The Name Story

Last fall when we learned that we were going to have a baby, it didn't take long to start thinking of names.  Of course, at that point, we didn't know if it was a boy or a girl.  So we tossed around names for either.

For a boy we quickly decided on Samuel.  It was a name that was in the running when we were expecting Cade, so that was a pretty easy choice.  We couldn't agree on a middle name, though, so it's good that we didn't have a boy!  Since the time when we were considering the name for Cade, I had wanted Haddon (after Spurgeon, of course)...and still did.  But now Stephen wanted Patrick (after Patrick Henry) instead.

I distinctly remember telling Stephen that if it was a girl, we should make Grace part of her name because, of course, it was God's grace that He would grant us another child.  But also, we would be in great need of His grace as we raise her.  

Stephen wasn't sold on it as he preferred less popular names.  It wasn't long before we both agreed on Caroline for the first name.  I'm not really sure where it came from, but we both liked it.  We went around and around on a middle name for months and couldn't decide.  The two finalists were Grace and Elaine.  In the end, Elaine won the day.

Elaine was chosen for my mom - it's her middle name.  She's a SuperMom in my book, and for nine years I've been trying to live up to her example.  We wanted to honor her by carrying on her name.

Now, the interesting part...

Truly, Caroline was chosen because we like the name (I honestly can't even remember how we came up with it).  It did so happen that Stephen's mom's middle name is Carol, and his grandfather and great-grandfather both bore the middle name Caro.  So there is some family history of similar names, but no Caroline.

However, after our Caroline was born, we learned that when Stephen's mother was born, her parents were trying to decide whether to give her the name Caroline as a first name or Carol as a middle name.  The latter won out, but her mother told her that she should someday give her own daughter the name Caroline. And she intended to.  

But no daughters were born to her - instead, she had four sons.  

So she was quite shocked - and elated - when we announced that our daughter was named Caroline.  It took a lot more years than she would have ever guessed, but there is finally a Caroline in the family!

A dress from Auntie Janelle

SMILES!!