What I’ve learned is that I should ask you guys for help more often, you have some collective skills. Last week I asked for your comments on ‘Name the Art Baby’ and you guys totally came through (though I have to say that I did expect a little more discourse on tween perfume. Are Jocelyn & I the only ones who remember this so vividly?).
The letter writer, N, updated to tell me she and her partner and their awesome art-baby-to-be are in Seattle, and I feel like lots of the suggestions will fit here – in no particular order, the responses you sent:
Duana, can I just say that you have the best job in the world? [Duana: Honestly? This is true] I've always wanted to name other people's children (but hesitate to offer up suggestions as I want to keep the best names to myself until I know for sure that I'm done having babies).
My kids are Ursula and Gilbert. Thanks for validating our choices in your column :)
Anywho. This is about an art baby, not a real one.
Suggestions:
Halo
Confetti
The Friendship Bracelet
Summer Camp
Paper Crowns
Mood Board
The Peach Pit (too on-the-nose 90210?) [Duana: Does such a thing exist?]
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I loved reading this column! When I think back to the eighties and nineties, I think of my beloved caboodle, so my entry is Kit and Caboodle. Calls back to that time and has a sense of a little bit of everything that sounds like the store’s vibe.
[Duana: Sorry, Sassaby or bust. Ask Shannen Doherty]
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Naked Eye
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Name The Art is actually a cool name for a gallery....you know because art is never straight forward.
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Thank you for the distraction from work with something that makes it look like I’m doing work (except for that black hole I went down reliving early 2000s TV shows...).
In any case, here are my entries:
Femme Tamale
Neon Petunia
Sunny & Share
Blu Belles
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What about ‘the start’ (a mash up of studio and art that is subtle)
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Fly Girlz
Betty
All That
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Based on how I ‘felt’ the descriptions of the art, my suggestions are:
Caftan
Kimono
These could be elaborated on:
Caftan Crunch
Kimono Dragon
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Hey Duana-
Two things:
1) Spencer’s was the place in the states with all the raunchy cards, etc. I always found it a little intimidating.
2) I think her name should incorporate “pack” somehow. I think the move away from Tribe (because, appropriation) has been vital, and pack is becoming a strong, feminine buzz word alternative. Abby Wombach used it in a recent article that really resonated with a lot of women I know. “Cool girls” and “one of the guys” used to be a badge of honor; however, female friends and packs are being recognized as more vital as we come into understanding that men’s approval shouldn’t drive our decision making, our friendships, or our focus.
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BopShop! GlitterPit! [Duana again: I probably should have formatted these in a vertical list but this was the entirety of the email and I wanted to keep the glory of the enthusiasm with which it was obviously sent]
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They should name it "Drew." There is nothing more 90's-aesthetic than Drew Barrymore...and it also hints at art (draw, drew, etc.).
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Okay, N and partner, you guys should be all set – I can’t wait to find out what you choose, and don’t pretend this is different from any other baby – we don’t just want updates, we want pictures of signage, stationery, and/or invites to the grand opening! Keep us posted!
While we’re on a reader contribution tip, I should say that I though I always love the responses you guys send to the ‘regular’ articles (even when you yell at me for suggesting/not suggesting your favourite name) but don’t always get a chance to post them. But a couple of readers, S, and R, indulged my musings about nicknames for Malcolm earlier this week and delighted me with the following glorious information:
I have a son named Malcolm Xavier. His nickname is Mac/Mackie. A friend nicknamed him "Mac-Mac" when he was born because she called her daughter Mik-Mik (Michaela). That nickname has been morphed into "Mackie" as a term of endearment within the family. I love it, and I also love the name Malcolm, which is what his friends call him.
You could also get the nickname "Colm" from Malcolm (like the actor Colm Feore)
-S
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Just a quick note to say: My brother's name is Malcolm and the little English girls that lived across the street growing up always called him "Malx" and the nickname stuck. My mom would have been horrified before he was born at the idea of "Malx" as a nickname, but she loves it now!
-R
Malx! Are you dying? Besides fixing the ‘only one nickname problem, say it out loud and see for yourself exactly how much fun it is to say! Malx! I only have one request – the internet is a constantly evolving self-generating community and all that, ideas are a dime a dozen, blah blah blah, but I implore you - when you use ‘Malx’ for your baby or screenplay characters, please properly credit ‘the little English girls who lived across the street from R growing up’. It’s only right.
Have a great long weekend, keep the questions and updates coming, and I dare you to work ‘Malx’ into your Labour Day discourse!
