May Boo

Mary Brooks was named, as you may know, after beloved members of our family. Mary is after my late aunt, and Haulbrooks is my mother-in-law's maiden name. Bradley's much-loved grandparents had five daughters, so there were no Haulbrooks boys running around with their last name; it meant the world to pass it on.

Mary Brooks has always been her moniker; we knew while I was pregnant we'd shorten her name that way. What we didn't anticipate, though, was how many other nicknames would arise from it.

When she first came home, "Mary Brooksie" was our pet name for that bundle of pink when she was unhappy.

At one, as she learned to say her own name, Mary Brooks pronounced it "May Boo" a few times. Precious as that sounded coming out of her little mouth, it stuck right away. (It does get a lot of stares in public places. What kind of name is that?)

When she started to get a little sass in her, MB shortened "Mary Brooksie" to just one word. "Brooksie do it!" or "No! Brooksie's turn!" is heard daily.

Now that she's two, Mac has been teaching Mary Brooks everyone's whole names. (For ages, Jackson McNeal Smith thought his name was "Jackson Mackson Neal Smiff." He's quite motivated to ensure she learns her correct name early on.)

Mary Brooks likes to tell people her "baby Chappers," aka Chapman Collins, is named "Chappin Cahns Smiff." She hasn't mastered Mac's full name, understandably, but is learning quickly that her name is Mary Haulbrooks - and she hears that occasionally from me when she sprints off in a parking lot.

So this morning, her daily "interview" question for a keepsake book I've been doing with them lately was: "What are your nicknames?"

Since she doesn't know what a nickname is, so Mac asked, "What do we call you?"

She read the full litany:
Mary Brooks
Mary Brooksie
Brooksie
May Boo and, most adorably,
"Mayra Haulboots" - the toddler version of her legal name.

We always knew she would have a double name, but this poor child will never know what to write on her school papers. It comes from a place of love, May Boo! (Well, "Mary-Haulbrooks-Smith-there-are-cars-out-here" comes from a place of terror. The rest comes from love.)

Day 19: Luna

Source

Yesterday Uma Thurman, who gave birth this summer and has been photographed with her baby daughter many times since, finally announced her newest child's name.

I'd wonder why she waited so long to reveal it, but I think her child's initials speak for themselves: RAAAFT-B. That's pretty similar to my exclamation upon reading her name in its entirety: Rosalind Arusha Arkadina Altalune Florence Thurman-Busson.

I realize the actress was born Uma Karuna Thurman, but even she was saddled with just three little names. Baby "Luna," as she will be called, might reach legal driving age before she's able to spell each of those inspired selections.

Her older brother and sister, Maya and Levon, won't bat an eyelash at the addendum Luna's birth certificate will require. Their other younger half siblings, via their dad Ethan Hawke and his new wife, are Clementine and Indiana.

Meryl Streep's children must feel like real Hollywood outcasts with their monikers. Ms. Streep, born Mary Louise and called "Meryl" for decades now, has four children: Henry Wolfe, Mary Willa ("Mamie"), Grace Jane and Louisa Jacobson Gummer.

Considering Mamie's headlining a new fall TV show, I suppose their gentried acting background and classic names have served the Streep/Gummer clan well.
Take a look at these other celebrity names, or click my "names" tag below, to see that sweet Luna is in good, if unfortunate, company.

Next time I feel bad that Mac goes by the first half of his middle name, or that Mary Brooks goes by both her first and the second half of her middle name, I'll remind myself there's not an Arkadina or Pilot Inspektor in the bunch...

(And surely using only family names give me a little leeway, right? Or is that what Uma said to herself before shoving all 14 words together and calling it a name? Eep! What've I done?)
Don't forget to leave a comment on Tuesday's post to win a Beaufort bonnet or Beaufort bucket hat from The Beaufort Bonnet Company! The giveaway closes this morning at 10:00 am EST.

*This post is day 19 in my 31 Days of What Matters.

What's In A Name?

You've probably picked up on the fact that I'm obsessed with names. I could tell you the full name of just about anyone I've ever met - and often ask people what their middle names are, just out of curiosity. I'm entranced by monograms and captivated by the stories behind old family names.

I was the girl who dreamed of naming, not necessarily having, a baby. (It took a while before I realized the two go hand in hand. It'd be a rare mom who would allow you only to name her child.)

I think it's because, growing up, I didn't love my name. (Cue Anne of Green Gables references. I never asked to be called Cordelia, but you get the idea.) Anne is my middle name; my first name is a family name that is unusual and easily mispronounced.

