We're expecting our first child the first week of January (due date is 1/6/11). We don't know whether it's a boy or girl, but quite truthfully we're comfortable with our girl names and are truly struggling with boy names. And, we're both convinced it's a boy - go figure!
Just for informative purposes, we're pretty certain that the girl name will be Ruby Marie. We both love Ruby because it's simple, classic and not too popular or too out there (plus it's my birth stone:). The middle name is my grandmother's name and my husband's grandmother was Mary, which wouldn't go with Ruby (ends in Y), so Marie is a good mix and a solid middle name (we think). Other possibilities we have for a girl include: Stella, Penelope, Olive, Mia or Camilla (calling her Milly, though I'm not huge into naming one name with the intention of calling the baby something else).
Our last name is pretty long. When spoken properly, it's three syllables. Begins with a J and ends in ss. So, that basically nixes anything ending in an S.
Even without knowing the gender, we get asked about the name all the time. I think this is what's causing us our boy name trouble. We both really love Winston. But, mostly everyone that we've told hates the name. My Mom says it reminds her of the cigarettes, some say they know yappy dogs by that name and others say it's pretentious (among other critiques). It's definitely still on the top of the list - the front runner - but something inside me is not quite 100% sure. If it's a boy and we go with Winston, the middle name will be James. That's my husband's middle name and his father and grandfathers' as well. Plus, it sounds nice together. Other possibilities that we have for boy are: Oscar (my husband loves, but I'm not sure), Liam (my husband loves, I'm not sure), Milo (I like, my husband doesn't), and Oliver (we both like). There is one more thing. IF..it's a boy and IF...he happens to come on January 9 (which is possible with a January 6 due date), then that would be my grandfather's 100th birthday and I would LOVE to use at least one of his names (plus it's the same name as my Dad) - Norman or Cornelius.
So, that's where we are with our baby naming issue. Any help, suggestions, or advice is greatly appreciated.
Thanks so much.
Oh, now I am all excited for a baby boy to be born on January 9th! Wouldn't that be FUN?? I might use either of the names as middle name---or, and I think this is more likely, I'd use both: [First name, whatever you choose] [Norman Cornelius] [Surname]. This lets you dramatically increase the namesakey impact without having to use the name(s) in the first name slot. And in my own experience, two middle names isn't too much of a hassle.
Winston does make me think slightly of cigarettes (or, more accurately, of a handsome rugged man on a horse in a cigarette ad), but only a little bit, and only because I haven't yet known a little boy named Winston. For me a far stronger association is Winston Churchill, and I've had a crush on Winston Churchill ever since seeing a musical version of one of his speeches. Yappy dog versus "Lift up your hearts, all will come right"? No contest.
But if it continues to seem not quite right, I suggest Winslow. It has much of the same sound, but softer and no associations with cigarettes or with British politicians, and it goes well with Ruby in case you later have a girl. Weston would work, too, though it seems to me it drifts away from your style. Maybe Warren? Wilson? I seem to be getting hung up on W names. Oliver is another of my long-standing favorites, and it too would go very well with a potential future sister named Ruby.
I also suggest not telling anyone the name until the baby is born and they'd have to state their objections to his soft little newborn cheeks.
Name update! Somer writes:
Hi there - thanks so much for your input and help with our baby name (posted December 10). Our baby boy (we guessed it) came a week early and was born on December 30 at 7:26am. We actually had gotten the name from Winston as in Churchill - I forgot to mention that my husband is British - and we ended up going with Winston James. We're even going to put some famous Winston Churchill quotes on his bedroom wall. Like you said, once he was here, nobody really cared about the name; people now even say they like it. Perhaps Norman or Cornelius will find their way into a future child's name.
