In the middle ages, when infant mortality rates were high, and people did not know from vaccinations and proper hygine, they thought that the evil eye would take babies. It was then somehow decided that if the evil eye did not know the NAME of a baby, it could not find it.
From this information, the Jewish tradition of not telling the name of a baby, even to the baby itself for 8 days after birth became standard.
Since we did not have our daughter from birth, we chose placement day as day one.
Today is day 8.
My grandmother was a wonderful, kind, strong woman, and I miss her terribly. Narda’s mother was a smart, strong, caring soul, who left this earth too soon. Our daughter’s birth mother gave her a name as well, which will be a part of her always.
Our daughter is named after these strong women.
Malka Velma Angel (last name-last name)
Malka was my grandmother’s name, and Velma was Narda’s mom’s name, and Angel is the name her birth mother gave her.
She is surrounded by strength and love.
Hydrangeas Are pretty 
Shelli, her name is beautiful! (just like she is!) I love how it means something and how you kept the name her birthmother gave her. (now i’m crying again.) I love it! Will you be calling her by a silly nickname? I call my baby girl kikikianna sometimes…hahahaha
Malka (Queen)
Velma (Protector)
It is beautiful and touching. She is most certainly surrounded by strength and love.
*hugs*
What a lovely name.
Welcome Malka!
awww.. how sweet. love how you guys came up with it!!
A beautiful name with a neat background.
Thank you for telling how the tradition came about. I knew that your reasons were based on Jewish tradition, but didnt know the background. Thank you for educating me today.
A beautiful, strong name for your lovely daughter 🙂
What a gorgeous name. And thanks also for educating us today.
What a beautiful name. And so strong with its meaning and ties.
Welcome Malka.
How do you pronounce Malka? Pretty!
Dear Baby Malka Velma Angel Last Name Last Name & Mommies Last Name Last Name: Mazel Tov – Here’s to observing many future life cycle events together!
I’m curious – if you don’t mind at some point talking about this – did Malka’s first-mom have any reaction to the idea of her being raised Jewish (I’m assuming, perhaps incorrectly, that she herself is not Jewish)?
Welcome Malka Velma Angel. You are truly blessed.
Just Beautiful.
Beautiful name, with wonderful meaning for both of you.
(in tears over here)… thank you so much for sharing. she is so adorable and i love her name. she truly is surrounded by love and strength… even that of strangers. blessings to all!
What’s with making me cry at work? I love it, it’s gorgeous and so incredibly meaningful. Malka. Welcome.
Malka is pronounced like the Balkan islands – “Malk-ah”
Her birthmom is totally OK with her being raised Jewish.
Shelli, It’s a completely BEAUTIFUL name, and even more so with the story behind it. She will grow up strong and proud.
🙂
Welcome Malka Velma Angel – beautiful, meaningful name. How special!
Many blessing to you Malka Velma Angel
It is a beautiful name and a wonderful tribute. Welcome Malka Velma Angel.
Beautiful, just like she is! Welcome Malka!
A special baby comes with a special name. Thank you for sharing it with us.
beautiful!
just beautiful – and I’m sure it will mean so much to her later – names from all three of her mothers…May she always know how blessed she is.
martha mosquito
Simply beautiful!
8 days?! Can you even believe it?
Cool name, definately. What did you call her (to each other, to her) before? I meant to ask.
Shelli–
What a beautiful name, with a strong, rich history. Are you doing a baby naming ceremony today? Or are you waiting for a conversion? (I am still struggling with what to do for Max, given some of my family history of conversion and inter-faith marriage and therefore my Jewish status…) Sorry if I am being too nosy…
baby naming will be on march 3 at Shul, conversion when the adoption is final, in about a year…
will write you more when it’s not one handed…
🙂
we still call her motek, Hebrew for cutie-pie
That’s a very unique name and it’s so special and holds great meaning for your family. I’m so glad you were able to incorporate all the names you wanted and even honored the birth Mom in the process. Very touching. Thanks for sharing.
I love it! I love family names. All the baby names we have picked are family names. So much history, she will be so proud later to explain who she is named for.
*wipes away tears*
i love it shelli- very unique and strong and i am just so happy!!!!
Malka Velma Angel….what a beautiful name. I love that her name has suck a strong family background. Welcome Malka!!! You’re a lucky little girl!!
A beautiful and fitting name for a beautiful little girl!!! Mazel Tov!
(Can I still call her “Boo-Boo Baby Bite Face, though?? I can’t help it!!! It’s better than “Crusty”….heh!)
Give my darling niecey-poo Malka a smooch from her auntie, and tell her I’ll see her soon!
Well worth the wait!
Welcome Malka Velma Angel. I’m so glad you found your way from Shelli and Narda’s hearts into their arms.
xoxoxo
Love the story and the strong unique name. Very beautiful and symbolic.
She sounds like a Valkyrie! Stunning name, full of sentiment; gotta love it.
I love the name. All of them. Beautiful name for a beautiful girl.
What a beautiful name!
just lovely. a name worthy of your daughter. may her name be the first of a lifetime of wonderful things to come to her.
*sigh* it is a perfect name!
You KNOW I love a name with a story. I feel like you have truly blessed this girl with a name that honors, by tribute, three wonderful women.
Just beautiful, in EVERY way!!
Beautiful. Welcome Malka Velma Angel!
wonderful!!! and as others have said – how fantastic that she has a lifelong connection to her families, her mothers, and more.
i have a stupid question (and i have a damned degree in the study of religion!) – how does one fill out a birth certificate for a child who is yet to be named? For non-religious reasons my SIL didn’t name her child unti the MOMENT she HAD to complete the paperwork to leave the hospital. I am just curious how it works if you are not a flake and simply practicing your religious tradition…
With adoption, the birth certificate has the name given by the birth mother.
After the 30th day that the birth mother signs papers, she is legally ours. We will not have a new birth certificate issued until the adoption is finalized, which is usually around 12-15 months.
So to answer your question, her birth certificate currently says Angel.
Absolutely beautiful.
So lovely. (insert sniffles here…) I couldn’t be happier for all three of you. Thank you so much for sharing your journey with all of us. I am looking forward to little Malka growing and changing. You and Narda are the best parents a child could ask for.
Carrie (Targetgirl619)
Lovely names. Thanks for sharing them. So happy for you!
Brucha haba’a, Malka Velma Angel haktana!!
I love the name Malka. She is going to be a strong soul with the combined forces of those three names. Mazel tov!
Hi Malka!
What a pretty name!!
A fitting tribute to a beautiful little girl… congratulations again… I am just soo very happy for you… will go wipe tears as reading of how you came up with a name just sent my flaming hormones into overdrive.