on naming

[supercheesegirl]

Zoe: The Jennifer of the next generation. It's a shame because we really liked the name Zoe, it's a great name, but no fewer than four Zoes have been born to people I know in the last year alone and two in the past month. Two Zoes belong to classmates from my undergrad creative writing program; one Zoe belongs to my favorite high school boyfriend/buddy; and the last one (a Zoey) was born just yesterday to a classmate from my graduate creative writing program. Sheesh.

F's best friend and his wife had a baby girl a few weeks ago and named her Isla Janet. Now that's a good unique name. You don't meet a lot of Islas.

F and I have a boy name and a girl name picked out. We are not telling them to anyone, but the girl name is neither Zoe nor Jennifer. You would not guess it if you guessed a long long while. I did, however, tell the names to the nice old lady who sat next to me on the plane to Phoenix last week, seeing as I'll never see her again, and she did her duty and said she loved both names, so there's that.

Comments

[bulleteyes.livejournal.com]

I really like that you told the names to the older later you liked and that she liked them. Very sweet! Children love those kinds of stories about themselves.

[lizabethanqueen]

Names are really intimidating. I know my brother and his wife had a really hard time coming up with something. They were so terrified of giving her a name she wouldn't like or that would be too common (they both have unusual names that took some getting used to and I was one of 3 Elizabeths in my class not to mention the rest of the school).

I'm glad you have them picked out :) It sounds like this whole pregnancy is treating you well and you guys are super happy! and that makes me really happy :)

[supercheesegirl.livejournal.com]

I think boy names are harder than girl names, although girl names can be hard just because there's so many pretty ones out there. Our boy name is obvious if you know our families, but at least if we have a son he won't have a common name. Our girl name is not one that anyone I know has ever used - we had a whole list of potentials and then spotted this one in the credits of a movie, and we were both still thinking about it a few days later. I feel really excited about both names.

The pregnancy has been pretty excellent and overall I'm feeling great! Just have too much to do before the little one arrives, of course. :)

[x-hj-x.livejournal.com]

Ha! I thought Isla was a nice, unique name, too—when a friend told me her cousin is naming her daughter that. And now I hear of another baby Isla. I guess there's going to be a glut of Islas, too!

Incidentally, my friend was tasked with choosing a middle name for Isla. I suggested "Vlucy." ;-)

[supercheesegirl.livejournal.com]

I like Isla a lot, and it really fits for this couple - I can't imagine it going mainstream like Zoe or Bella. I completely love your suggested middle name, though, that's awesome.

[danchan22.livejournal.com]

We found not saying anything is the best policy. If you throw names out there before the baby is born, people feel obligated to tell you how putrid it is and about all of the stupid people they have known with names like that. However, once the baby is born, no one will say anything.

[supercheesegirl.livejournal.com]

Yes, exactly. There's a big difference in perception between "We're thinking about naming him Mortimer" and "Meet little Morty!!"

People totally want to know what names we're thinking about (especially my mom, who tasked her 6th graders with trying to figure it out based on the limited clues I gave her), but we don't want to hear opinions, and until the kid is external, opinions are everywhere.