Since we gave Tristan the name of Beloved’s grandfather and my father as a middle name, we gave Simon the name of my grandfather and my mother (in masculine form) as a middle name. Simon Francis.
I worried a little bit about “Simon says” and “Simple Simon”, and I even considered the impact of one of my childhood favourite shows, “Simon in the Land of Chalk Drawings.” Remember that theme song?
Oh, you know my name is Simon
And the things I draw come true.
And the pictures take me take me take me
Over the garden wall with you.
(Ironically, the Teletoon network here in Canada started running an updated version of that cartoon when I was home on maternity leave with Simon, but when I asked a young teenage acquantance of ours if he had ever had someone tease him about the song, he had no idea what we were talking about.)
In the end, of course, I love both names. I couldn’t imagine them being named anything else.
Rest assured you can expect much more on the topics of baby names in the next six months! In the interim, care to share your baby naming stories?
None of my baby naming stories are short or happy enough to tell here. I always found choosing baby names the most difficult part of any pregnancy. My husband and I could never agree on anything. I swear, we would go through every name in the baby book and one of us would find something wrong with each name. It always seemed like so much pressure.
Eventually, we’d bring family and friends into the conversation, and they would help us choose.
None of my baby naming stories are short or happy enough to tell here. I always found choosing baby names the most difficult part of any pregnancy. My husband and I could never agree on anything. I swear, we would go through every name in the baby book and one of us would find something wrong with each name. It always seemed like so much pressure.
Eventually, we’d bring family and friends into the conversation, and they would help us choose.
None of my baby naming stories are short or happy enough to tell here. I always found choosing baby names the most difficult part of any pregnancy. My husband and I could never agree on anything. I swear, we would go through every name in the baby book and one of us would find something wrong with each name. It always seemed like so much pressure.
Eventually, we’d bring family and friends into the conversation, and they would help us choose.
None of my baby naming stories are short or happy enough to tell here. I always found choosing baby names the most difficult part of any pregnancy. My husband and I could never agree on anything. I swear, we would go through every name in the baby book and one of us would find something wrong with each name. It always seemed like so much pressure.
Eventually, we’d bring family and friends into the conversation, and they would help us choose.
Ah, but jo(e), you’ve come up with such wonderful names for them on your blog that I don’t know how I could ever know them as something less ordinary than “with a why” or “boy in black”!
Ah, but jo(e), you’ve come up with such wonderful names for them on your blog that I don’t know how I could ever know them as something less ordinary than “with a why” or “boy in black”!
Ah, but jo(e), you’ve come up with such wonderful names for them on your blog that I don’t know how I could ever know them as something less ordinary than “with a why” or “boy in black”!
Ah, but jo(e), you’ve come up with such wonderful names for them on your blog that I don’t know how I could ever know them as something less ordinary than “with a why” or “boy in black”!
I remember spending a very fraught weekend with Mr. Ex trying to name our new cat, and thought it boded ill for naming kids which would hopefully happen in the future, but it really wasn’t that hard. Coming up with a boy’s name was easy, though we didn’t end up needing one. The girls’ names were a bit harder. All the ones I really liked, he shot down, and vice versa. Then he came up with Leah, and I loved it. Although he denies it, I always suspected that it came from 1980 one-hit-wonder Donnie Iris’s song “Ah Leah”, but I can pretend that the Old Testament was his inspiration. Almost 3 years later, when pg again, we still had the unused boy’s name (Matthew) and were arguing over a girl’s name. I wanted Lauren or Julia and he wanted Paige (which I know for sure came from one of the hosts of one of the home-makeover shows on HGTV). I countered with “what about Paige for a middle name?” and he agreed. Then he came up with Rachel. I dismissed it right away — just too biblical to have sisters named Leah and Rachel. (What if they met a guy called Jacob?) But, after a while it really grew on me (Friends notwithstanding), and Rachel Paige she is. There you go. Not very exciting
