Second Life Couple Have Real Life Baby, Name Him "Linden"

Washu and Damien in 2004; in real life with baby Linden, earlier this week

Meet baby Linden, above right, citizen of the United States and child of Second Life, born in the early hours of August 17, all of 9 pounds and 13 ounces, new son to a young British-American couple, famously known in Second Life as Damien Fate and Washu Zebrastripe. Among the very first members of SL (Washu's account goes back to 2002, shortly after which she became an early avatar fashion innovator), I wrote about their metaverse-driven courtship in 2004, which began virtually but moved fairly rapidly to real world meetings via international flights, and a marriage that moved Ms. Zebrastripe from the American Midwest to the UK, and together back again to the States.

This child will be raised in part from funds earned in Second Life's economy, because Washu and Damien have long made their real world living through SL, via their content creation and real world contracting assignments; currently, their main business is Loco Pocos, a collection of insanely adorable avatar creatures. (Want to help pay for young Linden's college fund? Buy a Loco Poco today.)

As you might have guessed by now, the baby's name is not coincidental. "The word Linden has a lot of meaning to Washu and I," Damien tells me. "Through Second Life we have found each other, our livelihoods and now our son. I couldn't think of a more appropriate name with such meaning for us." Photo courtesy Mr. Fate; Loco Pocos pic via locopocos.com/blog

Comments

[Sioban McMahon]

Ooooooh, little Linden is so cute!

Congratulations to Mom and Dad. :)

[Lena Franciosa]

Congratulations!

[Crap Mariner]

Can't remember... will the baby need to display a (tm), (c), or (r) ?

-ls/cm

[Rich Desoto]

Perhaps this one will have to wear an "inSL" tattoo somewhere about his person?

[Bixyl Shuftan]

Congratulations.

[Pituca FairChang]

What incredibly wonderful news. Congratulations to you both from Garth and me...

[Haney Armstrong]

Congrats!

[Osprey]

Oh, congratulations!

[Zak Claxton]

Congratulations! I only took my musical stage name from my SL avatar. This is a real little person and stuff. :)

[Kabalyero]

Hey, congratulations to both of you... though you'll have to 18 years before he can join you in SL... :)

[Dale Innis]

Woot! All of Plurk is smiling for them. :)

So... is there a Linden Linden yet? They should reserve the name...

[Bhodi Silverman]

Congrats, Damien and Washu!!!

[Marianne McCann]

'grats to Washu and Damien, and welcome to First Life, little Linden!

[Troy McLuhan]

Wow, this is the kind of story I love to hear. Thanks for sharing it Hamlet!

[DD Ra]

Congratulations to Damien and Washu and warm welcome to the young Linden !

[Arcadia Codesmith]

Congratulations and best wishes to Washu, Damien and Linden! May the fun and goodwill that you've brought to the virtual world come back to you threefold in the real one.

[Chiana Meredith]

WOW! Such great news, and Linden is SOOO cute! So happy for you both! Take care of yourselves, and we'll see you soon!

[RandoymRandt]

Reposted here: http://sl2rllove.blogspot.com/

And, that makes four SL 2 RL babies that I know of (kinda, but if anyone does know of more, PLEASE contact us on the website we're gathering data).

Thanks!

[Harper Beresford]

I just read this and dang, that is the CUTEST tiny I have EVER seen.