Gideon Lampron, a college football player and standout linebacker, has made a notable transition this year, moving from Dayton to Bowling Green.
It all seems a bit surreal. His father, Marty, who is passionate about sports, named him Gideon Espun Ramplon without consulting his wife, Jennifer.
Initially, Jennifer had her heart set on the middle name Xavier, while Marty wanted to name him after ESPN. Jennifer didn’t agree, though.
“Then she delivered Gideon and was somewhat out of it,” Marty recalled in a September interview. “When the nurse came to finalize the birth certificate, I signed it and, without her knowing, I wrote ESPN in all caps.”
Marty has always wanted one of his children to have a sports-themed name. His eldest son, Gabriel, was almost named after the basketball legend Larry Bird, but that didn’t pan out.
While at Keystone High School in LaGrange, Ohio, Gideon didn’t often mention his middle name, but he seems to embrace it now. His social media handle is @espngideon, and his Bowling Green bio lists his full name, including that unique middle name.
“I love it,” he mentioned. “It’s part of who I am now. My dad clearly envisioned a path for me from the start. For him, watching his kids play sports is what it’s all about.”
