What's In a Name?

I always get so excited when the list of the 100 most popular baby names comes out each year! It takes me back to the time when I was choosing names for my own kids, and praying that my favorite choices weren't near the top of the list of popular names. I had a rule when I was picking names, that it couldn't be anything with a strange spelling, it couldn't be a name that any of my friends' kids already had, it couldn't be shortened and it couldn't be in the list of most popular baby names for that year. Well, I clearly broke that rule for Lilly, as she was #14 in 2006 (even though the spelling was different). And I sometimes catch myself calling Anderson Andy. Although I'm proud to say that Anderson's name is still not on the list, four years later!
I remember writing out different names that we liked...Ella, Lilly, Harper (yes Katie, I know you still laugh at that one!), Brody, Oliver (Mom's favorite), Reid, and Anderson. With Lilly, I would practicee writing different names, until finally I got butterflies when I wrote Lilly Jane. Lilly is a family name (Lillian, actually) on my Mom's side, and Jane pays tribute to my dad's mom, and of course my mom. Anderson's name took us a little longer to decide upon (and to this day, there are people who openly dislike his name, RUDE!). Mom wanted us to name him Oliver, but it reminded me of a dog. Aaron liked Brody Aaron, but I was afraid Brody was too trendy because of Brody Jenner (hello hotness!). I openly have a weird infatuation with Anderson Cooper, and I use to say that if I ever had a boy, I'd name him after Andy Coop.

I'm pretty sure I had the final say in naming both of my kids. I know Aaron really liked Ella better for Lilly, and I'm sure he would have rather had Anderson's middle name be tied more closely to him, but...! I ended up giving in and letting Aaron name Anderson's middle name Lee, after both Aaron and Aaron's dad who passed away twelve years before Anderson was born.

I wonder now, what's in a name? I picture Lilly to be a carefree-fun-loving girl. I imagine some creative career for her...something without much structure or boundaries or limitations. I see Anderson as a strong, conservative, businessman with a rigid schedule and overwhelmingly high standards and expectations. I guess we'll see, huh?!