I remember spending a very fraught weekend with Mr. Ex trying to name our new cat, and thought it boded ill for naming kids which would hopefully happen in the future, but it really wasn’t that hard. Coming up with a boy’s name was easy, though we didn’t end up needing one. The girls’ names were a bit harder. All the ones I really liked, he shot down, and vice versa. Then he came up with Leah, and I loved it. Although he denies it, I always suspected that it came from 1980 one-hit-wonder Donnie Iris’s song “Ah Leah”, but I can pretend that the Old Testament was his inspiration. Almost 3 years later, when pg again, we still had the unused boy’s name (Matthew) and were arguing over a girl’s name. I wanted Lauren or Julia and he wanted Paige (which I know for sure came from one of the hosts of one of the home-makeover shows on HGTV). I countered with “what about Paige for a middle name?” and he agreed. Then he came up with Rachel. I dismissed it right away — just too biblical to have sisters named Leah and Rachel. (What if they met a guy called Jacob?) But, after a while it really grew on me (Friends notwithstanding), and Rachel Paige she is. There you go. Not very exciting
I remember spending a very fraught weekend with Mr. Ex trying to name our new cat, and thought it boded ill for naming kids which would hopefully happen in the future, but it really wasn’t that hard. Coming up with a boy’s name was easy, though we didn’t end up needing one. The girls’ names were a bit harder. All the ones I really liked, he shot down, and vice versa. Then he came up with Leah, and I loved it. Although he denies it, I always suspected that it came from 1980 one-hit-wonder Donnie Iris’s song “Ah Leah”, but I can pretend that the Old Testament was his inspiration. Almost 3 years later, when pg again, we still had the unused boy’s name (Matthew) and were arguing over a girl’s name. I wanted Lauren or Julia and he wanted Paige (which I know for sure came from one of the hosts of one of the home-makeover shows on HGTV). I countered with “what about Paige for a middle name?” and he agreed. Then he came up with Rachel. I dismissed it right away — just too biblical to have sisters named Leah and Rachel. (What if they met a guy called Jacob?) But, after a while it really grew on me (Friends notwithstanding), and Rachel Paige she is. There you go. Not very exciting
I remember spending a very fraught weekend with Mr. Ex trying to name our new cat, and thought it boded ill for naming kids which would hopefully happen in the future, but it really wasn’t that hard. Coming up with a boy’s name was easy, though we didn’t end up needing one. The girls’ names were a bit harder. All the ones I really liked, he shot down, and vice versa. Then he came up with Leah, and I loved it. Although he denies it, I always suspected that it came from 1980 one-hit-wonder Donnie Iris’s song “Ah Leah”, but I can pretend that the Old Testament was his inspiration. Almost 3 years later, when pg again, we still had the unused boy’s name (Matthew) and were arguing over a girl’s name. I wanted Lauren or Julia and he wanted Paige (which I know for sure came from one of the hosts of one of the home-makeover shows on HGTV). I countered with “what about Paige for a middle name?” and he agreed. Then he came up with Rachel. I dismissed it right away — just too biblical to have sisters named Leah and Rachel. (What if they met a guy called Jacob?) But, after a while it really grew on me (Friends notwithstanding), and Rachel Paige she is. There you go. Not very exciting
I love the name Simon. But I know someone who named their son Simon Oliver (IMO the best two names for boys) so those were both taken. Aarggh! We had a girl’s name chosen from very early on in pregnancy, but we were still waffling on the boy’s. We had it narrowed down to three: Jack for sure because it was my Grandpa’s name and we told my Grandma on her deathbed when I was 6 months preg that if we had a boy one of his names would be Jack. And then either Ezra or Finley. For the decision process, you’ll have to wade through my birth story, because it’s sorta tied up in that. It’s at:
http://writeabouthere.blogspot.com/2006/07/ezras-birth-story.html
I love the name Simon. But I know someone who named their son Simon Oliver (IMO the best two names for boys) so those were both taken. Aarggh! We had a girl’s name chosen from very early on in pregnancy, but we were still waffling on the boy’s. We had it narrowed down to three: Jack for sure because it was my Grandpa’s name and we told my Grandma on her deathbed when I was 6 months preg that if we had a boy one of his names would be Jack. And then either Ezra or Finley. For the decision process, you’ll have to wade through my birth story, because it’s sorta tied up in that. It’s at:
http://writeabouthere.blogspot.com/2006/07/ezras-birth-story.html