The first day of classes, from kindergarten to grad school, my palms would get sweaty when the teacher got to the "S" portion of the roll. When I saw a puzzled expression, I'd call out, "I go by Anne! Just call me Anne!"

Additionally, my whole family (of origin) has unusual name quirks. Three of the four of us go by our middle names. My brother, the sole "first namer," has four names. Three are last names; all are family names. Welcome to the South, my friends.

Most everyone I knew growing up was named after someone - a beloved aunt, their mom's favorite poet, even a Dynasty character. Few parents pull their children's names from thin air.

When it came to naming our Mac, I knew early on that I wanted to incorporate family names with a lot of meaning to us. (If your last name is Smith, you know the importance of standing out a little in the first name department. Take it from "Anne Smith #8" at my salon.)

Mac is named after several members of our families, one of whom was also called "Mac Smith." It means everything that we could honor so many with one sweet little baby's name.

Reading the top name trends of 2010, though, I am a touch disheartened that Macky's first name is number three on the list. (Yes, I did what I said I'd never do and gave my son a first name he doesn't use. Don't hate me, future Mac!)

I suppose I should take it as a compliment that there are so many baby Jacksons out there, but we named him Jackson McNeal for a reason. Mac's names each have meaning and come directly from someone our families knew and loved. (The first Mac Smith skipped over Jackson, abbreviated his middle name and went by Mac too, future Macky. You're in good company!)

Though he was born in 2009, not 2010, I hate thinking that Mac's birth certificate is one of ten thousand other Jacksons!

I won't say much else about names, though I'll wax poetic for hours with friends in an adult version of the treasured seventh grade "let's name our invisible children" game.

I have lots (and lots) of "rules" and opinions about naming a child well and with tremendous thought. Given my name history, I feel I deserve such opinions!

That said, names are intensely personal and I wouldn't want to step on anyone's toes - or their top choices. Pick an old family name, find inspiration in classic literature, choose a favorite Biblical name, put lovely-sounding syllables together, do what makes you happy - but realize names last forever.

Can I please urge you, if you're going to name your child after a politician, Olympian or television figure, as the article indicates more people are doing, to choose extra wisely? Do you really want your baby to spend his life explaining why he's named Apollo Piper Chuck Bass Finn Puckerman Smith long after everyone has forgotten who most of those namesakes ever were? Okay, then.

Read the top names of 2010. How many of these babies have you bought presents for this year?

Terms of Endearment Postscript

After our discussion about terms of endearment, I've been a lot more aware of nicknames tossed about in my presence. A few thoughts:

My mom managed to avoid calling me or Mac by our given names the entire afternoon on Saturday. There were many "sweet pea," "baby boy," and "Annie" references, but the day eased my conscience as came to realize my love of nicknames is undoubtedly genetic.

That must explain why I called Bradley "Boo" in front of approximately 4o people Saturday and our entire small group the next day. I didn't have the heart to bring up the deeper To Kill A Mockingbird meaning, so now I'm just using thug-style pet names for my husband in public. We should record a track on 50 Cent's next album about it.

I called Mac "Monkey" all day at the lake Sunday because "Macky" and "Maggie" sound too much alike. Mac grabbed a handful of precious Maggie's hair and when I tried to correct him, the poor doll thought I was admonishing her. Sweet thing! So "Monkey" and "Monk-Monk" (cringe, I know) were my only substitutes.

Our families know men who have shunned their God-given names (James, each of them) for Jiggy and Skeeter, respectively. I have a great-uncle who goes by Junior well into his seventies. Uncle Junior is beyond delightful, but it never occurred to me until it came time to address wedding invitations that he might have an actual name.

B has an Aunt Bunny, which doesn't even faze me after growing up in a state filled with ladies called Way-Way, Weesie, Cricket, Cookie, Jiffy, Mitten, Boo and Lolly.

Also, Bradley has met a man called Puddin'. This is not a joke. Next time you hear me refer to Mac as "Monkey," just you remember that...

Terms of Endearment

Growing up in the South, most everyone I knew had a nickname. Our home is no exception; few people are called by their real names here.

Those who've known me for the greater part of my life still call me Annie. Bradley has always been Brad to his extended family and hometown friends. I often call my best friends K (or K. Dub) and E. And little Mac? He never had a chance.

