The Name Ozzy

I know many people will wonder about the origins of the name Ozzy.  So, I am writing this post to answer those questions for those people as well as (and more importantly) to document the actual story/history of how Ozzy became Ozzy.....since over years stories tend to morph into something just shy of the truth.  Here it is:

As I already explained, I had the "naming rights" for our 2nd child, so I was going through lists and lists of names anytime I had a few minutes just to see if a name would stick out to me as a possibility.  I ran into a particular list of names that was "Old Norse Boy Names".  Here is the screenshot of that list when I first saw Ozzy as a potential name:

As you can see Ozzy was directly under Owen on the list.  I think I originally skipped over it, but something brought me back to it to really put that name in the back of my head to marinade on it.  

Once I decided that it was a real finalist with the name (in fact my 1st choice), I told Em that I chose the name but that I was pretty sure her initial reaction was that she wasn't going to like it......but that if she gave it time I think she would really love it.  I did this because I needed her to not just go with her initial gut impression on the name....but really to give it some thought.  

Fast forward to the day of Ozzy's delivery.  It is about 1:06pm....about 2 minutes after his birth and I am taking pictures of Ozzy on the little bed he is on as the nurses are working on him and cleaning him up.  All of a sudden the doctor says to me, "So, what's his name?".  I said immediately that I wanted to discuss the name with Emily before I blurted it out.  Not even 1 minute after that, another nurse in the room asked, "So, what is his name?"  At this point I knew that I wasn't getting the room alone with Emily for a while and I was going to be asked over and over what the name was until I finally said it.  

I went over to Em's bed and I got right into her ear and whispered that I was going to tell her the name that I selected, but I wasn't going to force the name on her.  I wanted her to be comfortable with it as well.  I wasn't going to name him something she hated.  Then I asked her that if she hated the name to just give it a little time and think about it before she completely nixed it.  She agreed.  I whispered to her "Ozzy".  

Her face visibly was not liking the name.  Then she asked the doctor (who hadn't heard the name because I only whispered it to Em.)....."All I think of is Ozzy Osbourne.  Is that what you think?"  The doctor didn't really respond but asked to see the list of other names I had.  I showed her the list and then I told Em to just think about it overnight.  

20 minutes later.....Emily looked at me and told me that it was really growing on her.  About 15 minutes after that....and she was ready to name him Ozzy.  I still wasn't convinced so I continued to ask her if she was sure and purposefully left his name blank on the birth certificate form to make sure the pain medication wasn't doing the talking.  

We are so glad we named him Ozzy.  I love how it is close to Owen, but yet very different.  I love that it is not a common name, but yet a name that everyone has heard before.  I like it because I can see Ozzy being a very cute toddler name, and I can see it being a professional adult name.  I only hope he loves it as he grows older.