What's in a name?

Our baby girl is here, and you finally know her name!  In case you don't, it's Ruth Emily, and we're officially calling her Ruthie.  (FYI, a nickname is official when you know it's what you're going to have embroidered on her Pottery Barn Kids anywhere chair.) 

Ruth/Ruthie is a name we've never considered for any of our other children, but it came up this pregnancy because the names we previously considered weren't quite right this time around.  I was sure we wouldn't think of anything new, but we dug down deep and actually came up with 3-4 names that had never been on our list before.  I've always liked the name Ruthie (hello, "7th Heaven!"), but, like I said, it was totally off the radar for my own children until now.

We don't really factor in the meanings of names when naming our children, but I love that Ruth means "compassionate friend."  (Ruth was the daughter-in-law of Naomi in the Bible.  After her husband/Naomi's son died, Ruth chose to leave her own people in Moab and relocate to Bethlehem with her mother-in-law's people.)

But Ruth said, "Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you.  For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge.  Your people shall be my people, and your God my God." (Ruth 1:16)

To prove how all over the map we are regarding names, here are the meanings and origins of each of our children's names:

1. Sydney: means "Saint Denis"; origin is French
2. Lorelei:  means "alluring, temptress" (yikes); origin is German
3. Ford: means "dweller at the Ford"; origin is English
4. Ruth: means "compassionate friend"; origin is Hebrew

Her middle name, Emily, is after my maternal grandmother, Emily Belle (who I called P-ma).  (Let's pause a moment and reflect on how forward-thinking my great-grandmother was to choose the snazzy name "Emily Belle" for my grandmother in 1930.)  P-ma and I had an extra special relationship, and I'm so, so, SO glad we've been able to honor her through our child's name.

I have to confess that for months I've been thinking of her as Ruthie Belle.  (Ford Alan has been proof that a child's given name sometimes had little bearing on what you actually call them, seeing as "Bubby Joe" is what comes out of our mouths 80% of the time.  Poor kid.). Of course, when she's in trouble we'll holler, "RUTH EMILY!!!" (which will be never, right?), but don't be confused or surprised if I call her Ruthie Belle the rest of the time.  Both names honor my beloved P-ma, and, let's be honest...it's just darned cute.

We love you Ruth Emily/Ruthie/Ruthie Belle.  Welcome to our crazy family, and thank you for completing us.