His given name is McNeal; a significant plus to such a name is the vast selection of nicknames one can derive from it: McNugget, Mac-Mac, Mac Attack, Mac-Man and my personal favorite, Macky. His dad has asked that I stop calling him Macky by his second birthday, but I have a feeling it'll always roll off my tongue.

I worried for a time that Mac wouldn't meet the developmental milestone of recognizing and responding to his name around six months. How could he possibly do that when he has so many aliases? Thankfully, Mac and Macky seem to do the trick; he turns his head whenever his little ears pick up on those two.

When Macky doesn't come out of my mouth, "monkey" is my second go-to term of endearment for our little man. I'm not sure if it was a slip of the tongue early on, but monkey and (cringe of embarassment) monk-monk pop out when I'm trying to calm him. It works every time, so I am shameless in my use of those words around the house.

The problem comes in when I use these sweet terms of affection outside of our little abode. When visiting my parents the other weekend, I ran smack into my dad and apologized with, "Oops! Sorry, monkey!" A friend called my cell phone the other day and I answered with an enthusiastic, "Monkey!! Hi!" I hope people tune it out, because this habit may not be going anywhere. My brain now substitutes monkey for sweetie, baby, friend, girl or any other affectionate noun.

Bradley's even gotten called monkey a few times, though typically I stick with B or babe. Dear has always sounded elderly to me and words like honey or darling seem a little forced. B isn't quite the snookums or shmoopy pants type, either, if you can't tell.

Before we started dating, I saved his number in my phone under Boo Radley, from a favorite book we have in common. (Take a wild guess.) Over the years, it's been shortened to Boo. I fight my instinct to call him Boo when others are around, because it sounds a little different from me than it does from the rappers who use the same term. If you ever hear me answer B's phone call, though, I typically say, "Hi, Boo!" before I even know I've done it. In public I do my best to curb this habit but I bet half of the Upstate thinks I'm Jay Z's woman on the side.

I only ever call B "Bradley" if I'm panicked or we're in a crowded room. If possible, I aim to call him by his God-given name when there are others around; it seems like the least embarrassing option for him. I doubt men are dying to be called by cute nicknames while surrounded by other guys.

Sometimes, though, you've just gotta let the terms of endearment fly. My friend Sarah visited us a while back and, no less than an hour after arriving, said, "I've gotta be honest. There are a whole lot of 'babes' being thrown around in this car." She was right.

I try to censor myself in crowds, but when you're as accustomed to terms of endearment and nicknames as we are, hearing your full name almost sounds like a reprimand. In parents' house, when Mom calls you by all three names (or four, in my brother's case), it's never followed by anything good.

B still laughs about the time he called me by name from another room, hoping to get my attention. He did, and I quickly yelled back, "Don't you call me Anne unless you mean it!!" My heart drops a little when I hear it from him - not that I don't like my name, just that within our four walls it's hardly ever used. It's all about context...

If I address you as "monkey" in an email or face to face, please know I'm not likening you to a primate. It means you're as adorable as our Macky and I lump you into a category of friends worthy of such a distinction.

Do you call your loved ones by any unique terms of endearment? (My parents call their Westie Cotton by the nickname "Boog," short for Booger, all the time. And I know at least one other new mom who calls her son "monkey," so don't be ashamed to spill!!)

**By the way, the many quotation marks in this post's first iteration made my eyes cross. I took most of them out because they cluttered up every paragraph! Sorry if that makes things a little confusing; my inner grammarian and my visual perfectionist are fighting over the best way to handle this.

His eye is on Nicole Richie's son....

I've had a hymn stuck in my head ever since I heard yesterday that Joel Madden and Nicole Richie named their newborn son Sparrow. SPARROW. As in Captain Jack. As in this little guy:


Sparrow James Midnight Madden and big sister Harlow will probably fit in perfectly on the LA playground scene, but anywhere else and a name like Sparrow (I keep forgetting to capitalize it, silly nouns-as-names!) would be greeted with utter confusion.

I suppose they could have named him Hawk, which would have lent a bit more masculinity to the tiny tot - but would have placed great pressure on him to grow up big and beefy. Can you really picture a gangly teenage chess player named Hawk?

All that matters, I know, is the kind of man Sparrow grows up to be - and I hope his parents raise him to be a wonderful one.

But was James such a terrible option??

And the outbreak continues...

Sigh. Sigh. Deeper sigh.

With one of the Hollywood's most private and seemingly successful marriages, an adorable toddler and publicly discussed family priorities, I have long considered Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner to be fabulous (if famous) parents.

