In a new interview with Southern Living, Thomas Rhett’s wife Lauren Akins opened up about how the couple chose the perfect names for their two daughters, Willa Gray and Ada James.
As fans know, eldest daughter Willa Gray was adopted from Uganda officially joined the family last May.
“I wanted a name that was really strong and something that empowered her and encouraged her to know how strong she is,” Lauren shared.
The name ‘Willa’ was derived from the name of Thomas Rhett’s grandfather, Willard. “For many years he’s been the rock of our family,” she explained. “Willard means brave, resolutely strong and brave.”
Willa’s middle name ‘Gray’ also has a family connection. It’s a shortened version of her little brother Grayson’s name.
As for baby Ada, who was born in August, she shares her first name with Lauren’s great-grandmother. “My grandmother’s mom’s name is Ada– Googling meanings of names, I found that Ada means happy,” Lauren added. “And she’s the happiest little surprise we’ve ever had!”
Ada’s middle name ‘James’ is a popular name on both sides of Thomas and Lauren’s family trees.
Although Lauren confessed that she’s not one to feel that her kids needed to carry family names— it wound up that way. She also joked that this new tradition they started in their little family has increased the pressure on the couple’s future name selections.
Watch Lauren’s Southern Living interview below and catch glimpses of Willa Gray at play alongside Ada James!
Oh goodness. These little girls couldn’t get any cuter and their names are just perfect. Lauren and Thomas’ lives have changed a ton over the last year and the country star’s latest single “Life Changes” certainly reflects that fact. Give the autobiographical tune a listen below!
“Life Changes” Lyrics
Waking up in my college dorm
Yeah, my life, it was pretty normal
Looking for a date to the spring formal
Wasn’t worried ’bout nothing else, no
Majoring in undecided
Notebook full of bad songs I was writing
Never dreamed anyone else would like’em
Now they’re sitting on a Walmart shelf
Ain’t it funny how life changes
You wake up, ain’t nothing the same and life changes
You can’t stop it, just hop on the train and
You never know what’s gonna happen
You make your plans and you hear god laughing
Life changes, and I wouldn’t change it for the world, the world, oh no
And I wouldn’t change it for the world, the world, oh no
I bought a ring and she said “I do”
But everybody else said, “man, you’re twenty-two
“Whatcha trying to prove?”
“Hey why don’t you wait?”
‘Cause I’ve been waiting on her since the second grade yeah
And now she got her own set of fans
She got a blue check mark by her Instagram
And I wrote a little song about holding her hand and now everybody wanna die happy now
Ain’t it funny how life changes
You wake up ain’t nothing the same and life changes
You can’t stop it just hop on the train
You never know what’s gonna happen
You make your plans and you god laughing
Life changes (yes it does) and I wouldn’t change it for the world, the world, oh no
And I wouldn’t change it for the world, the world, oh no
I remember the day I told my Daddy and Mama you’re gonna have a grandkid, yep
From Uganda, that’s right, we’re adopting
And she is the cutest little girl that you’ve ever seen
Well I was wrapping my head around being a dad
A bigger wrench got thrown in the plans we thought we’d had
Now Lauren’s showin’ and got one on the way
Yeah that’s two into two, hey, what can I say?
Ain’t it funny how life changes
You wake up ain’t nothing the same and life changes
You can’t stop it just hop on the train and
You never know what’s gonna happen
You make your plans and you god laughing
Life changes (yes it does) and I wouldn’t change it for the world, the world, oh no
And I wouldn’t change it for the world, the world, oh no
The world, the world
The world, the world
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