Given this line of thought, I recently talked to my mom about baby names, saying Dan and I had pretty much picked ours out. I referenced these before, specifically "Ezra," and then our girl name, later in a sneaky little photo caption. I guessed nobody noticed, because we didn't hear screams or bitching from anybody over the name "Fern." Then I told my mom. Not that she bitched. She did some very good-humored screaming. "Whhhaaatt?!!?" The only Fern my mother ever knew was an old lady at my childhood church in Washington, IL. I don't remember her, but I do realize it is an old lady name. I told her, I like old lady names. "What about Ethel Belle?" (That's the name of my grandmother.) I love Ethel Belle, but Dan has never liked it. We like Fern also because it is botanical and even lends an association to our honeymoon here in Oregon, where the ferns are tremendous. Personally, I also like it because it is a famous book character name--Fern from Charlotte's Web. I told my mom that according to Dan, it was either Fern or "Archer." Couldn't she get used to Fern? She insisted that the middle name might help her out. I didn't want to tell her the middle name because it's hard to pronounce and not very common--that was hardly going to help matters. Turns out, she'd gladly spend the rest of her life telling people how to pronounce and/or spell "Anaïs" rather than accept Fern.
The other day I read that Nicole Kidman named her daughter "Sunday Rose Kidman Urban." Other celebrities named their daughters "Honor Marie," and "Stella Doreen." We all know "Shiloh" and "Suri." I think Fern is pretty plain and tame! I told my mom to just think of the name Fern the next time she saw a cute baby girl, and soon the association would build and the name would grow on her. For example, look at this outfit and think of little baby Fern crawling around in it:
Might Dan and I possibly change our minds? Of course! But we might not! Does anyone else have such a wretched aversion to this name? Speak now, or forever hold your peace...! Oh, and doesn't that outfit make you want to have a girl?[Outfit from Janie & Jack; Heirloom Summer hand-crochet bodice & bloomer in pima cotton.]
7 comments:
Goodness, there are so many things that make me want to have a girl - and that little dress just adds to the list. *sigh*
And about the name, Fern. I don't love it, yet. But I bet I would start to love it if I started calling some little baby girl Fern. I also don't hate it - not at all...It actually sounds like a very sensible name. Hmmm...see, I'm starting to like it already. And it sounds nice with your last name.
I think you should choose whatever YOU like. Not what every one else likes. Trust me!!! To begin with we thought we were set on Samuel. Now as everone knows, our unborn child was called Samuel throught the whole pregnancy. Then we wanted to name our little boy Dolen. That is a mixture of our dad's names. Don and Allen. We heard so much crap about everyone not liking it. I thought it was unique. Then we showed up at the hospital with no name & I said "Come back from the nusery with a name. I don't care what it is, but don't come back without one. So we have Logan Thomas. I think you should not tell anyone and make it a surprise!!! Love you.
I agree with your sister - don't tell anyone the name before the birth --- no one can look your little babe in the face and say that he/she doesn't like his/her name =0)
By the way - I LOVE the name Fern!!! And Ephram was ALMOST named Ezra (it was in the top 3!) -so that name is AWESOME as well!!
Good luck with the babymakin'!
My name is Fern and people always say "ooh your name is lovely!" and comment on how unique and pretty it is :) I don't know anyone else with my name but I like that it doesn't stand out too much either! I wouldn't worry what your mom thinks either as it is up to you what you call your child and if you like it go for it! Good luck
My name is Fern and people always say "ooh your name is lovely!" and comment on how unique and pretty it is :) I don't know anyone else with my name but I like that it doesn't stand out too much either! I wouldn't worry what your mom thinks either as it is up to you what you call your child and if you like it go for it! Good luck
My husband and I had a baby girl 2 weeks ago and named her Fern. We love Charlotte's Web also. We didn't tell anyone our names until the birth because we didn't want their opinions. Everyone considers us hippies so they weren't shocked by the name. It fits our girl beautifully. So far though, people always ask her name twice like they aren't sure what we said. Good luck with making a baby. It took us 7 years to conceive.
Hey, my name is Fern, and at 16 years of age, I've only met one other Fern in my lifetime, and she was an 80 year old friend of my grandmothers. I've actually grown to like the name, but personally, if I was a mother, I'd go with something a little more conventional. Fern automatically singled me out from other kids, and there were some less-than-sweet children who made their opinions of my name known in elementary and middle school. I've actually found it easier to go by my middle name...
As you get older though, the teasing seems to die down.
Ugh, Charlotte's Web comments were among the most resented! I can't say how many clever boys and girls asked me "Hey, Fern, where's Wilbur?"
But, in all the name has become almost a positive thing.
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