A Few More Feathers Line the Nest
While I'm at it, I should stick a few more in my cap...
I am 2 days overdue, ho hum, ho hoo.
Ho Who, indeed. Boy or girl?
Living is pleasantly measured and slow, and, this time around, I'm not a bit edgy having a baby too curled and content, darkly inside, to want to come out into the hooplah and jazz. Last week, I did taxes, and, on Fluffy Pink Day, the girls and I made gingerbread heads (not men, just heads, because they have no legs on which to run away). On Friday, the dearest heart whisked the girls and I on an adventure abroad. A spur-of-the-moment stop at sale-deluged Jo-Ann Fabrics allowed me to stuff batting, flannel, ruffles, and ribbon (sounds girly, but it's not) into the trunk. Then we went to Puddle Duck Toys and Dolls, one of the coolest indoor-window-shopping stores ever (i.e. wooden and wonderful, wind-up and pop-up, colors a-splash, costumes and puppets, all towering high with prices to match). To top off our Belated Fluffy Pink Evening we relished chicken souvlaki and an ice cream shake at the Lake Effect Diner. I recommend their chicken souvlaki to the entire world. (I've had it twice, and I bet it's just as good every time. Same for the shake, though I've only had a single.)
John spoils me by making meals and doing dishes while I sit and stitch. The midwife said the baby could come any time, but I expected a late arrival, and Berry didn't want to disappoint. In the void of waiting, I turned the stuff from Jo-Ann's into other stuff, and now I've got to put my nose inside the baby names book.
I open the lines.
If you have a name suggestion or request, please enter it in the comments section. There's only an eensy chance that Berry becomes a name you give, but if we pick a name because you brought it to our attention, we'll reward you with...
One complimentary naming of our baby and the pride of knowing that you satisfied John's "Suitably Harsh on the Ears" Name Radar.
15 comments :
What's the matter with this whole "Berry" thing?
If it is a boy, name it Blueberry, or Blackberry (Blackberry is harsh, isn't it?)
If it is a girl name it Strawberry or Raspberry.
Okay, so I'm being a little silly. They're not Biblical names, but they would be unusal, and in my book that's about as good. Blackberry, Blueberry, and Raspberry are a little far out, but I could actually kind of see Strawberry for a girl.
Strawberry Owen. Well . . . it would be interesting and different.
Okay, some others:
Ebenezer
Ichabod
Tabitha (Problem being, too many people name their cat this)
Talitha (Hey, why not? We'll share.)
Jael (Female. This actually is biblical. Wife of Heber. Killed a bad guy by pounding a stake through his head. Judges Chapter 4. It is also Deirdre's middle name)
Caelum (Meaning: Sky, in Latin. This one is Caleb's middle name.)
Teague (Meaning: Poet, Bard, in Irish-Gaelic That one is Owen's middle name.
Dad always chose the odd names and when Mom really couldn't stand them (or really had her hearts set on a different one) they were regulated to middle names. I guess I'm passing them on for the chance they might make it to first name status elsewhere.
Guess that's enough names for right now. Maybe I'll submit some more later.
As a follow up . . . Caelum was picked out from the latin phrase:
"Fiat justitia ruat caelum" which means:
"Let justice be done though the heavens fall"
I like names that have meaning behind them. Like, Caelum if its a boy "Let justice be done though the heavens fall" and Jael if it is a girl "Pound a stake through the enemies of God." Both kinda have the same drift.
(Jael actually means she-goat, if I remember right, but it's the story behind the name that's important.)
Personally, I can't possibly see the challange in finding a bibical name that is suitably harsh on the ears. Tho' obviously "harsh on the ears" is subjective, here's a brief list.
From the books of the Bible:
Ezra (ok, so this is more common nowadays, but I still think it's harsh)
Nehemiah
Ezekiel (same as what I said about Ezra)
Nahum
Habakkuk (hows that for harsh!!)
Haggai
Malachi
Or Abimelech. Anything ending in "ech". Shadrach, Meshack, Abed-Nego, and Belteshazzar.
From the tribes of Israel, you have at least:
Issachar (Actually, Issachar Owen has a nice ring to it)
Zebulun
Naphtali
And Joesph's kids are kind of harsh too, Ephriam and Mannasah.
