Saturday, March 27, 2010

What's In a Name?


Saturday, March 27th.

Radio guys are kooky. My lovely colleagues asked me yesterday morning if I would consider naming my baby boy after them. Their names are Mauler and Rush. They want me to call my baby Maulerrush. Uhhhh… I don’t think so guys! I love ya, but no… no way, no sir!

John and I still haven’t chosen a name. Right now we have a few that we like. We’ve got them all on post-it notes in our bathroom. So far I don’t love any of them. It’s such a tough decision! I mean honestly, I can be indecisive at the best of times and this is not a decision to be unsure about. I keep thinking about what it will be like when he introduces himself to his first little friend in school. Or how a potential employer will perceive him when he gives him a firm handshake and states his name, or how it will work with the ladies when he’s trying to pick up in a bar. Is that weird?! I’m actually thinking about scenarios where my sons name could help or hinder him in the hooking up department.

As I mentioned in an older post I’m hoping that we’ll have a better idea as to what name suits when he’s born. I’m sure looking into his face will make it an easier decision to make. That’s what I’m counting on. It makes me wonder though, how do other people choose a name?

16 comments:

  1. Well I know it can be difficult. I am having a hard time choosing names as well. I teach kids and all of the names I had liked were quickly destroyed when I met kids who were lets just say less than cute, and had the name I thought I would eventually name my child. I am still choosing between Rylan, Rylee, or Xavier. I feel your dilemma! Hang in there :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. We had a hard time as well. I am a highschool teacher and there were just some names that were tainted. We eventually settled on a name, but haven't told too many people because they can be so opinionated. My biggest concernt was to have a name that wouldn't be childish later in life. Also we didn't want something that would be trendy as trends wear out fast! We ended up picking Alyssa. She's due in three weeks, but for us we knew right away as soon as I said the name it was perfect. You'll find the right name. A lot of parents wait until the baby is born to finalize the little one's title. Good luck ...

    ReplyDelete
  3. My son (Cohen) was named Cohen because I watched that show The O.C. and they always called the Seth character by his last name! which is Cohen! I thought it was cute!

    ReplyDelete
  4. My husband and I both had ideas for names, but nothing that we agreed upon. I started playing a game with him, where we had to envision saying our future son's name in context (eg. telling him to come for dinner, cheering while playing soccer, clean his room, I love you, etc, etc). There was one name where the affection and love in my husband's voice melted my heart. We played this game a few times over the course of a week or so, and every time, when he said this particular name, he had the same undeniable love in his voice. Although at first I had reservations, hearing my husband say the name won me over.

    We had our son on March 18, and looking at him, so fresh and innocent, confirmed we picked the right name. What re-confirmed it for me was also hearing my doula and midwife tell me he is such an easy-going baby!

    Don't stress it Josie, sounds silly, but you will know when you have the right name.

    ReplyDelete
  5. My boyfriend and I have had our baby names picked out for over a year now, and are no where near ready to have a baby!

    I love the idea that a name have meaning, and still be unique. For a boy, our choice is his Grandmother's maiden name, which is still modern, and yet not every other kid has!

    Ryan Seacrest was talking on his show this weekend about looking at street names from where your ancestors are from, and you can see some really unique and neat names from that.

    Everyone loves the names Liam, Caleb, Aiden etc. right now, but you don't want to pick a name that will have your child forever be the Liam K., Caleb M., Aiden W. in class. I was one of those kids and it sucked.

    It's a challenge, but like everyone is saying, when you pick a name you just know it's right, and even though I'm far off from having children I knew as soon as we floated around ideas lounging around one day that we had chosen the perfect name for our child of the future.

    I don't think you have to wait per se until your beautiful boy is born to choose his name, as you probably feel like you know your son so much already!

    Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm a fan of classic names such as Jack, Jason or Christopher but some of the new-ish names catch my eye too... Aiden, Embry, Layne, Cayden. I can't wait to hear what you've decided on!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I am 26 weeks pregnant, having a boy as well and we just decided on a name. But boy did we have a hard time, everything I said he hated and everythign he said I hated, lol. And I was the same about thinking about his future and how people and girls would react to it. Just remember not to settle for anything, find something that you BOTH like. You will come accross something, it just takes a long time. One name will click for both of you. Good luck!!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I knew what my little girl's name would be for years. When I met my boyfriend he agreed. When my husband and I finally got pregnant we somehow decided against it. We floated around some names, tested them on people, and finally decided on Aurora. But when she was born it was just so wierd (completely awesome, but wierd) that I had a sweet little baby to love, that her name felt wierd, too. I ended up nicknaming her and now she's Aurora B because I was calling her B for baby for so many weeks at first! Silly, yup. But no matter what name you choose, it will end up his and you won't remember a time when it didn't really fit. You'll laugh, as I do, that you thought the name was odd at first, if it is for you. Good luck!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Choosing a name was one of the hardest things I had to do and I thought it would have been easy. I wanted a name that was different, not very popular yet would not open my daughter up to ridicule.

