Jennifer writes:
I’m not due til the end of April (the 22nd), but of course, I’ve been dreaming of baby names since high school. Husband and I can agree on our top 8 girls and boys names, but our top three out of that list are totally different! We have already agreed on Jean as the middle name, after my grandmother, and last name is Haide (pron: hide). I tend towards longer, feminine names that have options for cute nicknames, like Sophia and Penelope. His favorite is “Story”. I like it, but I have concerns that it won’t pass the “playground test”. Also, no nicknames? (sigh) We’ve decided not to ask any family or friends for opinions, but I do want to get some objective feedback about “Story Jean Haide” as a name. What do you think? Thanks to you and your readers in advance!
I love it!
I think Story is an awesome name. I knew a girl named Sonnet, and I always thought it was a beautiful name. I totally wish I had a cool name like that, but I’m not sure I could name my kids Story or Sonnet. I don’t know, it always seems like the kids with the “normal” names want something more exciting and the kids with the “weird” names just want to be normal. You can’t win.
Some hesitations – people may assume it is Stormy (which is awful) or possibly shorten it to Tory/Tori (which, personally, I don’t care for).
I LOVED the name Mariska, but people kept saying, “You mean Marissa?” HATE THAT NAME? So, now Mariska is out entirely. So, just saying, you might want to say it aloud to some people (or just pretend you’re announcing it to friends/family in the mirror and see how you feel about it).
I like the name a lot. I think that it could get shortened to “Tori” so that might be a consideration for you. I wouldn’t worry too much about the teasing factor. Kids have such a wide variety of names these days that it’s not going to “stick out” like it might have 30 years ago. I think that it doesn’t lend itself to any obvious teasing, so you’re ok. At some point kids just use what’s available if they are going to tease or bully and no name in the world will keep them from it.
One question I was wondering about was the pronunciation of your last name. Is it pronounced “Hayd” or “Hide” or “High-dee”? I thought that if it was pronounced like “Hide” that you might want to avoid a noun or verb name. Or consider how “Conan Hide” sounds like “Go-And-Hide”. But that’s just my two cents.
Sorry–I missed that part where you TELL me how your name is pronounced. Bad reading on my part. I’ll go get more coffee now. . .
The great thing about word names is that they’re instantly familiar and easy to spell, but still completely unexpected.
I like the sound of Story Jean, and I like the sound of Story “Hide.” I’m inclined to use longer middle names, so I’d probably go for something more like Story Genevieve Hide. But that’s personal preference – Story Jean Haide is great!
We’re used to girls answering to Lori and both genders to Cory and Rory, so Story sounds like a name.
I think Story Jean has a similar sound to Sara Jane. I know 2 Sara Janes, so to me this is a fairly common first-middle combination. Story Jean seems like an updated, semi-funky version of that when I say it aloud. Also, I think a good first-middle makes a good nickname.
I like it. I think it’s fun and spunky. And I’m not normally an unusual-name-liker, so, there’s that.
It might be worth considering possible future sibling names if you’re planning to have more than one child. Finding a sibling name to go with Story could perhaps give you a better feel for how it fits in your family.
I think Story is a lovely name, and I would be delighted if a friend told me she was naming her baby this. It’s perfect with Jean too.
I grew up with a girl named Storey. Nobody ever teased her. I don’t know how diverse the schools are in your area, but, in my area they are so diverse that having a name like Story would almost be “normal” compared to most kids.
Story Jean is a beautiful name. I am a nickname kind of person and my husband isn’t. Our kids’ names aren’t nicknameable (is that a word?) BUT! I call them other things that have nothing to do with their names.
I actually know a Stori. I went to library school with her (perfect job for someone with that name!) and now she works in the children’s department of the public library. :) I thought her name was really cool and it fit her perfectly.
I think it’s a beautiful name!
I like the name Story on a little girl, I’m just not sure how it grows up. I also do the doctor test in my head for names, and I don’t know how “Dr. Story Haide” works out. Sorry! I think it’s cute, but might be tough down the line.
I love Sophia and Penelope, would you consider doing two middle names? I have a cousin with the second middle name Cash, which is what he goes by, and it could work here too. Penelope Jean Story “Hide”.
Good luck!
I think Story is a pretty name and would probably pass the “playground” test as you put it. My only suggestion would be to consider it all together with the middle/last name — Story Jean Haide. My own issue (and this may not be an issue for you or frankly anyone else) is that multiple short names together can sound a bit choppy. With a short 1-syllable last name I would like the flow better if the first or middle name had more syllables. Again, this has nothing to do with the individual names (as I like them all and the method for which you decided upon them is nice as well), it’s just my personal preference for flow. The other two names you listed (Sophia and Penelope) are both great as well and I could see them easily filling in the first name slot or the middle name slot. I guess this is all dependent on how tied you are to using your Grandmother’s name in the middle slot. As a big lover of family names, I would have a harder time letting that go. Good Luck with your name selection!