I love the name Simon. But I know someone who named their son Simon Oliver (IMO the best two names for boys) so those were both taken. Aarggh! We had a girl’s name chosen from very early on in pregnancy, but we were still waffling on the boy’s. We had it narrowed down to three: Jack for sure because it was my Grandpa’s name and we told my Grandma on her deathbed when I was 6 months preg that if we had a boy one of his names would be Jack. And then either Ezra or Finley. For the decision process, you’ll have to wade through my birth story, because it’s sorta tied up in that. It’s at:
http://writeabouthere.blogspot.com/2006/07/ezras-birth-story.html
I love the name Simon. But I know someone who named their son Simon Oliver (IMO the best two names for boys) so those were both taken. Aarggh! We had a girl’s name chosen from very early on in pregnancy, but we were still waffling on the boy’s. We had it narrowed down to three: Jack for sure because it was my Grandpa’s name and we told my Grandma on her deathbed when I was 6 months preg that if we had a boy one of his names would be Jack. And then either Ezra or Finley. For the decision process, you’ll have to wade through my birth story, because it’s sorta tied up in that. It’s at:
http://writeabouthere.blogspot.com/2006/07/ezras-birth-story.html
I love this topic as well and will try to make it short…
My oldest has the same initials as my husband. (who, for clarification in this crazy world, is also the father of my children). We needed a B name. Hubby shot down a few and then we settled on Brandon. Then we needed a W for the middle name. Well, my dad’s middle name was Wayne. Done. (We also have a Cody Wayne, Ethan Wayne, Jacob Wayne, and Gunnor Wayne in the family!) At the time, dad was alive and well, but we lost him to cancer in 2000. He was only 46. It’s good to have so many Waynes in the family!
Baby boy number two was a little harder. It took a while, and then we settled on Drake. (my husband is a duck hunter…I hadn’t thought about that initially, I just liked the name.) Drake’s middle name is David after a very close friend that we lost to leukemia at the ripe old age of 27.
I like the combination of a “new” name and a familiar one.
I love this topic as well and will try to make it short…
My oldest has the same initials as my husband. (who, for clarification in this crazy world, is also the father of my children). We needed a B name. Hubby shot down a few and then we settled on Brandon. Then we needed a W for the middle name. Well, my dad’s middle name was Wayne. Done. (We also have a Cody Wayne, Ethan Wayne, Jacob Wayne, and Gunnor Wayne in the family!) At the time, dad was alive and well, but we lost him to cancer in 2000. He was only 46. It’s good to have so many Waynes in the family!
Baby boy number two was a little harder. It took a while, and then we settled on Drake. (my husband is a duck hunter…I hadn’t thought about that initially, I just liked the name.) Drake’s middle name is David after a very close friend that we lost to leukemia at the ripe old age of 27.
I like the combination of a “new” name and a familiar one.
I love this topic as well and will try to make it short…
My oldest has the same initials as my husband. (who, for clarification in this crazy world, is also the father of my children). We needed a B name. Hubby shot down a few and then we settled on Brandon. Then we needed a W for the middle name. Well, my dad’s middle name was Wayne. Done. (We also have a Cody Wayne, Ethan Wayne, Jacob Wayne, and Gunnor Wayne in the family!) At the time, dad was alive and well, but we lost him to cancer in 2000. He was only 46. It’s good to have so many Waynes in the family!
Baby boy number two was a little harder. It took a while, and then we settled on Drake. (my husband is a duck hunter…I hadn’t thought about that initially, I just liked the name.) Drake’s middle name is David after a very close friend that we lost to leukemia at the ripe old age of 27.
I like the combination of a “new” name and a familiar one.
I love this topic as well and will try to make it short…
My oldest has the same initials as my husband. (who, for clarification in this crazy world, is also the father of my children). We needed a B name. Hubby shot down a few and then we settled on Brandon. Then we needed a W for the middle name. Well, my dad’s middle name was Wayne. Done. (We also have a Cody Wayne, Ethan Wayne, Jacob Wayne, and Gunnor Wayne in the family!) At the time, dad was alive and well, but we lost him to cancer in 2000. He was only 46. It’s good to have so many Waynes in the family!
Baby boy number two was a little harder. It took a while, and then we settled on Drake. (my husband is a duck hunter…I hadn’t thought about that initially, I just liked the name.) Drake’s middle name is David after a very close friend that we lost to leukemia at the ripe old age of 27.
I like the combination of a “new” name and a familiar one.
