Conference turris::womannotes-v2

    Tracey,
    
    Congratulations!  Would you believe, there's a "babynames" notesfile?
    Sorry, don't know the node...you may get some ideas.
    
    When a friend was choosing her daughters' names, she'd try them
    out with "Dr." preceding the name...Dr. Kate Heffelfinger, Dr. Caitlin
    Heffelfinger...
    
    Good luck,
    Judi
    

If you call her Mary Ellen, her nicname can be Meh. hmmmm...

Z is my altime favorite name, but I'm not sure I'd burden another human being
with it.

	Mez

    i like flower names like "rose" and "lily". it sounds like a short
    name would go with the last name you've picked out!
    
    good luck
    liz

    I love the name "Molly Kathleen"     It's actually the name of a
    gold mine in Cripple Creek Colorado.  I wish that were my name,
    but I'm plain old Kathleen, like so many other people born in the
    early 60s.  
    

    Hi Trace :)
    
    My husband and I went through this also.  We had already decided
    on a boy's name, Samuel Joseph, after Richard's deceased father.
    
    The girl's name was more of a dilemna.  Richard liked the more
    common names like Susan, Kathy, Mary, etc.  I leaned more towards
    uncommon (but not trendy) names like Ruth, Hannah, (gosh I can't
    think of the others - and it was so important at the time!).  We
    settled on Molly Anne (the 'Anne' part was previously agreed 
    upon - my sister's).
    
    I didn't know any Molly's so it didn't conjure up any meaning
    for me.  And making names match with Dixon wasn't too difficult.
    
    I, for one, don't like trendy names (Crystal, and the like).  
    Names that aren't gender specific don't bother me.  Although
    I do know a woman named Dawn, and she was sometimes thought of
    as Don.  Minor irritation, though.
    
    I am drawing a blank.  'They' say, though, that when you have
    an uncommon last name that you should try to make the first
    name a simple one.  I've never believed in those 'naming rules'
    though.
    
    You may already be aware of the BABYNAMES notesfile.  (SWSCHZ::
    I think).
    
    I'll reply again when I find the perfect name for your 
    daughter! ;)
    
    Dorothy
    
    p.s. We had a Sam BTW.  Have a wonderful pregnancy!

        The babynames conference is SWSCHZ::BABYNAMES, hit the Select
    key or KP7 to add it to your notebook.
    
    ASP

    Hi, Tracey!
    
    Well, I know you're familiar with the BABYNAMES file, since we
    discussed our name before.  It will be interesting to see if we
    disagree about other names as well!
                                                         
    I've always liked the name Kate.  I think it's strong and "clean"
    and goes well with your last name.  You may find though that Kate,
    Caitlin (which I also like), and other variations are more common
    than you think.  It's hard to know what other kids the same age
    are being named, but you might want to pay attention to names if
    you're checking out day care facilities, and also watch the newspaper
    birth announcements.  (Some only list "baby girl," but some list
    the babies' names.)
    
    I like "generic" names, such as Tyler and Morgan.  I also like Ryan
    (my daughter's middle name) for a girl.  And I know a little girl
    named Kyle.
    
    Maybe you could tell us what boy's names you're considering to give
    us an idea of the types of names you like.  
    
    Well, that's my feedback.  Of course, I'm expecting a child in three
    weeks and do not have a girl's name picked out!  (So if anyone knows
    of a good name that goes with Warren...)  BTW, my daughter's name
    is Caileigh (KAY-lee) and we have a "leftover" boy's name (Bryant
    Paul) picked out.
    
    Good luck,
    
    -Tracy
    

    Personally, I've only ever met one Caitlin, and she was dynamite.
    Even though I never got to know her very well, I've loved the name
    ever since.
    
    DougO

    Re .0, I think Kate Heffelfinger sounds good.  I think it sounds
    a lot better than Caitlin Heffelfinger, although I actually like
    the name Caitlin better.
    
    As .8 mentioned, it is possible to name a child a name that doesn't
    seem to be popular or trendy but by the time the child is in jr.
    high it can have become very common.  When I named my daughter Melissa
    in 1974 it didn't seem common at all.  Now it's everywhere.
    
    Most of the names I liked best for girls when I was younger have
    become kind of common, such as, Amanda, Jessica, Samantha, Melissa,
    and Vanessa. I always tended to like names that sound feminine and sort of
    Victorian to me.  (Heroines in romance novels type names- even tho
    I hate romance novels - I like the names they use.)  I decided a
    few years ago that I liked the name Chloe and then I read that two
    famous women named their daughters Chloe - Christy Brinkley and
    I think Olivia Newton-John.
    
    Now I like Zoe and Zena (but not for twins!)  But, I think Z names
    are going to get trendy, such as Zachary for a boy.  For girls,
    I also like Brittany, Meredith, Mellicent, Malory, Lucinda, Penelope
    and Clarinda (my great-grandmother's name).
    
    Names that may be trendy now don't seem that bad to me.  The names
    I hate the most are the names that were most common when I was in
    school - such as - Linda, Kathy, Debbie, Susan.  I don't want to
    offend anyone who has one of those names, but it seemed as tho every
    other girl in my high school in the 60's was named either Linda,
    Kathy, Debbie or Susan!
    
    Lorna
      

    
    
    Coincidentally, when I first started reading your note, I was
    considerting the suggestion of non-gender specific names.  Morgan
    was the first name that came to mind (ok, I admit, that's what I
    named my dog).
    
    I, too, think Caitlin is a beautiful name, verbally and in writing.
    I also like Leigh Ann.
    