I think Story is a great name. If you feel like you’ll have to defend it a lot, it should be a name you love, and I can’t tell if you do or not. I don’t think it’s that unusual though.
Also, for what it’s worth, there was a Supreme Court Justice with the last name Story, so if you don’t think it passes the “doctor” test, it will pass the “lawyer” one ;)
I think when she is younger (e.g. toddler-preschool years), she and her friends might say “Tory”, just because young children have difficulty pronouncing the st- blends. It could evolve into Tori being her nn.
If you want a longer name, there is Astoria.
I agree that a longer MN would sound better. Can Story be in the MN spot? Maybe you two can agree on a name you both really love? I don’t really like Story with your LN…..actually all three names are words.Story, Jean, Haide (Hide). For me that would be a no. My last name is also a word so I know it can eliminate certain names. Would love to her other names on your list!
I like it. There’s a well-known blogger who named her daughter Fable, which is also cool.
If you plan to have more children and care at all about how siblings’ names “go” with each other, then maybe look through your top 8 and see if you could imagine at least some of those being the little brother and the the little sister of Story. If not (and you care,) maybe you move on.
Great idea Carolyn – Astoria, nn Story. I think Astoria would go with either Sophia or Penelope and it definitely passes the Supreme Court Justice and playground tests. There’s also Pastora (a Spanish name that is the feminine version of Pastor, which is a saint’s name.)
I love the suggestion of Astoria (with n.n. Story) for you! This way you get a longer name with a cute nickname and your husband still gets Story.
I like both Astoria Jean ‘Hide’ and Story Jean ‘Hide’
I know a young adult Story and the name was very pleasant on her! I tend to prefer established traditional names, but I thought Story was very namey and worked well. I also more recently met a toddler Story… it’s not THAT unusual in certain west coast hippie hotspots, apparently! :)
However, I think with your last name it runs into “too much word” problems. It helps that it’s not actually SPELLED “Hide”, but it’s still pronounced that way… which would tend to make me veer into more obvious “name and not word” category myself.
I was just going to suggest Astoria, too! Or Aster/Astor. But I love Story, and Jean. I think it’s a beautiful, unexpected name.
I wouldn’t let “no nicknames” turn you away from the name. It’s really pretty! Honestly, I don’t think built-in nicknames matter too much. Kids and adults are going to create their own names for each other, and unless the family calls the child exclusively by a certain diminuitive (and even then!), it’s not going to matter if the original name has a nickname option or not. Story could be Stor, Tor, Tory, Ry, Ree…or, thanks to funny family/friends moments- something random, like Dodger. I know a guy who is predominately called Nugget. I think his real name is Cory.
I don’t WANT to like this name. I really don’t. I tend to prefer established, traditional names, Eleanor and Charlotte and Anna and that kind of name. But I DO like the name, although I prefer it spelled Storey. Although I’m with the commentors who think that’s a lot of word names, and I think Astoria might be a better choice. Astoria Jean Haide is nice.
I like Penelope Jean Haide so much I’d lean toward that but that really wasn’t the question.
I don’t think Story would lead to teasing. Kids have such a wide variety of names these days I don’t think there is as much name-based teasing as when we were children.
I think Astoria is a good suggestion, if you are looking for a more formal name.
I really like the name Story. I love the longer Astoria too. I agree with previous posters, look at your other eight and see if they are good sibling names with Story.
I love Penelope too.
Word names like Story, Lyric, and Fable are my guilty pleasure. I don’t know if I have the balls to use them, but I love them.
While I don’t know anyone named Story myself I don’t think of it as an unusual name for some reason. I think it is familiar enough to be accepted, but unique enough that she won’t be one of three in her grade. From that perspective its perfect!
Personally, as a teacher, I am not a fan of this name… only because I’m consistently saying things like, “let’s read a story” in my job, haha. I just have a lot of trouble seeing it as a name… but then again, that might be personal preference because I’m generally not a fan of noun-names.
However, it seems most commenters like this name, so I guess I’m just sort of ruined by the profession I’m in… “story” is just too related to reading books out loud to my kiddos at school.
Ditto on the Astoria!
I really want to like Story, but I can’t. After hearing The Wonder Worrier’s comment about “Let’s read a story,” all I can think of is the teasing she’d be in for… “Story Time!” etc which would bother me.
However, I LOVE Astoria nn Story! I think it’s the perfect compromise between cute nn and longer established name. Perfect.
I know of a real-life Story. She’s 3-ish, and has a little brother named Atlas. (Part of me hopes that if they have more kids, the next one gets named Biography or something!)
Astoria!!!
