Clay Walker and Wife Expecting a Son

Update: Clay has sent out a newsletter to fan club members, sharing the news that he and Jessica will welcome a baby boy late next month.

I know you guys already know that Jessica and I are expecting ourfirst child next month,  but you may or may not know that we are havinga son. We are so proud to share our news with you! Thank you foryour prayers and well wishes – we’ll keep you posted on his arrival.

Originally posted March 6th: Country singer Clay Walker had a lot to celebrate yesterday.  Not only did the 38-year-old receive the Country Radio Broadcasters’ annual Humanitarian Award, but he announced that he and wife Jessica are expecting their first child together in late August. Clay joked,

We’ll find out who the father is.

Clay has two daughters — MaClay DaLayne, 12, and Skylor ClayAnne, 8 ½ — from his previous marriage.

Source: GAC TV; Country Weekly; Clay Walker Fan Club; Photo by CharleyGallay/Getty Images.

Thanks to CBB readers Brooke and Summer.

Comments

McClay… ClayAnne… I’m thinking if the baby is a boy his name will be Clay.

- Meaghan on March 6th, 2008

Congrats Clay!!!!

I’m going to see Clay Walker on the 14th at the Houston Rodeo hopefully he will say something about his wife being pregnant.

- Heather on March 6th, 2008

yup this 1 can be Aiken Clay lol

- ang on March 6th, 2008

Reminds me of George Foreman….all his kids had to have “George” as part of their name so not just one kid would be named after his/her dad.

- MB on March 6th, 2008

So not a fan of that ‘Clay’ thing. ClayAnne? Do they really need to worship him that much? What about his wife’s name being a part of the name, I’m pretty sure she did all the work pushing them out! LOL

- Kim on March 6th, 2008

I love Clay. Have since he first started out. I remember being 3rd row at his concert back in ’94,OMG I was in heaven!!! Congrats to him and his wife!!

- tink1217 on March 6th, 2008

I think it’s a tad bit cocky to name both of your children, girls nonetheless, pretty much after yourself. I wonder if the ex-wife had any input on this.

- KB on March 6th, 2008

How big of an ego do you have to have to shoehorn in your own name on not one but BOTH of your kids like that?

- sigh on March 6th, 2008

KB do you really think his ex wife would have let him alone name their daughters? Obviously she liked the names or they wouldn’t have named their daughters what they did.

- Heather on March 6th, 2008

Congrats to Clay and Jessica!!!!

- Summer on March 6th, 2008

Heather-
“Input: Contribution of information or a comment”
I said I was wondering if the wife had any input on this, as in, what she had to say about it? Good or bad. No big deal.

- KB on March 6th, 2008

Yay! Congrats to Clay and Jessica! For some reason, I didn’t think she wanted kids, but whatever…I’m happy for them.

As far as both MaClay and Skylor (ClayAnne)’s names go, Clay has said a few times in interviews that their mother (his ex-wife Lori) was the one that picked out both their names.

MaClay DaLayne:
Ma- is for mama. Clay is of course for daddy Clay. Da- daddy. I believe Layne is “L” is for mama Lori and the “ayne” is after Lori’s middle name which is Jayne (Clay’s publishing company was at one time Lori Jayne music).

Skylor ClayAnne:
I’m guessing the “lor” is her name is for “Lori” and then of course “Clay” is for her dad. I know Clay has joked that he wanted a “Sky Walker” but I believe he did say that Lori had picked out all the names.

There’s no telling if this one will be a “Clay”– boy or girl but yes, Clay is a Jr. himself– his full name is Ernest Clayton Walker, Jr. So it’s possible they wanted to continue that tradition of the family name somehow. I can’t say for sure, but that’s my guess.

- Loralie on March 6th, 2008

Why not? They are his children, after all. I am female and my first name is Tommie, after my Dad, and now that he has passed I can tell you I am extremely proud of my inherited name. Seeing as Clay hasn’t been in the best health these past few years I find it petty and ridiculous of you to comment as you have.

