What's in a Name?

The first question everyone asks right after they ask if you're having a boy or a girl is "Do you have any names picked out yet?"   Some people don't want to reveal their baby's name before the birth.  Maybe it's just so that something about the pregnancy can be a surprise since more people know than not the gender of their babies these days.  Some moms just like having that special little secret that they share only with the baby's daddy...that somehow only the parents should be talking to their baby and calling them by name before they are born.  And some parents, I think, are just suspicious that some other mom or dad will "take" their baby's name before their baby is born.  I've heard stories of this happening.   Friendships ruined, etc. all because one family had their baby first and proceeded to take a name that some other family felt a special ownership too. 

It took us awhile to name Chance and Luci.  We were fairly certain what their names were going to be but didn't decide 100% until I went on bedrest and things were getting a little scary.  For the longest time we called them Bob and Sally.  Even before we knew they were a boy and a girl.  (Jeremy says he always "knew" they were going to be a boy and a girl but that is another story for another post...)  Anyway...when things got rocky we felt a strong sense of urgency to name them.  We wanted everyone we knew to not just be praying for our babies, but to be praying for them by name...for our Chance and Luci. 

Luci Bella means "beautiful bringer of light".  
Luci was one of my favorites for a girl from the start.  We love the movie 50 First Dates and that is Drew Barrymore's character in the movie.   Jeremy picked Bella because we had been to Italy while we were pregnant and thought it would be a nice reminder of our awesome trip...so we spelled Luci with an "i" to be a bit different and so that it was more fluid with Bella.  There is no familial significance to this name we just simply liked it and from the minute she was born this name just fit our first daughter.  It's hard to put into words how beautiful Luci is and how much light she has brough into our lives.

Chance Michael means "Keeper of records; who is like God".   
Jeremy mentioned a long time ago that he liked the name Chance for a boy.  Not sure where he got it from originally but his mom's maiden name is Chancellor so there was a family connection to the name that I really liked.  I actually thought at one time Chancellor would be his first name and we would just call him Chance but Jeremy held out for the shortened version as he did not want him to be confused with nicknames etc.  (Little did daddy know we would end  up with "Bubba", which he really, really does not like but I have always called Chance "Bubba" and always will.  Luci also calls Chance Bubba and actually Jeremy does too when he doesn't know I'm listening :)  He can't help it...it just fits.)   Michael is my dad's name and I think it is just so beautiful and biblical and I wanted to give Chance my dad's name to honor him and my dad never had a son to give his own name to.   "Keeper of records" is what the baby name books say Chance means.  This comes from the Chancellor derivative which was a person who was a secretary to british nobleman or kings.   This doesn't really sing to my heart and when I think of what Chance means to me, I prefer the more literal definition of the word Chance...."the possibility of a particular outcome in an uncertain situation."    There was a time when I didn't know if I would ever hold a child of my own in my arms.  Chance was our first born child (by one minute granted...but still).  He was our chance from God to become parents.

For the sake of my posts, and hoping that it will grow on daddy, I am calling our baby girl Scarlett...as that is my front runner for names at this point. Scarlett Mae. Scarlett simply means "Red". Hmmm...not very profound and not sure if I can name her that if she ends up having red hair like her sister and daddy. But I just like it. Mae is Nana Loretta's and my grandma and my step grandma's middle name. My other choices are Stella ("star") and Delaney (long form of Della, my grandmas' name...means "descendant of the challenger"). Jeremy also does not like any of these names. So he is on point now for bringing some of his favorites to the table.


I don't mind sharing her name...I'll be even happier when we decide for sure what it is so that everyone I know can join me in celebrating her little life...calling her by her name...praying for her by name.   I want her to be known in every capacity for who she is...not just as the baby or baby girl.  She deserves that.  She's been waiting a long time to meet us, as have we her.  Afterall, she was asleep in a freezer for two years.  

I'll keep you posted on what we decide.   If you get the opportunity I wouldn't mind a few plugs for Scarlett in Jeremy's ear.  Thanks!