How I Named My Baby: Rose Teresa
How long did it take you to decide on a name?
For at least a year before we were expecting, my husband, Andrew, and I said we would name our first daughter Rosie. Funnily enough, though, once I was actually pregnant and we knew she was a girl, I was hesitant. I wanted to explore other options — I felt such a weight knowing this baby would live with my choice for the rest of her life! We didn’t commit to Rosie until I was about 7 or 8 months pregnant. I am a really indecisive person, so it was important for me to go through this process.
When did you know you found “The Name?”
We really didn’t have that “aha!” moment. Rosie was something we always loved, and we kept coming back to it after trying out tons of other little girl names. I started to realize that if I went with anything else, I would always regret leaving Rosie behind. The fact that we kept coming back to her name really reinforced over time that it was the one.
What strategies did you use to narrow down your name choices?
I spent a lot of time on the Nameberry Name Generator, using Rose and Rosie as inspiration. I was also obsessed with reading all of the Name Lists! As I came across names I liked, I added them to the list in my phone. Daily over dinner my husband and I would go through my list and narrow it down. I have more eccentric taste than him, so he vetoed a ton right away! By the time I was due, we had definitely settled on Rose but only narrowed it down to seven (so many, I know!) middle names.
Probably the weirdest thing I did was daydream and actually write out what the signature on our family Christmas card would look like… “Merry Christmas! Love, Andrew, Paige, and Rosie”… for some reason, this really helped me picture us as a family unit and decipher what name felt like it most belonged.
What would your younger self have liked to name the baby?
I loved the book Stellaluna as a child and always thought it sounded so beautiful, so I would have used Stellaluna. I couldn’t use Stella or Luna, though, because Andrew’s first cousin is named Stella, and he said that Luna reminded him too much of Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter.
What would your baby be named if it was totally up to you? If it was up to your partner?
I really would have loved to use the name Zara Rose, but my husband vetoed it. He couldn’t get over the connection to the clothing store. I’m really still hoping I can convince him into naming a baby Zara one day! How cool would a pair of sisters Rose and Zara be?
How do you feel about your own name and how did that influence your choice?
My name influenced my choice so heavily. I feel like my first name, Paige, is really similar to Rose in many ways — one syllable, feminine, and just unique enough that I was the only Paige in my circle growing up. I’ve never personally met a Rose before, so I hope my daughter will also feel her name is pretty unique!
My middle name, Teresa, was the reason I was hesitant to use it for Rosie too. Growing up, I thought it was an “old lady” name and wasn’t always proud to share it. Now that I am an adult, and especially now that I have a daughter, I love that I share it with four of the women I love most in this world (my mom, both grandmothers, and my daughter). I hope she feels that pride, too, one day, and I secretly hope she chooses to continue the tradition.
What would your baby be named if it was the opposite gender?
Rosie would have been Roman. Andrew’s middle name is Ramon; we love the idea of switching the A and the O to make it a little more modern, while simultaneously honoring our favorite city in the world! Roman is such a strong and unique name that works so well for both a little boy and a man. He would be either Roman William after my grandfather or Roman Francis after Pope Francis. We are hoping we are blessed with a boy at some point — Rosie and Roman go so cute together!
How important a consideration was the flow of the first, middle, and last names?
The flow of first, middle, and last was so important to me and part of why it took me so long to settle on a middle name. I found it super difficult to find names that sounded good after both Rose and Rosie. Also, one of the reasons I liked Isobel so much was because Rose, Isobel, and Rodriguez all had a strong O sound that really flowed well.
What are the trendy names in your social circle?
Spunky names like Harper, Harlow, Piper, and Reese are trendy in my social circle which I really love, but I don’t think go very well with Rodriguez. We felt like it was important to pick a name that spoke more to our surname’s Spanish roots.
One thing that is very trendy in my social circle is having the first and last name start with the same letter. Obviously I couldn’t resist that trend!
What was the biggest fight you ever had with anyone over names?
My little sister and I have had many fights over the name Gigi, which is what we call our beloved grandmother who we lost in 2016. It has created such an uproar in the past that my husband said the name was off the table — he didn’t want to deal with the drama! It looks like one day I will have a sweet little niece named Gigi!
Did you experience ‘name regret’ at any point?
I experienced immediate regret with the first middle name we chose, Isobel. After an entire pregnancy debating middle names, I chose Isobel on a whim in the hospital. The birth certificate people kept coming by my room, asking if we had chosen yet, and I was absolutely exhausted. I just wanted to be able to sleep without them checking in every hour! I asked Andrew if he was okay with Isobel, and at that point, he would have agreed to just about anything. He left the room to go register her name, but a few minutes after he left, I decided we HAD to use Teresa to honor my family. I tried calling him frantically, but he didn’t pick up his phone. He came back to the room with a big smile, proudly holding her new birth certificate: Rose Isobel Rodriguez. Andrew was such a good sport when I sent him back down immediately, but by that point, it had been filed. He had to collect a name change form, and once we got home, we had to pay to have her name changed through social security. Now, she has two birth certificates!
Did you share your baby’s name before she was born?
We shared her name with anyone who asked in person, but I didn’t share it on social media. I did leave lots of hints, though — especially using the “rose” emoji constantly!
What was the most surprising part of the baby name process?
I was so unsure of what to name her for so long, and it surprises me now that I ever had any doubt — Rosie fits her so, so perfectly. Now I feel so sure — it was you, Rosie, all along!
Also, even though she is four months old, I still can’t get over how good it feels when someone asks, “What’s your daughter’s name?” and I get to answer, “Rose.”
What advice would you give someone just starting the baby name process?
Don’t be too wary of meaningful names that aren’t as trendy. Trends will pass quickly, but continuing a tradition is always going to be in style. Also, don’t be afraid to change your mind! Even if you’ve already told everyone, bought something monogrammed, or even signed the name on the birth certificate. We changed her name when it was technically “too late,” and now I could not be more in love with the name we chose for our little girl.
Thank you so much, Paige!