Second guessing our girl name

bigbobdole

We decided on baby names a while ago. I'm starting to have doubts on our girl name, Maggie. Team green, so this might not even be an issue.

My husband loves it. I just don't know if I'm sold 100%. But I'm also stuck on what could be an backup name.

Jude is our boy name, with Isaac as the backup (but I'm about 99.99999% certain we're going with Jude)

My daughter wants to name the baby after herself. Maybe that's not a terrible idea....

bigbobdole

WWJAD? @Stargirlb‌

Maebb

Is your girl name just Maggie or Margaret, and what is the middle name?

I may be a little biased because I know one human Maggie and one dog Maggie.

bigbobdole

We were going with Maggie as a stand alone. He's not a fan of Margaret. I can't even remember other names I suggested when we were talking baby names. We were so settled on Maggie I forgot other names existed.

UberBiz

You never know what you will come up with once the baby is born... My mom was 'team green' for all 5 of us, and always had Steven set for a boy name... Neither of my brothers are named Steven! They are Christopher and David, and were both named shortly after birth, cuz they just "didn't look like a Steven." I'm afraid of that happening even knowing we're having a girl, and having a name that we're 98% sure of.

bigbobdole

Middle name is up in the air. We said May because we love Rod.. lol.

My 7 year old is Bethany Anastasia

NatureLovers

I gotta be honest....to me Maggie is a dog's name, but maybe that's just me. I'm also not a fan of giving a child an informal nickname as their real name. Maggie is fine within the family, but if she's a business woman Maggie sounds weak and girlish. Margaret sounds more authoritative and respectful.

bigbobdole

That was something I thought about too. It didn't occur to me until I was talking a friend out of naming her daughter Katie, because Katie is not a 'grown up' name.. then I was like 'shit, neither is Maggie...'

UberBiz

https://www.famousbirthdays.com/names/maggie.html

https://www.famousbirthdays.com/names/katie.html

aerotigergirl

I actually don't mind nicknames given as formal names. One of our front-runner is Evey. And I think it's a good sign that, at one point at least, you so loved the idea of Maggie that you forgot that other names existed. 

That's the way it was for us when we were naming DS (Jonah). We'd narrowed it down to just 3 names, and decided to try using each one for a week. We used Jonah first, and after the week was up, neither of us wanted to try either of our other top two choices. It felt like the name sort of chose us. 

Granted, if we'd gone with either of our other top two names first (Galen was one, and I can't remember the other now), it's very possible that that could have become his name, just like Jonah did.

The point is: even after being 100% sold on Jonah for 20 weeks (or so), I had second thoughts in the hospital. I think it's totally normal to have cold feet about a name after you've come to a decision. It's a lifelong (well, for most anyway) decision. 

FWIW, I think Maggie is cute. And, like I said, I have no problem with nicknames given as formal names. This particular nickname does seem like it fits a younger girl better than an older one. That's not a reason to not use it, just something to think about. 

mandikins27

So your name is Megan? So thats out.. Not a fan of margaret
Magdalena?
Magnolia?
Margaux?

csjsmom

I work with a grown up named Katie. I think it's fine! Maggie would be too.

bigbobdole

@UberBiz‌ I also have a negative association with the name Kate/Katie in general. If I had a mortal enemy it would be my cousin's exgf, Kate, so that's another reason I told my friend I wasn't a fan.

12chachacha

Magda?

sanbry

We named our first Lily just after we found out she was a girl and I will say, even the first few weeks after she was born, I wondered if it was the right name for her. It passed though and the name suits her and I can't imagine her with any other name. We've already named this one and I'll admit I've had the same worries if I like it for sure or not. Cold feet is normal I think. Maggie is a nice name

csjsmom

I always found it strange to change from saying "the baby" to using the chosen name for some reason. It took a couple weeks to adjust.

MarxieVonTrapp

I'm super biased b/c my daughter is Maggie (from Margaret).  I agree with other posters who said a formal name would be better than a nn as a formal name.  Other posters have also listed out the alternatives for Margaret--Magnolia, Megan, Margot/Margo/Margeaux, Magdalena, Magda, etc.

While I love Rod as much as the next person, you might want to read the lyrics to Maggie Mae before giving that as the middle name since the song is about a female sexual predator.  

MusicFanatic

I don't mind a "nick name" over a formal name. In all my years of teaching ballet, I've had many kids with typical nicknames as first name (Lily, Gabby, Steve and Joe are the ones I can remember off the top of my head).  I actually adore Maggie.. just as that. I think it's super cute.

Jellybean707

Maggie is my dog's name. I like giving my dogs people names though. I've had a Bruce and a Lamont too. 

I think the thing with names is to just commit. There were times even after my son was born when I kept thinking that maybe we had gotten it wrong. We didn't but it's hard not to second guess yourself.

bigbobdole

@MarxieVonTrapp‌ I have mentioned the lyrics to my husband.. lol.. He said middle names don't really matter and we have time to find an alternative.

