And she shall be called...

Maryn! We'll pronouce it "Muh-RIN," like Marin County, California. We've liked this name for a long time, and our only cause for hesitation has been the knowledge that she will have to spell and pronounce it for folks, just as Carlyn and I do. If Maryn is like her mom, there will be points at which she'll wish she could be one of a million Madisons or Isabellas. In my case, it was Lisa or Cindy. Carlyn sometimes tells other children who can't remember her name, "Just call me Hannah [as in Montana] for short!" But we hope that Maryn will eventually appreciate her uncommon name.

Big sister liked but wasn't sold on the name when we planned to spell it Marin. Then one day her dad suggested the "-yn" spelling, whereupon she became the name's #1 proponent. The name also reminds of us of several in our immediate and extended family whose middle names are Marie.

The next named-related task? Her middle name. It will be Chinese, we know that much.