What's in a name?

Oliver Neil Gibson. Where does this name come from?

Oliver is a name that Holly and I both love, and it has been at the top of our list since before Holly was pregnant. We happen to live in the Oliver neighborhood at the moment, but that's purely coincidental.

Oliver is of French origin, and signifies the olive tree. The biblical olive tree symbolizes fruitfulness and beauty and dignity. Extending an olive branch signifies an offer of peace.

Neil is Holly's grandpa's name. We wanted a namesake that would be special for both of us. Neil is a wonderful man who we both love dearly, and who has made me feel especially welcome in Holly's family. We are looking forward to spending lots of time at their home with Oliver.

Neil is Celtic, and means champion.

A few non-linear thinkers (which I can non longer claim to be) have pointed out that Oliver Niel shortens quite conveniently to O.Neil. Holly and I work for O'Neill O'Neill Procinsky Architects. O.Neil is not intentional; in fact we didn't notice it until somebody else pointed it out. However, since we met at the office, it seems very appropriate.

We haven't settled on a nickname yet. Candidates include O, Oli, and Ollie right now. There's already an O in the family (Hi Owen!!), so we might be moving towards a Big-O and Little-O. Time will tell.