AND HERE IS THE MIDDLE NAME POLL from the same iVillage message boards:

Help, please!?! Middle name needed very soon!

message #: 35619.1
from: yb_coach
date: Aug-27 2:48 pm

Help, please!?! Middle name needed very soon!
PFM Paloma Frances (from France--we got engaged in Paris...) 11 votes (14%)
PCM Paloma Chantal (means song or singer) 9 votes (12%)
PCM Paloma Claire (like Claire de Lune, the song) 10 votes (13%)
PCM Paloma Celeste (means heaven) 13 votes (17%)
PAM Paloma Allison (for my sister) 2 votes (3%)
PAM Paloma Alice (for my grandmother) 3 votes (4%)
PLM Paloma Lourdes (for my sister in law, plus its French) 3 votes (4%)
PLM Paloma Lynn (for several family members) 2 votes (3%)
PJM Paloma Joy (obvious meaning... does it sound like a candy bar?)3 votes (4%)
EEM Ella Esperanza (I like the e.e. cummings feel) 22 votes (28%)

78 people voted in this poll

You did not vote in this poll.
This poll expired 9/26/2005 2:48 pm

message #: 35619.2 in response to 35619.1
from: elizabook
to: yb_coach
date: Aug-27 4:18 pm

Please don't go with Ella! Paloma is so refreshing! What does it mean?

from: yb_coach
to: elizabook
date: Aug-28 7:54 pm

Paloma means "dove", or as my 5 year old says, "white bird of peace". Picasso named his daughter Paloma. It's a well-known but not common name in Spanish (and half of the family is in or from Mexico). Also, the nickname in Spanish, Palomita, means little dove or popcorn, and it's a song covered by Linda Ronstadt on one of her "Canciones di mi Padre" cds.

But to me, it means the famous Picasso painting of the white dove holding a multi-colored bouquet. Last Christmas I bought Xmas cards with this image on the front; the inside said simply, "Peace on Earth".

from: lola-n-posie
to: elizabook
date: Aug-27 7:03 pm

I LOVE Paloma Frances! Paloma means Dove and Frances means Free, so overall I love the meaning too. I also like the link to where you and DH got engaged. :) Hands down winner to me!

from yb_coach
to: lola-n-posie
date: Aug-28 7:50 pm

Thanks, it's definitely one I keep coming back to!!

from: cathylarson
to: lola-n-posie
date: Aug-30 12:07 am

I agree!

from: veildancer
to: yb_coach
date: Aug-28 9:40 pm

Wow, you got some really beautiful choices! I voted on Paloma Celeste, but I love Paloma Chantal too... I also like the idea of honoring a family member by using that person's name as a middle name...but I'm not a fan of names where the first name ends with the same letter that the middle name begins with... I do LOVE the name Alice, though... what about varying that a little bit? Paloma Elyse? Paloma Lynn sounds pretty, and it's nice since it would be honoring several family members...I just don't think it looks as pretty as it sounds, and also- Paloma is so different and exotic and Lynn just sounds like a filler, in a way...and it's kind of common. But still, it sounds very pretty!
Lastly, I love the idea of Paloma Frances, since you got engaged in Paris, but I don't really care for the name Frances, I think it's kind of frumpy- especially next to a name like Paloma! I dont' know about using an alternate name for Frances, though, I mean- Paloma Francesca might sound too much... anyway, great choices! Best wishes to you!

from: ihv2boys
to: veildancer
date: Aug-29 4:32 pm

Like Paloma Elyse-very pretty.