Although the Dodgers are endlessly embedded in baseball historical past, some dad and mom are making further sure additionally they prevail sooner or later — by naming their kids after the Boys in Blue.
“Bout 250 Mexican children in 10 years gonna have to elucidate why they named Shohei Rodriguez,” one viral put up on X quipped after Shohei Ohtani hit three dwelling runs, pitched six shutout innings and struck out 10 Brewers within the NLCS-clinching recreation. The prediction might not be to this point off: Nameberry, the world’s largest child naming website, noticed a 1,000% improve in searches on the identify Shohei simply this week.
From Shohei Ohtani to Clayton Kershaw to Freddie Freeman — all have impressed namesakes. And who is aware of? With the Dodgers on the verge of etching their legacy with a potential third title in six years, this child growth of kinds could also be in its infancy. Right here, dad and mom share their children’ Dodgers-inspired names — and the tales behind them.
Freddie Berglund
Named after Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman
Freddie Freeman’s legendary walk-off grand slam for the Dodgers in Sport 1 of the 2024 World Sequence was so highly effective it prompted this fellow to make his debut into the world a few weeks early.
“After [Freeman] hit the grand slam, we in all probability had, like, a couple of minutes of celebration, after which my water broke,” stated Jessica Berglund, Freddie’s mom
Freddie, legally named Frederick, was born after the legendary second that helped the Dodgers to a 6-3 win over the New York Yankees.
Jessica and Erik Berglund, who dwell in Orange simply round the place Freeman grew up, are star-crossed lovers in MLB phrases, with Jessica bleeding Dodgers blue and Erik cheering on the Angels. However the which means behind Freddie’s identify extends past discipline and rivalry.
“We actually look as much as Freddie [Freeman] as an individual, not solely as a baseball participant,” Jessica stated. “So it’s not solely the love of the sport and the group. It’s actually the love for Freddie as an individual.”
Child Freddie turns 1 on Sunday, and at his baseball-themed party he would be the household’s rookie of the 12 months.
Alita Hyenee Yang
Named after Shohei Ohtani
At eight months pregnant, Emma Chiu couldn’t wait until the tip of their infancy CPR class to let her husband, Daniel Yang, know that Shohei Ohtani was going to signal with the Dodgers. As quickly as she shoved the cellphone on his face, Yang’s pleasure overtook his feelings and he fully forgot he was in a category.
The couple, who dwell in San Diego, had been following the profession of Ohtani since he performed for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters within the Japanese skilled baseball league. When he signed with the Angels in 2018, Yang, an L.A. native, begrudgingly went to the video games together with his spouse simply to catch their favourite participant on the diamond.
On the drive from the CPR class, they toyed with the thought of giving their soon-to-be-born daughter a center named impressed by one in all they Boys in Blue, whereas additionally honoring their cultural background of Korean and Taiwanese. What they did was take the final syllables of Ohtani’s first and final identify to create Hyenee (pronounced Hey-Nee), which they used for his or her daughter’s center identify.
The identify appeared to be an ideal match. “That is like destiny,” Yang stated.
Jack
Named after Jackie Robinson
Rising up as a Dodgers fan in Modesto, an space usually designated for the San Francisco Giants, had its powerful moments for Ryan C.
“I’ve had a few sodas chucked at me strolling by parking heaps due to my Dodgers gear,” he stated.
But, when it got here time to call his son, he knew he wished to pay tribute to the group he grew up cheering for. At first, he leaned towards Clayton Kershaw, the left-handed two-time World Sequence champion pitcher, however determined in opposition to it after he learn a Reddit put up on the dangers of naming a toddler after a dwelling individual. (“You don’t know the place they’re going to go of their life,” Ryan defined.)
So as a substitute, he determined to call his son Jack after Jackie Robinson. Any time Ryan begins to inform his NorCal pals the story of the Dodgers-inspired identify, he hears groans. However the perspective adjustments as quickly as they hear the identify pays tribute to Robinson, the Corridor of Famer who broke baseball’s shade barrier in 1947.
Of Robinson, Ryan stated, “Basically, he’s all the time going to be a ballplayer, an important ballplayer, the one whose quantity is universally retired. And the one one, for my part, whose quantity ought to ever be completely retired in that manner.”
Clayton Wasser
Named after Clayton Kershaw
Clayton Kershaw could also be retiring, however his identify lives on in historical past — and thru 9-year-old Clayton Wasser.
The child comes from “an enormous Kershaw home,” based on Clayton’s father, Jeremy, and so they’ll all be cheering because the Dodgers tackle the Toronto Blue Jays within the World Sequence on the finish of Kershaw’s last season.
Jeremy and his spouse, Michelle, have lengthy been in awe of Kershaw’s character and success, each on and off the sector.
“He’s so spectacular as a person,” Jeremy stated. “I imply, his achievements on the sector converse for themselves. However then, , we’ve additionally adopted his, his philanthropic profession … and he’s all the time represented town and the group with class and dignity.”
Clayton Wasser, whose older brother Harrison performs baseball, has taken extra of a liking to enjoying soccer, however would nonetheless ask, “Am I pitching tonight?” on Dodgers recreation days, says his father.
Francesca Mookie Mancuso
Named after Mookie Betts
Typically a house run will be greater than only a statistic. Within the case of Giuseppe Mancuso, a dinger by Mookie Betts actually named his daughter.
In 2023, Mancuso began a dialog with Betts whereas he was on deck. It was the primary time they ever exchanged phrases however the man from the stands promised the infielder he’d identify his daughter Mookie if he hit a homer.
“I rotated and advised him, ‘No, don’t do this, man,’” Betts stated in his telling of the story in an X put up. “Your spouse wouldn’t like that.”
Throughout his plate look in opposition to the then-Oakland A’s pitcher Hogan Harris, Betts turned on a pitch to hit a 436-foot dwelling run. On the time, the lengthy ball was his farthest hit as a Dodgers. After rounding the bases, Betts fist-bumped Mancuso, and that was that.
Weeks later, Betts got here throughout a tweet that learn: “Hey @Dodgers @mookiebetts @SportsNetLA a guess is a guess. Meet Francesca Mookie Mancuso” with an image of the new child and her delivery certificates.
“Shout out to you, Giuseppe, I can’t wait to satisfy Francesca,” Betts stated in his video.
Discuss taking a protracted shot.
