The Boy’s Name

Coming up with our own kid’s name isn’t as easy as I thought. Obviously we want a cool name for him. We don’t have much restriction except that we would like to give him a Vietnamese name to remind him of his root. Our first shot was Trương Công Đức, but Đức is too popular.

After many attempts, Dana and I didn’t come to an agreement, so we consulted my father-in-law for advice and he nailed it. Trương Công Đạo is just perfect. I am sure Đạo is not an uncommon name, but it is not often heard of, at least for me. I love the sound of Công Đạo and I hope that he will hold truth to his name—benevolent, honorable, and respectable—throughout his life.

I also would like to nickname him Duke after one of my favorite jazz geniuses Duke Ellington. But then again, nothing is set in stone. We still have a few more months until he comes out to lock in.