labels
We're trying to come up with a name for our fetus. Cook and I barely managed to settle on a first and middle name for Dutch, and we never did even come close to agreeing on a boy's name. This time around, we have tentatively settled on a first name for a girl, but I don't know what we'll do if the kid turns out to be a boy. Today Dutch (who's been helpfully coming up with names like Snow White, Totoro, and Wall-E) suggested "Oats Corellian Scot," which must have come from some sort of Star Wars naming source.
Names are tough, though, even when you're inspired by Steven Spielberg. It's basically the only thing you can control about your kid, and even then they can change their name later on. (I insisted on being called "Heidi" for a while, and also "Tiffany."*) We'd like something not incredibly common, but not uncommon enough to attract bullying (which we fear will be attracted to our combined gene pool no matter what we name the kid). And it's hard not to feel like you've got to get the perfect one. When I wrote Dutch's name down on her birth certificate and social security application, I felt weird - when you meet people and hear their names, you experience those names as organic and part of the person, so actually assigning a name feels very artificial and awkward, and also sort of rude, like you're imposing a label on this tiny person. Also, when you announce to people your baby's brand-new name, there are invariably some negative responses...
Anyway, whatever we name this kid (and I'm still taking suggestions, folks), I'm sure you'll all be very positive about it. Little Oats will thank you.
* I liked that name before I moved to Connecticut and started at a new middle school, where I met the Evil Queen Tiffany. I guess, looking back on her, that she couldn't possibly have been as horrible as I remember her, but now I have a conditioned fear response to the name, and just typing it makes me feel kind of shaky.
Names are tough, though, even when you're inspired by Steven Spielberg. It's basically the only thing you can control about your kid, and even then they can change their name later on. (I insisted on being called "Heidi" for a while, and also "Tiffany."*) We'd like something not incredibly common, but not uncommon enough to attract bullying (which we fear will be attracted to our combined gene pool no matter what we name the kid). And it's hard not to feel like you've got to get the perfect one. When I wrote Dutch's name down on her birth certificate and social security application, I felt weird - when you meet people and hear their names, you experience those names as organic and part of the person, so actually assigning a name feels very artificial and awkward, and also sort of rude, like you're imposing a label on this tiny person. Also, when you announce to people your baby's brand-new name, there are invariably some negative responses...
Anyway, whatever we name this kid (and I'm still taking suggestions, folks), I'm sure you'll all be very positive about it. Little Oats will thank you.
* I liked that name before I moved to Connecticut and started at a new middle school, where I met the Evil Queen Tiffany. I guess, looking back on her, that she couldn't possibly have been as horrible as I remember her, but now I have a conditioned fear response to the name, and just typing it makes me feel kind of shaky.
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