A dear friend of mine is getting ready to deliver her 5th child (a 3rd girl!) next week and she and her husband still have not decided on a name. The only name she really likes is Paisley Jane. Her husband likes it well enough, but feels that it might be a little too weird. Personally, I think it’s unusual, but not weird. What say you?
She also wonders if you would a diminutive and what would it be. Paiz? PJ? Leave a comment below.
Speaking of comments, she is going in for a scheduled cesarean birth because this girl is stubborn and just absolutely refuses to turn head-down and go out the front door. So, my friend will be going through her 5th delivery, but her first cesarean, and she’s a little nervous. Please, dear reader, can you offer her some words of encouragement in the comments? How about a little incentive?
(Yarn Pirate in the “I Want Candy” colorway from the Booty Club)
And yes, I know I still haven’t sent off the last prize from the last contest to the winner, Yarnerinas. I have it ready to go, I just need to get over to the post office. I promise to do this tomorrow.
I’ll draw the winner from the commentariat using Random.org on the evening of June 8th, the baby’s scheduled birthday. Lastly, if you mention my contest on your blog and link back to me, guess what–you get TWO entries! Now, spread the word and get commenting!
Knitting Interrupted 
Here’s thinking healthy baby birthin’ thoughts for your friend!
About the name – having grown up with an unusual last name, I’d counsel against any name that is so very different that other kids will taunt… because they will.
I can’t say I go for Paisley, but I do like Jane.
As for the c-section, when I was in my birth class, there was a woman who had had a c-section with her first child and wanted to have a vaginal delivery for her second. She asked the instructor if she (the instructor) had ever had a woman in her class who had had a child both ways and was going for her third. “Yes,” said the instructor, “Three women like that.” “What method did they chose for the third child?” the woman asked. Well, the instructor sort of hemmed and hawed but finally admitted that all three women had chosen the c-section for the third delivery because it was so much easier.
And I had an emergency c-section and it was just fine. And the recovery period was pretty quick…though I didn’t have four other kids to wrangle.
I wish her all the best.
Give her my best wishes. I’ve had friends that had c-sections and were very happy with the experience and I’ve had friends that were just as happy going “au naturale”. You’re going to be sore either way, ya know? Just in slightly different areas. lol My best advice to her is to take it easy afterward. It’s okay if the dishes/laundry wait while you rest. Ask for help and be okay with accepting help (I really had a hard time with the latter). :-)
I know a little Paisley – well she’s about nine now. It’s an ok name, but she doesn’t seem to have a nickname. (You don’t need to add me to the drawing, since I am already a winner!)
I like the name, but I also like paisleys. Lee could also be a cute diminutive — or LeeLee if you want something rhyming.
I like it. I chose the “it’s so cute” option, but I don’t think it’s cute; I just think it’s a good name. I can totally imagine a grown woman named Paisley, without thinking her name odd. I think it’s important to imagine the name attached to an adult, since she’ll be an adult with that name much longer than she’ll be a child.
I have known women named Sunshine, Willow, Rain, and Winter. They may have started as cute little girl names, but they grew into elegant and strong names to fit the women they belong to.
I’m a fan of natural homebirth, but a bigger fan of delivering a healthy baby. If a C-section is what’s needed, then so be it. Thank goodness the technology is out there to provide that option and the knowledge ahead of time, and best wishes to the mom!
Good luck with the C-section. Don’t worry. Doctors do it all the time! :)
Good luck with your c-section! I’ve had three and they all went well. In addition, I am an anesthesia assist nurse for c-sections at my job (I work in labor & delivery) and, honestly, scheduled c-sections go very well and very smoothly. It’s so much harder if you come in laboring and surprise!! baby is breech. Good luck!!
I hope that all goes well. If she has the C-section then maybe she’ll get to spend a few days in Hotel Hospital being waited on… after all, taking care of 5 kids has got to be a job for either Super Mom or 6 regular adults.
