Name game, or, Waiting is fullness

Donald:

Waiting is fullness

"Nathan, I have no idea whether or not you're ever going to read this, much less understand what it means, (unless of course you someday have a child of your own) but I remember myself reading with intense interest the things my mother wrote about me as a young child, and I trust you will share a similar interest. I knew from the outset that you were to be a boy; I had a dream just before your birthday in which I saw you being born in bed. i saw your face very vividly. I also consulted the I Ching and received the first hexagram Ch'ien.

As far as choosing a name was concerned,rather than giving you my name (which my father had done) I thought of giving you one of my favorite nicknames - either Sonny as a first name, or Hedley as a middle name. Well, your mother didn't care too much for that idea, so I came up with Dylan - after Dylan Thomas who was an obscure poet from Wales, who was who Bob Dylan, a famous singer and songwriter of our generation, took his name after. And so on.

Actually, I was more in favor of letting you decide - or come across - your own name. The American Indians, for instance, found their personal names after fasting in the wilderness for several days - but the state of Pennsylvania requires that something be put on the birth certificate - so there you go.

Putting your crib together was quite an experience. It wasn't as easy as it looked - it took an evening and a few choice words - and when it was finished I saw for the first time my first bed - and yours too! I'm sure there'll be other things - less clumsy and more precious - that I'll pass on to you. I can hardly wait."



Helen:

"Before you were born, we decided your name would be Nathan. Your father had many other suggestions, Karl, Sonny, Zachary, Bartholomew and Headly Jr! Then there was Dylan. Your mother, I, had wanted your middle name to be Harold - your grandfather's and great-grandfather's name. Your father was not excited about that, so your mother decided she'd agree to Dyan as your middle name - so it came to be - Nathan Dylan Hess.

Your Grandmother and Grandfather Dickerson brought your father's crib August 25th. Your father was very comical when tangling with the crib. The nursery was ready for you on Sept 7th. Dresser in place - lent to us by your Aunt Marion, crib together with new yellow checked quilt, and clothes ready, given to us at the baby shower September 7th."




It is funny to read about names you could have been. Thank you mom, thank you so much, for vetoing Bartholomew. Oh that would have been hell, bad enough on its own, but then with the Simpsons...I shudder to think. I never knew that my mom had wanted to name me Harold...mom, I can't promise anything, but if I have a son at some point, I will at least try to convince my wife to use Harold...if she balks I'll suggest Hedley instead! That should bring her around.

I think you guys did well with your selection. I love being Nathan Dylan, and I am thankful you did not stick an "ial" or "iel" on the end of a perfectly good name. Although, Dylan Harold also has a certain ring to it, don't you think?

I was also unaware that Harold was my great-grandfather's name...I thought it was Percy (which is also my grandfather's middle name). Got something to ask ol' H.P. Whittemore!