The story about her name

I was sure I was expecting a boy so why bother finding a girl name? We talked about many different names and finally we came up with a good name – for a boy. Girl names were never discussed much even though Neil and Cecilie were pretty sure and desperately hoping that I was expecting a girl.
We talked about the fun in telling Neil’s family that our girl should be called Mary. Neil’s parents call me Mary because Cecilie’s mum is also named Tina.
I would prefer to be called my own name. I know it’s normal for people in England to call people something different. But for me and other Danes it’s a strange thing. In fact for some it seems a little disrespectful. If it was for a short term it would be bearable. But I’m here for keeps.

So we tried to find a solution. Some of the cousins now call me “Faster Tina” as is the Danish name for Auntie. Cecilie’s mum is then still called Auntie Tina. The situation is sorted for the kids. Now we need a solution for the adults.

Neil and I talked. If we called our baby girl Mary, they couldn’t keep on calling me Mary. Then they would have to use my real name. It is also a beautiful name. But it was only for fun, we had that talk. It would be a little too complicated to realize, we agreed.

As you know everything went very fast. Suddenly the baby was born. And to my big surprise, it was a girl. I thought Neil had made the staff tease me. I simply didn’t believe it was a girl. But it was and we didn’t have a name for her. We had to find one for her quickly. Or it became Neil’s job as I was too sick. I couldn’t have a normal conversation or discuses a name for a child I hadn’t seen or understood was here.
Neil got nervous. His Tina couldn’t make any decisions, something must be very wrong then. Amusingly he shook me and asked: “Where is my Tina? Spit her out! I want her back!” Neil had to take some decision about the name on his own. The only name he could remember we had talked about was Mary. So she was called Mary for several days. Neil’s mum often called Neil at home while we were admitted. I’m sure the name Mary was repeatedly discussed. In the end she suggested that we should add an Ann to the name Mary.
Still I couldn’t handle more choices. I was just started to get better but I needed some time and space with my new baby. I had no enthusiasm to make any pronouncement what so ever.
One day I sat with my little baby girl. Everything was relaxed and calm. Neil had the courage to ask me again about the name Mary Ann. I looked down at her and all of a sudden I saw it as a great name. It works fine in DK and UK as well.
Mary is a name for a princess and Ann is the name for a strong person, after my understanding. How could it be any better then that?