I like this name. I think that P.J. is a cute diminutive. When she is older she could always go by Jane if she chose a more mainstream path. Hope all goes well. As for the delivery, well, nothing to add as I have never experienced childbirth. I’m sure she will be in good hands. Crossing my fingers on the giveaway!
Cheers!
I think PJ would be cute!
Our first kid was a planned C-section (breach and stubborn about it). She’s going to do great!
What about just calling her “Lee” for short or “Jane”?
Our thoughts are with your friend during the birth! I am sure all will go well.
And what beautiful pink yarn to celebrate. ;-)
I think the short names are particularly cute but if they have doubts about the name I wouldn’t go for it – I had a horrible maiden name – well I would have been okay with it but for all of the teasing. Kids can be mean.
I haven’t had a C-section (or children at all just yet) but I’m confident that it will go well. At least your friend knows it is coming, I have a friend who had one a few months ago but it was an emergency one, with all the stress and worry that can come from having a sudden change of plans.
All the best to your friend.
Give her all my best! I hope mom and baby are happily settled soon after. Just remind her that happy healthy baby is what is important, and everything has a time and place.
As to names… I can’t think of a nick name for Paisley… Pie? Paiz? Lee…mmmm
It will be interesting.
Hope your friend has a trouble free birth. My friend recently had a Caesarean and it was all over really quickly – I think she said less than an hour and she felt fine. A healthy baby is a wonderful gift.
I LOVE Paisley Jane, for a girl anyhow.
One great thing about a scheduled C section is you know when the birth will happen. And like Mrs. Pao says, the healthy baby (and mom) are the primary goals. Best wishes.
i did the its so cute! i lvoe names with a bit of originality!
I had an emergency c-section with The Boy. I was very, very against it. But he HAD to come out, our lives depended upon it.
That said, the c-section was not as big of a deal as I made it out to be in my head. The surgery was somewhat surreal for me. I was on meds that made me drowsy. I remember begging them not to strap me down. It really freaked me out to be THAT out of control, I guess. They said that they’d leave my arms free, but my legs had to be strapped for their protection. I was fine with that. I remember The Boy being out quick- like 15 minutes into it. But then I had to get put back together and that took 30 minutes. lol. The first night I was on a morphine IV, which I only hit the button once while the nurses changed my bedding (and even then it was at their request that I do so, I think I would have been fine without it). I had little to no pain. By the next day I was sitting up on my own, by that night I was walking- slowly, with assistance close by and not far, by myself around the room.
I stayed in the hospital a bit longer than normal for c-sections because I was so sick (pre-eclampsic) before hand and they were worried about me. I was really ready to go home. I didn’t drive for a few weeks after. But that was ok. I have a visible scar, but it doesn’t bother me ever.
Ummm, what else?
I guess the important thing is to let your body heal. It is major surgery, and it takes time to get back to being “normal” again.
If you’re friend would like, have her email me if she has any specific questions. Seriously, I don’t mind being honest. :)
I like the name. As for a nickname, I have found that they evolve naturally over time — in our family, the kids have given their siblings nicknames that end up sticking (WB’s family nickname is “Missy May”, which bears no resemblance to her actual name, but fits her well).
As for the section, I had three (extremely difficult) vaginal deliveries and one section. The section was by far my best birthing experience. My guess is that your friend will be pleasantly surprised. And to be honest, with three kids waiting at home, I found the longer hospital stay to be a blessing. I was much more rested five days post-partum than I would have been otherwise.
Best of luck to her!
Turns out the c-section is canceled. Baby is no longer breech. Thanks for the feedback.
Interestingly, this name was #82 in Utah (where most of my family lives, I live in NY).
I think we will have to meet her first to know if it fits her, but as I grew up with an unusual name and enjoyed it, I like names to be unique. Plus, I love paisley patterns.
Thanks again to Jen for putting up this poll for me and to all who’ve take the time to answer.
I meant to say #82 in 2008 (the first time it showed up in the top 100 of any state apparently).
