What's in a name

Coming up with a name for your child is HARD. Sean and I have decided that there are a grand total of 10 boys names in the world and 8 million girls names to choose from (kind of like clothing options). We are set if this child is a boy, as we had a named chosen for a boy last time around when we found out we were having a girl (even if it does bug me that I know a guy who annoys me a LOT that has that name...but I'll have to get over that). Not to say that it was easy, mind you. It took us three months of arguing to come agree on Gillian's middle name (and in the end, Sean just gave up). "Gillian" was Sean's idea because he didn't love the name I have always wanted for a daughter ("Sadie Grace" after my North Georgia grandmother/greatgrandmother). He thinks "Sadie" is a great name, but is too cutesy to go well with "Colledge". I thought Gillian was pretty and went well with our last name, and not so common as a lot of other names, so I agreed (just how many names can be made with an "ayden" sound at the end, anyway??). So, here we are again with the girls names. The plan at this point is for me to make a list of every name I can tolerate and he will go through and cross out the ones he couldn't live with if he had to try. It's unfortunate, but I am pretty sure neither of us will *love* the name we give our next girl (if we have a next girl) because we will have had to compromise. Sean suggested we put the whole idea on hold until we find out the gender next month, but part of my nesting is giving this good, solid thought and making my list.

It seems a bit tricky to foresee some of the name landmines that can occur. Virginia, a perfectly respectable and dignified southern name, can become "Vagina" in elementary and middle school. Sherry rhymes with "hairy" and Shelly with "smelly". We have no control over our last names most of the time, but can help our kids avoid pre-pubescent hell with a little careful forethought. I would not name my son Richard and call him "Dick" for example. I probably would even avoid "Peter", even though I kindof like that name. I would avoid gender neutral names like "Leslie" for a boy... See? Hard. It is *almost* impossible to put my mind in the place of a 12 year old boy, but I'm trying.

I read an article recently that related lifetime depression and success with initials, if a person wasn't paranoid enough about the very intense task that is naming their child. So, just in case you though it would be fun to have your kids initial spell "ROT" or "DIE", think again. All I can say is that in modern vernacular, mine are particularly fly, "MAC". How fortuitous...good thing I changed my name.