Advice? Anyone?

[iqsi.livejournal.com]

My brother called and woke me up at five in the morning with what he considers to be the best news of his life, that his wife is pregnant. And it's a girl on the way.

He's already decided her first name should be Yelena, after our oldest sister, whose death I don't think any of us have ever really gotten over. But he's stuck on middle name ideas. His wife is sort of leaving it up to him, because she knows the whole Yelena thing is non-negotiable and saying the wrong thing can make him shut down on this topic. So I thought I'd post here and gather up some suggestions for him.

His last name (and mine, obviously) is Ledeno. So fill in the blank here. Please? I want to help him out and prevent him from going with a dorky middle name. This is a man whose first cat was Asparagus. We cannot afford to take chances here.

Comments

[boobeedoo.livejournal.com]

I know Maree is so over used but it sounds cute. Yelena and Ledeno seem to both be quite unique so it could work =)

[iqsi.livejournal.com]

Well, Maree isn't overused in all parts of the country, and it flows nicely. Both names are Serbian, btw, and Yelena is a very common first name back in Serbia - just not so much here in the States.

[tinxee.livejournal.com]

I was going to suggest an M name, when I opened up the comments and saw this, it was perfect! I second Yelena Maree!

[sweetest-asylum.livejournal.com]

Yelena Jolene Ledeno (Yelena Jo is a cute nn also!)

[iqsi.livejournal.com]

The only problem I see there is the proud Serbian tradition of J = Y, which might lead to older relatives of ours mispronouncing it, but I'm sure that'll be easy to solve just with a little explaining. And I agree, Yelena Jo is an adorable nickname, especially for her little kid years.

[sweetest-asylum.livejournal.com]

or Josephine? maybe a more common "jo" name
i just like jolene :)

[iqsi.livejournal.com]

Josephine is the name of my oldest sister's daughter, so that might be a neat suggestion. Kind of a nod to the bond my sibs and I all have with each other. I'm not sure my brother would see it that way, though, or if he'd feel like he was stealing her name. Still, awesome idea and totally worth running by him, thanks. <3

[sweetest-asylum.livejournal.com]

AND its < this random person on the internet who suggested it's grandma's name :)

[iqsi.livejournal.com]

And that is awesome.

[arrien.livejournal.com]

Isabel

[iqsi.livejournal.com]

He might reject it out of Twilight hate, but it's a solid suggestion regardless. Sounds distinguished.

[tinxee.livejournal.com]

"This is a man whose first cat was Asparagus. We cannot afford to take chances here."

I laughed so hard I almost teared up.

[iqsi.livejournal.com]

I love my brother. But I am not blind to his flaws. His first guinea pig was Jack the RIpper, for Christ's sake.

[tinxee.livejournal.com]

I'm beginning to think your brother is pretty awesome! But, definitely get in control of his freedom in naming humans.

[iqsi.livejournal.com]

Awesome, but often a little... off center. It's endearing at the same time as it is exasperating.

[piperwest12.livejournal.com]

Yelena Joy Ledeno

[iqsi.livejournal.com]

I love how that looks, visually - long short long - and Joy is a pretty fitting descriptor of my brother's attitude at the moment. (He's so over the moon about this, it's adorable.)

[jexia]

+1