uh oh. Not sure how to say this...
We may have made a mistake on Danielle's name.
Don't get me wrong. This is no reflection on her and we still like the name for the same reasons we decided on it originally. However, we've both commented a couple times recently that, although pretty, it lacks the POP! of Naomi, at least in our minds.
Sidebar: POP! is a bit indescribable in this sense, but something we thought about quite a bit in naming both kids... something out of the ordinary but not odd (Apple)... something cool looking and sounding but not edgy (Harley)... something flexible that works with brown courdurys or cheerleader skirt... something that stands out from Smith.
So anyway, I was watching Scooby Doo with Naomi the other day and it suddenly hit me - Daphne. Daphne Jordan Smith. hmmm... i. like. it. ALOT. So I wander into the kitchen and mention it to Jenny. She looks at me with a stunned look on her face and says "I like it." Suddenly, a tidal wave of "oh crap" fills the room as we stand there.
"Sounds good huh? And it looks cool too."
"Yeah."
"And it fits with Naomi."
"Perfectly."
"Oh crap" gives way to mild panic at this point and the topic of changing her name actually comes up, and, unbelievably, starts to gain traction! That is, until one of us finally questions whether we'd really have had the nerve to name her Daphne if we'd have thought of it in time (ya know, BEFORE naming her Danielle).
See, there were other girl names that fit all the criteria and that we really liked, but talked ourselves out of. Phoebe? Too identified with the "Friends" character. Tyler, for a girl? Just didn't have the nerve to follow thru. I suspect Daphne would've been the same - a little too much POP!.
Plus, ya know, Daphne has that whole dingy aspect to her. (sorry Daphnies of the world)
Daphne might be a little too out there for me--I'd miss Danielle. Know that Jenny is anti nicknames but do think that Dani is cute if you're looking for more of an "e" sound to go with Naomi's name. Just a thought...but I'd still miss Danielle...m/g
ReplyDeleteMark's ex-girlfriend's name is Daphne, so for us, Danielle is the better choice. Since I know that's one of the criteria.
ReplyDeleteBut I do like Daphne as a name - and I think it might be more common over here than over there because I can think of a couple more Daphnes that I know, or know of, in real life, in addition to the Scooby Doo and Frasier versions. So it doesn't seem as "out there" or "pop-py" as it might to y'all.
Danielle's good.
Though, in case you're interested, there was a good article about people changing the names of their young children in the Guardian a little while back. Psychologists say that if you do it before six months there's no way that it affects the baby, and really you probably could stretch it to 9 months old if you wanted. It's more that society looks at you as if you're crazy - which is what the woman writing the article went through.
Oh, I should also probably add that Mark's ex-girlfriend Daphne is really nice - so it's not like the name is tainted, or anything. She's half-French, half-Greek and really talented. Not dingy. For the record.
ReplyDeleteI think I read that article, Jessica. Didn't you send it to us?
ReplyDeleteMy mind instantly goes to Scooby-Doo cartoons, which are still out there, but not as prevalent as they were when we were kids (or whippersnappers, as it were).
I think Tony had this experience with John. He really thought long and hard about naming him Robert and insisted for awhile that was really his name.
I think you should change it just because that's such an unusual thing to do. Maybe you could start a trend and then the hospitals wouldn't pressure parents to name the kid so quickly.
I didn't know Jenny was anti-nickname!? Is that because there are so many for "Jennifer?"
Obviously this topic raises a lot of issues for me... you never know which post will do it...
Wait. Why is Daphne dingy?
ReplyDeleteThe more I hear the name Daphne in my mind, the more I like it. But I think Danielle is really Danielle. On the other-other hand, I don't know her as well as you guys do. Did you ask Naomi? I'm sure she would know.
ReplyDelete"Why is Daphne dingy?"
ReplyDeleteWould you ask Daphne for directions?
Didn't think so.
I didn't really know i was anti-nicknames either until i was in a position to name someone...it was only when i had this responsibility, that i discovered i didn't want to name my kid something with an automatic/obvious/built-in nickname. mostly b/c i have to deal with "yes, all my legal documents at school/work/accounts say Jennifer, but I go by Jenny". and then I get confused on what stuff says Jenny and what says Jennifer...not a huge thing (really mom and dad -- its not a biggie!!!), just something I became aware of and wanted to avoid. But I ended up having a lot of "rules" for picking names, and this just happened to be one of them.
ReplyDeletehello... hapi blogging... have a nice day! just visiting here....
ReplyDeleteSo are you going to change it?
ReplyDeleteI have heard that the leaning away from names that have automatic nicknames is one of the reasons why Mark was named Mark. Mark's dad (Carl) doesn't like nicknames. Or didn't want his son to have an automatic nickname, which is why they went for Mark, rather than James, which was the other first choice. James ended up as his middle name. Though I think Mark has secretly always kind of wished they had gone with James for his first name. Or I may be completely making that up.
ReplyDeletethere will be no official name-changing...unless...someone starts calling her 'Dani'!!! Then we'll have to immediately switch to the no-nickname name Daphne!
ReplyDelete... but then, what's to prevent 'Daffy'??
ReplyDelete