    Finally, I agree with staying away from names that can be shortened
    to 'cutesy' nicknames.  I detest being called "Debbie" and am forever
    correcting those who immediately call me that after I have introduced
    myself as Deborah.
    
    Deb
    
    

    Caitlin is a very nice name (it was one of the ones we considered).
    But, out of a total of 20 kids in my daughters daycare, there are
    4 Caitlins.  In my neighborhood there are 3 more.  Looks like
    it's going to become the Debbie of the 80s.
    
    just an opinion.
    -karen
    

    Pick an appropriate German ethnic name (unless you both feel a greater
    affinity with your ethnicity, whatever that is.  But that's always more
    risky).  For some reason (the filtering of time, probably) matching the
    ethnicity of the given name to that of the surname seems to guarantee
    at least a passably-harmonious result. 
    
    						=maggie 

  I like the more unusual names; can you say 'Leslie'?  When I was a kid I
  really hated my name, but thoroughly enjoy it now.  And better yet, I've
  only met 2-3 other Leslie's, both female and male.
  
  A name that I like is 'Lyle'.  Its another name for a child to grow into,
  but the personality is not set by others, but by the individual.

  One more cute story, ok?  My folks worked really hard at giving us names
  that couldn't be shortened.  That's why we're named Wendy, Leslie and Amy.
  Well guess what happened with the three sisters.  We quickly shortened them
  to Wen', Les' and Am'.  Worked for us, but did it ever sound off our
  parents.  ;-)

  Enjoy!
						-Leslie

    Re .13
    
    Ethnic German huh?
    
    Brunhilda Hefflefinger.
    
    Sounds good to me, how about you, Tracey?
    
    Tamzen

    I have a very strong belief about naming children.  I have always
    hated my name, Karen (no offense to you, K. Flannery, or other Karens
    out there!) because A) it is SOOOOO plain, and B) it is a known
    fact that it was a "grab bag" name.  (my parents were POSITIVE that
    they were having a boy, so I was supposed to be a Daniel, and my
    folks don't believe in feminizing male names like Danielle).
    
    My husband and I already have our names picked out.
    
    Boy:  Robert Kenneth
    Girl:  Deborah Celina
    Twin boys:  Robert Lee and Kenneth Michael
    Twin girls:  Deborah Leigh and Celina Emily
    
    (Twins run in my family, so I am prepared!)
    Robert, Kenneth and Deborah were friends of my husband's, who helped
    him through a difficult time in his life.  Celina is my
    great-grandmother's name.  Emily comes from Ella May, my mom-in-law.
    Leigh/Lee comes from my husband and my dad.  Michael is still up
    for debate.
    
    Back to my belief:  a name should not be for your ego, but should
    last the child all his/her life.  Names should be looked at carefully
    so mean schoolmates won't make too much fun.  And names should have
    a MEANING!  Names that I am sick to death of (and no offense to
    any of you out there, please!) are Meagan, Jennifer and Crystal.
    
    Caitlin, or Kate seems to be the best bet for you.
    
    On a final note:  PLEASE don't do to a child what my brother did
    to his daughter!:  Natasha Lee Corrinne Coutermarsh.  The poor kid
    is going to have writers cramp by the time she is 7!
    
    Best of luck!
    
    K.C.

    My fiance and her sister have different but quite nice names.
    
    My finace is Rhona - pronounced Ro-nah and her sister is Lindsay,
    there's a couple of good Scots names.

    	Sorry Tamzen, but Hildegard has the added advantage of
    alliteration.  
    
    
    	Yeah, Gary and I went through our silly phase.  Horatio Hornblower
    Heffelfinger was discussed.  (This from the people that considered
    hyphenating Hollabaugh-Heffelfinger. :-) )
    
    	Yeah, that's the ticket!  Hildegard Hortense Hollabaugh-Heffelfinger!
                                                    
    	Seriously though, most of the Germanic names I've seen seem
    to me to be harsh sounding.  (That's what I get for studying romance
    languages!)   But I'm open to suggestions for Germanic names.
    
    	BTW, I am aware of the BABYNAMES notefile, but I specifically
    wanted the input of the wn'ers on the issue of connotations.
    
    tlh
    

    About 2 years before my daughter was conceived I was 
    "introduced" to her in a dream.  This disembodied
    voice said, "This is your daughter, Emily".  So,
    maybe yours will come with a name.
    
    Other misc. thoughts...my sister recently had a boy but
    if it had been a girl it would have been Addison.  Some
    of my favorites are Samantha (Sam), Marissa, Jami, and
    Elise.
    
    Nanci (unusual spellings add uniqueness)

        Germanic and alliterative....hmmm               Some others
        
        Hannah (Hanna)                                  Ilse
        Hilda (Hilde)                                   Karin
        Helle (more Nordic)                             Andrea
        Hannelore                                       Anneliese
        Harz                                            Jutta
        Hedwig                                          Lene (Magdalene)
        Helena (Helene)                                 Monika
        Henriette (a)                                   Therese
                

    I love the name Emily.  And Tyler was our other choice
    of a boys name (twins run in my husband's family).
    
    Hozabout:  Helga, Heidi, Marta or Marla?
    
    This is fun!
    
    D

    re. 20
        
    	I was kidding about the alliteration!  We've ruled out all "H"
    names.  Heffelfinger is humorous enough as is! :-)  
    
    	The other Germanic names are appreciated, however.
                                                                      
    tlh
    
    	
    

    A relative of the family in the 1880's named his six daughters for
    Roman emperors -- Julia, Valeria, Augusta, Octavia, Aurelia, and
    Claudia.  

