We've got Jack

We've been off-and-on doing some thinking regarding names, and let me tell you that it ain't goin' well. It is, frankly, impossible. Deciding upon names you don't like is easy, finding one you do is difficult. We have some rules to start with: No A names, nor L, nor H, and it shouldn't end in an N. Also, we're trying to give her a name that not every other kid has. That doesn't mean we're going to name her Vercingetorix (who was a dude, anyway), but I don't have the heart to name her Emma, Madison, Katie, etc., and besides I don't actually like any of those names enough to do it. Other than that, it's up in the air.

We've both agreed so far that there are at least three names that we like, but each has major problems that are pushing us away.

1. Jack - It's a boy's name. Either way, somehow we were talking about this name and we both liked it. (I told you it was rough going when one of the three we like is a boy's name.)

2. Grace - Classic. Sounds good. It is old, but older than your grandparents' generation so you don't associate it with "old" names like Ethel. What's bad is that it is way too popular right now.


Blah. Number 20 most popular name in 2007. Not "Emma" levels of awful, but bad.

3. Malia (or Malija) - This is one that Ariane has liked since she was young and there was some MTV Germany host or something with the name. We like the sound, think it goes well with our last name, I'm not quite sure if it's too "black" sounding, especially with our last name being frequently black (but not "Washington" levels of black; I think our last name can swing either way, depending on the first name, but it's actually uncommon enough that it may not actually have a racial expectancy associated with it.There's just one big problem with Malia right now:


Seriously, Barack: I voted for you three times last year. Why do you and Michelle have to make this hard for me?


Solely because of Malia Obama I am pushing hard to exclude that name from consideration. It's going to be in the top 20 by the end of the year, and it will become the black Madison.

I think it would be cool to give her a Croatian name, but Heavens to Betsy do they mostly sound awful.

We're open to suggestions in the comments, if you'd like. And "Data" has been suggested and overruled, but thanks Coop.