As some have accused us about being elusive regarding the gender of our as yet to born child (an issue I’ll leave to another entry), we’ve also been quite secretive about names. While we do not yet know the gender (in spite of rumors that we’re simply withholding that info), we do, however, know the potential names, which we shall not disclose until we know the gender and can assign the appropriate name.
How the names were chosen is not a mystery. A two person self-appointed committee was formed to compile and evaluate potential names. This course of action took place over several months. Many names were compiled through a variety of means on a sort of master list, which was then reviewed meticulously. Name approval required a full majority vote; any member had the power to veto any name. The committee’s task was to arrive at two names: one for a boy; one for a girl. The committee paid particular attention to:
First and middle name combinations
Euphony and mellifluousness
Accidental rhyming, alliteration or homophony
Potential horrid nicknames and other potential name-related getting made fun of stuff
Negative name association
The committee briefly considered choosing one name which could be adequately used for either gender. Thankfully, the committee came to its senses. One of the names was selected with great ease. It was probably dumb luck. The other name proved to be slightly more difficult. Upon further and more serious review, one member of the committee decided to invoke a rare but entirely legitimate veto on the middle name of the second of the names. That name was sent back to committee where further suggestions were made, arguments for and against were offered until a new middle name was approved.
Many people continue to ask about names. However, we’re sticking firm to the committee’s mandate that the names remain secret until birth. We do offer you some of the rejection list. Perhaps by process of elimination you can figure out what the name is.
Ogden
Marvin (boy or girl)
Solus Commodus (the name of a distant relative, seriously)
Orangejello and Lemonjello (since we're not having twins)
Cristobal
Warren Zevon
Any male names that are easily converted into “initial” nicknames (TJ, JR, etc.) as such boys always turn out to be troublemakers.
Claude*
Nenon Birdsong Easterling
Leigh, Lee or any name ending with a “lee” type sound
*Even though Claude was never actually suggested, it was still rejected, according to one committee member
2 comments:
I'm glad to know my neice/nephew will not be encumbered by a name that was merely picked at random from a hat. I fear however that you might have picked Walsee or Freddie(girl) since both are actual family names but were left off your published rejection.
Waldsee (it's German, you know, was briefly under consideration, but didn't make the cut. It's not Freddie, actually, but Eddie, and she was a lady. And her mom's name was Charlie. Neither Freddie, Eddie nor Charlie made the cut for a boy or a girl.
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