    Based on a limited sample of neighbors and my son's preschool
    classmates, it looks like common names for girls right now are
    traditional but exotic -- Jennifer, Veronica, Crystal, Amanda,
    Caroline.  They're also quite feminine.  The slightly older
    girls have neutral names like Casey and Tracey.   
    
    I never liked my name when I was growing up -- or rather, I felt
    that it didn't really fit me.  A Bonnie should be cute and soft
    and perhaps rather fey, and I felt strong, stubborn, angry. I've
    grown rather used to it and lately have begun to think there might
    be more of the soft in me than I wanted to admit. 

    --bonnie    

    Bonnie,
    
    I also disliked my name when I was growing up...one of the meanings
    for the name is healthy and plump....which gave me immages of a
    red cheeked round kid in sensible shoes!
    
    Also in Virginia where I went to grade school and jr high everyone
    assumed that my name was a nickname. I got tired of being asked
    what my 'real' name was.
    
    Bonnie Jeanne

I personally like Kathryne Elizabeth, but that's probably why
my daughter ended up with that as her name.  I love Kate as a 
nickname, but we have yet to call her anything other than Kathryne.

When I was young I wouldn't answer to anything other than Elizabeth
and somewhere along the line became Liz.  A very few people call me
Lizzie and coming from them it sounds right.

For a boy, I wanted Michael Andrew, but my hubby liked Christopher
better.  My brother named his son Michael so he could call him
Mickey after Mickey Mantle (I'll reserve comment on that).  I have
a cousin who named his daughter Amanda so he could call her Mandy
after his cat of 20+ years (again, comment reserved).

I, too love Emily for a girl, with a middle name of Ann.  That's
my car's name, but I would probably name a daughter that.

Be careful of what initials can spell, what nicknames can come from
a name, etc.  I'm sure you've already thought of that.

    Re .25, well, one of the reasons I named my daughter Melissa was
    so that I could call her Missy after the first cat I ever had as
    a kid :-).  (My mother said, "Don't ever let Bob (my ex) know that
    you had a *cat* named Missy!")  But, when Missy started kindergarten
    she came home and announced that she would be called Melissa, and
    not Missy, from that day on and that was that.
    
    Re the Bonnie's, my mother wanted to name me Bonnie.  But, my maiden
    name would have been Bonnie Burns and my father didn't like it.
     Actually, I think Lorna has been more of a nuisance having millions
    of people think it's hysterical to call me Lorna Doone.  If I had
    been a boy I was going to be Duncan Burns.  Then, I would have been
    called Dunkin Donuts, I bet.  I *hate* it when people make fun of
    other people's names!
    
    Lorna
    

    
    My favorite girls names are:
    
    Brianna Marie  (pronounced Bree-ah-na)  Bri (Bree) for short
    Jamie Lynn
    Lindsay Ann
    Megan ??
    Amellia   (Amy for short)
        

    Just my preferences,
    
    Donna    

       Don't give her a name that makes her a spectacle at the begining
       of each school year. I was embarrassed every year by the attempts
       made to pronounce my name. It's lee-sl (or lee-zl across the
       pond). I hated my name for years because of that.

       I can still hear the rollcall, dave,brad,ann,mary, miss parker. Or
       worse yet, leezelee or some other horrid combo that set the kids
       laughing at me. For years I considered changing it but I'm named
       after a good friend of my mothers and I thought it would hurt
       mom's feelings if I changed it. liesl

    If a boy	- Sue
    If a girl	- Johnny Cash

    I was never too fond of Karen myself (chelsea is a nickname).  For
    a while when I was eight or so, I decided that since Karen was a
    derivative of Cathrine, my name was really Catherine.  I had come
    across a biography of Katherine Lee Bates and decided that I must
    have been named after her.  Only I liked the way Kathryn looked
    better.  I suspect I drove my early teachers nuts.
    
    I'm rather fond of the name Jessica, but I suspect you'll want to
    keep it to under three syllables.  Kate is good but Caitlin is,
    in fact, somewhat trendy these days.  Abigail is interesting because
    you can go with either Abby or Gail if you want a nickname.

    I've always been partial to names that have a nice rhythm.
    Since your last name is (I assume) strongly accented on the
    first syllable, and it's fairly long, I'd probably try for a
    name of two syllables, stronger accent on the first.  A
    one-syllable name might sound too "hard" with the heavy
    accent at the beginning of the last name, a three-syllable
    name (unless a shorter nickname is used) might sound like a
    real mouthful with another four after it.

    I like traditional (boring?) names:  Kathryn, Linda, Lisa,
    Mary, Karen, etc.  I also like the gender-nonspecific names.

    -- Linda

    I s'pose I oughta behave, but since Paul (.30) already beat me
    out for the gold in the "Fastest Irreverent Reply" competition,
    (oooo - I hate when that happens. . .) I guess I'll try for the
    silver:

    re: .0
    
    "I despise my name.  Tracey sounds so cutesy."
    
    Have you thought of changing it?  "Carl" is kind of nice, or perhaps
    "Leonard". . .
    
    Bozo
    

    Tracey, your situation is somewhat the opposite of mine when my child
    was about to be born.  I had a list of girls names I liked, headed
    by Katherine, but no boy's names.  My (now ex-) wife had a few boy's
    names, and a couple of girl's names she liked.  We had used certain
    "criteria" for picking the names, which are fairly standard, but
    we didn't want a name TOO popular, nor too unpopular.  We also didn't
    want to name the child after anyone in the family, and looked for
    a name that went well with our family names (hers would be used as the
    child's middle name).
    
    The wierd thing is that, until the baby is born, NOTHING sounds right.
    But once our son was born, we looked at each other and said - "Ok,
    Thomas (her first pick) it is."  At that point, it seemed as natural as
    anything.
    
