Thank you all for your help! Our daughter arrived in late Oct & we chose the name:
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Clare[/name_f] [name_f]Philomena[/name_f]!
[name_f][/name_f]I thought it went well with [name_m]Ronan[/name_m] [name_m]Joseph[/name_m] & [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] [name_f]Therese[/name_f]. [name_f]Love[/name_f] the timelessness of [name_m]Ronan[/name_m], [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] & [name_f]Clare[/name_f].
[name_f][/name_f]We actually went to [name_f]Ireland[/name_f] while I was pregnant with [name_f]Clare[/name_f], and we traveled through County [name_f]Clare[/name_f]. I always thought the signs for “Clare” just made the think of someone/something pretty! The county itself is gorgeous, where the Cliffs of Moher are.
[name_f][/name_f]We wanted to honor [name_f]Mary[/name_f], and it really did happen in a way we didn’t expect! When I told my husband that [name_f]Clare[/name_f] means “clear and bright” he immediately thought of Our [name_f]Lady[/name_f], [name_f]Star[/name_f] of the [name_f]Sea[/name_f]. A [name_f]Marian[/name_f] title that we both have always loved. [name_f]Maura[/name_f] literally means “Star of the Sea”, but couldn’t agree on Maura’s pronunciation. And [name_f]Clare[/name_f] (the place) is on the west coast of [name_f]Ireland[/name_f].
[name_f][/name_f]St [name_f]Clare[/name_f] & St [name_f]Philomena[/name_f] have the same feast day on [name_m]August[/name_m] 11th. I love St [name_f]Philomena[/name_f] and I love how it goes with [name_f]Clare[/name_f], being longer and more lyrical.
[name_f][/name_f]Then we learned there is an account of St Clare’s death that says she was taken to [name_f]Heaven[/name_f] by [name_f]Mary[/name_f] & St [name_f]Philomena[/name_f]. So all these little connections!
[name_f][/name_f]And I love the simple/Irish spelling of “Clare” as opposed to “Claire”. Feels so dainty and understated!
[name_f][/name_f]Anyways, wanted to let people know, thanks again!