What's in a Name?

Dear Layla,

Hannah Anna Emmons. Try saying that three times fast - Hannah Anna Emmons, Hannah Anna Emmons, Hannah Anna Emmons. Isn't it a good time?! Daddy and I wanted to name you Hannah Anna Emmons just because it's fun to say. For years we told people that we were going to name our future daughter Hannah Anna Emmons. Most people groaned. We loved seeing their reactions. Priceless stuff!

Of course we weren't totally serious, only just a little bit serious. We honestly loved the name Hannah, but when Daddy's cousin named her daughter Hannah, we had to go back to the drawing board. This is the story of how we picked Layla Beth Emmons as your name.

When we found out that we were pregnant, Daddy and I began thinking of names. Many people warned us that choosing a name would be a struggle. However, we thought of a boy name instantly. So instantly in fact that it was almost scary. I don't think we have ever agreed on anything so quickly. Daddy and I have a harder time deciding on what to have for dinner than picking a boy name. What the heck?! If you had been a boy, you would have been named Noah Chandler Emmons. We liked "Noah" because it is just so stinkin' awesome and "Chandler" after my maiden name. (Perhaps you already have a little brother named Noah Chandler Emmons. That's creepy to imagine Little One!)

This is just a side note . . .

The only bad thing about getting married and being a girl is having to change your name. Okay, so you don't HAVE to change your name but I wanted to do the traditional thing because I like to keep it old-school. Anywho - I had a decision to make: to drop my middle name Nicole or my last name Chandler. What to do? What to do? What to do? I made Daddy make the decision for me. I told him that if a dropped Nicole then I wanted to name our daughter Nicole and if I dropped Chandler then I wanted to name our son Chandler. He chose Chandler. I guess that if I get really technical we named our future son way back during our engagement.

The hunt for the perfect girl's name was on! I found myself checking out the names of female waitresses, store clerks, TV personalities, cartoon characters, whatever. I even paid extra close attention to sports announcers who I normally ignore because they annoy the crap out of me just in case they mentioned a girl name that could be The One. It was life-consuming.

While watching a Gator game, I fell in love with the name Riley after the too-cute-for-words Riley Cooper. Daddy even thought that Riley would be a great name! Wahoo! Next mission: select a middle name.

Needless to say, Riley didn't stick. Mission Middle Name: failed. It was back to the drawing board again. I feared that we would never decide and I would be forced to sign your name as Baby E on your birth certificate.

Everyone had an opinion about a name. We had quite a laundry list of potential names, but nothing seemed to fit. One day I timidly suggested the name Layla. It was a name that I have secretly loved for years. During my third year teaching one of my students had a sister named Layla who was just precious. She was a super sweet girl. All teachers know that there are certain names that are cursed and the children are destined to be awful. Just ask a teacher - we know what's up!

Layla is also the name of an Eric Clapton song. I always wanted my name in a song and thought it would be a great gift to give my daughter. Wouldn't it be just too cool to have your hunky boyfriend sing Clapton's song to you? Perhaps he'll look like Riley Cooper! Oh the cuteness!

Much to my surprise, Daddy and other family members liked it. I was thrilled! A name that I have adored could be The One! Holy friggin' crap! It was now time for a second attempt at Mission Middle Name.

We chose Beth in honor of Daddy's Grandmother named Elsbeth. Omi, as we call her, raised your Daddy. She is very special to Daddy and deserving of a namesake as sweet as you. I know that you will grow up to make her very proud. Mission Middle Name: accomplished. Whew!

So there it is Layla Beth - the story of your name. I hope that you love it as much as I do. Just think, you almost ended up as Baby E Emmons. I couldn't do that to you because it would just look too weird on your college diploma from the University of Florida, but more on that in a later letter.

Love,
Mommy