You may remember that Brad Pitt played a 'Tristan' in an 90's movie Legends of the Fall. I will certainly admit that Legends of the Fall is one of my favorite movies of all-time. But choosing that name has nothing to do with the character in the movie or Brad Pitt. It does have to do with how the other actors in the movie 'say' his name. Tristan. It just sounds like a cool drink on a hot day. Or perhaps hot chocolate on a bitter cold day. It worked both ways for me. How versatile.
Names have an interesting power to provoke negative connotations in one person's mind yet give the warm and fuzzies to another. I think when you are naming your child, you really need not include others in the process or worry about what people will say. Its just too subjective. Many people tried to persuade us differently, Some reasons were: 'it sounds like Kristin or Christian' or 'His initials will be 'TAD.' Some brought up the nickname factor: What will people call him for short? 'Tris.' No. People will call him what he or his parents introduce him as. For every person you find that dislikes a particular name, you will find someone who loves it. There is no right or wrong.
I have never met another family with a child named Tristan. Yet I have read about some. Good sign, just what I wanted. But some recent events have me worried. There is new movie out. And it is being promoted heavily. The trailers begin with ....Before Romeo and Juliet.... there was Tristan and Isolde. They adapted the famous opera 'Tristan and Isolde' into a movie. Now it will become more mainstream and more common just because anyone with a tv is going to be hearing that name over and over again. Why does this bother me? Because this is Tristan's planet and no one shall hold the King's name, that's why. But there's hope, the story is full of tradegy and sorrow with doomed lovers, poison, war, betrayal, etc. That should keep those future baby-namers away. And if that doesn't deter- this will: If you look up the name in those nifty baby-name books... the name means sorrow. Who would name their child a name that means sorrow? Most won't. I did. Because I could care less what the baby-name book says. Ha!
Deciding on a middle name was also pretty much a no-brainer for us. Tristan's birthmother gave him the name Angel Gabriel when he was born. We knew we wanted to retain one of the names just not sure which. We decided to wait until we met him on our first visit. In Guatemala, in the first minutes alone with our boy, we looked into his face and it was clear, he was angel. An angel with a halo and wings. Just like you would imagine an angel to be; breathtakingly beautiful with luminous eyes. He was heaven-sent. He is the angel that will save my sorry-ass soul a million times with his smile. All his paperwork listed him as Angel, his foster family called him Angelito, so Tristan Angel it would be.
Since he has been home, I seem to have a version of his name depending on the mood or situation. Angel is always pronounced the spanish version, with the accent on the 'A' and the 'g' sounding like a soft 'h.'
Tristan, used always when I talk about him or in social situations.
Tristan Angel, when I am using authoriative mommy-talk 'Tristan Angel please stop touching the tv'.
Angel, when I am trying to beg or coax him into doing something he doesn't want to do or when I am mad.
Angelito, used when casually talking to him at home about nothing important. Or when I am trying to calm him down.
Tristan Angel. Its looks cool in print too.