Jonadab, maybe.
Then there is Zelophed, and his five daughters named Mahlah, Tirza, Hoglah, Milcah and Noah (yes, Noah as a girls' name.). Those names are all pretty harsh.
Michal, the daughter of Saul.
Jobs daughers Keziah, Jemimiah, and Keren-Happach.(While we're talking about Job, there's his friends Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar)
Achsah, the daughter of Caleb.
Ahinoam of Jezreel, one of David's wives.
Dorcas.
Practically the entire genealogy of Christ. (Arphaxad? Serug? Naggai? Eliakim? Lamech? Methuselah? Enoch? Jehoshaphat? Jeconiah? Azor? Achim?)
Almost all of the Judges: Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar, Gideon, Tola, Jair, Jepthah, Ibzan, Elon, Abdon, Samson's father Manoah.
If you want to get really fancy, you could go with Maher-Shalal-Hash-Bas, Isaiah's second son (literally, Speed the Spoil, Hasten the Booty.)
I mean, really, how many bibical names can you think of that AREN'T harsh on the ears? The trick is fiding one that is suitably harsh, but you still like it.
I actually have an easier time with boys' names than with girls' names. I think girls' names ought to be graceful more than harsh.
For a boy, I like Issachar Owen. (Everyone would probably shorten it down to Issac, or something, but it's still suitably harsh.)
For a girl, I have a harder time. Sometimes I like "Bridget", but I'm not sure how well that goes with "Owen". "Bridget" is common enough, it just doesn't seem fair to give a kid a common first name and last name. It doesn't have the right flow to it, either. Bridget Owen. Nah. Naomi Owen? Nah.
Jochebed, the mother of Miriam, Aaron and Moses is awfully harsh. Really awfully.
Eunice? Ew. Lois? Not very harsh. Beulah? Bernice?
Euodia? Syntyche? Pheobe? I like Lydia, but it isn't harsh.
Priscilla Owen sounds pretty good, as long as you shorten it to Prisca, instead of "Prissy".
I guess that's about as good as I can get for a "harsh" female name.
Rundy,
Ebenezer and Tabitha were already on my list (though John may have crossed them off). Talitha wasn't, because the name wasn't in our book, but Cadence made it.
It's funny that you mentioned Jael, because Annika was almost named Jael. John deeply loves the Old Testament, and two of his favorite accounts are those of Ehud and the overflowing belly and Jael pounding the tent peg into Sisera's skull. He even found a really great song about Jael and Sisera. A guy with a guitar sings, "There he lay- dead- with a tent peg through his head." (It's catchy, and Millie twirls along.)
I like the names Caelum and Teague both. I find myself writing down a lot of names with Welsh or Irish/Gaelic roots.
Meaning is important, which is why when I was laboring in the hospital with Annika, and John was sifting through the list of names we'd compiled, we had a great time pairing first names with Jael as a middle name (e.g. Ella Jael: elfin mountain goat or Annika Jael: gracious mountain goat). One book translated the meaning more loosely as "nimble," which I thought was pretty useful. For the record, Annika became "Annika Arden."
Titi,
Ezra, Ezekiel, Nephtali, Ephraim, Enoch, Ehud,and Malachi were on my list, and your list has now added even more. Thanks!
Girls are much harder for me, too, but John smoothly picks out names for either gender. Last night, in fact, he was extremely pleased after pairing "Mabel" and "Fagel" together, either as "Mabel Fagel" or as "Fagel Mabel". Both are names that he really likes for a girl, and we both thought the combination was hilarious. (He also altered "Edana" on my list to "Edna," insisting that I mistook the spelling...)
Personally, I'm convinced that Rachel is a FAB name for a girl AND it's from the Old Testament! Just had to share. Trust all goes well.
Deirdre Jael is (roughly translated) "Raging She-goat" though just as some dispute that the "she-goat" might be "nimble" the "Raging" translation for Deirdre is sometimes disputed or slightly altered, but I like it as it stands.
I'll throw out Lazarus as one more boy name. (It's funny--you meet plenty of Marys and Marthas out there, but Lazarus? What do people have against the guy?)
