Duana Names: Can the Tradition Continue?

Hi Duana,

So let me bounce this off of you. I have a daughter named Lyrah, after her grandmother. I am expecting another daughter. The other grandmother's name that we like is Alameda. I like that both of these names are unusual and have family history. I'm not feeling Alameda as much though. I think because there are a lot of parks, roads and counties named Alameda in the Southwest and West. What do you think? Alameda or keep searching?

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Oh man, I really like what’s going on here. You know not as many people are as lucky as you are, right? That is, there are a lot of people who decide to name a child after a grandparent, and then realize oh, we probably have to honor the other one, and think oh, but I don’t like those names as much. There are lots of people where one grandfather is named Eduardo and the other is named Doug, and you’re like ‘….I guess.’

But that’s not what’s happening here. Lyrah and Alameda are not identical names and they’re not even necessarily similar, but they go together. They’re names that make utter sense to one another. It’s that thing that we always talk about. Names that don’t match, don’t sound too similar, don’t necessarily have a pattern to them – but they go.  

Yes, yes, yes use Alameda. You can call her Allie if she’s that kind of kid, or Meda or she’s that kind of kid. I googled Alameda, given that I don’t live in the Southwest, and might be miscalculating a little. But it just seems like a great and yeah, geographic, reference. I just don’t think it’s that different from all the little Savannahs and Madisons and Brooklyns and Berkeleys your child is going to school with. Except, of course, that it’s far better.

I love Alameda. I really hope you do too. Let me know.

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