Phoenix and Indigo

Submitted by Maggie

I named my first daughter Phoenix after the Chinese phoenix bird. (My daughters are half Chinese/half Japanese.) The Phoenix bird is symbolic of the Empress and represents beauty and peace. It’s also a common Chinese girl’s name (in translation, of course.) I love it because it has ties to her ethnic heritage, yet it is easy to spell and pronounce.

I named my second daughter Indigo after the color used traditionally in Japanese arts. This was a much harder decision because the name had to match Phoenix, i.e., it couldn’t be too frilly or too common. I focused mostly on nature names, since both Japanese and Chinese girls’ names tend to refer to the natural world (e.g., Plum Blossom, Spring Phoenix, Golden Lily). Phoenix, then 3 years old, wanted to name her new sister Butterfly. Cute, but not very strong. (Plus, the nickname “but” wouldn’t fly. We ultimately chose Indigo for the same reasons we choose Phoenix. It’s a name with beautiful associations that has a tie to her ethnic background. Plus, I love the nickname Indie!