Brees enjoys fan suggestions for baby names

[October 14, 2010]  METAIRIE, La. (AP) -- Oh baby, is Drew Brees popular these days.

Brees said Wednesday that he gained a new appreciation for how many fans are interested in the impending birth of his second child after he asked on his Twitter account for suggestions of boy names starting with "B."

There have been more than 6,000 responses, Brees said.

Some came over the Internet. Others were left as handwritten notes in his mailbox, under the gate at his New Orleans home, or at the Saints' suburban training center.

"That kind of took on a life of its own," Brees said. "Somebody put something in my locker today that is a page full of people calling in to the Saints' facility giving suggestions. It is probably 70 "B" names on there. Anything you can imagine."

Brees and his wife, Brittany, have one son, Baylen, who turns 2 in January. Their second son is due Monday.

Brees said he and Brittany were discussing a handful of names when he "innocently" decided to ask for suggestions on Twitter, the social networking website.

The reigning Super Bowl MVP joked that the number of responses was so large, "It kind of almost turned into, if you make a large donation to the Brees Dream Foundation you could pick the name."

"What I think is great is that obviously when the baby does come and we do name him and announce that, there will be a lot of people taking credit for that name."

Brees said there were a number of good suggestions but he wouldn't discuss any specifically. He said he and Brittany might make up a name, like they did with Baylen.

Brees, who has about 274,000 followers on Twitter, said he doesn't mind all the attention.

"I think it's cool," Brees said. "I guess you feel like there's pressure to come up with a really great name. You just feel like there's a lot of people that are interested in your life, our family, what you do off the field, who you are. I think that's great."

[Associated Press; By BRETT MARTEL]

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