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Baby Names
Scarlett&Gatsby
member
For those who took a list of names to the hospital...
Scarlett&Gatsby
member
in Baby Names
How long was your list?
What do you think is the ideal number to have the list narrowed down to?
Did you like choosing after you met your child? Do you wish you'd just picked the name out ahead of time?
DH and I recently decided that we don't want to choose a name before the birth. With DD1, we had planned on bringing a list, but I started freaking out about having a name, and we ended up choosing one at about 35 weeks. We were probably 98% set on it, and that was the name we went with. With DD2, we chose her name at 18 weeks and were 100% set on it the whole pregnancy, and that was her name. So this isn't so much about having to meet the child first. I just think it'd be fun if the name was kind of a surprise for everyone---us included. And I like the idea of trying out a couple new names and spending that time privately before making the big announcement about his/her name.
Any advice? We have a pretty loooong list for both sexes (especially boys, since we haven't gotten to use any of our boys' names yet), and I don't want to take ALL of them to the hospital. But I'm not sure how many is too may. Three? Five? Ten? Thoughts?
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Re: For those who took a list of names to the hospital...
Edit: We'd only agreed on 2 boy names, so that was the entire list for that one.
Thanks! Did you feel like it was a delivery room decision, or was there one you were already favoring over the other before he was born?
We were team pink and we took three names-- my favorite, my DH's favorite and a compromise name.
After J was born-- she had to go right to the nursery (I had a vac assisted birth so they just wanted to make sure she was OK). The nurses brought her to me maybe 3 hours after her birth and DH asked--what do you think?
We wound up going with the compromise name because it had the most personal meaning to us and we both loved the NN Josie. I will admit to sometimes still feeling a bit of a pang when I hear of another little girl with my favorite name, but it's at the top of our list for a possible future DD.
My parents/ fam/ friends didn't know any of the names, so it was really fun to "introduce" her.
BFP 1- EDD 2/09/11 Missed MC DX @11 weeks D&C- 7/25/10 BFP 2- EDD 12/22/11 Natural MC @ 5w 2d BFP 3- EDD 1/25/12 DD Josephine born 1/16/12
It seems like some couples end up bringing a list just because they just can't agree and are in a deadlock, and hope it'll be clear after the baby's born. I don't think that clarity really happens.
We're pretty good at coming to an agreement. We decided on DD2's name with no trouble at all. The problem with DD1's name was my indecision, not an extreme difference in styles or flexibility. So that's not really a situation I'm concerned about. I think we could come to a decision fairly quickly after the birth.
We kept DD1's name a secret, and we really liked that, too.
Our families are religious, so they liked being able to pray for DD2 by name throughout the pregnancy (and we liked that, too), but I don't think it matters enough to me to do again. It's not like we're not going to pray for him/her just because we don't know the name.
We took 5 names with us (we knew we were team pink). 3 of which were real contenders, the last 2 were "just in case" names where we liked them, but not as much as the first 3 and we wanted to keep them on the list just in case she just did not look like any of our top 3. We kept going round and round with the top 3 which made us decide to just take names to the hospital because we were getting nowhere without meeting baby. After a point we just needed to stop talking about it and revisit. That's my best advice, really.
We also did the resume test (extreme, but hey, we needed to narrow down the list anyway we could). I downloaded a fancy resume, and put our top names on each one, and printed them out. We then laid them on the kitchen table and there were 2 that just didn't look "right" to us, so we took them off the list.
After we chose her name, I did have some anxiety about whether we chose the "right" name or not. Maybe 2 weeks or so. I'm naturally an indecisive person. I didn't have any trouble bonding though.
After all was said and done, I couldn't imagine DD as anything else. She is Renee. We love the meaning and how uncommon, yet normal it is. I get a ton of compliments.
Thanks, everyone! I appreciate the insights!
I figured no more than 5 names would probably be best; we're going to find out what it is, so that will, of course, narrow it down to one sex.
I've been thinking about the idea ever since the mom of one of the babies I watch told me how they brought a list of names to the hospital with them. All of the names were flowery and really girly, and then they had Alexandra (still very feminine, but a much "tougher" name than their others). When she was born, she was red and screaming (and she still is a zero-to-pissed baby), and they just knew she couldn't be any name but Alexandra.
I knew Monica was a Monica but I wasn't sure about Tallulah. In fact, we agreed that she wasn't one, but we didn't have any other fall-back options. I'm glad we stuck it out; I loooove the name Tallulah, and it's definitely hers now, but we really weren't sure about it. So, I mean, I know a kid will grow into his/her name regardless, but I'd like to be able to try a couple out before deciding.
ETA: It fit his personality way better than the backup name. The meanings behind them were important to us, and this kid came out YELLING and has demanded attention from day 1. His name means "Strong man of God" and there is nothing meek or mild about his personality, haha.
For two out of our three kids we took names to the hospital. Our son we were torn the whole pregnancy between two and when I saw him a light just went on and he totally "looked" like one of them. DD1 the second I mentioned Scarlet to DH at about 15wks he was totally hooked and that was that
With DD2 I had two names again we were debating but before I went into the OR for my c-sec. I just knew she was a Tess for some reason. Personally for me I wouldn't have wanted to take more than two names into the hospital--- just too much pressure! Taking two you both love and agree on you can't really go wrong. GL!
With DS, we each had a top choice - mine was John, after DH's grandfather (yeah, I wanted his family name, and I also just like it), and his was Lincoln. I had an RCS scheduled, but my water broke early, the night of Thanksgiving. On the way to the hospital, DH asked what I was thinking, and I said I thought maybe the fact that I went into labor on Thanksgiving was a sign we should use Lincoln, because Abraham Lincoln started the modern tradition of a national Thanksgiving holiday. DH said he'd been thinking the same thing. That, and the fact that DD's first name is from my side of the family, convinced me that we should go with his choice this time, and I don't regret it now.
There was nothing about how we decided that depended on us meeting DS and choosing a name based on his personality, but I have fond memories of the day I went into labor (it would have been a great family Thanksgiving even without DS being born), and I like that his name has something to do with the story of his birth.
This is such a sweet/ cute story!
BFP 1- EDD 2/09/11 Missed MC DX @11 weeks D&C- 7/25/10 BFP 2- EDD 12/22/11 Natural MC @ 5w 2d BFP 3- EDD 1/25/12 DD Josephine born 1/16/12
So my unhelpful reply is to take however many you want. FWIW, it took 2 days to name J. and 5 to name A. S. was named in 3 days, I think. (Is it bad that only a month later I can't remember how long it took?)
Dd2 had a name from about 15 weeks. We were team green both times. It took us ages to agree on a girl name first time and on a boy name second time.
I highly recommend keeping an open mind, you might have a moment just like we did!
DH and I have a list of about 5 names (3 we both like). We were pretty set on choosing at the hospital. However, this last week, one of the names has been really sticking out to me, and I keep calling her that in my mind. I told DH last night "I think her name is XYZ" and he responded "OK". LOL - not quite the response I was looking for! We have one favorite name, which is the one that keeps sticking out to me, but DH says it's "too weird" for him to call her by name in utero. So, although we say we have 5 names, we pretty much just have 1 name, but DH isn't willing to say it's her name until she's born.
I think I would have been overwhelmed with too many options though. Maybe 3 names tops for me! My just really needed to do most of the heavy duty weeding out prior to the hospital.