what's in a name?

the number 1 question you get asked when your pregnant is "how long until your due date?"  the number 2 question is "what will you name it?"  

i've been asked this about 892 times (just an estimate).

it is such a huge decision!  the name we give this child will be with him forever.  it can't be too extremely unusual nor can it be overly plain jane.  we shoot to find names that aren't unheard of but still unique.  the name must have character & style.  it needs to flow.  it needs to have a catchy nickname.  this child's name will grow with him from birth, into school, and eventually onto the workforce.  it needs to be versatile enough that it will be compatible with whatever path his life takes.

i've read more than a few baby name books & visited just about every baby name webpage.  i've read the meanings, origins, popularities of hundreds of names.  trust me, i've done my research.

these are the 1st names that we have considered at one point or another during the past 38 weeks (the starred names are still possible choices):

sawyer      drake*      jasper      dex      beckham      
t.j. (todd jr.)*      miles      cobe*      carson      paxton
      milo      owen      cohen      madden      

the hardest part?  pairing cute first names with middle names.  it's very important to me that our children have middle names that mean something.  todd & i have been touched by so many important & influential people & i would like to pass on a name from someone that we admire to our child.  cooper's middle name is j after my absolutely amazing grandfather.  unfortunately, most of the people that we would like to honor with a namesake have awful names that i just could not pass on.

these are the middle names we have chosen to choose from:

edward, gordon, paul, bryan, g, todd, dean, k

so if you were wondering what this baby's name is going to be, well, that's about the best answer i can give you.  we wont decide on an official name until we meet the little guy.  really, how do you give a name to someone that you don't yet know.