    I have seen an AWFUL lot of Caitlins around, and I personally would
    avoid that - it seems to be an "in" name nowadays, like Jason and
    Jennifer were a few years ago.
    
    I do agree with the notion that if you have an unusual and/or long
    last name (and you have both!), you should choose a familiar and
    short first name - or at least a name that has a pleasant and short
    nickname.
    
    I believe in choosing a child's name carefully, and to avoid being
    "cute" at all costs.  As you are undoubtedly aware, one's name has
    a significant, and sometimes detrimental, effect on one's self-image.
    
    			Steve (and look how popular THAT name is now!)

    My favorite girl's names are:
    
    	Alyssa Janine
    	Rachel Paige
    	Ariane	?		My very favorite, I'm saving this for
    				myself, pronounced ARI ANN.
    
    I was born in Germany.  My relatives are:
    
    Margaret		August
    Elizabeth		Wolfgang
    Anna		Hans
    Hannalore		Joseph
    Maria		Phillip
    			Ludwig
    
    
    Anna
    

    I would use the Karen/Katherine connection, but I have a sister
    named Cathy (NOT Catherine).  I did once ask my mom why she gave
    us the same name.  ;^)
    
    There were 3 Karen's in my 3rd grade class in a new school, so to
    take the burden off of the teachers, one Karen went by Kate, and
    I went by Kitty.  Until 6th grade, by gym teacher thought that Kitty
    was my REAL name!
    
    I picked up K.C. when I was 15.  When I perform, I always ask for
    K.C. to be put on the program.
    
    My sister is going through a rough time.  She is expecting a daughter
    (tested and true), and can't think of a name.  Her husband doesn't
    like her choices (Meagan or Jenna, which I don't care for either),
    and he wants to give her some Russian name, the word for missile,
    which my sister can't pronounce!
    
    The female names of my sisters and nieces:
    Sandra (Sandi) Ann
    Cathy Jean
    Karen Theresa (me!)
    Katherine (Katie) Rose
    Theresa (Tess) Marie
    Natasha Lee Corrinne
    
    (and for the record, the boys)
    Steven Leo
    Richard (Rick) Steven
    Randall (Randy) Leo
    Lawrence (Larry) Scott
    Peter Joseph
    Steven Richard
    Michael Leo
    Kevin Scott
    Clayton Glenn
    Travis Alan      
    
    For the record, I tried a different spelling (Caryn), but people
    just wouldn't go for it.  
    
    K.C.

    I've had a few "backlogged" from my past maternities.
    
    Sarah Ruth
    Emily Ashton
    Rhonda Angeline
    Erin Crystal
    Barbara Corrine
    Jennifer Rachelle
    Yvonne Monique
    
    and on and on...
    
    Barb

    Hi Tracey,
    
    I have always loved the name Elyzabeth, and have met only one woman
    who has spelled it that way.  Wish I knew the meaning of the name,
    I keep meaning to look it up, but one that I did find was Miranda
    (One who is admired) and because I love Y's in names I would almost
    consider Myranda.
    
    Then as a Tammy I am partial to that one.  As I have gotten older
    it has become Tam to most of the people I work with and I do not
    consider it a cutsie name (even though my mother did name me after
    those Debbie Reynolds movies.) I almost ended up as a DELILAH, thank
    the heavens it did not go with GRYNIEWICZ......
    
    
    Good luck and take care,
    
    
    Tammy Ann Gryniewicz

    
    I wanted to name my daughter Tamra Lee, and my (ex) husband would
    have no part of such a (weird) name. She was born in the Michelle
    era, and so that name sounded "normal" to him so she was named
    Michelle, I did get my way with her middle name thou, Irene. I just
    couldn't face another Michelle Ann or Michelle Lee. My mother was
    Marion Irene and my daughter looked more like my mother than me,
    so I wanted her to have part of my mothers name. 
    
    My son, John Henry, was named after his father, I protested but
    that got me no where. I made my ex promise that my son would never
    be called 'Junior'. My brother is still called that and he is in his
    sixties.  
    
    A funny thing that happened to my daughter, was when she was about
    to start school, we went to city hall to get her birth record, and
    found out that the forms had never been sent in to name her, she
    was registered as 'baby girl Jeffries'. Try naming a five year old,
    what an experience.  First I had to prove who I was, then they wanted
    some kind of proof that the 'childs' name was indeed Michelle Irene.
    The only thing that I had with her name on it was a hospital card.
    I was asked for other identification, I, very sarcasticly, asked if
    they wanted her drivers license. They in there very best 'city
    halleese' insisted that they needed something official.  To make
    a long story short, I went through about two hours of that rot and
    finally got her name put on her birth records.
    
    

    In .39, Pat mentioned the use of "Junior".
    
    The other night, my SO and I had a discussion around this topic.
    Males, when they are given the same name as their fathers, have
    "Jr." appended to the name.
    
    What is the corresponding term for a girl, who is given the same
    name as her mother? 
       
      Alan

    re .40
    
    I was named after my mother.   I don't know if it's really true,
    but I was told that the extension is  Sis
    
    Anna
    
    

    My little one is named Suzanne Michelle.   With a last name that
    is more than one syllable, a two syllable name seemed to fit.
    
    If we have another ... and I say *****IF***** (this one's a
    handful and a half) I was thinking of the name Sara Nichole.
    IF it is a boy, he will take my husband's first name (Shawn) and 
    probably a different middle name. 
    
    I am also partial to Beth.  It goes well with long last names and
    is very pretty.  No harsh sounds.
    
    I have always hated my name during school because it is so common.
    There were always at least two or three of us in a class.  Cutesy
    names don't do it for me, either.  Names that end in the -ie, -y,
    etc.  I was called Susie for years.
    
