Naming a child after a loved one who recently passed away...

[indecisive]

Has anyone done this? Did you find it difficult? Did you love the name itself or more the meaning behind it? Were you happy with the decision?

One of my best friends, Holly, passed away in June after a long battle with cancer. At the time, I didn't know if I was having a boy or a girl, but during her memorial service, I got a strong feeling that the baby was a girl and that we should name her Holly after my dear friend. Baby was indeed a girl, due 12/5/12. Only problem is that I'm not sure if I love the name. It's also a little bittersweet... all I can think of when I hear the name is my friend, and that makes me both happy and sad... Will I get over the sad connotation?

It might be easier to make Holly a middle name, but we can't find a first name that goes with Holly. Suggestions welcome! (something classic but not in the top 25-50).

Thanks!

[emilyhart]

My niece named her baby Leon after her father Leo and she loves it and it makes her feel good. That's whT matters good or bad feelings. Hollis is a great classic 1st name.

[katie8765]

I like the idea! I would stick to Holly as a middle name though, as a child, i wouldn't like that my first name is after someone who passed away, not pleasant. but for sure as a middle name!

Jenna
Quinn
Brooke
Linsday
Catherine
Anna
Lillian
Andrea
Amelia
Dahlia
Sophia
Paige
Kinsley
Madeline
Amber
Stella
Victoria
Violet
Claire
Jocelyn
Nora
Mackenzie
Naomi
Samantha
Elizabeth
Rachel
Ashlyn
Sierra
Gabriella
Abigail

hopefully this provides some inspiration
good luck!

[isirapjl]

My mother in law died about 2 months before I got pregnant with DD. There was really no questions about naming my DD after her, I loved her even though I really disliked her name, Bonnie. We used it as a middle name but it really took alot of my favorite first names off the table since they sounded horrible with Bonnie. But I am SO happy we named dd Claire Bonnie, it makes her feel closer somehow and gives her name so much meaning. Plus my FIL started dating someone within 3 months of her death was engaged again before the year anniversary of her death. It is like he erased all traces of my MIL which was very hard on the family so Claire brings her back.

So I think naming your DD after friend would be lovely and she would have her own personal angel. I would use is as a middle name and it also is great for a December Bday!

How about
Caroline Holly
Claire Holly
Katherine Holly
Elizabeth Holly
Amelia Holly
Rebecca Holly
Bridget Holly
Victoria Holly
Charlotte Holly

Good Luck !

[marissalou]

I would use Holly as your sweet girl's middle name. I would avoid an "ee" sound at the end of her first name, one syllable first names, and nature names (ie: Juniper Holly sounds like a plant) ... here are some suggestions:
Amelia Holly
Julia Holly
Savanna Holly
Clara Holly
Obviously, I have no idea about your style, but hopefully this might spark some ideas for you. Good luck! I think it's very sweet that you want to honor your friend. We will do this some day, but are planning on using the friend's middle name as our son's first name. Maybe that would be an option for you?

[spring13]

To me, it's pretty normal to name a child after someone who has passed away, but i can definitely see how its a bittersweet thing to do. Putting Holly in the middle (esp for a late December baby) is a great idea, and i agree with marissalou's advice on what kinds of names to put first.

Another way to remember your friend (either in place of her name or to inspire a first) is to think of things she loved, things that remind you of her, and see if that sparks any ideas. If Holly loved a certain book or song, for example, maybe there's something there you can work with that will also be reminiscent of her name.

[kala_way]

I think it's a lovely name, but if you're having a hard time with it I think using it as a mn is a fantastic idea.

[kyemsma]

How about a double middle name?

[indecisive]

Thanks for the feedback!

emilyhart - Glad to know you like the name Holly!
katie8765 - I am a little worried about this... I wouldn't want my daughter to feel weird about being named after someone who'd died, but maybe it will help that my friend was smart, beautiful, kind, courageous, loving, creative, etc. She lived her live to the absolute fullest... I really would want my daughter to aspire to live her live the same way.
marissalou - I like Julia Holly, Clara Holly, or Amelia Holly. Thanks! Unfortunately I am not a fan of her middle name, which was Martha.
spring13 - yeah, I think I am perhaps more comfortable with Holly as a middle name. Another good thing about using Holly is that it also sort of honors my grandmother, Mary, who loved everything Christmas... so with that connotation, it sort of honors two people in the way you were saying... I adored my grandmother, but she always hated her name, so that is why I haven't considered Mary.
Kala_way - Glad you like the name Holly. Part of me really wants to use it as the first name, since it's less common, but I worry that people won't like it!
Kyesma - I'm considering that - though if I go that route, I sort of would like to use my maiden name as the second middle. So it wouldn't solve my Holly problem unless I dropped the maiden name.

Thanks, everyone!

[southern.maple]

I love the idea of Holly as the middle name. As for the issue of being named after someone who passed away, well, I don't really see it as an issue at all. Many people are named after deceased family members. I was given my great-great-grandfather's middle name as my middle name, and I have never felt weird about sharing a name with a man who died even before my grandfather was born.

PS. Do you mind sharing your maiden name? Could it work as a first name?