Comments on: Alternate Appellations: The names that might have been http://nameberry.com/blog/alternate-appellations-the-names-that-might-have-been baby names Sat, 18 May 2013 09:09:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: pheebly http://nameberry.com/blog/alternate-appellations-the-names-that-might-have-been#comment-599797 pheebly Mon, 04 Mar 2013 03:44:56 +0000 http://nameberry.com/blog/?p=19568#comment-599797 I was always Phoebe. Phoebe Katherine actually. Named after each of my great-grandmothers. I used to be annoyed by my name because I wasn't a "normal" name like Stephanie, Ashley or Jessica. But I LOVE my name now. Couldn't imagine myself as any other name. My son could have been Atticus or Judah. Instead he is an Ezra and I can't imagine him as anything else. And thank goodness he is an Ezra! His father and I couldn't agree on a girl's name to save our lives... I liked Magdalen and Eleanor; he liked Paisley and Layla. I was always Phoebe. Phoebe Katherine actually. Named after each of my great-grandmothers. I used to be annoyed by my name because I wasn’t a “normal” name like Stephanie, Ashley or Jessica. But I LOVE my name now. Couldn’t imagine myself as any other name.

My son could have been Atticus or Judah. Instead he is an Ezra and I can’t imagine him as anything else. And thank goodness he is an Ezra! His father and I couldn’t agree on a girl’s name to save our lives… I liked Magdalen and Eleanor; he liked Paisley and Layla.

]]> By: HerMajesty http://nameberry.com/blog/alternate-appellations-the-names-that-might-have-been#comment-546898 HerMajesty Sat, 03 Nov 2012 02:22:28 +0000 http://nameberry.com/blog/?p=19568#comment-546898 My name was almost McKinzi Dawn, but instead they named me Helen McKinzi because my papa didn't like the commen and to overused Dawn. My sister would have been named Sarah had circumstances been different, shecwas almost Tarah, but being Mas exboyfriends name was Terry, it obviously was not used, so she became Karah. My name was almost McKinzi Dawn, but instead they named me Helen McKinzi because my papa didn’t like the commen and to overused Dawn. My sister would have been named Sarah had circumstances been different, shecwas almost Tarah, but being Mas exboyfriends name was Terry, it obviously was not used, so she became Karah.

]]> By: WaltzingMoreThanMatilda http://nameberry.com/blog/alternate-appellations-the-names-that-might-have-been#comment-499093 WaltzingMoreThanMatilda Sat, 14 Jul 2012 06:01:28 +0000 http://nameberry.com/blog/?p=19568#comment-499093 I was going to be an Anneliese, sometimes I wish they'd gone with it, and then I think I don't seem beautiful enough to be an Anneliese, which sounds swimsuit-model pretty to me. My parents were convinced I was going to be a girl, so they didn't really have any serious boy names picked out for me. Their emergency boy name was Neil. (I did have boy names picked for the girls, but would never use them now - I've moved on from them). I was going to be an Anneliese, sometimes I wish they’d gone with it, and then I think I don’t seem beautiful enough to be an Anneliese, which sounds swimsuit-model pretty to me.

My parents were convinced I was going to be a girl, so they didn’t really have any serious boy names picked out for me. Their emergency boy name was Neil.

(I did have boy names picked for the girls, but would never use them now – I’ve moved on from them).

]]> By: afmastro http://nameberry.com/blog/alternate-appellations-the-names-that-might-have-been#comment-495194 afmastro Mon, 02 Jul 2012 17:13:49 +0000 http://nameberry.com/blog/?p=19568#comment-495194 Had I been a boy, I would have been named Alan, and I had a brother named Alan. So with me, there is no name that would have been - my brother ended up getting the name. But there was a possibility I could have been named Alana. If my brothers had been girls they would have been named April and/or Kristin. Had I been a boy, I would have been named Alan, and I had a brother named Alan. So with me, there is no name that would have been – my brother ended up getting the name. But there was a possibility I could have been named Alana. If my brothers had been girls they would have been named April and/or Kristin.

