Baby Bao Bucket's Name of the Week

[hyacinthbucket]

Week 12:
[name_f]Minerva[/name_f] [name_f]Marigold[/name_f]

[details=“[name_f]Minerva[/name_f]”]
[name_f]Minerva[/name_f] was one of the very first girl names my partner and I could whole-heartedly agree we both loved. I love her strength and power, the wisdom and the “of the mind/intellect” meaning. I love the imagery of grey-eyed [name_f]Athena[/name_f] and the amazingness of [name_f]Minerva[/name_f] McGonagall.

As HF’s name was always slated for a boy, we had always imagined [name_f]Minerva[/name_f] as an excellent sibling to H. We did have [name_f]Minerva[/name_f] Geneviève picked out as the backup “if we chicken out” name for our first daughter, so that kind of lost her favor with us because she has always since felt like a very “safe” option.

The biggest downside, however, is the sound of the name in [name_u]French[/name_u]:

@hyacinthbucket

It is the proximity to the expression, ça m’énerve . That basically means “it’s getting on my nerves/it’s annoying the … out of me/that really bothers me/it makes me lose my temper.” I’m pretty sure that’s the reason Minerve is basically entirely unheard/unused in France, and what tiny speck of use there is is only in the overseas departments. It is super unfortunate!

It has always held me back, but I feel like calling her “[name_f]Mina[/name_f]” or “[name_f]Nim[/name_f]” would work well in [name_u]French[/name_u]. I recognize that I’m not sounding super chipper about the name on the whole, which does little to win you over to her cause, but [name_f]Minerva[/name_f] really will be the one that got away if we don’t use it. I do feel a slight tinge of regret at the thought of not using [name_f]Minerva[/name_f], despite the reservations we have. I also think that I spent enough of my early Nameberry years going on about loving [name_f]Minerva[/name_f] that many of you associate the name with me, and I love that. She does feel “me” to me. [name_f]My[/name_f] husband is also still thoroughly in love with her, and every time I get overwhelmed with names and think there is no hope of us coming up with the perfect name, he continually comes back to, “But what about [name_f]Minerva[/name_f]?”
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[details=“[name_f]Marigold[/name_f]”]

@hyacinthbucket

Marigolds are beautiful. One of the flowers I can actually manage to grow reliably. They are sunny and cheerful.

I like the Winston Churchill connection (See The Crown Season 1 for more information and a poignant representation).

No name can replicate the pure magic of Chrysanthemum to me, but I like the idea that where H might have been Chrysanthemum, this babe might be Marigold, and that both flowers retain many similar qualities.

Lastly, I have no Mexican heritage whatsoever, but marigolds do REMIND me of the cempazuchitl of Dia de los muertos. As @jonquils has pointed out before, H0rat1o sees Hamlet’s ghost, An@$ta$io is about resurrection from death, so part of me does want some sort of underworldly death-defying connection with my third’s name, but that’s just a bonus and not a necessity.

The only problem I have with Marigold is that at times it does pale in comparison to some of my bolder choices. But I do love it so and feel her strengths mostly outweigh the sometimes perception of weakness.

[name_f]Marigold[/name_f] would neatly honor both of my biological grandmothers, [name_f]Margot[/name_f] and [name_u]Marie[/name_u], but (I feel a bit badly saying this), those aren’t nearly as important honors to me as many others. Nevertheless, it is nice to be able to honor them with such a lovely name.

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[details=“[name_f]Minerva[/name_f] [name_f]Marigold[/name_f]”]
I love the alliteration. I feel that they are perfectly balanced together and this name has been on our list and a favorite for a very, very long time (which has both positives and negatives).

And while this isn’t one of my meaning-forward combos, and the name doesn’t necessarily sing out their meanings, I do love the vibe I get of the “sunny flower of the mind.” I get vibes of a warm and inviting but incredibly wise and courageous woman, and I love that.
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Alright… this is week 12. We are now half-way through my proposed 24 week experiment. Finally sharing [name_f]Minerva[/name_f] here also rounds out the shortlist of first names: [name_f]Petra[/name_f], [name_f]Thisbe[/name_f], [name_u]Tempest[/name_u], [name_f]Minerva[/name_f], [name_f]Octavia[/name_f], [name_f]Perpetua[/name_f], and [name_f]Olympias[/name_f]. I believe that shortlist still stands since I made it a couple months ago. I have made MAJOR progress since we started this weekly ritual. I thank you for your patience and continued feedback and support, which really do help me clarify things. I feel closer to a true shortlist of combos for our final girl than ever before.

The remaining 12 weeks I will continue sharing my combos, but you may find them a bit more repetitive by necessity as I truly narrow and hone. Please do continue to share your feedback as it oh so helpful to me, and this weekly meditation has done so much to help clarify my priorities and desires for the naming process with this little one.

You all are the best!