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What’s in a Name?

March 25th, 2016 by Karen 86 Comments

connor claire heart blanket

Sometimes when I hold Connor Claire, I seriously can’t believe she spent nine months percolating in my tum. Like…really? I really made this little creature? She was in there all that time?!

Blows. My. Mind.

In related news, I overheard El Hub talking to a friend on the phone the other day about Connor’s name. The friend said, “You know that Connor is a boy’s name, right?” and then they asked if it was too late to change the name. Had we already submitted the final paperwork?

Um…yes. For the record, we knew. Connor is usually a boy’s name, but she wasn’t named after a boy. She was named after one of the great ladies of science fiction cinema, one Ms. Sarah Connor (specifically, the Sarah Connor from the first two Terminator movies). 🙂

Connor also happens to share a name with one of my favorite female authors, Flannery O’Connor, and the first woman to be appointed to the Supreme Court of the United States, Sandra Day O’Connor.

El Hub and I wanted to give her a strong name, and Connor fit her perfectly.

connor claire heart blanket 2

And the “Claire” part of her name just spoke to me. I like how it sounds. It’s from the feminine form of the Latin adjective “clarus,” meaning bright or clear.

How about you? Is there a story behind your name? I was named after an actress that my mom liked named Karen Black.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF!

What’s in a Name? / Originally published March 25th, 2016

There are 86 comments on this post. Leave yours.

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Comments

  1. Stephanie says

    March 25th, 2016 at 10:23 am

    This naming story makes me so happy!! It’s awesome that Connor is named after badass ladies, both sci-fi and real life. What an honor.

    There is definitely a story behind my name… or rather lack of one, but I feel like I tell it all the time.

    Reply
  2. Jaclyn levy says

    March 25th, 2016 at 10:33 am

    Wow, what a beautiful gift you have given her through her name! I hope the women who inspired her name will inspire her to be strong, clear, and bright!

    Reply
  3. Alexa says

    March 25th, 2016 at 10:36 am

    My parents heard the Billy Joel song “Downeaster Alexa” and decided they liked the name. So I was named Alexa!

    Reply
    • Jenn S. says

      March 25th, 2016 at 7:39 pm

      A lesser known Billy Joel song, but probably my favorite. I can almost feel the salt spray on my face from the waves whenever I hear it! I pondered the name Alexa for one of my own children. Alas, we had three boys!

      Reply
  4. Alexis says

    March 25th, 2016 at 10:42 am

    Ha Karen Black – she did some great horror flicks in the 70’s! I believe I was named after my mom’s Lola, Alejandra or something like that? My daughter’s name is Gabriela Rosario. Gabriela because I liked it and Rosario for my grandmother that pretty much raised me. Isabelle Addison is my second girl’s name. Isabelle came about because my daughter Gabi, wanted to just call the baby Izzy so it stuck, even though I really wanted to name her Charlotte. Addison is for a variation on my husband’s Nana, that he was super close to.
    I think your daughter’s name is more badass from story behind it. Also, I love girl’s with boy’s names. Hence, Charlotte would have been shortened to “Charlie”

    Reply
  5. Jessica Revitte says

    March 25th, 2016 at 10:45 am

    I think that her name is beautiful–it suits her perfectly! I actually know a woman named Connor, it’s a beautiful name for a girl.

    Jessica

    Reply
  6. Meredith says

    March 25th, 2016 at 10:48 am

    My daughter is Hannah which is just a name that both of us liked but my son is named Brody after the police chief character in Jaws – Chief Martin Brody – which is my husband’s favorite movie.

    Do you always call or Connor Claire? Or is it just Connor sometimes?

    Reply
  7. Efrain says

    March 25th, 2016 at 10:48 am

    It’s amazing how big is she after just three weeks, she’s looking at you like “momma looks so gorgeous”. Also I’m really an auntie, I was looking at Connor and I know she has your nose but as I don’t know El Hub I can’t say like all the old ladies if she looks more like you or he.

    I have the same name that my father, that’s all the story of my name. I don’t like that neither of us have another name so the only way to know who is being called is with second last name or saying junior or senior.

    And I really like Connor it sounds powerful.

    Reply
  8. Virginia says

    March 25th, 2016 at 10:54 am

    I wondered how she got her name, thanks for sharing! Who is the big Terminator fan? You or El Hub? I was named after Virginia City where my parents got married.

    Reply
  9. Christy says

    March 25th, 2016 at 10:54 am

    Love the name and story! And omg gotta love unsolicited advice, right? Seems to come with the territory of all this baby business! Anyway, my friend named her daughter Spencer and gets similar comments all the time. She says she pops bows/headbands on her head on the daily for just this reason. Love the unisex trend!

