Model Ashley Graham has been pretty vocal about her pregnancy, and she and husband Justin Ervin didn’t hold back from announcing the birth of their firstborn son on 18th January at 6pm. Now, after almost three weeks, they’ve finally shared his name with the public.
The reveal happened during an episode of The Pretty Big Deal podcast, a show celebrating authenticity and empowerment and headed by Ashley herself. Her latest episode involved a special guest, Justin, and the pair discussed the newest addition to their family.
In a caption promoting the episode, Ashley wrote: “nothing prepares you for just how magical and intense giving birth is; I’m so grateful that I was able to deliver naturally in my home with my husband by my side for all 6 hours of labour. Holding my baby for the first time is a moment I’ll never forget. Such a special moment in my life deserved a BIG announcement!”
And a big announcement it was, for during the podcast the couple mentioned their son by name for the very first time in a public setting: Isaac Menelik Giovanni Ervin. During the discussion, Justin revealed that since his middle school days, he had already picked the name Isaac for his future son. As for Menelik, the inspiration came from the couple’s recent trip to Ethiopia and learning about the country’s first emperor – Menelik I, which translates to ‘son of the wise.’
The baby’s third name came through a suggestion posted by a friend, which links together both parents’ grandfathers as well as the founder of the church where Ervin’s parents were baptised.
While all three were named John, the couple settled on the Italian equivalent, Giovanni. “Everything in his name is pointing to legacy,” Justin stated in the podcast.