Among the many difficult things about having a baby is deciding on a name for the little pumpkin. In fact, this was one of the most stressful parts of becoming a parent for me.So much pressure to find just the right name that suits the child and recognizes the family and works with our last names and isn't too strange or too common and something we could both agree on.
My children remained nameless for their first day in the world while we got to know them and tried to decide, finally caving under the pressure of the repeated calls from the person in the hospital's birth certificate office.
Several of my friends are expecting new babies in the coming weeks and months -- got me thinking about all the names we didn't use. Here are five of my favorite girl names that didn't make it onto Pippi's birth certificate:
- Leland: This name from my husband's family had been used for men and women in his South Carolina heritage. I liked that it sounded like a girl's name without being girly. And it's also the name of a town we pass on our way to the beach, which makes me happy. But somehow it just didn't suit our baby girl when she arrived.
- Tallulah Clare: We (I) chickened out and didn't use this one, but we seriously considered it. Not sure if we would have ended up calling her Tallie or Lula or TC. I loved how sweet and Southern it sounded, plus the names were a nod to each of our families (Lula from my husband's side and Clara from my side). But in the end, I worried it was too much and wussed out.
- Zella: I always liked Ella, as in Fitzgerald, and also thought it would be really cool to have "Z" as an initial. Then I started hearing all these new babies named Ella, Bella and Stella (all great names) and worried that it would be too confusing.
- Lila: This name just sounds so lovely in my ear and feels so sweet in my mouth -- it's so beautiful. I thought it was a nice compromise for Lula, but couldn't sell my husband on the name.
- Carson: Boy names as girl names are fun, although I'm sure some people (mostly the boys with those names) find it an annoying trend. Having a rather girly name myself, I often wished for a more neutral name like Spencer or Carson. Plus it worked for author Carson McCullers, but we knew too many boys named Carson and I couldn't convince my husband to go for it.
You liked the "lala" names, too, yes? Must be an English teacher thing. "Lila" was on our list, too, but we have a dog named Lola, and that would have been a bit much.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite girl name that I never got to use is from Norman Mailer's Harlot's Ghost...and I'm still so in love with it, I dare not write it here. But if you know the book, you'll know the name...one of the first strong female protagonists I came across in reading...ever!
ReplyDelete~Natalie Macpherson, Lakemont mooch
Liberty Grace (would have called her Libby). Couldn't talk him into the Liberty part of it though. So she got named after Audrey Hepburn, which isn't too shabby :o)
ReplyDeleteFor a while I liked Eleanor - how old-fashioned yet classic it sounds. Towards the end of my pregnancy, I really started liking Lydia. It turns out that a young couple on our street having their first baby will be naming her Lydia, and somehow I feel satisfied!
ReplyDelete~Miriam
I love all of these especially Tallulah. I'd totally love to have a Linus and Lulu. I couldn't do Lila though since I have a friend with a Lila.
ReplyDeleteI'd tell you my names but we have to keep them under wraps until we decide to have more or not to have more. ;) Though I'd say Tallulah is in the running in my books... unless of course you want to use it.
-Abby
Those are all good names, but my favorite has to be Carson. I have love that name since the movie "Shag". Being partial to "K"s I think it would be fun to spell it Karson. But is that too masculine? Anyways, your baby girl's real name is a wonderful one. You picked good!
ReplyDelete