Long time reader here hoping to get some last minute advice. I am having a c-section on Friday and having cold feet about our daughter’s middle name. Our first daughter’s name was much easier because my husband and I had only one name in common on our favorites lists – Georgia. We call her Georgia, Georgia Kate, and GK. Deciding our second’s name was not as easy because we did not have any overlapping choices this time, so in the end I picked my top choice from his list. The name chosen around 24 weeks was Scarlett Claire.
Fast forward and long story short, we have had a very trying third trimester — broken a/c, dryer died, multiple house leaks that will mean we cannot return home after the hospital and will have to stay with family instead. At church this past Sunday, it hit me that I think her name should be Scarlett Joy, because despite the circumstances and stress, her arrival will still be a source of Joy and should be celebrated. Claire has no significance other than I liked the sound. I still like it, but think Joy might bring more “butterflies” because of the situation. I also like how SJ sounds more than SC, if we ever call her by initials like we do with GK. My husband says he is not entirely swayed either way, so I think since I picked Scarlett from his list, I can have more swing with the middle.
So do I pull a last minute switch up based on emotion or do I stick with the choice we made ahead of time? I’d love your outside input.
Thanks!
Kelsey
I don’t see any reason you have to stick with a name just because you chose earlier in the pregnancy: the name isn’t REALLY decided until it’s on the birth certificate (and of course, sometimes not even then). It sounds like you like the new choice better AND it has significance for you. I say go ahead, and that it makes a fun naming story.
What does everyone else think?
Name update:
Our little girl was born this morning and in the operating room I asked my husband one more time if we could call her Scarlett Joy, and he said yes. She is certainly a joy during a rough season, so I think it is perfect.
Love Scarlett Joy together and the happy and hopeful sound and story behind it.
Go with joy! It’s my aunts first name and she’s a wonderful person!
I love it. Maybe one of her nicknames can be ScarJo, like Scarlett Johannson.
Sounds as if your husband is neutral and you like Joy more, so I’d go with that.
I’d make the switch – Scarlett Joy is lovely.
I like Scarlett Joy and I find it easier to say as well
My hesitation with Joy is that–will it make you think of broken dryers and flooded houses whenever you share her name? Would she want that connotation? I’d want to put that behind me by never thinking of it again.
I let the pediatrician pick my sons middle. Both middles are lovely. Wait until Friday and see how you feel. Or let your daughter decide between the two. Can’t go wrong!
Scarlett Joy is wonderful! I say make the switch!
Change it, definitely! Think about her asking you how she got her name. Won’t it be nice to say how excited you were for the joy she was bringing to you? Claire is lovely but I think Joy definitely flows better with Scarlett.
Go with the one that gives you butterflies! It’ll be a sweet story to tell your little girl <3
I would definitely change it, also because “Scarlett Claire” has the harsh c and then l sound in both names, and I feel that makes it sound a little clunky.
I say go with the butterflies and make the change! Scarlett Joy sounds really beautiful, I like it much better than Scarlett Claire.
I prefer Scarlett Joy so I recommend making the change.
Just on the sound alone. Scarlett Joy is more pleasing to my ears than Scarlett Claire. And, SJ also sounds better than SC. And Joy has more of a meaning to you than Claire does. I think Joy is the perfect middle name for you.
When I first saw the subject I thought my advice would be to stick with what you had, because I always freak out toward the end and want to change the baby’s name and my husband always has to talk to down. But after I read your details I have changed my mind! Scarlett Joy is wonderful, SJ is better than SC and I just love it! Good luck!
A child isn’t named until you’ve filled in the birth certificate.
Even if you’ve had monogrammed stuff and told everyone her name, you are absolutely still allowed to change your mind before she’s here. And it’s only a middle name, after all! I imagine you think of her as Scarlett above anything.
Scarlett Joy is probably the right name for all the reasons you mentioned (and personally, I just think it flows better). Between a meaningful name and a name with no particular story, I would always go for the first choice.
If what Joy has going for it is that it gives you “butterflies” because its inherently lovely meaning holds significance for you as you work to hold onto joy during a difficult time (hooray!), and if meanwhile what Claire has going for it is just that it’s what you came up with first, well, it seems like you really can’t NOT use Joy under the circumstances. Right?
You seem more excited about Joy than Claire. I say go with what makes you feel happy.
Switch.
We changed our baby girls middle name at the 11th hour and it still makes me swoon. Louise Parker was the initial name and I wanted an honor for my family so we went with Louise Philomena ….decided in the car while I was in labor 🤷🏼♀️
Thanks Swistle for sharing my question and thank you all so much for the support! My husband is still a little on the fence, but I’m going to keep trying to convince him over the next couple days. Joy does not give him butterflies, but I think it is pretty fair since Scarlett was his top pick. I’ll let you all know once she is born!
Just one more person saying…go with Joy! It is meaningful AND sounds great. I prefer it to Claire even without the meaning. I could see you calling her Lettie Joy as a nickname occasionally :)
TOTALLY fair that you get more say in middle if he had more say in first name, especially if the baby will also have his last name? Keep us posted! xo
I also think that Scarlett Joy sounds a bit more pleasing to the ear than Scarlett Claire, and if you really like it you should switch the names.
Although, I have one tiny issue with this combo: both Scarlet(t) and Joy are common words (“word names”?), so the whole name together will basically mean “Red Joy / Red Delight”. (The same thing goes for some other name pairings, like “Violet Faith”, “Patience Rose”, etc.) I’m not sure whether it’s a bad thing at all, but just something that’s maybe worth to consider beforehand.
Oh well, I guess I’m just overanalyzing it or maybe, as a foreigner, misinterpreting… Just use Joy, it’s really pretty :)
As the mom of Amelia morning and Sylvia summer, I love a good noun/story middle name. I also think Scarlett joy sounds better than Scarlett Claire, although both are pretty.
I changed the middle name the day before we went to the hospital with my fourth baby and I have no regrets! Go with Joy!
I agree with everyone and just want to say for the record that I’m not sure I have EVER seen 100% agreement here before! I think it’s nice confirmation of what your gut is telling you.
Can I also say that I have NEVER seen such a gorgeous hospital wrap!!!! Kudos to your hospital for doing something so special and beautiful — tho’ not as beautiful as your little girl!
Thank you! I bought it from amazon actually. It was a pack of three super pretty floral prints for like twenty dollars. :)
Excellent call on your behalf! I only wish I’d thought to do the same. But I think my 24-year old son and my 19-year old daughter have outgrown the swaddle….
Welcome to the world, Scarlett Joy!
I feel really strongly that you did the right thing. Welcome Scarlett Joy!