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2 months old today. Sometimes I can recall nearly every moment, other times it feels like it’s flown by. We are settling in. I’m not as terrified to take them both out as I thought I would be. We’ve been lucky to have house-guest’s on and off for the last two months so it’s given us a lot to look forward to and the opportunity to mix-up our daily routines a little. Actually, don’t be fooled, we have no routines. Aside from eating and sleeping and the occasional bath it’s pretty much chaos. Henry loves her and is pretty much borderline smothering:
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“I think she’s crying because she’s so happy!” he says.  It’s no surprise that I’ve struggled with her name from day one when Chris took advantage of a still drugged-up post-partum woman and co-hearsed her into signing birth documents (he doesn’t read this blog). About a week after she was born, I said to Chris, “I don’t think I can live with the name Margot.” And I kept remembering all you bloggers posting stories of people you’d known who changed their babies names. I didn’t have to live with it for the rest of my life if I didn’t like it. However, there were (2) very distinct moments where I realized we were absolutely not keeping the name Margot. A woman by the name of Margot, who lives in England, posted a comment on the blog:

“Hi, i am a Margot (now 36) and i have to admit this name has been a
real hassle. In high school I went by Margaux and i really wish i’d had
the spelling legally changed then. I’m not crazy about the sound of
Mar-go no matter how you spell it, but more people are felled by that
silent T than you can imagine. There are some people i’ve know for
years who still call me “Mar-goat.”
I’ve seen elsewhere people saying it can also be turned into “maggot.”
I only got a slight bit of that but it’s still not too nice!
My only advice is tweak the name to Margaux!! or change it.”

It was great to hear perspective from a real-life Margot (I personally never knew any Margot’s.) In her few short weeks of life we had already run into mis-pronunciations, mis-spellings, yaddy ya.

Secondly, there was a gal from church named Margot Martin and from the pulpit, she was mistakenly referred to as MANGO MARTEEN. I. almost. died. Mango? Are you serious?? I looked at Chris, “Did you just hear that????” Margot was officially out.

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But what were our alternatives? We couldn’t agree on anything. I was so sick of looking at our baby name list. I decided to toss it and start completely over. The weeks wore on and I just hated not having a name for her. People would ask- we looked like totally lame parents. “Ugh- we don’t know…” I called the State to find out what the process was to get a name changed. “Why do you want to change it?” they asked. “First, what’s it to you and second, I don’t want my child to be called Mango for the rest of her life. Ya heard?” So  it’s $20 and I have to fill out a form. Easy peasy. Oh and a pesky court order. Whatever that means.

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“Chris, what do you think about the name Kate?”
“I could do Kate” he says.
“Let’s do Kate”
“Kate it is”

Kate Ryan Moore

Henry calls her “Kate Margot Maggie” and that works, too. I’d never known any Kate’s growing up until just recently, and now I know 2 and they are pretty cool cats.  Kate’s kind of a peppy name, totally not turn of the century like we  were gunning for, but I think it goes okay with Henry and gosh, she’s completely grown into the name. Art Garfunkel hair and all.
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72 responses to “The artist formerly known as Margot…”

  1. Christie Avatar

    I think your daughter, Kate, is beautiful 🙂

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  2. Bobbie Avatar

    and when they are little you can do Katie… if you want a different spelling you can do it like Cate Blanchet (the actor)
    much nicer than Margot I think

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  3.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    Kate is awesome! (I liked Margot too) 😉 LOVE Ryan (biased) for a middle name too. She’s darling, and yes I think she’ll thank you.. and probably REALLY feel like a Kate too.

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  4. Alicia Avatar

    She looks like a Kate to me.

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  5. Lisa Avatar

    Hi, lurker here, I just wanted to say that whether you call her Kate, Margot or Mango, she is one heck of a cutie pie. I also think that this will be kind of a cool story for her when she’s older, good picking!

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  6. islandjen Avatar

    hehehe…i’ve never known anyone to change their baby’s name after the fact…now i can cross that off my life list…and she’s such a cutie patootie really…
    so glad you guys found a name that everyone could live with..i know that is soooo hard! trust me…my hubby wanted to name our son Annakin…i mean really?

    Like

  7. Mrs. Happy Housewife Avatar

    I’m a long time lurker and I just wanted to say that your daughter (whatever her name) is so adorable. My little boy insisted I comment on her cuteness. I think Kate is a very nice name and goes quite well with Moore.

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  8. Haley Avatar

    I have chills! When I started reading the post I had Kate in my mind and sure enough, Kate it is! One of my favorite names, classic and sweet.

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  9. Renna Avatar

    I’m relieved for you to finally have made a decision. I know how unsettling it can be to have something of such importance as a name, that you carry with you through your entire life, undecided.
    I love the name of Kate. It’s simple, and yet elegant. I never thought of it as being preppy, though, but more old fashioned (not OUT of fashion, just old fashioned).
    The most famous Kate that comes to my mind is Kathryn Hepburn, who was often referred to as Kate, both growing up and as an adult; and she was a classy broad! 😉

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  10. Amanda Avatar

    Love Kate. I have a good friend who has a daughter named Kate and it is a very sweet yet peppy name. Nice choice.
    My youngest (who is Henry, by the way) was unnamed until the last possible minute. Henry was not even on the list, and we could not decide. My husband called me from work and said, “What about Henry?” It just clicked.
    Naming is hard. I am glad you figured it out!

