So we are thinking a lot about adoption, which is just like thinking about having a baby and it's fun and I like the thoughts.
And so we think about baby names (and we have some doozies), but when you think about baby names, you consider every person you talk to as a possible donor. And so I thought of this good question to ask you.
I work retail, and there are about 75 people who work at my store: there are about 6 boys, whose names are Patrick, Jason, Nik, Nicholas, Marc, Sean. Two Nicks out of 6. So, the rest are girls (I called the boys 'boys,' so it's not demeaning to call them 'girls').
Here is my question:
How many of the 69 women who work with me are named the following?:
Jennifer (Jen, Jenny):
Tiffany:
Lauren:
Jessica:
Lindsay (ey):
Sara (h):
Jamie:
So, just for fun I'll tell you that for one of these names, the answer is zero, but the rest have at least one...which is the least you can have without crossing in to negatives... which I don't.
One more question:
Do you think that the mothers who named these names--keep in mind, I'm married to a Lindsay and I think it's the most wonderful name in the English language--did that mother think she was being unique, and then lots of other moms were equally unique, or was she striving to have her new baby fit right in from the get-sgo...and then, which is better?
How far out is too far?
Apple? (Gwenyth)
Moxie Crimefighter? (Penn from Penn and Teller)
And, finally, when have you seen it done right? The right balance of oneness without alienating the child. Or am I thinking too much about this?
8 comments:
Patch it's Becky, and no you are not thinking too much about this. I am such a FREAK about my kids names. Coming from one of a million Becky's, who also shares the same exact name as her mother-in-law, I have strong feelings on this.
It is amazing to me how many mothers don't stop to consider the popularity of a name, just the fact that they like it. When I named Mason I checked the social security website to see how many were registered in the state of Utah, it was the 37th most popular boy name. I thought, "well 36 more popular names, I'm safe Wrong! Anything is bound to become popular. It was #7 last year! He did beat the rush of Mason's but still has many close to his age.
Then I picked Marlee mostly because it was not in the top 100, in fact #795. Safe you'd say? Well in 2008 it jumped to #369. Huge change, leading me to see it is quickly on the rise.
My conclusion, no matter how original you think you may be, you may be wrong. A strategy: immediately eliminate the most popular 50 names regardless of your love for them. Then chose something that you do love. Some people do try too hard and make up names, but I have settled on that being better than them being 1 of 5 in their classroom.
Good luck with naming that precious baby when it comes along!
Aren't you grateful I don't comment frequently?
I'm with Becky. Casey and I did the same thing- anything in the top 50 was ruled out and anything 50-100 was questionable.
We like names that already exist, just possibly from another generation that isn't that popular right now. I'm not huge on making things up just to be unique...but that's just me.
BUT the most important thing I can advise is DON'T TELL ANYBODY when you've picked names you really really like. No matter how much you think someone will love it or even go along with it. Regardless of what people say (people that love you), sometimes you can read their true thoughts right through their teeth- that is, if they're not saying them out right.
I have confidence that you two will find a name, regardless of how popular, that will suit your baby and your little family perfectly! Somehow, even if it's at the last second, it will all pan out just right.
Man,I hated thinking of names. It was probably the worst part about being pregnant for me. I never thought of them till the very end. I just hated getting others' opinions, cause I'ld never like what they liked.
I personally like exotic names, or at least names that sound exotic/unique. But nothing like "Apple"...for crying out loud.
We made it a habit to purposely make fun of any potential name. We even had family and friends try to figure out how/in what way you could totally tease the child. Children in any generation are cruel. Once the name was able to be made fun of, it was out of the question.
With both my children I looked all over the Spanish/Latin/Aztec/Mayan languages as well as names from around the world. And still I could never settle on something that sounded good.
When Nina was born, we still didn't have a name, till Carlos and I were alone in my hospital room he looked at her and said..."Nina", then I said, "Yazmin". So there you go, her name. It fit perfectly!
