For months I’d thought about writing this blog entry, but I just never made the time. Seeing as how Ducky is biding his or her time to arrive and I have a few minutes, I may as well record our weirdness preferences in naming our children.
We have rules. I think most families do to some extent. Even if someone claims they “have no rules,” that is a rule, right?
Some of ours may make more sense than others to the reader… but they all make PERFECT sense to us. 😉
Rule #1) Since our last name begins with a /B/ sound, the end sound of the first name shall not end with a /B/ sound. (ie. Caleb Baxter. It would sound like Cale Baxter or Caleb Axter.)
Rule #2) Since our last name begins with a /B/ sound, the end sound of the most common nickname shall not end with a /B/ sound. (ie. Abraham = Abe, or Gabriel = Gabe. See rule 1. Say them outloud.)
Rule #3) Since our children’s middle names begin with S (except for the child whose first name begins with an S) the first name shall not end in an /S/ sound. (ie. Pierce Samuel, or Rhys Silas, etc. See rule 1.)
Rule #4) Since our last name ends with an /–er/ sound, the first name shall not have an –er, –ir, –ur, etc. (ie. No Esther, Arthur, Spencer, Oliver.)
Rule #5) We will not repeat any letters of the alphabet for our children’s first initial. We already have J, M, N, S, & T. There are still 21 other letters before we repeat. 😉
Rule #6) The name will preferably NOT be in the top 500 names according to the Social Security Administration website for the three most recent years. (We’ve made concessions a time or two for this, however, have universally avoided any names trending toward more popular usage levels.) http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/
Rule #7) Despite rule #6, we will not invent any name or use a name that can’t be found in average baby books.
Rule #8) The name has to have a meaning that appeals to us, or it has to have a personal meaning to us. “Lives by a cliff,” or “Tends farm animals,” isn’t going to cut it along side of, “Named after my grandfather,” “Champion,” “Named after Jesus’ mother,” “Resurrected by St. Peter,” and “God is gracious.”
Rule #9) Middle names are fun. Do not worry about what the world thinks about the middle name!
NEWER RULE
Rule #10) As we prayed about a name for Ducky, we also added this rule for a girl. If it is a girl it can not end in another /-uh/ sound, as the last two girls names do and it is getting repetitive to our ears.
And finally – above all else –
THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE – Pray about the name. God has given us the name for each of the other children either in the form of confirmation, or breathing the entire thing to us in spite of our initial dislike or shock. These are His children and we desire to ask Him what He would have us call the child. Amazingly… God has followed all of the above rules as He has directed us. 😉
(Bet you really want to know Ducky’s name now, huh?) 😉
Yeah – um, SO DO I!!!!!!!
I’ll give you a hint… the middle names starts with an S. 😉
Dayspring Disciples 