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  11. lera Avatar

    I have a sister named, Kate. I think it’s a classic name and it goes perfectly with Henry.

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  12. Mary Avatar

    Mango? Oh, that’s just awful! I love Kate. It suits her.

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  13. amy Hunter Avatar

    Kate is a very cute and classic name, it does go well with Henry. I totally know what you mean, it took a long time for the name Cedric to feel right. And if Margot didn’t ever feel right it’s good that you changed it.

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  14. Meryl Avatar

    I love “Kate”, so pretty and classic.

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  15. jen Avatar

    i LOVE kate so much better than margot!!!! my little girl’s middle name is kate. i was reading a book with a girl named kate when i had her. so it stuck:-) so glad u found a name that suits her!!

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  16. Wendy Avatar

    Mango cracks me up. My maiden name was Becker and I can’t tell you how many times I got called Becky as a child and just stared at people with this look like, “Seriously? You can’t read?” I’m glad that you were able to come to an agreement. And if nothing else Kate will now always have an interesting fact about herself during those get-to-know-you games – “I was once a Margot, but my parents couldn’t live with it!”

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  17. Michelle A. Avatar
    Michelle A.

    Love it!! She is so so cute, just like a Kate I know… =)

    Like

  18. caroline Avatar

    Kate is simply perfect. Im so glad she has found her name. xxx

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  19. Reader Avatar
    Reader

    I am so disappointed, everyone names their baby Kate. Margot was so refreshing and classic and fitting for your family. oh well….good thing she is cute!

    Like

  20. Wendy Avatar

    Kate…the best name ever. Should ever I be blessed with a baby girl, she will be Kate. It is simple and sophisticated all in one. It is cute and strong. Amazing name. Great choice.

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  21. Casey Avatar

    Kate’s a great name! I’m glad you found a name you’re happy with now

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  22. Heth Avatar

    Way to go – She has a name!! Baby names are SO hard. It’s lifelong. That’s a lot of pressure! I like the name Kate. She is beautiful! You did good!

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  23. Valerie Avatar

    I love the name Kate- Margot not so much. You did good- congrats! 🙂

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  24. erin Avatar

    kate is beautiful! (of course, i have a kate, so i am a bit biased….)

    Like

  25. nicole Avatar

    so glad you found a name! she is AMAZING!

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  26. Cassi Avatar

    Well, looking at those pictures I thought you might be going with Pumpkin or Cutie Pie or Sweetie Girl 😉 She’s adorable and Kate is a lovely name for her – it’s my daughter’s middle name so I am partial!

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  27. nana_of_nc Avatar

    Must confess, I was not fond of Margo when I learned that’s the handle this teeny tiny gal was getting. I sent the link of this blog post to my daughter as we had discussed the name of Margot not fitting a little baby (in our opinion). Also, she and I just found out yesterday she’s having a baby girl! And her name to be? Catelyn who will then have the nickname “Cate”” like Cate Blanchet. Good strong name for a girl of today!

    Like

  28. pam Avatar

    Mango.. reminds me of that character on Saturday night live! Anyway, Kate sounds happy and cheerful. What cute little kids you have! xxo

    Like

  29. Denise Avatar
    Denise

    Hurray to you for your courage to change her name to one that feels like it fits her better. I think Margot is a fine name, but Kate is beautiful also. There is no sense in going forward with your first choice just because that is what you’re “supposed” to do, especially when it just doesn’t feel right.

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  30. Kim Avatar

    GOOD FOR YOU, Sweetie! I’m SO proud of you for doing what feels right in your heart. Love the name Kate!!! (It’s my sweet Olivia’s middle name, and my BFF’s whom she’s named after. The name definitely holds a special place in my heart. And you’re right– all the Kates I know are DARN cool!) Perfect choice for your sweet little one.

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  31. Shabbyjuls Avatar

    I love the name Kate and good for you:)

    Like

  32. Mama Urchin Avatar

    Kate is old fashioned too. My Katrina goes by Katie and has also started liking Kate as well.

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  33. danni perezpark@yahoo.com Avatar
    danni perezpark@yahoo.com

    congrats, he is adorable!
    ~danni

    Like

  34. Jaime T. Avatar
    Jaime T.

    I am so impressed that you guys were brave enough to change her name! I love Kate. She looks like a Kate. It took me a long time for Emma to look like an Emma. For the longest time I wanted to change her name to Grace because she looked more like a Grace to me, but I think Marc would have had a heart attack if we’d of changed it. Good for you guys!

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  35. LeeAnn Avatar

    Well now you’ve got a great family history story to tell! Kate is an awesome name!

