Why the name?

I got a haircut shortly after we found out that we were having a boy. I was talking to my hair girl and she asked me the name. I told her, “It’s going to be Caleb Michael.”

Her: {unexcited tone} “Why Caleb?”

So I told her (I’m about to tell you) why, and then she said, “I like the meaning, but to be honest, I don’t really like the name Caleb.”

Then I said, “Well, I didn’t really ask for your opinion, but I guess it was okay for you to give it to me anyway.”

Then we had a good laugh, because we have a relationship where we can say those kind of things to each other.

But I thought I’d tell you our reason for naming our super-awesome son Caleb.

It’s all Hubby’s fault.

He has wanted to name a boy Caleb since he was a freshman in college because of the story of Caleb in the Bible. Basically, the Israelites have reached the promised land and saw all these big and intimidating tribes of people. They were freaking out and didn’t want to try conquer the land. Joshua and Caleb were the only two that trusted in God and had confidence that He would help them be successful.
Numbers 13:30: Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”

If I saw God part the sea for me, I think I’d be pretty sure that he’d help me beat up some people. Just sayin’.

Anyway, God has the Israelites wander around in the desert for 40 years after that so that the generation that didn’t trust Him had died off. Only Joshua and Caleb were alive after this time. By this time, Caleb is 85-years-old and still ready to rumble!

I didn’t have any name that I liked as much as Hubby liked Caleb, and nothing with a meaning behind it like this one. So I didn’t put up much of a fight.

Michael is the name of both Hubby and my father, and we want to honor them.

Caleb is described a few times in the Bible as “a man who followed the Lord wholeheartedly.”

I pray that for our son.

What do you think of our name?