    Reply
  10. Kwmechelle says

    March 25th, 2016 at 11:02 am

    I LOVE her name and agree that it’s such a strong name for a beautiful little girl. And, incidentally, the title of this post is the same title that I’ve given to a list of baby names that I love, should I have a baby one day. I have a running list on my cell phone. There’s nothing special behind my name. My mom says she heard the name on television while she was in labor & thought it was a great name. I disagree. I think she was high on pain killers! But, I digress. Super love the shout out to Sandra Day O’ Connor. Take take, silly people who’ve never heard of the notion of unisex names ☺️.

    Reply
    • Amy says

      March 25th, 2016 at 7:46 pm

      I love your name Kwmechelle! It’s so poetic and lovely. I always thought mine wasn’t but came to peace with it when a friend told me it would sound youthful when I’m 90, and I saw his point.

      Reply
      • Kwmechelle says

        March 25th, 2016 at 8:24 pm

        Bless you, Amy! My mother would love you forever! And I, too, see your friend’s point. Being a 90 year old kwmechelle would make me one cool golden girl! ?

        Reply
        • Amy says

          March 25th, 2016 at 9:19 pm

          Totally!!

          Reply
  11. Kari says

    March 25th, 2016 at 11:06 am

    I have a son named Connor but I have to agree that it is beautiful for a girl, too (It sounds so lovely with Claire). And, I love when there’s a meaning behind the chosen name. My late father was named James (called Jay) and I hope someday one of my granddaughters might have “James” as a middle name.

    Reply
  12. Charlotte says

    March 25th, 2016 at 11:06 am

    She is gorgeous! And I love the story about how she got her name.

    xox Charlotte

    Reply
  13. Stephanie Smith says

    March 25th, 2016 at 11:06 am

    I was named after my Grandfather and Aunt, which is wonderful. My oldest was named Olivia because in 1980 when my mom started belly dancing, one of the belly dancers was named Olivia and at 5 years old I thought it was the most beautiful name I’d ever heard. Still do. Her middle name is Pearl, my birthstone and they’re just perfect. My Violet Elizabeth is kind of named after Violet in Willie Wonka, in Lemony Snicket, and in the Incredibles. Middle name is a family name. Names are personal, and it’s so hard to name a child. Connor Claire is a gorgeous name, you and her father named her, don’t let anyone give you a hard time! It’s also very chic to name girls a traditionally male name. Congrats to you!

    Reply
  14. Savannah says

    March 25th, 2016 at 11:10 am

    I was named after a character from a Tv show. My mom just liked the name haha. I always get the jokes about Savannah, Georgia. Or the Savannah of Africa. lol.

    Reply
  15. Allison C says

    March 25th, 2016 at 11:13 am

    Oh, men! What do they know about baby names! I love Connor Claire, a perfect name. And I love the inspirations for her name. These days so many names are gender neutral. I believe that there are men named Allison, and it is also a surname as is Connor. It will serve her well. Love those photos!
    Allison C recently posted … Friday Find: L’Oreal Infallible Gel Eyeliner

    Reply
  16. Leslie says

    March 25th, 2016 at 11:18 am

    I love her name! And now love knowing there is so much meaning behind it! I think having a traditionally boy name for a girl is great. And it does sound beautiful together – first and middle. People always have an opinion on names! But it’s your child so you can name him/her whatever you please 🙂

    I don’t think I was named after anyone… I was almost Gayle, but my aunt vetoed that because it would be embarrassing with my last name. I might have been named after the actress Lesley Ann Warren, but I only think that because we share the same first and middle haha. So happy to see you and CC in these beautiful pics!

    Reply
  17. Shannon says

    March 25th, 2016 at 11:21 am

    Love this! I think it’s such a beautiful name. And it flows really easily – it just feels natural.
    My mom named me Shannon Noël – her name is Erin, and after 2 kiddos with Hebrew names, she wanted to get an Irish one in there! 🙂 The River Shannon (longest river in Ireland) is named after a Celtic goddess, and the name means something close to “sacred knowledge” or “wise one.” The Noël is for my birthday – I was born just after Christmas 🙂

    Reply
  18. aradhana says

    March 25th, 2016 at 11:21 am

    connor claire is a wonderful name, and i appreciate it even more now that i know its origin!

    Reply
  19. Juvy says

    March 25th, 2016 at 11:23 am

    Her name is perfect. She’s very lovely like you, Karen! God bless your family always.
    Juvy recently posted … Top 10 Best Wishtrend Beauty Products of 2015!

