Thank you everyone for all the suggestions, you are all very wonderful! It seems there is quite a bit of new mommy after-naming angst on the boards the last few days!! I really appreciate your input, and I also took to heart some advice given to the other new mommies who are still deliberating their newborn’s names.
I don’t remember who, but someone suggested that one of the moms give each name she was cosidering a two-day test drive. I tried it myself, and guess what? One stuck- and big time!! It wasn’t the one that got the most endorsement, but it is the one that has been in my heart all along… we are calling her [name]Minka[/name]!
I mourned this name everytime I thought I had decided on one of the other names. The other options are all so precious, but my heart jumped the time I found the name [name]Minka[/name] in a name book when I was pregnant. I was reminded of a story that my son and I heard at our library’s story time with a character named [name]Minka[/name], and how that named warmed my heart (but at the time, we didn’t plan to have any more children, so I didn’t consider it as a name I might use until I read it again in the name book) I like unusual names, and thought it so fortunate that such a distinct and unique name was on the list of nicknames for our [name]Wilhelmina[/name]! I was then swayed by a couple of people who felt otherwise. Why did I do that? It’s so unlike me! Maybe because I was going against the grain already with [name]Wilhelmina[/name]. I have since decided that I would likely regret not going with my first instinct. I’ve called her [name]Mina[/name] for the most part (since it was simple and obvious) since she was born, but it just never stuck. I called her [name]Winnie[/name] for the last two days, and while it’s charm continued to grow on me, I was still undecided. Plus, my dad seemed a tad disapointed when I told him I was thinking about using it (since it is his special name for her). I called her [name]Minka[/name] all day today, and a funny thing happened… she became [name]Minka[/name]! The moment I realized it I was so happy I cried!
Thanks again for taking the time to give advice to a crazy homonal lady like myself!! You guys are all so sweet and helpful! I’m so glad there is a place for us name enthusiasts!! Kindred spirits…
[name]Minka[/name] is darling! Congratulations on both your decision and your beautiful baby girl!
[name]How[/name] precious 
[name]Minka[/name] is an absolutely adorable nickname, congratulations on it and on your beautiful baby girl!!!
I love it… Congrats!
“I mourned this name everytime I thought I had decided on one of the other names.”
I think that’s really important. Thank you for sharing! I love hearing how you listened to all the other people in your life and gave them too much control and then took it back to what you really loved all along. I know you would not be happy with something else, and [name]Minka[/name] just sounds so adorable… I know my choice was [name]Winnie[/name] so I’m glad your father still gets his special nickname too, and it’s [name]Winnie[/name]! [name]Minka[/name], just so cute!
Aside: I looked up [name]Minka[/name] and it says it is a Polish variant of [name]Wilhelmiina[/name], that is 2 letter Is between the m and the n, and so many variations and nicknames there, but no link to [name]Wilhelmina[/name] with the one letter I, and the entry for [name]Wilhelmina[/name] with one letter I doesn’t list nearly any variants or suggestions, just [name]Willa[/name] or nicknames [name]Billie[/name] and [name]Mina[/name]. Is this some sort of oversight or mix-up? [name]Just[/name] askin’! Maybe this is the wrong place to remark on website-related stuff-os.
I think [name]Minka[/name] is lovely, and I’m so glad you picked the name that was in your heart all along!
Enjoy your little one!
Thanks everyone! As for where I saw [name]Minka[/name] as a nickname in the first place, I don’t remember the book I read it in, but google-ing “[name]Wilhelmina[/name] [name]Minka[/name]” brings up a few (inferior, of course! lol) name websites that list [name]Minka[/name] as a variant. Also listed are obituary and geneology entries for some Wilhelminas with [name]Minka[/name] in parentheses or quotation marks, Wilhelminas that went by [name]Minka[/name], I’m assuming. I didn’t actually verify the origins of [name]Minka[/name], but I’m content with what I found.
[name]Minka[/name] as a nn for [name]Wilhelmina[/name] is charming and has so much character! I love it! And don’t worry about being crazy and hormonal because many of us know exactly what you’re talking about. We have been there.
I add my official “love it” and congratulations – utterly adorable. I also a promise to look into this mysterious [name]Wilhelmiina[/name] entry – I am almost certain it’s a typo…
OK, I fixed the real [name]Wilhelmina[/name]. The rogue entry is a typo but will live on until our engineer gets around to deleting it – and since that’s item #897 on his list, that may be never.
Thanks for fixing it so fast, [name]Pam[/name]! When I was looking at it, I thought in some language, two letter Is might be legit, had to ask. I really like being able to search all over and find a lot of extra-good info and names. Very good website.
[name]Minka[/name] is an adorable choice–love it!
I love your story! I hope a lot of people read this and it gives them confidence to trust their instincts and choose what they love! You should be really proud of yourself! It sounds like it is truly the perfect name! Oh, and I think it’s a really cool name, by the way!