whats in a name...?


I talked a little while ago now about some of the issues I had around anonymity for my children with regards to blogging. And I have to say that I was pretty overwhelmed by the response, the thoughtful comments and different opinions that people gave me with regards to their own decisions about their children's anonymity, and what I might like to consider when it comes to my own. Honestly, I don't feel like there is a right or a wrong answer. There is simply a "what feels right for you and yours".


The anonymity thing is a two pronged issue for blogging parents I think. There is the personal risk element; do you want strangers knowing your child's name and does that pose a particular danger to them? And the digital footprint element; should we be making decisions about our child's search-ability before they are old enough to understand it?

So Rich and I talked about it, and I thought about it a LOT. With regards to the risk of sharing their names, I feel like that's pretty small. I honestly don't feel like "people on the internet" pose any more danger to my children that "people on the street"; in fact people on the street could follow us home, and would hear me using my children's names. So while stranger danger was probably the reason that I first started out using nicknames instead of real names for my children on this blog, I don't really feel like I am worried about that issue anymore.

When it comes to their digital footprint I was a little more anxious. We've all heard those stories about potential employers, and even potential partners google searching you, right? And I would hate for the children to resent what I shared online when they are older. Ultimately I feel like their generation are going to have grown up in such a fully online world, that they won't think twice about their digital footprint, and they won't be so cautious about it as my generation and older generations can be. I also know that I would never post anything that I wouldn't be happy for them (or their future friends and employers) to read. And I guess that's the crux of it, does what pops up when you search their name in google really matter if everything that pops up is nice? Is a cute baby photo, or a story about a day they went to the beach going to harm their future job prospects...? I'd like to think not. By the time they are applying for jobs, any damaging information online about them will have been their own doing surely, not mine. 

The final part of the puzzle for me was that I was increasingly finding it harder to write and to video keeping their names out of the public domain. It just feels more awkward on video to not be using their real names, and expecting them not to. And I was finding it harder and harder to find different ways to explain who I am talking about in blog posts without using their names (especially now I have two daughters).

And so any particularly discerning readers of this blog will have noticed, when I updated my design, their names crept in. Under that "Three Little Loves" tab you can find a page for each of my children, and it has their names on. Their names feature on our about page, and their names (and the wide variety of nicknames that they tend to actually go by on a daily basis) will gradually creep in more and more with the blog posts too. I say gradually, because actually it turns out that using their names after years of not, is kind of a hard habit to break.

I have to confess, I'm actually a little obsessed with names. It's always the first thing I want to know when someone has a baby. I love hearing people's full names, the reasons behind a name, the meaning of names, and how groups of sibling names go together. At any one time I have a massive list in my head of names that I'd use for future children were I to have them. So it does seem somewhat ironic that I have been keeping my children's such a closely guarded secret. Names are such a special part of your identity, and I am so proud of my kids' names. So over the coming days I'm going to dedicate a post to each of my children, talking about why we chose their names and other ones we considered, what their names mean to us and all that jazz.

But for now, let me introduce my three little loves... Dylan Aiden, Everly Grace and Ashlyn Quinn. It feels so good to finally be saying that out loud. 

34 comments

  1. What beautiful name. I love how they are all different and when you look at them written down you wouldn't think they go but they really do (as siblings) look forward to reading about why you chose them and other choices. I too is like you were I love to hear what someone has named their child xx

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    1. Yes, I do like a bit of "different" name, but still wanted ones that go together. x

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  2. LOVE the name everly! X

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    1. Thank-you. We get a LOT of comments on her name. And it really suits her. x

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  3. I think it's natural progression and it may mean you can relax slightly more now - especially with videos. Beautiful names and beautiful children lovely x

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    1. Yes, I think so. It just feels like people know us so well now through this blog and our videos, that still keeping names a secret just seemed a bit silly. x

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  4. Such gorgeous names. As you know this is something I wrote about following your post and am in the process of writing about my Little Ladies names too! Like you say it is whatever makes you feel comfortable and I am glad that you have decided what is right for your family. I am sure they will be proud of their Mummy and your blog and be delighted to have been at the centre of it. xx

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    1. Ahhh thank-you. I really hope they will be proud one day and that they will love this record of their lives and not be all embarrassed by it. x

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  5. It's like three birth announcements all in one! So exciting to finally know. :-)

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    1. I did think that. It's like three (rather late) introductions. x

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  6. I noticed the new tab a few days ago and had a nosy but didn't want to say anything incase you were going to mention it in a post. They have such beautiful names. I knew that your BB was called Dylan as I remember spotting it in a video of his birthday I think it was and they'd put a message up on the TV screen where you were eating I think and always thought that really suits him. Everly is such a beautiful name. I've never heard it before which is something I love about choosing baby names; no one else having the name! Funnily enough, when you read a blog I think you think of what their names might be if it is anonymous and I always thought she looked like a Grace. And Ashlyn is really pretty too but I love the name Quinn. Can't wait to read why you chose them x

