The Name Game

I don't know why, but choosing a name for your unborn child is turning out to be quite difficult for us. There's something so absolute about the decision. I'm going to say this name a million times in my life, so I better like it. She better like it.

It has to flow, to sound good with our last name, to not be too trendy or too old fashioned. We pretty much rule out any names that were former students in Nick's math classes, we try not to pick anything that we already know several people with the same name, we are turned off by names that instantly make us think of some celebrity or character, and we don't want anything that rhymes with something that kids can tease her with. The initials can't spell anything weird or unfortunate. We steer clear of ex's, former classmates we didn't like, and other people from our past (and present) that annoy us. Nothing too common but nothing so weird that people think you've lost your mind. We're trying to stay away from names that are in the top 100 right now, because I don't want to send my child off to school and have to constantly be distinguished with a last initial because there are 4 other girls with the same name in her class. But anytime you pick a name, you run the risk of that becoming the next big popular baby name and then it won't matter anyway. We're staying away from N and B names because we don't want people to think we're going to be that family who wants everyone's name to start with the same letter.

Some people have told us that they couldn't pick a name until they saw their child. Well, I guess I get that but most babies pretty much look the same...and they change so much throughout their lives that for me to say she looks like a certain name at birth doesn't mean she will as an adult...but she's not going to look the same.

It's kind of stressful. Throw in the fact that ever since we found out the sex of the baby EVERYONE has been asking us if we've picked a name yet, and it's almost makes me want to curl up in a ball (if I still could) and suck my thumb. I think the constant asking if I've picked a name has actually made me not want to even think about baby names. Maybe people will stop asking if I don't even try to name her yet.

I think Nick has decided that he doesn't want to reveal the name, when we finally decide on one. I think I'm okay with that too, especially right now since we haven't decided so there is nothing to tell anyway. We will see what happens in the coming weeks. Seventeen to go!