It has been a series of conflict in the sitcom-in-the-making of "Prego and A's Magical Pregnant Journey" lately. I'm a firm believer in conflict -- I think it's necessary to make progress in anything, and in any honest relationship, it's just a natural presence. If you have a relationship without any conflict, someone isn't being honest. There's my relationship advice for the day, you can pay me by Paypal for it later.
We're in the final stretch here before The Spawn gets here -- only about 6 weeks left in this god-forsaken pregnancy. (I'm sorry. Pregnancy is a wonderful blessing and is the greatest thing ever... but good god DAMN my back and my feet hurt and I'm so tired of waking up multiple times in the night to pee or wake up to sharp pangs of intense pain because I have a tiny little foot lodged in my rib cage.) And we have no idea what to name her. Until about a week ago, her name was Sophia. But then MSN released the most popular names of 2007, and guess what was #1? Of course. Sophia. I was livid. Furious. This was a crazy pregnant meltdown on the same level of the ring shopping, KFC incident.
It shouldn't matter, right? I mean, this is me and A's kid and this kid is going to be unique regardless of her name. But still, I really don't want her to be one of five Sophia's in her class, forever be known as Sophia [Last Initial], and feel lost in a sea of Sophias. Naming people is HARD, kids. I don't particularly mind my name -- about 90% of the time I get it misspelled and/or mispronounced, and it takes a special breed of stupid to mispronounce my name. I just feel pressure from all edges of the family to name her after so-and-so, or use this name, or "That's really...different..." or whatever vague, passive-aggressive comments I field from my mother on any given week. It sucks.
It sucks more because I can tell he is very keen on changing the name. But he isn't the one carrying this little person inside of him. I have come to know and love this little kicking, punching, assaulting, rolling THING in me as "Sophie." To think of her by another name just totally alienates me from her. If that makes any sense. I don't expect it to make any sense to anyone except fellow Prego's or past Prego's. I just know her that way. It's like being told your best friend's name isn't really what you've always known it as. Sure, it's still the same person (probably), but they just become a bit of a stranger. I've spent eight months with this little person on a level that nobody else will ever know... and I've known her as Sophia (Sophie for short). To be honest, it's a little devastating.
He doesn't know I feel this way, nor does he understand. Like I said, I really wouldn't expect him to. I don't know... it just is all so final. This will be her name for the rest of her life. I don't want her to hate me/us, regardless of what we choose. I want her to have a fitting name that she likes. I don't know. I remember the torment of naming my dog and now I can't ever see him being known as anything BUT Bodhi. (BO-dee for those unfamiliar with him.) Maybe this is like that. I don't know. I am secretly hoping we decide to stick with Sophie.
Who knows. We'll see where hormonal Prego stands on it tomorrow. It changes daily.
1 hour ago
5 comments:
Well, one thing you can do is give her a less popular first name, have her middle name Sophia, then call her Sophie as a nickname. My parents didn't name me Ali, but I rarely go as anything else.
Adrianna, Alisa, Daria, Dehlia, Mia, Madeline, Norah, Violet just to name a few noncommon but still known girly names.
I am an Amber, and there's lot's of Amber's. But I don't mind it. It's simple and pretty and if there's a few more of us oh well, at least people can spell it.
My sister, however, is a Ryleigh. Most people can't spell or pronounce it, or assume she's male.
I would MUCH rather have a popular name than an "omg speshul" name.
Sophia is lovely. Don't let its popularity turn you aside from it if that's the name you really want for her.
Chiming in with the "make it her middle name" crowd. My first name is William but I've always gone by Clay, which is my middle name.
Happy New Year, first of all!
Also going with the middle name thing. I actually know quite a few people whose parents called them by their middle name, but they went by their first name once they started school/work/etc. Often because there were so many others with the same first name.
This, of course, is something I have experience with. My name is Michael. Think I was ever in a class, or anywhere else, where I was the only one named Michael?
But I also have a father who has always gone by his middle name, and I can tell you an interesting plus to all this: your daughter will always know when a telemarketer is on the phone, as they'll ask for her by her first name. :-)
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