Nellie Michele Pratt

was born on 5.15.21 weighing 8 lbs 14 oz and measuring 21 1/4 inches. She is absolutely perfect and we couldn't be more in love!

Nellie


As I was reading through “350 Old-Fashioned Girl Names” the name Nellie popped in my head. I said to Bryan, “don’t you have someone in your family tree with the name Nellie?” He got excited and said that it was the nickname that his great grandmother chose for herself. I looked on Bryan’s family tree and found that his grandfather’s mother, Bridget Ellen Reid, did indeed also have records that showed that she went by Nellie M. Reid. 


As I thought more and more about that name, I began to love it. I asked my mom what she thought and she said “maybe look through your family history and see what you like”. Well, that was another push in the direction of Nellie. She also said to “read the meaning of names”. So I quickly googled and found that Nellie means light. I absolutely loved that!! I want our daughter to be a light to the world. I want her example to shine. I want her to be strong in her faith and be like Christ - the perfect light.


I also love that Nellie was the name of Bryan's grandfather's mother. Bryan was incredibly close to his grandfather, Raymond, and I think it is special that we are naming our baby girl after his mother. When we told Bryan's aunt the name, she got teary eyed and said "your grandfather would love that". I never got to meet Raymond Pratt, but from the stories I hear, everyone loved him, and I hope our baby girl can follow in his footsteps, just as he followed in his mother's.


Michele


Long before we were pregnant and even knew if we were ever going to have a girl, I knew I wanted to have the middle name of my child be Michele. My mom Michele is the most amazing woman I have met in my entire life. She emulates Christ in all she does. She is kind and giving and has immense charity. She doesn't judge others and she looks for and focuses on the good in all. I hope our baby girl can be just like my mom. I hope she can look at her middle name and follow the amazing example that her grandmother has shown. I hope she can get to know my mom and love her and be just like her as she grows up!


Michele is a special name with its meaning being "who is like God" or "Gift from God". I hope Nellie Michele recognizes that she truly is a gift from our Heavenly Father to me and Bryan. I hope she strives to be like God and like Christ. I hope she remembers who she represents and looks to her grandmother as an example of how to live up to this beautiful name. I am forever grateful that I was blessed with a mom as amazing as mine and I am so grateful that my baby girl will be so lucky to have her as a grandmother.

The significance of a name


I decided to look up why names are so important and I found this beautiful quote. “Names are always important, and names have meaning. In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, naming is a priesthood ordinance, and it comes with a blessing. It is significant that we are known by the name our parents choose for us “on the records of the Church” and throughout our mortal lives. This given name has importance in all the priesthood ordinances, including temple ordinances.” 


I want our baby girl’s name to be cute and I also want it to mean something. I want it to be important in her life. I want her to strive to be light. I want her to look up to her family and learn about her amazing ancestors. I want her to be just like her amazing grandmother. I want her to have faith, be kind, and have charity for all just like my mom. Our baby is so so special and I want her to have a name that is special just like she is. I want her name to mean something to both me and Bryan and we have found that name.


Welcome to the world baby Nellie. We love you oh so much already!