Sometimes, it's good to have a dictator, at least in the family, when it's me, and when it comes to names. I think with Sophia I kind of presented Henry with the name of our child, and he had the opportunity to officially consent. Luckily, he liked the name as much as me. Now I just asked him to come up with another list of names he likes for baby No. 2 (3). The conditions we (I) have are that the name ought to have a meaning, be about the same pronunciation in both German and English and...I think that's it. Now, I love Henry deeply but the list didn't get my vote, except for maybe 1-2 names:
Boys:
Sean
Jakob
Uli
Jansen
Johann
Emil
Girls:
Isa
Elsie
Lillie
Tilly
Ilsa
Helene
Isana
Elma
Ilse
Unfortunately for Henry half of the names he picked are 'granny' names in Germany, or last names, or just ugly names. And the other half probably didn't meet our other criteria. And that, people, is why I ought to continue the name picking in our family. :)
I love you Henry!
Sunday, July 25, 2010
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19 comments:
Elma is my grandma's (Dad's Mom) name. That said, the granny names seem to be making a comeback. You could be at the head of a trend.
If you're going to dis my name list then at least give me some alternative GOOD German names. :) At least I didn't put Gretel or Isolde on my list.
Mike likes 80's names. Yuck. I agree, sometimes it's better to have a dictator. And I do want to hear what is on your list. (:
Isa in Fiji is what you say when something/someone is incredibly precious and brings good memories. It's pronounced with a long E sound at the beginning. How is it pronounced in German?
We named Alena by my giving Kevin a list and him crossing all of them off. Repeat. Repeat. Then he crossed all but Alena off. (Ok, it wasn't that bad, but close.)
With Reasor I just spend 9 months working to convince him.
Isn't it funny how difficult it is to pick names when you have to include a spouse? So, granny names may be coming back, but I'm not willing to head that trend right now. I'd love to name our children after someone awesome in our family. I really really love my paternal grandma, and wish I could honor her by passing on her name, but I think her name is awful. I just can't do it to any of my kids (her name is Elfriede).
80's names aren't better...
Isa is actually on my list of 'acceptable options' (and it's pronounced basically the same in German as in Fiji apparently). But that was probably the only one I could stand from Henry's girl's names. I guess I could stomach Lillie as well, but really - not even those two really appeal to me.
The fact is that the names are basically chosen already. Henry and I agreed on a boy's name a while ago (after a few years of warming Henry to the boy name of my liking). We also have a girl's name picked, and had so for a long time. However, right now we're looking for a second name to go with the girl's name we've picked.
I won't reveal our choices yet, because I think it's fun to still have some surprises up our sleeves. In my opinion though they are beautiful, meaningful names. And that's all I really care about...that, and people not butchering the pronunciation.
WHAT? Did I miss an announcement around here? You are pregnant? YAY, CONGRATULATIONS a billion times!!! :):):)
As to names, ugh, J and I have the exact same problem. J would just love those old-fashioned names. He thought Elsa for a girl (and HUGO!! for a boy) are just dreamy.
But may I just ask, what on earth is wrong with Isa???? Huh.. huh?
oh.. and as to Elfriede.. how about Elfie? Haha.
You could always use just a part of the name in Grandma Elfriede's honor. If Frieda still falls into the grannyish category, you could use the name Ellie. My niece Elise gets called that alot, but it could really be a variation on any girl's name that starts with El.
Hey, Congrats Fran and Henry!!! I'm SO happy for you two!! We had SUCH a hard time with Chloe's name. We knew her middle name would be Grace (because that's my grandma's name) way before we had her but we were still throwing out new ideas in the hospital AFTER she was born!! :-/
My inner dictator takes over too when it comes to names. You know all of the silly little guidelines I put prospective names through. But then Danny always seems to know what name I'm going to end up demanding/deciding on anyway, so I wonder why I worry :)
So, I figured I'd reveal some of the names I've been liking that probably will never happen because of Henry's questionable taste in names...:) or simply because it doesn't meet my criteria.
For boys I've always liked Kai and Lasse, as well as Ethan. Henry doesn't like Kai, and Lasse and Ethan don't meet the required criteria.
For girls, I've liked the name Madeleine, but am running into problems with how it's pronounced in the US vs. Germany as well as meaning (tower - what kind of lame meaning is that???). I also love the name Alma, but Henry is really putting up a fight against this one, though its meaning (Soul) is so beautiful and I love the sound. Then again, of course, being Mormon, and in the US, we'd have issues with association as well as pronunciation (I don't want an Eh-lma...). I think at some point we've tossed around Lucy and Marie, but since my niece now took Marie, and it's so common anyway, I don't think that would have ever happened. I'm not really that fond of Lucy anymore either.