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    1. Hahaha. Funnily enough we actually call her Quinn, something I'll talk about more in her post next week. x

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  7. I always knew they'd have beautiful names... and they do. I can't wait to hear about the stories behind them. I'm a name obsessive too. I have pages in notepads filled with names - I'm going to have to start naming random animals because there's no way I'm having that many children! ;) x

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    1. Glad to hear I'm not the only name obsessive, I literally get FAR too excited about names. And I think I may have to do the same... I need to get some more pets. x

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  8. They have beautiful names. I agree with everything you've written, I don't see how anything you've ever written on your blog could ever do any harm. It's a lovely blog and something they'll likely be very proud of when they're older. xx

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    1. I think that's it; obviously digital footprints are a concern, but this blog is such a positive one, so who says digital footprints have to be a scary thing. x

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  9. Oh Lucy, what wonderful names your children have although I think I'll always see your boy as 'beautiful boy' even though we know his name now xx

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    1. Thank-you. And I think its going to be a weird adjustment period. I keep thinking how I would feel if it was a blog that I read suddenly revealing their names after this long, and I think I'd find it strange, because I'm pretty sure I'd have given them a name in my head. x

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  10. They are really beautiful names and so unique too. I now have to adjust their names in my head too as your boy especially has been BB in my mind forever :)

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    1. Thank-you. We were aiming for unique but not too wacky. I'm looking forward to sharing more about their names next week. x

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  11. Ah I'm a name obsessive too & I have a Dylan! Lovely post - Everly going on the list! Nicole (The Brightness Of These Days) X

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    1. Ahhh, Dylan is a great name. All the very best boys are called Dylan. x

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  12. Oh my goodness they have the prettiest quirkiest names. It feels like we've all been introduced again and your blog feels so much more engaging if it ever could get any more!! I need to talk about this topic with my hubby I think.

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    1. Ahhh, thats lovely to hear that you think it's more engaging to know their names... I always felt a bit like it kept my readers at arms length with not knowing their names, and I like to think people feel like they know us a little better now. x

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  13. I noticed the names in your new design and wondered if you would do a post about it. Gorgeous names, I too love hearing what people called their children. I look forward to the next few posts x

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    1. Yes, I think a few people spotted the change and were waiting to see if I mentioned it. I'm really looking forward to sharing all their stories this week. x

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  14. Such beautiful, beautiful names! And they really look like their names too! So nice to finally know! I loved sharing the children's names on the blog. I am careful about their other information, but nice to be able to use thei real names!

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    1. Aww thanks lovely. I'm actually kind of surprised at how excited I am to be using their names. It's so nice to after years of keeping them under wraps, because I really do love their names so much. x

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  15. I can relate to this so much. I wish I would have just used there names now. As time goes on video of them shouting each other names and us adults too gets harder and harder to cut out and room tours with their name everywhere gets harder to share or favorite bags, clothes, items that names on it too. If someone wanted their names they could easily get them or like you said just follow us home to see where we live. I love their names as you know with our similar boys wink wink. lol I love when names suit their personality and look like them. All three of yours fit them perfectly. We name our children names we love and we love our children and it would be nice to shout at the roof tops about them. It seems a lot of bloggers this year have decided the same and just shared their names. I was thinking with MM starts school it's a nice time to just use their names as they are older. I don't know what's stopping probably my mother who I will never hear the end of it if I do she already freaks out about my blog being online without their name but photos of them. lol She might have a heartache if I did but my blog is like a part of us a document of everything so I think it's great to be able to use their names. Good for you lady!

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    1. Thanks lovely. I think the whole internet thing worries older generations more doesn't it? But I am already loving that their names are 'out there' and that I can finally call them by the names I'm so proud of. So it's definitely been the right decision for me. x

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  16. Beautiful names Lucy. Xxx

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  17. Beautiful names for beautiful children! I've been debating for a little while now whether I should name our daughter on my blog. For the same reasons as you, I have always shied away from it. But I think it might be time :-). It is so much easier to say or write a name instead of saying "our little one", "my daughter" etc. It makes the whole blogging experience so much more personal to use a real name. Thanks for sharing this Lucy! xx

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  18. I have been struggling with this for so long now. I don't find it so hard on my blog but now that I am vlogging more I do struggle talking almost in code. The way you've written this has made me rethink once again and I am going to have a chat with Mr F to see what he thinks. x

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  19. Absolutely beautiful names, and I've loved reading the stories behind each of them! I can totally understand why you were finding it difficult, I couldn't imagine vlogging and not saying my two's names - I'd constantly slip up haha xx

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