    Reply
  20. Rachel R. says

    March 25th, 2016 at 11:24 am

    Connor is used for girls, too. Any name with “son” on the end…”Alison,” “Madison,” etc. were originally boys’ names (son=male child). Dana, Tracy, Stacy, Hillary, Marion…all originally boys’ names. Connor Claire’s name is perfect for her, and you and el hubs love it, and that’s all that matters.

    My mom wanted to name me “Tara” after the plantation in Gone With the Wind. My dad wanted to name me “Windy” after a popular song. They each hated the other’s pick. My mom suggested, “Rachel,” pointing out that it was in the Bible, and had it’s roots in Israel. My maternal grandmother was Jewish, so he like it. Really, though, she chose “Rachel” after a character in her favorite soap opera, but my dad would have nixed anything from a soap opera on principle.

    My son Aaric’s name has a story. I wanted “Brandon,” my favorite boy name, but hubby said it was too popular. He refused: Anything “too popular,” anything “too weird,” anything he felt would cause teasing, anything other than two syllables. He had no suggestions, he just held “veto power,” as he called it. We finally agreed on “Aaron.” But my uncle and his second wife had their first kid a couple months before our son one born. I bet you can guess what they named him? So then we felt “Eric” was close enough, and paid homage to the fact that I’m half German. The spelling “Aaric” was chosen for a few reasons. I knew a kid in grade school with that spelling, and I always thought it looked cool and like something from a fantasy book. “Aaric” harkened back to “Aaron.” My husband is a dyslexic and a lousy speller, and I thought it was appropriate payback for all the grief he gave me while I tried to come up with a name. 😉 (He let me name the next kid “Brandon.” :D)

    Reply
  21. Ann says

    March 25th, 2016 at 11:27 am

    Love love love how you decided to name her. She is perfect, and that is a perfect name for her 🙂

    Reply
  22. Avis says

    March 25th, 2016 at 11:37 am

    Lots of names that we think of as being girls’ names started out as boys’ names – Hilary, Shirley, Evelyn. for example. Here in the UK our Shadow Foreign Minister is a man called Hilary Benn.

    I was named for a previous girlfriend of my father’s! When I was born my grandmother remembered her name and asked that I be given it. Oddly, my mother was OK with this.

    I think that Connor is a great name for a lovely baby!

    Reply
  23. Sandy P says

    March 25th, 2016 at 11:38 am

    My granddaughter is named Raine as her Mother followed The Grateful Dead. One of their songs came from a poem called Box of Rain. Now we know several people with that name. Her brother is named Tristan from the movie Legends of the Fall.

    Reply
  24. Kim says

    March 25th, 2016 at 11:39 am

    I love her name!

    Reply
  25. Chelsea says

    March 25th, 2016 at 11:40 am

    You both are so beautiful! Love her name and the story behind it.

    Chelsea was just a name my parents liked. My middle name, Elizabeth, comes from my maternal grandfather’s aunt who raised him.

    My brother, however, is Hunter Thompson, named for Hunter S. Thompson.

    Reply
  26. denise S says

    March 25th, 2016 at 11:45 am

    I named my daughter Sydney also a guys name!! I liked the girl named Sydney in the movie” House Party”, lol. All of my sisters have names that begin with D. Because my mom is named Delores. You could nickname Connor CC, lol. She’s so cute!!

    Reply
  27. Nicole - paleandfreckled says

    March 25th, 2016 at 11:48 am

    Neat that you have a story! We picked Colin because we liked it and were continuing the Irish theme, but with Erik it was very last minute (again because we liked it). We honestly took the list of rejects from naming Colin and picked it a few minutes before leaving the hospital (needed to get that paperwork in!). A friend said it was a nice nod to the Scandinavian history being in the Twin Cities, so maybe I can pretend that was part of our thought process too ;D

    We wanted something easy to spell (joke’s on us, everyone wants to spell Colin with two Ls), not terribly uncommon but also not top 10 common to avoid things like being Jason #3 in his class. 🙂

    Both of their middle names have significance – Colin’s is my husband’s first name as is their family tradition and Erik’s is my dad’s name (who passed away when I was a teen).

    My brother and I both got names that my parents liked the sound of, no stories either. 🙂
    Nicole – paleandfreckled recently posted … Out the Door Makeup and Skincare – Mom of 2

    Reply
  28. Andrea says

    March 25th, 2016 at 11:49 am

    That is all fantastic name inspiration. She’s beautiful and will surely grow up to be a strong woman with that kind of legacy behind her!

    Reply
  29. Zin says

    March 25th, 2016 at 11:53 am

    My mom gave my dad a list of names and told him to pick one off the list. He picked the one name she had crossed off.

