Behind the Name

Fable (noun); a story, conveying a moral.


Since Fable's birth people have repeatedly asked where her name came from.

"That's a different name. What made you decide to call her Fable?"

"I didn't even know Fable was a name," some say.

And it isn't. Not really. But for me, to name a child is to swaddle him/her with meaning.

Fable Luella, 3 1/2 months, my little wide-eyed storybook.

Some parents choose names that are close to their hearts, family names, names that remind them of beautiful things, of books and paintings and poetry. Some people choose names for their metaphors, or simply because they're pretty, strong, handsome. We chose Archer for its precise strength and Sage for its wisdom. The name Luella was a nod to my late grandpa, Lou. And Fable? For the morals of great stories told and those yet to be...

Once upon a time...

...there lived a young girl named Fable with an old soul and kind eyes...

....and she lived happily ever after, spreading joy and love to all around.


(May your story have many morals, little girl.)

GGC

78 comments:

dhull | 12:49 AM

My mouth is gaping open in awe. What a damn cute picture and adorable kid. And the one of archer and the airplane is so cool. Also so nice to read your posts. Hope all is well. Kys.

In Due Time | 2:55 AM

Fable, sweet, Fable. Precious. :-)

Anonymous | 3:29 AM

Beautiful babe you have there, very precious

Anonymous | 3:55 AM

A beautiful girl with a beautiful name.

marzi | 4:41 AM

my first son's middle name is sage too! we have unconventional names in our house as well and wouldn't have it any other way! good for you! love fable!

My Bottle's Up! | 4:56 AM

i find the faces and smirks people give when you tell them the name of your child to be so interesting... when i was pregnant with my son, my husband and i purposely kept his name to ourselves until he was born. we decided that the "oh, that's an interesting name..." comments wouldn't come as easy once people knew that the deed was done. it was nice to have this little secret between my husband and i during the pregnancy too... gave us something to really look forward to when we introduced our son to our families using his name for the first time. "this is jackson ray..." (first name comes from husband's grandfather, middle name comes from my grandfather). fable is precious and will be quite the story teller one day, taking after her mama. :)

Bellamarin | 5:22 AM

seriously this is probably the cutest baby I've ever seen and this is coming from a mom who thinks her little girl is the cutest of course. Oh and I love her name I only wish I would have thought of it first.

Amanda | 5:37 AM

I've said it before, but I really love that name. It's so pretty and unusual.

Hilary | 5:42 AM

I LOVE her name- not to mention the hat which, OMG, I would 100% wear. Thanks for the rad photos :)

Anonymous | 6:14 AM

Being honest: the post where you introduced Fable and her name, I thought, "Fable. Huh." Now, I can't imagine that captivating baby girl being anything but Fable, and I now LOVE the name. (Probably because your Fable is seriously the most adorable child. Ever.)

Anonymous | 6:18 AM

It fits her perfectly and she is so stinking precious. I don't know how you find the time to do anything else but kiss and love on her all day long!

Wicked Step Mom | 6:18 AM

Personally, I really loved the name Fable. All of my girls have names with meaning too. I didn't name them but, they all have an important meaning. I think people will always ask about her name. But, that is part of what makes her unique.

Anna | 6:43 AM

I think Fable is a very sweet name. It has a wonderful ring to it when spoken aloud.

And that hat rocks SO HARD.

SP | 7:03 AM

To swaddle them with meaning... I love it.

I linked to you today.

Hazy | 7:03 AM

The stories you'll tell someday, Fable. :)

me | 7:24 AM

We get a lot of strange comments too, our kids are Xanthe (and her middle name would have been munckin if everyone hadn't told us how mean it would be), Olorin B. and Imogen Apple (after the computer, not the fruit)

Fable is cute as a button, no wait, even cuter.

April | 7:41 AM

well, i absolutely love the name!

Anonymous | 7:44 AM

So gorgeous! As someone else mentioned, Fable's name has a beautiful ring to it.

(And she reminds me so much of Archer in those pictures... wow. :))

Anonymous | 7:55 AM

We named beck after the husband's mother's family. We always get, "after the singer?" Yes. Because we totally want kids singing "I'm a loser baby, so why don't you kill me" to him on the playground.

Anonymous | 7:59 AM

I love the name and I love why you chose it. She will too as she gets older :-D

Catherine Just | 7:59 AM

beautiful.

Shelley Senai | 8:04 AM

I adore the name Fable. Had never heard of it until now but I love it. I love it's originality but isn't kooky-sounding. I love that it has meaning and what that meaning is.

And she's so cute it's suffocating (in the best possible way).

Habbala | 8:51 AM

I have loved this name since you first told us. LOVE IT. And, my boyfriend loves it too! So when I retell stories that I read her I describe you as Fable's Mom.

So cute.

