We picked Ainsley from a TV show. And not a current TV show. The West Wing. Which was not on when Ainsley was born, but my husband is obsessed with it and watches the whole series once a year. Well, he used to, before we had three children.
It is still the most beautiful name I've ever heard. I love it. And it's not over used. There are lots of pretty names, but you just hear them everywhere. Coming from a Jaime Lynn who was born the year the Bionic Woman hit the airways, I think it's nice to have a name like no one else. Even though my mom did not pick my name because of the Bionic Woman, I ended up in elementary school with two other Jaime Lynns. In a small school I was forever known as Jaime L. And they were Jaime G. and Jaime M. Then when we got to middle school there were two more Jaime Lynns. They ended up being Jaime T. and Jaime R.
So I'm glad that Ainsley, so far it seems, will be the only Ainsley. Her middle name is Lynn. My middle name, my mother's middle name, my mother-in-law's middle name. Then my sister is CaroLYN and my sister-in-law is CaitLYN. So lots of Lynns.
Freddie was our easiest child to name, but it was the most difficult nickname. I didn't want him going by Frederick Clifton White IV. Though Clif and I always knew that if we had a boy, he'd have that name. I love it and it has history behind it...it's the 4th one in a row. But Freddie was tough. I didn't want him going by Clifton or Clif, not because I don't like the name but because I didn't want two in the house. We tried to find something with the IV, like people do with III (Trey, Trip, etc), but nothing really worked. People suggested Ivy or Court to play off the 4. Nothing really struck me as perfect.
Freddie was the very first nickname we thought of, but I didn't really like the idea of people calling him Fred. So then I tried to think of other Frederick nicknames...Derick, Ricky. All nice names, but just too common. So about a week before I had him, we decided...Freddie. So far we don't know any other Freddies and have not come across any in school or other activities. I personally think there is no other name that would fit my Freddie better. Even my mother-in-law (who once said "no grandson of mine will be named Freddie") agrees - love you, Denise.
Cohen was HARD. Boy names are HARD. Before we found out he was a boy and I was SURE he was a girl, we had two names picked out. Both of which would have used my grandmother's name in some way. So when he turned out to be a boy, we could not come up with something that we both liked. We had lists and lists of names. Cohen was one of the first ones I threw out there. Clif was kind of indifferent on it. Didn't love it, didn't hate it. Eventually, he came around. Flynn came from Ainsley and Freddie. It was on our list, but it wasn't my favorite. When we were at our wits end in the naming game, we enlisted the help of Ainsley and Freddie. They loved Flynn. Most likely because of Flynn Rider in Tangled. So Cohen Flynn it was. And I have NEVER heard the name Cohen on anyone.
And then today this in my zulily.com email...
I have one thing to say...Step OFF Pottery Barn Kids. I better not see Cohen on every page of your next catalog!
