Eliana Norma Stark
God has answered our prayers with a gift of sunlight
who is full of courage and great strength.
Behind the Name:
Eliana –
The day after it was confirmed that we were pregnant, Dave went out and bought our first Baby Name Book. We spent several hours that day sitting on our patio reading through names. Some names made it on the possible list, some names were immediately crossed off and others brought great laughter.
Throughout the next few weeks we each spent time with the book and marked the names that we liked. I have had names that I have liked since I was little but none of them felt right when I sat with them and tried to apply them to this life inside of me. As I read through the book, I came across Eliana. To my knowledge, I had never heard it before. The spelling caught me at first, and then I read the meaning. It is originally a Hebrew name that mean’s “The Lord has responded,” or “God has answered our prayers.” That is exactly how I feel about this beautiful baby inside me. So Eliana suddenly took the number one place on my list.
I continued to write down other names that I liked, but none seemed to feel right except Eliana. As I researched the name further I found that in Arabic it means “sun” or “sunlight”, and one of the websites mentioned it meant “gift.” It was in my research of the name, that I came across the “Elianas Song.” I cry every time I hear it. I would have loved to write her a namesake song, but this one by Watermark completely encapsulates how I feel.
I love names that are unique and have a strong meaning. So my goal was that the name was not on the top 100 most popular. Dave wanted a great meaning as well, but wanted to avoid a name that was too unique. I had been a little nervous that Dave would consider Eliana too unique.
I prayed and told God that if Eliana was to be her name, the name would grow on Dave and if there was a different name to please change my heart. I began to find some other names that I felt I could live with, when Dave told me Eliana was really growing on him. We put it to prayer and from that day on, it was the only name that has felt appropriate for our miracle baby.
Norma - Is Daves paternal grandmother who he absolutely adored. She passed away when he was in his teens, but she has left such an imprint on his life. As soon as we discovered this little life inside me was a girl, he was determined she would be named after his grandmother. The name had to grow on me. I considered add Rae to the middle name after my grandfather, who passed from this life the morning I first felt her move. However Norma Rae sounds way too country for me! : )
After sitting with the name and doing some research I found that Norma means “courage.” I see her as courageous, I sense that will be one of her traits so the name began to fit. I never met Daves grandmother, but every family member I meet speaks so highly of her. She was obviously very influential in all of their lives. I imagine that many of the qualities and characteristics that I love about my husband were imparted or molded by her. I am sure if I had met her I would have adored her as well, and I know that I have her to thank in part for helping to shape such a wonderful husband for me…so Norma it is.
Stark – I discovered that Stark means “one with great strength.” So appropriate for this little one. From the beginning of my pregnancy as I prayed for her I knew she would be strong. However, I do not feel like her strength means strong willed or rebellious. I sense hers is a quiet, gentle strength. A strength of character, a strength in confidence. I feel she will have a sweet confidence, knowing who she is and whose she is…that confidence will give her a strength that will be unshakeable by peers or outside pressure.
If you have any words or scriptures that you have for her we would love hear them! Please email them to us or add as a comment to this post!
