What's In A Name?

When we decided to name our first child "Caleb Michael" nobody batted an eye. Everyone immediately said, "Oh, that's a great name" or "I love the name Caleb." In 2006, Caleb was the 34th most popular name. Michael came in at number 2 on the list. Caleb was named very loosely after the Razorback football player Caleb Miller - mainly because we liked his name, but also because he had a good character image on and off the field. Michael was my father's middle name and he went by Mike. For those of you who don't know, my father died when I was four. It was important to me to take the chance to name my son after him.

Rudy and I put a lot of thought into what we'll name our new baby. Before we knew if we were having a boy or a girl, we decided on names. If it were to be a girl, she would be Nola Mae. If it were a boy, he would be Harrison Daniel. One of the first questions people always ask when they find out you're expecting a baby is, "Do you have names picked out?" I would always answer, "Oh, yes. If it's a girl, her name will be Nola." I got an occasional response of, "Oh, that's so pretty" or "That is perfect for you - so Southern." More often, the response followed a pause and went something like, "...and if it's a boy?" When I responded with, "Harrison," I inevitably got a "Oh, that's a great name" or "Oooh, I like that one."

Harrison Daniel was our boy name. Harrison is the town that Rudy's family is from. It's where his parents met. He spent a lot of time in his younger years there. People frequently ask us, "Are you related to the Harrison Villines?" So - Harrison Villines had a ring to it. Daniel is the name of one of my best friends' sons. Daniel Shelton is one of the most well-mannered, funny, well-rounded kids I've ever known. I will be humbled if Caleb grows up to be anything like Daniel is now. Plus - his mom is an amazing friend who God has completely blessed my life with. I wanted to name our baby boy after her son.

When I told my mom the results of our ultrasound last week, I didn't say, "It's a girl." I said, "Her name is Nola." And it is. Her name is Nola Mae Villines and as I write this, she is doing somersaults or practicing her best dance moves. (She has been very active all day today!) Where in the world did we come up with her name?

Rudy and I have a very special connection to New Orleans. Nola is a common nickname for that wonderful city. New Orleans, LA. Rudy and I have vacationed there several times. We love the culture, the food, the music and the southern hospitality of the Crescent City. Yes, I realize it's different. You may have never heard of it. It was 918th on the popularity list for 2008. That doesn't matter to me. Her name is Nola.

Mae was the middle name of my maternal great-grandmother, who was my babysitter for the first couple of years of my life. Mama Mae was my hero until she died unexpectedly when I was three. Mae is also the middle name of my paternal grandmother, who continues to be a blessing in my life to this day. My Memmie is a spiritual guidepost for me and her faith in the face of tragedy and struggle amazes me every time it crosses my mind. (By the way, Mae is not in the top 1000 names for any of the past 9 years.)

So, now you know. We didn't choose Nola Mae to be different. We certainly didn't choose it to be cruel to our daughter. It's not a joke and it's not a "statement." It means something to us. We think it's beautiful. Just like she will be.