Mom of 6 wanted to give her kids a better life. So she named them after US states where she saw possibility

Xaviera Greene-Davis is mom to six kids — Nevada, Montana, Indiana, Arizona, Missouri and Dakota

NEED TO KNOW

• Xaviera Greene-Davis named her six kids after U.S. states to inspire them to dream beyond their circumstances

• The siblings say their unique names helped them stay close and reflect their mom’s belief in their potential
• All six children have pursued careers or higher education, with Montana continuing the tradition of meaningful naming

One mom decided that giving her kids a better life started with their names.

When she became a mom, Xaviera Greene-Davis wanted to ensure that her kids wouldn't have to struggle with the same hardships she had faced growing up.

She hoped that her kids would be able to see themselves as bigger than their chances, so she gave them all names that people wouldn't be able to forget — Nevada, Montana, Indiana, Arizona, Missouri and Dakota.

While her kids are all named after U.S. states, Greene-Davis didn't choose the names because she's visited the areas. She said she chose them because she saw possibilities in each state that were larger than where her family lived, she told Today.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

When Greene-Davis was in and out of jail, she wanted her kids' names to serve as a unifying force to keep them connected, no matter what happened. She also hoped their names would remind her kids that they could build their own future.

"It worked," Montana Jones, 26, told the outlet. "We've been close our whole lives. It's always been the six of us."

"She wanted us to not be like anybody else we were around," she added.

The siblings shared that their names would often get attention growing up. Montana would often hear references to the Disney Channel character Hannah Montana, but said that she was never upset by her name. She's even planning on continuing the tradition.

"I plan on doing something similar," said Montana. "If not states, maybe cities."

Montana says her mom "completely turned her life around" and left where she grew up in Virginia. She married and moved her family to North Carolina. Today, all six of her kids have graduated from high school, and each has gone on to pursue a higher degree or an individual career path.

Montana is a deputy sheriff, while Nevada, 27, works for a restoration company. Indiana, 23, is a veterinary technician and Arizona, 21, is a 911 dispatcher. Missouri, 20, works at a daycare center, and Dakota, 18, is a football player at Virginia State University.

Montana shared that her family's names have become a marker of her mom's faith in her kids.

"She always felt in her heart that her six states were going to be something," she said. "Everybody is going to remember our names."

Read the original article on People