Hotch goes home, and he kisses his wife, and he says, "Fine. Gideon."
There's no finer name he's ever known.
Although Hotch never tells anyone, he's pretty sure 'Aaron' was chosen because it was the first on whatever list his mother might have managed to get his father to look at. It's why he never lets anyone but Haley call him by his first name. She doesn't use it often, but when she does, it's always an effort for Hotch to remember where he is.
Hotch's father probably hadn't given a damn what it meant when he picked it, but he yelled it often enough to make Hotch hate it anyway.
Gideon never tries to call Hotch "Aaron". Morgan does once and Hotch slams him into a wall on instinct. He apologizes and takes Morgan out for drinks after work.
Reid never calls Hotch by his first name, either. Hotch still isn't sure if that's Gideon's influence or just Reid.
(The rest of the team avoiding the name "Aaron" is definitely Gideon's influence.)
People call him Hotchner. His friends call him Hotch. And It doesn't matter what his father called him.
Gideon means "mighty warrior", because of course it does.
Jason means "healer".
Thinking about it, Hotch decides the contradiction there makes as much sense as anything about Gideon does.
"Jason" doesn't make Gideon flinch. Hotch refuses to be jealous of Gideon for anything, even that.
When he can't sleep a few nights later- like a lot of nights- Hotch flips on his lamp and pages through Haley's book of names.
"Derek" means "gifted ruler". Hotch can see it. Morgan's a hell of a leader when the situation calls for it. Hotch has no doubt the kid will work his way up the ladder right behind Hotch.
"Spencer" means "steward" or "administrator". That one is a no-brainer. Reid likes logic, likes riddles, likes dispensing information and making things fit.
"Penelope" means "weaver". Hotch thinks of Garcia in her office, weaving her webs of information and twitching strands to get information, and decides to move on to Elle before he has nightmares which feature the spider from Lord of the Rings.
"Elle" is the french word for "she". That, Hotch thinks, is spot on. Elle is secure and intimidating in her femininity, able to use her appeal as well as she can her gun.
"Aaron" means "exalted". When Hotch reads that, he almost laughs.
He's never been exalted by anyone, least of all the people who named him.
"I thought you hated "Gideon"," Haley says, smiling.
"I've never known a name our child deserves more," Hotch says, and it's the truth.
His child will never need to wonder if their name was chosen because it was the first one there.
Hotch can't hear his own first name without wanting to flinch. But he can give his child that much.