My little family is expecting a new son in a few months. Due September 30, we’re all pretty excited here at the Steussy Ranch. We’re actively making plans to stop doing anything outside the house starting in mid- to late-July. We’re checking on the air conditioning ducts, which got tested in 116° weather last summer. It will be more important this year, as we’re more likely to be using it on a near-daily basis.
The kids come to me requesting particular books to read: The Bernstein Bears and Baby Makes Five is a favorite for Camilla now, probably since it centers on the new older sister. Dan-dan prefers Baby on the Way. Both of them are anxious to see the new baby.
We run into a problem with names. We feel like we had some very strong choices for our first two children, and are both nervous about naming the third. Our requirements are simple: the name must be suitable both in the US and Hungary (Attila doesn’t work, with regrets to my brother-in-law), and the name must have resonance. That resonance can be anything at all; famous people, historical figures, authors; but thus far, we’ve chosen from a close set of family and friends, and been very happy with that.
We have two wonderful children, both of whom have great names: Daniel Solon Steussy and Camilla Nora Steussy.
Daniel <- Somewhat generic, but we both felt strongly that we liked it. Strong resonance with our friend, Daniel Thomas, in San Francisco.
Solon <- If I have any regrets about names later in life, it is that I was insufficiently brave to make this Dan-dan's first name. The name of my maternal grandfather, who died in 1923 and historically of Solon the Law Giver in Ancient Athens, Solon is full of resonance. In addition, there are virtually no boys named Solon these days. Of course, that's the reason we only chose it as a middle name. I liked it so much that when choosing the name for our personal corporation six months after Dan-dan's birth, I made it Solon Enterprises. Everyone calls it "Salon" Enterprises, and I've seen every different possible spelling.
Camilla <- We struggled for names for our daughter. This seems funny, since when naming Dan-dan we both decided that girls' names were easier. Finally, Gabi produced a list of fifteen names which she liked that fit our Hungarian-US requirement, and "Camilla" screamed from the page. Camilla was my mother's cousin, who was very active in raising her, making the resonance extremely strong.
Nora <- This was the choice of our children’s godmother, Judit, in Budapest.
We probably shouldn’t be so concerned. How often do I think of my paternal grandfather, after whom I’m (partially) named? He was Edwin Emil Steussy. My middle name (“Eugene”) is different, named after my mother and with a first initial that matches Emil.
We’re interested in suggestions … and as with previous children, we won’t be making this one public until he is actually born.
March Field, CA
