Editor’s Note: That Perfect Name Fit

Editor’s Note: That Perfect Name Fit

- in 2023 Editions, April 2023, Magazine

I remember sitting in the hospital bed and wondering, “did we make the right decision on his name?” For one of my sons that had crossed my mind only a few hours into his life. Maybe it was because someone earlier mispronounced his name or when I looked at him, I wondered if it would fit him. But, honestly, now, I feel we couldn’t have picked a more perfect name.

I think with all big decisions, we as parents struggle with them. One is names. The moment you find out you are expecting, everyone wants to know the names you are thinking of or there could be some other family obligations or traditions you have to follow. Some parents might have a few picked out already while others pull up the baby name websites and start looking. For us, we had one name chosen, Noel (after a lead singer in a band we liked), and for the other, it was a matter of logistics (I wanted a certain Italian-sounding name and my husband wanted something to go with his German last name.). We ended up deciding on Anton. The one thing we did agree on was both sons’ middle names would be our grandfathers. 

Shana O’Malley-Smith, managing editor and author of the article in this issue “The Name Game” shares her inspiration behind the names she chose for her daughter, Lyla (7) and son, Rowan (2). “For my daughter, I wanted something feminine and easy to pronounce. I grew up with a name that is commonly mispronounced (it’s Shana, rhymes with Hannah). I’ve learned to own it, but for my daughter, I wanted something that was easy for other kids to remember and say on the playground. My son’s name was picked years before he was born. My husband is the third James in his family. When my husband’s father passed away unexpectedly in 2016, we knew if we ever had a son, we wanted James to be his first name in honor of him. However, neither of us could picture having a little James/Jim/Jimmy running around so we decided to call our son by his middle name, Rowan, which we think fits his personality perfectly.” 

This decision is one of the first we make as parents. While it’s important, we also shouldn’t stress too much about it. The name you decided was the best choice at that time for your family. Honestly, it’s OK things evolve and nicknames happen, etc., but it’s so much better to see your child develop into who they will be. That’s why in this annual baby issue, we have a story about these decisions and how to provide them with room to grow in their spaces at home.

I would be remiss to not talk about the great opportunities for our older children, which are  summer camps. Check out our spring edition of the Summer Camp and Programs pull-out guide that has lots of reasons why to explore this summer staple for your child. 

For me, it has been a whirlwind of a school year, and I think the kids are feeling it too. There have been a lot more battles with my two teens. If you are experiencing these sibling disputes, look on pg. 8 for advice.

As always, throughout the issue, we try to provide ways to get out of the house, whether it’s activities or events in the region. 

For me, I’m excited for the warmer weather and so are our two Scottish Terriers. Our little girl puppy, which will soon be a year old, was named after one of the girl names (a song of a band we loved) I’ve kept in my mind for years. It’s a perfect fit. 

About the author

Angela Gartner has been the editor at Northeast Ohio Parent Magazine since 2014. She has won local and national awards for her features, columns and photography over the years. Previously, her work appeared in publications including The News-Herald, Sun Newspapers and The Chicago Tribune. She grew up in Northeast Ohio and is a mom of two boys. The whole family is busy every weekend with sports and finding new happenings around the region. She is also a board member and past president at the Cleveland Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. She loves reading, writing poetry and taking the family's Scottish Terrier on walks.

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