So, about the name. (again. Yes, I know I need to find a new topic.) I really appreciate all your comments and emails about the name that is not Oprah but is kind of like that. What I wasn't expecting was that so many people would say they need to know the name before they could give an honest opinion. I should have seen that coming because it totally makes sense that you would need to know the name/celebrity before you could decide if I'm crazy or not, but still color me surprised.
I've taken a week to think about it and I was certain we weren't going to use the name. I could spill the name beans and we could all openly laugh at me but then jparks announced that he's not ready to let go of Oprah. He has quickly changed from Team "You're Kidding About That Name, Right?" to Team "That's The Only Name In The History Of Names That I Like." I'm still on the fence, leaning more towards the no camp, but the thing is if I tell y'all and you say I'm crazy, Little Oprah is fucked for life, and then we use the name anyway, well, I'll have to leave the internet forever.
I'm not trying to be overly dramatic (it just comes naturally when you're this pregnant) but I just know that I wouldn't be able to look anyone in the eye if you say how awful the name is and then we can't find a suitable replacement. So for now I'm keeping the name under wraps. After the baby is here either we'll use that name or I'll finally tell y'all. Either way, after all this navel gazing I'm sure you won't care anymore.
So I was watching the Upstairs, Downstairs new series on the plane and they have a character called Lady Persephone. Yes, Persephone is kind of out there BUT they call her Percy which I LOVE. So I'm just throwing this out there.
ReplyDeleteAlso, preeeeetty sure it's Pippa, isn't it?
Dang it, Regan. Just tell us. Don't make me hound you. You can email me.
ReplyDeleteLike how I think the name Paris is a lovely name for a girl, yet that one girl ruined it for all of the other girls. I am all for saving the name as a surprise to everyone and only announcing it once she's born and you're 100% certain. Plus it's fun to play guessing games.
ReplyDeleteI think you mean "Navel Gazing"... as in a meditative posture. Navel Grazing sounds kinky.
ReplyDeleteA factor I haven't seen mentioned is historical precedent. If you can go to Wikipedia and find a few people with the name (even if some are millenia old or obscure), or if it's a place or object or something else known in a non-name context, then you have an out and it's probably safe.
ReplyDeleteThen again, I'm the one who asked new parents "Cool, did you name her after the Battlestar Galactica character?", so maybe you shouldn't take my advice.
Great names:
ReplyDeletePippa, Cameron, Violet...
Crap name: Snookie
If you are truly concerned and end up seriously leaning toward the Oprah Name, then maybe confide in one person whom you trust to be open, fair, and realistic. That person could just be your reality check.
ReplyDeleteBesides, I think it really comes down to (just as most people said before) just how unique and just how temporary the status of the name is. "Oprah" itself is just too unique and will probably remain so when your kid is older. Pippa, Paris, and Bella aren't all *that* unique and their associations with current live people will eventually fade over time, making them more easily accepted.
Dang it, I gotta change my Blogger profile. "Jen" is Jennie M in the Bay Area. Oy.
ReplyDeleteCoem on-tell us! Dying! I have a highly unusual name and it's been really useful for business and standing out in a crowd. Firmly on team unusual name here...unless it's really terrible. Then, Imma make fun of you (j/k).
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure Christopher is referring to us. I definitely remember a few folks asking us if we'd named our daughter after a Battlestar Galactica character, but the overwhelming majority knew she was named for a Greek goddess even if they had no idea what her powers were.
ReplyDeleteI am a big fan of the unusual kid name and yet I have issue with the oddly spelled normal kid name.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, Sprog has unusual kid name IRL but his nickname is fairly innocuous and he prefers that to his actual name so that's what he's called. Maybe someday he'll actually go by his other, cooler IMO, name but I doubt it.
If I ever had a girl, I'd want to name her Tate. I know that it comes from "Little Man Tate" but I really like it for a girl.
Tell us pleeeeese!!!
ReplyDeleteI think keeping the name under wraps is usually a good idea. No one is going to tell you that it's a stupid name when they're looking at little Oprah's sweet baby face. We picked pretty traditional/classic names, and I still kept them a secret because I was afraid someone would say something that would ruin it for me.
ReplyDelete