    Just rambling along ......
    
    Susan
          

    I won't say that I have always liked my named, but I can't think
    of time when I hated it.  I now love the name Celeste.  It's very
    difficult to find a nickname for and very easy to say. 
    
    Another good thing about the name Celeste is that there aren't too
    many of us walking around.  My full name is Celeste Marie Langlois
    and I'm very glad my parents named me the way they did.
    
    I also like the name Candace Laura (my daughter).  When anyone calls
    her Candy, she just looks up at them in all her 4 year old innocence
    and says, "Can I have some?"  You teach them as they grow up to
    enjoy their names and use them.  I am fully aware that when she
    becomes junior high school or senior high school age she MAY stray
    from Candace and let her friends call her Candy.  I do, however,
    strongly believe that when she enters the working force she will
    not use the name Candy but her birth name Candace.  A name to be
    taken seriously.
    
    Everything is relative!!!
        
    Celeste Marie
    

    Because your last name is so long, you may want to consider
    one-syllable first names:
    
    	Ann		Britt or Brett		Brooke
    	Dawn		Faith			Fay
    	Gail		Jan			Jane
    	Jean		Jill			Joan 
	Kate 		Kim 			Leigh
    	Paige		Rose			Ruth
    	Shawn
        
    
    -Tracy
    
    			    
                        
    			
                        

    Re .38: Gee, I've *never* seen "Elyzabeth" as a variant spelling
    of Elizabeth (which means "consecrated to God," so I'm told). I
    rather like it; wish I'd thought of that when I went through my
    last name-change! 
    
    I can guarantee you, though, that if you take a reasonably
    common-sounding name and spell it differently (a la "Myranda"), the
    namee will spend the rest of his/her life correcting people's spelling.
    (I suppose it could help people remember you *and* your name; "Hi,
    Myranda-with-a-Y!" But it might be rough on young kids, unless you can
    teach them to be proud of being different before they get teased
    too much.) 
    
    -b

    re .43
    
    	I have a cousin named Celeste and we either call her 
    	Cel or Celly.  
    
    

    
    re .43
    
    My daughter Michelle is twenty five years old and has never had
    a nickname.  From the time she was just a toddler, she would not
    only refuse to answer to any thing but Michelle, but would correct
    people who mispronounced her name also. 

    re .44, Faith is a good one for .0.
    
    Faith Heffelfinger - not bad
    
    Lorna
    

    Re: .48
    
    Hmmm, I don't know -- lots of 'f's.  Could be tricky.
    
    Joy, now -- I like that name for a child.

    Well Tracey, are there no laws in the US that protect pregnant women
    from working that long?
    To names: 269.20 - are you sure it was HARZ? I've never heard this
    name, and I've lived in Germany all my life; harz is the german
    word for resin...
    My favourite has always been Anna - it's so simple. Lately, I've
    read a bit about Anna (Mary's mother in the Bible), it made me like
    the name even more; maybe you know the old wood carvings with a
    big woman (Anna) having a smaller woman (Mary) with the boy child
    on her lap; I read that this was very common right before the middle
    ages, it has some reference to the old earth mother idol - so it
    might be a good name for a womannoter ;)
    To the Bonnies: I REALLY don't understand why you don't like it
     ;) ;) My "real" name is Christiane, but ever since I was 11 years
    old I've been called "pony" (due to the poney tail I used to wear
    as a child). I like it a lot better than Christiane (and I feel
    like I'm in good company ever since I discovered =wn= :):) ).
    Good luck to you, Tracey, and to your daughter xxx.
    pony
     +
    

    I have a friend named Michelle, and others call her "Mitch", but
    _I_ am the only one allowed to call her "Shelly Kelly"  (Kelly is
    her last name.)
    
    My mom once told me about a job she had a a receptionist, and when
    the phone rang, she had to page the person on the intercom, full
    name.  No nicknames, no just first names.  One woman my mother hated
    to page was a Mrs. Rass (She got herself into this one!).  Her first
    name,
    
    was Ophilia.
    
    This is a true story!
    
    K.C.
    
    I also knew a girl named Candace Cane, and sisters named Faith,
    Hope and Joy.
    

    
    
    My name Kathryn (no middle name) was picked 
    out of a hat (Dorothy and Melodie and Maria were the other names).  
    My mother spelled my name Kathryn after a movie actress 
    Kathryn Grayson.
    
    Up until the fifth grade I was known as Kathy, then I got sick of
    being one out of 3 or 4 Kathy's in the same class.  I then changed
    the spelling to Kathie and then to Kathi which I have been
    ever since.
    
    Kathi
    
    P.S.  My favorite girls name is Krista Lee
                      boys name  is Brian James
         

    	Some more guidelines/personal prefences:
    
    	I don't care for names that are flowers, months, jewels, and
    personal virtues.  I care care for names that end in y or ie except
    as nicknames.  I'm not opposed to nicknames.  I kind of like them.
    They give you the option of being familiar or formal.    
    
    	I agree with whoever said that a one-syllable name doesn't really
    "balance" the 4 syllable monstrosity that will be attached to it.
     But three syllables means the kid will be writing her name all
    day long.  (I dread buying travelers checks!  Buy the time I get
    done with all of them my signature looks like Tra___ Heff_____ 
    if that legible :-) )  So it looks like two syllables.
    
    	To make it worse, there are names that I like in and of themselves
    but I have bad feelings about the name becasue of someone I know
    by that name.  Re: I like the name Anna but one of the most vicious
    backstabbing women I ever met was named Anna and I just can't get
    the bad taste out of my mouth.
    