Hey! Ella was a name on our 'girl' list. Since that won't be necessary, I have given it to COrynn to use on her dolly. UNTIL it CAN be used, that is. Then I will be an Indian-giver. :-)
Ooo, Lazarus! Good one! I'm still trying to figure out how to pronounce Fagel. Like Mabel, except with an "f" and a "g"? Huh. I always thought there was a "FAH" in there, like FAH-jell, or FAH-gil. I guess it rymes with Bagel, so that would make sense. Fagel Bagel.
Our Deirdre is definetly of the raging type, and definetly of the she type, I suppose you could dispute the goat type, but I'm not inclinded. She IS terribly hard-headed.
Our tops picks for a boy right now are:
Jeremiah
Nehemiah
Elijah
We also like:
Isaiah(my personal top pick!)
Ezekiel
Malachi
Tobias
Obadiah
Joshua
Joseph
The list goes on! We still have 8 months so our list may change between now and then.
Our names so far for girls are:
Esther(my top pick)
Hannah
Rebekah
Sarah
Beth(any)
Well, to add to the pile of names...I have an over-abundance for you.
I went through our huge baby name book, "20,001 Names for Baby" (we should loan you that book when you have need)and picked out some unusual ones. I realized afterward that hardly any of them went well with the last name "Owen", but maybe you will find one of interest nonetheless.
BOYS
Adair--Scottish Gaelic "Oak tree ford"
Aneurin--Welsh "Honor"
Anwell--Welsh/Celt "Loved one" or Amyas, Latin with the same meaning
Anselm--OG "God-helmet"
Albion--Celtic, "Mountain"
Elkanah--Hebrew "God has made" (I like that one personally, and the one below)
Elchanan--Hebrew "God is gracious"
Eldridge--German "Sage ruler"
Eleazar--Var. Lazarus, Hebrew "The Lord will help."
Eberhard--"Courage of a bear"
Emil--Latin "Eager to please"
Fabron--French "Young blacksmith"
Fagan--Irish Gaelic "Little ardent one"
Farquhar--Scottish Gaelic "Very dear one"
Fergus--Irish Gaelic "Highest choice"
Flynn--Irish Gaelic "Son of the ruddy man"
Garnock--Old welsh, "River of alder trees"
Gaynor--Irish Gaelic "Son of the fair skinned one"
Gaeton--Place name in Italy.
Istvan--Hungarian variant of Stephen, greek "Crowned"
Jabez--Hebrew "borne in pain"
Kavan--Ir. Gaelic "Handsome"
Kenelm--OE "brave helmet"
Keelan--Irish Gaelic "small and slim"
Kerwin--possibly OE "swamp friend" or Irish Gaelic "little dark one"
Kieran or Kiernan--Irish Gaelic, "Dark, swarthy"
Killian--Irish Gaelic, "small and fierce"
Lowell--Old French, "Young wolf"
Makarias--Greek "Blessed"
Maguire--Irish Gaelic "Son of the beige one"
Maddock--Old Welsh "Benevolent, charitable"
Maccrea--Irish Gaelic "Son of grace"
Mendel--Semitic "Wisdom, learning"
Orrick--OE "Old oak tree"
Osten--Latin "Worthy of respect"
Orestes--Greek "Man of the mountain"
Oren--Hebrew "Pine tree"; Irish Gaelic "Pale, fair-skinned"
Payne--Latin "Countryman"
Renfrew--Old Welsh "Calm river"
Walden--OE, "Wooded valley"
Walfred--OG, "Ruler of peace" or Wilfred (OE) "Purposeful peace"
Wenceslaus--Old Slavic, "Glorious garland."
Wilbur--OG, obscure meaning
Zadok--Hebrew "Fair, righteous."
Zuriel--Hebrew "The Lord is my rock."
