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Tuesday, February 28, 2012

The name game. And we still stink at it.

Each time we've brought a new child into our family, whether by birth or adoption, we've racked our brains to come up with names. In the case of our older adopted children, we haven't always chosen a new first name, but we have chosen at least a special middle name that helps solidify their place in the family. You'd think that after 12 times doing this, it would be easier to choose names, but we're as stumped as ever. We have a short list of names we both like, but we can't agree on any that we love. And it doesn't help that some of our older kids keep shooting down the ones we both like. (Yes, I know it's not their decision, but it's hard to consider a name that you know 50% of your family thinks is dorky, lame or weird.) ;o)

I don't normally care too much for last names as first names (but we broke that rule with Jackson), and I don't really like creative spellings, although we did take some license with Sofie's spelling. I also don't care for made up names, or names that are too far up on the popularity list. (Again, we broke that rule with Joshua!) What I do like are old-fashioned "grandma-ish" names (e.g. Cora, Maizie, Sofie, Zoe and Lily, although we didn't get to choose Lily's name) and unique names.

If you feel like sharing any of your favorites, I'd love to hear them. I've read through the baby name sites until I'm blue in the face. The only thing we think we're decided on is a second middle name of Fearn, the surname of some of my ancestors.


Posted by at 2:00 PM
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13 comments:

  1. Jill BentlerFebruary 29, 2012 at 2:38 PM

    Tana, I'm very excited to see your family grow yet again! Congratulations, Song Guo is a lucky girl to get to be a part of such a loving family. Here's a name idea: How about Sonja? (pronounced with a short o) I'm thinking that might sound similar to Song. Congrats again! Jill in Calif.

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  2. JessicaFebruary 29, 2012 at 3:13 PM

    go to thebabynamewizard.com and ask on the blog. They are BRILIANT! at suggestions tha fit your! criteria. Also, do you have the Baby Name Wizard book? very different premise than most baby name books. Bound to give you inspiration.

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  3. MellissaFebruary 29, 2012 at 4:33 PM

    Since you like 'grandma' names, maybe if people shared the names of their grandmas it would help? Both of mine have a couple of names: Jacoba, Hendrika, Bernice, Marie, Rose, and Henrietta. My great grandmothers names are Violet, Alcha, and Loretta.

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  4. harris family journeysMarch 1, 2012 at 12:02 AM

    We are doing the same thing and I like the same type of names. So far, all of my children have been named for family names but I have been looking at and thinking of old fashioned names for MONTHS!!! Our little one is going to be Mary Margaret and we are going to call her Mollie. Both of my great grandmothers on my father's side were named Mary and called Mollie. Other names I have liked during this search include, Sarah, Gracie, Adelaide (Addie), Virginia (call her Ginny), Emily, Anna, Ella, Elizabeth (Liza, Lizzie, Beth, Libby,) Jessie, Lucy, Sadie, Elaine (call her Lainey), Eloise (call her LuLu), Dorothy, Edie, Frances (Frannie), I've got hundreds, LOL. Let us know if y'all choose one or if you want more suggestions! Jolierobinsonharris@gmail.com

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  5. Jo's CornerMarch 1, 2012 at 4:02 AM

    How about Karen? That IS my name..my first name, but I go by my middle name "Jo". Jocelyn, Linnea, Audrey, Natalie, Sadie, Shanleigh, Grace, Brynn, Claire, Caroline, Scout, Penelope (Poppy), Lovleigh. Have fun choosing a sweet name for a sweet girl!

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  6. Ashley GibsonMarch 1, 2012 at 6:32 AM

    Ohhh....I love names. Adalyn...Aubrey...Lillian...Ellen...Evelyn...Analeigh...Amelia...Clare...Evangeline...okay, I need a little girl!!!

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  7. MelissaMarch 1, 2012 at 6:48 AM

    I really like the 'Lovleigh' suggestion in the last post. Also our new daughters name is in that batch also, but can't reveal yet. So you said you liked grandma names? Well I worked in a nursing home for eight years and I have a slew of grandma names for ya. Ready? Hazel, Mattie(Matilda)Ruth, Esther, Lorraine, Lolly, Bertie, Angel(my grandmas name)Trudy,Daisy,Lily,Dixie,Trixie,Dorothy, Peggy,Susie,Dottie,and last but not least Gertrude whom we called Gertie. Good luck!

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  8. TanaMarch 1, 2012 at 7:03 AM

    Thank you for all the suggestions! I love Penelope, Hazel, Mathilda, Daisy, Amelia, Lucy, and Violet. Unfortunately, Daisy is out because it rhymes with Maizie, and Violet is already one of our daughter's middle names. Molly is on our short list, so that's a good possibility too.
    SolaceMama - Thanks for the Baby Name Wizard suggestion. That's a great site!

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  9. CrystalMarch 1, 2012 at 8:55 AM

    I love my Great Grandma's name... I can't use it because my brother used it, but it is unique and old fashioned. Her name was Ressa. (pronounced with a short e sound)

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  10. EthiopianaMarch 1, 2012 at 9:54 AM

    i LOVE the name Esther and also Evelyn (Evie). congrats to your family!

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  11. StephanieMarch 1, 2012 at 6:25 PM

    I know you don't know me (following you from RR) but I just LOVE names, so had to get in on this :)
    Following your criteria, my suggestions are: Ruby, Pearl, Hannah, Abigail, Rosalie, Rhiannon, Eden, Miriam, Claudia, and Aurora.
    I also had Ruth, Audrey, and Violet on the list but saw they were already suggested ;)
    And names I've loved a long time, way before they became popular lately, are Tessa, Ava, and Emma (but unfortunately they are very popular these days!) I, like you, don't like names that are too popular...

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  12. kellym9999March 2, 2012 at 6:56 PM

    How about Maggie, Greta, Emelia, Abigail, Claire, or Josie (Josephine)

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  13. KellyMApril 20, 2012 at 5:02 AM

    Helen, Helene, Helena, Eleanor, Ellen, Nora (see the theme yet?), Beatrice, Marianne, Irene, Renee, Rowena, Heidi, Greta, Rosalyn, Emmeline... those are my faves.

    My husband's grandmother's name is Bertha. That's just one grandma name that I haven't yet grown to love, even though she's a very sweet grandma. :)

    Found you through the advocacy group, love your blog!

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