I’ve been reading your blog for years, but never thought I’d write in since I had our names all picked out. We just found out yesterday that we are having a baby girl due in early November, and now that I actually have to commit to a name, I’m second-guessing our choice.<\/p>\n
If this was a boy, his name would be Anderson James. James is my father and brother’s name. I think the name is strong and handsome, different enough but not obscure. Our last name is Smith. For a girl, a name that my husband and I have both loved for years has been Nola. I’ve hoped as each of our friends became pregnant that they wouldn’t use it so I could hang on to it. I’ll admit that when I mention it to family I get strange looks. Friends either love it or hate it. That doesn’t bother me too much since I would prefer a name that is not incredibly popular, but will it bother me once she is here? Is it so obscure that in a few years I won’t like the name anymore? I also have no idea which middle name I would choose for Nola.<\/p>\n
Other names I like but my husband doesn’t (he only seems to like Nola and doesn’t understand why we are still having this discussion):<\/p>\n
Fiona (love the long O in this and Nola)
\nPenelope (nickname Nell)
\nGeorgina
\nIsla
\nScarlett<\/p>\n
I also love the name Charlotte, even though it’s popularity turns me off. It is my husband’s mother’s and grandmother’s name and the nickname options are very appealing to me. I would also consider this in the middle since I’d like to use a family name but I’m not sure it goes with Nola. My husband likes one-syllable middle names with Nola, such as Kate, Grace, Eve and Rose. Other family names we have (but don’t seem to work in the middle) are Frances, Antoinette, Diane, Kaye, Rafaela and Sofie.<\/p>\n
We are open to additional name suggestions from your readers and really appreciate your help!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
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I think it’s normal to suddenly second-guess a name choice, especially when you find out something new about the baby: it’s one thing to say “This for a girl, this for a boy,” and another thing to KNOW it’s a girl so she WILL be that name. A short period of re-evaluation seems appropriate, and may happen again shortly before she’s born, and\/or shortly after.<\/p>\n
It doesn’t sound to me as if the agitation is anything more than that. You and your husband have both loved the name for years; it’s unlikely that it’s suddenly the wrong choice. And once she’s here in person, the odds are on you (and everyone else) liking the name more and more, not less.<\/p>\n
The popularity of names such as Nora and Lila and Lola suggest to me that Nola will not be so obscure that you’ll get strange looks for long. Here’s the Social Security chart:<\/p>\n
![\"(screen](\"http:\/\/www.swistle.com\/babynames\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Screen-shot-2013-05-29-at-8.35.20-AM.png\")
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