Pete Davidson and Elsie Hewitt Named Their Daughter Scottie. I Have Thoughts, and Advice
Life with an unusual name isn't easy, but it's worthwhile.
Over the last year or so we’ve seen comedian and actor Pete Davidson appear in Amazon and eBay ads, remove his tattoos, proclaim his happiness in sobriety and his relationship with girlfriend Elsie Hewitt, with whom he just welcomed a baby, daughter Scottie Rose.
I’ve followed along as a journalist as he and eBay motors customized his Honda Odyssey minivan to ferry around his growing family, and I have thoughts about that, too. My guess is that he’ll come to second guess some of those decisions, if only for the good sense of Elsie and other care givers.
This story is 100% human-researched and written based on actual first-person knowledge, extensive experience, and expertise on the subject of cars and trucks.
Yes, Scottie is a Great Name. But Why Did They Pick It?
This is the part about Pete Davidson that makes me misty-eyed. On September 11, 2001, I sat on my living room table in tears as I watched New York City under attack, the Twin Towers, to which I’d taken so many visitors so they could see New York at their feet, were on fire and crumbling.
Thirty-five miles away in Staten Island, a 9-year-old Pete would soon learn that his fire-fighter father was one of the casualties that day. I can’t imagine what it’s like to lose your dad to such a massive national tragedy. To have his loss be part of our collective sadness, to continually celebrate his more but to miss his presence. Like so many other New Yorkers, the people in the “Missing” posters that covered so much of New York City and featured victims of 9/11, became engrained in my soul. When I think of that day, I think of them. And now, I think of Pete Davidson, and his dad, Scott.
And, his daughter Scottie. Her name is such a beautiful tribute. If you know the backstory, it’s easy to smile and appreciate how beautiful her name is. But as she grows up, she’ll also find it to be a bumpy road, as I’ve found through my life. Here’s what I’ve learned about life with this name—and my advice for Scottie.
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Scottie is a NOT a Just Boys Name
The mean kids at school will reveal themselves instantly by teasing you for having what they think is purely a boy’s name. But you’ll learn to sort out the meanies so you can avoid them. The ones who don’t tease? Who are more accepting and kind? Look to them for friendship; they may take time to reveal themselves, but when they do, you’ll be glad.
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Yes, My Parents Chose This Name For a Girl
I get this one all the time. Did your parents want a boy? Are you named for someone? Is it your middle name? No, no and no. My parents actually liked the name Scottie for a girl; if I was a boy I’d have been James. Like so many people of my parents generation, they had boring names: Ann and Jim. They were constantly confused with other people, lost in a sea of same-nameness. So they wanted to give me a name that would be unique and distinctive. Boy, did they.
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She’ll Probably Want to Change Her Name
I did. In elementary school I tired of the teasing, but also, wanted to flex my individuality, so I decided to change my name. I tried out my middle name for a while, but ultimately, it wasn’t a fit (I won’t say what it is, but like Scottie, it’s the name of a flower). So, I changed the spelling of my name. My mom always, until the day she died, spelled my name Scottie, even though I changed the spelling. She got used to it, but refused to make the change when it was up to her. Now, when someone spells my name with an ‘ie’ I smile. It’s her getting in another small twist about my name, and it’s OK; it reminds me she’s still with me.
People Will Get Your Name Wrong … Because They Make Assumptions
“Learn to read, people!” I so badly wanted to scream at the office staff at my high school. My high school! They reversed my first and middle names on my records. It’s even wrong on my high school diploma. I didn’t discover this until I started applying for college and found that colleges weren’t getting my transcripts, because they didn’t match my application. Geez.
My College Assigned Me to a Boys Dorm
Turns out, it wasn’t just my high school administrators who weren’t paying attention. When I finally settled on a college and paid my deposit, I got a letter from the school with my dorm room assignment. On a whim my mom called the school to ensure it was the girls dorm, and sure enough, it wasn’t.
With an Unusual Name You Know Who Knows You—and Who Doesn’t
One thing that’s nice about having a unique name is you quickly learn who knows you and who doesn’t. I know when I get correspondence directed to Mr. Scotty Reiss that the writer didn’t bother to learn anything about me. When they address me as if they know me, it’s clear when they don’t. A unique name can be a nice nonsense detector.
Yes, I’m Who I Say I Am
I get this one all the time: People on the phone don’t believe I am who I say I am, assuming someone named Scotty must be male and clearly, I’m not. In fact, American Express had a fraud alert on my account for more than 20 years after a phone agent noted that a woman (me) called claiming to be me (in fact, it was me). Sadly, it took me 20 years to find this out and clear it up (I’m not entirely convinced it’s really settled). So, I go to extents to ensure that organizations I deal with regularly know who I am by adding information to my account. I also have answers to security question at the ready and sometimes have to escalate my concerns to a higher level (I’ve gotten to know the VP of customer experience at more than a few companies).
Try to Find Humor in People’s Assumptions
When my husband and I bought our first house the attorney representing the seller looked at us and said, “Oh, I was expecting two men.” I also giggle just a bit when the radiologist at my annual mammogram appointment gives me a double take and when someone asks to see my license and looks a couple of times to be sure they are seeing what they think they’re seeing.
You’ll Be Called ‘Mr.’ ‘He.’ ‘Sir.’
And it’s OK. For me it happens so often I just overlook it. Politeness has disappeared in our world and I appreciate when people express it; I try to be kind and gently correct, with a smile, “it’s Ms.”
You May Have To Choose Which Names to Keep
This one isn’t that easy, and for Scottie, it’ll be more complicated if as an adult, she decides to take a partner’s name since she has both her parents surnames. I had to decide if I wanted to keep my middle name, which was more gender-specific, or my family name, which was not. Mostly, I had to decide how many names I wanted to squeeze onto formal documents like my passport. It’s certainly something to play with ahead of time, which I didn’t, I just went with my gut (I’m not sorry about that).
I Hope You’ll Always Love Your Name
I do. And I love when I meet another Scotty, or Scottie, or Scott, male or female. I love the heritage of the country from which our name comes, Scotland, which I’m not named for but from which I do carry some lineage, and even though I haven’t been there (yet) I feel close to it.
There will be people who will second guess your parents for giving you this name, who will make dumb assumptions and who will misspell your name. But I hope that you grow up in world that is accepting, that will look at you for who you are and not make judgements about you based on your name. That will let you define your name and appreciate what you make of it. Just don’t let them make you second guess your name (even if you’re still second guessing those modifications to the Honda Odyssey). It’s a wonderful gift.
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