Bringing Baby Home: Name

N is for Name. Before leaving the hospital, parents are required to give their child a name. For some people, this is very easy. For us, it was difficult. One reason it was difficult was because we didn't discuss it until the night before my son was born. My husband once said he liked Bible names, and I played around with that thought as I composed a list of about 30 names. I had about 8 on my list at the hospital.

My/our biggest problem was that we wanted to meet him before naming him. Every cat that I've pre-named (before getting) has died and I didn't want that to happen to my son.

So after my c-section, the nurses were helping me think of names. The dry erase board on the wall in our hospital room said "Name: TBD." Sometime that night, my husband said we should give ourselves 24 hours. We selected the first name and he went home to pick up a few things, brought back the baby name book. The middle name was difficult (don't even talk to me about multiple middle names!) because everything I liked before repeated the sounds of the first name and last name. So my son's middle name is strategic, as in, few of the letters are in the first and last name. Both names happen to be from the Bible. We're happy with the name, especially since later in life he can choose what he wants to be called. I don't want to give away the name (privacy) but it's like Thomas, Tommy, Tom. Lots of options.

All this is to say: discuss the name beforehand, but it's OK if you don't have one.