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Couple who turned to Facebook poll to name unborn child has daughter
Madelyn Meske, who was named via a Facebook poll
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Updated: October 24, 2012 10:06PM
Facebook users worldwide preferred Madelyn to McKenna.
So that’s what Dave and Lindsey Meske named their new 7-pound, 14-ounce daughter when she was born early Tuesday.
“That’s my favorite — I’m very happy about it,” Dave Meske said Wednesday.
The Crystal Lake couple in the fall launched a Facebook poll to break the deadlock they had reached over the name of their forthcoming second daughter.
Dave, 27, liked Madelyn, while the 24-year-old Lindsey favored McKenna.
To end the impasse, the couple decided to let the Facebook world vote, publicly promising to abide by the results.
They added two other names they liked, Emily and Addilyne, to Madelyn and McKenna — then let anybody and everybody vote on their favorites.
During their 2-1/2 month survey that ended early Tuesday when Lindsey was induced to deliver her baby, more than 4,200 people from all over the planet cast their electronic ballots.
The result? Madelyn collected 1,310 votes to edge Emily, a name favored by 1,265 voters. McKenna trailed with 938 votes and Addilyne finished with 687 votes.
“I’m really OK with it,” said Lindsey, who had lobbied friends and family members to vote for her favorite, McKenna.
The number of people getting involved surprised both parents — as did the fact that people from as far away as Iceland, Australia, Germany and New Zealand cast votes in the survey.
“It was from all over the world that people were seeing this,” Meske said. “I’m really surprised.”
The couple, who already have a 4-year-old daughter, Brianna, said they have no regrets about the way they named their newest daughter.
“It was fun, it was great little experience,” said Dave, the art director at a novelty company.
He and his wife probably will wait a while to tell their little girl how she was named, though the timing is still up in the air.
“Maybe when she’s in junior high and understands technology a little bit,” said Dave, adding, “with my luck, that might be when she’s in kindergarten.”
But all the naming questions haven’t been decided yet by the couple.
“We’re still debating the middle name,” Dave said, chuckling.
They’re considering McKenna, but might end up choosing Rae instead.
That way, if they decide to have another child, McKenna would still be available as a name, Dave said.
