Single fatherhood, nicknames, and how one baby girl changed the life of a 52-year-old dad—
Before I explain why I chose this nickname for my daughter, let me clarify one thing right away:
I’ve been blessed with an exceptionally beautiful, sweet baby girl.
You’re welcome to trust my complete objectivity.
Sara Turns Heads Everywhere
Sara, now two and a half months old, draws attention wherever she goes — at the pediatrician’s office, the well-baby clinic, the mall, a café, or the neighborhood park.
Some babies simply have that effect. People stop, look, smile.
Sara is one of those babies.
?So Why a Donut
Sara was born with particularly chubby cheeks — as if she’s quietly storing yeast for later use.
Round little features, a warm, disarming smile, and a softness that’s hard to put into words.
It didn’t take long before I gave her a nickname — strictly within our small, close family circle: Donut.
(“Donny” for short. Yes, I’m an aging, incurable man-child. Thank you for noticing.)
The nickname quickly caught on among family members, who immediately saw the resemblance and happily adopted it.
As our collective addiction to Sara’s sweetness grew, I decided to take the idea one step further.
If modern bakeries can sell donuts filled with jam, chocolate, cream, peanut butter, and even meat (seriously), then surely I had created the most natural and appropriate filling of all:
a donut filled with baby formula.
And just like that, the brand was born — at least within the family.
I’m sure some people might still wonder:
What kind of father gives his daughter a nickname like that — even if it’s only used within the family?
My answer is simple:
Nicknames are reserved for the people we love the most.
And there has never been anyone more precious to me than my daughter.
Writing this isn’t about diminishing her.
It’s about sharing the overwhelming, unfiltered love I feel for this little round-faced human who stormed into my life and gave it a meaning I didn’t know existed.
And if one day Sara asks me,
“Dad, why did you call me Donut when I was a baby?”
I already know exactly what I’ll say:
Because you were the sweetest thing in the world… and I didn’t know how else to explain it.
If Sara inherits my sense of humor (along with a few less flattering traits I already recognize), there’s a good chance she’ll laugh about it — maybe even improve on the nickname.
And given her genetics, chances are she’ll eventually be much slimmer than the original donut ever was.
Donut isn’t her only nickname, by the way.
Being half Ukrainian and half Persian, there’s something subtly Slavic in her face.
That’s how another nickname was born: Sonya — a name that, for me, has always carried warmth, tenderness, and round features with a hint of Russian charm.
Someone else in the family went even further and said she looks like a babushka — one of those round, layered Russian nesting dolls.
Personally, I think that one might stay with her for a while.
And honestly, the fact that I’m not the only one giving her nicknames has taught me something simple:
There’s a direct relationship between how much we love someone — and how many nicknames we invent for them.
The names we give our children belong to everyone.
Nicknames belong only to us.
Maybe that’s why it’s so hard to let go of them.
Here’s my admittedly hypocritical confession:
If a stranger ever tried to give my daughter a nickname like that, I’d probably become their sworn enemy.
But that, too, seems to be part of parenthood.
And especially part of single fatherhood — at an age when most people are finally enjoying quiet evenings, not mixing bottles of formula.
Now It’s Your Turn
If you feel like sharing, I’d love to hear the nicknames you’ve given your children.
The funniest one wins — theoretically — a box of baby formula.
In practice?
(In practice… we’ll settle for love. She’s already the best filling in the house.)
We’ll settle for love..
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More From Sara & Me
If you’d like to read more about Sara and our life together, here are two more posts you might enjoy:
The Dictator and the Devoted Servant
Wine, Sara, and Cyndi Lauper
Beyond the Blog
Alongside this blog, I also give talks about late fatherhood, surrogacy, and the emotional journey of becoming a parent later in life.
Sara and Me 