the one who picked her name. She was about 3 years old, and we were driving in the car. I’m not sure how the conversation started, but I do remember her incensed response: “Why did you get to pick my name?” she said with indignation that only a 3 year old can effectively muster.
“You couldn’t talk yet,” I explained. It was probably the first of many realizations she’s had that motherhood provides power with no prior authorization.
Not that naming any of my three kiddos was something I took lightly, and it does seem wild that we’re put in a position
of labeling brand new humans before we’ve even had the chance to properly meet—let alone work out their preferences. Given that kind of pressure, I can see why parents-to-be are seeking
out Steph Coffield’s baby name consultation business. If I had sought out her services, perhaps my daughter would
have been mollified a bit that I had at least consulted an expert. Speaking of experts, we consulted a bunch (that is, you, our readers) to identify some of the best pla