- Loraine on March 6th, 2008

I “love” how many of you assume that Clay must have named his children in a show of ego. They are family friends, and I can promise that you will never meet anyone with LESS of an ego. His WIFE named the girls. And what is wrong with naming daughters after their father, anyway? He might never HAVE a son, especially because the length of his life is not guaranteed.

I think it’s so sad that we have overcompensated for the subjugation of women to the point that we are now a civilization of automatic man-bashing, male subjugating b…women.

- Mtoo on March 6th, 2008

I don’t think most of the readers here know that Clay has MS — but his health has been good. I think they want to carry on the family name– and from meeting him a few times, Clay doesn’t have an ego at all. I wish him and Jessica and the girls the best. He loves being with his daughters.

- Loralie on March 6th, 2008

Thank you Loralie, I was actually wondering about his health. I was SO in love with Clay when he first made it onto the music scene (I was just a “tween” then) and was so sad when he announced his illness.

I’m SO happy for him and his family to be adding on! I wish them all well!

- Tracy on March 7th, 2008

To make this statement:

For some reason, I didn’t think she wanted kids, but whatever…I’m happy for them.

It’s obvious you don’t know Jessica very well at all.

Congrats to them both! Jessica is such a precious person and I wish them both the best!

- Casee on March 10th, 2008

Congrats. I can’t believe I missed this news. I have been a big Clay fan for years. I have been busy having my own babies the last couple years so I missed them but I bet they are so happy. I remember reading that when he first met Jessica they talked about how she said all she ever wanted to be was a mom and he knew then and there she was the one for him. I pray for a healthy baby. I interviewed Clay for 30 minutes on the phone several years ago and he was super sweet. Also, I see nothing wrong with him naming his daughters after himself… no different than naming a son Junior or a mom giving her daughter or son her middle name etc.

- Shannon on July 4th, 2008

I don’t think the vast majority of CBB readers are country music fans – hence the general ignorance about the provenance of the girls’ names. That being said, regardless of who named them or why… the names – to me – are a bit tortured and gimmicky. Obviously a lot of thought went into them (see the story helpfully provided above) but dang! MaClay?

I also don’t think it’s at all outside the realm of common sense to look at the names and think ego is behind them. And I don’t think that coming to such an obvious, if mistaken, conclusion makes anyone a man-bashing, man-subjugating woman at all.

Defending your friend doesn’t give you the right to be exactly what you’re claiming others are being…

- Jen DC on July 31st, 2008

Haha MB I was just going to say the same thing about the names reminding me of George Foreman’s kids. Thanks for the poster who shared the meaning behind the names. I love hearing what people were thinking when they named their children. It’s so special

- MB on July 31st, 2008

Jen DC: You put it perfectly. That is exactly what should be taken from reading this post. The problem with trying to point out that they were named by the mother and the names are supposed to be after both of them is that his name is the only prominent one. It sticks out that he named both his kids after himself. And there is nothing wrong with pointing this out because most people will assume that if they don’t know these people personally.

My grandmother was named after her father because he was so mad that she was a girl and not a boy. Her name is Georgeanna. Her younger brother was also named George but he went by his middle name instead. She has always hated her name and hated why she has it. I’m not saying that this is why these girls have their names, but I am merely trying to point out the effect it can sometimes have on the child whose name it is. My grandmother has such a sore spot for her name.
Personally I have never liked the tradition of naming your child after yourself because I think kids should be given a chance to have an identity of their own. Many people in my family gave their children their name as a middle name or in my brother’s case, his middle name is our grandfather’s. My middle name is my late aunt’s. My brother plans on giving a son of his our father’s name as a middle name. I think that’s a better way to honor family members and still at the same time allow to kid to have an identity of their own. Just my opinion.

- Ekaterina on July 31st, 2008

Congrats to the happy couple! Looking forward to hearing the name. I hope by guessing the following, that I will jinx these names. Claymison, Claynard, Claymond, JeClay, ClayJay, Pat Clayjack, hehe.