One more interesting thing on the Social Security website: the rank in popularity of this name has skyrocketed in the last two years.
http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/rankchange.html
Good luck to your friend! Not a fan of Paisley, but at least it’s not Emma (#1 girl name last year). If she likes it that’s all that matters:)
Yah! C-section is canceled at this point. So what we’ve learned about little girl #5 is that she does things in her own time! Best wishes to you and your growing family.
To Mommy: mazel tov! You know how we girls are, we can change our minds like *THAT*! Maybe she decided she wanted to pick her OWN birthday! I’m sending warm wishes for happy and safe for you both – I had wee peanuts who poppped out so easily that I can say “I really ENJOYED my birthings” (gets me foul looks from some women every time but I’m a hippy so I don’t care). As for the name – I think “Paisley Jane” is darling; it’s clearly feminine, and I don’t care for nicknames; I think “paisleyjane” will be fine for her little-girl-hood, and “Paisley” is indeed an interesting and elegant name for a woman. Good choice! (I have a serious “thing” about names of questionable gender – let me tell you, as a girl named “Dale” I had no end of difficulty all my life with it. Now I hyphenate it with my middle name (see below…or above) and it still doesn’t work all the time. I get mail to “MR.” or “MR. and MRS. DALE”……. No, I’m liking “Paisley Jane” a lot.
I came here from another blog and was thinking that you wanted name suggestions, rather than opinions on Paisley Jane, which I think is cute, but not sure if I would want to be named it myself! I thought since it was her fifth child maybe something to do with the number 5, so though quintuplet, Quinn, thought it could be a cute girl or boy name. Of course living in Ireland myself I might be a bit biased about the name!
Never mind my ramblings and un asked for extra kids name! Hope that baby stays with its head down now and mommy avoids the C Section!
Good luck to your friend with the c-section! She shouldn’t worry, it may be her first one, but the doctors have done thousands and she and her girl will be in very good hands!
Love the name idea ;)
I really like Paisley, and I like Jane. I like them bote separately, much more than I like Paisley Jane. Somehow the two don’t quite fit for me. Can’t ezplain it at all. Maybe because Prett Paisley patterns can be vibratn and cheerful in bright colors, or very sophisticated and elegant in darker colors with metallic accents, but all I can associate with Jane is Plain Jane. I’m very glad to hear the c-section is cancelled. Still in my thoughts and prayers for a safe delivery.
I think PJ is the only cute diminutive. And you really have to create one when she’s a kid or her friend will end up making her “Pais” or something. Acutally, that name reminds me of a client I used to have to deal with on the phone named Pairlee – and she couldn’t pronounce my name even though mine was an actual name (!). Anyway, being someone with a nonstandard name, I’d suggest something different, or start out by calling her Jane.
Good luck on the c-section as well. I had 3 c-sections and they went fine. The only issue I had was with the 3rd when my scar didn’t heal correctly (they had to “pack” it for a month until it healed). But the first two went fine, and I’m sure yours will as well! It is very nice being able to schedule your baby’s birthday!
P.S. – to the commenters that said that an “original” name is good, or that “willow” or “rain” is in any way the same as being named Paisley, I respectfully give my opinion that they’re wrong. I was named Elspeth and am now seriously considering changing it because it is such a pain having a non- standard name. At least Willow or Rain are well known words and not that bad as a name. I just would caution anyone considering giving their kid a non standard name to really think about how the kid will feel – maybe try it out by giving it as your name at Starbucks or wherever for a day. If you don’t have any issues, maybe your kid won’t either. I hope it works out and your friend has a safe delivery!
I think paisley patterns can be quite nice, but I just don’t care for it as a name.
You would think that after so many fine births that a breech birth would be a snap. Oh well, I suppose it is hard to find a doctor who is comfortable doing one. Important thing is a healthy baby and mother.
Be sure to give little Paisley Jane the book Chrysanthemum, just in case she needs to fend off teasing school mates. These days it seems to me that many children have unusual or fun names. Back in my day (many, many, many years ago) there were NO Alexandras. Now they are a dime a dozen and you can even find it pre-printed on keychains!
And she can always be a Jane if she wants to rebel.