Baby name story: Scott

In October of 1975 — while Roland Martin was competing in a bass fishing tournament in Tulsa, Oklahoma — his wife was MaryAnn went into labor.

As soon as he was off the water, Roland rushed to the hospital. His wife gave birth to a baby boy.

Not long after that, Roland was on the phone with his friend Ray Scott, founder of the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.).

Ray asked what they were going to name the newborn. Roland said they hadn’t chosen a name yet.

So Ray said, “If you name him after me I’ll give him a B.A.S.S. Lifetime Membership.” Dad liked that idea and ran in to tell my mom. He was all excited about the Life Membership.

My mom’s reaction was, “No way. I’m not going to name him Ray. I don’t really like that name, and he doesn’t look like a Ray.”

So, Dad thought about that and said, “How about Scott?” Mom said, “Well I might be able to work with that.”

Scott Martin thinks he “might be the only person to get a B.A.S.S. Lifetime Membership at birth.”

Source: Sexton, Jim. “How Scott Martin was named after Ray Scott.” Bassmaster 25 May 2022.

Baby name story: ChamberMaster

Baby ChamberMaster Mead
ChamberMaster Mead

On March 10, 2006, a baby boy was born to Chris Mead (the vice president of the American Chamber of Commerce Executives) and his wife Laura.

The baby was named ChamberMaster Mead “after a software company that won the naming rights in a charitable auction mounted by his father.” (Chris hoped the auction would raise money for the ACCE’s scholarship fund.)

The highest-bidding company, ChamberMaster, “bought naming rights for two weeks, paying $375.”

After the two weeks were up, the baby’s name would be changed to John Douglass Mead.

Source: Zaslow, Jeffrey. “Meet John ‘Your Ad Here’ Smith.” Wall Street Journal 16 Mar. 2006.

[Here are more for-profit baby names.]

Free lighthouse tour for people named Patrick, Patricia

Hook lighthouse in Ireland
Hook Lighthouse

Is your name is Patrick or Patricia? Do you live in Co. Wexford, Ireland?

If so, go check out Hook Lighthouse (“the oldest operational lighthouse in the world”) on St. Patrick’s Day — you’ll get a free guided tour!

Here’s the announcement from the Hook Lighthouse events page:

Celebrate all that is uniquely Irish at hook Lighthouse this St. Patrick’s Day … from a green theme in the café and the celebration of Paddy’s… yes, that’s right, if your name is Patrick, Pat, Paddy or Patricia you can enjoy access to a free Lighthouse tour on St. Patrick’s Day and enjoy snake hunts at 2 pm and 3 pm on the lighthouse lawns!

The tours don’t actually cost much — just €10 per adult, and about half that per child — but it sounds like a fun promotion nonetheless.

Source: Hook Lighthouse offering free tours for Patricks and Patricias this St Patrick’s Day

Image: Adapted from Hook Head Lighthouse at coast’s edge by Ianfhunter under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Money for “Muhammad”?

A charity in Egypt will give money to local parents who name their newborns “Muhammad,” “Mahmoud,” or “Ahmed” in honor of the prophet Muhammad. (All three names are derived from the same Arabic root, hamida, meaning “to praise.”)

The charity, located in a village in Gharbia governorate, will give each participating family a monthly stipend of 300 Egyptian pounds (a little over $19 U.S.) for one year.

Why? The charity gave two reasons. The first was to offer some financial support to families during the COVID-19 pandemic. The second was to counter “the blasphemous campaign…in France to disorder the prophet’s prestige” — a reference to the current tensions between France and the Muslim world over caricatures of Muhammad.

Sources: In Egyptian village: Monthly salary for newborn named after Prophet Muhammad, Macron says he understands Muslims’ shock over Prophet cartoons, Behind the Name