What's in a name? (hint: pbs masterpiece classics)

Want to know about how we named our baby?

K

I'm sure you're all brushed up on the minutia of our marital dynamic, so you know that Kirby and I never agree on names.

I honestly avoided even talking about it until we were past the feels-like-hell part of pregnancy because another trouble would do me no good. In my mind, I had settled on a girl name because o b v i o u s l y after three boys in a row I was having a girl. Obviously. (Guadalupe!!)

When we found out our baby was def NOT a Guadalupe, I turned to the boy name genre albeit reluctantly. The last thing I wanted to think about was another boring boy name (no offense mostly all boy names). After cross checking our old lists and not agreeing on a single thing, I turned to the queen of names, Kate at Sancta Nomina.

(not a Guadalupe)

She gave us an amazing consultation- so detailed and deliberate. Out of all the really gorgeous names she suggested, I totally fell in love (re-fell in love?) with the name Jasper. Jasper Fike! Strong, classic, sooooo cute. Such a solid bridge name for our quirkier set and the classic boys names. I was sure Kirby would love it.

He did not love it.

Back to the very first square.
(Aside, you should read Kate's post. So many clever ideas. Her thoughts behind Tiber made me straight-up weep!)

I decided to just avoid names for another month or two. In February, Kirby and I went away for the weekend to San Luis Obispo. I sort of made it my goal to settle on a name while we were away. ***Best laid plans*** We had one talk over coffee in which the name Louis came up and for the rest of the time the only name Kirby saw was... Louis.

I did not love it.

I came back and started to text my friends for ideas but nothing came back that felt totally his. About a month before I was due I decided to reach out to two of my old friends who both have really creative names for their kids. (Plot twist: they are Kate and Natalie Hanson, married to Zac and Taylor Hanson. True! But I digress...) I sent them a few of the names that I loved and they came back with a solid list of suggestions.

Enter Albert. A name I had never ever considered but suddenly adored via a cutie little nickname that turned the classic, serious, masculine name into something spunky and sweet... Albie. It checked the all the boxes that mattered to me- saintly, smart, solid, different, a name I could yell across the yard, a name I could yell in quick succession with the other boy's names, and something I thought Kirby might be into. He was. (Notably because of the Strokes reference but I'll take it.)

Here is what Kate and Natalie had to say about Albert...

"Albert. I thought of this one because you mentioned Alfie, and I have to tell you we've almost used this name twice for two reasons: 1) Ezra (Natalie's son) said once when he was little that he thought it would be a nice thing to do to name a baby after Albert Einstein (lol) 2) I am crazy for 'Albie!' I think of the Strokes song. Also, I like how Albie sounds like Kirby. Cute. I think this is one of those obviously classic and on trend names, but that no one is actually using."

YES AND AMEN.

I was utterly sold. I don't know if I've ever felt so attached to a name before and here I was, two weeks before my baby was due, loving this name I had never known I'd love. Isn't it amazing how a name can just come to the surface at the right moment? I'll always love that my friends played such a part in the naming of our baby. As a middle name, Pascal had been my top choice and the two of them together were just so good. AND THEN...

Jenna reminded me that I hadn't watched Victoria yet.

If that's not a deal sealer I don't know what is.

I spent the last week of my pregnancy straight binging. I know you would have, too.

VICTOOORRRIA. (Albert forever, ya'll)

But mostly... Albie forever.

The meaning of his full name is "bright Easter"... truer than true, don't you think?