The name game
I’ve received some curious emails lately about whether or not we have chosen a name for our new impending bundle of joy. I’ve been coy for a couple of reasons. We do have a boy’s name picked out but then every now and then Steve will throw out the junior thing as a possibility. I don’t get the junior thing – the kid already gets his last name, is it really necessary to give him his first name too? – but I haven’t taken it off the table. I don’t think I am going to reveal the boy’s name since it is pretty much decided. I’m mean that way.
Surprisingly, we are struggling with a girl’s name. Sabrina’s name was chosen long before she was conceived. We chose it and never wavered. But this time we are having a hard time. Maybe that is because I’ve decided the baby is a boy and therefore we won’t need the girls name. If the doctor reveals it is a girl then I have additional motivation to pick one. But it has been a topic of conversation here for a couple of months. Here is the short list – feel free to tell us your favorite or add another. Our criteria is that it can’t be wildly popular (no Isabella or Gabriella or Sophia no matter how much we like them) and they can’t end in an “e” sound (-ie or -y) because our last name ends with that sound and Steve thinks it sounds weird.
Mia
Violet (Steve’s current fav)
Sienna
Sawyer (unsure of how we would spell it so it was a little more feminine)
And there we are stuck. We like them all but there hasn’t been one that we instantly said “that’s it” like we did with Sabrina. We each have struck down other ideas from each other. He doesn’t get that I have certain associations with names if I know people by that name and I don’t get his like of really formal, old fashioned names.
Wow! I am the first! I vote for Mia, because as you know I like that name and I am sure if it is a girl she will be adorable and this world needs another adorable Mia. Plus I don’t think we will be meeting up for a play date anytime soon so we are good there.
leah…..celine…..isla……ryan…..maya……alexa
Mia is really popular right now. You know when we picked Sophia it was not popular and now look. We are considering Lily (Lilliana) for a girl but Jerry’s brother and sister-in-law named their darn dog Lily. I still love the name and don’t want to rule it out. We are also considering Evie or Eva but I am not sure about the longer names Evelyn or Evangeline. I don’t like just naming a child a nick name but I like nick names. I likie Violet. The boys names are really hard but it looks like Ethan or Dane for us. Who knows?
I tend to like common names… however… I never spell them the typical way. My first daughter (she’s 12 now) is Krystina… and my 2nd (9 months today) is Izabella. Quite honestly… I never realized that Isabella was so popular until after she was born.
My vote is for Mia!
I love Sienna!!!
We are having this same debate in our household. I think we have finally picked a first name, but now we cant agree on a middle name!!!
Anyways, I like Sienna and Violet. Or of course Aryanna!
I like Mia too! Other girl favorites are Martina, Tess and Sarah.
Another no vote for Mia as that name is getting very popular of late. I absolutely love the name Sienna. I know a Violet and she’s annoying, so as I am with you on the association thing I’m out on that one too.
I love names that are girly but can be shortened to an ambiguously gendered name like Josephina to Jo, or Michaela to Mike.
Oddly though I don’t particularly like being called Sam. What’s up with that?
I love the name Evelyn. If I ever have a baby girl, that will be here name. My pick is Evelyn for a girl!
Hmmmm, I like Sienna or Mia.
And it wasn’t until I was knee-deep into Guat adoptions that Gabriella suddenly seemed to be everywhere……. ahhhhh well.
I like Sienna best. I think Mia is getting pretty popular these days. What about Sahara? Or Talia?
I love Mia or Maya and almost chose one of these for Serenas name(possibly reserving it for number 2) They are both quite popular so I would choose Violet if you’re preferring something different. Sienne is gaining in popularity too. Besides, I think Sabrina and Violet sound beautiful together.
I like Mia and Violet. Have you considered Grace. My sister has a Grace and she always said if she got a little girl, it would be through the grace of god. And he answered her prayers.
Ooh, I like them all! Lucy’s little girl is named Mia – watch out, for I fear that name comes with quite an attitude! I have a niece named Sienna, and she’s very sassy, too. I adore Violet, and I think it does sound great with Sabrina.
The name game is such fun!
carla?
IGaveUpSushiForYou was always my pick if I had a bio child.
regardless of sex.
Sawyer sounds so great with your last name that I think I would have to go with that one. I also like Violet (is a Steve a Jennifer Garner/Ben Afleck fan? That is the name her their daughter.) Violet sounds great with your last name too. I also might have to vote for Michelle – why not have the baby carry on your first name and Steve’s last name?
I’m totally with you on the name association thing. Try being a former teacher – and having your mom be a teacher. I can’t tell you how many names have been ruled out in our family because either my mom or I had a student with that name!!
π
I also like Violet.
Violet!!! Pick Violet.
Kerri and Ruby
I love Violet! It was our short list. We have a Scout and a Penelope so obviously we buck the traditional name. A friend of mine just had a little girl and named her Jillian. (also on our short list) and I love that too.
Ooh – I like all the names you are considering. Is the pronunciation of Mia “meeah” or “miyah”? I actually love Sawyer too… for girl or boy.
I’m trying to think of some of our girls’ names that we considered…Cecilia, Griffyn…my sister is considering Simone (sp?!) if they ever have another girl.