GIRLS
Chasida--Heb "Devout woman"
Cantara--Arabic "LIttle bridge"
Calliope
Camilla
Elisheva--Hebrew "The Lord is my pledgel"
Ellamae
Elmina
Eliora--"The Lord is my light"
Eliane--"Jehovah is God"
Ellice--Greek "The Lord is God"
Jacinda--Spanish variant of "Hyacinth
Joelle--Heb "Jehovah is the Lord"
Johanna--"The Lord is gracious"
Jovita--Latin "Made glad"
Karima--Arabic "Giving"
Kelila--Hebrew "Crowned"
Kerensa--Cornish "Love"
Galya--Heb "The Lord has redeemed"
Lainey--Dim. Elaine OF "Bright, shining light"
Lenora--Variant of "Eleanor" Greek "Light"
Liese or Liesa--Dimunitive of Elizabeth, "Pledged to God".
Marelda--"renowned battle maid"
Maribel--Combination of Mary, "bitter" and Belle, French "Beautiful" or Mirabel, Lat. "Wonderful"
Marmara--Gk "sparkling, shining"
Melina--(Greek) or Melinda (Latin) "Honey"
Meriel--Irish Gaelic "sea-bright"
Milada--Czech. "My love"
Moriah--Hebrew "The Lord is my teacher"
Morela--Polish "Apricot"
Myrna--Irish Gaelic "Tender, beloved"
Nadia--Russian "Hope"
Nasya--Hebrew "The Lord's miracle"
Nuala--Irish Gaelic "white shoulder"
Oneida--North American Indian--"Long awaited"
Ophelia--Greek "Help"
Orpah--Hebrew "A fawn"
Peninah--Greek "bobbin worker"
Raphaela--Hebrew "God heals"
Renata--Greek "Reborn"
Rowena--Welsh "slender and fair"
Samara--Hebrew "Under God's rule"
Seema--Hebrew "Precious thing, treasure"
Sheena--Irish varient of Jane, Hebrew "The Lord is gracious'
Winola--OG "Charming friend"
Vespera
Verna--Latin "Springtime"
Zara--Hebrew "Eastern brightness, dawn"
I have a high school friend who named her daughter Jaela. I think it would look even better as Jaella. But I am not so sure about ending a first name with a vowel when the last name begins with a vowel. My nephew's name is Zachary O'Keefe, but it always sounds like Zacka Rio Keefe to me. Of course, once you stick his middle name John in there, it no longer has that effect, but how often do people say one's middle name? But names ending in "a" don't seem to have the same problem. Is is the vowel or where the stress falls?
After nine kids naming got quite a bit harder and more stressful. I admit that one of the main motivations for knowing the baby's sex ahead of time was to cut the baby naming chore in half. By then we had used up two girl-name choices and seven boy-name choices, and boy-names were definitely getting harder.
you know how i feel. there is no name more handsome than alfred eberle [ ebb' - err - lee ] owen. john may not like it because it is decidedly unharsh, although it could sound pretty harsh if you named a girl alfred. think about it. calling your daughter alfie, or even alf (as in a short, harry, alien/monster that eats cats).
Cadie,
I just added these names to my list yesterday afternoon! I was looking through our copy of the baby name book you mentioned.
Eliora--"The Lord is my light"
Eliane--"Jehovah is God"
Galya--Heb "The Lord has redeemed"
Samara--Hebrew "Under God's rule"
Zara--Hebrew "Eastern brightness, dawn"
fagel does rhyme with bagel!
rebecca,
if we chose it, it would probably be ella guru, first and middle names used together at all times (after a captain beefheart song...sigh), so there'll be no confusion between our baby and corynn's doll.
leah,
some of our boy's list overlaps yours, and i'm glad to see that the top names on yours aren't the top names on ours, otherwise we would have cousin confusion! phew.
kathy,
i can only imagine how difficult it will be to reach a compromise if God gives us as many children as He has blessed you with. this is only our third child to name, and already john's and my top picks are usually acres apart! i must say, though, that you and your husband succeeded admirably. i love all 12 of your children's names, and that's no joke.
cadie,
i can't believe you went through all those names! thanks a bunch, though. some of them were new to me and have been quickly tacked onto our list. you're doing my dirty work for me... :)
dear mister alfred eberle brown,
we, too, think that your name is of most superior quality, and it, dear sir, is on our list perpetually.
Leah,
I like "Eliora" and "Eliane" too! I think I must be partial to "E" names.
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