Let's play a game. The name of this game is, "Name Our Baby." Here are the rules: You put your favorite boy name in the comments section, and I decide if it really is a good name or not.
My problem is that Asher is my favorite boy name, and it's been taken. So now what? How do you match such a good name? The criteria for a good name in the Gates household is as follows: a. the meaning needs to be significant, and b. there can't be three little boys (or girls) of the same name in his class. I was one of TWENTY SEVEN Stephanies in the second grade. I kid you not. Admittedly, there is a blurry line between, "that's unusual," and "poor kid," but it's a line we're willing to walk. Also, we try to give a normal middle name, so that if our children grow up and think we've doomed them, they have an alternative. Asher's middle name, for example, is Paul. If he grows up and thinks "Asher" is ridiculous, or, if between now and then a rash of women name their daughters "Asher" and it becomes inexplicably effeminate, he can choose to be A. Paul. (By the way, this is a pet peeve of mine. Southern parents are the worst for naming their baby girls using somebody's grandmother's maiden name, meaning that it is not uncommon to meet little toddler girls named "Harrison" or "Rivers." Meanwhile, men are the victims of girls stealing boy names, creating unnecessary ambiguity . What's so bad about girl names for baby girls, anyway? But I digress.)
I'm looking for a name that is connected to leadership. When I was pregnant with Asher, I kept saying/thinking that he was going to be an introvert. I don't mean a follower or a socially awkward kid (it's too soon to know that, don't you think?) - I just mean, for Asher, less is more. Grandma and Grandpa in the room watching him play is a blast. But his entire family watching him blow out his birthday candle is stressful. I don't know how I knew that would be true about him before he got here, but I did, and it is. The new baby is going to have the opposite personality. Whereas Asher is a pretty cooperative kid, content to go with the flow and not seeking the spotlight, the new baby's presence will fill up the room. Again, I don't know how I know this, but I do. We'll see if I'm right.
So - think leader, think slightly unusual but not offensively so. What names come to mind?
16 comments:
I was so excited when we found out we were having a girl because we could not for anything think of a boys name. I do kind of like Noble and Nolan. Both mean "famous" Noble also means noble and Nolan also means champion. Brody is also nice meaning "renowned ruler" Like I said though, I'm not good with boy names.
Nothing screams leadership more than George Walker. :-)
My nephew is named Conner and it is of Gaelic origin. It is also the name of a king of Ulster who lived during the time of Christ.
There is no one in Conners room at daycare with the same name or in the three classes around him....
Great minds Jon... I was thinking Dubya James Gates.
My son has my maiden name as his middle name. He has declared when he is old enough, he will use it as his first name, because he likes it so much better.
So at some point I will stop calling him Tyler and start calling him Grey.
But maybe your maiden name is better?
I like the name Elias--it means "the Lord is my God"...also I found this name today: Micaiah and it means "who is like God?" and he's a prophet in I Kings who tells God's message even when it isn't popular. I like that name alot. Liam is a good name too-it means "strong warrior".
Also, Aaron, Ethan and William all mean strong (in some way or another) so those are more "normal" middle name possibilities.
my 2 cents...for what it's worth.
I will have to think on it. M first thought is Peter. Lemme do some thinking, though.
PS There are too many girls named Hayden. It is a BOY'S name.
I like Lee for your own family reasons...and i remeber fondly telling people growing up you were related to Robert E Lee. Other names I like...Joseph...great courage, vision and leadership. Noah...another great leader and then David who was the great King.
Steph - I like Noah too. We've tossed that one around. My mother would like nothing better than for us to use Lee (her maiden name) which of course means I don't want to do it (insolent daughter that I am). Did you know my grandfather's name was Joseph?
Candy - Grey is a good name. He'd fit in perfectly in Montgomery. Neither of my maiden names are really suitable as first names.
Jason - I like Conner. It's a perfectly good name, it's just not my kid. I don't know how else to explain it.
Carrie - Elias and Elijah have come up several times. Mikkee recommended them too, through email. And Eli is a cute nickname ...
Emily (Bean) - A friend of mine named her son Brody. I like that one, too. It's kind of like Conner for me, though.
Heather - if ONLY Peter had not become a punch line more than a name, it would be my first choice. That Biblical personality is exactly what I picture with this child. But can you imagine living through seventh grade as a Peter?
Oh, I like Noah too. Asher and Noah go well together, dontcha think? But then I get to thinking about personalities that fill up a room, and I think maybe you should name that boy Nina. Works for me ; )
I really like Noah too.
I totally understand the deal with "Lee." It's my dad and grandfather's middle name and mine is Leigh. I just don't know that I want to use it though! Is that so terrible? I have the same problem with my maiden name "Peterson." I can't imagine naming a child anything "Peter" in the year 2008.
I also like my grandmother's maiden name--Sykes.
Have you considered Jude or Judah?
I know a little girl named Judah. It means "praise," and I really like it, but now that I know a girl with that name, it's hard to imagine a little boy with it ...
Eli is a cute nickname, but would that mean you couldnt have an Ella later on? I sent a couple of names in through email earlier, but I also like the name Obediah - it means God's Servant. There was a little boy at Lake J whose name was Zebediah and it means God's Gift. We called him Zeb. His last name was Forga, and when he would go charging out onto the playground, we would all call out, "There goes Zebediah Forgaaaaaa" like a football announcer. he was so cute :)
my favorite boy name is joel...:)
If you don't like Peter...then Simon for Simon Peter...Steve likes Noah a lot too. :)
Melissa here.I think Melissa was one ahead of Stephanie. And my mom named me Melissa because she was trying to be unique. HA!
Conner would definitely have many other Conners. Tons in preschool. Same with Elijah.
We considered Jude, but with our last name, it would sound like Jew. Scratch.
One I forgot to put in my name post is Canaan. Love that.
Salem? ;)
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