Raleigh Parker Kearns: The Name

Like all baby names, our sweet boy's name was chosen with lots of thought and care. I don't recall the exact date that we knew Raleigh Parker would be his name, but I remember that I was at work when Ryan texted me the name and meaning, and we were both so excited!

Blocks from Little Sapling Toys / Print from Mini Learners

Ryan and I loved spending the months while I was pregnant researching names, and blessedly we were on the same page with our style. We both seemed to like the same ones, which made our list of potential names quite long, but I loved that there were so many we agreed on. We knew we wanted something unique rather than classic, and something nature-inspired.

RALEIGH

Meaning and History:

From a surname which was from a place name meaning either "red clearing" or "roe deer clearing" in Old English.

And just so you know, a roe deer is a Eurasian species of deer. It is relatively small, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapted to cold environments.

Maybe more importantly than Raleigh's origin is the special meaning it has in Ryan's family. His grandfather, father, and himself were all named Charles, and they all three also went to NC State. While we knew we weren't going to carry on the name of Charles, this was a way to honor the men's heritage and tradition. #gopack

PARKER

Meaning and History:

From an English occupational surname which meant "keeper of the park" or "gamekeeper".

And Parker couldn't be more fitting since Ryan and I met at Tanglewood Park, and that's where he still currently works. We both love the outdoors, preserving nature, and living an eco-conscious lifestyle, so this name is quite personal to us.

Newborn photo by Joy Davis Photography

Oh and how fitting was a June baby shower with antler invitations, white antlers dripping with florals, and the cutest #ohDEERitsaboy hashtag!

xo,

R