What's in a name

Naming all of our children has been fun, challenging, and meaningful all at once.  Maybe even for our family it is a little different, just with all the loss.  Sometimes you just need a little something to hold on to that person, even if it is just a piece of their name.

Our first daughter Maya Rose: "Strong woman, a rose."   When we named Maya Rose we included Brett's mom's name (Francis Rose) with hers, as special meaning and significance since Fran passed away while we were pregnant with Maya.

And our 2nd daughter, Norah Olivia: "Woman of honor, compassion, light"

 Although we did not get to choose her name at birth, we did get to choose what her name would be when we adopted her, which was special, because we kept all of her original name, giving her 2 middle names and just added our last name to hers.  I really wanted to honor the name my sister gave her at birth, to know where she came from, but at the same time let her know she is forever a Goodlin!

And of course Sarah Eileen which means " Princess of light" and that is exactly what she is!  Her middle name "Eileen" was given  to honor and remember my sister " Carrisa Eileen."

So you see, all of our girls were not just given special names, with special meanings but names to remember those before them. We wanted it to be similar for our son.  So part of his name will be his own, but another part will be to honor and remember those before him.  It is nothing profound, it is simple and common, but it is very special and meaningful to our family, and helps to carry on a bit of our legacy.

That is why when I decorated his room I wanted the names of those before him, those who are ever so missed,  but forever a part of our lives, to be written on his walls.  Not just the names, but what they meant.  To have the legacy forever embedded into who he is.  Although our son will never know my brother or father, I want him to know who they were and how they changed so many of us.

 

When I started this projec,t of looking up the meanings of my dad and brothers names, I was so excited, I knew this would be sentimental and very special, and maybe even symbolic.  I also wanted to included my husbands name,  Brett, he has not passed away, but he is and will be my sons legacy in every way!

First,

I looked up my dad's name "Eugene Paul":

My dad wasn't just well born, his life was well lived, and he was so full of humility

 Then I looked up my brothers name, " Darren Kelly"

Dareen was "wealthy" in a way most of us will never knew, he knew the true riches of heaven, and he is still today one of the bravest warriors I will ever know, he fought cancer with the biggest spirit ever.

I think we are doing pretty good so far, I am feeling sentimental, emotional, and excited about the legacy that stands before our son.  Not just because of their names, but becuase how theirs lives were lived out.

And then I looked up Brett's name......."Brett Thomas"

 and that is where the sentimental feeling left and the laughing began.  I love my husbands name, sweet and simple, but the ONLY meaning we could find for it is "from great Brittan'  no strong man, or annointed one, just simply "from great Brittan"  or even better it means, "the girls version of Brittany"   Surely, surely there had to be another meaning out there?  nope, nothing....... well the urban dictionary has a different meaning, but you can look that up for yourself.

I thought for sure Brett's middle name, "Thomas" would make up for the lack of special meaning in his first name.  I mean Thomas is Biblical and strong right?  and you know what it means??

 "twin" or "one who doubted"  hahahah sheesh, we just can't win here

Brett does have quite a few look-a0likes out there, so twin, yes?

 At this point my husband is not feeling so confident in his name any more and we are both laughing,  actually I am in tears laughing, which is not helping his self esteem at all  or the fact that he wanted to give our son the name Brett.  Now that option seems to be out of the question.  and I just ask, " Do you know why your mom gave you that name?" and his response was, "she just liked it." And I am  totally pregnant and laughing ridiculously more than I should, slighty erratic and almost on the virge of actually crying missing Fran and wishing she was here so I could ask her myself.

  Then I just decide to go with it, the put his name on the wall with all the others.  I mean, I am just going to embrace his name, and the meaning, and forever make him speak in a Brittish accent.  I love my husband, and I know he has a great legacy despite the random meaning of his name and I want his name to stand above my sons, just like everyone else.

I know we are not sharing the name of our son yet, and not to be mean, and it is nothing profound, his name is simple and common, but we just want to keep it to our family for now :O) And mayb to irritate everyone just a little :O)

So what's in a name?  For our family, it seems to hold something more sentimental, something more meaningful and prophetic, but apparently for Fran (Brett's mom) it was all about just liking the sound.
 Either way, how a person lives their life is what really defines them and I hope and pray that all of my children will live a life that is defined by the Lord and Love.