THEO or ARCHER?
Showing off our tiny baby bump while cheering on Grace at the Chicago marathon
We’ve been discussing name possibilities for years now. But we still can’t quite figure it out — how do you know which name is the right fit? You don’t name a pet before you have it, so how do you name a baby before you meet him? We’ve considered Henry, Hank, Charlie, Ernest, and many others.
Theo and Archer are our top contenders.
What are your thoughts? Pros? Cons?
Sarah
Nathanson Nest 
Well I believe you should chose a name that you just can’t live without. When I was pregnant I talked to her all the time and I would discuss names that I thought would fit her, and of course I would wait for her to respond with a kick or a kneeing in the rib lol for names that she liked or disliked. Until I laid eyes on her and said “Hey Divine, mommys’ so happy your here, cause I just can’t live without you.” and she smiled I knew then that kneeing in the ribs meant she liked it! LOL BTW, I like Archer Ted… 🙂
November 28, 2011 at 4:38 am
Lala, what a great name story! So did you go into the hospital without a decision on a name? Or did you change it once you met her and realized she was Divine? I love Divine, I remember seeing those first pictures of her on Facebook and thinking “what a perfect name”.
December 9, 2011 at 12:23 pm
Archer is super awesome and Theo awful close to Ted, and doesn’t have as much super hero in it.
November 28, 2011 at 10:51 am
So, what you’re trying to tell me is Ted isn’t much of a superhero. I’m gonna tell him you said that — what a heart breaker.
December 9, 2011 at 12:24 pm
I’ve always loved the name Theo (perhaps Van Gogh related nerdiness?) but Archer sounds pretty awesome. Can’t wait to meet him! 🙂
November 28, 2011 at 3:46 pm
Yeah, I kinda geeked out on Theo too. It is officially off the table now as an option (though we’ve gone round and round so much, it’ s not safe to say anything is definite). Ted has never felt too comfortable with it because it seemed like too much of a junior – even though Ted’s given name is Ted and not Theodore — no one would know that though. I thought of it more as a cross between Ted and Leo (his dad). Theo has been the favorite in my heart, but certainly I want our son to have a name we both enjoy yelling, singing, and repeating many, many times.
December 9, 2011 at 12:44 pm
In my experience, you get a feel for your child’s spirit during pregnancy, and that informs your name choice. Go with the name that sits well in your heart. Also, know that your child will inhabit and define the name you give them through the years. I like both Archer and Theo, but feel a stronger pull to Archer. It is the bow and arrow, woodsy, earthy thing that attracks me, I think.
November 28, 2011 at 5:00 pm
Thanks Lori, this is definitely good wisdom. Archer does have a strength to it. Theo rolls off my tongue with more authenticity. However, since this post, Theo has been vetoed! So that is off the table. Ted is pushing for “Henry Archer Nathanson” — which is a fantastic name, I love it, but I’m just not sure it’s right. I’ve tried talking to baby with all the names: “Henry”, “Hank”, “Archer”, “Archie”, “Ari” and none of them are really fitting well yet. I think the smart thing is to not have a definite in mind until we meet our son, though I know that will drive everyone (possibly including Ted) crazy.
December 9, 2011 at 12:38 pm
We were adamant about needing to meet the baby before we officially assigned him a name. Also, we could agree on NOTHING. We decided through a series of text messages while Jeremy was flying back home to meet me at the hospital (I went into labor while he was out of town) what we wanted the baby’s name to be. Otis (fitting in with our back-and-forth trails to give him an older name) Austin (since that’s where Jeremy was when my water broke). When we met him, we realized immediately that it was a good fit. You guys will know. Don’t stress too much. Also, Pancake is awesome. We called Otis “The Creature,” a name that he still lives up to. 🙂
November 28, 2011 at 5:17 pm
Ellyn, I take a lot of comfort in hearing you and Jeremy couldn’t come to an agreement. Ted and I usually come to agreement without much effort so I get a little stressed when we don’t. “The Creature” is awesome, I think he’ll keep that one for life. Does he have a little leather jacket with The Creature graffitied on the back?
December 9, 2011 at 12:29 pm
Like the theory in Harry Potter that states “The wand chooses the wizard” I’m a firm believer in that the baby chooses the name. All our kids ended up with names I had never considered before getting pregnant. When I was pregnant with my first, I thought I already had the names all picked out. But then, as we were kicking them around, they never felt right. So we kept looking. We found out she was a girl (and we found out with all our kids) so that helped as well. But once we found the name, it seemed to just click. It sunk in. It stuck, and it felt right saying it. I would also recommend a name that you can say over and over and over again, because you will be saying (and yelling) that name for a very long time!
I know what ever name he chooses will be perfect!
November 28, 2011 at 8:07 pm
Awesome Harry Potter analogy! I believe in waiting for “the click”. I think I’m just afraid it’ll never show up, or at least won’t show up in time. How psychologically damaging is it for a kid to be nameless for a few weeks? But all these comments are good encouragement to keep waiting and searching… Thanks!
December 9, 2011 at 12:32 pm