Wednesday, October 1, 2008

What's In a Name?


I found out at a doctor's appointment today that this unexpected bundle of bun in the oven is most likely a little girl. While I am excited about the prospect of having another little girl, it complicates the naming process. My boy name was an ace in the hole, chosen beyond question. The girl name remains up in the air. Some of my friends have emphasized the importance of carrying on the T-name tradition, "You already have two kids with T names," they say, "It would really stink for the third one to be the odd one out." While I agree with this logic to some degree, my agreement stops at the prospect of naming the child Tiffany or Tonya. Please, all of the Tiffany's and Tonya's out there, don't take offense. You had no control over your parents!

I've got a great name picked out but, alas, it does not start with a T. I will not post it here yet because my husband and I have not agreed and I will not entertain any negative commentary about my child's name choice. There is an inherent danger in telling people prior to the birth, what your choice for names is. They can be judgmental and harsh because they feel as if their opinion could sway the parent one way or another. This ridiculous charade stops as soon as the baby is born and people say with a smile, "Tallulah Does the Hula. What a great name!" So, to you the faithful readers of this ever-dwindling blog, I pose the following question without revealing too much:

How important IS continuing the T-name tradition?

Would you dare break it?

If I do break it will it cost my child years of therapy (Why Mom, WHY didn't you just name me with a "T" name?)?

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?



21 comments:

  1. Ask Amanda how she would have felt if it were Alyson, Ashley and Jennifer!

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  2. Well, I was all set to have different phonetic sounding names for my girls, when my hubby interjected and insisted on the same initials for both. If we had a boy, his name would be totally different. Go figure. I say pick a couple of names and wait until she gets here. Then name her according to what she looks like. Good luck and congrats on your new bundle!

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  3. You know what I think! I LOVE LOVE LOVE the name we talked about yesterday. To hell with naming her a "T" name. Do not name her something stupid just because it starts with a T. And (with apologies to all the "T"-named readers out there) there are no good T names for girls.

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  4. i am sure if you want you can find a name you love with a "T", however if coops was a girl he would have been a Neely thus bringing the c's to a halt. i am more concerned with as you say "ever-dwindling blog".

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  5. I do not think the child will be scared if you do not carry on the T name. Now if you have 17 kids like the Duggars and the names started with a J and you had one more that did not then I think you would have some issues. I think you are safe though. I love love love love love the name you want! What is Sean thinking?

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  6. I would SO break the T tradition. Go for the name you really love, OR name her the boy's name that you had picked. That would really rock the boat.
    True story - my friend had a two year old named Ryan when she gave birth to triplets! She named the triplets Rory, Randy and Kevin. Seriously!! She got so much flack that very soon after she changed Kevin's name to Ross. And then when she finally got all these kids in school she gave birth to Reed. Crazy lady.
    I love your ever-dwindling blog.
    - Suzanne, the Farmer's Wife

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  7. Do what you feel is best. But here's a T name to mull over... Taylor. :)

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  8. I would pick something you like rather than forcing yourself to pick a T name that you may not like as well.
    Hmm...hey - I know! how about "Tawny!" Perhaps she'll writhe on the hood of a car in Whitesnake video years from now!

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  9. I am an avid reader and fan of your blog and hardly (if ever?) comment but today's post lured me in. I met a nurse w/ a T name that I had never heard before. And funny enough, SHE had never heard it before and the more I said it, the more it grew on me...it was Tamela, pronounced like Pamela but w/ a T. Hmmmm, think on it...it might grow on you too!

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  10. That's silly. Name 'em what you want. But make sure the name fits the baby before you make it official. We had to change my first daughter's name at 5 days because I kept bursting into tears because "She just doesn't look like a Jacquelyn!"

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  11. Have you checked with Truman and Tatum? After all, that's how we got Emmett Purple McKinley Hale in the family. One of my cousins went with "J's", and ended up with Jim, Janet, Jeff, and Jay. By #4, I think Carvel and Ginger were running a little short on ideas, but it seemed to work out ok for the kids. What ever you come up with, I'm betting Pop-Pop John and I can find a nick name that will fit just fine, and, I'm pretty sure she'll have me wrapped around her finger before she's walking. By the way, what's the due date?

