American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics.  In collaboration with several artists, most notably Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, he co-created Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, the Avengers, Iron Man, the Hulk, Thor, Daredevil, Doctor Strange, and many other fictional characters, introducing complex, naturalistic characters and a thoroughly shared universe into superhero comic books.

He is also one of the most humble guys I have ever seen, often deflecting credit from himself and singing others' praises for their work.

Fictional character in the animated television series South Park.  He is voiced by and loosely based on series co-creator Trey Parker.  Stan is one of the show's four central characters, along with his friends Kyle Broflovski, Kenny McCormick, and Eric Cartman.

I never really got into the show, although Dani likes it.

Ice hockey club trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals.

English comic actor, writer and film director, famous as the first half of the comedy double-act Laurel and Hardy.

American film director, writer, producer, and photographer who lived in England during most of the last four decades of his career.  Kubrick was noted for the scrupulous care with which he chose his subjects, his slow method of working, the variety of genres he worked in, his technical perfectionism, and his reclusiveness about his films and personal life.  He maintained almost complete artistic control, making movies according to his own whims and time constraints, but with the rare advantage of big-studio financial support for all his endeavors.  His most noted films include Spartacus, Lolita, Dr. Strangelove and 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, and The Shining.

American jazz musician and composer known for his innovative and influential work on double bass and electric bass guitar as well as for his numerous film and television scores.  He is best known for his work with the fusion band Return to Forever, and his role as a bandleader in several trios and ensembles.  Most associated for playing kick-ass Alembic basses like the one pictured here.

A 138-room Georgian hotel in Estes Park, Colorado.  Located within sight of the Rocky Mountain National Park, the Stanley offers panoramic views of the Rockies.  It was built by Freelan O. Stanley of Stanley Steamer fame and opened on July 4, 1909, catering to the rich and famous, including the Titanic survivor Margaret Brown, John Philip Sousa, Theodore Roosevelt, the Emperor and Empress of Japan, and a variety of Hollywood personalities. The Stanley Hotel also hosted Stephen King, inspiring him to write The Shining.  Contrary to information sometimes published, King was living in Boulder at the time and did not actually write the novel at the hotel.  Parts of the mini-series version of The Shining were filmed there, although it was not used for Stanley Kubrick's cinematic version.  The hotel and its surrounding lands are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Dani and I visited the hotel while we were in Colorado for a friend's wedding within the first few years we were dating.

American actor, writer, film producer and film director.  He has been nominated for several notable film awards, including an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, for his performance in The Lovely Bones (2009)

I have always liked this guy.  Sometimes he's the best thing in some of the movies he should have passed on.

The Stanley Motor Carriage Company was a manufacturer of steam-engine vehicles; it operated from 1902 to 1924.  The cars made by the company were colloquially called Stanley Steamers, although several different models were produced

My Uncle Gerald first bought the name to my attention as he makes replicas of old cars and carriages.  The Stanley Steamer was one of them.

Fictional character from the US television series The Office played by Leslie David Baker.

Although this character is from the American incarnation, the BBC version of the series was the inspiration for our song (from my engagement proposal, first dance at the wedding), "Only You" by Yaz.

American jazz saxophone player.  Getz was known as "The Sound" because of his warm, lyrical tone.

I remember him best for alternating lines and solos with Johnny Smith on the album Moonlight in Vermont, which is among the best jazz albums ever produced.

American social psychologist most notable for his controversial study known as the Milgram Experiment.  The study was conducted in the 1960s during Milgram's professorship at Yale.  Milgram was influenced by the events of the Nazi Holocaust to carry out an experiment that would prove the relationship between obedience and authority.  Shortly after the obedience experiment, Milgram conducted the small-world experiment (the source of the six degrees of separation concept) while at Harvard.

American jazz/jazz fusion guitarist and pianist, best known for his development of the tapping technique for the guitar.

It's unfortunate that he gets credit primarily for his unorthodox technique instead of his musical output.  What he can do is just as amazing as how he does it.

Stanley Black & Decker (NYSE: SWK), formerly known as The Stanley Works, is a manufacturer of tools and hardware and provider of security products and locks headquartered in New Britain, Connecticut.  On March 12, 2010, Stanley Works merged with Black & Decker to become Stanley Black & Decker

We practically live at hardware stores, and I frequently pointed out tools that had the Stanley logo to my Stan.

American hard rock guitarist, singer, musician, painter and songwriter best known for being the rhythm guitarist and primary lead vocalist of the rock band Kiss.  He is the writer or co-writer of many of the band's highest-charting hits.

Admittedly, I really never liked the band.

American visual effects supervisor, makeup artist, and film director.  He was best known for his work in the Terminator series, the Jurassic Park series, Aliens, the Predator series, Iron Man, Edward Scissorhands, and Avatar.  He won four Academy Awards for his work.  He owned several effects studios, including Stan Winston Digital.  The established areas of expertise for Winston were in makeup, puppets and practical effects, but he had recently expanded his studio to encompass digital effects as well.

I was inspired to use the name in full after I learned that Stan Winston had passed away not long before Dani was pregnant.  "Stan Winston" sounded like a first and middle name to me.  Actually, it took until something like 26 hours and three phone calls from hospital records to our room asking what the baby's name was before we settled into the conclusion this kid was indeed a Stan.

Dani passed on the Winston portion, however, on the ground that "Winston sounds like a dog's name."  It was funny when she made this statement to my ex-girlfriend Katherine whose father is named Winston and, indeed, one of her sons' middle name is Winston after him.  Admittedly, Katherine's dad happens to be the guy who played McGruff the crime dog, so maybe there's something to this after all.

The kid.