- happywindy on July 31st, 2008

My cousin is friends with his daughter Skylar and my Aunt says that they are very nice. I wish them all the happiness.

- Megan on July 31st, 2008

Before posting I think its important to read Mtoo and Loralie’s comments.

My sister in law was named after her mother and aunt. My father in law named her.

My mother in law was diagnosed with MS in the early 1990′s. By the time my husband was a senior in High School she was in a wheel chair. When my husband and I met she had an operation to correct a birth defect on her heart. The meds they used caused her kidney’s to fail and she had to undergo Dialysis 3x a week. She also started getting pressure problems because she was either in the wheel chair or in bed.

She wanted so much to be a grandmother. Everyday she’d tell me how much she wanted to be a grandmother. We started Trying as soon as we got married but two years later nothing. So we decided to try to adopt. We found and fell in love with two little girls who were sisters, we started the adoption process knowing that the judge might return them to their mom (she was fighting to get them back) 9 months into it we learned the judge ruled in her favor. That was in February.

My mother in law was in and out of the hospital from Nov. through May 8th and only had been home for 20 days that entire time. May 8th she died at 56. Mother’s day was so difficult because we had just lost her and her wake was planned for that day.

We plan on naming our 2nd daughter after her Marissa Lauren and our first son Matthew James in her honor.

- EAB on July 31st, 2008

I love Clay Walker. He’s a great guy. I hope he does name his son Ernest Clayton Walker III. They can call him Trey or Trip. So cute and southern =)

- Rebecca on July 31st, 2008

It is indeed cocky, and it’s also got a bit of a Y overdose.

There should really be a law to keep this under control.

- Catu on July 31st, 2008

Wow. Those are some yooneek names/spellings. lol. I understand the sentiment behind his daughters’ name but quite frankly…here’s hoping his second wife Jessica breaks the tradition altogether.

- Erica on July 31st, 2008

Back to my previous comment, I have met Jessica briefly and I read that she didn’t want kids. I may have misunderstood (and I didn’t mean it in a bad way– it was just badly worded), but I have nothing but good things to say about her. She was very sweet when I met her and I’m glad that she and Clay are starting a family together and that Clay is getting his son– whether he is named after Clay, or not.

I wish them nothing but the best– they are a cute couple and I can’t wait to hear about the arrival of Baby Boy Walker. I’m a big fan of Clay’s.

- Loralie on July 31st, 2008

MaClay and ClayAnne??? hmmm..I see a theme….

- Caren on July 31st, 2008

Ekaterina- I am going to reitirate what other posters have said: HE did NOT name the girls! His EX-WIFE named them! Therefore HE did not name them after himself! It was his EX-WIFE that named them after him (and, for the record, after her as well).

All of that said, while I do think kids shouldn’t have their first names be the same as one of their parents’ names (it creates confusion, for one thing, and, IMO, a kid should have his/her own identity), I don’t see anything wrong with naming kids after family members (including doing as Clay and his ex-wife did and having one of the parents’ names be only part of the kid’s first name).

My middle name, for example, was also my great-grandmother’s name. She had quite a few kids, all but two of those kids had kids, and most of THOSE kids had kids. Of her many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, none of them had been given her name in any way shape, or form. When I was born and my parents decided to give me her name for my middle name, my great-grandmother was absolutly thrilled!

She was very lucky my parents did decide to give me her name as my middle name, as she more than likely wouldn’t have had the chance to meet any future great-grandchildren that might have been given that name (none of them did get that name, to my knowledge). She died just a few years after I was born. I find it very touching that my parents chose to honor her in that way.

Also, my brother’s middle name is the same as my dad’s first name….and my dad is one of the LEAST egotistical guys you’d ever meet!

- CelebBabyLover on August 1st, 2008

when is the baby due? Is it a boy are a girl

- mbranum on October 5th, 2008