April The Giraffe Calf Name: Family Of Late Massachusetts Boy Want Calf To Be Named After Him

April, the giraffe at the Animal Adventure Park in Harpursville, New York, gave birth to her calf on April 15 as millions of fans from across the world cheered her on.

The calf, who is now almost two weeks old, will be named through a vote held by the upstate New York zoo and a family from Medford, Massachusetts is attempting to garner enough votes to have the giraffe named after the son they lost just as the calf was born.

Read: Top 10 Baby Names Revealed By Animal Adventure Park For April The Giraffe's Calf

Gio Maggiore, 6, passed away of heart failure after a battle that lasted his entire life. His love for giraffes prompted his parents – Chris and Maya Maggiore – to think that it would be the perfect tribute to their son if April’s calf could be named after him.

The parents have moved a step closer to making it come true as at the end of the first phase of the contest being held to name April’s male calf, Gio was shortlisted as one of the 10 names revealed by the Animal Adventure Park.

“He would lighten up any room,” Maya Maggiore told WCVB. “He just had a bright, bright personality. He was a determined little boy, almost like an old soul.”

“When he was a baby, he liked a giraffe pacifier, he had giraffe stuffed animals, he had giraffe costumes because he liked giraffes,” she said. “His favorite book was ‘Giraffes Can't Dance.’”

Gio spent most of his last days waiting for April to give birth, along with millions around the world. However, he was laid to rest on the day the pregnant giraffe gave birth. Soon after that, somebody suggested that parents try to get the newborn calf named after Gio.

“Somebody had said, ‘wouldn't it be cool if they named the giraffe after Gio?’” his mother recalled.

“I think he’d love it,” she said. “I think he’d be absolutely amazed. He loved to share his story.”

Maya Maggiore said Gio always feared that he will be forgotten but she believes that even though it would be special for the giraffe to be named after her son, it was all about his memory. She said, “Win, lose, name or no name, there's just going to be so many people that are going to know his name.”

April’s calf was born just over two months after the zoo set up a live stream to document her pregnancy and the birth of the baby. At the time of birth, the calf weighed 129 pounds and was about 5-feet-9 tall.

The zoo has also started another live stream for April and her calf but only on Tuesdays, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. EDT.

Here is a list of the names shortlisted by the Animal Adventure Park, in alphabetical order:

1. Allysa’s Choice

2. Apollo

3. Geoffrey

4. Gio

5. Harpur

6. Noah

7. Ollie

8. Patch

9. Patches

10. Unity