Parents go where few have gone before in naming son
KENAI, Alaska (AP) — Like all parents, Marcus Weldy and his wife Rebecca McInnes Weldy of Nikiski are hoping their newborn baby will live long and prosper, but they went a step further to ensure their son’s future.
“We decided to name him James Tiberius Kirk Weldy,” said Rebecca in regard to the newest family member who, according to the Captain’s Log, was added to the family fleet at 4:31 a.m. on Friday, April 21, 2006.
For those not in the know, James T. Kirk – played by William Shatner – was the commander of the starship Enterprise in the 1960s science fiction series “Star Trek.”
Rebecca said she is not a convention-going “trekkie,”as “Star Trek” fans are called, but is a longtime fan of the show.
“I really, really liked the first ‘Star Trek’ and William Shatner. He’s the only captain in my opinion,” she said.
Rebecca said she is too busy to keep watch much television these days, but she remembers tuning in regularly to watch “Star Trek” as a girl.
“I’d watch the original series after school and watch ‘The Next Generation’ too,” she said.
“My whole family – my mom, brother, sister and my dad by forfeit – we’re all ‘Star Trek’ fans,” she said.
As Rebecca tells it, it was her mother who pushed to go where no one – or at least few – have gone before with regard to baby naming.
“We originally just liked the name James, then Tiberius was going to be his middle name. My mom loved the idea and said, ‘You’ve got to put Kirk on there too,'” she said.
James joins siblings Roy, Rosabella, Vincent and Nicolaus.
“James will be our last baby and with four older brothers and sisters we thought he might need some of the captain’s qualities. The original Kirk was bold, determined and brave, so hopefully he will be, too,” she said.
So far, James seems to be off to a good start, according to Rebecca. Like his namesake, who frequently ignored the rules when it suited him, young James wasn’t born when and where he was supposed to be.
Rebecca went into labor in the early morning and realized she couldn’t make it to the hospital even if her husband drove at warp speed. Dr. “Bones” McCoy, the doctor on the starship Enterprise, was unavailable to make a house call, so the couple did the next best thing.
“We called the Nikiski Fire Department and EMS, and, to their credit, they were here within three minutes, but James was already born. His dad delivered him here at home, which wasn’t the plan or anything, so I guess he’s already charting his own course,” she said.
Despite his early arrival, Rebecca said James is healthy and eating well, though he’s nursing rather than eating from a food replicator.
“He’s getting big, is bright-eyed and doing good,” she said.
Marcus, James’ father, said he also is a “Star Trek” fan and is happy with his new son’s name.
“It’s unique, that’s for sure. Not everyone catches on right away, but those that do get it have really liked it. Everyone calls him ‘Little Captain,'” Marcus said.
As to whether James will attend public school or Star Fleet Academy, his parents said it’s too soon to say.
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