We truly were at a loss for a first name for our baby, so I picked up what I thought was the best/most comprehensive name book--The Baby Name Wizard. We had many a laugh at some of the names (I think Dorcas elicited a large belly laugh from both of us....sorry for anyone named Dorcas reading this blog), and we each had a few we liked, but none of them overlapped. All of Matt's choices were met with a firm "no way" from me, and vice versa. Then one day as Matt was perusing the list, he said "What about Adrienne?" I quickly shot him down for 2 reasons.
1. We went to high school with a boy named Adrian, and he happened to be my best friend's boyfriend. I thought it would be weird to name our daughter Adrienne, feeling as though people from our hometown would think we named her after him.
2. Rocky Balboa. Need I say more?
Matt asked that I just consider it, and not totally shoot it down right away. I agreed, but truthfully decided to blow it off as a contender.
A couple of weeks later, as I was feeling frustrated about our name prospects, I picked up the book again. I decided I would read every name with a fresh pair of eyes and give it a fair shake. When I came to the name "Adrienne", this is what I read:
-Popularity: #751
-Style: French, New Classics, Nickname-proof
-Adrienne is an elegant old favorite--French, feminine, and familiar. You may have some friend who'll shout "Yo! Adrian!" like Rocky Balboa, but that joke is now heading for retirement. (Baby Name Wizard Book)
I should back-up here and describe our criteria for a name. Just as in the case of naming Jillian, we wanted a name that was familiar, yet uncommon. A name that would not be difficult to pronounce or spell, and that our daughter wouldn't share with 5 other girls in her kindergarten class. As I re-read the description of "Adrienne" again and again, I realized that I actually really liked the name--the feminine spelling, the sound of the name, and the fact that it sounded like it belonged in a family with a sister named Jillian. Over the next couple of weeks I began to let go of the fact that I once knew a boy named Adrian, and started to find myself amused by someone shouting "Yo, Adrienne!" at our daughter. I realized that my hold-ups regarding the name were irrelevant if WE truly liked it.
I soon reported to Matt that I actually in fact really liked the name, and it was suddenly the front runner with another name we considered (that I will not disclose). Over time it just became her name, and I think we both were sure, even though we repeatedly asked one another if we had any reservations. Matt suggested that we use the "Adrian" spelling, citing that many would likely misspell it--but I would not concede on that one. "Adrienne" is clearly the feminine form of the name, and even though some might misspell it, I didn't want anyone who saw her name in writing to mistake her for a boy. Matt thinks I give the average person too much credit as far as that goes, but I choose to believe that most people would know that a name ending in 'enne' is feminine. We shall see...
As for her middle name, it was a no-brainer. "Elizabeth" was always slated to be Jillian's middle name. We decided to honor Matt's stepmom by using her middle name instead (Michelle) shortly after she passed away early in my pregnancy with Jillian. Why Elizabeth? Besides the fact that we both love the name (but feel it's too popular for our criteria as a first name), it is Matt's late maternal grandmother's name. It is a name that is all over both sides of the family tree, and is also the full version of my middle name (Beth). Some might feel "Adrienne Elizabeth" is a little long, but I think it works considering our short last name. Lastly, I think it is sweet that Matt has essentially named our daughters. He came up with Jillian years before we had her, and he came through again this time.
So there you have it. Adrienne Elizabeth Howe. I think it suits our sweet little lady, don't you?
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| Have I mentioned I am in love with this baby? |
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