D –
You really want me to tell my naming story(ies?). There’s the one about the nun’s, or being the 9th pregnancy and using them all up so Bro was nameless for 2 months, or the ever amusing (even if you’ve heard it 1054 times) how you get Nick from Frederick…..
I will sum up my name with those world famous lines from Top Secret…
Nick:
Hillary. That’s an unusual name.
Hillary:
It’s a German name. It means ‘she whose bosoms defy gravity’.
Nick:
I’m pleased to meet you. My name’s Nick.
Hillary:
Nick? What does that mean?
Nick:
Oh, nothing. My dad thought of it while he was shaving.
Or better yet, from The Sure Thing (and my apologies to anyone named Elliot)…
Gib:
Elliot? You’re gonna name the kid Elliot? No, you can’t name the kid Elliot. Elliot is a fat kid with glasses who eats paste. You’re not gonna name the kid Elliot. You gotta give him a real name. Give him a name. Like Nick.
Alison:
Nick?
Gib:
Yeah, Nick. Nick’s a real name. Nick’s your buddy. Nick’s the kind of guy you can trust, the kind of guy you can drink a beer with, the kind of guy who doesn’t mind if you puke in his car, Nick.
D –
You really want me to tell my naming story(ies?). There’s the one about the nun’s, or being the 9th pregnancy and using them all up so Bro was nameless for 2 months, or the ever amusing (even if you’ve heard it 1054 times) how you get Nick from Frederick…..
I will sum up my name with those world famous lines from Top Secret…
Nick:
Hillary. That’s an unusual name.
Hillary:
It’s a German name. It means ‘she whose bosoms defy gravity’.
Nick:
I’m pleased to meet you. My name’s Nick.
Hillary:
Nick? What does that mean?
Nick:
Oh, nothing. My dad thought of it while he was shaving.
Or better yet, from The Sure Thing (and my apologies to anyone named Elliot)…
Gib:
Elliot? You’re gonna name the kid Elliot? No, you can’t name the kid Elliot. Elliot is a fat kid with glasses who eats paste. You’re not gonna name the kid Elliot. You gotta give him a real name. Give him a name. Like Nick.
Alison:
Nick?
Gib:
Yeah, Nick. Nick’s a real name. Nick’s your buddy. Nick’s the kind of guy you can trust, the kind of guy you can drink a beer with, the kind of guy who doesn’t mind if you puke in his car, Nick.
D –
You really want me to tell my naming story(ies?). There’s the one about the nun’s, or being the 9th pregnancy and using them all up so Bro was nameless for 2 months, or the ever amusing (even if you’ve heard it 1054 times) how you get Nick from Frederick…..
I will sum up my name with those world famous lines from Top Secret…
Nick:
Hillary. That’s an unusual name.
Hillary:
It’s a German name. It means ‘she whose bosoms defy gravity’.
Nick:
I’m pleased to meet you. My name’s Nick.
Hillary:
Nick? What does that mean?
Nick:
Oh, nothing. My dad thought of it while he was shaving.
Or better yet, from The Sure Thing (and my apologies to anyone named Elliot)…
Gib:
Elliot? You’re gonna name the kid Elliot? No, you can’t name the kid Elliot. Elliot is a fat kid with glasses who eats paste. You’re not gonna name the kid Elliot. You gotta give him a real name. Give him a name. Like Nick.
Alison:
Nick?
Gib:
Yeah, Nick. Nick’s a real name. Nick’s your buddy. Nick’s the kind of guy you can trust, the kind of guy you can drink a beer with, the kind of guy who doesn’t mind if you puke in his car, Nick.
D –
You really want me to tell my naming story(ies?). There’s the one about the nun’s, or being the 9th pregnancy and using them all up so Bro was nameless for 2 months, or the ever amusing (even if you’ve heard it 1054 times) how you get Nick from Frederick…..
I will sum up my name with those world famous lines from Top Secret…
Nick:
Hillary. That’s an unusual name.
Hillary:
It’s a German name. It means ‘she whose bosoms defy gravity’.
Nick:
I’m pleased to meet you. My name’s Nick.
Hillary:
Nick? What does that mean?
Nick:
Oh, nothing. My dad thought of it while he was shaving.
