My Name is Moses: A Big Name for a Little Guy

By now you probably know why we named Moses Moses, but in case the information hasn't trickled to you yet, here's a word of explanation.

Moses Root Rios
Jeremy and I chose Moses as the name for our firstborn son many years before he was born. Quite simply, we liked the name--the way it sounded when we heard it, the musical quality it took on when we said it, the fun ways of shortening it (Mo, Mos, "The Mos"). We also liked it because of its biblical namesake. The biblical Moses was a man of great humility, who, while far from perfect, enjoyed a relationship with God in which they spoke face to face.

Moses' middle name is Root after Jerry Root. A professor at our alma mater Wheaton College, Jerry is the minister who imparted counsel to us before we married and the officiant at our wedding. Jeremy would say that Jerry taught him to love Jesus and for that, among other things, he is counted a dear friend.

Our last name is Rios which means 'rivers' in Spanish. The name Moses means 'from the water' in Hebrew and we feel the three names together are reminiscent of Psalm 1.

"But his delight is in the law of the Lord...He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers."

Like we said, a big name for a little guy. May he grow into it with the grace and blessing of his Maker.