Anonymous | 8:55 AM

I have an unusual name, too, and it has served me well.

I'm due in April and hopefully my kid, Gustav Morrissey Lastname, will be equally blessed as Fable and Archer, with a cute face and neat parents.

Anonymous | 9:06 AM

i, too, love her name. i've said it before, but i so love the process of naming kids. do fable and archer also have hebrew names? that was equally as fun.

Anonymous | 9:27 AM

I have to give you kudos for finding an original name that is both classy and cute, and has such a strong meaning behind it. What better name for a baby girl whose Mama is a kick-ass writer?

I can imagine you got a few crinkled-noses when you revealed the name, but I love it. Really. (And I totally second the commenter who wished she thought of it first!)

Also: she's freaking adorable!!!

Anonymous | 9:57 AM

adore the name. it fits her perfectly. i love a name with meaning behind it.

and that face! oh my. how do you get anything done, ever? i'd dip her cheeks in butter and chew.

Anonymous | 10:03 AM

she's so beautiful! archer is too!

Desiree | 10:10 AM

Your children have such fabulous names -- beautiful & so meaningful.
I loved them both at first read :)

Our first is due in eight (!) days and we're almost sure about the name.

We'll have to wait to look into her eyes though.

BITE MY COOKIE | 10:27 AM

dood. no future in children's books for you. just fables.

(my word verification is whins - just one E short of the troof.)

LindseyA | 10:31 AM

Your posts touch my heart. I am a first time mama of Luisa. She is four months old. I read your blog because I love your philosophy on motherhood and I need all the philosophy I can get right now!

Anonymous | 10:34 AM

I love that hat!!! May I ask where you got it?

Anonymous | 10:35 AM

What.a.smile.

Issa | 10:42 AM

Every time I see her picture, she makes me smile. I think Fable is a perfect name for her.

I choose my kids names for different reasons, but too this day, each one of their names fully fits them.

Anonymous | 11:24 AM

You make me cry. Damn.....

Ok, kleenexs aside. Maybe not.

messyfunmommylife | 11:48 AM

Your little miss has the most GORGEOUS face.
I honestly want to kiss her all over!

I wanted to name Aiden something that had meaning and was close to the heart. However, I was very undeceive.

I considered naming him Ford (the place of his conception) no one supported that idea...

Kaitlyn | 12:19 PM

You have beautiful chlildren, with suiting, wonderful names.

Baby in the City | 12:24 PM

Once upon a time there lived a young girl named Fable with an old soul and kind eyes, and an AWESOME hat.

C'mon, with a toque like that, the happily ever after will take care of itself.

Anonymous | 12:41 PM

That was a beautiful post. I am in love with her name. :)
I may be 15, but I've picked out my baby names.
Girls: Calico (first pick), Faya, Brynlee, Scarlyyne, Arley, Evanlee.
Boys: Kobe, Karston, Chasco, Draegan, Eymon, Trayton.

I plan on having at least three kids. But my first daughter MUST be named Calico. :D
People have given me strange looks when I list my names, but I like them. I want my child to have a unique name.

Anonymous | 12:43 PM

I adore Fable's chapeau! And I think she has a beautiful name.

mrs.notouching | 1:40 PM

Love the name, adore the girl!

fallgirly | 1:45 PM

I absolutely LOVE the name you chose and could see clearly why you would choose it. Not only is she a gorgeous baby but also a gorgous name. I am in the stage of attempting to come up with names for our daughter due in May and very frustrated with the process. Did you find it right away, love at first site or how did it come to be?

lorieloo | 1:47 PM

I've loved the name since you've said.

Hi, followed you over from Emery and I've LOVED reading...just now commenting.

I just have to ask where you got the hat. It's to DIE for.

And your girl melts me. She's doing nothing for my baby fever.

mames | 2:03 PM

she is quite possibly the most beautiful child i have seen yet...girl, that is. my boys are first in my heart for beauty in the male category.

i have a little story for our twins that runs along the lines of the two of them leading us into a world of very great joy. it may sound like it's own fable, but i hope it becomes truth.

Anonymous | 2:24 PM

Awww, that's so sweet. Great photos. I especially loved, "May your story have many morals, little girl." Bless little Fable she's adorable. <3

sarah | 2:32 PM

dear lord. That kid of yours is ovaries exploding cute. The kind of cute that makes me want to say out loud "annnnd why don't I have one of those?" (I'm 24, that's why).

But she is lovely, as is her name.

Avalon | 3:45 PM

i'm with sarah, but i'm 22, haha. that and, just, not yet. but you're not making it easy, lady!

NOELLE ALOUD | 3:56 PM

"I didn't even know Fable was a name." Ha! Why shouldn't it be?

It's the perfect name for her.

