Baby's name drawn from Leonard's anthology UPDATED WITH NAME

[stevedavis]

Hello friends
I hope this is considered newsy enough - it has been talked about on radio here in Adelaide and could be in our local, Murdoch newspaper this weekend.
I am in the Australian arm of Leonard Cohen fans and in my own twist on the Story of Isaac, I am offering my baby daughter's name at the alter of the great writer himself.
My wife and I are expecting a baby girl next month (June 2008) and her name will be drawn from female names used by Leonard in his songs, novels and poetry.
You are all welcome to vote at http://babydavisblog.wordpress.com.
At the poll, you can choose from about 16 names - there is quite a strong run on Heather at the moment.
PS Thank G*d we are not having a boy - the selection would have been much impoverished.

[Paula]

Don't go for Heather!

Can you put the complete list here for us to pick from.

Not really a fan of most of the names in his songs and you can't call a small child Nancy it just isn't fair.

What about Cohen related names Anjani is very nice and unusual

[stevedavis]

Paula, I am not really allowed to rule names in or out publicly, but I can say with great certainty, that Heather will not be the name (sorry to the Heathers reading - Nardia's bridesmaid was Heather, so it is out on many rules).

Here is the list we are asking people to choose from:

Marita
Annie
Terez
Deanne
Suzanne
Marianne
Catherine
Edith
Nancy
Larissa
Victoria
Joan
Jane
Chelsea
Aleece
Eve
Aretha
Angelica
Mary
Lili Marlene
Lady Hamilton
Alexandra
Heather

I have tried my best to compile the list in chronological order - I am sure some are in the wrong order.

Thanks for your comments, Paula.

[Paula]

I would go with Annie because it was my mum's name and I quite like the shortened version of Catherine "Kitty". Aside from that I don't like any of the others.

Do you have a name perference yet? Do you have a name that runs in the family.

Is this your first child? I have two girls and a boy and I really struggled with girls names. There were loads of nice boys names.

You could put Janis in as it comes under the net in Chelsea Hotel but I don't like that name either

[stevedavis]

Paula

Thanks for your suggestions.

Yes we have a favourite but there is an emerging favourite - unfortunately, I cannot reveal either yet.

Cheeky idea about Janis - I would need advice as to how and at what age I explain to my daughter the Genesis of her name and the way it relates to Leonard's Chesea Hotel experience

[secretchord]

I vote for Alexandra

[st theresa]

I vote for Terez
but of course I would

[Gerrida]

Alexandra is the most beautiful of them all - as is the song, in my opinion.

[martisan]

Marianne.
My first true love was called Marian, though aged 16 I was already deep into LC's music, and liberally added an extra 'ne' and thought of her as Marianne. And then she left me - so long - and the name still conjours the longing and the loveliness - and the loss, of first love. So that has to be my vote, though of course all the connotations are what makes it ring out for me.

[friscogrl]

I vote for Alexandra also.

[imaginary friend]

I voted for Alexandra too – using the Wordpress link supplied by Steve in the first post in this thread. Hope you others who voted for Alexandra did it via the link too so it's tallied up!

Steve, your daughter and Lorca Cohen will both have been named after their respective father's favourite poet – lovely.

[stevedavis]

Martisan, thank you for your story. I don't have any songs from the anthology that match my history by name, but, oh, so many that mirror or map emotional territory I have traversed.
Gerrida, I agree, Alexandra Leaving is one of Leonard's most beautiful works. I always catch my breath about midway through. It is the most beautiful marriage of words and vocal style.
In fact, thank you all for your stories and involvement. I had forgotten about the Lorca link - that just adds an extra dash of poignancy for me.
This is going to be a lovely thread of comments to share with ***** one day -there is no significance in the number of *s

[sleep]

I like Marita and Lili Marlene, and also Alexandra and Marianne.

But you could also just call her Leonard!

[mnkyface]

I like Alexandra a lot. I happen to have a fondness for 4-syllable names. But what about just naming her after Leonard and go with Leonora (lee-a-NOR-ah) or Leonore? True, those are not feminine versions of Leonard; they are variants on the name Eleonor, but still. Great, strong names and Leonora means "light", which is a definite Leonard connection.

[stevedavis]

Thankyou sleep and mnkyface for your thoughts. I agree with "light" being fundamentally linked to Leonard's work.

I can say though that we are committed to a name from the list. But the whisper is that we are teetering away from our original choice due in part to further reflection and also due to commentary and feedback.

I look forward to being able to announce the name in a few weeks' time and until then am thrilled with the response from this community.

Thank you all.