I'm just about 20 weeks along now in my pregnancy, and people are starting to ask us whether we have decided on any baby names. We most decidedly have not. Dan and I, while agreeing on practically every other particular when it comes to matters of taste, seem incapable of agreeing on a name for our baby. Boy names are especially elusive. I have suggested dozens of names, all of which he has vetoed.
I checked a bunch of baby name books out from the library, including one called BAD Baby Names (which I hoped would get Dan engaged in the process, even if it didn't offer realistic suggestions). Now, three library renewal periods and two months later, we are no closer to a final decision. I have to return the books on Saturday, and we finally decided to call off all naming discussions until we learn the gender of the baby, which won't be until mid-January.
These discussions have not been entirely unfruitful. We have now successfully ruled out about a thousand names. I have also decided that it isn't kind to your child to mess too much with commonly accepted spellings. There just comes a point when names like Airica, Abaigeal, Cathrin, Jaycen, Mathyou and Alecsandre start to make people cross-eyed. (That being said, I do prefer the spelling "Kathryne" over "Catherine." I'm oddly inconsistent sometimes. :))
The funny thing is, everywhere I go now, I pay attention to names. I used to notice names before with mild enough interest, but now I analyze them, their spellings, their sounds, their syllables, what first or middle names they might go with, and how they might sound with our surname. Today I realized I might be developing an unhealthy obsession when I found myself silently disapproving of a series of names flashing on the overhead monitor at the car dealership while I waited for my car's oil to be changed.
Ah, so much for the days when my brain was occupied with things like formulating compelling legal arguments for an especially difficult case or planning a strategy for an upcoming expert deposition. Now I think about things like cribs, childbirth classes and baby names. But I suppose that is normal... and probably bound to get worse. :)
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8 comments:
Boy names seem to be our challenge, too. Girl names we do pretty well with; boy names, oy vey. Thankfully we're having another girl! But that being said, it's always a good idea to have both a girl & boy name ready - just in case the experts are wrong!
We had trouble too, though finding out that we were having a girl seemed to end alot of our frustration -- we focused on just girl names... still we were on the way to the hospital before we settled on the first name and it was only when I was holding her after she was born that we settled on her middle name. :)
And yes, I did see the BBC Bleak House -- that's what sparked my interest in reading the book. I mentioned in a post script of my review that people should see it -- such a great adaptation! Thanks for stopping by. :)
This made me laugh as it is almost exactly what Barry and I went through 30 years ago. I finally got a baby name book and began reading all the boy names I liked, sorta liked, or didn't hate. Barry disliked every one of them. Finally I said, "Ryan" and he didn't respond one way or the other. That was it. If we had a boy, Ryan it would be.
I don't understand the "unhealthy obsession" part. How is that unusual? :)
Probably a good idea to call off the discussion for a while. Maybe all the information will settle and sort itself if you're not trying so hard.
-- SJ
I’m right there with you on just about everything. Maybe the fact that time is rapidly running out will start to motivate us? We started a name list a few months ago, but got discouraged and have done nothing since. Like you, our very iffy list has twice as many girl names as boy names. I think it is rather stinky that having nineteen siblings between the two of us rules out a lot of good names! By the way, I really like one of Sara’s favorite baby name books, The Baby Name Wizard, because it has related names under each entry.
Allison, I have Baby Name Wizard, which was fun to read. I know what you mean about the sibling issue... we actually like several of my siblings' names, but we don't want to use them for fear the others will feel left out! LOL
Oh - that hubby veto on the boys' names is so nasty! He knew a guy named that, and he doesn't like the name because of the guy they knew!!!
Oh, and for the record, I'm calling a girl for you guys!
Sounds very familiar. Kevin either had no names (with Meredith) or a "top one" list (with Clara), while I've always had a "top ten." It's hard to work with that! You're right--finding out the gender will help you narrow it down. And you may have to have several names and just wait until you meet him/her to see what fits.
Your little bump is cute. I wish it had taken me longer to "show"--I always looked way more pregnant than I was until the last trimester.
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