Help Me Name My Baby Girl! A Poll
June 27, 2008 by Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor
Filed under breastfeeding
Okay folks, I need your help. Here I am at 35.5 weeks of pregnancy and this third baby girl remains nameless beyond the fond nickname Baby Egg White, III. I thought about naming her Tertia, given she is the third girl, but I think I prefer something more traditional. So here’s your chance to offer your input. Please vote in the poll!
My general criteria (although not all the names I put in the poll meet this criteria and I reserve the right to ignore these guidelines completely in the final selection!):
1. Must go well with last name “White.” That means no “Lily White,” “Ebony White” etc.
2. Easy to spell, with very few if any alternate spellings.
3. Not in the current top 10, or even 50.
4. Doesn’t make anything funny with the initials.
5. Doesn’t “run into” the “wh” sound in “white.” For example, names that end in “o” like, I dunno, Caro, sound like “carowhite” all one word; same with names that end in “th” like “Elizabeth” (beautiful name, but to me it makes the last name sound like “Thwhite.” Maybe that one can be reconsidered).
ETA:
6. Does not mean “spawn of the devil” or the like.
ETA again (apparently I’m very picky):
7. Also very easy to pronounce, which eliminates perfectly lovely names like “Caroline” which can be pronounced Carol-lyn or Carol-line.
ETA again again (for heaven sakes, it’s a wonder my first two children even have names):
8. Must also have acceptable (if any) shortened names/nicknames; for example, Megan White is nice, but Meg White is not (sounds like Egg White and has terrible teasing potential).
You may also suggest a different name in the comments section, but please do so anonymously (choose the name Anon and put in a fake email like anon@anon.com) because I can guarantee that I will reject any name that will always remind me of the person who suggested it (that’s why I don’t ask, say, my dry cleaner, for input).
I think Karen goes nicely with daughters one and two.
I gotta know…what are your other two girls’ names??
Had to choose Karen … of course … plus Karen White is almost as versatile and easy to spell as Karen Lynch (if not moreso!).
Kate, thanks for your input!
Liberty, I’ve posted pictures of my girls in the past and never felt comfortable posting their names. I think any of these 15 names compliment their names.
Karen, LOL! Thanks for your vote!
What about Kelley/Kelly?
Otherwise, I’m voting for Eleanor.
Delaney
I’d go with Treble over Tertia. Much more lawyerly.
Lindsay. Very pretty, and I don’t believe it’s very common.
I like Olivia and Alexandra “Ali” also like Grace and Sydney. Love Audrey as well!
I suggest Erica.
I’ll add another critierium to your list: Since you last name is one syllable, I think that it doesn’t flow as well with a first name that has its emphasis on the last syllable.
Voted for Rebecca. My SIL’s name is Becca and she’s the strongest woman I ever met. Great name!
Had to go with Karen. I think it’s a lovely name.
had to vote for carol… not at all popular now…
otherwise i like janine or rebecca. i always wanted to name my daughter rebecca but it really doesn’t go with our last name….
Re Kelly — I think that’s a lovely name too although it might violate rule #1 — Kelly White makes me think of Kelly Green, and although we have some Irish in our blood that might be a little much for me
Re Delaney — I forgot I had a dream very early on that that is what we named the baby!
Re Treble — oh no, not another lawyer in the family!! LOL
Re Lindsay – also pretty but I think it violates rule #2 with the Lindsay/Lindsey dilemma
@Kendra – thanks for the suggestions!
Re Erica – like that name a lot too!
@Geli – I agree with that criterium. Having a single syllable last name does complicate things. Plus no one understands the darn name on the telephone and I always have to say, “White, like the color” and then people think I’m mocking them or something. Seriously though, people think I’m saying Wyatt or other variations. Which is why I’d prefer a name where the child will not have to spell her first name AND explain her last name all the time!
@Karen and Carol — I love to hear people chime in when they’re happy with their own names. That’s a good sign!! Also a good sign that no one has jumped in to say they’ve hated having a particular name….
If you’re going for easy to pronounce, I have to say that _I_ don’t know how to pronounce “Helene”… “ha-LAIN” or “hey-LEAN” or “hey-LEN” or something else? (And without wanting to be immodest, I’m an educated, widely-read person with a passing knowledge of French, so I’m probably not alone in this.)
Loopy, good point! I was thinking “Hel-lean.”
I love the name and think Rebecca sounds the best!
While my husband thinks the first name should be Snow (I hit him for you)… I like all the names, have you thought about Kennedy? Kennedy White sounds regal
Yes, I can report that “kelli/kelly” is an AWESoME name. Not that I am prejudiced. hee.
Anyway, I voted for Rebecca. If we had gone with Anglo names instead of South Indian ones, I would named our girl Rebecca.