    I love Conner Claire’s name and it is even better knowing the story behind it! Beautiful!
    Zin recently posted … If models could cause otherwise rational individuals to crumble in their presence, exactly how powerful was beauty? | SATC 1-2: Models & Mortals

    Reply
  30. Jennifer says

    March 25th, 2016 at 12:27 pm

    First of all, I think that is one of your most beautiful photographs. You are absolutely glowing.

    Second, I hope that you didn’t feel like you needed to explain your daughter’s name. You’ve got to do a lot of ignoring of stupid people when you’re a mom.

    Third, I haven’t seen the Terminator movies but I have heard about that character. Also, Flannery O’Connor is one of my favorite authors too but geez I don’t think I’ve read anything of her’s in like a billion years.

    Fourth, I think it’s too funny that your mom named you because she liked Karen Black. You and I aren’t too apart in age and my parents really liked that actress too. They came very close to naming me Karen but decided on Jennifer because of the actress, Jennifer Jones.
    Jennifer recently posted … Mojito Recipe Muddle Your Way to Happiness

    Reply
  31. Janet Shepherd says

    March 25th, 2016 at 12:30 pm

    I was named after two of my great-grandmothers – Janet & Isabel. I get comments on my name occasionally, as there aren’t many Janet’s who are my age- it was a popular name in the 1950’s so a ‘Janet’ these days tends to be a woman in her 60’s rather than her mid 30’s.

    Reply
  32. Kalli says

    March 25th, 2016 at 12:31 pm

    What a great background on her name! My name is all namesake, for my great-grandmother and grandmother on my mom’s side – Kalli Katherine. Kalli is actually short for Kalliope, my great-grandmother was from the island of Kea in Greece 🙂
    Kalli recently posted … Nude Lip Kick

    Reply
  33. Danielle says

    March 25th, 2016 at 12:32 pm

    I like Connor. I think its perfect for a girl. My daughter’s name is Evelyn. A lot of people asked why I would pick such an old name but the idea popped in my head after watching The Mummy. The lead character’s name is Evelyn or Evie. Plus my mom’s name is Linda and my kid is the first girl to be born in the family since me (Eve) so it fit. Also the Hebrew meaning of Evelyn is “Life”. Yep,

    Reply
  34. Karen says

    March 25th, 2016 at 12:37 pm

    Cute name and cute outfits on both of you. You rock the pink.
    We live in Denmark (Scandinavia) (with our catTroja ) and our baby daughters name is Astrid Una. Both are Scandinavian names from the viking era (written on Rune stones ). Astrid means loved by the gods / beautiful and Una means hapy/content/loves. Also we love Astrid Lindgren, the Swedish children’s author. And Una we felt matched her personlity right from when she was newborn, as she was this little happy mellow little miracle ( there’s A lot of Una-names faries on film)

    Reply
  35. Tatiana says

    March 25th, 2016 at 12:38 pm

    I love the name you chose. I doubt there will be multiples of her name in a class at school. We were going to name our daughter Sarah Elizabeth, but when I woke up from the emergency C-section and the nurse told me I had a daughter and asked what is her name, I said Kathleen Anne. Oddly enough, my husband in the waiting room also told another nurse her name was Kathleen Anne. So I guess it was just meant to be. My daughter is definitely a “Kate”. Unfortunately, she was one of about 4 Kate’s no matter what school or class she was in.
    You both look so beautiful in the photos.

    Reply
  36. ninamaria says

    March 25th, 2016 at 12:49 pm

    Connor Claire is so lovely name! It’s both strong and beautiful 🙂

    My parents were so sure that I’d be a boy so they had just one plan for the name (can’t remember what that was)…Well – surprise! – it turned out that I was a girl! They named me Nina and my 2nd and 3rd names are the same as my mom’s 1st and 2nd names 😀 I think it was a great decision, and that might make easier that how I could name my possible future children!

    Reply
  37. Steph says

    March 25th, 2016 at 12:55 pm

    Wait, they asked if you could change her name? Rude! I think her name’s lovely and I love the inspiration behind it. My name’s Stephanie which happens to have been quite popular in the 80s when I was born… I don’t think there was any special reason, haha.
    Steph recently posted … Dollarama Beauty: Eurospa Dead Sea Mud Deep Cleansing & Purifying Papaya Mask Review

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  38. Mitzi says

    March 25th, 2016 at 1:04 pm

    I love Connor Claire’s name. It’s got like that yin/yang thing going (the names compliment each other even though they appear on opposite ends of the strong/soft spectrum, in my mind). And Sarah Connor was indeed a great badass lady!

