Introducing: [name]Elodie[/name] [name]River[/name]
[name]Sister[/name] to [name]Fiona[/name] [name]Rainn[/name] and daughter to [name]Todd[/name] and [name]Jessica[/name].
With our first daughter, we knew we wanted to meet her before naming her. We went into her birth with a list of about 30 names. We had no idea what was going to strike us when we saw her. And when we did meet her, we instantly got a feel for who she was. But that almost made it harder to name her. We ended up picking [name]Fiona[/name] from our list, which wasn’t a favorite before she was born. And [name]Rainn[/name] as a MN. [name]Rainn[/name] wasn’t on our list at all, but was inspired by the weather during her birth … the day she was born was the first snowfall of the year. We ended up naming her on day 3.
Naming a second child is so much harder than I imagined. We wanted something complimentary to [name]Fiona[/name], but not rhymey, forced or too matchy-matchy. We broke out the old list from our first pregnancy and started sorting through the names, crossing off some, adding others. After the baby was born last [name]Wednesday[/name], we quickly realized we had no favorite names. All the names we had seemed lackluster and good enough. But nothing we really loved. We set to searching the internet for names in the hospital room. [name]Day[/name] two, still nothing. We really didn’t find anything we loved or that one of us didn’t veto. [name]Day[/name] 3: discharge day. We were getting close to a name we didn’t hate. In a panic to go home and get settled as a family, we wrote something down on the paperwork. As Daddy came back in the room from taking a load of stuff out to the car, he said, “I just don’t like it.” I was relieve because I didn’t either. It didn’t fit our new family member. We went out and had a chat a the nurse’s station to learn how to proceed leaving the hospital with a nameless baby. It was such a load off our shoulders. Until …
Everyone’s congratulations were shortly followed up by “What’s her name?” Of course. I understand it’s only natural. It would be my first question! But it only put the pressure one. So I put up a facebook status to the effect of, “We’re all home. [name]Baby[/name] has no name yet.” My best friend asked if suggestions were welcome. It couldn’t hurt. So on came the names. Some were great. Some had been vetoed by one or both of us. And the search continued, but at a much less fevered pace. We had 10 days (actually 7 by now). Also, 3 days in, we had a birthday party for our first-born with family and friends coming with gifts for [name]Fiona[/name], gifts for the new baby, and of course, name suggestions! It was a fun day, but I just listened and nodded and smiled. We would find a name. And we did …
On day 4, I said, “What about [name]Elodie[/name] [name]River[/name]?” My husband said, “I don’t hate it. Actually, I like it!” And then we didn’t speak anymore about it. We knew we both needed to mull it over, do our own meaning searches and come to peace with it separately before convening again. It’s our process. With too many things really. That’s why nothing gets done around here. 
But I started calling the baby [name]Elodie[/name]. And I heard him do the same. Then it was time to test it on our 3-year-old. Uh-oh. She said, “NO! She’s not big enough for a name!” Well, there’s nothing we could do about that. [name]Fiona[/name] seemed bound and determined to call the baby “[name]Baby[/name]” until she was good and ready, which she said was until the baby was as big as [name]Fiona[/name]. So we made a deal. Mommy and Daddy will call the baby a name, and [name]Fiona[/name] can call the baby “[name]Baby[/name]” for as long as she likes.
On [name]Day[/name] 5 and [name]Day[/name] 6, we were still making sure it was the name. We had no objections ourselves, but we were fielding it past my mom and some close friends whose reviews were mixed. I realized that even after I got a mixed review, I still liked it. Also on [name]Day[/name] 6, [name]Fiona[/name] said that the baby’s name was [name]Elodie[/name], but that she would call her “[name]Baby[/name].” She was just making sure we understood.
That brings us to today. [name]Day[/name] 7. [name]Baby[/name]'s 1-week birthday. [name]Happy[/name] day, [name]Elodie[/name] … you have a name!
I have to say that Nameberry is one of the best name sites. It has the lists and the names and the popularity rankings and the meanings. But the commentary and the forums are what were really helpful for us.
