I’ve had a list of favorite baby names since Middle School. I have a baby name book that I’ve looked through so many times in the last decade that the pages are falling out. We’ve decided on a baby name within a week of finding out we’re expecting all three times.
I love naming children! I would totally name yours if you let me.
I also love themes – it’s just how I’m wired. The more layers to the meaning, the better. Now, Rob’s tastes are a bit (ha!) more simple, so he doesn’t share the same enthusiasm that I do about names, but he’s a good sport. He’s humored me for hours of brainstorming and negotiating. And he’s all for deciding names early on so that the brainstorming and negotiating can end. :D
If you know me in person, I’ve probably talked your ear off about names at one point or another, but now that we’ve revealed our name for baby #3, I thought I’d write up a post about our naming philosophy.
For our children, we’ve chosen three themes.
1. A’s for boys and C’s for girls.
2. Family Names
3. Literary Names
Aidan’s first name came from a lovely book that we read before we were married – Byzantium by Stephen Lawhead. I also have a Great Great Grandmother named Ada. His middle name is of course in honor of daddy.
Cora is named after the heroine of The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper. Cora is also the name of another of my Great Great Grandmothers. Ruth (her middle name) is Rob’s grandmother’s name.
When it came time to choose names for this baby, we had a great list already prepared that fit with our themes, and several that we liked that didn’t. I’m glad that we didn’t reveal our themes before we posted our baby name poll. It was very interesting to see what all of you thought we would choose!
Have you wondered what our girl name would have been? We really were considering them all, but the one that won out for us was Catherine “Cate” Olivia! Cate would be in honor of my little sister Catlin and the main character of Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey. Rob’s other grandmother’s name is Olive, as was her mother. She hates her name though, so we thought we’d soften it to a more popular version. ;)
So how about Alex?
Well, out of all of our names, Alex is the ONLY one that doesn’t fit neatly into our themes! Alexander is a family name – Rob’s French-Canadian Great Great Great Grandfather was Alexander Lonctin (later changed to Stanton – they really couldn’t say Lonctin?? *shrug*). And Ross is my father’s name.
So we’ve got themes 1 and 2 down, but 3? Number three has been frustrating. The only literary Alexanders I know are of the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day and Alex Rider variety.
It’s really been frustrating – did I mention that? But Alex has grown and gown on (and in!) me. So I guess we’re going about things a little backwards this time. I’m going to ask for YOUR help – do you know any Alexanders in literature? I’d love to be able to present him with a nice copy of a good book someday. Leave comments, please! :)