]]> By: afmastro http://nameberry.com/blog/alternate-appellations-the-names-that-might-have-been#comment-495193 afmastro Mon, 02 Jul 2012 17:09:34 +0000 http://nameberry.com/blog/?p=19568#comment-495193 Speaking of not knowing the gender before birth, this newest generation of kids may miss out on the story of what they could have been named if they were the opposite sex. So many parents decide to learn the sex beforehand and once the sex is known, don't even bother coming up with a name for both sexes. I did have a boy name for my daughter though. I can say with confidence she would have been named Maxwell. And I'm glad she was a girl because I would have regretted Maxwell I think. My son who was born after my daughter is not Maxwell. With my son, we had such a hard time agreeing with girl names that I am not sure what he would have been named had he been a girl. My husband nixed my entire list: Cecily, Sylvie, Daphne, Nora. I was ready to fight for Cecily, but I don't think my husband would have come around. My husband could have changed his mind with Nora. That name seems "safe" to me. I had also considered Cecilia as a "safer" alternative to Cecily. At first he seemed ok with Cecilia, and then when I brought it up again, he started saying it with a lisp and laughed. Since my husband had no ideas of his own, I think eventually he would have come around to Nora rather than think of something on his own. If my son ever asks what his name would have been, I think I will just tell him Nora, but I really really wanted the name Cecily in the worst way : ) Speaking of not knowing the gender before birth, this newest generation of kids may miss out on the story of what they could have been named if they were the opposite sex. So many parents decide to learn the sex beforehand and once the sex is known, don’t even bother coming up with a name for both sexes.

I did have a boy name for my daughter though. I can say with confidence she would have been named Maxwell. And I’m glad she was a girl because I would have regretted Maxwell I think. My son who was born after my daughter is not Maxwell.

With my son, we had such a hard time agreeing with girl names that I am not sure what he would have been named had he been a girl. My husband nixed my entire list: Cecily, Sylvie, Daphne, Nora. I was ready to fight for Cecily, but I don’t think my husband would have come around. My husband could have changed his mind with Nora. That name seems “safe” to me. I had also considered Cecilia as a “safer” alternative to Cecily. At first he seemed ok with Cecilia, and then when I brought it up again, he started saying it with a lisp and laughed.

Since my husband had no ideas of his own, I think eventually he would have come around to Nora rather than think of something on his own. If my son ever asks what his name would have been, I think I will just tell him Nora, but I really really wanted the name Cecily in the worst way : )

]]> By: marinadancel17 http://nameberry.com/blog/alternate-appellations-the-names-that-might-have-been#comment-493361 marinadancel17 Wed, 27 Jun 2012 21:15:14 +0000 http://nameberry.com/blog/?p=19568#comment-493361 My name would have been Leah, Miriam, or Bronwyn(yikes!) I cannot imagine any of those names on myself, I am perfectly happy as a Rachel. :) My parents decided against Leah, because I have six girl cousins on my mom's side, and most of their names either start with 'l' or have lots of 'l' sounds. I don't know about Miriam, and have no idea where that came from. Plus, I feel like a name like Miriam would stand out in my generation of names. My dad was a big fan of Winnie in "The Wonder Years" and thought he should have a little girl named Winnie. They didn't like Winnifred(thankfully!) but liked Bronwyn... I am very glad to be Rachel! My name would have been Leah, Miriam, or Bronwyn(yikes!) I cannot imagine any of those names on myself, I am perfectly happy as a Rachel. :)

My parents decided against Leah, because I have six girl cousins on my mom’s side, and most of their names either start with ‘l’ or have lots of ‘l’ sounds.

I don’t know about Miriam, and have no idea where that came from. Plus, I feel like a name like Miriam would stand out in my generation of names.

My dad was a big fan of Winnie in “The Wonder Years” and thought he should have a little girl named Winnie. They didn’t like Winnifred(thankfully!) but liked Bronwyn… I am very glad to be Rachel!

]]> By: isabel_r http://nameberry.com/blog/alternate-appellations-the-names-that-might-have-been#comment-492796 isabel_r Tue, 26 Jun 2012 11:49:52 +0000 http://nameberry.com/blog/?p=19568#comment-492796 Well all my parents choices revolved around twin sets. For boys, it would have been Thomas Hale & Theodore Harrison (Tom & Teddy) Once they found out we were girls, my mom wanted Sophia & Olivia (SO INCREDIBLY less popular when we were born) and my dad wanted Roberta & Elizabeth (my parents are Robert & Elizabeth), he still jokes about us being Bertie & Betty. Another strong contender was Sarah & Elizabeth, considering my dads side is FILLED with Sarahs and my mom's Elizabeths. They both really, really wanted Lucy but it was given to out cat a few years earlier. My mom also loved Vivian, my dad Claire and Amelia. As I've said before, they're all so lovely. I can easily see myself as an Amelia, Claire, or Lucy. I don't think I could get away with Roberta, and Elizabeth bores me. Sophia and Olivia are both fabulous but too girly for me, and Sarah & Vivian would not fit me in a million years. Well all my parents choices revolved around twin sets.

