A good friend's daughter had her very first baby yesterday, January first. Not only did he arrive after a mere seven hours of labor, but he came in the middle of the afternoon, during visiting hours, which was also thoughtful and considerate on his part.
So what do I find so amusing about the blessed event, given that his parents lucked out in so many ways -- an easy birthday to remember, a short labor, and a daylight arrival?
His name.
His folks didn't tell anybody what his name would be ahead of time. They insisted we would all have to wait. So I was expecting a kid with a moniker he'd have to defend every day on his way to school. Like Fauntleroy. Or Euphemia, which is a girl's name, but there are already several Euphemias in the family, so it could happen. Or they could step outside the box and call him Arabica Bean, after his parents' favorite coffee. Or Stone Harbor, a favorite family vacation spot -- an actual suggestion from one of his grandmas. As possible names go, it wasn't looking good.
Luckily, he will be called something safe -- Evan, which I happen to know is the Welsh version of JOHN. After digesting this middle of the road, easy to live with designation, I realized what his mom and dad had done.
Evan, which, to review, is the Welsh version of JOHN, joins his father, Sean, which is the Irish version of JOHN, and his uncle, Ian, which is Scottish for JOHN, and his grandfather, JOHN, which is English for, um, JOHN.
Very funny. What's next? Gianni, Johann, Juan? Or will they take "john" in a men's room direction and call the next boy any one of hundreds of options hanging on the doorways of bathrooms around the world: Gent, Guy, Monsieur, Hombre, Stallion. . .
9 comments:
I know a sweet lil Irish guy named
Evan John
2+ years old :)
Holey smokes, did you refer to me as a "peanut butter and jelly sandwhich"???
How in the heck are you?
I am in AZ about halfway between Nogalos and Tucson. Where are you?
And speaking of baby names, Summer just had her fourth and called him Xaviar who happens to follow Calixto, Talia and Olivia!!
Juanita Dougherty
A "John" by any other name is arrested! Anne
I hear that the Inuit have 372.5 words for "John".
Oh wait....that was "snow". Nevermind.
What do you think of parents, who are not British, or at least haven't been British for 400 years, who give their children two middle names? Also, what do you think of the name Cian?
Curious in Washington.
NOTE TO JUANITA DOUGHERTY:
Funny, I always hear from people who Google themselves. Especially when I've used their names in my entries.
You're in AZ? Isn't that a little close to Mexico? I don't think that story about your mother naming you after the song "JUANITA" is going to cut it with the border patrol.
BTW: I said you were as Hispanic as a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I could have said you were as Irish as a taco grande.
Mrs. L
I guess no one told them about "Remo."
Your friend is halfway between Nogales and Tucson? The only thing there is a bunch of doddering old-farts in a place called Green Valley.
It ain't. Maybe she lives in Tubac. I'll alert ICE.
Old farts...hey have you been to Green Valley lately? My folks winter there! It is like Desperate Housewives for the elderly! You would not believe the sex crazed retirees out there! They have more exciting lives than I do & that is pathetic!
I knew an Evan in College...HOT...and a cop now..hmmm!
What is his middle name? Could be worse...at least he was not named after Miss America (or was it Universe)...didn't really help me any!
I talked to a retiree living in Green Valley who told me they take regular bus runs down to Mexico to buy their prescriptions cheaper. The #1 item coming back?
Viagra. Go figure. I would have guessed it was Lipitor.
Die with your "boots on" I guess.
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