Unusual names ... are they really unique?

When B and I were choosing a name for our daughter we went through a baby name book; just like all the other soon to be parents.  We circled our favourites and then crossed each other's choices off the list.  It was a challenging and funny time as we laughed at each of our wacky suggestions.  

Paramount in our decision making was a desire to be unique.  Not completely fabricated however, we did not want to use a made-up name.  I wanted meaningful connections to history, literature or family.    Anyhoo...after months of thinking, one night I had a dream.  My daughter's name would be India Rose.  Perfect.   Unusual, but not completely ridiculous, beautiful middle name and a general feeling of individual-ness.  My daughter would be special!

She was born on 16 November 2005 at the Canberra Hospital and was delivered with the support of the Canberra Midwifery Program (CMP).  Everyone said they loved her name!   The lovely women who run the CMP make a calendar every year and list all the babies born through the program on the days they are born.  They told me that we were just in time for India's name to be included in the calendar.  

When the calendar arrived, I took my time looking through it.  I turned from January to February and 'pop' there I saw it, India Rose.  Lovely, but they have made a mistake, India was born in November???  I quickly flicked through to November, a bit miffed to be honest.  But there, on the 16th of November... India Rose.   They hadn't made a mistake, I had.  I was greatly mistaken, her name wasn't unique at all.   Not only was it actually used before, but it was used in the same hospital, in the same year, in the same city.   Luckily I had fallen in love with the name and still thought it was very special, otherwise I might have been devastated.  

But it made me think... here I was desperately searching for a 'unique' name... but I wasn't alone!  I was unknowingly the same as everyone else.  I wasn't fabulously stylish and trend-setting.  I was completely following a trend of using unique names.  It wasn't unique to try and be unique, in fact, it was down right usual. 

The trend at the moment is to try for unusual names.  If you want to be truly unique these days, you would do well to go for a 'usual' name, there probably won't be anyone else using that name around! 

Tara 

The Name of the Rose

"What’s in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;"   _{^{William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet. Act 2, Scene 2.}}

What IS in a name?   When Juliet laments the name of her true love Romeo, she questions the role a name plays.  She tries her hardest to suggest that it doesn't matter.  Plaintively she claims that called something else, the rose would still be beautiful.  All the while, the tragedy is that she knows it is futile, Romeo is a Montague and she is a Capulet.  They are doomed by who they were, they are doomed by their names.

What Juliet is acknowledging is that the name of the rose is essential.   A beautiful flower has to have a beautiful name.   A rose -- the most elegant of flowers; the flower of love and romance -- would never be called something ugly like mugwort.   

When parents are choosing names for their children, they are selecting the name that will give a recognisable message to the world.  Why would a baby named Rose seems like a more elegant choice for a child than perhaps Misty, Tiffany or Crystal?  All are interesting, pretty and have attractive letter combinations.  They all have a recognisable link to a 'meaning'.   However, there is so much more depth to the meaning of Rose than there is to the meaning of Crystal.  In that way, Rose is a deeply elegant name, whereas Crystal is a more lightweight name. 

What's in a name?  Well a heck of a lot.   Names do mean something to people and it is more than just the combination of letters or the inherent 'definition' of the word.  In the words made famous in the movie The Castle, 'it's the vibe'.  I like to feel out the vibe of names, and there are so many different aspects.  I can't wait to share ideas and choices.

Tara    

The Queen of Names

Wow, so I have been dubbed the 'Queen of Names' by a group of beautiful web girlfriends. Is that even a concept - a 'web girlfriend'? 

Anyway, I feel really special.  Names reasonate with people, it is wonderful to find the ones that really sing.   The SIC girls suggested I start a 'blog' about choosing baby names.  So here I am.  

Selecting names is a significant responsibility for new parents, but it can also be a real worry.  What will the name do for a child throughout their life?  Will a particular name help or hinder?  Will the owner of the name like it or not?  Will they grow into the name or will it be too heavy or too light?   Will the child be teased at school or be considered seriously cool?  Will they be unique or one of a crowd?  A name might be 'now' but will it still be great in 25 years?  Parents ask so many questions when choosing a name, it is almost painful.

Choosing a name for your child should be fun, interesting and meaningful. 

I am hoping to share naming ideas, opinions and inspiration through this blog.  It will be a fun, interesting and revealing experience.  I can't wait!

Tara