What's In A [5th] Name?

So I push the baby out and now comes the hard part:  Picking a name.
Each morning we were in the hospital, the birth certificate lady would come in to ask if we'd filled out the paperwork.  Each morning, we'd send her away.
 (And turn off "Castle" and start thinking about names again.)

What's my name?!?

This was NOT an easy process.  We've used up EIGHT names already.  Four first names picked because we like 'em, and four middle names picked because we like 'em and they're family names.

Maxwell Douglas (Maxwell after Neal A. Maxwell and 'cause I like it.  Douglas after his Daddy)
Samuel James (James after Doug's dad and James Clark)
Gabriel David (David after Doug's brother)
Grayson Brandon (Brandon after my brother)

For boy name number five, I was mostly looking for a name that can be shortened (i.e. Max, Sam, Gabe, and Gray) and a name that sounds good with Grayson.  Possibly a name ending with "n".  Also, can't be made up and can't be the number one most popular name in the country.

That's how Lincoln came to be on the list.  Can be shortened to Linc, and ends with same sound as Grayson without being too similar.  (Like Jason.  Sam was REALLY pushing for Jason.)

And this is what we eventually ended up naming him:  Lincoln.

(Much to the dismay of my friend Ginger and sister Laura--neither of whom are fans of the name.  Which is why you never tell people your names until they're officially on a birth certificate!  I'm still laughing at the text I got from Ginger saying "Fine, but I'm going to call him DINKon!")

There were other names on the list, we just couldn't agree on any of them!

Cannon  (unfortunately, "Can" doesn't really stand alone.)
Dallin (Evidently the name of a dumb kid Doug knew in high school.  Plus, it's a nephew name.)
Jacob (Another nephew name.)
and the other two top contenders...
I was really liking Benjamin, but we already have a nephew named Benjamin and evidently it's complete insanity to think of a repeat in the same family!  Never mind they'd be 10 years apart and will probably always live in different states.  Regardless, Doug took Benny-Boy out of the running.

or...
William.  Very frequently repeated throughout Doug's lineage.  BUT, add our last name, and that was just a bit too much alliteration for me.  His name would sound too much like "William Wallace" and I'd have Mel Gibson's Scottish accent in my head for the rest of my life.  Plus, I can't have a Willy or a Billy.  I took William off the list.

At the last possible minute before leaving the hospital, we filled out the paperwork.

Heading home!

We named him (after much angst and deliberation) Lincoln Wesley.  Lincoln, because we like it.  (Or maybe because neither of us hated it?) And 'cause it sounds good with Grayson.  Wesley after two of Doug's very best friends:  One a friend from Japan, one our next door neighbor here.  And 'cause we like it.  (And 'cause a little alliteration is a good thing...!)

We're still not sure if Lincoln is the right name for him.  It's so...grown-up.  Mostly, we still call him Baby.  But at least he has a name.  And we were finally able to finish watching Season 5 of Castle.  So, you know...there's that.

We love you Baby Linc/Lincoln/Linney/LincLinc/LinkyLoo
 (Someone please tell me what to call him!)

P.S.  Thought I should record this somewhere:
Since Max is named after Neal A. Maxwell, he really wanted us to name the baby him Neal.
Sam was hoping for Jason or Ron Weasley.
Gabe wanted Joseph after Joseph Smith.
and Gray wanted Baby Brother.  Which is what he still calls him--Bay-ee Bud-ah.  And what we call him half the time.
I guess Gray wins!