Ashley Williams Clears Up the Inspiration Behind Her Son’s Name

The challenge of picking a moniker for her first child wasn’t lost on Ashley Williams.

“Naming is hard; that name is forever,” the actress, 36, tells Mini magazine.

Luckily, after months of scrolling through a growing list of options on her phone, Williams and husband Neal Dodson were able to settle on the perfect designation for their baby boy: Gus.

“It’s not short for anything and it’s not a family name. It’s not for the fat mouse in Cinderella, though he’s amazing,” she jokes. “We just loved it from the start.”

Courtesy Mini Magazine

Williams says they imagined Gus, who just celebrated his first birthday, as a “grown man” in a variety of social situations — including the tot’s future wedding — to ensure the name would be a good fit.

“We kept saying ‘Who doesn’t love a guy name Gus?’ ‘He sounds like he’s such a good guy,’ ” she shares.

A friend even made a special onesie adorned with the phrase for their baby boy.

Williams admits motherhood has left her “a walking smile,” and that she’s “pinching herself” daily.

Courtesy Mini Magazine

But she had a little preparation for the big adventure in parenting: The Jim Gaffigan Show star is — on top of her day job — a certified doula.

“I’ve always wanted to have a baby,” she explains. “When my siblings and friends started having kids, my husband and I just weren’t ready yet. I think some part of me felt like doula work would tide me over.”

She adds, “Also, sometimes as an actor, you start to think that work is the most important thing. But once I started attending births and seeing women at their strongest and most vulnerable, I realized that acting is a passion and an art — and sometimes my job.”

Courtesy Mini Magazine

The star still loves shooting a TV show, but believes educating expectant moms and their partners has become a “deep passion” — and something that kept her “really relaxed” during her own pregnancy.

That relaxation vibe was something Williams carried into Gus’ nursery, which is designed to “feel like a magical forest.”

“We went with mahogany furniture and added these fun tree shadow decals for the walls, complete with a little secret bird in the corner that I point out to Gus every day,” she says. “One whole wall is entirely books which are currently one of the most important aspects of Gus’ life. We want him to value books.”

Courtesy Mini Magazine

Her favorite aspect of the sweet spot? The hanging tree branch that doubles as a closet, which Williams says “grounds the room conceptually.”

Will the couple be making room for a big brother or sister in Gus’ special room? Not just yet. The actress insists she’s not good at “juggling” her new, more hectic life quite yet and fears she’d “stress out” her children.

“I would love to have another child — in a bit, don’t rush me — but I think I’d stop at two,” she shares.

Courtesy Mini Magazine

– Lindsay Kimble

from Celebrity Babies and Kids - Moms & Babies - People.com
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