After reading a post by Elle - about naming her son - I started to think and decided I would her idea over to my blog for discussion.

Like many other couples, we have that magic list of names that we’ve discussed & noted in our minds for later use (shamefully, I have written out on paper too many times to count).  The names we like range from traditional to modern to family names.  We’ve tossed around names that I swore were "the one" and then a week later hated.  I’ve chosen several that Frank has completely refused and he has mentioned some that I immediately vito-ed.  All pretty silly considering we have no children and this has been going on for years.  I guess it’s just one of those traditional things couples do together.  And we knew eventually we’d have children … so why not?!  Sometimes this would happen if one of our friends or family members was pregnant, or just announced the name they had chosen.  Sometimes it would happen because we’d be watching a movie or tv show and one of us would randomly blurt out that "Tom Dick Harry" was the coolest name ever.  (no, neither of us ever really liked the name Tom Dick Harry)  Now this little game is happening more frequently, because we are on the path towards adoption.  Tossing around names makes the idea that this adoption will happen more real somehow.

I’ve been warned that choosing a name before we meet our child is dangerous.  What if we lose the child?  What if the name doesn’t fit?  I understand and appreciate the advice, but that’s just not the way we see things.  If, God forbid, we lost a child - we would chose another name.  Not difficult to do since we have about 6 (3 girl, 3 boy) that we like anyway and we have no plans of having a family of 8!  As for whether or not a name fits - I think people grow into names.  They just stick somehow.

Like I said, we have a list.  Who knows if it will change in the next year or so, but we do have a list.  We have chosen not to tell anyone our list.  The reason is simple.  Adoption doesn’t give you as many surprises as a regular pregnancy.  We can choose the sex, the race, the country, the timeframe.  The basics can be planned for. (not that there aren’t still surprises).  But, you know what I mean.  We though it would be nice for our family to still have some surprise to look forward to … and besides, it’s a kind form of torture.  hehe.   They will find out our child’s name when we bring our child home.

more of the name game to come … next time … Russian names - to keep them or not, honoring family names, popular names and Why people go crazy for baby names….