When their first daughter was born in 2005 I was thrilled to see that, unlike so many other stars, they named their little girl Violet Anne Affleck. Named after her grandmothers and not a favorite after-dinner snack, the preschooler is no doubt an outcast on the celebrity playground. In the real world, however, she'll do just fine.

I was happy to hear that Ben and Jen (version 2.0) welcomed another daughter last week. The name was made public today.

They bestowed upon their sweet, helpless, undoubtedly adorable daughter the name Seraphina Rose Elizabeth Affleck.
Please say the last three are her "official" names and that Affleck's publicist is playing a horrible joke on us. Seraphina? Really?

Ridiculous celebrity baby names have become such an epidemic that there is both a blog devoted full-time to the cause and an online name generator.

My dear friend Jennifer has always wanted to name her future celebrity spawn GrapeNuts, so she may be a bit disconcerted to hear that my future daughter's name, according to the generator, should be Granola Cranberry Smith. Beautiful Granola's twin brother Comet Khaki Smith will probably go by "CK" for short. Natch.

What is your generated name? Have any celebrity favorites?

(Bronx Mowgli Wentz, with his super-luxe initials and extra consonant-y "Bronx Wentz" nametag is a current fave. But Zuma Nesta Rock Rossdale is also a top competitor. Perhaps Lunesta Ambien Cialis Zyrtec Jolie-Pitt is not too far behind?)

Bits and Pieces

Life is so crazy right now, y'all. Isn't January supposed to be long, gray, slow and boring? It's been awfully gray and cloudy lately, but as for slow - it's not happening.

Work is crazy, getting to the gym (and finding a parking spot!) is a struggle and finding time to whip up dinner is wearing me out. Hats off to you parents who juggle ten thousand things all year round!!

I promise I'm not whining, just sharing the tiny reasons I haven't been as chatty lately. I have much to share and even more I want to hear about your holidays.

So there's more to come and very soon, I assure you. In the meantime, please take a peek at the bits and pieces that have been most fascinating in the not-gray, not work-related celebrity world.

-Jerry O'Connell and Rebecca Romijn had their twin daughters this week. And named them....wait for it....Charlie Tamara Tulip and Dolly Rebecca Rose. Dolly after their favorite singer Ms. Parton; Charlie after Jerry's brother, a former TV Bachelor. I'm going to save comment for another day, because I just don't know where to start!

-In a similar vein, Filipino boxing champion Manny Pacman Pacquiao and his wife Jinky named their baby Queen Elizabeth. Yes, you read that correctly. Little comes close to Jermajesty Jackson, nephew of king of pop (and king of normalcy) Michael, but this is an impressive attempt.

-And in a delicious piece of news as we work off the holiday pounds, having a big derriere can be good for your health. Kim Kardashian and Jennifer Lopez will be co-hosting a party, y'all. Don't worry, I'm sure I'm on the guest list. Enjoy!!

The Simpson-Wentzes have a boy

Straight from People: Ashlee Simpson-Wentz, 24, and Pete Wentz, 29, welcomed a son Thursday night. Little Bronx Mowgli Wentz was 7 lbs. 11 oz. and 20.5" long.

I had hoped to discuss potential names before the first Simpson-Wentz spawn arrived, speculating wildly on what sort of crazy Hollywood and/or traditional Southern family name Ashlee and Pete would concoct for their firstborn.

Hats off to the proud parents, though, because Bronx Mowgli surprises even me. Did they want to honor a romantic trip to NYC nine months ago and acknowledge the powerful role The Jungle Book played in their childhood libraries?

I'm really reaching here, folks. Someone please help me understand!!

Congratulations to them, of course, and hugs to older sister Jess, who may have believed she'd be covered in babies and celebrating her fifth anniversary by now. Sigh.

Babies are a blessing, for sure. I truly hope, though, that Bronx Wentz goes to a private school in LA surrounded by Moses and Apple Martin, Sunday Rose Kidman Urban, Honor Marie Warren and Shiloh, Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Viv and Knox Jolie-Pitt. Should wee Bronx's family they ever move elsewhere he'll need to take some karate lessons to emerge from public school unscathed.

Apple and Moses have nothing on this one

New Zealand judge backs girl over 'embarassing name'

CNN) -- A New Zealand judge has made a 9-year-old girl a ward of the court so that her name can be changed from Talula Does the Hula From Hawaii, the country's national news agency reported Thursday.