    	Do you begin to see why it's tough to find one I like?
    
    tlh
    

    Well, my folks were all set to name me James Munro Bobbitt (after
    the 5th president of the US, a distant great-etc-grandfather). 
    But I came out with XX chromosomes.  They liked the nickname Jody,
    but didn't like the full names often associated with it - Joanne,
    Josephine, etc.  So I was named Judith (but I don't like to be called
    that - they picked Jody way before they picked Judith, and I like
    Jody better - and save Judith for official documents).
    
    A name I've always liked came from a folk song we used to sing at
    camp.  Vrenalee.  Maybe as a middle name.  
    
    As for the new Heffelfinger - if it's a girl, how about Charlotte?  
    If it's a boy, how about Timothy Shawn?
    
    -Jody
    

    	When I was born, my parents named me Elaine (after my Mother's
    	sister.)  I forget what my middle name was going to be with
    	that.
    
    	However, when my Dad went home to tell my brother and sister
    	about the new baby girl in the family, both my older siblings
    	asked my Dad what turned out to be a loaded question:
    
    	"Don't you think that 'Suzanne' is a pretty name?"
    
    	My Dad said "Yes, it is" (and went back to the hospital to see
    	me, not knowing that there was a purpose behind the question.)
    
    	When Dad got home that night, the phone calls started coming
    	in (saying, "We heard that your new baby was born last night
    	and that you named her Suzanne!")
    
    	It turned out that my brother and sister had literally canvassed
    	the neighborhood for several blocks around (knocking on doors saying,
    	"We have a new baby sister and her name is Suzanne.")
    
    	My Dad went back to the hospital and told my Mother what had
    	happened.  They decided that they didn't want to make liars
    	out of the other kids (who did, after all, check first with
    	Dad to make sure that he thought 'Suzanne' was a pretty name,
    	too.)  :-)
    
    	So, they decided to name me Suzanne Elizabeth.  (The 'Suzanne'
    	ended up coming from a girl my brother liked in kindergarten,
    	and 'Elizabeth' is my Mother's first name.)

       If you are dead set against alliteration (Harriet Hortensia
       Heffelfinger would turn a few heads, and would almost certainly
       require the addition of your maiden name somewhere in the
       equation), I'd go for either Phoebe, Farfel, or FiFi Heffelfinger.
       
       --Mr Topaz

    Fifi is nice.
    

    Claire or Clare???
    
    Nanci

    Two syllables -- well, if the Kristen rage is over, I kind of like
    that one.  (Mom considered naming me Kristen until she decided that
    Kristen Christenson was perhaps a bit much.)

    I can't spell this, and probably not many other people will be able
    to either, but how about
    
    Margeaux Heffelfinger (might even work if its a boy)?
    
    If she plays scrabble and could use her name and win big time.

    Re: .60
    
    That would be Margaux, after the famous French Bordeaux wine
    (after which Ms. Hemingway was named).  Wonderful stuff - I have
    a bottle of '82 stashed away for a VERY special occasion sometime
    after 1995...  You could buy a bottle (or even a case) when she
    is born, and it would be ready to drink when she is...
    
    				Steve

    Or Kirsten Hefflefinger.
    

    Re earlier
    
    IMO, Fifi is what you name a poodle!
    
    I think that Kristen is starting to die down a little.  Maybe go
    traditional and have the middle name Marie.  Of course Kristen Tracy
    Heffelfinger is nice, too.
    
    K.C.-who-still-likes-Kate,-too.

    Re .63, Fifi, I know it's a lousy name.  I was just being silly.
     I think Hortense Heffelfinger is a riot, too.
    
    Actually, I think if .0 likes Kate she should go with it, since
    it *is* difficult to find names that go with Heffelfinger.  I do
    agree that Margaux has a certain appeal and goes okay with the last
    name.
    
    If I had to name a child, at this point in time, I would choose:
    
    for a girl: either,  Vanessa Meredith
                               or
                         Chloe Alexandra
    
    for a boy:           Zachary Alexander
    
    I named by daughter - Melissa Renee -  14 1/2 yrs. ago, and I still
    like it.
    
    Lorna
    

    How about some of the older names I have some from my Ancestors.
    
    Marcelline,
    Celina
    Genevieve
    Marie-Ambrosie
    Francoise or Francine
    Eliza  (pronounce EE Liz Ah)
    Isabelle
    Amarylis (my Grandmother)
    Marguerite
    Josette
    Madeleine
          
    or for Males
    
    Jacques
    Nicolas
    Pierre
    Louis
    Andre
    Antoine
    Augustin 
    Etienne 
    Alexandre
    Vital (pron VEE-tal)
    Eustache
    Abraham
    Anselme
    Edouard
    Xavier
    Henri
    
    Those should keep you active for a while, and I suggest that if
    you pick a non standard name as first name that you pick a standard
    on as a middle name.
    
    My son Kjell Eric uses his middle name except at home.  We use his
    first name.
    
    Good luck.
    
    Dave
    
    PS Kjell is the Norwegian equivalent of James.  Not a bit alike
    tho.
    
    Olav is a good strong name for a Male child and name of the 
    present King of Norway.

    I got my kids names picked out :
    
    Daughters : Kayleigh Jane 
                Adrianne Fairbank
    Sons : Michael Raymond Ryan Jr. (whether Sr. agrees to it or not:-)
           Max Andrew 
           Jody Christopher
    
    God forbid I should actually have that many though.....
    
    Dee

    re:.66
    
    I love the name max and want to name a son that, when I plan on
    having children, but it would be Maximillion Aaron, kind of a mouthful
    I know.......
    
