Maybe one of the first date questions should be "What do you like in a baby name?" I worked in a portrait studio for 2 years and during that time, I saw a lot of names. Some so unusual you weren't sure if the child was male or female. Those were usually the ones that showed up for their appointment with baby dressed in perfectly generic clothes. Maybe they were like that family in London that decided to keep their baby gender neutral until he or she is old enough to pick what he or she wants to be. I also saw names like John and Steve and Sally. Boring. Strong and beautiful names, but baby would have a billion classmates with their name all their life. So I like unusual names that are still common enough that people have heard them and can pronounce them. I hate gender neutral names. You'll never find me introducing my child with a name like Alex.
DH on the other hand, likes biblical or traditional names. But not old people names- they're right out. I like Walter. He hates it. ("Sounds like some old person.") I like mason, he hates it. ("Thats not traditional! I'd always think of canning jars...")
My favorite name for a baby boy? Mason Joseph. My mom and DH like Micah Joseph. Mil agrees with me but apparently she doesn't have enough control of her son anymore to get him to sway to our side and leave my mom all alone. Since sadly, neither do I, whenever we finally have a baby boy, his name will be Micah Joseph.
Girls names we have had more luck. We have two names we both love. Kaylee Grace and Nova Joy. They're nothing alike except that we agree on them!!
So what's our criteria in a baby name? It must be traditional but not too traditional that it's an "old person" name (does it not occur to hubby that all those old people named Walter and Haddie were babies once too?). It must be unique, but not too unique. It must be gender specific. And DH and I have to agree. I don't think we'll be having many kids at this rate... Or maybe we'll just issue them numbers. "Hey child #3! It's your turn to clear the table!" Do you think hubby will agree on that?