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  12. As a second generation R-family, I don't really find it that important. As long as this new baby girl knows that she is loved. I think if I were her I'd rather have a good name than an okay name that started with the same letter as my siblings. Plus, what if you have a 4th? Then you've really sealed the deal and have to stick with it, even if you don't want to.
    In regards to your comment on my voting post, I think there is a difference between voting one way because it's good for you and votiing one way because you feel it's right for the country. If you're in a certain situation that you feel isn't been dealt with probably, than it's a matter of principle, not selfishness.

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  13. Avoid going down the same street as the Duggar Family who kept thinking they would have just one more... Joshua, Jana, John-David, Jill, Jessa, Jinger, Joseph, Josiah, Joy-Anna, Jedidiah, Jeremiah, Jason, James, Justin, Jackson, Johannah, Jennifer

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  14. Hey,
    First visit, but I had the same dilemma of stick with the "c"'s or not. I chose not to. Both of my older kids names start with C and the baby's name starts with an "a" and they are all fine.
    Great blog.

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  15. Name her whatever you wish!!! I don't think it is a big deal at all. My dad had 2 older siblings that started with L and he started with B (Bobby Wayne, you got to love that name!). I wouldn't pick a name just because it starts with a T. This child deserves a name picked out just for her, not because it goes well with her brother and sister's names. Congratulations!
    (By the way, I have no doubt you can come up with a cute, original T name other than Tallulah if you so choose!)

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  16. Hey suburbancorrespondent--
    So I guess your daughter wasn't smoking hot enough to carry off a name like "Jacquelyn", huh?? Ha Ha.

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  17. I am a rule breaker so I say break it. My first two children were C names and I found myself in the same dilemma with my third that you are in now. I thought about adding another C but then I realized, all those c's would eventually become one name. Let me explain, Okay so I had Cassidy and then Caleb (cute names right) well, if you add another c say Carol then people start focusing more on the fact that they all begin with C's other than the name itself which can end up being weird for the children in the long run.
    So I chose a name for the third that didn't coincide with the other 2 whatsoever-Jillian and my fourth is Francene. I broke the rule and I am very happy I did.

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  18. Congrats on having a girl!!
    I can't thing of any good girls names with "T" either (hum, Toni). I mean none of them roll off the tongue (Toni)I think sticking with "T"'s would be a cool thing, (Toni) especially if you are worried that your third child may be scared (Toni)for life. What if (Toni) you gave her a middle name or first name with "T" (Toni)and also give her the name you really like and call her that name? (Toni) She would have a "T" in there somewhere. Any family surnames that start with "T" that would be a cool middle name? (Toni)
    My nephews are Trey (nickname for the third), Taylor and Zack. I don't think it has had a bad effect on him (Toni).
    I do like Teagan or Tiegan and Tali, but I can't for the life of me (Toni) think of any other good "T" names.
    Good luck with the decision.

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  19. Um. I did a J then an R. When I found out the youngest was a girl, I tried to find a name without the J as I didn't want my girls to be too cutesy. But then we picked an R name for her. I didn't even consider the fact that I would have two R children. It didn't seem an issue as one was a girl and the other my boy.
    Stupid? Perhaps. But nine years later my kids don't seem to really care. I say, go with the name you like....

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  20. Name her what you love in your heart, it will be the right choice, T or not. And I so hear you on the negative comments on name choices...do not blame you at all for not wanting to be sujected to that!

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  21. First, CONGRATULATIONS!!!! Yeah! We didn't decide on our little girl's name until 2 weeks before I had her (ack!). We decided our boys' names in my first trimester. It was SO hard. We had the opposite problem - my husband and I have "J" names and our boys don't ... but the name I liked was a "J" name. I agree with your approach of not telling anyone the name - my husband made me pinkie-swear not to tell anyone for fear that I would be back to square one after finally deciding on a name!!!

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