    Tracey,
    
    Some other names:
    
    Boy -  Ian, Jason, Shamus (we nicknamed my cousin Jimmy this one)
    
    Girl - Tyra, Tyrell, Jaqulyn, Jayde
    
    
    
    
    TammyG

    
    My brother, Jim, gets called Shamus on occasion and I like my kid
    sister's name which is Daria.  I kinda like Dylan for a female name,
    too.
    
    Ann Marie Bernadette L.
    
    

    How about Devon (rhymes with Kevin) for a girl?
    
    -T.
    

    Caitlin [CAW' thlin or CAWth' leen, two cousins slightly different
    pronunciation] has always been one of my personal favourites, along
    with my grandmother's name, Siobhan [sh VAHN'].  However, I didn't
    want a daughter to go through life explaining. Of course the Fiona
    Carlyle that I chose wouldn't have done her much better.
    
    Once I married Richard Johnston, I sent my mother around the bend
    with my plans to name three sons Ian, Sean, & Evan [for my
    Scots/Irish/Welsh heritage - these all being forms of John]
    
    If you like "Kate" but want something Germanic, there's "Kathe"
    - pronounced KAYT'-eh.
    
    
     Ann [nee Annie-Luise Cashel] 

    I knew sisters named Candace, Sandra and Amanda.  Yup, you guessed
    it!
    
    Candy, Sandy and Mandy!
    
    K.C.  

Re:  .72

This reminds me of a family that all entered the University of Michigan during
the time I was going there.  Their family name was Lear, and there were two
women (girls?) and a man (boy?).  So what were their names?


The women were named Gay Cava and Crystal Shanda; the man was King.

No fooling!

Re:  a few back (Siobhan):

A Siobhan I once met never much cared for her actual name, as it was too
difficult for most people to spell or pronounce.  But she had been given the
nickname Shawnee, and she still uses (and likes) it to this day.

						--Q (Dick Wagman)

    
    When I was growing up, we had a family in our church with girls
    named Joyce, Janice, Jean, Jane, Judy, and June. The boys were named
    Roger, Rafield and Robert. It seems that the mothers maiden initals
    were J.R. By the way that was there birth order also, 6 girls and
    then 3 boys.

    
    My mother's first cousin has ten children, all with the initials
    J.D.P.

    re: J-names
    
    Around this part of NH, any name beginning with J and more
    than two syllables long is trendy.  Jason, Justin, Jennifer,
    Julia, Jillian . . . 
    
    One-syllable J-names, on the other hand, are considered
    old-fashioned and stodgy.
    
    --bonnie
    
    p.s. the opinions expressed in this note are not those of the
    reporter but are quoted from expectant parents of my acquaintance. 

    I went to high school with a family of 12 kids, all of whose names
    started with D.                  
                                     
    (Well, I didn't go to school with _all_ 12 kids; I mean I wasn't
    in high school _that_ long...)
    
    -Tracy
    

    I personally like Elery as a girl's name.
    
    pat

    I also like Jordan and Jesse as girls' names.
    
    -Tracy
    

    I new a family with all J-names too!
    
    Jenifer
    Joey
    Jody
    Jeffrey
    
    That was the order they were born in too - one girl one boy one girl
    one boy.  Their mom's name was Jessica and their dad's name was John so
    they all had J.C. as their initials.  A little too cutsey for my taste
    but I have seen it doen quite a bit. 

    I knew a family with H's.... and no, the girls names was not helen,
    but  Hedera  and Hellana....the boys were Hal & Hol....imagine the
    fun when mom or dad gets real angry & trys to get the correct name
    out!!!   

    J's must be real popular. we had a family living next to us and
    the children were named John, Jay, Jarrod, Jason, Julie, Jeremy,
    and I believe they had 2 more children later. The Father's name 
    was John, but mom ruined it with her name being Lucille.


               

    	Well, my sister-in-law (Becky) married Brian Bigger. They
    	have 3 daughters: Briana, Bethany, and Brooke.
    
    	Last May, I attended my brother-in-law's wedding. One of his
    	friends has two children names Skye and Daye.
    
    	Scott

    
    
    My cousin in Texas has *nine* who are; James Robert, Joshua Barrett,
    Jennifer, John, Jessie, Jana, Jamie, Joy, and Nichole.
    
    I'm sure the J's were popular in the 70's!

    My favorite girl's names:
       Eleanor Rose
       Elizabeth Anne
    
    My favorite boy's names:
       Nicholas Lee
       David Page  (my grandfather)
    
    Although at the rate my family is going, (I have 1 boy, my brother
    has 3 boys and my brother-in-law has 1 boy and 1 girl) I may never
    get to use the girls names.  :-)
    
    Roberta

    
    If I had two girls...
    
    Brittany Marie
    Dannielle Margaret   
    
    If I had two boys...
    
    I don't know what I'd name them.  Oh well I have plenty of time
    to decide.
    
    Suzanne

    My sister had her baby girl yesterday morning, and the name that
    she and her husband (finally) agreed on is Holly Cassandra Schnell.
    
    K.C.

    
    My mother wanted to name me Cyprien Telesphore Charron after my
    grandfather and great grandfather respectively. My dad wouldn't
    have any part of it and I am very thankful for that!
    
    If I haven't scared you off, a name I think would go quite well
    with your last name (for a girl) is Natalie. Personally, I like
    the name Heather which is what my wife and I named our daughter.
    We have a 6 month old son whom we named Bryan James (not a junior).
    
