baby names - why we're mum

So the very next question, right after "Are you going to find out?" is always, "Do you have a name yet?"

Well, yes, yes we do.  The Gorilla and I have had both girl and boy baby names picked out since before we conceived.  Our boy baby name came to us when we were in Hawaii on the trip where he proposed, and our little girl's name came to us while lying in bed lazily one morning playing the name game. 

As soon as it was out in the air, it was just her name.  It's not my absolute favorite-ist name of all time, although I do love it and get butterflies when I say it out loud, and it isn't a name I had given much thought to before it appeared.  It's just her name.  Our baby girl's name.  I hear other really cute names and think, "Well that's a great name.  But that's not our baby's name."

I almost feel as if she named herself.  Or as if my whole life story has already been written and I'm just discovering it as I go.  Well of course that's the name of our daughter, it's always been right on the tip of my tongue.

All that teasing and I'm not going to share this perfect little name.  Don't take it personally, we're not sharing with anyone.  Not even our immediate family.  Maybe especially not our immediate family.  We've had some family baby-name-drama on both sides that makes us particularly wary about getting anything monogrammed just yet. 

There is all kinds of risk in spilling your baby name too early.  It can get poached by another expectant momma.  Or, if it's a family name, it can cause uproar for any number of reasons.

I just don't want to hear anyone's feedback.  Seems when you tell someone a potential baby name, everyone has an opinion.  "Oh, I work with a girl with that name.  She is AWFUL."  Or, "Huh.  That's an interesting choice."  Or they just wrinkle their nose.  But if you just hold up the child and say Here Is My Baby ____, then everyone keeps their trap shut.  Smiles politely and nods.

I have received baby name suggestions from everyone, including the sales lady at Nordstroms.  She suggested Adrianna.  She did not know me or my tastes in any way, but she had a dreamy look in her eye at the thought of a little Adrianna.  I hope one day she gets to name her little girl something that makes her sigh with happiness.

Just like Baby Girl's (currently secret) name makes me giddy.  Which is good, because I'll be saying it for the rest of my life, in all tones of voice.  Her sweet, sweet name.

(Which is not Adrianna.) 

photo by david_drexler via flickr  

Comments

[Megan@SortaCrunchy]

I grinned as I read.

This is exactly EXACTLY why we didn't reveal our choices for our daughters' names before they were born. Not a SOUL knew. Well, in fact, we didn't decide on Aliza's name until ten minutes before she was born, but as soon as we landed on it, it was that exact same feeling of OF COURSE. Of course. No wonder we couldn't agree on one before, we hadn't discovered it yet.

Dacey's name is unique, and we also didn't care for any critiques or feedback before she was born. That was her name and that was it.

Anyway, I concur with your reasoning and applaud your resolve. And now I won't pester you about it at lunch today. :)

[beth]

i completely understand your reasoning having had some name drama of our own. i CANNOT wait to find out her name when the time comes!

[mom]

My sweet little Laura was 3 days old before she had a name. Some people told me "they won't let you go home until the baby is named." Well, friends, the hospital doesn't get to tell you when or what to name your baby! But I promise that name-drama is no fun, even when you win half-way.

[Kaye Wiley]

I know this is old, but my Uncle Mark told me not to worry about who you knew with that name, or what anybody else thought about the name. It's your baby and what matters most is that YOU love it. :)