'I love him, because he knows what humanity means,' mother says of naming tribute

By David Bell, CBC News Posted: May 06, 2017 3:45 PM MT, Last Updated: May 07, 2017 11:01 AM MT, http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...in-trudeau-1.4103300

They are not the first and they may not be the last.

A Syrian family who arrived in Calgary in February of last year has named their baby boy after the man who made their settlement in Canada possible.

Afraa Hajj Hammoud and Mohammed Belal have named their son Justin-Trudeau Adam Bilal, the littlest addition to their family of five who was born Thursday, weighing a healthy 7 ½ pounds.

The parents began discussing names about two months ago.

"My husband says 'How about if we name the boy Justin-Trudeau, like him,'" Hammoud explained.

"I was a little bit shocked ... when he says that, I smile a little bit, a small smile, then I says, 'Yes, there is no problem, it will be like a small thank you for Justin Trudeau.'"

The family left Syria about six years ago, spending three years in Lebanon before arriving in Canada in February 2016.

The Canadian government agreed to accept tens of thousands of Syrian refugees from the war-torn country shortly after Trudeau took office. Thousands more arrived through private sponsorships.

"Our life is getting better every day," Hammoud explained.

"In the beginning was a little bit difficult because there is a big changes and now, we are OK, we are good."

She said choosing a non-Arabic name was different, but important to the family.

"It will be a big story because you know, the Arabic name and the English name, there is a big difference. In Syria we name the boys like the parents, like my father's name or my husband's father's name, but now it's by appreciation for Justin Trudeau, we name him like this."

The family is not alone in their naming tribute.

A Syrian newcomer family in Red Deer named their newborn son Justin Doso last November.

Ahmed Doso said it was out of admiration for Canada's 23rd prime minister.

"For me, he is wonderful and compassionate, I hope all leaders, whether Easterners or Westerners, would be like him," Doso said at the time.

Another newcomer family in North York, Ont., did the same thing in January and yet another "Justin" was born in February to a Syrian refugee family in Windsor, Ont.

Hammoud says it's likely others feel the same about the prime minister as her family does.

"I love him, because he knows what humanity means," she said.

Several Syrian newcomer families have named sons after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)

Afraa Hajj Hammoud and her husband Mohammed Belal named their second son Justin Trudeau Adam Bilal after the 23rd prime minister. (David Bell/CBC)

• Syrian refugees need Canada's help more than ever, lawyer says

• Syrian refugees face a new kind of uncertainty as federal allowance ends

• 25,000th Syrian refugee lands in Canada
• 5 things to know about Canada's Syrian refugee program

• Syrian family names newest son after Justin Trudeau
• Syrian refugee family welcomes baby boy — named after Justin Trudeau
• 'He has a deep sense of humanity': Syrian refugee family names newborn son Justin after PM Trudeau

Yesterday I met a Syrian American refugee family.  I told the mother and grandmother who were both wearing veils that in 20 years these young children who were 4 and 3 years old will be speaking English with an American accent. In 20 years those kids will be just like other white Americans with blue eyes and blond hair.

Will Cobra name his grandchild Donald Trump?

 With government assistance, the parishioners of four Christian churches here sponsored a young couple, with a four year old son, from  a refugee camp in Jordon.  After another son was born in Canada,  they included the name Justin in his Muslim name. Putting politics aside, Trudeau Senior would be very proud of Justin, as Margaret is  and so many other Canadians.  

Has any one in the US named their son Donald Trump ?

Chief posted:

Will Cobra name his grandchild Donald Trump?

All my kids are still in school. They are too young to give me grandchildren. I named all of them and it's their duty to name their children whenever the time is right. If I happened to get another son, I will name him Allah since all my kids name has five letters. God bless Trump.