    Wow, it sounds like both you and El Hub showed some remarkable restraint in response to that friend’s comment. Me? I would have been p.o’d, as they’d thoughtlessly overlooked the effort, dedication and time both you and El Hub took to ensure that your little one was born healthy and safe, and whom you’ll be raising in your loving home. Geez….

    I remember Karen Black from the movie Burnt Offerings (awesome and scary movie). I was also named after an actress that my mom liked. 🙂

    Reply
    • Lorraine says

      March 25th, 2016 at 6:41 pm

      Mitzi Gaynor, perhaps? She was pure dazzling energy, she had great charisma onscreen. Love your name- and I bet you didn’t run into too many other Mitzis growing up. 🙂

      Reply
      • Mitzi says

        March 26th, 2016 at 3:08 pm

        Yes! I was named after Ms. Gaynor. 🙂 To this day I still haven’t watched the movie South Pacific in its entirety, unfortunately, though I have seen some scenes where she sang and danced.

        Strangely enough, a few mothers in my school district had the same thoughts as my mom lol. I had a friend with the same name (one year younger – whenever we saw each other, we would say, ‘Hello Myself!’), and there was another two years younger as well.

        Reply
  39. Barb says

    March 25th, 2016 at 1:07 pm

    My first name is my mom’s name and my middle name, Louise, is my dad’s moms name. She died when he was little in childbirth.

    We named our son, Maximus, from The Gladiator. It was just going to be Max until we saw that and I loved the way it sounded. A nice strong name.

    Reply
  40. Diane says

    March 25th, 2016 at 1:08 pm

    Your daughter’s name is a perfect fit, and some folks should keep their thoughts to themselves! When I was little, I often got mistaken for a boy because my parents didn’t always dress me in traditional “girl” colors. Of course they did have the usual pinks and purples, but would just as often dress me in blue, green or yellow. Here’s to naming and dressing your little one how you see fit! 🙂

    Reply
  41. LindaLibraLoca says

    March 25th, 2016 at 1:17 pm

    Choosing a name is so difficult. We looked into the meaning when choosing one, and our daughters name means “ray of sun, sunshine”, which fits her perfectly, she is such a lovely, smiling child. Picking a boys name was way more difficult for me, and we ended up with a name without a very strong meaning.
    My name, Anne, has no special meaning, my parents just happened to like it.
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  42. nai says

    March 25th, 2016 at 1:26 pm

    all I have to say after hearing the story behind your daughter’s name is that you and el hub are awesome, and with her name, you gave her a lot of mana in life.

    Reply
  43. Sharon says

    March 25th, 2016 at 1:28 pm

    Would love a pic of El Hub.

    Reply
  44. Adia says

    March 25th, 2016 at 1:37 pm

    Love the story behind Connor’s name. My parents got my name from a name book. It’s Swahili and means “Gift From God” 🙂

    Reply
  45. Catherine says

    March 25th, 2016 at 1:44 pm

    I love the names Connor and Claire, and your daughter is beautiful and strong!

    I was named after my mom’s middle name, and both grandmother’s middle names, Catherine, and my middle name, Siobhan, is the Gaelic name for Joan which is the feminine of John, my dad, and my maternal grandfather’s name. I used to hate my middle name as a kid because growing up in a smaller suburb in Southern California, there wasn’t a large Irish American population,and no one understood how to spell or pronounce it.

    More recently, the DMV had mistakenly entered my middle name as SLOBHAN, thinking the i was an l. Oops. 😉

    Reply
  46. Angelina says

    March 25th, 2016 at 2:37 pm

    I absolutely love the name Connor! I feel like a name like Connor can suit both male and females…I’m sure once she’s older and she watches some of the terminator movies, she’ll be happy you named her after Sarah Connor… my parents named me after a song, with the name Angelina in it.. however, my older brother was supposed to be named Johnny and the nurse spelled his name wrong or my parents misspelled it and well, his name is Yonick.

    Reply
  47. Kirsten says

    March 25th, 2016 at 3:29 pm

    I think I was named after an opera singer. And I like the name Connor. I have a female cousin named Evan, so it’s not too strange to me.

    Reply
  48. Jae says

    March 25th, 2016 at 3:42 pm

    WOW, I thought Connor Claire was an unique name, BUT I would have never said anything about it even if we were bff’s in real life.

    My mother wanted to name me Alexis for no other reason other than she liked it (I do too), but everyone in my dad’s family didnt like it so she named me a super common name in the early 80’s.

