I pulled out the baby name book the other day and discovered something stuck inside it. It was a list of boy names my husband had made when we were expecting Connor.
I haven’t looked at the list since, but there are some names on there I will never forget. Like Milton. Or Hector.
For a while now he has denied that he ever put certain names on the list, but I have proof – in his own handwriting.
I had forgotten about Edgar though.
With a thousand pardons to anyone who happens to have (or love) one of these three names, I submit this photographic evidence as Exhibit A. I think this is proof that not only should I have ultimate veto power, but I really should be allowed to just name the baby myself.*
Some of these names are potentially still on the table for this baby (should it be a boy, though today I had a further hint that it might be a girl), while others have been tossed aside (for less offensive reasons than that they immediately bring to mind the horribly nerdy character from Office Space).
What “interesting” names has your partner in parenthood suggested?
*Just kidding, honey. Maybe.
Um. Yeeeaah. You need babyname control. For SURE. (Sorry Mr. Robin)
I don’t think we had any bad name discussions; we actually chose Max before we even got married, so it was a non-issue.
Wow, lucky you. Even with all our (non-weird) name discussions, it still took us 3 days to name Connor.
We never really had odd names…which is weird because well we are a weird couple.
Did up know that we had a vote with the medical staff on what to call our son?
We did.
It was a unanimous Chase
James and Brandon weren’t cool enough for that kid.
Our girls names had been MaKenna and kayleigh…although I’m loving tea (tay-uh)
Why am I thinking of baby names?
Because my BFF had one and my ovaries are screaming.
It’s not my time though.
That’s awesome that you had a vote.
So hard not to think of baby names when your friend has just had one. I do like Tea, though!
Dallas.
We are NOT from Texas.
Ahem.
The list is hilarious, though I think some of them are cute, like Milo
Hee. He really likes Milo, and I do think it’s cute but it reminds me of a cartoon character name.
‘Atom’ and ‘Darwin’ would have had me screaming in the other direction.
We nearly named the 2nd baby Kai. It’s cool, but so not him. Or us. Fortunately, we came to our senses.
And yes, I do believe you have earned the right to have ultimate veto power in the naming of baby #2!
Also? I guess girl too.
Atom is a “hell no” for me too. And I used to work with a Darwin who was a weenie so that’s definitely off the list.
Kai is quite different than what you chose. I like it, but that’s why I always have to meet the baby before I chose a name. Sometimes it just doesn’t fit.
We’d be the ones with a kid named Atom or Albert (Einstein) or Galaxy (if I’m really lucky). Jeff seems quite set on simple names like Bob or Fred though I’m not on that boat with him.
Does that really say Keaton? As in, “my best buddies are J, I and K.”
Bob or Fred? Um, no.
But the real question is: what last name will this kid have? 
And yep, it’s probably good we didn’t choose Keaton. Two of them would have been a really weird coincidence.
Girl you earned veto power with this one! My husband has picked out some horrible names for our kids before. I shot those down immediately.
Yep, I think I so vehemently shot down Milton that he can’t even remember putting it on the list. Hence the photographic evidence
You should claim veto power and USE it. While I have grown to like my boys’ names (Eric and Jason) — they were not at all what I would have chosen. My ex (and this is NOT the reason he’s an ex, although, in hindsight, it could have/should have been) said that these were names of guys you go bowling with.
Yep. My kids were named after potential future bowling alley lurkers.
Veto power, sister….grab it and hold on for dear life!
I actually think that’s a good test of a name – if you can imagine hanging out with them. Maybe not bowling alley lurkers though…
You definitely hold veto power with that proof. Does it say markenzie? I can hear it now… You name please? Markenzie. Mackenzie? No Markenzie. Can you spell it?
On the other hand Oliver is devine.
Since my husband is Swiss we needed to make sure the names sounded good in French too. This is harder that you would think. I really liked the name Peyton but according to him, if you say this word in French it means ‘let’s fart’.
I think it’s Mackenzie. Which I wouldn’t use for a boy. I sort of like it for a girl, but my brother’s high school girlfriend was Mackenzie so it feels awkward to me.
That’s hilarious about Peyton. My brother and his girlfriend (who’s from Quebec) are expecting twins and they have the same criteria for English/French names. They’re having 2 boys, so it will be interesting to see what they choose.
Oh I do love it when I can provide evidence. Atom? Really? I mean, I’m a science nerd and all, but I think that may just be a bit too much. Clearly, you’ve got a fun discussion ahead.
We had the hardest time coming up with boy names which is one reason I was happy to find out Layla was a girl.
Robin, my husband comes up with crazy names too. At least names that I think are crazy. Like he wanted Maximillian’s middle name to be Robespierre. He was dead set on it for 9 years and I finally convinced him moments after Max was born that we should use Edward (one of the grandpa’s names) instead!
If you are interested I posted about naming your child a few months ago and there are a lot of interesting comments on the post as well.
http://www.mistyhamel.com/1/post/2011/12/naming-your-child-living-with-the-consequences.html
Edgar no. But I think Oliver is CUTE!
So many names on that list are historical! Is that on purpose?
Truman [Capote]
[John] Milton
Alistair [Cooke]
[Samuel] Beckett
[Charles] Darwin
Hector – Achilles’s boyfriend in The Iliad
[Joseph] Conrad
Edgar [Allen Poe]
I’m fond of Nathan, but perhaps that’s just because I’m married to one… Weird baby name story, though? The first time I told my mom about Nathan, she said “That was going to be your name if you were a boy!”
I love the name Weston and still do but Brian ruined it for me when he started saying Weston Willy and pretending he was riding a horse.
I can’t recall which one. But one of the names for one of my boys I apparently strongly vetoed at the beginning. The suggested after an ultrasound. She agreed then waited a while before telling me she had originally suggested that name.
I LOVE Jackson! But my husband would never go for it because of the actor. Jasper would get that same veto.
My hubby made up the girls middle names…and you don’t get much stranger than Xaeni (Zane-E).
Milton from Office Space that’s hilarious! Maybe you should be allowed to name the baby yourself
Number one name on our mutual baby name list this time (& last) VETO!
He suggests a name, I say VETO!
I suggest a name, he says VETO!
It’s starting to sound okay…..
So cute. We agonized about both names. And there were some real doozies on the table.
I couldn’t help but notice that Connor isn’t even on the list. Was that name on yours?
Todd liked Clive and Fox. Puh-lease!
my husband actually suggested Babaloo for a boy’s name…really…he was serious…thankfully baby #2 was a girl, and we agreed on Zoe…i stopped at two babies, just to be safe!!!