Or better yet, from The Sure Thing (and my apologies to anyone named Elliot)…
Gib:
Elliot? You’re gonna name the kid Elliot? No, you can’t name the kid Elliot. Elliot is a fat kid with glasses who eats paste. You’re not gonna name the kid Elliot. You gotta give him a real name. Give him a name. Like Nick.
Alison:
Nick?
Gib:
Yeah, Nick. Nick’s a real name. Nick’s your buddy. Nick’s the kind of guy you can trust, the kind of guy you can drink a beer with, the kind of guy who doesn’t mind if you puke in his car, Nick.
Miss M’s Hebrew name means “wellspring of blessing.” I had been reserving her name in my head since college, so it was easy.
AM’s Hebrew name means “true gift.” We had such a hard time with this! Thinking of what nicknames, what was too common, what sounded ok with our last name. It was crazy.
Both have initials in common with various great-grandparents who died before they were born.
Miss M’s Hebrew name means “wellspring of blessing.” I had been reserving her name in my head since college, so it was easy.
AM’s Hebrew name means “true gift.” We had such a hard time with this! Thinking of what nicknames, what was too common, what sounded ok with our last name. It was crazy.
Both have initials in common with various great-grandparents who died before they were born.
Miss M’s Hebrew name means “wellspring of blessing.” I had been reserving her name in my head since college, so it was easy.
AM’s Hebrew name means “true gift.” We had such a hard time with this! Thinking of what nicknames, what was too common, what sounded ok with our last name. It was crazy.
Both have initials in common with various great-grandparents who died before they were born.
Miss M’s Hebrew name means “wellspring of blessing.” I had been reserving her name in my head since college, so it was easy.
AM’s Hebrew name means “true gift.” We had such a hard time with this! Thinking of what nicknames, what was too common, what sounded ok with our last name. It was crazy.
Both have initials in common with various great-grandparents who died before they were born.
Fryman- No offence taken! I had no idea Elliot was the name of the fat kid with glasses that eats paste! To me it was the last name of some guy in the credits of Home Improvement.The name stuck out while I was looking for a boys name that quite frankly was not the same of some nasty boy from elemetary school whose name brought back icky boy thoughts. Boys names are tought that way. I still love the name though!
My daughters name came to be nearly five years before she was born. My husband and I were attending a production of Skylight at the NAC. Not only did we both truly enjoy the show, we were both sticken by the only female chacter in the play. She was brave, confident and driven with stong convictions. Not only was the name different (at the time) and memorable, these were the very qualitied we want to bring a young lady up to be.
Fryman- No offence taken! I had no idea Elliot was the name of the fat kid with glasses that eats paste! To me it was the last name of some guy in the credits of Home Improvement.The name stuck out while I was looking for a boys name that quite frankly was not the same of some nasty boy from elemetary school whose name brought back icky boy thoughts. Boys names are tought that way. I still love the name though!
My daughters name came to be nearly five years before she was born. My husband and I were attending a production of Skylight at the NAC. Not only did we both truly enjoy the show, we were both sticken by the only female chacter in the play. She was brave, confident and driven with stong convictions. Not only was the name different (at the time) and memorable, these were the very qualitied we want to bring a young lady up to be.
Fryman- No offence taken! I had no idea Elliot was the name of the fat kid with glasses that eats paste! To me it was the last name of some guy in the credits of Home Improvement.The name stuck out while I was looking for a boys name that quite frankly was not the same of some nasty boy from elemetary school whose name brought back icky boy thoughts. Boys names are tought that way. I still love the name though!
My daughters name came to be nearly five years before she was born. My husband and I were attending a production of Skylight at the NAC. Not only did we both truly enjoy the show, we were both sticken by the only female chacter in the play. She was brave, confident and driven with stong convictions. Not only was the name different (at the time) and memorable, these were the very qualitied we want to bring a young lady up to be.
Fryman- No offence taken! I had no idea Elliot was the name of the fat kid with glasses that eats paste! To me it was the last name of some guy in the credits of Home Improvement.The name stuck out while I was looking for a boys name that quite frankly was not the same of some nasty boy from elemetary school whose name brought back icky boy thoughts. Boys names are tought that way. I still love the name though!
My daughters name came to be nearly five years before she was born. My husband and I were attending a production of Skylight at the NAC. Not only did we both truly enjoy the show, we were both sticken by the only female chacter in the play. She was brave, confident and driven with stong convictions. Not only was the name different (at the time) and memorable, these were the very qualitied we want to bring a young lady up to be.
