What’s in a Name?

We’ve been asked, “What will you name the boat?” It’s as if there’s an expectation to come up with a personal new name for her. We thought about it, and toyed with some possible names, but the name she has, “Reverie,” suits us fine.

In the first place, reverie means (1) daydream, or a dreamy state, and (2) the condition of being lost in thought. We’ve been daydreaming about this adventure for nearly two years so we think the name fits.

I did some more fun research around the name Reverie.

“Reverie” is an unincorporated community in Tipton County, Tennessee. It was founded in the early 1800’s on the shores of the Mississippi River. Due to historical flooding and changes in river flow, it is also now known as Mississippi River Island 35. (We will divert from the big river before reaching this community.)

“Reverie” is a historic Greek Revival mansion built circa 1858 in Marion, Perry County, Alabama. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and once served as headquarters for Union troops during the Civil War.

Claude Debussy, a French composer and pianist, wrote a famously serene piece early in his career in 1890 titled “Reverie.” You may recognize it.

It also happens that “Reverie” is the name of an up and coming music artist who excels at underground hip hop rap. She has a large following and tours across the US and Europe. Not my cup of tea – I find her lyrics offensive. (investigate at your own risk, adult audiences only)

We are wine drinkers, so we wondered if there was a Reverie Wine. Turns out there is! The winery, in Napa Valley, is about 130 miles to our west. We made a visit, and found the wine to be outstanding!

The winery was migrating to a new location and transitioning their management, so we were privileged to experience both locations and some “unreleased” Roussanne Marsanne, which pairs perfectly with fish and fruit.

We came home with two mixed cases of reds and whites, along with some signature stemware. Five days later, Napa and Sonoma counties experienced a devastating firestorm. Lives, homes and businesses were lost. Our Reverie winery was spared, but the region is decimated and it will take years to fully recover.

Reverie, our trawler, has gone by three other names in her history. I’m sure each past owner attached special meaning to those names. We simply feel that Reverie is a fine name, and it saves us a whole lot of trouble and money to keep it.