thoughts on baby names?

So, I’m super anal & started thinking of baby names well before both my pregnancies.  Ransom’s name was one of 3 options before I was even 4 weeks!  It was decided at the ultrasound at 21 weeks.

Nothing new for this baby, we’ve been kicking around ideas for 6 months or so.  So, if it’s a girl, we really like Sydney Grace.  We like the name because we loved the hit T.V. show Alias & the main character was Sydney Bristow.  She was a kick-butt superwoman.

But here’s the thing, the rest of us have all these deep & spiritual names.

Grace – is -supposed to at least- encapsulate the heart of Christianity.  The gift of grace is what God has given us & what we are asked to give freely to others.

David – is named after Israel’s most beloved King.  The man after God’s own heart.

Ransom – is named for the beautiful way that Jesus laid down his life for the sins of all humanity and ransomed us through his death.

And then what we are supposed to tell her? “Honey, you were named after Jennifer Garner.”  I mean, c’mon.  It’s like we’d be cheating her.

So, this time around I started praying that God would give us a name that is deep and spiritual, ripe with meaning and would reflect who we would want our daughter to become.  (Let me say quickly here that I’m only 9 weeks & have no idea the sex of the baby but do have a hunch it’s a girl).  Consequently, I’ll be emotionally shattered for at least a 24 hour period if I find out I’m having another boy.

Anyway, within 2 days I felt like God gave me the name, Sophia Grace.  Sophia in Greek means “wisdom” & together with my name her full name would mean, wisdom & grace.  

The problem is, both “Sophia” & “Sophie” are in the top ten baby name lists of 2008 AND 2009.  I hate the idea of using a name in the 10 ten list, I really do.  However, I really do love the name & what’s more than that I love the meaning.  And who wouldn’t want their daughter to embody both grace & wisdom?  

I’ve been pouring through baby name books trying to find other deep and spiritually relevant names that I love, but nothing.  Which makes me even more convinced that I was hearing the Lord correctly.  Dave is relatively convinced, but a bit apprehensive as he thinks they are “old-fashioned” names. 🙂

I also thought of the alliteration route… I’d love an “R” name ~ but I can’t find one.

I also thought of the “J” route… because all my close girl friends names start with “J” but then I’ve got Dave to deal with.  I mean seriously, can’t this just be left up to me? 🙂

Anyway, ladies any good names you can think of?

Here’s my top priorities:

1. strong spiritual meaning

2. starts with an “R”

3. starts with a “J”

4. ends with an “ah” 

Help!

p.s. I suppose it couldn’t hurt to at least consider boy names… just in case. 🙂