Irena Francoise – Baby Name Story

13 Feb

Irena was named after an old Nordic tale of a goddess of snow who saved young animals from the harsh winds of winter by building mounds for them. Inside of the mounds the animals were able to take shelter and store food. Since my daughter was going to be born in the middle of winter I wanted to give her a name that represented the strength of getting through cold months, while still embodying nobility, beauty, and composure. Her middle name, Francoise, was my Mother’s cousin who influenced me when I was a child to study Mathematics. When I was growing up, gender binary was still very much the norm. I was always good at math, but thought it was something meant for the boys. Francoise taught me to ignore those thoughts and follow my dreams. Irena has – everyday of her whole life — carried the warmth of Christmas in her laughter and had the smooth, silky soft skin like snow. She is a strong, independent girl who doesn’t follow society’s norms, and that makes me proud. My husband is not one to enjoy frilly, fantasy names, but when I found the name Irena he was intrigued. He thought that it sounded strong and majestic, not like a silly, ethereal fairytale character.

This baby naming story was shared by a Baby Name Stories Contributor

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