Family Court Judge Rob Murfitt listed a series of unusual names that New Zealand parents had given their children, and said he was concerned that such strange monikers would create hurdles for them as they grew up.

"It makes a fool of the child and sets her up with a social disability and handicap," the New Zealand Press Association quoted the judge as saying.

Among the names Murfitt cited: twins named Benson and Hedges -- after a brand of cigarettes; Violence; and Number 16 Bus Shelter.

Some parents had named children after six-cylinder Ford cars, the news agency reported.
The Registrar General of Births, Deaths and Marriages said in a statement that it had rejected names including Fish and Chips, Yeah Detroit, Stallion, Twisty Poi -- a staple food in Polynesian cuisine -- and Sex Fruit.

A lawyer for Talula Does the Hula From Hawaii said the girl is so embarrassed by her name that friends know her as "K."

Last month, an judge in the U.S. state of Illinois allowed a school bus driver to legally change his first name to "In God" and his last name to "We Trust."

But an appeals court in the state of New Mexico ruled against a man -- named Variable -- who wanted to change his name to a two-word phrase that contains a four-letter expletive and expresses opposition to censorship.
(courtesy of CNN)

So what do we think? Where does one draw the line? Anne is as simple as they come, but we've all heard of Shythead (Shy-theed), Iwana Guess, Lemonjello and Orangejello, My'Angel My'Destiny, and the list goes on.

Should courts be allowed to censor parents' naming rights?

Brangelina's Brood Expands

Welcome to the world, Knox Leon and Vivienne Marcheline!

That brings the Jolie-Pitt brood to six children, split right down the middle by gender. According to CNN, the two most attractive actors on Earth, as voted recently in a People survey, have children of the following ages:

Maddox, 6
Pax, 4
Zahara, 3
Shiloh, 2
Knox and Vivienne - newborns

Wow. That's a lot of diapers, tiny socks, toys with itty-bitty parts and picky eaters. And I thought one laundry-hungry lab was a lot to handle!

Anyone want to estimate how much the golden twins' photos will garner? If memory serves, People got the rights to baby Shiloh's photos for a few million - all of which went to charity.

P.S. I got one out of four names right - wahoo for Marcheline! Sorry, Jennifer, but nary a GrapeNut in the bunch.

Sunday, lovely Sunday...

Okay, that's not how the song goes - but for the sake of the latest celebrity baby, I am changing the lyrics for a moment. Nicole Kidman and her husband Keith Urban have just welcomed a baby girl who will be taunted enough on the playground without my virtual help.

Welcome to the world, little Sunday Rose Kidman Urban! My cube neighbor Jennifer believes you will undoubtedly be joined by a sister in the coming years to share your crazy name pattern. Tuesday Lily Kidman Urban has a lovely ring to it.

On that note, with Brangelina's babies on deck next, let's make some predictions.

Jennifer predicts Jacques Cousteau and Guadalajara Domingo. (Domingo is Sunday in Spanish.) She has reserved Panda GrapeNut for her own future offspring.

With siblings named Maddox Chivan, Pax Thien, Shiloh Nouvel and Zahara Marley, I predict the newest additions to the Jolie-Pitt brood will be Scheherazade Solstice and Marcheline Aurora. Marcheline was Angelina's mother, who passed away in recent years, though apparently she had changed her own name from Marcia Lynne to Marcheline. Way more cosmopolitan.

They should mix in another last name for these two as well - perhaps to reflect Angelina's birth name. (As the daughter of Jon Voight, she was born Angelina Jolie Voight.) So I'm putting my invisible money on Scheherazade Solstice Voight-Jolie-Pitt and Marcheline Aurora Voight-Jolie-Pitt.

If they're bright children and well-tutored, they should be able to spell their full names by sophomore year of college, for sure. Thank goodness they'll be gorgeous!

What are your predictions for the Brangelina babies?
(Ashlee Simpson Wentz is bound to make a timeless name choice as well. If only Paris Hilton would have a baby...wouldn't that be some tabloid name fodder?)

Jessica Alba's Mini-Me Enters World

"Jessica Alba just had her baby girl. I bet she named her GrapeNut. I just thought of that. (Pause.) Yep, that's my name now."
~My next-cube neighbor Jennifer

Don't worry, Li'l Jenn. That name is all yours!

Update: Alba's newborn is named Honor Marie Warren.

Sidenote: In my freshman class was a girl named Honor and a boy named Justice. Always wanted them to date. Mason (a girl) and Dixon (a boy) would have been a cute couple too. Alas, it was not meant to be.