Back in May, I was contacted by ex-pat Gabbi who was looking for a subtly Australian-inspired name for one of her triplets. I suggested ten different names that I thought might suit her son, and fit in with the names already chosen for his brother and sister.

The triplets were born July 21 at 33 weeks, each weighing around the 5 lb mark (a bit over 2 kg). All the triplets, and Gabbi, are in good health.

The names of the triplets are (drum roll)

JASPER BEAR

CLOVER MARCH

and …………… (wait for it)

ASH MILLER!!!

Ash was one of the names I suggested, and Gabbi liked it because it was a nature-themed name like Jasper and Clover, and also suggested a colour (pale grey), to match the red of a jasper gemstone and green clover. Jasper and Clover are also linked with special days of the year – Jasper with Epiphany (January 6), as Jasper is the English name of one of the three wise men, and clover is a symbol of Saint Patrick’s Day (March 17). Ash is connected with Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent.

In Australia, the Ash Wednesday bushfires of 1983 became a symbol of the fragility of nature, and demonstrated how the strength of community spirit can rise from ashes. Another Australian connection is the native mountain ash tree (Eucalyptus regnans), which is the tallest tree in Australia, one of the tallest in the world, and is the tallest flowering plant. Specimens can grow to hundreds of feet high.

The middle name, Miller, is one that Gabbi absolutely loved, but was bothered by the Miller Brewing Company in the United States (where she lives). Ironically, since she announced the name, everyone has said that they would never have connected the name to the beer without prompting. However, she and her husband love the name Ash and don’t want to reverse the names.

Both Ash and Miller are names featured on the blog. Ash was one of the Boys Names from Video Games, after Ash Ketchum from Pokémon, and Miller was one of the Names of Sydney Suburbs Which Could Be Used as Boys Names.

Congratulations to Gabbi and her husband, and as they now have nine children, including a new set of triplets, I think they will have their hands full for a while. The triplets have gorgeous names, and I love the name Ash for a boy.

(Photo shows mountain ash trees in the Australian bush; image from the ABC)