The Meaning Behind Quinn's Middle Name

As you know from a previous post, we are naming our daughter Quinn. It is a name filled with meaning, so we wanted her middle name to be special as well.

Her middle name will be Eliana (pronounced el-ee-ah-na). The “El” beginning is in honor of my Aunt Elsie. We want Quinn to know she is named after her Great, Great Aunt Elsie, who is like a loving grandmother to her mother, and someone that both her parents love very much. She will know that her special quilt was made by her Aunt Elsie.

The name Eliana is a Portuguese name, in honor of Chad’s late mother, Marie, who was Portuguese. Quinn will learn about her grandmother and her Portuguese heritage. Chad and I took our unforgettably amazing honeymoon to Portugal, and incorporating this heritage in to her name was important to us.

Finally, Eliana is the Portuguese version of the name Helen. Her middle name will also honor my dear grandmother Helen, who was so special and loved her grandchildren dearly. She was an important person to me while I was growing up. I miss her and wish she could have met Quinn.

We love that Quinn’s middle name can honor three special elder women in our families: Elsie, Marie, and Helen. Also, the name Eliana means “sun” in Greek; which is fitting, since Quinn is such a bright light to us already. In Hebrew, the name Eliana means “God has answered.” Although we are not particularly religious parents, we do see Quinn as an answer to our longing for a child. We are so thankful and can’t wait to meet our Quinn Eliana in just a few short months!