What's In a Name?

A name.  It's  a pretty important thing.  It's the toughest decision you have to make after finding out you're expecting a baby...what name you'll give him to carry through life.  I like classic, traditional names. I like biblical names. I like family names.  Some people say I want my children to have it easy when they are bubbling in their name on the SAT, hence I give them the shortest name possible (Corey Lee). But the truth is, I just like simple, special names and I am happy that each of my sons have a name that means something to us and will one day mean something to him.

Sam...I have always loved the name Samuel.  I think it is just a beautiful name and I even find myself calling him Samuel just to hear that sweet name.  I knew as soon as I found out I was pregnant that if I had a boy, his name would be Samuel.  Jody really didn't have a choice in the matter.  Thankfully, he liked the name too and agreed. When we discovered we were having a boy, Samuel it was.  We then moved on to middle names.  Again, I knew instantly what his middle name would be.  John, named after my Daddy, who was named after his father and grandfather.  Samuel John...biblical, traditional, family.

Jack...Jack's name didn't come as easy to us.  Jody and I couldn't agree.  I offered Nicholas, Noah, Seth, Max...none of which he liked. I tossed out Jack or Jackson...he didn't seem interested.  So we moved on to the middle name.  I knew I wanted this boy named after his great grandparents, specifically his great grandfather, Rudolph Johnson.  Rudolph and Sam shared such an amazing bond and were the very best of friends and I knew he would share a special bond with this second little boy too. We decided that our next son would have the middle name Johnson, after his great grandparents.  We tried many different first names and one night laying in bed Jody said, "Jack Johnson Standley.  Not Jackson.  Just Jack."  And that was it.  Jack Johnson...classic, traditional, family.

Our third son.  I wanted Luke.  Jody said no.  Jody offered a name that I had begged to name Jack...Will.  Ironic, I thought.  Will is a special name, a name I loved and had really put out of my mind as an option.  And now Jody was choosing it.  Both of my grandfathers are William.  They are two very special, very wonderful men.  Jody's grandmother is Willa.  She is an angel on earth.  Jody's great grandfather, Marie's father, was Will.  Jody nor I ever knew him but I have heard wonderful stories about him and I know I would have adored him.  I chose to use Lee as his middle name, Jody and his Dad's middle name.  Jody said no.  He wanted this baby named just for his Dad, not him.  So our third son has a name.  William Joseph Standley...traditional, biblical, family.

And we can't wait to meet him...our little Will.