Thinking names? - Page 10

[Cutie Patootie]

Originally Posted by JosieAK 

Jenni, I love those names!  All four of them, but Quinn and Zane especially.  They seem unique, yet not outlandish, and kind of stylish.

We've struggled with names.  Right now I can't fall in love with ANY names and it's frustrating.  We've both vetoed all but one of each others' names.  I have "Joanna" for a girl and "Gideon" for a boy.  He has "Lydia" for a girl and "Linus" for a boy.  We are each okay with the other two names, so we're good.  Now it's a matter of picking one AND choosing middle names.  For a boy, I think he is going to get DH's name: "James".  I love that name anyway.  But we've gone round and round with girls names!

I THINK we're leaning towards "Gideon James" for a boy.  But "Lydia" and "Joanna" are complete toss ups for me.  I've also toyed with middle names: "Abigail", "May/Mae" (a family name on both sides), "Pearl" (the birthstone of a June baby, huh? huh?), and others that come and go.  I think it's funny that we really like three syllable first names and I feel like I SHOULD pick a one or two syllable middle name.  "Abigail" kind of got stuck in there since it is one of my long time favorite names, but is WAY too popular for our comfort and surname (but would be fine as a middle name).  Also, our first DD has the middle name "Joy", which I LOVE and I've played with the idea of using words like "Faith", "Grace", "Hope", etc. for more middle names, but don't want to get stuck in a rut if we had four girls and don't want to have to pick a name "Just because" even if I am not excited about it.

We are not asking friends or family.  Names are TOP SECRET in our house, but I feel stumped.  Does anyone have any input?

We have a Linus and it is really a super cute name "on".  I'm so glad we chose it.  Our Linus is 2 now and quite "Linus-y". LOL

Linus James is super sweet.  For girls I love Lydia Mae.  So pretty, and it seems to go well with Joy.

Edited by Cutie Patootie - 5/4/11 at 7:39pm

[Bald_Bull's_Mama]

I like Gideon James a lot.

I think Abigail with either of those first names sounds like too many syllables. I like Lydia better than Joanna in that Joanna is sort of close to your own name. I like Mae and Pearl for middles. I love family middle names. DS has one and DD will as well. I agree with you that you could get stuck doing "trait" type middle names. It's probably hard to come up with them for a boy, too. I don't think I'm a big fan of naming themes in general, though, so don't mind me. :)

[elisheva]

You've totally inspired me - I've always liked Ezra for a boy but it's pretty popular now. Ezri (for a boy) would be a delightful alternative!!! We'll see how DH feels.

Originally Posted by Bald_Bull's_Mama 

Other spare names I can offer up:

Arden

Dahlia

Hollis

Ezri

Keaton (boy or girl)

Leighton

Raisa

Paget

Vivian

Maeve

Elora

Isla/Ayla

[JosieAK]

Thanks for the feedback!  I appreciate it so much. It is good to hear how other people perceive names.

Does it change anything to know that my name isn't Josie, but Andrea? :)  I introduced myself in the beginning, but definitely don't mind being called by my "handle." I got a cockatiel for my 16th birthday and named her Josephine (Josie for short) and AK were my initials and the shortened form of the state I lived in.  So Voila!  :)

Anyway, It's funny to me how I really like the girl "L" names with "M" names too.  I wonder if it is because of L.M. Montgomery and Louisa May Alcott, etc.

I teased my DH that we may just have to name a little girl "Lydia Mae" if I go in May and "Joanna Pearl" if I go in June, but maybe I should do the EXACT opposite. :)  Oh well.

[calynde]

I like Lydia Mae! So cute. I also like Joanna, but prefer the more European version of Johanna, but that's probably just because i live in Europe. Haha

Of the boys names i prefer Linus. Such a cool name. I hadn't heard of Gideon as a name before MDC...the only association was with hotel room bibles. i might be slightly concerned about Giddy as a nickname! Heehee it is definitely an up and comer...it seems like every due date club has a couple Gideon's these days! It does go well with James.

[Bald_Bull's_Mama]

Originally Posted by elisheva 

You've totally inspired me - I've always liked Ezra for a boy but it's pretty popular now. Ezri (for a boy) would be a delightful alternative!!! We'll see how DH feels.

Oh good! I do really want my many hours of name looking to pay off for someone!

Originally Posted by JosieAK 

Thanks for the feedback!  I appreciate it so much. It is good to hear how other people perceive names.

