What was Sarah Palin thinking when she named her children?

Answer 1

What are half the people in this world thinking when they name their children? Perfectly acceptable names! Better than some I've heard lately that you wouldn't even have a clue how to spell. Track, the first-born and oldest son, was given that name because of the family's longstanding interest in sports. Sarah's parents were coaches, Todd was a high school athlete and Sarah is an avid runner. Their first child was born during the track season. Bristol, the oldest daughter, is named after Bristol Bay, an area where Todd grew up. Bristol Bay is also the site of the family's commercial fishing interests. The Palins have not identified the significance of their other two daughters' names, but the meaning is likely rooted in aspects of the region's culture and way of life. Willow is the name of a small community in Alaska relatively close to Wasilla. Piper may have come from the name of the popular bush plane the Piper Cub, which is commonly used in Alaska. In an interview with PEOPLE magazine Todd was quoted as saying "there's just not too many Pipers out there and it's a cool name." Trig Paxson Van Palin is the couple's youngest child and second son. According to the governor's spokesperson Sharon Leighow in a statement made shortly after the baby's birth, Trig is Norse and means "true" and "brave victory." Paxson is a region in Alaska the couple favors. Van is a nod to the rock group Van Halen; before Trig's birth, his mother had joked about naming her son Van Palin after the band.

Answer 2

It is not possible to know exactly what Sarah Palin was thinking when she named her children. However, it is likely that she chose names that had personal significance to her and her family, or that she simply liked the sound of.