Hear ye, hear ye... shhhh!

According to an article by Laura Wattenberg on US site The Baby Name Wizard, as an expectant parent I have two big naming decisions to make. The first one is pretty obvious; choosing a name. The second decision is whether or not to reveal the name before the birth. Apparently people will fall in to either of two categories; broadcasters or keepers.

I've known people from both camps, those who announce the name as soon as they know the sex (or have a girl's name and boy's name ready), and those who keep it a closely guarded secret. I fall somewhere in the middle.

I've told a few select people our 'top names' just to get some feedback because once its on the birth certificate its a lot harder to change. My own fears prevent me from being a keeper: I have visions of Granny wrinkling up her nose saying that was the name of the old pervert down the street and will then forever only say the name virtually dripping with disdain. Or what if my friend names her child, due a few weeks earlier, the same thing? Do I have to find a new name then? If I tell her my name ideas now do I get first dibs even though she'll give birth first? Is there a legal precedent for these things?

There was even a few noses upturned when mentioning possible 'in-utero' names. Originally it was going to be 'Cletus' (as in Cletus the Foetus) but that was quickly shot down as it reminded my sister too much of the irritating Simpson's character. When a friend mentioned Tricky (a combination of the letters in mine and Hubby's names) it seemed to fit and didn't have any negative connotations. So Tricky it is. Plus its much cuter than Cletus, too.

I've been told that babies are born with a name and I'll know Tricky's name the moment I see him. Now I'm assuming it doesn't come stamped on his head, so how will I know? If I choose to have a drug-free birth will I be so delirious with pain that I don't recognise his name? Or alternatively I might be so drugged up that I want to immediately name him after the lovely anaesthetist. Similarly I could name him after my first impressions of him, and accordingly he shall forever be known as 'Slightly-Squished-And-Covered-In-Crap' which will be awfully hard to fit on forms and even harder to find on a personalised toothbrush or pen. I have a terrible feeling that for months he will be simply known as “Baby Glow-less” and I'll end up choosing by pulling a name out of a hat, just so I can register the birth and get my baby bonus.