Opinion on name decision welcome

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-18-2003
Opinion on name decision welcome
16
Thu, 06-24-2004 - 2:49pm
Hello everyone. I have been reading this board and enjoying the commentary and names and suggestions since I discovered I was expecting fourth baby last October. I admire the extensive lists of names you are always coming up with to help people. I value the opinions you share with Moms and the care in which you do so. Choosing a name can be very difficult and it's been fun reading along with you these past months. So, I decided that I would share the names that hubby and I have come up with for our little one to be born in about 2 weeks .... We don't know the sex, we are proud parents to three beautiful blonde boys and are very excited for number four to join our family. I can say that I have changed my mind many times over as I would see new names pop up on this board, but getting dh to agree and settle on something is always quite a challenge. :)

Our boys names are ... Garrett Scott (9yrs)

Carter David (5 1/2 yrs) and

Jackson Dane (18 months) He is called Jack/Jackson equally.

I know that Jackson seems to be popular on this board, but it is not so in our area, which I'm thankful for.

We're currently in agreement on

BOY : Brady James

GIRL: Alayna Kathleen

I'm happy and comfortable with our boy name, but still not at that point with the girl name. The middle names are to honor family members and I would like them to be what they are. I liked Avery Kathleen, but dh feels he'd rather have a more feminine name if we were to actually have a girl and Alayna is the only name he's really shown any true feelings for. I feel that maybe Alayna Grace (or other shorter mn has a better sound to the ear) but again I don't really want to change mn .... So, my questions are ,

1) Do these names flow well with our other children?

2) Does Alayna Kathleen work/sound alright?

3) Does anyone have any other suggestions that might work?

Our last name is Hogenkamp (pronounced Hoge in camp) Long O, 3 syllablyes

I'd also like a different beginning letter than each of the other boys ... No G,C or J

Thanks in advance for your time and help. I look forward to your comments/suggestions.

~Shelly

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iVillage Member
Registered: 04-10-2004
Thu, 06-24-2004 - 4:12pm
I really love your DS's names, and I agree that Brady James is a great name if your are blessed with a 4th DS. Alayna Kathleen is nice as well. My sister's name is Kathleen and I have always liked it, so I would stick with that for the mn. There are just too many little girls with the mn Grace these days, even though it is lovely, and Kathleen "goes" well with your DS's mns. The name Alayna is not my favorite, but I don't hate it either. It sounds very pleasant and feminine, but I'm sort of indifferent to it. I do agree with your DH about Avery. It's just too masculine for me, and after 3 boys already, I would want to go with a more "girly" name if you were to have a dd. If you both like Alayna, I'd stick with it. As for suggestions, I'm not sure if you are looking for 'A' names since you like Alayna and Avery, but here are some others you may like...

Annika

Annelise

Arianna

Audra

Audrey

There is also Helena and Elena, that have the similar sound as Alayna, but I still think Alayna Kathleen is your best bet!

Good Luck!!

Jorie

Lilypie Baby Birthday
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-28-2003
Thu, 06-24-2004 - 4:57pm
Love your boys names! I'm not too fond of Alayna - no particular reason. Have you considered Elyse Kathleen? Or what about Alisa Kathleen (pronounced like Lisa with a short "a" in front)? A good friend of mine has this name and I love it. Or how about Alyssa Kathleen? Since you mentioned Grace, have you considered Gracelyn Kathleen? Or Gracen Kathleen? What about Greta Kathleen?

Hope the remaining days of your pregnancy are wonderful for you!

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-21-2003
Thu, 06-24-2004 - 5:07pm
Congratulations on baby #4 - how exciting!!!

You've got a great track name for naming babies! Are you thinking of Alayna pronounced "A-lay-na" or "A-lah-na" or "A-lie-na" - maybe it's just the spelling, but I'm having a hard time getting a handle on the pronunciation you're thinking about. Personally, of the 3 pronunciations above, I like the softer "A-lah-na" with Kathleen - you may want to think about tweaking the spelling to reflect the pronunciation you like (then again, maybe no - your call!). MN are not really used much, practically speaking, so the popularity of Grace doesn't bother me, but I do love the name Kathleen and would be inclined to go that way with a mn, plus it has special significance.

Best wishes on a smooth delivery!!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-18-2003
Thu, 06-24-2004 - 9:47pm
Thank you for your reply and comment on our boys' names....I really do love all of them and I think that's why I'm still unsure about Alayna for a girl. I guess I feel it's ok, but I don't love it. What I love about it is how much dh seems to love it ... he just doesn't show/express a lot of opinion usually about names. I come up with the names and he will veto if he dislikes it, otherwise it's usually my job. So, I feel like if this is something he really wants than I like the name enough to imagine our daughter with it.

As for now, I'll bring it to the hospital on a list with 2 or 3 others and we can decide for sure if and when the baby is a girl. Sometimes you just have to look at the baby to know for sure.

Thanks again.

~Shelly

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-18-2003
Thu, 06-24-2004 - 9:51pm
Funny you mention Greta .... I loved this name for the longest time. And I was pretty set that it was the "one". However, dh finally admitted that he just couldn't bring himself to like it. He tried. :) Oh well, I still love it.

Alyssa is the name of my best friend's baby who is 6 mos old. So, that won't work, but it is a very pretty name.

Gracelyn, now I had not thought of that and I think it's really pretty. I'll add it to the short list and see if I can get an opinion out of him. I really do like Gracelyn.

Thanks,

~Shelly

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-18-2003
Thu, 06-24-2004 - 10:00pm
I guess we're saying A - Lay - na .... how else would we spell it to get that pronounciation? Alaina? I also like the sound of A - lah - na. What would be the best way to spell that to get that pronounciation. I wouldn't want her to have to constantly correct people her whole life.

Thanks to all the posters for affirming that Kathleen goes well with Alayna should we use it. It's my sister's name and it means a lot to me to use it.

~Shelly

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-08-2004
Thu, 06-24-2004 - 10:24pm
Wow...4 children... I admire you.

I love your boys names- great choices all the way!!

As for Alayna Kathleen- I love Kathleen but Alannah could be the other spelling choice.

Other ideas:

Aruba(nn-RUBY)

Aubree

Anaya

Alyce (Ah lees)

Abrianna

Alora

Louise

Good Luck with everything- let us know what you choose.

(another) Shelly

Avatar for alsatia23
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Fri, 06-25-2004 - 11:38am

I love your sons names, Shelly!


Brady James will be a great addition to the clan, it fits perfectly!







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Avatar for alsatia23
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Fri, 06-25-2004 - 11:39am
Two more: Angelina Kathleen & Ava Kathleen.






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iVillage Member
Registered: 09-24-2003
Fri, 06-25-2004 - 12:31pm
Hi there. I think Brady James is the perfect fit for your other boys. My name is Paige Kathleen, so I say, keep the Kathleen! It's nice, and far less common than Grace for a middle. I would go with the spelling Elena.......seems a bit more feminine to me, though also with me, I tend to like the spellings that will translate well in spanish, so I could be biased. I do think most people will use your pronunciation choice with Alayna, though she will probably end up spelling it often.......most people will probably spell it Elaina, which also seems more feminine to me. We were convinced my first son was going to be Rito Alexander (Rito is his dad's name) and called Alex until two weeks before birth, when suddenly we completely changed gears and chose Nicolas Xavier instead, so who knows what might happen! You may still hit upon a name you and dh love equally. Good luck!

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