How We Do It: Names

Aria Elizabeth

Ah!! It is still so very exciting!! A girl! We are going to have a daughter...a daughter! I told Jason he better set up her wedding fund soon! HA! 

Anyway, I am so so in love with her name... We actually had it picked out well before we knew that Austin was on the way. I guess even though I'm a boy mom, I always knew I would have a little girl. It is just so exciting!

So, back to her name. Wondering where in the world it came from and/or how we decided on it? Well, let me bring you back to my 8th grade Confirmation days... 

My name is Heather. We are Catholic. We love our saints and ask them many times to pray for us, just as we would as a friend to pray for us in time of need. Well, there is no Saint Heather....and, yeah, I'm not sure there will be, ya know? So, I had to choose a saint's name for Confirmation and, honestly, I cannot tell you who that amazing woman was... I'm sure my parents know. But, me...nope. Not a clue. Maybe Mary, but just because it is pretty common. Anyway, once Jason and I decided to have kids I was determined to have names for my children that were saint names for this very reason. 

Andrew - named for Saint Andrew the Apostle, a fisherman. What's funny is that my Andrew is ALL about that Animal Planet show, River Monsters. He wants to catch a catfish so bad... And, if you are wondering, Andrew means "manly." True. Have you ever watched an episode of Deadliest Catch?? I'd say fishermen are pretty manly!

Alexander (Alex) - named for Saint Alexander, the patron saint of philosophers. And, let me tell you ...my Alex. Every question he asks starts with, "Hey, ____. I was wondering..." Oh, dear. Another perfect pick, right? Alex's name means "defender of men." I can totally see that. He is always watching out for his brothers, even when it doesn't really seem like it. Also, he likes to argue...this little defender of men would make a great lawyer one day, should that be his calling.

Austin - This little guy's named took some effort and time and lots of thought. But, it is funny how it all worked out. I have always loved the name Augustus. And, yeah, here in the South...not sure how that one would fly. So, we searched and search and saw that Augustus was a version on Augustine, as in Saint Augustine. Again...not a name that would work out (or be pronounced correctly). But after reading more about St. Augustine, we found that Austin was yet another version of that name. So, yay!! Austin means "great, magnificent" and, well...I do think he is pretty great!

So, now we come to our daughter's name. 

Aria - named for Saint Aurea. I'm still learning about this saint and deciding on which one is best for our Aria. But, at least I know she isn't a Saint Nobody, right? As for the spelling...again, the South. I love it and will never leave it again, but let's be honest. Pronunciation isn't one our strong points. I could already hear the messed up ways "A-u-r-e-a" being said... Also, that spelling didn't have a meaning I really liked (version of Aurora...ugh. Sleeping Beauty is my least favorite princess...but that will be another post for another day). But, "A-r-i-a" means "golden; melody." Sounds better to me. Anyway, I'll learn more about her Saint soon. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

First Family Portrait...as a family of 6. Whoa... Bet you can't guess which one is Mommy!