He doesn't like Margaret or Marg- names because he things people will give the nn Marge. He's also a huge pain in the ass(not relevant, but still feel the need to get that out..)

bigbobdole

@Jellybean707‌ I was so set in naming my first daughter. Never had a doubt. She was Bethany Anastasia from the second I found out she was a girl. I figured it was supposed to always be that easy

TXUltraRunner

our name choice- Magnolia Mae (after our great grandmothers) will end up having the nickname "Maggie Mae"

LadyXaverian

Since you asked WWJAD, JA would definitely name her Margaret with the nick name Maggie.

I think Maggie can stand alone, but I do prefer a formal name.

bigbobdole

You are so right about JA, @LadyXaverian‌!

Tell that to my husband.. He doesn't know you have to name babies from a pre approved list of JA names.

llambrose

I like Maggie, it was on my list when I was pregnant with my daughter.

LooneyLife

Maggie is our top name choice if this baby is a girl. My mom is Margaret as was her mother. My mom did not use it for any of her three daughters because she hates her name. So our potential daughter will be Maggie instead. But I'm also not a huge fan of giving a child one name (Margaret) but intending to call them something different (Maggie). NN that evolve naturally don't bother me, but predetermined NN are not my style.

ETA: My mom, Margaret, has always been called Marge or Margie.

12chachacha

I also went through a cold feet period with our name that occurred shortly after we found out she was a girl. My husband started calling her by a name and it was weird. I ended up getting over it and the name stayed.
I also think Maggie by itself wouldn't be my style, but it is a great nickname. I don't see a problem giving a baby a more formal name with the intention of using a nickname. She can always be Maggie to you but can go by Margaret or whatever in formal situations later on if she feels she needs it.

mmur76

I love Maggie- that is my 4-month old niece's name (full name Margaret).  Obviously I am biased, but I think it's super cute.  If you didn't want to go with Margaret, though, I LOVE Magnolia as a full name!

MarxieVonTrapp

FWIW, my daughter has never been called Marge or Margie.  If people give her a nn that isn't Maggie, it's simply Mags (which I hate and automatically correct).  One of her teachers calls her Margaret, and since her MN is Louise, we sometimes call her Maggie Lou.  But never, ever Margie.

bigbobdole

I've never heard anyone named Margaret with the nn Marge... He knew one girl named Margarita that got called Marge. I would never call someone Marge as a nn.

motherboy

I waffled on my son's name after he was born, it felt weird, like I was forcing it. It took two weeks or so to "fit" him. Now of course it does. So you aren't the only one to second guess yourself.

My mom is marge, from Margaret. She hates her name. My sister is Margaret, nn Meg. No one ever calls her marge, except I do when I point out how she is turning into our mother. I love Margot and think it's such a classy name. I wish I could use it. I agree with others that it is good for a woman to have a formal name to use when she's an adult.

My DH is super picky too and it's annoying. Sorry I'm not much help, but know you're not the only couple to go through name indecision!

Stargirlb

Meg is a great name. Meg whitman-- hp chairperson and former eBay CEO

Stargirlb

I would go with Margot because that is a great serious name but still sexy unlike Margaret. Can still be nicknamed Maggie or Meg.

danak4

MarxieVonTrapp said:

FWIW, my daughter has never been called Marge or Margie.  If people give her a nn that isn't Maggie, it's simply Mags (which I hate and automatically correct).  One of her teachers calls her Margaret, and since her MN is Louise, we sometimes call her Maggie Lou.  But never, ever Margie.

Our daughters have the same name! We call her Maggie Lou occasionally too. Mags doesn't bother me too much, however my FIL calls her Magpie and I cringe every time. 

 I love the name Maggie (obviously) but prefer a more formal option. I like Magdalena or Magnolia if you don't like Margaret. 

britb618

I actually love Maggie just as it is I work in a professional setting and although I don't often hear Maggie I wouldn't think it was an unprofessional name or a kids name. My husband chose my daughters middle name as Mae because of the Maggie May song, she's Mackenzie Mae though. But I don't actually think Mackenzie is that professional sounding either, but hey I'm Brittanee and I don't think it sounds professional at all and I'm in court weekly and no one ever blinks

kbl13

Love the name Maggie! Margaret was on my list of names, but DH vetoed it.. might have to think about Margot or Magnolia.

I'm determined for my baby girl to have a formal name and a nickname.. just so she has options.

stephchris0321

What about Marguerite or Magnolia with the nickname Maggie?

llbne

My sister is Margaret and I have literally never heard her called Marge, I think that's very uncommon for anyone under say 45. She is called Meg, and if she gets a nickname it is usually Peggy or Daisy (both obscure but genuine nicknames for Margaret).

bigbobdole

I'm going to throw all of the formal name suggestions at my husband, see if he bites.

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one second guessing names. And it's nice to hear opinions on the nn as a given name.

Baby might be a boy and then all of this would be in vain... lol

MahriM23

Not a fan of Maggie as a stand alone name. Note that PPs that said they do like it have also said it's "cute" Not something you want to be called when you're 40. Just my 2 cents