I know a darling girl named Story. Her mother calls her ‘Rhee’ sometime for a nickname. Her last name sounds a LOT like ‘Book’, but no one seems to go there with the teasing. Most of the time, her parents say, “This is our sweet Story!” or “Home is where our Story began.” It’s killer cute.
If we didn’t know this girl personally, Story would be on our own name list for future children; it is perfect.
It has charm, femininity, and a certain cleverness about it.
As for “Let’s read a story”, the Story we know beems from ear to ear anytime someone casually mentions her name. It is marvelous! She is so proud of her name.
So my vote: do it. The name rocks!
Love the Astoria Jeane Haide idea!!! It achieves your longer, more feminine preference, with a nickname that is spunky and his favorite name. I believe the full name Astoria adds some depth to Story, passes the playground test better than Story alone, and helps the name age well from sweet baby, to little girl, to teenager and beyond. When she is an adult, she can opt to go by the full name Astoria, or Story, Tori, etc. according to what suits her best. Astoria is unique and pairs very well with the more classic, short, and common Jean. Astoria Haide. Just fab!
Unfortunately I just can’t get behind either Story or Astoria. My only association with Story as a name is one of the super creepy 4-year-old beauty queens on the show “Toddlers and Tiaras.” And as a New Yorker, I can only think of Astoria as a neighborhood where you go to get great Greek food. Obviously depending on where you live (and your feelings about child pageantry), these may not be issues for you or anyone you and your child are likely to encounter, but these were my instant associations.
My daughter (3 yrs) is named Story. I loved and still love it. Here is my input.
1) Consider spelling it Storey and Storie. People ask ‘how is it spelled?’ and I would rather respond with ‘e-y’ or ‘i-e’ than saying something like ‘just y’ or ‘like a story book’. Also, it is a bit less of a noun and gives her a good defense if she gets teased with ‘story time’ or ‘story book’ type of references. She can say ‘No, it’s spelled differently’.
2) Don’t worry about the nick name. Although she is occasionally called ‘Stor’. That’s OK. Give her a good solid middle name that she can fall back on if Story doesn’t work for her as she ages.
3) My name is Kiko (the daddy). I have loved it. I was a child of above average self-confidence, but no playground oligarch. I could see that a passive or shy child may have some trouble with a more unique name. I have been asked about the history of my name 1000’s of times, been confused as a girl, Finnish guy, Samoan man often, spelled it for teachers/friends/ employers/soliciters/etc. – but none of that has ever bothered me. Kiko is me. I’ve loved it.
4) Kids can be creative and cruel. No name is free of a rhyming slur. Every Story, Kiko, Molva, Bill or Jane is at risk. Sigh.
If you like the name – use it. But if Story becomes the new Jennifer of 40 years ago, I’ll scream.
Kiko
one of my son’s best friends is a little girl named Story. I love her name, it totally fits her. I think it has such a lovely feminine quality to it. But then, I love noun names.
I love the name Story, but I prefer the spelling Storey, mostly because it’s a surname, it’s less “word-turned-to-name,” and it’s a surname in my family that belongs to an incredible history of amazing people. I’m not sure I would use it as a first name (I prefer names that have been used as names for hundreds and hundreds of years) but I very much intend on using it as a middle name for a future daughter.
I will be having a daughter in November and were naming her Story Jane Gates. I’ve wanted this name since before I found out I was having a son 2 1/2 years ago. My son’s name is Stone Warren Gates so I think Stone & Story go well together, different yet confident names I believe:)
Uh…Yeah. I’m late.
But I’m here with my suggestion anyway!
This is one of the names I’m considering, so obviously I love it. Nickname ideas for me include Tory, Ry (pronounced Rhee), and Rory (love this- perfect for a tomboy too!).
-Night
My name is Tory (Real name is Victoria, but I have gone by Tory since I was a baby, in school, work, etc).
Actually the only teasing I have had with my name was from our French teacher when I was in first grade, but it was harmless and didn’t bother me at all. (“What a funny story Tory. Im sorry I missed your story Tory.”)
I think Story is a lovely name!
My 12-year-old daughter is named Stori. I was going to go with Zuri (“beautiful” in Swahili). But “Stori” (spelled a little differently to differentiate from the noun) seemed like a more relatable name. Stori loves her name, and being an avid reader/writer, it fits her perfectly. Her only complaint is that she can never get any of those custom keychains, cups, etc, unless we special order. But that just shows me that her name is still very unique – my intention to begin with:)
My husband and I named our son “Story” in 1994. He loves his name! When he was younger he said people always complimented his name. It fits him. It’s def not for everyone! When you have some spare time, read “Story Musgrave’s” wiki, we learned he and my son “Story” share birthdays(?) crazy! Kismet!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Story_Musgrave