Many people have a memorable trip or favorite airline. Sometimes, the air journey is captured in a little picture that gets stuck in an album or posted online. Other times, the trip can be so special as to inspire something bigger. That seems to be the case for one Japanese couple, who named their son after Delta Air Lines owing to an incredibly memorable experience.

"Little Delta"

The Eguchi family flew to Hawaii on Delta Air Lines as part of their wedding trip. Hawaii is also special because it is one of Mrs. Saki Eguchi’s favorite destinations. In fact, her first flight with Delta was to Hawaii. When the couple gave birth to their first child, the choice of name was a symbolic one. Not only was Delta a memorable part of the couple’s love story, but the shape itself also symbolizes strength.

The couple’s story came to light thanks to an attentive Delta employee in Hawaii. The couple was flying to Nagoya, Japan when Delta employee Pam Saito realized that one of the passengers in the Delta One cabin was named “Delta.” Ms. Saito then located the Eguchi family in the Delta Sky Club. That is where she learned the full story behind the child’s name.

The name "Delta Air Lines"

Delta Air Lines is known for its “widget” logo which is inspired by the Greek letter delta. However, the name “Delta Air Lines” has its origins elsewhere. Back in 1928, according to Delta Air Lines, Catherine Fitzgerald, an assistant to founder C. E. Woolman, coined the name “Delta” after the Mississippi Delta where Delta Air Service flew.

The widget also has additional symbolism. In 1955, Senior Vice President – General Counsel and Secretary, Richard Maurer, was keen to note the similarity between the Greek letter Δ and the shape of new aircraft. Thus, the widget was born. The design onlookers see today is meant to resemble the appearance of a plane flying overhead in the skies. Moreover, onlookers can also look up and note a Delta plane flying overhead thanks to branding on the bellies of aircraft.

Overall

Travel is meant to be a memorable experience. And, in some cases, the flight itself is almost as memorable as the destination. The Eguchi family decided to cement this memory by naming their little son after the large American carrier. Speaking on this, Mr. Eguchi had the following to say:

I want him to expand his global network, like Delta Air Lines. And that he experiences the world's different cultures and societies. That's why we picked the name Delta.

While Delta Air Lines is well-known for brand loyalty, this is something above and beyond what you see every day. Do you have a memorable airline journey? What stands out about it? Let us know in the comments!