    Btw, as for Claire Im a bit biased as that is my sister’s middle name 🙂

    Reply
  49. Nikkia aka SilverLips says

    March 25th, 2016 at 4:41 pm

    Congratulations!!!! my daughter who turns one tomorrow is named Carter. And when she was first born so many of my family and friends just hated the idea of not only giving her a boys name but also a known last name. I wanted her name to be strong, and all about her if that makes any sense. lol but I just love her name and it has a nice ring with her middle name Carter Elise!

    Congrats again I adore your daughter’s name. Its strong and perfect for her!

    Reply
  50. mkdallas says

    March 25th, 2016 at 4:42 pm

    Love Connor Claire’s name! I really can’t imagine people who are such dolts as to ask if it’s too late to name her something else…omg! FYI, my sweet girl is named Brooks (also a boy name), after her uncle, grandfather and great-grandfather. Like you with Connor, I felt that as a girl’s name, Brooks somehow conveyed strength and a unique spirit. 17 years later, she still loves her name and so do I!

    Reply
  51. Katherine M says

    March 25th, 2016 at 5:14 pm

    I love, love, love Connor’s name! I love strong names for a girl. I was named after really an aunt who had died of breast cancer on the Italian side, and my mom. Strong women in my family.

    Reply
  52. Ciara says

    March 25th, 2016 at 5:32 pm

    What a great story for Connor Claire to tell about the origins of her name in the future!!! I read an article somewhere saying it was helpful for girls career wise to have what’s thought as “traditional” boys names like Taylor and Morgan, but not so much so for boys with “traditional” girls names like Ashley and Stacy, so I’m sure her strong name will serve her well. As for my name, Ciara Cheyenne, it was a last minute swap for Justin or Jared which my Mom had selected because everyone and their old wives tales had convinced her she was having a boy. Ciara from the Revlon perfume of the same name, which she and I both abhor coincidentally, and Cheyenne for the first name of a boy she had a crush on growing up. Lol.

    Reply
  53. Kiss & Make-up says

    March 25th, 2016 at 6:23 pm

    I love the inspiration behind her name! And boy’s name, girl’s name, who cares. So many names nowadays are unisex. Taylor. Sam. Alex. Andy. Bo. Plenty of examples! I think Connor is a great name.
    Kiss & Make-up recently posted … Travel | Discovering old Japan in Kyoto

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  54. Lorraine says

    March 25th, 2016 at 6:33 pm

    Thanks for the explanation of her name. I love this story, it shows why you two(now three) make such a wonderful family. Will she have to explain her name to the non-believers? Sure. But if she is as strong as we all think she is, it will make her believe in herself and the power of her name all the more. May I suggest a wonderful children’s book called Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes, with the theme of what it is to have an unconventional name.

    For the record, I tried unsuccessfully to convince my husband that James was the perfect name for our daughter, after the uncle who inspired me to have a second child. James King was a popular actress in those days, and I thought if she could be a feminine James, so could my daughter. In the end, we still ended up with an unconventional name, but not my original choice, and not a name that could double as a boy’s. However, my now teenaged daughter complains that we should have given her a “boring” name on a regular basis! Maybe one day she will learn to appreciate its uniqueness. Cheers to you, El Hub and to the amazing Connor Claire!

    Reply
  55. NFJ says

    March 25th, 2016 at 7:02 pm

    Connor Claire is a wonderfully chic, modern name with a touch of old fashioned elegance. I have a typically male name, Nile, named after my twin brother who died at birth. I am honored to have it. I love it. Yes, it is true that I couldn’t EVER find stickers with my name on them growing up but I also NEVER met another person with my name and even today get compliments on it from every new person I meet. Our names are a great start to a great life. Connor Claire’s name is perfect for her! Well done Mom & Dad!

    Reply
  56. Rachel says

    March 25th, 2016 at 7:39 pm

    I cannot believe they asked if you could change the name LOL, I’m dying!
    Rachel recently posted … Makeup of the day – Daytime smoky eye with MAC 

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  57. Jenn S. says

    March 25th, 2016 at 7:42 pm

    My mom wanted to name me Virginia (ugh!!), but my sweet, innocent, churchgoing little grandmother told her that it sounded too much like vagina!! Thank God for my Mimi! So Jennifer it was, and my middle name came from the last name of a baseball player that my parents liked: Adair.