So, there are a few names. I'd be curious for suggestions. If you know a name with a beautiful meaning, that sounds about the same in German and English, and is a little more unique than Emily or Emma, I'm interested in hearing it.
Just be prepared for me not liking it. Hahaha :).
I'm just glad that we have one sure name for both a boy and girl, and now it's just debating a second name...
Oooh, you may have guessed that we like the name Lasse, since our middle son has that name. We considered Kai for our third boy too - but then my criteria were slightly looser than your. Since my American parents gave me a name Amis think they can spell, but can't and can't read when they see it, our kids just have to have names that both Americans and Germans can technically pronounce. But between your recent blogging about second names and attending when my brother was set apart for a new calling last Sunday, it occurs to me that in about 11 years (when Troy Friedrich is old enough to be set apart for anything) priesthood leaders might wish I had extended my criteria to our boys's second names as well.
Max and Alex are bilingual names. You could also use Sebastian, although that might fall into the the oh so hot in the 80's category. Rebekka/Rebekah/Rebecca, is close to bilingual. Kirsten, Lola (don't know that Lola would be on my list, but it fits the same pronounciation criteria). Ooooh Heidi is said the same in both languages
Aliza, what would be the problem with the name Kai for Americans? I've seen/heard it here before, I think, though it's very rare. I think most Americans would definitely pronounce it properly.
So, as for your suggestions: I don't care very much for any name really that has an X in it, and any version of Alex has never been a favorite. I think I just don't like X's in names.
Sebastian would be too different in English from the German version for my taste, while I think Rebecca actually is exactly the same (with the only difference being how the r's are pronounced). However, I don't like any Rebeccas eithers, simply because it's just a common name amongst members, and so 'churchy'. Not my thing. Kirstin is an 80's name to me, and 80's names just won't happen, but you're right - it works in both languages. Lola would actually be kind of fun, but I think people here would always associate it with the movie, which isn't so cool.
Heidi would also not be a name I'd choose. It's strangely popular here in the US, but I don't even know anyone with that name in Germany (where you'd think it to be a common name, being all 'German' etc.). Ahhh, name picking...
By the way, I am sure the day will come that people here wish Friedrich wouldn't have been an option. I can already hear them 'tripping' over the name, calling him 'Frederick'. Ha! How did you end up with Friedrich anyway? It makes me think of WWII era Fatherland. :) Is it a family name or something?
Lasse is a great name. I wouldn't mind having a little Lasse, but Henry thinks it's too similar to Lassie (the dog). Phhhhhh...
Choosing a name for our third boy is also difficult. It needs to work in french, english and tahitian, have a meaning, and be less than three syllables....
My husband ideas: Zinedine, Socrates, Teancum, Napoleon..seriously?!
Anyway. Fran, I like your list. I also like old fashioned names. They're becoming popular in France.
What about Adeline? :)
Oh my goodness, Marie!!!!!!!!!!! I can't believe Teanu's suggestions. Where would our kids end up if our husbands had free reign on the naming thing. Ayayay! Zinedine??? Because of the soccer player? Socrates? I mean, these are respectable mean, Teancum included, but really, REALLY! Hahaha...good luck. I hope you find something.
Adeline would create similar problems for as as Madeleine is creating I think. But, today I found two names that I really liked, and that Henry sort of liked. So, now there's hope. Usually once I can get him to sort of like a name, with enough time, I can get a consent. :) We'll see.
P.S. Marie, you should like my list, after all it basically includes your name in full (I always thought your name was very pretty and very classy!).
Fran, Kai shouldn't give Americans trouble, but Lasse...My sister frequently teases her nephew "Lassie" most people who just see the name, assume he is my daughter, with a unique spelling of the name Lacy. When I tell some new the name for the first time they almost always hear Lassen (until I repeat it three times). Except the Young Women's President in our ward always calls my boys Josef and Lassef.
I agree that naming a third boy is difficult. Troy didn't have a first name until the day he was born (although I'd known his middle name was Friedrich even before the ultrasound showed he was a boy. I just had a feeling he would be a boy and bring our family blessings of peace. I tried other names with "Fried" on him - because you're right it is a very old-fashioned name and my husband definately needed warming up to it, but Friedrich was the only name that felt completely right.
Aliza, we have a name we may just use for a boy that means 'Father of Peace'. I think it's a pretty cool name, but it's a little on the more unique side.
Anyway, I remembered two other names that I actually quite like but we'll probably never use since they don't fit any of our criteria (especially the pronunciation one).
Elias and Silas. I really like them both, but only the German pronunciation...
My friend Jens and his wife Judith named their second son Silas. I agree it works much better in German than in English.
Even though I have had to give nearly every new person I've met, a quick tutorial on how to say or spell my name, I've always enjoyed being the only Aliza I know, so I'm all for unique.
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