What Is in a Name?

We are getting along in the pregnancy now. We just found out that we are having a girl and now, the only question left is what the name is going to be. We actually settled on the names right after we found out we were pregnant, but, since we didn't know what we were having, we held off on telling everyone.

We settled on Kassandra Arabella Siegle. It is a beautiful, lyrical name. It can be shortened to Kassiebella. It is unique. It preserves both Kermit's and my initials, KAS. I think it is a great name. Other people disagree.

Some thing it is too long. Others think it is heavy on the 's' sound. Still others think that a long first name begs for a short middle name. Fortunately, I have dug in and am sticking with the name we have chosen. But, with all this name gaming, I have realized something in my old age...I have become a liar.

I used to absolutely believe that truth was everything. Being honest was the most important thing because integrity was the only thing that I had on my side at times. Now I realize that sometimes people don't want to hear the truth. They want to hear that you agree with them. I have been asked several time about the baby's name only to find myself standing there with a fake smile plastered to my mug while trying not to shout, "WELL, NEXT TIME WE WILL CONSULT YOU AND MAKE SURE YOU APPROVE OF OUR CHOICE"

It isn't that I don't appreciate feedback when I ask for it. It is that so often, people feel that there is some unspoken invitation for their opinion like it is going to make any difference. The only difference it makes is that I spend the rest of the conversation trying to figure out an escape route. If I want your opinion, I will ask for it. Otherwise, lie to me. Tell me what a great choice of name we made. Tell me how beautiful the name is as it dances across your ears. Don't tell me what is wrong with it. don't offer suggestions for other names. Most of all, don't make a face and tell me how you knew someone named that in high school and how much you hated her. I don't want to hear it.