    Reply
  58. Ruchita says

    March 25th, 2016 at 7:49 pm

    I love the inspiration behind her name. Thanks for sharing! I’m not sure how my parents decided on my name. I remember growing up I was bummed I couldn’t get keychains and stuff with my name, but now I like having a unique name. And now you can get pretty much anything personalized online. 🙂

    Reply
  59. Lulle says

    March 25th, 2016 at 7:50 pm

    Wonderful pictures! I love the story behind Connor Claire’s name.
    It’s typical for French people to have 3 names (2 middle names if you prefer), so my first name was picked by my brother, who was 6 at the time (luckily he didn’t name me after a cartoon character or something!), my second name is my grandmother’s name, who was also my godmother, and my third name is the feminized version my uncle’s name, he was my godfather. My family isn’t even religious but that’s the traditional way to do it – although I think less and less people do that now.
    I have a hyphenated last name now so I basically have the longest full name in the world, lol!
    Lulle recently posted … #FrenchFriday : Cartier Baiser Vole, a Bouquet of White Lilies

    Reply
  60. Fabiana says

    March 26th, 2016 at 2:26 am

    Long time reader, first time commenter here! You know Karen, I think that you guys did great naming Connor. We don’t have kids yet, but for some reason the matter of naming our future children seems to be very important for us because we’ve talked about it a lot in recent times. I don’t know if this was a concern for you guys, but we want to make sure that the names of our children are as free as possible from gender constraints, the only problem we have here in Germany is that it isn’t so easy to find gender neutral names that are not necessarely english names. But Connor just opened a world of possibilitie for us.

    Reply
  61. Fran says

    March 26th, 2016 at 5:12 am

    Karen, those are spectacular photos of you with Connor Claire! I know you still feel exhausted, but you look radiant 🙂

    I love the story behind Connor Claire’s name. Do you use her whole name all the time, or do you have nicknames you call her, too?

    Reply
  62. Virginia says

    March 26th, 2016 at 6:05 am

    I can’t believe there’s another commenter with the name Virginia! I was named after my great grandmother (and it’s my mothers middle name ). Growing up I HATED my name. They’d be like “North Dakota..come here ” ? . For a few months in 5th grade I went by my middle name (until my mom found out ! ) . Now that I’m older, I love it. I think Connor is an awesome name ! Congrats!

    Reply
  63. Sakura says

    March 26th, 2016 at 6:38 am

    Wow, I like how her name represents so many good things to you both! My parents just liked my name and it was the “it” name of the year. Oh, btw my name is “Jennifer.” “Sakura” is a nickname.

    Reply
  64. TravelingBlush says

    March 26th, 2016 at 7:21 am

    Ooh, Sarah Connor is bad-ass! Conor Claire sounds lovely and has such a cool rhythm to it! Thanks for sharing the story, Karen. And I also enjoyed everyone’s story here.

    My name (Lena) is part of a longer syllable which my parents actually came up with together, where the rest of my name was given my grandparents and a priest.

    Reply
  65. Katie says

    March 26th, 2016 at 7:21 am

    Your inspirations for Connor Claire’s name are awesome. And f-ck, those pictures are ADORable, Karen

    Reply
  66. Laura says

    March 26th, 2016 at 7:58 am

    Karen, I wondered about her name- it seemed both unusual but beautiful. Hearing such an empowering story behind it made me smile- and I’m sure that she will be proud of her unique name. I’m sorry that El Hub’s friend was so negative- naming a child is a personal decision and not one that invites such commentary. Geez, it’s not like you named her DVR Duck or something like that. 🙂 My parents went so, so traditional. As a result, I never felt like I had a unique first or middle name. Luckily, my last name is unique. She’s beautiful and already loves her Mama. Even though we’ve never met, I know that you’re doing a wonderful job- look at all of the love in that photo!

    Reply
  67. Karen says

    March 26th, 2016 at 12:13 pm

    Oh, by the way, Sarah Connor in Terminator is my alltime bad ass heroine and I have tried to do pull ups like hers on several occasions to much amusement of those watching ? huh ahh !

    Reply
  68. Dominique says

    March 26th, 2016 at 12:32 pm

    Sarah Connor ! Oh what an amazing story. Claire is lovely, as you said it stems from latin. 🙂
    My son was named after a character from a movie Dead poets society and because of Neil Amstrong. I myself was named Dominique because it was not That usual ( around 50 years ago ) many were called Véronique in fact.
    You both look radiant Karen ! 🙂

    Reply
  69. Christina says

    March 26th, 2016 at 8:27 pm

    Aww, I’m finally getting to see her after being busy for the past two months. She’s adorable and her name has a good,strong meaning, despite it does sound like a boy name. You could call her Connie for short, haha. A lot of people where I live seem to pick their child’s name based on just liking the sound of the name, rather than considering the meaning, and it’s great to see that there are still some persons who are interested in the background of a name.

    Reply
  70. Kristy says

    March 26th, 2016 at 9:14 pm

    Sarah Connor, mother of the future! I love the story of baby Connor’s name. Thank you for sharing. I work in labor & delivery, and I hear so many new baby names. In 10 years, what’s considered “unconventional” will be populating 4th grade classrooms nationwide!

