When we are thinking through names, we invariably take each name through the following gauntlet.
1. Does it sound good for a baby, teenager, and adult? We actually liked the name Frank for awhile. It sounds so cute for a baby, and of course we can all imagine an adult named Frank, but a teenager? Not sure. Now, is this logical? Probably not.
2. Does it "go" with Ella and Jack? It has to fit, especially with Jack, because they will be brothers. Jack and Melchizedek? Uh-uh.
3. Do we like the obvious shortened versions of the name? There are lots of names that I love, but Handsome Hero doesn't like the shortened form. For instance, Samuel and Sam, or Joshua and Josh, or Jacob and Jake. Not that we could name a kid Jacob. Jake and Jack? Come on.
I knew a lady who cared so much that her son be called by his whole name, Joshua, that when she heard someone say Josh, she would call out, "-UA!" Guess what his nickname became? Ua. Yep. I would hate to have this child become a teen and have his friends shorten his name, which they nearly always do, and not like it.
4. Is it toooo popular? I don't like bandwagon names. One year, I taught five Cody's in one grade alone. This one isn't a huge consideration, but it's in there.
5. How would we spell it? This stems from my days as a teacher. I had students named things like Gaymz, gansta for James. Handsome Hero and I differ on this, but I have prevailed thus far. He wanted to spell the kid's names Elyzabeth and Wylliam at first {he has a thing for y's in names}. But let me tell you, when you do that, and you go on vacation, and you look in the tourist shops for tacky vanity license plates for your bike that have your name on them, they don't have them, because your parents just had to be original and spell your name like they are illiterate or were smoking something when writing out your birth certificate. And then when you're in school, you will slump down in your seat on the first day every year, because you know it's coming, that moment when the teacher tries valiantly to be able to pronounce your name correctly based on what is written in front of her, and you inevitably gain as a nickname whatever she said.
It's odd that I have a pet peeve about this, because my name is Beth. I never had this problem. People always knew how to pronounce my name. I could always find tacky vanity license plates or key chains.
So there you have it. Our naming rules. And these silly rules are why we have not settled on a name. :)
Don't worry. I'm being induced in 10 days and still have no names! Not the easiest task by ANY means!
ReplyDeletelol. i'm with bill on the "different" spellings. i was one of 4 amanda's in my class (at one point) and wanted to be sure i named my kids different names, without being weird. although caitlyn clearly is not "unique" but her's was my exception, as i had always wanted a caitlyn. :)
ReplyDeleteamelya's name is getting to be more popular, and was a little when we had her, so i wanted to be different and add the y. plus i think it's prettier with the y. :) i tried long and hard to figure out how to spell breigh with a y. because i though that could be our "thing". i couldn't find a way. and LOVE the way eigh looks. i seriously thought about spellling amelya, ameleigha. for like half a second. and it turns our our thing wasn't supposed to be the "y" it was the alphabet. :)
i've been trying to think of names for you. in all reality you could name him liam. ;) since william is jack. and i would think it's funny. OR you could name him jack william and call him liam. then you don't have to worry about thinking of anything new. i just remember that one time bill was talking about your names and how if you had to write out full names, how "unoriginal" you all are. ((which is way untrue anyways.))
i'm done rambling now. can't wait to hear his name. whenever you have it.:)