My father died before meeting my first grandchild. However, my daughter and son-in-law, wanting to memorialize two of their grandfathers, named their first daughter after those two “Charlies.” While we grandparents thought “Charlie” might be an appropriate nickname for the more feminine Charlotte or Charlene, it now seems a perfect fit for our almost five-year old. From names to mannerisms passed down to later generations, Pop is “gone but not forgotten.” These pictures of a one year old Charlie were taken almost four years ago at my father’s gravesite.

While my daughter doesn’t like to pick trendy names, it seems her choices of older names occur just as they are beginning to make a resurgence in popularity. Coincidentally, the use of the name Charlie for girls is on the rise, perhaps because of Disney’s “Good Luck Charlie.” Additionally, Kenneth Pattengale of indie duo, The Milk Carton Kids, wrote a song entitled Charlie about his daughter, who, according to band partner, Joey Ryan, “does have a song written for her and a name assigned to her, [but] she doesn’t yet have a specific due date or even a mother” It’s a great song you can watch here:

For more examples of “Gone, But Not Forgotten,” click HERE.