The Name

Emily: Are we those annoying people who just gave their kid a terrible name?
Sam: Yep.

We are frequently asked why we chose the name Edison. Well, I have absolutely no idea. But I have to say that I love it. I worried that I might regret it, but I don't.

Our list started with a whole bunch of girl names and zero boy names. After spending hours looking up names, nothing sounded good to both of us. I didn't want to just give up and name him something that sounded fine but not amazing. He was almost named Donovan but it didn't seem right and I didn't like the nicknames that could come from that name.

One day, the name Edison came into my mind. I had never heard of anyone with a first name of Edison and the only person I knew of with it in their name at all was Thomas Edison. We have since learned that it is a very common name in the Dominican Republic. Sam was completely opposed to the name at first. I stopped calling the fetus Baby Bruce and instead called him Edison. I did research about Thomas Edison and told Sam about all the cool things he did. Sam firmly put his foot down one day and told me that he did not want that name. I gave up on it and started looking for other names. But I couldn't forget about it. All the other names could not compare to it. It felt right to me. After a few weeks, I mentioned the name to Sam again. He didn't sound as opposed to it anymore. So I started bringing it up more frequently and I could tell it was growing on him. I went to the craft store to get letters to make something for Edison's room (see picture above). I called Sam and told him what I was doing. He asked what letters I was buying. And it was decided.

His middle name is Christopher. This is Sam's dad's middle name. We considered this for Edison's first name. Although I think this is a fine name, it is so common, and didn't seem to fit. I didn't really want it as a middle name either because it is loooong, but Sam stretched for the name Edison so I figured I could let him contribute to the name as well.

During the pregnancy, they told me there was a chance the baby would have Down Syndrome. I worried about the name Edison for a baby with special needs but decided to do it anyway. This seems like such a trivial worry and I am embarrassed that I even thought about it.

I thought Edison was such an easy name for people to spell and pronounce. But when Edison was two days old, I took him to his first pediatrician appointment. After I said his name, the receptionist said, "E-D-S-O-N?" I have also had people think I am saying, "Addison." Now if people look at me funny after I say his name, I just quickly add, "Like Thomas Edison."

We are not on a vowel kick. We are not doing an A-E-I-O-U thing. We are not doing an inventor thing (Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Edison). And no, Jared (my little brother). We will not be naming our next child Tesla.

I love my little Edison Christopher so much.