Looking back, I chose the perfect name for my late daughter

Austen, my 9-year-old who passed away from Dravet syndrome last summer, was the only one of my children I named.

Addisen, her 17-year-old sister, and Atlas, her 11-year-old brother, were named by their grandmother and father, respectively. So when I unexpectedly found myself pregnant with our third child, one of the first things I said was, “I’ll be naming this one.”

Her first name wasn’t hard. I’ve always loved traditional boy names for girls, and Jane Austen happens to be my favorite author, so Austen it was. Her middle name was trickier. I knew I wanted it to be one syllable (like her siblings‘ middle names), but that was as far as I’d gotten. I thought about Faith and even Joy, but neither seemed quite right. Then my best friend, Austen’s aunt Heather, suggested Hope. She said we all needed a little bit of hope at the time, and this baby would be bringing it to us.

Shortly before I got pregnant with Austen, my best friend’s dad passed away. He was a second father to me in many ways. I even called him Dad, and my children called him Grandpa. Then, when I was four months pregnant, one of my grandfathers suddenly passed away, and while I was still trying to figure out Austen’s name, another papa had been told he didn’t have long to live. The name search had gotten even more desperate after this news because, for some reason, I was sure he couldn’t pass away without knowing the baby’s name.

Recommended Reading

February 24, 2025 Columns by Meagan Earley

Learning anew to find joy in the midst of sorrow

Austen Hope. It had a nice ring to it, and my friend was right — we all needed a little hope in that season. I called my papa up the same day and told him her name. He called me three or four times over the next few days because he had forgotten it, and he kept telling my grandma he just had to remember my baby’s name.

I find it funny that “hope” was the word that best described Austen in her nine years of life. Sometimes she was the one who needed the hope, but she was always the one who brought it. She had a Pollyanna personality and always wanted the best for everyone. She was the first to try and make you smile or ask if you needed a hug or a kiss. If Austen saw you crying, she would ask if they were happy tears, because she couldn’t stand the idea of anyone being sad.

In her book “Northanger Abbey,” Jane Austen wrote, “There is nothing I would not do for those who are my friends. I have no notion of loving people by halves, it is not my nature.”

That was Austen — full of life, love, and hope for everyone.

Note: Dravet Syndrome News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Dravet Syndrome News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Dravet syndrome.

Print This Article