And Sayuri Leila, we did the same thing, but luckily we had her name a month before she was born. I picked the first name and Carlos the middle (but we still had to check w/ eachother if it was ok. lol)
It just depends on what sounds right to you guys and what you guys like.
I'm actually quite happy to say that there aren't a lot of Ninas or Sayuris in the US.
So go with what you guys like...I'm sure it'll fit your baby perfectly!
You're asking all these questions because you secrectly want to name your baby "Doctor", I presume? It's okay. You can admit it.
(P.S. Personally, I think you've done it right when you can yell the name right if the first, middle, and last name and it rings like a bell.)
(P.P.S. Stay away from Tikki Tikki Tembo No Sarimbo Hari Kari Bushkie Perry Pem Do Hai Kai Pom Pom Nikki No Meeno Dom Barako.)
As it seems everyone is choosing to write a comment novel, I am going to follow suit, but first I am going to give your guessing game a try:
Jennifer (Jen, Jenny):I am going to say there are at least four of these.
Tiffany: Maybe 2
Lauren: One
Jessica: Possibly 2-3
Lindsay (ey): A solid two on this one.
Sara (h): Definitely at least three.
Jamie: I am going to go with zero on this one. Because according to MY sister Jamie, this was a boy name in our generation.
Once upon a time I was convinced that I was going to name my children Jack and Lucy. Perfectly cute with just the right amount of classic. Then I got married and found out that my husband has a stronger opinion than me on just about everything and that is hard to do. Boy names have been a particularly difficult subject for us so believe me I am praying that our next child is a girl.
My choices had absolutely nothing to do with popularity or how unique they were. It was simply what David and I could agree on. And I have only come across one other Ashton (besides the famous one) in all of Ashton's nearly six years...and it was a girl. Go figure.
We came up with Zander early on and I was thrilled when David brought it up (After all, Buffy the Vampire Slayer is my favorite show, but David made me promise that I would never say he was named after it). We have met one other Zander in two years.
We like to go for the nostalgia on the middle names, Ashton took David and Zander got the bunk deal with my maiden name Emmons (j/k...kinda). One day I hope to name my little girl after one of our mothers or grandmothers.
But that's it, we honestly don't think too much about popularity or otherwise just what sounds and feels right to us. Our old neighbors would take a week or more to name their babies AFTER they were born. Praying and fasting, etc. for the right name. That's cool and all, but not my style.
I see you guys having a perfectly simple and classic name for your child. Classy and timeless. One of my old best friends just named her daughter Audrey and I love it.
But that is just a thought....
So I already commented, but I was interested in seeing what other people thought...this is a touchy subject for me since I just went through it!
I wanted to say that we also love the name Audrey! Before we knew that Beck was a boy, we really favored the name, Audrey Lou...after Idalou and Audrey Livingston, of course. We don't have a copyright on it so you're welcome to use it cause I have a feeling we will have another boy someday and I think Audrey is pretty dang cute.
My parents named me Jennifer, but I go by Jenny or Jen. I asked my Mom one time why the decided on that particular name since there was always at least one other Jennifer in my class at school. She said that it was a really popular name at the time, and it had an "I" in the name. Apparently it was a prerequisite for each girls name in our family to have an "I" so we could dot it with a little heart. For reals, that is totally true. Later on they named one of my brothers "Buck", because "Buck Rogers in the 21st Century" was our favorite show. So I guess what I'm saying is don't take any advice from me about naming a baby...I mean, I named my girl Haylie with an "I" so she could dot it with a heart and my boy is Huckleberry. What do I know.
My parents thought they were being original and Biblical when they named me. Turns out all the other parents naming their babies Sarah in 1980 were thinking the same thing.
I've noticed a trend in naming the last baby of a family multiple names-- all the ones you had hoped to use but ran out of babies. I say, why not name the first multiple names?
Two favorites examples from my life:
Harper Jemima Sage
Henrietta Esme Gertrude Persimmon
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