My six year old asked me a question last night that all parents dread.
“Mom, can I talk to you about something private?”
My heart jumped up into my throat with those nine words.
“I think I’d like to go by Luke from now on. Will you call me Luke? It’s a cool name.”
I wasn’t expecting this. My eyes welled up and I certainly wasn’t expecting that either. Why would this simple request make me cry?
I always knew we’d have this conversation. I thought he’d wait until he was 15 or so. Not six.
“I don’t know what to say, Lucas”, was all I could stammer, followed by, “Lucas is your name. It’s a beautiful name. Lucas. Have you talked to your dad about this?”
When all is lost, send them to the other parent, right?
“No, but I’m planing to. Tonight after Lola goes to sleep.”
“Okay, good.”
This kid.
He blows me away over and over again.
But, ugh. So much goes into choosing the perfect name for your child. I shared our story of naming our son in a post I wrote in November, 2009 called A Rose By Any Other Name.
I love the name Lucas. And my Lucas is such a Lucas.
I hated my name for so long but over time I grew to accept it. I truly hope Lucas does too. And for the record, I will never call him Luke.
Plus, Letters For Luke just doesn’t sound right.
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My mom was very anti-nickname, and I’m the same way when it comes to their given names. We have other pet names, but I never want my kids to be called anything but Cady and James.
I gave my son a long standing family name, Raphael, and he has been asking to change it to Hunter since he was 7. I hope one day he feels like he fits his name.
Ah, that’s tough. I love the name Lucas too. Let his friends call him Luke if he wants. Christian went by Chris as a kid. You can always tell when it’s a childhood friend when they call him Chris, but it’s so foreign to me.
This is how I feel every time someone calls Jacob, Jake. It’s not the same with Gio since Giovanni seems like such a big name and of course we use it when we introduce him but he normally introduces himself as Gio which is fine with us. However, when people call Jacob, Jake it doesn’t sound right. He’s a JACOB not a Jake and although we use it sometimes it’s not how I tell people about him or hear his name in my head. He introduces himself as Jacob and hasn’t asked to be Jake yet. I have a feeling I’d feel like you do right now.
HUGS my friend. Love to you and Lucas. xoxo
Oh my friend… I also always wondered if Michael would become Mike. He hasn’t, but Lucas kills me with his confidence and maturity. Wow. Maybe YOU can always call him Lucas but his friends can do the Luke thing? Ugh. Now I think I might cry, too. xoxo
My oldest announced, when he was 3 1/2, that his name was not Jack, it was Jackie. And he refused to answer to anything else. Though now, at almost 11, he wants the more grown up Jack, but it’s so ingrained in me to say Jackie now that I can’t stop!
Just another stage when they decide for themselves that they want changes!