Molly | 3:56 PM

Fable is a perfect name, but Luella is close to my heart. My maternal grandmother's name was Luella. She died at the age of 94, the week I found out I was pregnant with my son. If he'd been a girl, we'd planned to name her Ella.

Fable's got good things going for her.

Anonymous | 4:02 PM

how is she so cute and tiny? I can't even TAKE it. especially the little pursed lips which she has had from day one. I like that you gave her an unusual name with a cool story but one that's not gratuitously hard to spell or pronounce (ditto Archer)... gives her a good backstory without adding unnecessary trouble for her when she hits school.

Anonymous | 4:11 PM

though her smile absolutely kills me i love pics one and two. the second looks like she's saying "why i oughtta...." i cannot take her face!!!!!!!!!!

Binky | 4:38 PM

You're preaching to the choir on this one. Anyone who reads your blog knew this explanation before you wrote it out. It's the perfect name for your beautiful baby with those big eyes just made for taking in all the details.

Carly | 5:07 PM

That was beautiful!

Beverly | 5:49 PM

such a sweet looking babe...one you can't stop gazing into those big eyes, and I envy you who get to love on her all the time.....

I was caught by the name of your comments section since my blog is Beverly-Use your words. I thought of it because my grandson had to be reminded to use his words instead of yelling, crying or some way to get our attention.....

guarros | 7:49 PM

F what people say - I know you don't care, but some people have some nerve! I've been following your blog since I was knocked up. L (offspring) is 16mo now and I read up. When Fable was born I refreshed - I don't even know how many times waiting to find out her name. Between Archer's name and your previous name post I couldn't wait!! And when the news broke I said, perfect.

Just as she is, absolutely perfect.

kittenpie | 10:35 PM

Bec, she is just gorgy.
And as I said, I immediately thought of your ink when you told me her name - it's just so right (write?) for a child of yours.

Creative-Type Dad | 11:53 PM

Just too cute...

Anonymous | 6:08 AM

thats one cute baby!

Anonymous | 8:27 AM

I love the name Fable. I am also an atypical F-named female, and I think my name has served me well.

p.s. she's cuuuute!

Anonymous | 9:25 AM

A beautiful name for such a beautiful baby girl....

Anne | 9:29 AM

Your girl gets more gorgeous by the hour! Beautiful name, precious baby!! Keep the pictures coming - they make my day!

Sarah VM | 11:04 AM

I really like the name Fable. I think it suits her well. She is beyond cute!

Jamie | 11:16 AM

... loving the owl hat.

BlossomingSoul | 7:19 PM
This comment has been removed by the author.
Kimberly | 7:38 PM

I love your children's names. The photos of Fable are adorable. The last photo looks like she's peeking through a banana peel, too cute!

KathyD | 11:44 PM

She is beautiful.

Marian | 5:19 PM

Love the hat! I picked up one a few months ago too. Its warm out in Hawaii but I always hope it gets cold :)

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GUGAW | 1:58 PM

what a beautiful babe! and such lovely names you have chosen

Paulita | 6:46 AM

psssh..nice try. You know you did it to get ready for Fable 2

I kid. She is precious

petite gourmand | 6:42 AM

Not only is the name beautiful but look at that face!
And that hat!
Adorable.

Anonymous | 9:43 AM

Fable is such a lovely name. You have a beautiful daughter!

Anonymous | 1:24 PM

Oh, goodness! You said it much better than I did. A friend was asking about my daughter's name that translates into either "beautiful flower" or "bird of prey" and I was trying to explain giving her STRENGTH and BEAUTY from the beginning, like a gift from her father and I.

She still seems to think that the kid is going to have a hard time being the only one, the different one. I hope to give her the power to ignore all the "haters"

Anonymous | 12:44 PM

Becs Fable looks gorgeous! And Archer is so grown up!!! Sigh. I miss our dinners and hang time. I hope you're doing well!

Anonymous | 2:25 PM

she is the most beautiful baby girl i've ever seen.
the hat is precious too ..if you don't mind me asking, where did you get it?

Anonymous | 10:24 AM

These pictures are so sweet. Fable is so precious. Thanks for sharing your inspiration for her name.

Nell | 7:57 PM

I adore her name. I think it's pretty damn rad if you ask me.

I get the 'looks' when people hear my new baby's name, Dash. Most people don't get it, don't like it and think I did a horrible disservice to him with the name.

Putting it bluntly, I don't give a damn.

I think it's a fantastic name. One that people will remember. One that he can be proud to have. One that will lead him down a path to huge stardom as an actor. (hello, does it not sound like the name of an actor?)

Anyhoo, I think you picked a most unique and beautiful name. Well done!

:--) Nell
CasualFridayEveryday.com
Twitter.com/casualeveryday

themausspad | 7:34 PM

We named our little one Fable, too! Her name is Fable Elaine. I love the name. It's so poetic, and fits our girl so perfectly. Three cheers!