Hi Swistle,
My husband and I are expecting our first baby in early August and it’s a girl! Her last name will be Rock-with-an-L.
Because of our surname I’ve always thought I would try to steer away from single syllable names and other word names.
Even before we were married and anywhere near trying for kids, our girl name was always Veronica. It’s still on our list but after it being “the name” for a hypothetical baby for so long it’s started to lose its appeal to my husband but I am not ready to give up on it quite yet.
The name we both love and are leaning towards using is Rose. Naturally, it goes against all my “rules”. It is one syllable, and it is another word name. Does Rose Rock-with-an-L sound too choppy? More importantly does it sound like a description? A rose coloured lock, or a rose shaped lock? Or am I over thinking it?
The other girl name we considered is Josephine/Josie but decided we liked Rose and Veronica enough to leave the list at those two options.
She will have two middle names: Kelly (my middle name, and my moms maiden name) and Zofia (Sophie in polish after my husbands grandmother)
Rose Kelly Zofia Rock-with-an L
Or
Veronica Kelly Zofia Rock-with-an-LOur boy names were Declan, Henry, Calvin, and Jack (unusable with Rose obviously) but didn’t really have a clear front runner before we found out the gender.
Thanks for your help! I will send an update when she arrives!
I think those are both terrific options. I don’t think Rose Rock-with-an-L sounds too nouny; it does sound nouny, but it doesn’t sound to me like it describes anything. I think it sounds nice, and memorable in only a good way, and I like the way it LOOKS too: two 4-letter words, both with an O as the second letter. Excellent name. I love it.
But Veronica! Oh, I love it TOO. And with the surname! I perish.
How will you choose? HOW WILL YOU CHOOSE?? I really think the only solution is to have two girls so you can use both names.
Let’s have a poll on Twitter; it’s not perfect, but it’s what we’ve got. Go to the poll on Twitter [poll closed; see results below:]
Name update:
Thanks for posting our question/your suggestions! Rose Zofia Kelly was born earlier this month and Her name suites her perfectly! We’ve been calling her Rose, Rosie and Rosie Posie so far :)
I can’t vote on Twitter, so I’ll vote here. Honestly, no I won’t. They are both lovely! Rose is fine with your surname. Don’t worry about preferences and go with whichever name speaks to you. If it were me, I’d take them both to the hospital and see which one seems most right after meeting her.
I’m loving Veronica Rock with an L. The repeating hard C sound is just awesome and memorable in the best way.
I actually know a Rose Locke, and never thought of any of your “what ifs.” I say go with it!
I also like Rose Kelly as a double first name. Very surprising, but fun.
I can’t vote either but wanted to say, in my limited experience, what you loved for a hypothetical baby varies greatly from the name you like for the baby kicking in your belly. I feel like it is part of getting to know your kid. Some names just starts to feel wrong or right. Does this kid start to shimmy when you put on music, or is she a soccer star, or a mellow fellow. All of those things kind of let you know what is in store. And maybe the mellow Miles isn’t right anymore and suddenly you find yourself loving Wilder instead. My point is, try to think of the pre-pregnancy names as stylistic suggestions not promises.
If Veronica still calls to you with everything that you now know about this little one, then rock on. It is a beautiful name.. But if Rose is really calling you, then listen. You will never have such a direct connection to your child as you do now. So, listen to her. (The advice to listen works post birth too, by the way! Never stop listening. She needs to know unquestioningly that her thoughts matter.)
Congrats on your little girl!
Both names sound so wonderful with the middles and last name, you can’t go wrong. I personally like Rose just a little bit more but if you’ve liked Veronica for years, I’d say go with that. Can’t wait to read what you choose.
I used a name for my daughter that I had been thinking about for so long it had started to lose its appeal, and I’m glad I did. I *almost* switched to a newer name at the last minute, but I’m glad the imaginary name baby became a real person. Veronica sounds so good.
Copied and pasted from twitter in case the OP doesn’t do twitter!: The idea of a baby born in the time of corona virus with a possible nickname Rona (which could easily come from Veronica) makes me smirk a bit. In a secret, fun way. Not a teasy way. Also I love the idea of Rose Rock with the playful nickname Rolo! Like the candy.. (Not the kind of nickname you’d write on school papers. But the kind where you’d have a lot of Rolos at a first birthday party with the family nickname that is spoken more than written :)
Ah interesting I hadn’t thought of that (I try to avoid thinking about anything to do with the coronavirus) the nicknames we’d likely use for a Veronica are Ronnie and/or Vee
RoLo is a cute idea!
Veronica Rock-with-an-L is very reminiscent of Veronica Lake, the actor. Not a problem, but good to know?
I love all the choices, but I particularly like Josephine or Veronica, given the high scoring scrabble letter initials of Kelly and Zofia.
(Copied and pasted from Twitter)
Veronica has my vote.
If you have a second daughter, what would you name her? Would you have used all the middle names on your first? On the other hand, one never knows if they’ll have another daughter… would you be willing to give a son the middle name of Kelly?
Congrats and best wishes!!
I love Veronica but it’s way too close to Veronica Lake who I love. Sullivan’s Travels would be a great rewatch r now.
Twitter stresses me out so I’m just gonna comment here: I think Veronica “Rock” sounds great. I think Rose “Rock” sounds kind of awkward, but not a total dealbreaker, especially if you call her Rosie.
I like Veronica a little better with her surname, though in general I prefer Rose. Vera’d be a nice nickname for a Veronica, too, though I think that’s a stand-alone name, as well.
(I don’t have twitter, either)
I was also thinking Vera might be an option. I do prefer the flow of Veronica “rock” but prefer the name Rose and don’t think it is a bad flow. Rose might easily nickname to Rosie and Rosie “rock” is adorable
My vote is Veronica.
I also had a hypothetical baby name for years that felt strange to consider on a real child after awhile. I made multiple lists while pregnant but kept coming back to it anyway. So glad I did! Lasting for so many years is a sign it’s not a stylistic flash in the pan. The real child is now almost 5 and I still get a thrill every time I tell people her name. And the hypothetical aspect of it almost makes me feel like we were talking specifically about HER before her birth or even conception; it’s an unexpected positive.
I also think the z sound in rose could run into the first sound of your surname to make her first name sound like it’s just Ro. And a small thing that’s not necessarily negative, but I noticed the color emphasis of Rose and Kelly (green) together.
When I hear Veronica (L)ock, I think of Veronica lodge from the Archie comics. Just something to consider.
Would you go with Rosie? I love Rosie (L)ock!
Letter writer here. Wow, I used to worry that Veronica was unusable because of the Archie comics until I met a few Veronicas in person and it wasn’t my only association with the name anymore but somehow NEVER considered how similar the surnames are too. Something to think about!
We would definitely use Rosie as a nickname!
what about Rosalie (L)ock? nn Rosie
If you still feel like you like Veronica, I would go with that. I think it fits really nicely with your last name, and seems to have a lot of flexibility to it in terms of nickname. I do tend to think that Rose (L)ocke wouldn’t make me think of red hued hair, but if you were a nickname kind of family and went to Rosie (L)ocke, my brain would go there.
Maybe an unpopular opinion but Veronica screams 80s relic to me similar to the name Tiffany. I wasn’t sure if this feeling was justified so I did a quick search and it did noticeably peak in the 80s and then has declined since (it’s now in the 300s I believe). It hasn’t been long enough in my opinion for Veronica to become vintage/classic, but Rose sure is, I love that name!
I hear Rose (R)ock as Roe Slock. Love Veronica (R)ock though!