Does it change anything to know that my name isn't Josie, but Andrea? :)  I introduced myself in the beginning, but definitely don't mind being called by my "handle." I got a cockatiel for my 16th birthday and named her Josephine (Josie for short) and AK were my initials and the shortened form of the state I lived in.  So Voila!  :)

Anyway, It's funny to me how I really like the girl "L" names with "M" names too.  I wonder if it is because of L.M. Montgomery and Louisa May Alcott, etc.

I teased my DH that we may just have to name a little girl "Lydia Mae" if I go in May and "Joanna Pearl" if I go in June, but maybe I should do the EXACT opposite. :)  Oh well.

Yes, it does. I still like Lydia better, but if you aren't Josie, I think Joanna is a good choice. I like Lydia Mae and Joanna Pearl, then. :)

I think we actually have it narrowed down to a couple of final choices. I'm having a hard time deciding, so I think I'm going to try each one on for a bit and see what I like then. I would totally get you guys' opinions, but there are a couple of people I know IRL who are lurkers on here and I really want to keep our names top secret.

My dilemma is this: one of the names, I fear might grow too popular, though I've never heard it locally IRL. I really don't want to end up with 1 of 6 Jennifers in the class, like there were at my grade/high school. The other name, I like better and it's more unusual, BUT it is a little ethnic sounding. We're about as white as can be, but we have an ethnic sounding last name. I hate the idea of my kids being discriminated against on, like, job applications and such, so I've shied away from any ethnic sounding first names. Then, again, I don't know how the whole racist thought process works, does someone see a last name and say, "We don't hire Mexicans" (or Jews or whatevers) based soley on the last name? Does the first name play into it at all?

[JosieAK]

Yeah, I don't know how the racism thing works.  I hate it when I hear a name and think, "Oh, that is a black name" (or whatever).  I think cultural names are GOOD for helping someone belong to a community and have an identity, but I hate it that my mind jumps to stereotypes without intending to. 

While I was traveling around Europe and living in Russia, people didn't understand at all why my parents would have given me an essentially masculine name.  However, I have since learned that Andrea is a perfectly common name for a girl in South America.  So, I think a LOT of what a name means culturally is dependent on WHERE you are in the world, even in a particular region.  I was 21 years old before I "learned" that "Goldstein" was a particularly Jewish surname (and others like it).  Where was I all those years?  Oh, I don't know.  Probably not in a place highly populated with a Jewish community.  But anyway.  I think if a name is beautiful, your family loves it, and you can pass on that heritage to your child, it really doesn't matter WHAT their name might mean in some small circles.  Of course, I am sure there are lots of exceptions.  :/ 

This baby naming thing is tough. 

[tracymom1]

Originally Posted by Bald_Bull's_Mama 

Oh good! I do really want my many hours of name looking to pay off for someone!

Yes, it does. I still like Lydia better, but if you aren't Josie, I think Joanna is a good choice. I like Lydia Mae and Joanna Pearl, then. :)

I think we actually have it narrowed down to a couple of final choices. I'm having a hard time deciding, so I think I'm going to try each one on for a bit and see what I like then. I would totally get you guys' opinions, but there are a couple of people I know IRL who are lurkers on here and I really want to keep our names top secret.

My dilemma is this: one of the names, I fear might grow too popular, though I've never heard it locally IRL. I really don't want to end up with 1 of 6 Jennifers in the class, like there were at my grade/high school. The other name, I like better and it's more unusual, BUT it is a little ethnic sounding. We're about as white as can be, but we have an ethnic sounding last name. I hate the idea of my kids being discriminated against on, like, job applications and such, so I've shied away from any ethnic sounding first names. Then, again, I don't know how the whole racist thought process works, does someone see a last name and say, "We don't hire Mexicans" (or Jews or whatevers) based soley on the last name? Does the first name play into it at all?

We considered a very ethnic sounding name for this baby - we love the name Joquin even though we are not of hispanic/latin american heritage. I have several Mexican and Puerto Rican friends and asked them if they thought it would be strange for a white, Jewish kid to have a hispanic name and most of them thought it was a great idea - but a couple of them did say it would be kind of strange.

The reason we decided on a different name is not because of the race issue, but rather because we found a name that has special meaning to us and decided to go with that. I have what is considered a "very Jewish" last name and I have found that the only places it seems to matter is within the more tightly knit Jewish communities - like the orthodox areas and with other Jewish professionals. I tend to think that people gravitate towards certain names if they are of the same background as them, as opposed to avoiding certain people because of their names.