What's in a Name?

Coming up with a name for a child is one of the hardest decisions to make. It seems like there is just so much to consider! Being a teacher makes it even harder...as you begin to associate names with personality traits and behaviors and soon your favorite names become hated. Add all that with trying to agree with another person and their ideas/opinions, and, well, the name game can just be completely frustrating. 

My name style tends to lean towards unique but not weird,  very southern, family names, names with great meaning, and last names as first names. Evan likes common names, names that aren't "pretentious" as he likes to say (He also likes to describe this as names you might hear at the Country Club), names with great meaning, and has lately turned on a liking for anything biblical. He also likes to make a big joke out of the great name debate, and suggests names like Seven Concrete, Joaquin, (he seriously argued this one when I was pregnant with Kendall!) and  Little "E". The best one this go-around was D'Evan, suggested by his dad, whom I've heard was just as silly when it came to naming Evan and Meredith. 

Surprisingly, naming the girl this time wasn't as difficult. We seemed to agree on one rather quickly. We also mentioned the name to Kendall once or twice, and she started calling the baby by name. After we got out of the doctor's office on Thursday, I asked Evan if he wanted to settle on the name, or did he want to discuss it more. He said that he was good with it, he was glad the baby would have a name to be called now, and that it would be easier to not have to convince Kendall of something else. So, drum roll please....baby sister's name will be:

Arden Abigail

Arden was a name that was in the running when I was pregnant with Kendall. The first time I heard this name was when Evan and I first started dating, and I met some of Evan's parents dear friends, Jim and Nora Hall. Arden is the name of one of their daughters, and I just fell in love with that name. (Their other daughter is Annaclaire, which I think is a beautiful name, too!) Jim and Nora became special friends to Evan and me as well, and I remember telling Nora how much we liked the name Arden, and asked her if she minded us using it. She said no, and if I remember correctly, she told me that was actually her husband's middle name. 

My mom's name was Janice Gail, and after she died, I told Evan if we ever had another little girl, I would like to honor her somehow by using part of her name. I didn't know how it would work out, until I thought of Abigail. The name Abigail  means "Father's Joy" which I think helped sell it to Evan.

So...that's it. That's her name and how it came about. I realize not everyone will love it, and that's okay, as I don't love every single name I ever hear. We like it and think it will be a great name for our precious girl to grow up with, and that's what matters most!