My old boss from New York warned me about fetonyms (the name given to your baby in utero). Their child’s fetonym was Luigi (never quite explained to me – they’re not Italian, nor are they plumbers or video game addicts). These soon-to-be-parents became so accustomed to calling their Luigi, “Luigi”, it stuck and the child ended up with the middle name Luigi.
Groll family friends had a “Bagel”. P &M had “Skeletor” (quite possibly the best fetonym ever). Our friends S & S from our childbirth prep class have christened their fetus “Perquackey” after a word game. I think that child will be safe from any of the dangers of the persistence of the fetonym.
Our own “Birdie” grew wings when we saw him/her on the ultrasound where s/he looked remarkably like a chicken. Since it likely would have been awkward to call the baby “Chicken” (not to mention possibly insulting and even horrifying (especially when “in the oven” jokes are made)), we went to the gentler and more appealing “Birdie”.
We learned from friends last night that a common Hebrew name in the 40s and 50s was “Faigeleh”, meaning “little bird”. We also, thankfully, learned that it’s also a slur for gay people. So I think we’re safe: Birdie will graduate from fetonym to, well, nym.
House update: The seller signed our purchase agreement, we have a house inspection scheduled for 1pm Friday. It’s been touch-and-go for the past 2 weeks but things are looking up. Barring any disasters during the inspection, we’ll be good to go.
Wow Em you’re stunning! Also, about fetonyms, we used ours as a nickname for T when he was a baby – but only behind his back so he won’t be traumatized
A couple of points –
1. I am not so old
2. We are both Italian — I was born Michael Romagnoli, she Kristen Palazzo
3. The name was going to be Louis, for a now-deceased, beloved grandfather
4. We were unable to cast aside the fetonym in those exhausted, neo-natal hours. We couldn’t go Louis Luigi, so he ended up the exceedingly rare, nearly unique Oliver Luigi (and quite lucky not to be Luigi Oliver).
MB