Guest Blogger! A Boy Named Jorge...

[This entry has been written by a guest blogger who is currently MIA from her own blogging activities during her agrarian retreat]

My youngest is having an identity crisis.

I have come to this conclusion just recently as I have unfortunately confused many with the John/Jack referencing (either verbally or in photo captions). I’ve gotten quite a few “So, what IS his name?” type questions lately with some subtle inquiries with regards to why I didn’t name him Jack in the first place.

In the same vein, there was a question resolved on Yahoo answers two days ago: “Which name do you like better: John or Jack?”. The most preferred answer was “John [...] Jack, however, can be a nickname for John... You can name him John, and call him Jack later, if it suits him...” I would’ve responded in a very similar way about 8 months ago.

I had agonized for months over names and, after meeting our little man, we decided that John was the best name for the newest Tuck. It suited him at the time. However, I have to admit that I had started to call him Jack in our quiet moments alone in those first few weeks (despite all doubts to the fact, it is a diminuitive of John). Now, at 9 months old he has accumulated more nicknames than I have had in my entire life. The following is a shortlist of some of the names this boy has acquired:

• John
• Jack
• Johnny (by his older brother only, thankfully)
• Little John (from his father... references to Robin Hood)
  
• Big John (by Granny in reference to a song)
• Jack-Jack
• George (he is my dad’s ‘mini-me')
• We’ve also tried initials (somehow J.T. has been taken by another John Thomas way back and J.T.P isn’t quite right either). I personally like John-Jack (but the French format after Jean-Jacques Rousseau... but I’m nerdy)

Maybe he has so many names because John (for me, in its essence despite its timeless popularity) is a perfect name – though it is a strong, meaningful name- it is quite simple (especially in comparison to ‘Nathaniel’... who became known as ‘Nate’ before he turned one). Maybe it’s because there are many a John in the branches of his family tree. Personally, I think all the names he’s been given have their place.

For interest’s sake, check out the definitions about John "serious-minded, responsible and stable" and Jack "creative, independent and original" and your own name, too by going to this strange little site: http://www.kabalarians.com/Index.cfm

A prime example of correlation of name to situation is demonstrated in a cinematic experience. There are times when this child transforms into Jack-Jack from the Incredibles as demonstrated in this Pixar creation. Other times, he seems to suit his other names whether George or... Jorge. One evening we decided to “rename” the children: Nate became Raoul, Charlotte became Sally and Joelle, based on a character from her favourite book of the moment, became Kate. Jack/John – oh, heck... the baby – was named Jorge: hor-HEY. It has stuck. For those moments he’s shaking his food tray or climbing up the gate of the living room cum playpen with that gleam in his eye, he IS Jorge.

At the end of the day, I think I agree with Shakespeare’s conclusion about the significance of a name:

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet."

So what shall we call this boy named Jorge? If you look up Wikipedia (which this entry indicates, I look things up a lot...),you will find this gem “Jorge has at least 38 variant forms [including]: Egor, Igor, and Ygor.” It has come full circle. My youngest is being called Igor just as my father once named me. Hmm... maybe it was meant to be.

I think we should go back to Nate’s first impression way back when I was reading him a book about becoming a big brother. At the end, I asked him what he thought we should name his baby. He replied, “Rover” after the little boy’s pet dog in the story. So welcome to the family, Rover.