Our Giant Resident Spider

So we have a fun little patio behind our townhome, and we have a grill, and a dead little garden. But I haven't spent any time back there lately because of this.........

.........Yes, it is a huge spider. He showed up in the middle of August, and just won't go away! I couldn't even believe I went out there to take this picture! Sometimes we open up the blinds and watch him eat other bugs, and crawl up and down his 2-foot-long web. I'm thinking I should give him a name since he just keeps hanging around! Any ideas?!