Marvin and Rochelle Humes this morning announced the birth of their first son and third child, Blake Hampton Humes.
Posting a series of gorgeous pictures on Instagram, Rochelle wrote: 'On Friday morning at 8.44am our boy arrived to flip the switch on 2020 ✨I didn’t think I’d ever fall in love with another man but this guy has stolen my whole heart and we’ve been in a love bubble ever since...'
I found out about the news when the first text of the day rolled in to me this morning from my friend Gemma: 'Rochelle and Marvin have had a Blake'. It wasn't the last I got...
Not because I'm a Humes Uberfan (though I do love them tbf), but because I also have a nearly two-year-old Blake.
And, I have to ashamedly say, when I saw there was a new, famous Blake in the world, I (unexpectedly to myself) did a bit of an internal, 'Ah dammit!'
I AM NOT A MONSTER, I promise. I bear no ill will and many squishy kisses to the beautiful (isn't he beautiful!) Blake Hampton.
But baby names are a MINEFIELD, as anyone who's had to pick one knows. And they are an even BIGGER MINEFIELD when you have to pick a boys' name.
With boys' names, it's either simple and common, or waaaaaay out there. There's no in between really.
That's one of the reasons I've always loved Blake. It's easy to say and everyone can spell it, but it always sat around the bottom of the top 100 boys' names. I surprised myself (you're constantly surprised at the embarrassing things you think once you enter motherhood tbh) at how happy I was when my husband's aunt said in decades of primary school teaching, she'd never met a Blake. That seemed like quite a gold-level stamp of name approval.
Well, now, it's definitely not going to be the case anymore is it? Because we are hugely influenced by celebrity names - even the Game of Thrones names got look-ins the years they were popular. Yes there are some toddler Daenerys's running around right now. I know, because I've played that game at many baby showers.
Blake had already had a little bit of a boost in recent years thanks to actress Blake Lively. It's not exactly a rare beast of a name, so I'm not too bitter. I was once in a lift with my son, talking to him, when a woman with a pram leaned over to me and said: 'Oh right, you've got a Blake have you? This is a Blake. She's my grand-daughter. My daughter chose the name. I don't like it.' I explained there were also lots of girl Blakes, after the Gossip Girl actress and she responded: 'Oh right. That's where she's got it from then. I suppose it's alright on a boy,' then walked out.
I mean, it was worth naming my son Blake just for that moment of absolute comedy gold.
And anyway, it's actually is FINE - and I promise my momentary twinge of 'Ah dammit'-ness has faded, overtaken by reason and humanity and some 'there are bigger fishes to fry'-ness.
There's also an element of the fact that Rochelle and Marvin are very lovely and brilliant, so really it's mark of approval, isn't it? My friend Sarah* is currently picking out names for her unborn child and agreed: 'It definitely depends what celebrity it is. If it's someone I like, I don't think it'd put me off using a name that I like. But if it was someone I... wasn't such a fan of, shall we say!? I think that might make me think twice.'
As in Sarah's case, it's whether you can do much about it as well. One twitter user told me: '[We] nearly called our first-born Harper. She was born shorty before the Beckham's Harper. Dodged a bullet there.'
We knew it'd suddenly be popular and everyone would think we were bloody copying the royals!
If it's just your kids' name already, there's not a lot you can do anyway, is there? Or even if it's the name you've always dreamed of calling your child.
'We always knew, way before having kids, that we wanted to call a boy George if we had one,' says Lucy*. 'It was our favourite name and we also had a family connection to it. So when we saw Will and Kate were pregnant for the first time and people were talking about him possibly being called George, we were like, "Noooo!" We knew it'd suddenly be popular and everyone would think we were bloody copying the royals! In the end though, it didn't matter. It was the name we'd always wanted to call our little boy - and we did.'
One mum told me: 'We named our daughter Ivy the day after Beyoncé had Blue Ivy in 2012. Our Ivy had consistently been Ivy throughout the pregnancy, well before we knew of Bey’s plans - and I was utterly devastated when I found out the day before my planned c section. Everyone convinced me it wouldn’t matter. Two minutes after the birth the anaesthetist asked her name and responded ‘Oooh just like Beyoncé!’ And we were like... And actually, it’s been fine. Obviously!'
And ultimately, a celebrity or royal nicking your name is ultimately a LOT less annoying than an actual friend doing it, like Rachel stealing Emma off of Monica in Friends. I mean, WHAT A MOVE! Ouch.
So, welcome to the world little baby Blake, you're in good company, because my little Blake is an absolute legend. Ignore that lady in the lift...
*Names have been changed.
Best Parenting Books
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There's No Such Thing As 'Naughty', By Kate Silverton
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How to Raise Kids Who Aren't Assholes, By Melinda Wenner Moyer
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The Gentle Discipline Book, By Sarah Ockwell-Smith
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No Bad Kids: Toddler Discipline Without Shame
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Queen Bees and Wannabes
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How Toddlers Thrive, By Tovah P. Klein
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The Montessori Toddler
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Parenting The Sh*t Out Of Life
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What Mummy Makes
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Sex, Likes And Social Media: Talking To Our Teens In The Digital Age, By Deana Puccio And Allison Havey
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I Am Not Your Baby Mother
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The Calm And Happy Toddler, By Dr Rebecca Chicot
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How To Talk So Little Kids Will Listen
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Calm Parents, Happy Kids: The Secrets Of Stress-Free Parenting, By Dr Laura Markham
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15-Minute Parenting 0-7 Years: Quick And Easy Ways To Connect With Your Child, By Joanna Fortune
This also comes in a version for 8-12-year-olds and posits that just 15 minutes of mindful playtime each day in your and your child's routine could change behaviour. Created with busy parents in mind, psychotherapist and parenting expert Joanna Fortune has devised a simple but effective method to build quality playful time together at home, structured around 15-minute games that can be easily incorporated into your existing daily routine.
The Joy Journal for Magical Everyday Play
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French Children Don't Throw Food
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The Whole-Brain Child
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The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read (And Your Children Will Be Glad That You Did), By Philippa Perry
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Your Baby Week By Week
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Nobody Told Me
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The Second Baby Book, By Sarah Ockwell-Smith
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Between: A guide for parents of eight to thirteen-year-olds
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How to Talk so Kids Will Listen and Listen so Kids Will Talk
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The Danish Way Of Parenting
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Baby Knows Best
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Calmer, Easier, Happier Boys
Calmer Easier Happier Boys sees parenting expert Noel Janis-Norton explains simple strategies for the unique challenges of raising motivated, cooperative and confident boys. Using the stellar techniques Noel has developed over many years of working with families, parents can get back in charge. Living with boys can become calmer, easier and happier.