Naming Lincoln

A couple of people have asked how we came about choosing the name Lincoln for our son. Let me first say that Rob and I did not agree for most our my pregnancy. He would suggest names like "Mordecai" (baby wizard, anyone?) and I would get angry and tell him he wouldn't get a vote if kept up those shenanigans!

Initially we said we'd pick our top favorite two names and name him once we met him. That would've worked had we been able to agree on more than one name. My entire pregnancy I wanted to name him "Atticus" after Atticus Finch in To Kill A Mockingbird. However, people were vehemently against this. At my first baby shower, I literally had three guests comment on how "horrific" of a choice it was. One yelled to me as she was leaving, (in front of everyone!), "Make sure you don't go with that stoopid name of Atticus! Dreadful!" (Side note, have to love British people, LOL!)

Since this was our first child and a beloved son, I wanted my husband to feel like he chose the name. So, I dragged him to a bookstore and we attempted to compile a list. He was bored within minutes, which only served to infuriate me. Choosing a name is important business and should be a respected process! My son could be President one day so his name better be one that can be taken seriously! (it would be sooo ironic if he were President given, well, his name. Ha!)

Most people don't know this about me but I am a huge civil war buff. Not to mention, I hope my son one day eschews some of the virtues President Lincoln possessed; he was a complicated man who survived and flourished through the loss of a child, a bi-polar wife, and much, much more. He was also pretty kooky by all accounts. Weird but brilliant sounds like a perfect person to me!

So, there you have it! My husband solidified it as the name of choice. Before we were married we discussed potential baby names and we had said for five years that our son would have a particular name. Leave it to my husband to renege on that agreement once I actually got pregnant with a son. Harumph! Doesn't matter now because I love and adore the name Lincoln, it has special meaning to me, and I wouldn't change it for the world!

Oh, and as a side note, in exchange for getting to find out Lincoln's gender in anticipation of his birth, my husband had to allow all subsequent babies to be "surprises" ANNNNNND he agreed to let me give all our children two middle names. My husband and father both think having two middle names (like myself!) is totally lame. How nice for them then that his two middle names are their names. Maybe they'll be quiet about the notion now!