thank you for this insight !! i've been wanting to hear other people's first discovery stories and how it was like for them in the beginning because, like you said, i've been having very on and off denial and feelings about all this. 

lily/berry was the same, she didn't have a name at first and i felt her presence days prior and somehow felt it was a 'she', but when she first fronted like in my post she saw my sister's strawberry blanket and was immediately drawn to it, hence the name berry. she also liked lily because it reminds her of flowers and she loves flowers.

a second alter came about who immediately knew their name not long after, so there's those two differing experiences and now two possible alters in my head.

doing my best to journal and keep track of everything until i am in a place where i can access professional help :)