How will you know it's the one?

Girl Names
1

With DS, the minute he was born I knew what I wanted to call him from our short list. DH and I didn’t discuss it until we got home from the hospital, but we both agreed immediately.

I’m not so sure this time around. [name]Baby[/name] Number 2 is due in 2 weeks and we have a short list for both genders but haven’t taken the discussion further until we meet the baby. There are four or five names I really like across both genders, and yet with each name I have niggling reservations that I can’t put my finger on. In one case, I’m worried about constant mispronunciation. But we get that with DS (and my name) already. With another, I love the name in its entirety but am meh about the potential nn, even though I like that this name has an obvious, easy nn in case the name is ‘too much’. Another looks good on paper, has a cute nn and is different but not too out there, and yet it reminds me of a bad stereotype that I’m not sure I can get past. Another is an unusual variation of a very common name and i wonder how many times it will get mis-spelled or misunderstood. [name]How[/name] much concern would you place on any of these reservations? Is any name ‘perfect’?

I haven’t posted the actual names because I’m not sure I’m ready to hear opinions on them (though part of me wonders if that’s a good idea).

2

I think we would be able to help more knowing the actual names.

3

I totally agree.

4

Yeah, I agree that we’d probably be more help if we knew the names. We’d be able to put any fears you have aside or we will be able to tell you that you’re right and another name would probably be better.

As far as the perfect name goes, and this is gonna sound lame, but I think you just know. I’ve been a bit of a name freak for a while now and in the past I went through a phase of having no idea what I would ever name any children I might have (not at all the same as being pregnant and not knowing), but one day I heard a name, not even an uncommon name that I hadn’t heard before, but something clicked and now I can’t imagine using anything else. I’m sure once you see him/her it’ll all come together and he/she will just look like something. If you’re not convinced by the names you have on your list then you shouldn’t limit yourself to those names. The baby could look like something completely different to what you’re expecting. Best of luck :slight_smile:

5

Definitely agree that we’d need to see the names to help.

For me, I have no kids, but when I find the perfect name, I just know it’s perfect. I get all giddy, and excited, and imagine myself mcalling my child that name multiple times a day. I write it out over and over, lol. You’ll just know when it’s the right name.

6

I have no idea how to discuss this specifically because you didn’t include the names. My daughter’s name has been mispronounced and misspoken, but I have experienced both of those things with my name as well. I think most people have. You should pick what you like and as long as it’s wearable/not insane I think he/she will make it work.

And no…no name is ‘perfect’ but you can always turn to the classics ([name]John[/name], [name]Mary[/name], [name]James[/name], [name]Anne[/name], ect) which are familiar and easy to pronounce and spell. But I find that most parents also want something unique and distinctive.

7

This too. But I can see where you are coming from, not wanting to share the names.

8

I want to hear the names. :slight_smile:

Honestly the one you said looks good on paper, is different, has a cute nickname, sounds great! I have no idea what the sterotype is though?

With my girl we had her named before she was concieved. [name]Even[/name] still as it git closer and i knew she would be a girl i started getting uneasy. The family didn’t like it, neither did my friends. But my husband liked it and i knew deep down i liked it too. Still i tried on another name once after she was born. Lol my husband grounded me though. Sometimes as mothers we want to know we have THE PERFECT NAME. Having the person you love and trust reenforce your feelings about an name can do wonders. Right after she was born EVERYONE decided they loved her name. In fact three years later one of the doubting friends used it for her baby. :stuck_out_tongue: So my advice is trust your instincts and trust your husbands too. Tell him your concerns and see what he has to say. He may not want to talk names right now, but if he sees your concern, he’ll change his mind.

9

^ Now I want to know what your daughters name is! Haha

10

With my son, DH knew it was his name the moment he saw it. He refused to let me spell it any other way, hence the odd spelling, and refused to even consider any other name. He knew it was his name, and when he was born he was even more certain. I, on the other hand, was none to certain. I was wavering on his name right down to signing the birth certificate and even ALMOST I mean literally pen on paper almost, named him [name]Jonas[/name] without telling my husband. I’m so glad that I didn’t, because even though his name is commonly mispronounced and my mother hates the way it is spelled, it is 100% without a doubt my son’s name. It suits him perfectly, right down to the zany spelling.

What I’m trying to say is, it’s perfectly normal to have reservations. What ever you choose will be wonderful.

11

I just realised I should have posted this in the other thread, because some of the names I mention above are boys’ names, but when I started to write the post it was the girls’ names that I had in mind… :blush:

So for girls, names we like:

[name]Seraphine[/name] - came out of nowhere but I’m loving it more and more. Can be shortened to [name]Sera[/name], which I’m not in love with and DH and I would call her by her full name, but it’s not a terrible nn and it’s easy. SUper uncommon here and I’m slightly concerned it’ll be ‘too much name’. Our son’s name has two syllables and people still occasionally comment that it’s awkward! However, we love his name so much we don’t care. I have a feeling we would come to feel this way about this name if it suits baby, and the meaning is very appropriate for us right now.

