Name Rules

I had a near panic attack when the nurse asked me for the third time to fill out our birth certificate forms at the hospital... I just wasn't ready to commit to a name that would take this little girl through life. Plus my nurse was being so loud and bossy, I almost didn't want to do what she wanted.

We had several boy and girl names on our list, but I really felt so sure we were having a boy that I had focused on the boy names a lot more. We had talked about names for a while but we were both so tired from our 12:30 am arrival at the hospital earlier that day that we just couldn't come to a decision. I felt pressure to pick the name early the next morning because Matt was to speak in church at 12:30 pm that day(it was Mother's Day plus a missionary homecoming for a young man who had been in Matt's seminary class). I told him he better tell the ward that I gave him permission to leave his wife in the hospital on Mother's Day. I heard from many people that he did a great job - I told him to stop stealing my thunder, and on Mother's Day of all days. :)

If we had had a boy, our top names were:
1. Graham
2. Henry
3. Bennett
4. Emmett

The names on our narrowed down girl list were, in no particular order:
1. Kate
2. Jane
3. Penelope
4. Olive
5. Cosette

I always have said I have certain rules for picking a name - the name can't be something made up (or a crazy new spelling), it has to be obviously a boy or girl name, the name shouldn't lend itself to an obvious nickname or shorter version, and I like short, one syllable names. So, as you can see, we broke several of these rules with Penelope Jane.

When Matt left that morning to get ready for church, we had her name chosen but I didn't want Matt to say anything during his talk. I felt like once it was announced there was no going back. I know, I was being weird. But what was a Penelope like? Would she be taken seriously as a doctor or lawyer? Could she be in sports or politics and not thought of as too girly or feminine? Man, I like to over think things...

Matt has liked the name Penelope for a long time, but I said you have to basically decide to name her Penny since that is the obvious nickname she will have. However, we have already heard Pen, Penel, and Nel so who knows what even the next five days will bring to her list of nicknames. Her name still sounds like a question in my head - Penelope? Is that your name?

So little baby, I hope you like your name, and I hope it's feminine, strong, classy and something that will take you through all your phases of life. And if you don't like it, it was your dad's favorite after all. :)