    If I had had a boy my top names for him were Zander, Xanthin (pronounced Zanthin), Oliver or Jack.

    In the end I had a girl and had to choose between Safari and Zahara. In the end I chose Zahara and am happy I chose it as it suits her well. Go with your gut instinct when it comes to a name. And do not tell anyone what the name is until the baby is born that way no one can ruin it for you as everyone seems to have an opinion when it comes to someone else's baby.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I had baby number four, eight months ago, we knew he was a boy and had it down to 2 names Christopher or Evan and we would decide when he was born. After the birth we decided Christopher suited him best, but I had a hard time getting the name to fit him and as I was getting ready to leave the hospital I asked my nurse for the papers back and changed his name to Ryan, this name had never come up on any of our discussions, so just because you think you have the name, you just dont know if thats the name that fits.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Yes, choosing a baby name can be a challenge. However when I was pregnant with my first child, I don't remember that I had a hard time choosing her name. I chose the name Sophia because it sounds so gentle and sweet and none of our relatives named Sophia (it's one thing I consider).

    Now I'm pregnant with my second child and I'm having a hard time choosing a name. We don't know yet if it's a girl or boy. I already have some names pick if it's a girl but none if it's a boy. I don't want to worry to much about it for now since I still have a lot of time to think for a name.

    I can't wait on what name you will pick for your baby, looking forward to it,

    ReplyDelete
  12. I have a 8 months old boy and I know that it could be hard to find a name. I did a list of names for both girls and boys when I found out that I was pregnant and my boyfriend and I were looking at it a few times. We wanted a name that could be pronounced in French and English. At the 3D ultrasound,when the technician told us it was a boy, Elliott came right away in my mind. When I was talking to him before giving birth, I called him Elliott, and now I'm looking at him and I know that we chose the perfect name for him.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I had a few names picked out but was told I would know what her name should be when I saw her for the first time and boy were people right when I saw and held her for the first time I knew right then and there what her name should be.

    I hope you find that when you see your son you will know what his name should be:)
    Best of luck to you Josie

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi. I have four beautiful children and they are all girls. I found it hard to pick names for them. You are right you really have to think that this is the name they will carry with them forever. A cute story to share...my third child was so hard to pick a name. There was no name out there that I loved and wanted for her...I was in the delivery room still reading the name book in between contractions. Well my beautiful daughter was born and the nurse asked us what her name is. Both her father and I just shrugged. Then the nurse left. A different nurse came in and looked at our daughter and said "holy Hannah" (because she had so much hair - more than I have ever seen). Well we both said "yes - that is the perfect name for her" and that is how our daughter came to be named Hannah..and it suits her so well and a name we hope she will be proud of for all her childhood and adult life. (ps, my other children's names are Kelsey, Hailey and Summer). Best of luck to you.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I did the "wait - until- I - see- her - face" thing because I , too, could not pick a name. Well lets just say my baby came home NAMELESS.. we joked and called her baby "no - name" for the first couple of hours. After the first week the nurse informed me I had to pick before her first checkup/blood test (it was scheduled the next day) that night I wrote down all the ones I liked and spent 20 minutes calling her each.. Funny, I didnt go with any on that list. We were on our way, still name unknown, and it just came to me. Was never on my list and I absolutely love it.I cannot imagine now, her being any of the names on had on the list.
    Expecting again and yet again- I have no idea. Naming a child is one of the hardest choices I think we have as parents.. One thing my mother always told me was " Imagine your walking into a bank, you get to the teller and you see his/her name plate.. what would you think (insert name you chose) if that was the name?"

    ReplyDelete
  16. I have two boys, and with both I just "knew" what their names would be. You best described it as you "don't LOVE any of them". Then they're not the right ones. I had a whole list of names for both my boys, but my first son was named at 34 weeks. I just knew. There was no other name that could make it's way to my mind, it was just that one. We named him Matthew after everyone hated it, then loved it once they saw him. My second son was named before he was concieved. We named him Noah. (No, i'm not religious!) And should we ever have a third son, his name will be Luke. :)

    Anyways, my point is, you'll just know when you come across the right name. Good luck!!

    ReplyDelete