I personally would jump at the chance to name an incredibly unique name like “Lily” to go with White.. putting two common names together to get something interesting is great design. Then you can choose something strong for the middle name. But I am an artist, and my children have unusual names.
I voted for Helene.
I just love the choices. I Sarah is also a lovely name
Also have to think about having all the girls initals together so it does not spell something LOL
Don’t do Sarah. I’m constantly having to tell people how to spell it. Annoying for a name so common! Also, people will be asking how to spell Rebecca–many spell it Rebekah. Just some food for thought!
Great to see you at your shower for this as yet unnamed baby girl
I voted for Camille… I think that is a beautiful, classic name that goes well with her sisters’ names.
what names do the girls like
I remember when was little my grandmother taped me saying I wanted it to be herman munster if it was a boy !!!
Re Kennedy — Kennedy White does sound nice but one of our little friends in town has the name Kennedy.
Re initials — I hadn’t thought of the girls’ initials spelling something! Will keep that in mind….
Sarah — I see your point about Rebecca/Rebekah/Rebekkah — there was a girl at school this year with the spelling Rabecca! I thought that was so unusual it wouldn’t matter but you are right, I have seen those other spellings too.
Jodie – it was great to see you today too. I felt so lucky to have such a nice group there to celebrate this third girl! Thanks for your input on the name (I think Camille might make it on my short list!)
Re names the girls like: this morning they said they wanted the baby to be named Rose Licorice! We’ll have to get out the video camera to record our own “Herman Munster” moment
All the names sound really great. I also like Claire… Claire White, oh I just love names and naming
Hi Angela!
I voted for “Elise”, probably because it is, I believe related to Elizabeth. (Fur Elise). I think it’s really pretty. Also, I am right there with you regarding the “White” like the color…”Brick” like a wall…It’s so simple, people don’t get it. Great to see you today and yes, you have dropped!
Now what on earth is wrong with Lily White?
I voted “Camille.” I think it’s pretty and different (maybe not “different,” but “uncommon”) enough to be neither weird nor regular.
Re Claire: someone else suggeested that name to me too, and it is a beautiful name. Not sure it works with “White” — a one syllable first name with a one syllable last name, and sounds a little like “Clear” — I think I am a bit hung up on the color association
Thanks Amy and Alicia for your input! Looks like Elise and Camille are giving Rebecca a run for the money now.
And yes, Amy, I took a picture this morning that I hope to post soon — photographic evidence that the baby has dropped!
How about Jill after her soon-to-be favorite aunt? Ha! Just kidding. I voted, but won’t say here my choice since I don’t want that to skew your decision (negatively or positively!). I don’t know what her name will be, but what I do know is that she is one of the three luckiest girls in the world to have you as her mom. You’re awesome, and I love you.
Thanks Jill for the vote and for the vote of confidence
I love you too!
P.S. We have a friend named Trip, as in “Triple”, since he was the third boy. I thought that was creative, and goes along with the Tertia idea.
when can we see photos from your shower ???
I liked Elise but my husband said “Elise White”? Sounds like “At least she’s white”. Well shoot. There are a lot of nicknames with your last name. I see what you mean. I like Rebecca, too, and the nickname Becca is pretty.
Julia White
EVERYTHING has to be spelled these days, thanks to the liberties moms have taken with creative spellings. Stick to vanity plates, ladies!
Since you like the hard “c” sound, how about Carley? Yes, it can be spelled differently, but what can’t? (See Barbra Streisand.)
Carley White works nicely, I think.
I found this site while googling for the pronunciation of Helene. Seems the proper pronunciation is usually the same as “Helen.”
By the way, what the heck is a breastfeeding counselor? Yes, no? Right, left?
DP, a breastfeeding counselor provides breastfeeding information and support, helping women and babies succeed at something that does not always come as naturally as one might think.
How about Teresa? I like the three syllables, it goes well with White, I don’t know of any other way to spell it and it is not in the top 100 girl names for 2008.
I also like Erica for the same reasons.
Regarding Teresa – I found a site that provided these other names as variations. “First name variations: Theresa, Teressa, Therese, Toireasa, Teri, Terri, Terry, Tessa, Tess, Tessie, Tessy, Tracey, Tracie, Tracy, Tressa, Tessica, Theresa”
Regarding Erica – Erika, Ericca, Ericka, Errica
I voted for Denise. That’s my mother’s name and she is a kind, selfless woman. she was named after the french actress, denise darcel
How about Sloane, Cassidy, Hannah, Jennifer, Megan, Mia, Casey, Brooklyn (call her Brooke), Angela, Vivienne. I checked none of them are in top 50. Good luck with your precious little girl!!!
I love your name… Angela White why not repeat it