Baby born to citizen astronaut, named Delta V

Lift-off of the space shuttle Discovery (Feb. 2011)

Florida-based social media influencer Kellie Gerardi isn’t a trained scientist, but she is a science communicator who’s obsessed with outer space.

In 2015, she and her fiancé Steven got married in a space-themed wedding, complete with Star Wars Stormtroopers.

In late 2017, the couple welcomed a baby girl named Delta Victoria, or “Delta V.” Why? Here’s how Kellie explained it:

[W]e named her Delta Victoria for delta-v … aka “change in velocity” as used in spacecraft flight dynamics.

Delta-v
Delta-v

(In mathematics, the uppercase Greek letter delta, which resembles a triangle, denotes a change in quantity.)

In August of 2021, when the Delta variant of COVID-19 was prevalent, Kellie mentioned in a tweet that her 3-year-old daughter “once thought the airline would be the most annoying namesake joke.” In response, Delta Air Lines sent Delta Victoria a care package that included items (like a backpack, and some cookies) featuring their shared name.

P.S. Kellie Gerardi finally took her first trip to space in November of 2023, as part of Virgin Galactic’s “Galactic 05” research mission.

Sources:

Image: Adapted from STS-133 Discovery Lift Off Launch Pad 39A KSC (NASA)

Free cupcakes for people with “Joy” names

Hostess cupcake

Do you know a U.S. resident — either yourself or someone else — who has the word “Joy” in any part of their name (first, middle, or last)?

If so, you have until July 2 to enter that person into the Hostess Joy Drops sweepstakes:

100 winners will be selected to receive a Hostess Joy Drops package. If your “Joy” lives in Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Texas, Utah or Virginia, they may get their package via a special drone delivery. 

The package (valued at about $55) includes a box of CupCakes, a box of Twinkies, a bag of Donettes, and various other “summer fun essentials” such as sunglasses, a Frisbee, and a sheet of stickers.

Finally, just for fun, here’s a sampling of the dozens of “Joy” names in the SSA data: Joy, Joyce, LaJoy, LaJoyce, Joya, Joycie, Joyanne, Joyanna, Joyette, Joyetta, Joyelle, Joyella, Joylene, Joylynn, Joynell, Joynae, Joyous, and Joyful.

Image: Adapted from Hostess CupCake Whole by Evan-Amos under CC0 1.0 Universal.

Free Kentucky Derby party for Bostonians named Jeremy

Kentucky Derby, 2017

Is your name Jeremy? Do you live in (or near) Boston?

If so, you can attend a Kentucky Derby party for free tomorrow afternoon.

The Sporting Club — a bar located at Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport — is hosting its 3rd annual Kentucky Derby party from 3 to 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 4.

This year, to honor the racehorse “Lucky Jeremy,” who has a 500-1 odds of winning the top prize in U.S. horse racing, any person with the name Jeremy can enter free of charge and be treated like a VIP with complimentary food, The Sporting Club said.

People who are not named Jeremy can buy tickets online (while they’re still available) for $25.

Source: McLaughlin, Chris. “Is your name Jeremy? Kentucky Derby promo at Boston bar allows ‘VIP’ entry.” MassLive.com 25 Apr. 2024.

Image: Adapted from 2017 Kentucky Derby by squirrel83 under CC BY 2.0.

Baby named Scott, gets B.A.S.S. lifetime membership

Largemouth bass

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.

Image: Adapted from Largemouth bass by Thecatsmilk under CC BY-SA 4.0.