    Like

  36. Jacy Avatar

    Congrats!! I’m so glad you changed it. Don’t worry– I didn’t hate Margot, or anything, but I’m just so happy for you to feel good and settled about the whole thing. What a relief, I’m sure. And as soon as I heard Kate I thought it fit her perfectly. We should all wait a couple of months to see their features and personalities before sticking these little people with names! It will even give her a cool story to tell. And for 20 bucks and a little form (okay, and a court order), why NOT change it?! I’m down to just 11 weeks until the big due date and we’ve barely started talking names. Only because we don’t agree on them and are so busy right now, we’re mostly avoiding it. But I guess we’d better get cracking if I want to avoid any drug-induced, sleep-deprivation sneak attacks!

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  37. Amy Avatar

    Kate is so cute! Her pictures are adorable and I’m so glad that you have settled that bit of trouble. Your trifle pictures made me hungry!

    Like

  38. Dawn Avatar

    Kate is a name to grow with…Certainly a name for every age. Personally, I always had an issue with names like Bambi…just couldn’t picture a 70 year old woman with that name. Sorry to any Bambis reading this..
    🙂
    I have a friend who could not settle with the name Benjamin for her little son…and two or three months later, changed it to Brooks. She had plenty of raised eyebrows for doing it, but hey…she felt better! Brooks is a perfect name for him.
    He goes to college this fall.

    Like

  39. Mearaid Avatar
    Mearaid

    She totally looks like a Kate. And coming from someone who’s name is never pronounced properly till the third try it’s not that bad, I always can tell by the long pause when they are going to call my name.

    Like

  40. Karen Avatar
    Karen

    Good for you! I was in a similar drugged, confused, exhausted state after my first and we ended up going with an “official” name and calling him the shortened version when I wish we had just went with the shortened version. Anyway, you probably know this and I’m sure you’re not planning on losing it, but that court order to change her name will be very important if she ever needs a passport. I worked for NPIC and we ran into many, many people who had a name change and no supporting documentation. So a lesson to us all: hang on tight to that “certified court order!” Welcome again to Kate!

    Like

  41. Dianna D Avatar
    Dianna D

    OK, so I was never going to tell you this, but although I actually really like the name Margot (Margeaux even a little better), I felt that you would regret it as you went along. You see, my eldest was an only for six years, and when people met her and I they would always get our names confused – I being “Dianna” and she being “Danielle.” The Ds confused them. And now, I have a friend Melissa whose oldest is Michelle and I ALWAYS have to think about if I am using the correct name. I was afraid that you would find Morgan and Margot too similar and it would cause confusion. So, I am relieved to hear of the switch! And Kate is just darling, perfect for such a cutie pie.

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  42. shannon Avatar

    What a terribly hard decision this must have been for you. Good for you for knowing that it wasn’t the right name and having the courage to change it. It will be a funny story for her when she is older. I love the name Kate and it seems to suit her well.

    Like

  43. moki Avatar

    ohhh I love the name Kate! I’m a big fan of Katerine Hepburn movies and discovered those close to her called her Kate. I use the name at resturants all the time, because monique is a name that gets butchered too…congrats little kate!

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  44. liz elayne Avatar

    beautiful! love her adorable face and her name that she’s grown in to. Kate is perfect.
    (i must admit to laughing until tears rolled down my face about “mango.” mango? people are amazing.)

    Like

  45. Amanda Avatar

    My kids are looking at sweet Kate’s picture saying, “It’s a chubby!”, “No, it’s a baby!!”…LOL. Love the name. I’m glad you were able to settle on something. Although, I’m all aflutter b/c I’m in my 2nd trimester, and we just found out that our “boy” is a “girl”, so I’m having to completely change gears…how’s that going for you? I can’t imagine calling her by a different name after two months. I’m struggling while ours is still in utero!!!

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  46. Ammie Not Amy Avatar
    Ammie Not Amy

    Coming from a person with a difficult name to pronounce and spell….Hurray for Kate! People are always mispronouncing and of course misspelling my name. Even if I pronounce it or spell it for them multiple times they still manage to butcher it. It gets old. I love the name Kate and she looks like a Kate. Congratulations!

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  47. michal Avatar

    i love kate. what a sweetie! and i’m glad to hear that henry is smothering his kate margot maggie.
    this will be a great story for her when she grows up. “i was once named margot.”

    Like

  48. Amy Avatar
    Amy

    I laughed out loud when I read this post. I think it is so funny that margot was pronounced mango. Silly!
    I love the name Kate. Hope you are doing well Morgan. Your girl is beautiful.

    Like

  49. Jules Avatar

    well, no matter what her name is, she is still absolutely precious. I liked Margot, but I love Kate. It’s shakespearian, it’s groovy, it’s a fantastic story to tell her someday and maybe she’ll be laughing just as hard as I was reading this. Good for you, gutsy mama, that takes some courage!

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  50. Thimbleanna Avatar

    Yipee! Kate is beautiful!!! And thanks for the heads up on the new Ina book — I love her. Did you consider Ina for a name LOL???

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