Choosing a Baby Name

I recently got an email from a blog reader (hi Jenn!) asking me if we still like the name Rooney. She actually stumbled upon our blog because she was researching the name Rooney for her unborn daughter. She has even been using the name as her own when she goes to Starbucks to test it out! How fun is that?!

So I thought it would be fun to write about naming a person...and what a big job it is!

I will say that I always dreamed of giving my children special (unique) names, but, in general, naming a person has not been what I expected. We chose her name before we found out she was a girl, but only told my immediate family (I knew my mom would need some time to get used to her name, since it's quite different). After she was here and we announced her name, it was weird to hear other people say it out loud! But I think it fits her and, of course, we can't imagine her name being anything different now! So yes, we do still like it!

When people in public ask me what her name is, I try to be very clear what I'm saying so they don't think it's Ruby or Ruthie something else. (Don't get me wrong, I love those names, too! But Rooney is not a common name so I try to enunciate.) I generally get very good reactions. A few times people will repeat it back to me with a question mark ("Rooney..?"). It doesn't bother me, though, because we wanted to name her something that was unique, so I expected that.

There have been two people who have said rude things about her name to us online (just that they are not impressed with it), but I've had to get over it and remember that not everyone is going to love it! It only matters that we love it!

When we go to the doctor, the nurse will come out and announce "Rooney" and sometimes it's like... "We named our daughter Rooney??!" Partly "What were we thinking?" and partly "She's a real person now and not just an imaginary baby in my belly, and people say her name so that means Rooney is a real name!" :) Not sure if that makes sense at all...but the novelty is certainly wearing off more with each month and it feels more normal. Honestly, sometimes I am still amazed that we have a child, let alone a toddler! It's crazy!

I also sometimes wonder if we gave her the wrong name, but then I remind myself that Rooney was the only name that both Eric and I got excited about, so it HAS to be a sign that it was the only name for her, right?

Is it normal to second-guess your child's name after they're born?

P.S. I LOVE calling her Roo. I think it is the sweetest and most adorable nickname. :)

P.P.S. I wrote about how we chose her name here.

P.P.P.S. I often wonder what we will name our second child!