The Name Game

When I was pregnant this summer, as most pregnant people tend to do, I became obsessed with names. Finding the perfect name is no easy task, especially as a teacher. There are several names that had to be eliminated based solely on a darling student I've had in the past. Names were a daily discussion that drove my husband nuts. Soon though, I miscarried and you would think I stopped obsessing about names, but alas, I'm a woman and I couldn't. So the obesession continued until one day when we were eating out with my mother-in-law. We were talking names and she mentioned that just the other day she had seen the perfect names for a girl, but she couldn't remember them. I told her that Justin had picked a couple of favorites off of a list I gave him, and I really liked them. When she mentioned Elise, I was shocked and I said that Elise was one of the names. Claire Elise to be exact. She surprisingly told me that Claire was the other one she had heard. So Claire Elise it will be and Reid David for a boy (our boy name for Aubrey). I love both of these names and we're excited to finally have come to an agreement. Now if I would only have a period and could get preggo again!! :)

In my mind this post wasn't really going to be about me finding my perfect names, but rather names in general, so the rambling will continue. :) Knowing how much careful thought and consideration most parents put into naming their child, each year as school starts there are always a few names that surprise me. This element of surprise was probably greatest my first year of teaching. My third period class had a student named Mister in it. Yes, Mister, as in Mr. was his name. One day he told me that "his daddy named him Mister so people be respectin' him". At first it was difficult to say his first name without his last name, but by the end of the year it almost seemed normal. Apparently, his parents did put thought and consideration into his name, their thought process is just different than mine!! Last year I had a student named Special in my 8th period class and this year I have a Manmeet. I know Manmeet is a traditional Indian name, but it's still hard to call a little boy that because I can't help but feel like I'm calling him "man meat". These are just the extreme examples. Along with these very original names, also come the kreativ names. These are always fun on the first day of school. This year I struggled with Kiel (Kyle) and Ruairi (Rory). As a girl who had a name that ALWAYS got a comment, I hope my child has a name that isn't too complicated or too popular.

And while we're on the discussion of names....
The other day someone(my sister or Alisha- I think) was talking about the presidential race and how Obama-Biden had a striking resemblence to another name with a much more negative connotation. And while this election really is a historical occassion, that is an eerie similiarity.

Enough babbling.