Skip to content
Menu
Planet Stahl
  • Cart
  • Checkout
  • My account
  • Scholorship Fund
  • Shop
  • Candidate Stahl
    • Campaign Donations
Planet Stahl

Summer – what’s in a name

Posted on June 28, 2023June 28, 2023

I have no family ties to the name Summer. In Angela and I’s family there is a common thread of “Marie” but that’s about it. 

When we were headed to the hospital for her birth, I remember that we were still unsure of a name. “Ava” was a top first name and “Summer” was working well as a middle. The problem, because I am a 12-year-old boy deep down, was those initials.  “A.S.S”. Would that be fodder for schoolyard bullying? Would she resent us her whole life because of this oversite?

Autumn was in the running as well…  But Linda made it very clear she could not pronounce the word!

I recall we were on our way to the hospital when I had the spark of thought to call my Grandmother Marie. Thankfully she answered (Like everyone, she had a landline in those days attached to her answering machine)(Actually, she may have had that same setup currently) and fielded our question.  Out of curious desperation, we asked “What was Grandma Giancarli’s middle name?”

“Emelia” was her response. Not “Amelia” she was quick to point out. Actually, she repeated this several times to make sure we didn’t screw it up. Angela and I both looked at each other and nodded in mutual agreement that this might work.

Ava Emelia didn’t roll off the tongue very well…. But Summer Emelia had a nice ring to it. We continued our drive to the hospital and the rest is history.


The name Summer (for me) embodied a sense of freedom, optimism, and frivolity that I hoped our daughter would exude. it’s a fun name and I thought she would fit right in with our “vibe”. We are not hippies… well, if we are, it’s a very 70’s Fairbury version.  We had moved into our house on Christmas Tree Road (Green Valley) and there was a wild sense of a “little house on the prairie” now that we were living outside of town.  

Over the last few months, I have been thinking of legacy and names. I have a whole post in my mind about lost family members in each of the generations. (Not lost…. Like off the trail…. But those that have passed before their rightful time)  My Dad and “baby” Sylvia in particular.  

My hope, through her morass of medical trauma and the grace with which she traversed it, is that the name Summer has some boost in the rankings of tough-guy names.  Sal, Vinny and Tony all need to move down a notch. 

Those who know this Summer will know the toughness and fortitude that come in a package with the name.  

Summer is a badass.

Summer has an iron will.

A warrior named Summer should cause trepidation in any foe because they know they are in for a fight.

Summer, along with flippant youthful joy, now means courage, bravery, tenacity, and a profound toughness that you would expect from one of the four seasons. Arguably the best season.

I will never have another kid… but if we could, I would use the name Summer again. It’s the name of a rockstar and it’s a name that holds no boundaries.

 

Related

4 thoughts on “Summer – what’s in a name”

  1. Carol Cain says:
    June 29, 2023 at 1:13 am

    I love reading about her name and how it came to be! Summer just fits her! As I typed her obit for The Delavan Times, I wondered what the E. stood for. I thought about calling you to find out so I could include it, but decided that if you had wanted it included, you would have put it in there. So, now I know E is for Emelia. Summer Emelia . . . a pretty name! You all remain in my prayers, as you have been throughout this battle.

  2. Vicki Levasseur says:
    June 29, 2023 at 6:10 am

    Eric, you should write a book. I cannot stay away from your posts. As profoundly sad as your days have been recently, the “name story” provided a laugh (about the initials) and a dedicated devotion to Summer as you described her fight throughout the past months. Continued thoughts, prayers, and love go out to you and your family.

    1. Cheryl Wendland says:
      June 29, 2023 at 7:04 pm

      Agree. What hope and comfort he could give to other families.

  3. Billie says:
    June 29, 2023 at 6:26 am

    Summer…..eternal summer. Definately a hot, feisty, unforgettable time of year and a name your daughter rightfully shared. It speaks to me of being the child of gypsies, travellers, joyful beings. Carry on in her name. Make her as proud of you as you ARE of her.

Comments are closed.

Archives

Eric Stahl

Twitter

Tweets by Planetstahl

  • May 2025
  • March 2025
  • February 2025
  • January 2025
  • December 2024
  • November 2024
  • October 2024
  • September 2024
  • August 2024
  • July 2024
  • June 2024
  • May 2024
  • April 2024
  • March 2024
  • February 2024
  • January 2024
  • December 2023
  • November 2023
  • October 2023
  • September 2023
  • August 2023
  • July 2023
  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • February 2017
  • December 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • May 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • December 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • June 2015
  • January 2015
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • February 2013
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • November 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009
  • November 2009
  • October 2009
  • September 2009
  • August 2009
  • July 2009
  • June 2009
  • May 2009
  • April 2009
  • March 2009
  • February 2009
  • January 2009
  • December 2008
  • November 2008
  • October 2008
  • September 2008
  • August 2008
  • July 2008
  • June 2008
  • May 2008
  • April 2008
  • March 2008
  • February 2008
  • January 2008
  • December 2007
  • November 2007
  • October 2007
  • September 2007
  • August 2007
  • July 2007
  • June 2007
  • May 2007
  • April 2007
  • March 2007
  • February 2007
  • January 2007
  • December 2006
  • November 2006
  • October 2006
  • September 2006
  • August 2006
  • July 2006
  • June 2006
  • May 2006
  • April 2006
  • January 2006
  • November 2005
  • October 2005
  • September 2005
  • August 2005
  • July 2005
  • June 2005
  • May 2005
  • September 2001
  • May 2001
  • April 2001
  • March 2001
  • February 2001
  • January 2001
  • December 2000
  • November 2000
  • October 2000
  • September 2000
  • August 2000
  • February 2000
  • November 1999
  • Cancer
  • Candidate Stahl
  • Digital Divide
  • Family
  • Friends
  • Grief
  • Health
  • History
  • Home Improvement
  • Libertarian
  • Local News
  • Music
  • Pets
  • Scholarship Fund
  • Social Commentary
  • St. Jude
  • Throwin' Wrenches
  • Trail Team
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized
  • Video
  • Work
Eric Stahl

©2025 Planet Stahl | WordPress Theme by Superb WordPress Themes