What's the History Behind Your Child's Name?

Your child's life on this earth begins with his name. A name is the symbol, the identity which a person carries throughout every chapter of his life. His family, his friends, his enemies, his mentors, and up to the very last stranger he introduces himself to will recognize him by his name.

This is how important choosing a name for my daughter was to me. I wanted her name to be perfect and beautiful as it reflects how beautiful and special she is to me. The problem though is that choosing a name out of the millions of possible ones out there is just too difficult for me.
Even after buying a humongous baby name book to assist me with the task, I couldn't decide on a single name for the little angel. The hubby wasn't very helpful either. Every interesting name I shouted out, like Colette or Ava or Roxanne, he'd shoot it down with no further questions asked.

Eventually, I got desperate. I racked my brains for a name that we'd both agree on and that I'd see myself calling my daughter. My sister saw how important this was to me, so she suggested using one of my favorite names, Holly.

The name Holly didn't catch my attention until it was used in two song titles of my two favorite punk rock/pop bands: Rough Landing, Holly by Yellow Card and Holly, I'm the One by Son of Dork.

The name rang in my ears like bells, sweet chimes that gave me an image of a girl sweet, unique, and with a lot of promise. Yes, the electric guitars and drums weren't helping in sustaining this image, but the name "Holly" was perfect, so perfect that the second name to come after it should compliment it very well.

I opened my book and scanned the pages for possible second names. Holly Marie, Holly Antoinette, Holly Mae, and many others were swirling in my mind as I searched. Eventually, I decided on Holly Gillian and that is the name I call my 1-year old daughter since Day 1.

Okay, so the history of Holly's name isn't your typical, meaningful, life-impacting scenario, but I'm very content with the choice and know deep in my heart that her name will soon be in newspapers, plaques, certificates, and maybe on the web. She's got a lot of hidden talent and potential in her, and I pray she will use her gifts for good.

I'm sure there's a special history behind your own son or daughter's name, so why not share it here? I'd love to hear how you've chosen your children's names, so go ahead and share your stories in the comments below!

Stef Gonzaga is a 20-year old mom, a freelance writer, an online shopper, and a tech maniac. Read about her life at The Steffi G. Blog, learn everything you need to know about freelancing at The Freelance Pinoy, or connect with her via Twitter @alexis0fdreams.