Name My Baby

Long time readers of my worldwide weblog are spending the best years of their lives in front of a computer but may also remember that The Qweenbean and I are having a baby. Any day now, the creature inside will make her way out.

Our waiting to be born baby's first name is Elizabeth. That's been decided for a while, but we are unable to settle on a middle name. We thought we'd picked Cristina but recently realized neither of us are as committed to it as we initially thought. So now we're back to not having a middle name for her. There are plenty of names we each like, names that have good meanings associated with them, but we are missing names we both like. It's not necessary that she have a middle name, though we both want her to have one. But more importantly, we want it to be a name that we both really enjoy, if the baby doesnlike it, big deal. What's she going to do, cry about it?

So as it is with so many other areas of life, I will turn to the internets for resolution.

It's come to this: a baby naming contest.

You dear reader will have the opportunity to middle name my baby. Of course, like the very act of reading this blog, in naming my baby there is the possibility of a great reward for those who participate well.

There are two ways to play and three ways to win! I don't know how to write that with the inflection it deserves.

First, you can attach yourself to one of the names that is already in the running. If we pick that name, you win. The deal with that is, you can only tie yourself to one name, though any number of people can choose the same name.

The second way to play is by recommending a name. If I like it, you win. This doesn't mean we have to give the baby that name. This only requires that I like the name.

The third way to win is by suggesting a name that I not only like, but we pick as the baby's middle name.

I suppose you should know:
Name meanings are important to me. We both like the name Natalie but I refuse to give in to naming a July baby Natalie. Maybe that says, name meanings are important and I'm a jerk.
Tougher for you to discern, people and history attached to names also matter. We both like the name Sarah but I dated too many girls named Sarah.
But don't let any of that discourage you, I give fantastic prizes and you really have nothing to lose... well maybe dignity, if you suggest a really stupid name.

These are the names in the running:
Ann
Cristina
Frances
James
Joy
Julianne
Lorena
Mae
Margaret

So make your offering to Nike, pick a name, leave your selection or recommendation in a comment, and don't suck. Winners will be notified when the baby is named and recieve their prizes in the mail.