Choosing a Name

Naming another human being is very challenging. Thank about it, the name you give your child, is they name they will always have. Unless of course they despise said name changing it once they legally turn 18. That happens pretty rarely these days. Remember being little and thinking your name should have been something else? Or wishing it were something else?
For parents, especially single moms, it's harder for us to simply choose a name.Will it be a name with a lot of meaning? A name that is popular? Or simply a name that we stumble across?

I have chosen the name for SweetPea, it has been decided on for quite some time actually. I love the name, it doesn't have much family tradition meaning behind it, but it does have a beautiful meaning. One that I feel fits her perfectly. Since I refrain from using anyone's real name online I will refrain from ever using hers. Now not a lot of people actually know her name, I keep myself from texting/tweeting/emailing/posting it for several reasons.

1. I'm a bit superstitious. Most Native American tribes will refrain from using a childs name until the child is born because they feel it will lose it's 'power'. I can agree with that a bit.

2. I have known several people who announce the name of their child before birth only to be accused of taking it from another expectant mom. Or to announce the name to have someone take it AND THEN try to say the original parent took it.

For those of you who read this but are not pregnant or single please remember that movie, food and art critics are paid for their work. Name critics are not, neither are they popular with pregnant women. Yes, there are some names that are given that the mom had to be on a heavy dose of epidural to really feel okay with.

For my situation, when ever I verbally tell people what my daughters name is, most of them love it. Some pretend to like it, but I've only had one person strongly suggest to change it. Sadly that person is my Grammy. Originally I had a very traditional name chosen, it had elements from both sides of my parents families. But I found a name that I love, that I feel at peace with, and I feel as though God led me to it.

Now my Grammy has suggested multiple times that I should go back to my original choice, recently she wrote me (we've been snail-mailing penpals) a few suggestions that she has. Honestly it pissed me off. I was/am very upset about it. She has had her turn: named, birthed and raised her children. It is my turn to do so. Something that I told her in the letter she will receive in a few days.

Remember moms when you feel at peace with the name you chose for your little one, do not let people walk all over you. Tell them, politely, that when their time comes they can pick what ever name they want.