Naming a real baby
Aug. 21st, 2006 01:50 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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babynamesWe may have decided on a name for poor ol' Zyggie the Zygote, who is now about 8 inches long and weighs a pound! She had the hiccups on Saturday, and my husband Ken got to feel her a few times. His eyes got huge!
Adeline Louisa
Honest opinions please, especially from those either expecting or with children. Both names are family names; the Louisa comes from three generations on my mom's side, including my dear great-grandmother, Hazel Louisa, and my grandmother, Betty Louise.
I'm afraid that the name is too trendy or at least too close to trendy names like Madeline and Addison. I also want to avoid nicknames for as long as possible. While I love Addy and Ada, again, they sound too trendy for me. Ken really likes this name, and he's already referring to her as Adeline while I'm stuck on "it" and "Zyggie"! Also, if/when we decide on a name, when and how should we tell our families and other people? I've been advised not to tell until she is here, but I don't think I can physically do that! We're due December 24.
Adeline Louisa
Honest opinions please, especially from those either expecting or with children. Both names are family names; the Louisa comes from three generations on my mom's side, including my dear great-grandmother, Hazel Louisa, and my grandmother, Betty Louise.
I'm afraid that the name is too trendy or at least too close to trendy names like Madeline and Addison. I also want to avoid nicknames for as long as possible. While I love Addy and Ada, again, they sound too trendy for me. Ken really likes this name, and he's already referring to her as Adeline while I'm stuck on "it" and "Zyggie"! Also, if/when we decide on a name, when and how should we tell our families and other people? I've been advised not to tell until she is here, but I don't think I can physically do that! We're due December 24.
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Date: 2006-08-21 06:01 pm (UTC)There are benefits to keeping it a secret and to telling everyone. I plan to tell everyone because I think it's less likely that people will judge you when they find out, (e.g. we had some friends who kept the name Hannah Kathleen a secret until Hannah was born. Hello world's most boring name in the world!) and no one I know will steal it (plus if they do I'll be REALLY mad at them).
On the other hand, another friend had 3 names picked out for her (far into the) future children, and her sister stole all three of them. So that totally sucked.
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Date: 2006-08-21 06:23 pm (UTC)On the other hand, another friend had 3 names picked out for her (far into the) future children, and her sister stole all three of them. So that totally sucked.
that sucks. this sounds really dumb, but that's one of my biggest fears, that someone will 'steal' my names. not like I own them. lol but still, I'd be so mad. especially when you fall in love with a name, it feels like it's yours.
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Date: 2006-08-21 07:31 pm (UTC)I also appreciate your thoughts on revealing the name. I've been wavering between not wanting to hear opinions (other than, "Wow, we love it!) :) to wanting to make sure we've staked our claim, as it were. I hope there is a difference between us saying this is what we're naming our child and us saying this is maybe what we'd like to name a baby if we have one someday.
This naming business is tough!
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Date: 2006-08-23 02:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-21 06:01 pm (UTC)I always discuss names with family... sometimes they have valuable insight. =) If I was considering a name that turned out to have obscure bad associations in the family, I'd like to know about that.. and stuff.
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Date: 2006-08-21 08:00 pm (UTC)One of the other names I loved, our second place name, was Lydia. My sister said, "Ewww. I knew a girl named that, and I called her Chlamydia." So much for her valuable insight! My husband wasn't sold on it either, but I still love it.
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Date: 2006-08-21 06:17 pm (UTC)I've always been a big fan of the trendy Madeline/Madison and Addison. This is a great alternative!
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Date: 2006-08-21 08:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-22 03:13 am (UTC)http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/1433/adeline.html
If you still feel uncomfortable about Adeline, there are other related names like Adele, Adelaide, Ada, and Adrienne. They all sound good with Louisa, too, and none of them is very trendy these days.
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Date: 2006-08-21 06:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-21 06:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-21 06:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-21 08:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-21 06:30 pm (UTC)If you tell your family I'd just do it in a way that makes them understand it is final, a done deal, absolutely not going to be swayed by their opinions. Families seem to love to weigh in on stuff like that and it just seems easier to me to wait until there is a little person associated with a name. They aren't so quick to criticize then.
Not that I think there's a lot to criticize on this name, it's a nice one.
