Obsession:Baby Names

What's in a name?

Some people haven't named their kids days after they enter the world. Some people (like me) have them named 4 months into the pregnancy. Some people like trendy names. Some people (like me) want there to be no other child on Planet Earth with the same name.

This is ridiculous, I realize.

I still go back and see how popular the Boys' names have become since they were born.

Jack=VERY much so.
Finn=getting there.
Rowan=getting there.
Bec=nowhere close.
Maeve=not sure which way it'll go.

So, really, does a name matter that much? Is it worth the attention I give it?

Or do people truly grow into their names?

Here's what the Boys' names mean or what they mean to us as family names:

Jack Richard was named for my uncle Jack who died of Lou Gherig's disease. Uncle Jack was one of the strongest, kindest people I've ever known. I believe my Jack will live up to that name. Richard was my dad's middle name. My dad was crazy funny, smart and damn stubborn. Jack Richard is all of these.

Finnegan (Finn) James Finnegan means "fair" and doesn't appear to relate to our Finn. To me, though, Finnegan sounds like the name of an Irish rogue and THIS is spot on with Finn. He does love the ladies. James is Andy's dad's name and my maternal grandfather's middle name. Good, solid man's name.

Rowan Andrew Rowan means "little red one". There is also a Rowan Tree which is a very beautiful and hardy tree. "Little red one" is not fitting for Rowan but the description of the Rowan Tree could very well describe him. I loved this name from an Anne Rice novel, The Witching Hour, where the main character's name was Rowan Mayfair. Andrew, of course, is for the baby daddy.

Beccan (Bec) Joseph Beccan means "little one" and in fact he was the smallest when he was born. He is also the "little one" of 4 brothers and is determined to remain the baby, forcing us to still let him sleep with us. Joseph is Andy's first name.

So what does the name Maeve Lotus hold for poor baby Maeve, baby sister of Jack, Finn, Rowan and Bec?

Maeve Lotus Maeve means "she who intoxicates" and is the name of a legendary Irish warrior queen. Lotis was my maternal grandmother's name. Andy says Lotis has "Otis" in it like "Otis the town drunk" from Andy Griffith and that combined with "she who intoxicates" might not bode well for her college days (Maeve Otis could well have been my name). So we decided to change Lotis to Lotus which means "flower". For someone like me, who is such a tomboy, I wanted a feminine name if we ever had a girl.

I think, no I know, that I have in the past felt like I "did better" (I don't know if that's how to put it) than people who name their kids very popular or common names. I don't know why I've felt like that. It's ridiculous because popular names are popular for a reason, you know. They are beautiful or strong.

Maybe because my name is so...I don't want to say "Blah" but a combo of two very common names. I guess I wanted my kids not to have that? I don't know but this is my general apology for ever feeling that way.

What's in a name?

A name is whatever you make of it, I guess.

A neurobiologist named Starla?

A hooker named Eunice?