In my family, we have a “normal” and an “unusual” name. Usually, the unusual name is the middle name.
The thinking behind this was a name to blend in and a name to stand out. Most kids want to blend, but as they get older and become adults, they want to stand out and apart from other people – be unique.
My brothers all have very distinctive names. My son has a distinctive name. I was stuck with two normal names (before they thought of this), so I had to come up with my own distinctive name.
In my family, we have a “normal” and an “unusual” name. Usually, the unusual name is the middle name.
The thinking behind this was a name to blend in and a name to stand out. Most kids want to blend, but as they get older and become adults, they want to stand out and apart from other people – be unique.
My brothers all have very distinctive names. My son has a distinctive name. I was stuck with two normal names (before they thought of this), so I had to come up with my own distinctive name.
In my family, we have a “normal” and an “unusual” name. Usually, the unusual name is the middle name.
The thinking behind this was a name to blend in and a name to stand out. Most kids want to blend, but as they get older and become adults, they want to stand out and apart from other people – be unique.
My brothers all have very distinctive names. My son has a distinctive name. I was stuck with two normal names (before they thought of this), so I had to come up with my own distinctive name.
In my family, we have a “normal” and an “unusual” name. Usually, the unusual name is the middle name.
The thinking behind this was a name to blend in and a name to stand out. Most kids want to blend, but as they get older and become adults, they want to stand out and apart from other people – be unique.
My brothers all have very distinctive names. My son has a distinctive name. I was stuck with two normal names (before they thought of this), so I had to come up with my own distinctive name.
Oh, Danigirl– there are so many things we have in common! (Or in this case, your husband and I…) I’ve never heard of anyone in the world who had a thing for the Arthurian legends besides my favorite professor in college and me! Do you know that even saying “Arthurian legends” makes people move at least one step back from you?
You’ve added your Squidoo lenses to my Squidoo Group “Hooray for Preschoolers!”, and I have been reading your blog faithfully ever since.
My naming stories:
My son Michael Tyler is named (first name) after my husband, middle name a name we just loved, and last name (poor, poor thing, just like your boys) our hyphenated last names! Although in our case, both kids and I have the hyphenated name, so we can tease Daddy about being the only one in the family with a different last name!
My daughter Lauren Alexandra was named (first name) because that’s my best friend’s name, and one of my husband’s favorite girls’ names and middle name because I just love the name. (Also the hyphenated last name!)
I often feel sorry for them, since the hyphenated last name is such a hassle (especially my son, who is double-whammied because he goes by his MIDDLE name AND has a hyphenated last name)– but still, I wouldn’t do it any differently!
Oh, Danigirl– there are so many things we have in common! (Or in this case, your husband and I…) I’ve never heard of anyone in the world who had a thing for the Arthurian legends besides my favorite professor in college and me! Do you know that even saying “Arthurian legends” makes people move at least one step back from you?
You’ve added your Squidoo lenses to my Squidoo Group “Hooray for Preschoolers!”, and I have been reading your blog faithfully ever since.
My naming stories:
My son Michael Tyler is named (first name) after my husband, middle name a name we just loved, and last name (poor, poor thing, just like your boys) our hyphenated last names! Although in our case, both kids and I have the hyphenated name, so we can tease Daddy about being the only one in the family with a different last name!
My daughter Lauren Alexandra was named (first name) because that’s my best friend’s name, and one of my husband’s favorite girls’ names and middle name because I just love the name. (Also the hyphenated last name!)
I often feel sorry for them, since the hyphenated last name is such a hassle (especially my son, who is double-whammied because he goes by his MIDDLE name AND has a hyphenated last name)– but still, I wouldn’t do it any differently!
Oh, Danigirl– there are so many things we have in common! (Or in this case, your husband and I…) I’ve never heard of anyone in the world who had a thing for the Arthurian legends besides my favorite professor in college and me! Do you know that even saying “Arthurian legends” makes people move at least one step back from you?
You’ve added your Squidoo lenses to my Squidoo Group “Hooray for Preschoolers!”, and I have been reading your blog faithfully ever since.
