Her Name

I know this is a controversial subject. To name or not to name? That is the question. For Eric and I, the decision has always been "to name." It's important for us to know that we gave our child their name. We also thing receiving a new name is symbolic for receiving a new life. Lots of folks in the bible received new names after stepping into a new area of their lives.

At the same time, it has always been important for us to keep a portion of our child's original name. This is all very easy when adopting infants, but gets more complicated when adopting a child who is used to hearing their name and knows their name. Both Bright and Mabel were/are old enough to know their name.

We planned to give Bright the name "Brighton." But it never stuck. He was just Bright. So while we did give him a new middle name, we also chose to keep his first name.

With Mabel...well...MABEL! Most people think of little old crotchety ladies when we think of that name (my lady is Jewish, how about yours?). The name is endearing to me because of a show I used to watch where they named their baby Mabel because "Mothers Always Bring Extra Love." Still...Taevy, Samren, Bright, and.... Mabel! It doesn't really "fit" with our family. If it were only my decision I would at least keep Mabel as a middle name. But of course this is a partnership venture!

So Mabel's name will be Kendi Mae Anadane Gillispie. Kendi is a Swahili name that we have loved for years and means "The loved one." Mae will be short for Mabel, which means "My beautiful one." Anadane is Mabel's last name and her father's first name. We don't have a meaning.

One of the things we didn't do with Bright was call him by his new name (Brighton) until very late in the process. By that time Bright was just Bright! And when it came down to it we could never make his chosen name stick.

I feel conflicted about what to call Mabel right now, and on this blog. I've met her and I love her as Mabel. But I know we will give her a first new name. And by "claiming" her in word as well as deed, by calling her her new name, it seems to me that we are putting ourselves "all in" for this adoption. Mabel is a child in Ghana. Kendi is a child who will join our family.

Please forgive me if we're making a decision that makes you feel uncomfortable. I know other families have done that to me before--when I thought they were taking away a BEAUTIFUL name from a child and replacing it without thought. I can promise that we aren't replacing Mabel's name without thought.

I will probably start trying to call her Kendi Mae on this blog, and in my every day life. In some circles she will be Mabel until she comes home. But this is my spot to be completely me--my friends and family.

So, that's that! =-)
P.S. Eric cane up with her name. That is so special to me. He chose her name on my birthday, even before he had decided whether or not to adopt her. I have always come up with the name for our other children.