Sorta.
Meet…Belle.
And Indy…
It has never felt natural or overly conversational to refer to my children by their initials. But I also wanted names that had some sort of tangential significance for our family without using their actual given names.
Belle and Indy fit the bill.
It may take me some time to switch my brain to this new naming system but I’m excited the kiddos will once again have more concrete identities (even if they’re fictional).
Your turn. Do you have any nicknames? Any favourites or, conversely, ones you despise? Though I’m pretty set on Belle and Indy, let me know if you have any great suggestions for their internet monikers.Ā I don’t think they’d appreciate me referring to them as Sweetie and Pumpkin…though those are pretty cute, too. Did anyone see this post title and think I was about to announce we were expecting twins or had welcomed pets into our home?
Header photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash
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mbmom11
I was thinking pets- which seemed unlikely unless it was fish.
Those sound like great choices!
Elisabeth
There *may* be a fish on it’s way in the next year…we shall see.
Suzanne
I 100% expected pets, Elisabeth! But beautiful photos of your sweet kids works instead!
Great blog names! I remember when I first started referring to my kid as Carla on my blog and it felt super weird, but now it’s completely natural! Never have found a blog name I like for my husband though…
Elisabeth
I remember the first time I learned Carla’s real name and I was a bit astonished it wasn’t Carla. I mean…I knew it wasn’t but that’s just how I “know” her. I hope it starts to feel natural for me quickly?!
Jan Coates
Okay, I was going with plants, goldfish or maybe hamsters:)
Elisabeth
Plants! I love the idea of naming plants. I might have to start doing that.
Nicole MacPherson
Those names are perfect!
Elisabeth
Thanks! It’s a fun new twist to blogging.
Jenny
Ha, well I was PRETTY sure you weren’t expecting twins, but I was almost equally doubtful that you had gotten two pets (knowing your opinions on that subject.) Belle and Indy are good names! Now I’m wondering if I should have given my kids fictional names on my blog. I always feel a little awkward using their names, so a lot of times I’ll just say “my son” or “my daughter” although I know I also do use their names. I think I like the use of a fictional name more than just an initial. I’m glad you didn’t decide to call them Sweetie and Pumpkin : )
Elisabeth
I don’t think there is a right and wrong answer here! It felt weird to refer to a kid as “my son” or “my daughter” since they’re still quite young? And I know some people refer to their age (i.e. My four-year-old and my ten-year-old had a teaparty), but that also feels awkward and stilted. But A especially was not ideal since “a” is also a word!
We’ll see how quickly I manage to adjust…
Steph
I definitely thought you were going to introduce pets. š
Elisabeth
I like Jan’s idea of naming our plants. I bet the kids would like to do that š
NGS
Yes, I thought you had gotten some pets. I was even looking at the first photo thinking she was holding something. *sigh* I’m very slow sometimes.
Elisabeth
Ha! I love that you thought she might be holding a pet. I should have posted the picture of Indy holding a frog. Though I most certainly would NOT want a pet frog in my house.
San
Dang it, I was for sure expecting some new pets at your house š but I also love that you came up with some fictional blog names for your kids (although it’ll be an adjustment because I do know their real names and speak them out loud when I read their initials LOL).
Elisabeth
It’s going to be an adjustment for me, too. I love that longer-time readers will have an inside secret with knowing their real names š
Birchie
I knew that there was no way that you had gotten a pet, but I did get a “oooh it’s Christmas” kind of a feel when I saw this in feedly. Belle and Indy are awesome names.
When I started writing about my family I thought about giving everyone fictional names or fictional initials, but I had too many people to keep straight. So everyone got a number (Stepson #1, SIL #4, etc). I struggle a bit with nieces and nephews, since there are so many of them. I go back and forth on whether to use my dog’s name on the blog or not – on the one hand it’s consistent to call her Doggo since no one else has a name, but it also feels kind of silly not to use her name.
Elisabeth
Listen, you’ve told me your dog’s name and now I cannot remember it to save my life because to me she is Doggo. I even find it so hard to write your real (or Engie’s) name if I send either of you an e-mail. I just LOVE Birchie and Engie. It suits you and to me it’s the names I came to associate with you first (though your actual names are lovely!).
Lisaās Yarns
I thought maybe you had gotten some small pets like a hamster! I use my kidsā names but I can see the benefit of using nicknames, especially instead of initials. I do use a nickname for our youngest since he goes by Taco. I will sometimes use his legal name and people are probably like – who is she talking about!
My nickname was Fritz when I was a child. No idea where that came from. I think it was only used until I was in elementary school and then got phased out!
Elisabeth
Fritz! I think the only “Fritz” I know is from Swiss Family Robinson. I have a feeling he was the oldest son? That used to be my absolute favourite book in the world, but I haven’t read it in years!
I think I might have told this story before, but we occassionally call L (aka Indy!), Hector to be funny. One time we were at a playground and I just called out in a normal voice (not thinking about it because it’s part of our inside language): “Okay Hector, it’s time to go.” He was like 5 or 6 at the time and responded immediately by getting up and leaving the playground. A 9 or 10 year-old girl looked over at me like I was out of my mind. As if to say: what mother would name her child Hector?! It made me laugh so much, and we chuckle about that whenever we call him Hector.
Rachel
Oh lovely name choices!!
I like when people can use initials but I shouldnāt have picked a kid name that started with I if I wanted to do thatā¦ even in my own journal I sometimes write āI was grumpy todayā and Iām not sure if I meant Isaac or me š. So Iām just going with names for now although I guess I could just forever call the twins as āthe twinsāā¦
From the title I thought you were getting a pet. Definitely did not expect you to be announcing twins haha!
Elisabeth
Yes, “I” would be an impossible name to use in blog writing. I guess you could do the whole lowercase blog style popular a decade ago and capitalize I’s name.
I have adult cousins who are twins and we still almost always refer to them as “the twins.” Have you heard how “the twins are doing” or were “the twins home for Christmas.” They’re both married with children now but to me they will always be “the twins”!
Joy
I thought at least one of them would be Buckles.
Elisabeth
Ha! A missed opportunity for sure.
Melissa
You teaseāI thought pets, but yes, that would have been out of character. Great names. On my old blog I used to refer to the kids as “The Big Girl”, “The Little Girl” and “The Boy” which my niece and nephew loved but those names seemed a bit funny since they’re adults now. Since I hardly ever feature them on my new blog I just defaulted to initials.
Elisabeth
For years and years we referred to Belle as (Little A) and my friends daughter with the same first name as (Big A). They’re about the same size now, but it helped to distinguish them. Now we just call them by their proper name – no size indicator needed.
Sophie
I was definitely looking for a tiny pet in each photo before realising who Belle and Indy are š Great names.
Elisabeth
No pets. I donāt see that in any near future, but Iāll never say neverā¦
Suz
I thought you were getting new pets. Maybe twin cats? Meow. š»
I love your kiddos names, and their smiling faces.
Elisabeth
Ha. My husband would go for two cats but I’m allergic and not looking for more caretaking responsibilities at this point. So “re-naming” my kids will suffice.
Tobia | craftaliciousme
I had a feeling it were new names for the kids. But then am reading out of order and may have picked it up somewhere.
Since I can remember the real names I will probably always read it with a double name until it’s forgotten. Ha.
Elisabeth
I like that older readers know my kids real names, but it’s great to have something to type beyond an initial now!