My naming stories:
My son Michael Tyler is named (first name) after my husband, middle name a name we just loved, and last name (poor, poor thing, just like your boys) our hyphenated last names! Although in our case, both kids and I have the hyphenated name, so we can tease Daddy about being the only one in the family with a different last name!
My daughter Lauren Alexandra was named (first name) because that’s my best friend’s name, and one of my husband’s favorite girls’ names and middle name because I just love the name. (Also the hyphenated last name!)
I often feel sorry for them, since the hyphenated last name is such a hassle (especially my son, who is double-whammied because he goes by his MIDDLE name AND has a hyphenated last name)– but still, I wouldn’t do it any differently!
Oh, Danigirl– there are so many things we have in common! (Or in this case, your husband and I…) I’ve never heard of anyone in the world who had a thing for the Arthurian legends besides my favorite professor in college and me! Do you know that even saying “Arthurian legends” makes people move at least one step back from you?
You’ve added your Squidoo lenses to my Squidoo Group “Hooray for Preschoolers!”, and I have been reading your blog faithfully ever since.
My naming stories:
My son Michael Tyler is named (first name) after my husband, middle name a name we just loved, and last name (poor, poor thing, just like your boys) our hyphenated last names! Although in our case, both kids and I have the hyphenated name, so we can tease Daddy about being the only one in the family with a different last name!
My daughter Lauren Alexandra was named (first name) because that’s my best friend’s name, and one of my husband’s favorite girls’ names and middle name because I just love the name. (Also the hyphenated last name!)
I often feel sorry for them, since the hyphenated last name is such a hassle (especially my son, who is double-whammied because he goes by his MIDDLE name AND has a hyphenated last name)– but still, I wouldn’t do it any differently!
A little late jumping in here but…we chose Amelia becuase we wanted a name with a history behind it. I wanted my girl to take risks, to walk her own path. So we chose Amelia, as in Amelia Earhart.
Ruth was both my mom’s mom’s name and Jaimie’s mom’s mom’s name. Phew, got it?
We added Maureen in as a second middle name after my mom, who passed away just before Amelia was born. I sometimes wish Maureen was her first middle name but I was so afraid that my mom’s friends who, like me, missed mom so desperately would take to calling her little Mo (and they still do it anyway). So that’s the story of her name.
Good thing she was a girl. We were still arguing over a boy’s name as I was pushing her out. I wish I was joking about that.
A little late jumping in here but…we chose Amelia becuase we wanted a name with a history behind it. I wanted my girl to take risks, to walk her own path. So we chose Amelia, as in Amelia Earhart.
Ruth was both my mom’s mom’s name and Jaimie’s mom’s mom’s name. Phew, got it?
We added Maureen in as a second middle name after my mom, who passed away just before Amelia was born. I sometimes wish Maureen was her first middle name but I was so afraid that my mom’s friends who, like me, missed mom so desperately would take to calling her little Mo (and they still do it anyway). So that’s the story of her name.
Good thing she was a girl. We were still arguing over a boy’s name as I was pushing her out. I wish I was joking about that.
A little late jumping in here but…we chose Amelia becuase we wanted a name with a history behind it. I wanted my girl to take risks, to walk her own path. So we chose Amelia, as in Amelia Earhart.
Ruth was both my mom’s mom’s name and Jaimie’s mom’s mom’s name. Phew, got it?
We added Maureen in as a second middle name after my mom, who passed away just before Amelia was born. I sometimes wish Maureen was her first middle name but I was so afraid that my mom’s friends who, like me, missed mom so desperately would take to calling her little Mo (and they still do it anyway). So that’s the story of her name.
Good thing she was a girl. We were still arguing over a boy’s name as I was pushing her out. I wish I was joking about that.
A little late jumping in here but…we chose Amelia becuase we wanted a name with a history behind it. I wanted my girl to take risks, to walk her own path. So we chose Amelia, as in Amelia Earhart.
Ruth was both my mom’s mom’s name and Jaimie’s mom’s mom’s name. Phew, got it?
We added Maureen in as a second middle name after my mom, who passed away just before Amelia was born. I sometimes wish Maureen was her first middle name but I was so afraid that my mom’s friends who, like me, missed mom so desperately would take to calling her little Mo (and they still do it anyway). So that’s the story of her name.
Good thing she was a girl. We were still arguing over a boy’s name as I was pushing her out. I wish I was joking about that.