Matt and Abby Howard Reveal the Inspiration Behind the Name of Their Late Daughter Emerson Nicole

Tabitha ParentThu, March 5, 2026 at 8:40 PM UTC

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Matt and Abby Howard.Credit: Abby Howard/Instagram -

Matt and Abby Howard are continuing to open up about their late daughter

On the March 4 episode of their Unplanned podcast, the two spoke about the loss of their daughter, which they announced 17 weeks into Abby's pregnancy in a Sept. 27 Instagram post

On the episode, the two also reveal the origin behind the name they were planning to give their daughter, Emerson Nicole

Matt and Abby Howard are sharing the touching source of inspiration behind the name they had planned to give their late daughter.On the March 4 episode of their Unplanned podcast, the pair chatted about a range of topics, including how they make financial decisions in their marriage as well as their favorite ways to spend time with their two sons, Griffin, 3, and August, 2.

Toward the end of the episode, which was titled "Remembering our daughter, the due date & our first marriage conference," things took a more somber turn as the pair got candid about experiencing a miscarriage.

They also revealed the inspiration behind the name they would have given their daughter, Emerson Nicole, which they initially shared in a post commemorating what would have been their baby girl's due date."I actually had a stillborn sister who was a year older than me and her name was Emily Nicole," Abby explained.

Abby and Matt Howard and their daughter Emerson Nicole.Credit: Matt Howard/Instagram

"And so we named Emerson — they share that middle name — which was really meaningful for us. Our nurse, that was literally an angel to us when we delivered her, her name was Nicole. So it also just felt so appropriate at that time and like meaningful to our family.""I will say like picking out that name after knowing that her heart wasn't beating... you never want that experience to be something you and your baby are experiencing," Abby added.

Going on, Abby revealed why the couple ultimately chose to share her name publicly.

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The influencer said keeping her baby's name secret was like "hanging on to this separate life where I was still pregnant." The couple initially had plans to announce her name on their daughter's birthday, but now that they had passed her due date, it felt "OK" in her mind to share her name."What I'm learning is that the name is really what gives anybody humanity," Abby continued. "Her humanity is what makes her loss like so painful. Sometimes the term pregnancy loss really rubs me the wrong way because it's like I'm not just grieving a pregnancy. I'm grieving a human. I'm grieving a baby. I'm grieving a daughter. I'm grieving Emerson."The pair first announced the news of their daughter's death in a Sept. 27 Instagram post after Abby, 26, had a miscarriage at about 17 weeks along in her pregnancy.

Matt, Abby, Griffin and August Howard.Credit: Abby Howard/Instagram

"It is with very heavy hearts that we share about the loss of our baby girl born far too soon," the couple wrote alongside a photo of their hands clasped together in a hospital bed."At a routine pregnancy appointment, our doctor could not find a heartbeat. Shortly after they sent us in for an ultrasound where the technician said words we will never forget, 'I am so sorry I do not have good news,' " the post continued. "That is when we got the gender reveal we never hoped for, and also the news that our baby had a genetic condition that took her life around 17 weeks' gestation."On Feb. 28, the pair marked what would have been Emerson's due date in an Instagram post.

“In another version of today maybe we were holding you for the very first time,” the couple wrote alongside a photo of Matt and Abby looking down at a bouquet of white flowers. “But that’s not today.”

“Today we are grieving you: our daughter and baby sister,” they continued. “We grieve because we love (so so much) and for the rest of our lives we will carry your love with us. Happy due date sweet Emerson Nicole. 🤍🪽.”

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”