Nov 19, 2013

What's In A Name

So I finally tried to sit Morgan down in order to discuss possible names for our future child, who is scheduled to arrive in just over two months.  Not a ton of time, and I have my hands full with doing up Dell Harper's big girl room and the holidays, so I'd like to get my ducks in a row.  We have a boy name all worked out (after Morgan, going by his middle name), but a girl name?  Totally unknown.

We did a little research into our family trees, as my top two choices (one a favorite great aunt, and the other my grandmother's middle name), were deemed "okay, but a little old ladyish".  Likely because they are the names of two old ladies.

Both sides abound with Margarets, which we both just love, but I also have not one, but two best friends named Margaret.  It might be a bit much.

Anyway, we have got some weird options ahead of us.  You know it's dire when a Samma Faye thinks some names are weird.

My maternal grandmother- Erma Faye. She would rise from her grave to haunt me if I ever named a child Erma, and rightfully so.  Her sister?  Ivy Mae- not bad when you consider the rest of the list.

Mama has also threatened dire harm if I name a child after her 1950's charmer of a name- Janet Sue.  I think we are safe!

Mama then suggested her favorite great-aunt, who was an amazing woman named. . .Nellie Pearl.

Sorry, Mama.

My other grandmother's sisters include my great aunts Madge, who went by Bucky, and Frances, who went by Pris.  Then we have plenty of Ruths, Marys, Frances's, and Sarahs, which are fine, but. . .I mean, my name is Samma Faye, and I am married to a Morgan Deeds.  We don't do plain or simple very well.  Plus, Mary and Ruth are so lovely as double names, but Dell Harper is enough for one family.

Then we get to Morgan's side-

Morgan and I discovered his great-grandmother on his mom's side had a doozy- Pantha Olive.  Whew.

Then I received this amazing e-mail from my father-in-law- I'm just going to paste it in its entirety.


Samma,  Morgan mentioned that you guys were looking over names for a girl.   Most names I can supply are not very appealing.
On the Bromley side:
 Opal Mae Deeds Bromley -  My mother
 Rose Brown Deeds - My grandmother
 Ermina - My grandmother Bromley
Amanda Melissa - My great grandmother Bromley
Edna Geraldine Seymore-  a great aunt
On the Broyhill side:
Dell Boulware Broyhill - Dell Morgan's Mother.
Ethel Broyhill  Stevens -  Dell Morgan's aunt.
Lily Broyhill Blackwelder - "   "     "     "    "    "
Again not very appealing.
Love, Coach    Be sure to give Dell Harper a squeeze.



So we are stuck- Erma Ermina?  Pantha Pearl?  Bucky Mae?  Too many delightful monikers to choose from.


Maybe I should just hope for a boy.

13 comments:

  1. I love it - there are some doozies in there! We are also in the process of figuring out a name for our girl - we also have lots of Ruth's and Margaret's & Martha's. We are sticking with a family name & have some possibilities we like but we have some doozies too - Sara Jean & Billye Geanne (grandmothers), Ethel Susan (greatgrandmother and my mother's and my namesake - thank goodness for dropping the Ethel!), Charlene (great aunt), Pansy, and my favorite - great great grandmother Fanny Rosie Matilda.

    My husbands family is Irish - so lots of Mary's.

    We still have some deciding to do too!

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  2. As the great-granddaughter of Iris Elmon Belch (not even kidding), I encourage you to go beyond the family name! It's ok sometimes :)

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  3. I love the name Lily I did not give it to my daughter because of a friend of mine with that name instead I named her Emma which I love too.
    You mentioned Ermina, pretty name as well...good luck! Oh I also love Eleanor

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  4. Whats the chance of a surname, like Stevens?

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  5. This is a riot! JM is of German descent and he has - no joke - TWO Wilhelminas and one Grunhilda. Absolutely hilarious.

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  6. This is too funny! I always thought the hard part of family names was selecting which family member to honor - I may be wrong! I like Mae and Lily from your FIL's list. I'm sure you'll come up with something wonderful for a little girl! Or have a boy. :)

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  7. Awesome! I like Lily. And Rose is a great middle name (not with Lily, obviously). Also, Nellie is kind of adorable. If you did Margaret, could you nickname her Maggie or Mags or Margo?

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  8. love Francis- call her Cissa- Easy for DH to say! I am a Cornelia Emilen- but I only have boys but would have used Cornelia and done Lelia. I say use Samma too!

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  9. I actually really love Nellie (the combo with Pearl is a bit much)... Or a variation? Nell? Nella? Do both of your Margaret friends go by their full name? Maggie and Margot are such great names... I also really like Mae and Olive. A friend recently named her little girl Olive and she's adorable.

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  10. So exciting!! My mom wanted to name me Nellie Amanda after Aunt Nellie, but my dad nixed that one...ended up as Amanda Nellie instead :) I wonder if her full name was Eleanor - I've thought about passing it along in that form. So happy for you guys :)

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  11. BAHAHAHA! I am sitting here in Starbucks looking like a freak because I am laughing out loud at this post...I have NO FEAR you will come up with something unique and gorgeous, whether #2 is a boy or a girl. Honestly, stick with family names...I sometimes kick myself for not doing it with Carson the 2nd go around, but I think I was just so set on another "C" name...can't wait to hear!!

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  12. I've heard a few Margarets go by Maggie.... Maggie Mae is cute & Southern... Or one name you might love... something simple ie: Anne plus a middle name of Bromley or your maiden name. Either way she will be ADORABLE and LOVED ;) ps. your writing is deeelightful & cracks me up! THANK YOU for sharin'!

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