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Date: 2006-08-21 08:06 pm (UTC)I'll definitely take your advice about how to tell the family, "This is her name," as opposed to, "We're thinking of naming her this." If they offer opinions or new suggestions, I'll say, "That's lovely, you should name your next baby that!" :)
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Date: 2006-08-21 08:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-21 06:33 pm (UTC)But I give this combo a big thumbs up. This combo achieves that "different but not weird" status that a lot of people are striving for in their naming. The names are familiar enough that people will be able to pronounce and spell them; and your child won't stand out like a Murgatroyd in sea of -aydens. But they are also different enough that the names will strike people as names of an individual rather than a whole genre (e.g., the -ayden names, the Kay- names, the -lynn names). Having some cute nickname options is a bonus.
That there is family significance makes it an order of magnitude better.
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Date: 2006-08-21 08:09 pm (UTC)As a weird coincedence, my sister has taken to referring to Zyggie as Murgatroid Esmerelda. I love it! Maybe if I tell folks an awful name like that, Adeline Louisa will go over with bang!
Family significance is hugely important to us, me especially. That's my naming criteria: non-trendy, family name, nice meaning/"pretty".
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Date: 2006-08-22 04:00 am (UTC)My sister had Ella on her list for her second baby, and I was hoping very much that she would go with it, as it is, or is related to, the names of at least four relatives within the last four generations. Unfortunately, Ella seems to be more of a namer's name at this point, and my sister didn't feel entirely comfortable with it. Ah well...
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Date: 2006-08-21 06:33 pm (UTC):)
Do you pronounce it Ah-deh-leen or Ah-deh-line?
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Date: 2006-08-21 08:10 pm (UTC)I'm glad you don't see it as a trendy name. Thanks for the opinion. :)
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Date: 2006-08-21 08:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-21 06:37 pm (UTC)and there's only so much you can do to control nn's so as long as you don't totally despise the possibilities, don't worry too much about it. Just call her Adeline ALL the time, especially back to anyone who calls her "Addie". :) "oh, is little Addie walking yet?" "not yet, but Adeline is pulling herself up on everything!"
trust me, I know how that is. my DD is Amelia and yeah, people say Amelia Bedelia all the time and yeah it's annoying (haven't any of these people ever heard of Amelia Earhart???) but not to the point where I regret naming her that.
I think we're telling people when we decide this one's name. although, if I knew other pregnant people IRL I might not tell them unless I knew I could say it to them & trust them not to steal it. when I was pg the first time my bf was too & I wanted to know what names she had picked so I didn't decide I loved them or use them and have it be a thing.
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Date: 2006-08-21 08:23 pm (UTC)Amelia, another family name, was in our top 5, but I worried about its popularity too. It's a stunning name, and if your daughter decides she wants a nickname later on it's got some great ones. Thanks for the advice on the nickname bit; I told my husband I want to use the full name as long as possible, and if she develops a nickname along the way, that's fine. Adeline, like Amelia, is just too pretty to hide!
The pregnant people I know IRL are either having boys or are due after us, so I'm not too worried. Still, I think if I let the name out, people will know that that is her name, not just something we're considering.
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Date: 2006-08-22 01:24 am (UTC)I don't know if I just let my love for the name/it's significance to me make me blind or what, but at the time, I didn't realize Amelia was QUITE as popular as it's getting. to me though it somehow doesn't lessen how much I love her name. and in the long run, she won't be one of MANY in her class (like an Emily or a Madison). and neither will Adeline :)
haha the best friend in question that was pg w/me knew she was having a boy too, so no worries there for us either.
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Date: 2006-08-22 06:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-21 07:22 pm (UTC)I love your choice of name. Adeline is beautiful, and not at all trendy.
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Date: 2006-08-21 08:14 pm (UTC)Thank you! Now I just hope it fits her!
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Date: 2006-08-21 08:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-21 07:42 pm (UTC)I don't think Adeline is too trendy.
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Date: 2006-08-21 08:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-21 08:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-21 10:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-22 12:14 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-22 01:06 am (UTC)Strangely enough most of the girl names I had on my list were L and A names. At least I opted out of Lydia Louisa or Amelia Alice! :)
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Date: 2006-08-22 01:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-22 02:53 am (UTC)I also am planning on using my dearest relatives for middle names. :)
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Date: 2006-08-22 03:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-22 05:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-22 05:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-22 06:12 pm (UTC)December 24th, awww christmas baby!
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Date: 2006-08-25 02:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-25 04:48 pm (UTC)It seems that everyone uses Peanut to address the fetus, so I wanted something different. And it's ironic that it's a cre8tyv spelling as I detest them in general!
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Date: 2006-08-25 05:02 pm (UTC)