Thursday, October 11, 2007

The name game.

I've been picking out baby names (no, I'm not going to have a baby right now, don't worry everyone) since I was about ten years old. Some constants have stayed on the (lengthy) list since that time; others have fallen off and been replaced in an ongoing fashion, year by year by year.

I think many girls secretly compile such lists so I don't feel quite as embarrassed admitting to it as I probably should.

(Many girls probably don't, however, go through each and every one of their parents' leftover baby name books and highlight those they like while simultaneously amending the entries if they are found to be incomplete.) (I haven't done that since I was twelve, so there's another thing for you all to not worry about.) (Not that anybody is worrying besides me, for whom it seems to be my natural state.)

Of course, your list changes when an actual last name attaches itself to those fantasies, and so recently one name in particular for a girl has risen up out of the pack to take its place as fore-runner. It's classic but rarely found; of an origin appropriate to the family; and lovely, of course.

So naturally, an author/artist whom I shall not identify but with whom I work and after whose work I would not like to name a future child has elected to change the appellation of her upcoming mermaid from something perfectly serviceable and acceptable to ... The Name.

It's not so much that I care if a--let's face it--forgettable picture book will feature a character of that same, unusual name.

It's that everyone will think I discovered it THERE!

As opposed to the fifteen years of research that have gone into this now-defunct decision.

But anyway, I'm halting all this preemptive gnashing of teeth by reminding myself that I'm not the one who has to pick a name in the coming months...

My boyfriend's sister is!!

Congratulations to Liz, her Chris, and Austin :) The world's cutest little family is growing by one.

7 comments:

Guy Davis said...

That's a tough one. You shouldn't let it deter you from using the Name though. If a name is the right one, then go for it.

My wife and I are still trying to narrow down a list of candidate names. I ended up building a map showing popular baby names around the world to help in our search.

You might find it interesting as well. Check it out at: http://www.babynamemap.com

liz said...

I love you! Can't wait, we'll need your help with the name game, especially if it's a girl. I unfortunately am leaning to the ever so popular (at the moment) Grace. It just kills me that it's so popular right now... we still have time, 31 weeks or there abouts. Talk soon.
xo Liz xo

d. said...

Wait, you're pregnant?

Laura said...

GRRRRR...I am going to delete your comment, Dorok >:o

Unknown said...

I'd like to have a set of twins named Alice and Oliver.

You know...in that alternate universe where childbirth is a pleasant way to spend the afternoon and babies are pretty much self-sufficient.

d. said...

How rude! I was going to send you a congratulatory card, too. Geez.

No card for you.

Unknown said...

i love thinking of baby names... my favorite has always been ella because it is my grandma's middle name. sadly it seems to have become really popular. :( what is the name??? you have to tell us now!