"Holy Delight"

Now that our parents know the sex/gender of our baby (my wife is seventeen weeks along in her first pregnancy), we're happy to announce we're having a little girl. Her name is Ariana Dalissa Wencel. Ariana is Greek in origin, and means "holy." Dalissa is English, from the Latin deliciae, which means "delight," or "pleasure." So her name means "holy delight."

It has a twofold significance. First, her name reminds us that our daughter is a delight from the Lord, and so one that should be holy, not idolatrous. She is a delight, but not an ultimate one. We will delight in her "in God" (à la Augustinianism). God alone is our supreme satisfaction, not this child.

Second, her name will serve to remind her that God is her holy delight, her pleasure above every pleasure, her all-satisfying infinite Delight and Treasure, even as he is her parents' all-satisfying infinite Delight and Treasure.