Try this link Michelle
http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/namesbystate.html
It is a Social Security link which shows popular baby names which were taken off of applications. Gabriella is really popular with Guatemalan adoptions, but according to where we live, Missouri, it is number 76, so it is not too terribly popular. Anyway, you can type in where you live and check out the list and corresponding numbers. Also there used to be a place where you could actually type in the name too, but I can’t find it.
Good luck!!!!
It’s soo hard to pick a name. When we had Derek there were NO Derek’s around..now we hear it alll the time.
When we had Cerah..since we didn’t know the sex..Larry got to picka boy..Tyler James… I picked a girl..Morgan Claire..HOWEVER..Derek came home one day and said he liked Sarah..He told EVERYONE he was getting a sister…We just changed the spelling…
I figured since I had an wierd name.. my kid could too:)
HHEHEHEH..
Have fun picking the name out:)
I kind of like the S theme, to go with Sabrina’s name. I love Sienna, Sierra (or Ciara), Sonya, Solana, Shandra, Shayla, Siobbhan, or ……. Good luck choosing!
I’m a big fan of traditional names… Mia is beautiful, so’s Violet. My faves: Claire, Catherine, Alexandra, Lily, Sarah. Of course, I have a boy, so no oppportunity to use any of these beautiful names.
Just in case, boys names I like: Michael, Ethan, Daniel… such fun, picking baby names!
I love the names that you are picking. : ) I’m with Steve…LOVE the old fashioned names. I do really, really like Violet…and, I like the name Ruby too. Our baby girl list was loooong because I really like girl names. : ) Some other names on our baby girl list…Olivia, Ava, Lauren.
Hey, I keep forgetting to mention this to you… About a week or so ago, the Christmas card that I sent to you, oh back in early December, came back to me…ROTFLOL!! Do you think that they waited long enough to send it back to me?? : P I was just incredulous when I saw it in the mail! I have to pull up the email that you sent to me way back when and compare addresses…I was so sure that I got your address right…I have no idea why they sent it back…so weird! God bless.
What’s awesome about the name game is that the name just seems to “fit” once the baby is here. I am sure you will get it right! I like traditional and “last name” names, even though I ended up with a Sophia, she was almost Sloane or Harper. I also like Stuart and Miller… but if we are voting on your choices, I love Mia even though it has increased in popularity! Have fun!!
my vote is for sawyer!!! that is such a cute little girls name!!!
I love Sienna. Sawyer is nice too, but my favorite sort of masculine adapted girl name is Shaun. Husband nixed it off our list though. π
I love Violet!!!
Very pretty and feminine, but not so comon.
I also like Marin, Gwen and Scarlett.
Picking baby names is my favorite pastime!!!
Good luck and by the way, Sabrina is just a gorgeous little girl!!!
Best wishes!
Karrie in IN
VIOLET!!!! LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!!!!
Okay Michelle – How about Sydney? I love this name but unfortunately used it on my dog. Steve and I agree we would have named Gabbie, Sydney, if we didn’t have our dog.
One other name that is growing on me is Shiloh. I know it is Brad and Angelina’s daughter’s name, but I think it is pretty.
These are all great names! I think I like Violet the best though. Plus, it kind of goes with Sabrina, you know?
Sawyer is cool, too – I wouldn’t change the spelling, though. It’s fine as is!
I’m sure whatever you pick with be perfect.
Michelle,
I love this website:
http://www.nymbler.com/nymbler/find-names.php
It will help you find affinity names . . . names that since you like Sabrina you might also like . . .
It is so much fun!
Cheryl
I HEART VIOLET!!!!!!!!!!
I also liek the name Meredith Kate…..will be on the table if we ever have another girl.
name choosing is waay too hard!
Wow, love Sawyer! Mia seems to be mentioned a lot lately around the adoption world. I loved the name Avril before that dumb kiddie singer came around.
“and they cant end in an e sound (-ie or -y) because our last name ends with that sound and Steve thinks it sounds weird.”
Yep. It does sound weird. I say that with confidence after having endured it for 32 years. I took my husband’s name just to get rid of that stigma. Oh yeah, and my name was misunderstood in high school to be Tasty Munchy.
I have a client named Maris and I think that is cool. Like Paris with an M. Someone suggested Shaun…like that too. I like names that are more traditionally boys names for girls. Like Alex. Shane. There is a girl in Cole’s class at school named Milan.
I have a cool website that I have to send you but I have it on my other laptop. I’ll send it tomorrow. You type in a name and it tells you how popular that name is. It is very fun to play with.
I like Mia, and Paige.
You are being a bit sadistic with the holding out of the boys name.
Names are fun. I want to have another kid just to pick out a name!!! π But, my husband is absolutely impossible to work with. He doesn’t like anything remotely unusual or too “Hollywood” as he puts it!
I LOVE Sabrina’s name, it’s a “normal” name, cute, but not overly popular, and just a tad different. You did a good job with her…I’m sure you’ll come up with an equal!
So…are you going to share once you do know what you’re having?
I like Violet or Sienna. My fav. girl names are Alissa & Madelyn. I also love Sawyer for a boy. Good luck choosing! π
I think Violet is a lovely name!
I vote Mia!
MIA!!!!
Is Sienna too close to Sabrina? When you are in the midst of calling one of them you might really get them messed up!!!!! I have Carter and Caroline, didn’t do it on purpose. The CAR parts can get confusing at times:) How about Caroline???