More often than not, doubt consumes me. However, once I've made up my mind, I'm incredibly stubborn and there's no turning back. I'm all in, and that's that. I guess I'm kind of like a walking oxymoron (emphasis on the moron). Ha Ha! The moment we found out the baby's gender and we dashed out of the clinic to call our parents, I knew exactly what we'd name him. There were no reservations; I'd already decided. Poor Flyboy—he didn't stand a chance when it came to input! Bless his heart. I guess I blame it all on the
Life List I drafted back in October 2010. In that moment, I knew if we ever had a son, we'd call him Max.
After we got married in 2008, we'd often discuss our future with a family—as most young couples do. It's kind of a fun and dreamy thing to chat about when you're newly married and not really committed to the idea of having kids just yet. We threw around a handful of names and the front-runners were Hunter, Ace, and Max. After discussing the possibilities, we arrived at the most important part. Yep, the part when you get to analyze all of the reasons as to why the names WON'T work. That might sound awfully pessimistic, but you have to consider the possible nicknames and stigmas that might come attached with the name.
For instance, the last name "Fine" is pleasant but also rather tricky. We're already setting this child up for a boatload of corny jokes in which he'll ask others how they're doing and they're just itching to respond with the ever so witty response "Fine." Nope, never heard that one before. You're so clever. Ha Ha! It doesn't really bother me (hence m' blog name), but I've only lived with it for six years. Hearing FB and my father-in-law talk about all the "Fine" punchlines of their past is a different story.
In the process of throwing around name ideas, I couldn't help but think about how it might look when it's listed on a roster or in a phone book (because we still use those, right?!). Do you really think the kid is going to like having his name listed as "Fine, Ace" or "Fine, Hunter"? Erm, no. In terms of Hunter and Ace, I had no choice but to give them both the kibosh for a few other reasons:
- Hunter: I always loved this name; it just sounds strong and catchy. FB took to it because of his ongoing love for the outdoors and memories spent hunting and fishing with his dad. While I adore the sentimental reasons attached to the name, I couldn't get over the whole "Fine Hunter" thing. Can you blame me? This kid can be a sportsman, but that doesn't mean he needs to be named after one.
- Ace: This was one of those names that we discussed WAAAAAAY before FB got his wings and became a pilot. It's actually quite funny (and embarrassing) to think about now. I guess it sounded cute and hip at the time, but can you even imagine the kind of crap people would give us when they'd find out we named our son ACE?! Yikes! Just thinking about the cliche makes me want to bury my head and ask "What in the blank were we thinking?" It's so bad. Heck, maybe we should have considered Maverick and Goose as well?!
After crossing those two options off the list, we were left with Max. Doesn't that just sound like someone who's spunky and playful?! I thought so. And in case there's a need to go by something a tad more formal, his full name will be Maxwell. I'm thinking it will be key when he's president some day, but that's totally his call. I just want to ensure he's got the option to amp up the sophisticated factor if he needs to. For now, I just call him Max.
While some folks prefer to keep the baby name classified or info that's shared among family and friends, I've found it's just another detail I'm elated to divulge to anyone who will listen. I technically made it very public when I published my
Life List, so it wasn't much of a secret anywho. In three years time, this little space has grown to mean a lot to me. It only seemed right to let you in on the details. Ladies and gents, come October I plan to share a whole bunch of Maxwell Christopher Fine with you. Stay tuned.
Do you ever find yourself daydreaming about what you'll name your child? If you have kids, how did you decide on a name?
