Jesinta Franklin has revealed how she and her husband, AFL star Lance 'Buddy' Franklin, chose the unique name for their newborn son. The model, 34, and her husband, 39, welcomed their third child, Bam, in December, with Jesinta publicly announcing the name in March.
Inspiration from the NBA
Speaking to the Herald Sun, Jesinta explained that the name was chosen while Buddy was watching an NBA game. He was particularly taken with the moniker of Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo. 'Bud had been watching the basketball once when I was pregnant and one of the US basketball player's name is Bam and Bud was like, "That is the coolest name, if we have another boy I'd love to call him Bam",' she said.
A Nod to the Flintstones
Jesinta added that the name also subtly references the iconic Flintstones character Bamm Bamm, the son of Barney and Betty Rubble. 'So, it kind of just stuck,' she said. 'We wanted something unique and different and we'd call him Bam Bam at home, like the Flintstones character, and it really suited him.'
However, Jesinta noted that it wasn't long before she encountered another baby with the same name. 'The funny thing is we took the kids to a surf school in Yallingup and they had a Rocky and a Bam there – we never thought we'd meet another Bam. So, it was nothing too deep and meaningful,' she said.
Social Media Announcement
Jesinta took to Instagram in March to reveal the name, posting a photo of her cradling the baby at home. 'Me and my little sidekick, Bam. He's been on every Zoom, attended every meeting, every photo shoot and now, every podcast I've done since he was born,' she wrote. 'It can be tricky finding the balance between it all, but this guy has made it so easy for us. He doesn't leave our side... just rolls with the chaos that is our life!'
Many celebrity friends commented, including Celeste Barber who wrote, 'Hi Bam's mum,' and model Rachael Finch who added, 'Angel.'
Family Life
Buddy and Jesinta welcomed their third child on the Gold Coast in December. Jesinta shared a gallery of photos on social media, including a black-and-white mirror selfie with Buddy tenderly holding the newborn. Another photo showed the infant resting with Jesinta. She captioned the post: 'My heart feels like it could burst. Home for Christmas with the most special gift of all.'
Jesinta recently opened up about the challenges of pregnancy, telling 7News in October that she spent about 10 weeks on the couch during a difficult first trimester. 'I am so grateful and thankful, but it's nice to have come out on the other side,' she said.
Jesinta and Lance are also parents to daughter Tallulah, six, and son Rocky, five.