    Reply
  71. Leslie Isen says

    March 27th, 2016 at 1:05 am

    I named my fourth son Patrick, after Patrick Swayze, and I gave my second son Phillip the middle name Dane from a character in the Thorn Birds!

    Reply
  72. Erin says

    March 27th, 2016 at 8:30 am

    I was named after a poem. My mother liked it and when I was born my eyes were green and it reminded her of the poem. Too bad my Scottish family gave me the name of Ireland though, I’ve never really lived it down!

    Reply
  73. Carissa says

    March 27th, 2016 at 9:13 am

    I love her name as well! We had a daughter five months ago and named her Remy, which is also trypically a boys name (a French one, oh la la). When it comes down to it, all that matters is that you and your husband love it! Thanks for sharing the story of her name!

    Reply
  74. Kim says

    March 28th, 2016 at 6:32 am

    I know another girl named Connor, so it can go either way. And, even if that wasn’t the case, I’m not sure why folks think it’s OK to give a negative opinion about what you’ve chosen to call your child. That’s not specific to El Hub’s friend but it’s sort of a pet peeve with me. If you can’t say something nice. 🙂

    Our boys’ first names coincidentally are versions of their Great Grandfather’s (on my and the Hubs’ moms’ side) and their middle names were purposely versions of their Grandfathers’ (the Hub’s and my fathers). Funnily enough, their initials are Sr. and Jr. Not planned.

    Reply
  75. Astrild says

    March 28th, 2016 at 8:25 am

    I’m enjoyng this post a lot. I love to ask people about the story behind their names. There’re a lot of great stories and family memories behind a name. Not behind mine. My parents liked it and that’s all. So boring.

    Reply
  76. Iris says

    March 28th, 2016 at 11:08 am

    Great inspirations behind Connor Claire’s name. I’m with Kim above, with it being iffy how people are criticizing your name choice for your child.

    My full name (first and last) is Iris Stella. I got my first name as my parents love flowers and botany. They also wanted unique names for both my first and middle name and purposely chose ones which were not trending. I used to not like my first name, as it was never on any personalised stationery and people sometimes made fun of it/said it was weird. Nowadays, as an adult, I love my name. Oddly enough, it seems like both my names are growing slightly in popularity. Stella is now cracking the top 100 list in the States.
    Iris recently posted … ashenspire:

    Ashenspire – Glasgow, 16/10/15
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    Reply
  77. Pamela says

    March 28th, 2016 at 7:56 pm

    Thanks to all the readers for sharing such personal stories. I love hearing how names are found. Names for babies are always (unnecessarily) controversial. My oldest son is named after the Inn where my husband and I married. While pregnant with my youngest son, my husband and I thought we should also name him after a special place. We had traveled before the kids came along, to Greece, Panama, Brazil, St Lucia, Aruba, Italy but none of the places we traveled went well with my husband’s Polish last name (*****ski). So finally I remembered a place right here in USA that we went. It is the name of one of the canyons of Utah.

    Before I found out each kid’s gender, I was thinking Celine for a girl. Yes, I admit I love the singer Celine Dion (hand over my head). But there was no way of making it masculine. I can hope for granddaughters….

    Connor Claire sounds more lovely each time I read it. It sounds *important*, classy. And she is!

    Reply
  78. Natasha says

    March 28th, 2016 at 8:57 pm

    Whew..tbh I was wondering about the “Connor” part too. But I like “Connor Claire” cuz when you say it, it just sounds classy like it has a sophisticated vibe! 🙂 My parents named me Natasja since I’m partly Dutch…but “NatasHa” is a more common spelling in Indonesia so the nurse mistakenly enter that in my registration paperwork. Now I’m forever stuck with a wrongly-spelled name, HA! :S

    Reply
  79. Emily says

    March 29th, 2016 at 3:14 pm

    I love the thought behind her name!

    Reply
  80. Ellen says

    March 30th, 2016 at 6:01 am

    Connor Claire is so beautiful…as is her lovely name!! Happy life CC!!

    Reply

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Hi there! I’m Karen, your friendly neighborhood beauty addict, and I’m a Bay Area girl who hoards brown eyeshadow and covets coral lipstick. Every morning, I wake up and say, “I’m going to do something other than a smoky eye today.” Then…I end up doing a smoky eye anyway (most days). When I’m not putting on makeup, taking pictures of makeup or writing about makeup, which I’ve been doing daily since 2007 (!), you’ll find me hanging out with my hubby (“El Hub”), my four-year-old daughter (Connor Claire) and my torbie girl cat (Pretty Girl Rosie, a.k.a. PGR).

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