what’s in a name?

We’re having a third child, which means a third round of months debating the same names over and over again.  I mean we have some new ones in there but for 5 years Brad has been trying to throw Robin in the mix.  I just can’t do it.

I feel like some couples have the easiest time naming their kids.  They know right away what it will be if it’s a girl or if it’s a boy.  This has never been us and I’m envious of the quick namers.

To me naming seems like such a huge deal.  I probably make it out to be a bigger deal than it needs to be.  I remember nearly driving myself crazy when it came to finding a name for our second.  Then, just before he was born I suggested Ira again for the first time in months while at the park.  Honestly I had forgotten it as a candidate because Brad disliked it, but this time he said “Yea, maybe.”  So we talked about and by the time we left Nelson Park it was settled.

Even though I felt complete peace using the name Ira we chose not to tell people until he was born.  I am always open to the idea that I will see this baby and feel they’re someone completely different.

With our first we had a girl name we were certain we would use (we didn’t know the gender) (it was Eleanor if you’re curious) but had several boy names and couldn’t pin one down.

One night in bed, just a few days before he was born I remember Brad saying, “What about Theodore?”.  Huh, I thought.  That’s good.  And Theodore he became.

With Theo I didn’t consider the name meaning too much before deciding to use it.  I do remember looking it up either right before or right after he was born and feeling struck with how perfect it is for him.

In Greek, Theodore means “A gift from God” and he truly was my gift. You see, Brad and I had not agreed on whether or not we were going to have children.  He really didn’t and I kind of did, so I remember many nights silently praying that things would change and I would be a mother someday.

Lo and behold I am a mother and I am grateful for my gift.

Once we found out our second was a boy our name search became difficult once again.  We always seem to come up with a girl name no problem, that time it was Lula which was the name of my great-grandmother.

Once his gender was discovered, I felt very led to choose a Hebrew name.  So I searched.  And searched.  And literally scoured those internet baby name sites texting Brad suggestions and finding a few we liked but nothing that was “perfect”.  Until that night in the park.

Ira means “watchful” and he surely is.  He has always been taking in the world around him, an active participant in life.

So with this baby I feel led to a certain type of name as well, with a certain meaning. I hesitate to talk about it once again, because welp, you just never know.  I pray about it and have ideas about what we could use but I’m certain the the decision will not come until right before this one arrives as well.  I need the time to get to know this boy or girl in my uterus (it’s going to be a surprise!) and to take the time to listen to what God wants him or her to be called.

For the one thing I know is that this child is a gift to me on loan from the Kingdom.  I believe their names matter and that God has a whole bundle of awesome things in store for their lives.

I just have to listen.

Theodore Albert : “a gift from God”; “noble and bright”

Ira Stephen : “watchful”; “crown”