    Incidentally, my wife's married name is Sherry Charron. Charron
    is pronounced: Sharon.. ;')
    
    good luck,
    
    Brian

    
    My favorite girls names:
    
    Susan
    Anne
    
    Guess that makes Suzzanne my favorite girls name -;
    (also I can add extra z's for effect)

    Those were my mother's favorite names, too.  That's why she
    named me Susan Anne.
    
    My daughter's name is Suzanne.  Original, huh?  :^)

    For what it's worth: we just named our new daughter Julie Katherine.
    
    
    
    Date: November 25
    Time: 8:12 AM EST
    Weight: 7 lbs. 9� oz.
    Length: 20�"
    
                                                   
                  /
                 (  ___
                  ) ///
                 /
    

I've seen the name Caitlin becoming more and more popular.
I'm embarrassed to ask, but can someone tell me how it's
pronounced? Is the first vowel sound a long 'a', as in Kate?
Thanks.    

Yes, I've heard Kate-Lynn.

    re.93, .94  Caitlin
    
    In an earlier response, I commented on this name and my surprise
    at hearing it pronounced "Kate-lin."  [It sounds pretty, so don't
    take the following wrong]
    
    However, I have two cousins with the name, both Irish as is the
    name, who pronounce it with slight regional differences  Cawth'-lin
    and Caw'-thlen.
    
    Were I to name a daughter so, I would undoubtedly say it Cawth-lin,
    but all of her teachers would almost certainly call her Kate-lin.
    
    -sigh-
    
    Ann
    
    

    Another German name that would go well with your surname is Renate
    (pronouced Reh-na-ta). The Italian version is Renata and French
    of course is Renee; all mean "reborn." 
    
    I am very partial to matching firsts-and-lasts. Something to consider.
                                                    
    /J
    

    I've always been partial to my name.  As I was growing up I never
    ran into another person with my name.  Also, my name isn't a
    nickname for Michelle either.  It's Shelly.  My parent's gave me
    my aunt's middle name and together it's Shelly Jean.
    
    My parents have unisex names - Leslie and Dale.  Les being my
    dad, and Dale being my mom.  So when my parents had four they
    mixed the names together.
    
    
    Shelly Jean
    Diane Leslie  (after my dad)
    Steven Dale   (after my mom)
    Jody Lynn     (an after thought)
    
    Jody left the hospital without a name.  But I've always like
    her name too.
    
    
    
    Shelly Goncalves

    Hello Tracy,
    
    This is the first chance I've had to catch up on the notes files
    since I met you in Greenville.. Having a baby??? You did looked
    a little washed out but then that was the first time I had met you.
    
    I haven't read anymore of this note, hope you are feeling better
    by this time.  As to girls names = I have always hated Marie as
    a first name, does seem to go well as a middle name (goes with amlost
    any other name!)  
    
    May be back in GSO in Feb... hope to see you then..
    
    Marie

    Well, I have another new niece, and get a load of this handle!
    
    Monica Danielle Davenport
    
    I LOVE it!
    
    K.C.
    
    P.S.  Tracy:  have you and the hub gotten any good ideas down yet?

	 and my cute little niece was 1 year old on Friday.....

		Bethany Harue Smith

	                ^^^^^Japanese.....


	 She's such a babydoll...big beautiful blue eyes and the
	 japanese complexion.....

	 another niece/nephew on the way in February....I'll let ya know!!

	 kath

	 (PS:  this is the best way to have kids....my sister has 'em,
	 and I can give 'em back when they cry!!!)  8^)

    Well, I'm a little late to this note, but here goes anyway.  I named
    my daughter Caitlin (yes, it's kate-lin) 5 years ago.  I had heard
    the name when I was in high school (10+ years ago) and had always
    loved it.  I had NEVER heard anyone else with that name.  I toyed
    with spelling it different ways, but decided with the traditional
    Irish way (form of Catherine, I do have a little Irish with my
    Welsh and German background!)  I have no regrets, but it is now
    a very popular name.  I have met a lot of Caitlin's lately, but
    they are all younger than my daughter.  
    
    My best advice to you is name the baby what YOU like.  You'll always
    get the "oh, I don't like that, or the like."  I'll never forget
    hearing (from other relatives) the comments my mother-in-law had
    about how I could stick a name like that on a baby.
    
    Also, Caitlin still corrects anyone who calls her Cait or Caitie
    (Kate or Katie).  I feel if she wants to be called that later in
    life, fine, but we do call her Caitlin.

    Tracey,
    
    Did you ever decide on a girl's name?  [I still like Kirsten (not
    Kristen)].
    
    -Tracy
    
    BTW, I had another girl, whom we named Paige Halsey.

    	Hi there!
    
    	Sorry to have left you all hanging so long, but things were rather
    hectic and so I quit reading womannotes shorting after I entered this
    note.  Then things got hectic again around May 17th, producing:
    
    
    	Kathryn Leigh Heffelfinger
    	May 17th 12:11pm
    	8lbs 9oz, 20 inches
    	Born C-section after (gasp! ouch!) 28 hours of non-productive
    labor.
    
    	Kathryn means "pure"  and Leigh means "meadow" so no problems
    there.  We generally call her Katie with an occasional Kate.  We NEVER
    call her Kathryn.  (In fact, when we get bills and the like for Kathryn
    our invariable reaction is "WHO??"...)
    
    	Katie will be 5 months old in a couple of weeks and is just
    starting daycare.  (I was home for 8 weeks and then my husband took a 3
    month leave of absence to be home with her.  But more about that in
    another note...)
    
    	Just wanted to wrap this up.  I *hate* when people start notes like
    this and never tell the outcome...
 
    tlh
    

    Congratulations, Trace!
    
    					andrew

    So, do we refer to the baby as "klh"? Or perhaps "ktlh"? :-)
    
    --- jerry