For boys, it would have been Thomas Hale & Theodore Harrison (Tom & Teddy)

Once they found out we were girls, my mom wanted Sophia & Olivia (SO INCREDIBLY less popular when we were born) and my dad wanted Roberta & Elizabeth (my parents are Robert & Elizabeth), he still jokes about us being Bertie & Betty.

Another strong contender was Sarah & Elizabeth, considering my dads side is FILLED with Sarahs and my mom’s Elizabeths.

They both really, really wanted Lucy but it was given to out cat a few years earlier.

My mom also loved Vivian, my dad Claire and Amelia.

As I’ve said before, they’re all so lovely. I can easily see myself as an Amelia, Claire, or Lucy. I don’t think I could get away with Roberta, and Elizabeth bores me. Sophia and Olivia are both fabulous but too girly for me, and Sarah & Vivian would not fit me in a million years.

]]> By: Reeny http://nameberry.com/blog/alternate-appellations-the-names-that-might-have-been#comment-492795 Reeny Tue, 26 Jun 2012 11:46:45 +0000 http://nameberry.com/blog/?p=19568#comment-492795 Thank you Abby, your perspective of the name being the best possible option when it is chosen is a much more apt way of looking at it - and has alleviated my worry significantly :-) Thank you Abby, your perspective of the name being the best possible option when it is chosen is a much more apt way of looking at it – and has alleviated my worry significantly :-)

]]> By: Abby http://nameberry.com/blog/alternate-appellations-the-names-that-might-have-been#comment-492732 Abby Tue, 26 Jun 2012 02:53:39 +0000 http://nameberry.com/blog/?p=19568#comment-492732 @Reeny - I think there is something more gentle than name regret. It is just the acknowledgement that there are other possible names in the universe. The name you chose isn't wrong - though hopefully it will, indeed, feel right. It will just be the best of all possible options when you choose it. @BritishAmerican - Fascinating point about delivery surprises. If you don't know the gender until birth, then it is very possible that there's a whole other sense of meeting a stranger ... even though you already know each other so very well. @Reeny – I think there is something more gentle than name regret. It is just the acknowledgement that there are other possible names in the universe. The name you chose isn’t wrong – though hopefully it will, indeed, feel right. It will just be the best of all possible options when you choose it.

@BritishAmerican – Fascinating point about delivery surprises. If you don’t know the gender until birth, then it is very possible that there’s a whole other sense of meeting a stranger … even though you already know each other so very well.

]]> By: BritishAmerican http://nameberry.com/blog/alternate-appellations-the-names-that-might-have-been#comment-492731 BritishAmerican Tue, 26 Jun 2012 02:49:16 +0000 http://nameberry.com/blog/?p=19568#comment-492731 So I was going to be called Rowan. Which wouldn't have been so bad - except that my maiden name was Atkinson. So I would have been a female Rowan Atkinson in England, right when Mr. Bean was popular. Way too much teasing potential, so I'm glad I missed that one. Maisie was high on my list for a girl in 2005, but my husband disliked it because it rhymed with "crazy". He said something the other day about our daughter being crazy and I said "See, we should have called her Maisie!" ;) I much prefer her name (Rose) instead. Henry could have been Oliver. My husband picked between my top two: Henry & Oliver. He does suit Henry better. Though it's more popular. I think about it sometimes when we read a book called 'Ollie' about a gosling who won't come out of his egg. My son was overdue, so the story fit him and I read it when I was pregnant with him. George was either going to be George or Lucy. We didn't know his gender until he was born. So his alternative name was him being a whole other person. I sometimes wish I'd picked different middle names for my 1st and 3rd children. My husband picked a family name for the middle name of our 2nd - that was definitely a better way to go. So I was going to be called Rowan. Which wouldn’t have been so bad – except that my maiden name was Atkinson. So I would have been a female Rowan Atkinson in England, right when Mr. Bean was popular. Way too much teasing potential, so I’m glad I missed that one.

Maisie was high on my list for a girl in 2005, but my husband disliked it because it rhymed with “crazy”. He said something the other day about our daughter being crazy and I said “See, we should have called her Maisie!” ;) I much prefer her name (Rose) instead.

Henry could have been Oliver. My husband picked between my top two: Henry & Oliver. He does suit Henry better. Though it’s more popular. I think about it sometimes when we read a book called ‘Ollie’ about a gosling who won’t come out of his egg. My son was overdue, so the story fit him and I read it when I was pregnant with him.

George was either going to be George or Lucy. We didn’t know his gender until he was born. So his alternative name was him being a whole other person.

I sometimes wish I’d picked different middle names for my 1st and 3rd children. My husband picked a family name for the middle name of our 2nd – that was definitely a better way to go.

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