I hope you and your readers can help. You'd think that after reading your Baby Name Blog for so long that I'd have more ideas and wouldn't need help...but I do! My due date is January 15th, but my family is very crafty and wants a name to embroider on bibs, quilts, etc., ASAP Which is stressing me out! I have a daughter who is 9.5 and name choosing for her was EASY. I knew at least a month before the ultrasound what her name would be if she was a boy or a girl. My daughter's name is very uncommon, it's like Mattea but spelled differently. Our last name sounds like "Schloff", I'm not really concerned with the name flowing since she's a girl, and her last name may change one day. Plus, nothing really sounds right with it anyway. The one name I did fall in love with for a girl was Ava. But it is so popular, and I feel that since my older daughter has such an uncommon name, that I should follow that trend. Plus, my name was extremely common growing up, and I hated being the fourth girl in class with that name. The middle name will be Jane (after my mother) and Ava Jane just sounded so cute to me. I also would prefer an obvious girl name. Some names we have considered:
Lila (Layla and Lola are out as close friends have daughters with these names)
Emmalyn (I like it and it didn't rank in the top 1,000)
Annabelle (which is a familiar name, but not popular)
Eliana (I really like this one because the meaning in Hebrew is "My God has answered me", and we didn't know if I'd ever be able to get pregnant again, which I desperately wanted....but don't know if it's the one, also, my neighbor is pregnant and this is one of her favorites too, but her husband hates it, and she doesn't know if she's having a boy or girl, but mine is due first, and she did say the name was mine if I wanted it...but I feel like I'm hijacking!)
Elena (which my daughter vetoed because a girl on her bus has this name and is "mean")
Ellery (which my family associates as being a boy name, so that's out)
Olivia (too popular)
Amelia (also rising)
Nora (I feel so-so about this one)
Adah (which I also liked for the meaning, "A beautiful addition")
Also, to make matters worse, another neighbor of mine is pregnant (the three of us form a triangle) and due in December, she also isn't finding out what she's having, but I'm paranoid that it will be a girl and she'll pick the name I settle on (not intentionally), so I feel like I need a lot of backups! Also, don't drink the water here unless you want to get pregnant, NONE of us were trying, and now we're all due weeks apart!)
Thanks to you and your readers for any suggestions!
To me, the clear stand-out from your list is Eliana. It's one you love, it has extra meaning for you, and I think it's the best one with Mattea. I mean, that is a gorgeous combination, similar in style yet still nicely separate: Mattea and Eliana. I love it. I feel like pressuring you to use it.
Is the reason it feels like hijacking that you got the idea of the name from your neighbor, or did you both just happen to have it on your lists? Though the former would give me some pause, too, it still seems to me that you should use it: she's fine with it, and it would feel so awful if you gave up the name you loved and then she had a boy, or had a girl but her husband wouldn't agree to the name anyway.
Also, I would like to send a message to your family: STEP BACK. Let's not put additional PRESSURE on such an important decision. There is PLENTY of time to personalize items in the days after the baby is born (the baby will not need a personalized bib or quilt IN THE HOSPITAL), and in fact it gives everyone something fun to do right after they hear the happy news of the birth of baby Eliana.
Name update! Jess writes:
It seems like everyone was pulling for "Eliana" (both due to how beautiful the name is and the special meaning behind it), but on 1/25 she was born and we named her Ava Jane. She was 8lbs 1oz and 20 inches long. 6 1/2 weeks later, she's nearing 9lbs, but not quite there. She is a petite little thing, and I read once that Ava means "bird like" (which...boring!), but she is! I wanted to thank you and the readers for the help, even though I ended up going with my first choice. It's safe to say though that I *might* be having a bit of name regret. Everyone I introduce her to says, "Oh, my new granddaughter is named Ava" or "Oh, we just enrolled two Ava's in our class!" Argh! But, I knew that was bound to happen and for the most part, I call her by her full name of Ava Jane, so it sets her apart a little bit...right?
Thanks again!
