What's In A Name: Otto Edwin

Otto Edwin Schuster

Years ago, even before we became parents, Joe and I joked how we liked "dogs names for boys, and boys names for girls." As we created lists of potential baby names this trend seemed ever present. Did you know Max is the #1 dog name (& cat name!) in the US. Otto? I had only heard of Otto as a dog's name in some children's books we have. And Wren? Often called a boy when people hear her name. There you have it. Our boys with dog's names, and girl with a boy's name. And what great names we think they are!

Otto Edwin, we love your name. Here's a bit more about what it makes me think of when I think of your name...

Otto.

As we were tossing around possible names for Otto before he was born, Joe began sharing more traditionally German names, given his ancestry. When he mentioned Otto as a name, I remember liking the sound of it, but had to ask if he was serious or not. He said he thought he was serious. It's a name he'd heard of before. I hadn't. Other than in two different children's book series that I've read. And in both of those books it's a dog that is named Otto as the main character. Hmm...

Well, after a couple days Otto had totally grown on me. I loved how simple of a name it is. I like how short it is. I like the sound of "Max & Otto" together. I liked that I hadn't heard it (although now I've heard it a couple times for younger kids instead of just older men). Joe wasn't entirely sold on it quite yet, but I told him I'd need his help thinking of some different names that were just as great as Otto. And quickly, because the Otto train had left the station. In the matter of a few days I had started getting a lot of "signs" that our baby was definitely an Otto.

I shared the name Otto with just a handful of people before Otto was born. Two of my friends that I mentioned the name to let me know that they both knew of Otto's. Both of "their" Otto's were much older gentlemen and both friends stated how they have only fond memories of him. Another friend I mentioned Otto to said he knew only one Otto and that he liked him too...his Otto was the Syracuse Orange Men. I guess the mascot's name is Otto. Who knew? Certainly not this midwestern girl.

And the name Otto was pretty much solidified for me when I had the most random sign of all. I was sitting in a creative/advertising presentation at work when a slide in the presentation showed a family's refrigerator with kid art on it. The name (or at least the letters) "otto" was on one of the pieces of paper that was displayed on the fridge with a magnet. When this slide was projected on the screen, suddenly Otto started kicking - really kicking - inside my belly. And I started smiling - really smiling. Somehow he knew that I was thinking of him at that moment and he was pretty much telling me that he was going to be our Otto.

Edwin.

Clearly I like short(er) names. Max, Otto, Wren. I like Ed. I like Edwin a lot. I love Otto Edwin together. Edwin is my Mom's Dad's name; my Grandpa Smith. I hear only good things about him. How he was so kind, loving, fun.

I wish I could say I had more vivid memories of him, but mostly what I remember are stories that I kind of make up by piecing together photographs of me, my sisters and my cousins with him when we were young. From those pictures I can tell that he loved us grand kids, and he sure did have fun. He'd drive us around in a little trailer behind his riding lawn mower. He'd push us on the big swing out back. He'd encourage us to climb the crab apple tree in their front lawn. Halloween trick-or-treating happened at their house. Jelly beans were hidden all over their house at Easter. Christmas we'd perform our own Nativity story using bath towels as our veils and shawls.

Grandpa (Edwin) Smith smoked cigarettes and wore trucker hats. He was a gentle soul and loved life. My mom once said that Joe reminds her of Grandpa Smith (I'm guessing his personality and not the cigarettes or hats). And since Otto reminds me of Joe, maybe some day Otto will also remind my Mom of Grandpa Smith. I kind of extrapolated that one out a few generations, but I can hope...

Oh, Otto. You march to the beat of a different drummer, or you make the beat of your own march, or whatever that saying is. And I mean this literally. At the age of two you really do march or dance or wiggle when you walk. You will often swing your arms and legs, swoop your torso low and do a little shimmy as you walk. I may not be able to describe exactly why the name Otto suits you, but it does. You are so Otto. Our Otto.