Chicago Couple Name Newborn Baby After the Bears

The Chicago Bears have had a remarkable turnaround under first-year head coach Ben Johnson. As of this writing, the Bears are 9-4, have had two separate winning streaks of more-than-three games, and on track to make the playoffs in a crowded NFC. As a Bears fan, I have no idea where this ride is going nor how it will end. That said, I'm enjoying it every week. All I've wanted is for my football team to be competent and competitive. It's been a long time.

This weekend, WGN did a story on a Chicago couple who named their newborn son after their favorite football team. Ryan and Eileen Downing welcomed a baby boy into the world on September 12th, 2025, two days before Chicago's Week 2 game against the Detroit Lions, which was their most lopsided loss of a season.

A Bears Fan at Birth:

With their last name being "Downing," an opportunity to name their son after the team presented itself. The boy's name is "Bear Parking Downing," in reference to the Bears' long-time fight song, "Bear Down, Chicago Bears." "Bear Down" has been the Bears' motto since time immemorial.

Ryan Downing, Bear's father, was eager to pass his fandom onto his son in a massive way:

I’ve been a Bears fan for as long as I can remember, and when we found out we were having a boy I suggested the name Bear Downing at a family function. Everyone loved it - Ryan Downing, per WGN

Ryan also told WGN that they watched the Bears/Lions game at the hospital as a family, but Bear was busy trying to sleep and learn how to eat, so he wasn't paying too much attention to the game. Good for him. That was a game every Bears fan wants to forget, as they lost 52-21.

Eileen commented how their now three-month-old has been something of a good luck charm for the team: "whenever he's watching the game, they'll score," she said.

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The Downings appear to be big Chicago sports fans in general, as they made their pregnancy announcement to friends and family at Wrigley Field. And Bear Downing himself is cute as a button. Read more about this story on WGN's website.