>:(

Since December, when I had my son, people have reacted (well, mostly) in one of two ways when I tell them his name.

When I say "Arlo" they either:
1) say "omg, I LOVE Arlo Guthrie!"
or
2) kind of make a grimace, and say "well... that's nice"


GAAAAHHHHH. While I do enjoy Arlo Guthrie's music from time to time, I did NOT name him after Arlo Guthrie.
Picking out baby names was the biggest pain in the ass ever. It's something you can't (well.... shouldn't) change. I knew that  I didn't want to name my son something like "Matthew" or "James" or anything else that is in the Bible. I don't dislike people with these names (Jacob is my partner's name), but I am an atheist and didn't want to name my son anything normal. On the other hand, I didn't want to name him anything too freakin weird. Everyone thought that because I have dreadlocks, that I'd name him something noun-ish. Like River. or Lyric. Not for me, either.

I wanted something old. Something that nobody ever hears anymore. Basically something that someone's great great grandfather was named. So, when I looked up old English names, I saw Arlo.... I was in love. It was the first name that I thought I liked, and it was the only one that stuck with me.

"Arlo" means: between two hills.
It sounds really stupid, but I took the meaning symbolically. As I'm sure you know, life is full of ups and downs. Hills, if you will. Arlo is my little peace in between the trials that life has thrown at me. Whenever I feel crappy, sad, depressed, or what have you, Arlo is there to make me smile. One little exclamation or bubble from his lips makes my entire day into a party. For me, Arlo means "solitude" "shelter" and "calm from the storm".

I really just needed to rant.
Thanks :)

LOVE
chelsea