1. Do you have any cultural or religious naming traditions?
No not religious, but all three of our kids' middle names are after family. It makes their names feel warmer and more special to me.
2. Did you or your partner come to the marriage with pre-selected names?
No. Not even close. That would have been nice though. I came with the middle childs name. I always said I was going to name my girl this.
3. Did you consider the sound of the first and middle and last names together? Did this make any sad eliminations?
Yes. It didn't make any sad eliminations, but certainly took a large part in naming all three of them. I'd hate to have their name rhyme and with Miller as a last name we had to stay away from er endings.
4. Did you have veto powers?
With the first I gave E three names and he picked. With the middle we said if it was a girl I got to name and a boy he picked the name--first and middle. With the last he gave me three names and I picked. Sadly I picked a name at 5 months pregnant and by the time we got to nine months I regretted that one and wished I would have picked his second choice. I was being nice and picked his first--she doesn't have that name.
5. Did the baby naming cause arguments?
None that were heated! It caused pushy conversations. I was impatient and wanted names as soon as we were pregnant.
6. Do you think it is easier to name boys or girls?
With the boy I liked more girl names and with the girls I liked more boy names! After 2 first names that start with M, we had to keep that going. Having the restriction of a letter was hard. I did talk to adults about this, some that had a different first letter then their siblings, who all had the same first letter, and they felt left out. I took that into consideration.
7. Did you eliminate names because of people from your past or present who you don’t like or because a certain image comes to mind.
Yep. E couldn't name the baby Molly for some reason, I think a friends reason. JJ didn't like the name Mason because of some kid in her school named Mason Buck who was always in the principals office.
8. Did you / would you survey your children to get their thoughts on the name?
Probably. But I bet they'll just tell me how they feel someday.
9. Did you tell people the name or possible names before the baby was born or were they “in the vault”?
YES, told everyone! No hiding the name here. We wanted people to know so that they didn't use the name because so many people were pregnant at the same time. Plus it is nice to share and get feedback before you use the name.
10. Did you use baby name books?
Yes. With #3 we listed and listed names. She was hard to name.
Drumroll Please…What did you name your kids?
Mason William Miller (William is after Grandpa Dan)
MaKenna Jean Miller (Jean after, of course, JJ)
Morgann Jensen Miller (Ann after Grandma Connie & Jensen is E's Grandma Miller's maiden name)