Spain Dad, a baby blog

I have narrowed down my list of baby names to two. I know what you’re thinking, and no, I’m not going to tell you what they are. You’re just going to have to wait. Besides, if it makes you feel any better, April’s still shopping around. She’s an options girl.

But I’ve got my names. I’ve decided two is better than one, so I’m campaigning for at least two, if not three, names to choose from when the baby is born.

I’ve always liked the way the Hebrews in the Old Testament waited until their children were born to name them. They observed their children first and named them accordingly.

Maybe they were a tad literal at times. Rebekah had twins. Her first son was born with reddish hair, so she called him Esau, or “hairy” in Hebrew. Her second son was born grabbing the heal of his brother, so Rebekah called him Jacob, or “holder of the heel.”

I’m going for something a bit more meaningful, but there are those names too. Pharaoh’s daughter, for example, found Moses floating in a basket on the Nile and adopted him as her own child, calling him “drawn out,” a constant reminder of how their relationship began.

I like the story behind Isaac’s name even more. Sarah, his mom, was over ninety years old when she had Isaac, her first child. She gave Isaac his name because it means “he laughs.” God has a sense of humor, she thought.

I’m not creative enough to completely come up with a name on the spot. Besides, I know where babies come from. After watching my girls go through THAT together, I’ll be in no condition to pick a name. I might come up with something unforgivably appropriate like Jabez’s mom did. Jabez means “borne in pain” in Hebrew.

I am banking on the fact, however, that when I finally get to meet our little person (this side of Mom’s heated Jacuzzi) there will be a moment of clarity, and we’ll know, we’ll just know which name fits.

If not, well, I guess we’ll just have to play Eeny meeny miny moe.