What's In a Name?

There were two questions that everyone would ask me during my pregnancy, and I do mean everyone- from the quiet male co-worker to the perfect-stranger-toothless-wonder at the movie theater they would all ask:
1- is it a boy or a girl?
2- What will you name "it"?
(those two questions are the foundation for another blog, trust me).

On February 2, 2016 at 4:00 pm, we named her Magnolia "Maggie" Lane Lenard.
Several Colorado friends have asked us how we chose her name, so I thought I would share with you. Because we didn't find out the gender via ultrasound, choosing names was super fun and kept us busy for many months! When choosing a name, it must pass my series of tests: "can you understand the pronunciation of the name over a voicemail" and "will it stereotype her on a job application" or "is this just a cutesy kid name or can it be a mature name."

I had a very funny great-grandmother whose name was Maggie (my grandfather's mother). This was on our list from the first day.

As we got closer to the end of the pregnancy, we decided that Maggie could be short for Magnolia, the quintessential flower of the South.
The magnolia flower is cherished for its majestic aroma and its trees are statuesque and beautiful. (Magnolia also means "Pearl"- the city where I grew up. Now this is funny to those of you who live in MS!)

In addition, my grandmother "Nanny," was an artist who often painted magnolias on canvas for friend's homes and all of us grandchildren have inherited her magnolia paintings. So as you can tell, it was the perfect fit for our baby girl. Nanny would be proud! We sure are.