[name]Willow[/name] - DH loves it. I love it. But can’t put my finger on why it would feel strange to have a daughter called [name]Willow[/name]. Also very uncommon here, and I think people would call us hippies. DH doesn’t care about that in the slightest, but I’m worried I would even though I wish I didn’t mind such comments.

Some of the names I mentioned are boys’ names, so I’ll put them here anyway even though this is the girl name thread!

[name]Syrus[/name] - DH loves it. [name]Sy[/name] is cute. I love the spelling. Not crazy about the country-star singer stereotype teasing that would inevitably occur. Trying to be open-minded for DH’s sake.

Ruadh - (pronounced Roo) The spelling is more obvious here than in the States and people are used to Irish names to an extent. It would still require lots of corrections, but I do that with DS’s name and my name anyway. Not a huge deal, but not sure it would fit a grown up…

[name]Sayer[/name] - Has a similar ‘ay’ sound to DS’s name but that’s where the similarities end. [name]Will[/name] people assume I meant [name]Sawyer[/name]? [name]Will[/name] it matter?

I should also mention that DH and I love unique names, but they have to mean something to us too. These names tick all the boxes for us, and names like [name]Thomas[/name], [name]Matthew[/name], [name]Ava[/name] and [name]Grace[/name] are lovely but so not us, iykwim. We would consider others if they fit the baby and we’re open to that - nothing is set in stone till the birth cert is signed - but for now we’re thinking it’ll be one of these.

12

[name]Willow[/name] is beautiful! Although i don’t know where you’re from, I’m thinking maybe the UK because of your comment about irish names, Im in the UK and I think willow is perfectly ‘normal’ unusual name here if you know what i mean, i don’t think people will assume you are hippies at all. [name]Love[/name] Ruadh too. In the end you have to go with your gut feeling and not worry about other people. If you both love it then it doesn’t matter if others get it mixed up or can’t spell it. I think most people have issues with their name from time to time no matter how common because theres so much variation. You’d be surprised how often my name gets spelt wrongly and its very normal

13

I think that [name]Seraphine[/name] is pretty, but I prefer [name]Seraphina[/name]. I think it’s a heavy name, but by no means ‘too much’. [name]Sera[/name] is a lovely, light nn to balance out the elegant heaviness of the full [name]Seraphine[/name]/[name]Seraphina[/name].

[name]Willow[/name] isn’t strange at all! It’s gorgeous, and brings to mind a graceful woman, possibly a ballarina or a gymnast. Someone who’s as attractive as she is beautiful. If someone can name their daughter [name]Daisy[/name] or [name]Lily[/name] then you can name your daughter [name]Willow[/name]! What do willow trees have to do with hippies anyways? You can think willow trees are pretty and not be a ‘tree hugger’. There are a lot more ‘hippie-r’ names than [name]Willow[/name]. My sister’s name is [name]Sunshine[/name]. Now THATS hippie! :wink:

I don’t associate [name]Cyrus[/name]/[name]Syrus[/name] with country singers at all. Never even occurred to me.

I can’t really give any comment on Ruadh, it’s not my culture so I can’t really have an opinion on it. I wouldn’t choose it purely because I have no idea how to say it. :slight_smile:

[name]Sayer[/name] is lovely on its own, but yes, people might assume you meant [name]Sawyer[/name]. Have you considered [name]Sagen[/name] or [name]Soren[/name]?

14

Although i like [name]Willow[/name] too, I have reservations about it too. I think it’s only because one type of willow tree is the “weeping willow”. It gives the name a melancholy twist to the name for me. However, not all willows are weeping ones, plus, all willows are beautiful trees, planted near water, which gives me the impression of a calm, peaceful, serene setting. There’s also the association with the word “willowy” which I have always felt was akin to whispy, innsubstantial or skinny… however, I just looked it up in the dictionary and all the meanings of willowy are positive; “graceful, lythe, characterised by beauty of movement” etc. I wonder where I got the other impression from. I guess I just have competing images brought to mind when I hear the name “[name]Willow[/name]”.

I like the name [name]Seraphine[/name]… long names lend themselves to multiple nns. You can give her one for while she’s young, and when she’s older, she would have the ability to play with her name and come up with other nns if she so desired. It has depth that some other names, like [name]Ann[/name] or [name]Lucy[/name] don’t really have.

They are beautiful names. I’m sure one will gel for you as time goes on and when you see your baby for the first time. :slight_smile: