What's in a name?

Lukas Owen Dean Parets

Many people have asked how Lukas got his name. Since we didn't know the gender until Lukie arrived, we definitely didn't already have a name picked out. We had a short list of girl names and boy names, but Matthew and I both agreed that we would decide when we saw our baby. What we knew for sure what was that we didn't want a very popular name. Anything on the Top Ten list of Popular Baby Names was out (even though we really liked some) http://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/

In our lengthy debates leading up to his birth, we had a REALLY hard time coming up with boy names. This might have something to do with Matt thinking that Mycroft was a great name. Google it. Go ahead.

A few weeks before he was born, Matt suggested Luke. It was one of the few names he suggested that I actually liked. (Again, see Mycroft). I love the historical origins of Luke and I was sold. Then he suggested that we name him Lukas, but call him Luke. This way he has a more formal version of his name.

I didn't like it.

In fact, I hated it.

As Sara, my name is my name. There is no formal version, not shortened version - just Sara. I wanted that for our child. Matthew is Matthew, or Matt, or a bunch of other names that aren't appropriate for a public blog. He wanted our child to be able to introduce himself casually or formally. So you can see our dilemma.

When we lost our beloved Owen three weeks before I went into labor, we both talked about incorporating his name into the baby's name. Since it was horribly unfair that he wouldn't get to meet our child, it seemed like the right thing to do. Especially since he spent so much of his final days with me and a kicking baby in my belly.

So when our son arrived, we both looked at him and knew. He was our Luke.

That night, we discussed the rest of the name. Suddenly, seeing him, I knew that Lukas was right. So he become our Lukas.

Next we had to decide on his middle name. When I asked Matt how he felt about Owen, he looked surprised. He told me that he thought it was already decided, that we really had nothing else to discuss.

But there was one more thing. My favorite boy name had been Dean. It is the name of my maternal grandfather, the only grandparent on my mom's side that I knew. Grandpa Dean lived with us until I was nearly 5 and I loved him very much. I wanted to honor him. So our son became Lukas Owen Dean Parets.

It's a big name, but it is full of history, unconditional love, and deep personal meaning. I know our little boy will have no problem growing into it.