What's in a name?

There have been so many blogs lately about baby names.  I thought I would weigh-in on the topic of baby names since I had to name a child three times.  I think naming a child is EXTREMELY difficult!!!  I was one of those girls that thought about naming a baby since I don't know middle school?  But once I became pregnant for real, all of those names flew out the window and I was a blank slate!!!  Bryan and I talked and talked (or really argued and argued) over what was an acceptable name.  If it was a girl, Bryan wanted a double name like Sara Beth or Anna Claire.  I wasn't really into that.  If it was a boy, I did not want a Jr.  He did not want something weird.  Neither one of us was passionate about naming our baby after a family name.  Plus, I am a teacher so there are A LOT of names that are not acceptable to me based upon an experience with a particular child during my school year.  Here is a sampling of boy names that were unacceptable to me:  Dylan, Seth, Ethan, Deonte and Dante.   A couple of girl names that bring annoying thoughts from past school years are Brooklyn, Isabella, Zelma and Crawfashia.  Ha Ha - yes I had a Zelma and a Crawfashia!!!!

So in a sonogram in 2006, we learned its a girl!!!  And we could concentrate on 1/2 of the name list.  We had a fabulous book that Amy gave us called the Baby Name Wizard.  I love that book!!  I really wanted a name not in the top ten most popular but I didn't want a weird name like Apple.  I looked and looked through that book and settled on Jillian.  I did not know any Jillians at that time and it was easy to spell.  Bryan liked Avery.  Booom!  It was easy.  Jillian Avery it was!!

Then Baby #2!!  Which I knew was a girl!!  I really did not want another J name.   I wanted something totally different.  I think I was leaning towards Skylar or Claire or Charlotte.  But as you know, sonogram told us a different story and we had to choose a boy name.  I was sooooooooooooooo lost.  I don't even remember some of our choices.  I think I liked Presley, Spencer or Jack.  But along the way, Bryan kept emphasizing that we needed a tough name.  He wanted something that no one could make fun of.  He thought of Rocco.  Everyone thought that was bizarre.  We are not Italian.  We don't look like a family that would have a Rocco.  But something about it kept sticking with me and finally I agreed and I really had started liking Harrison so boom!!!!  Rocco Harrison it was!  This started the tradition of it was a girl, I picked the 1st name and Bryan picked the 2nd and if it was a boy, Bryan picks the 1st name (well, with my approval of course) and I pick the 2nd.  Once Rocco arrived, his name soooooo fit him!!!!

Then we got a 3rd try to name a child.  Now I have been a teacher for four years and there are a lot of names that just won't do.  Again, I did not want a name that was similar to Jillian or Rocco.  I did not want a name that was top ten popular.  At my school (and maybe because we are so close to Mexico), all of the girls are named Sophia, Isabella or Emma or they rhyme with Kalin, Jalin, Braylyn,  Seriously not exaggerating.  Most of the boys are named Ethan or Nathan and they are named something that rhymes with Aidan - Brayden, Jayden, Hayden, Caden, Zayden.   While I actually love all of these names, they are sooooooooo popular in my little area of TX.  I feel bad when I have 2 Haydens and I say Hayden P or Hayden C. come here.  Or Isabella M. come here.  So Jillian was very into the Barbie movie or the 12 Dancing Princesses and one of the Princesses' name was Hadley.  I liked it!!  A little different but not too weird.  I have a friend named Leigh and I love the way she spells it so I thought Hadleigh was perfect.  Bryan liked Savannah and Boom!!!  There you have it - Hadleigh Savannah

Honestly, I have a little regret over Hadleigh's name.  Hello??  I am a kinder teacher.  She is going to have a hard time spelling her name.  I should have kept to the easy spelling.  Hadley.  Over people already misspell it all the time.  Plus Hadleigh Savannah is a mouthful and a lot of letters.  She will struggle to spell it all.  Oh well, too late now.

I will tell you that if (I stress if) we ever have Baby #4, we have broke with tradition and already have it picked out.  We broke with tradition again and will use this name if it is a girl OR a boy.  The only think up for debate are the middle names.   

Finally, the last thing I will say about names is that I like to play the "Duggar Game."  Bryan and I will sit down and have to come up with 10 girl J names and 10 boy J names.  Try it!  It is super hard.  Mrs. Duggar picked a hard letter to go with 20 children.  Here is one of my lists:

1.  Jillian                    1.  Jack Henry

2.  Jane Francis          2.  Jude

3.  Julie                       3.  Jordan

4.  Jemma                   4.  Jace

5.   Jocelyn                 5.  Joseph Daniel (JoDan)   

6.  January                  6.  Jayden

7.  Jessica                    7.  Jonathan 

8.  June Elyse              8.  Jaxon

9.  Jennifer                  9.  Jones

10.  Jewel                   10.  Jeffrey

Seriously, coming up with acceptable J names is quite difficult.  Ha ha!!  Wow!  Looking at this post, I actually have a lot to say about names!!  Ha!!