What's in a Name?

So what's up with Spenser spelled with an 'S' instead of a C you ask? Well- here's the story behind the name.

All of our kid's first names are after our favorite literary characters with family middle names. We wanted to give them names after strong, confident and unforgettable characters.

Bennet  Leona is named after Elizabeth Bennet in Pride & Prejudice. Leona was my Grandmother's name. When I was 12 one of my Scholastic Book order books, 'Just a Little Bit Lost' had a female character named Bennet in it. My Jane Austen love spiraled from there.

Scout Ann is named after Scout Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird. And the name fits her to a T! Ann is my middle name.

Eleanor Margaret is named after lots of Eleanors. Elinor from Sense & Sensibility, Ellie from the book Contact, Eleanor Roosevelt and even Ellie from the Movie 'Up'. Margaret is Nick's Grandmother's name and my Great-Grandmother's name.

And then there is Spenser Nicholas. Spenser comes from the character in the Robert B. Parker series of 40 books. Spenser is a private detective from Boston with a smart mouth, a soft spot for his one and only lady love and Scotch. He says the Spenser with an 'S' is like the poet. Nick's family devours the books- passing them from family member to family member. My brother-in-law Tony has a puppy named Spenser too- so it's a family thing.