Atlas

Photo courtesy of Beth Wade Photography 

For years, Atlas had been somewhat of a sleeper name. Since 1880 it has charted more years than not in the U.S., both for boys and girls. Generally it was given to 10 or so children in the years it appeared. it was ever so slightly on the increase, and then Anne Heche bestowed the name on her second son in 2009. The next year the name Atlas almost doubled in use for boys, and was used in similar numbers again in 2011 and 2012. 2012 also saw Atlas reappear on the charts for girls after a 78 year absence.

It seems Anne simultaneously tapped into a rising trend, managing to both bring attention to the name and give people who were doubting it's suitability as a name the courage to use it.

The name Atlas originated from the Titan from Greek mythology who held the heavens on his shoulders. He is the Titan of astrology and navigation, and often associated with the moon. His name was the basis of the Atlas mountains  in Northwest Africa, The Atlantic Ocean and the legendary island city of Atlantis. In architecture, an atlas is also a name for a support sculpted in the form of a man. Interestingly, the Titan Atlas was not the inspiration behind the common name for a book of maps and charts - that honour went to a king of Mauritania who was said to be skilled in philosophy, mathematics and astronomy and thought to be the inventor of the first celestial globe. It is the celestial globe that the Titan Atlas is most often depicted holding, rather than a world globe.

It is the legend of Atlas that makes this seem like a "heavy" name for a child to bear for many. The idea that a child will be figuratively carrying "the weight of he world on their shoulders" is a deterrent for many, and has probably contributed to it's rare usage. It is possible though to look at this imagery as a positive rather than a negative. It shows a faith that your child will have the strength and fortitude to handle the pressures that life throws their way.

As to what Anne Heche had in mind when she chose the name, it's hard to say. I've heard that when she suggested the name to James Tupper (Anne's partner and Atlas' father) he said "Okay, cool name, but people will totally make fun of you', to which Anne replied "Okay, I'm used to that. Let's name him Atlas!". I'm also guessing though that for a someone born in a town called Aurora, with an alternate persona named Celestia, the name Atlas would have some personal symbolism for her. Plus it helps that it works well with her other mythologically related son, Homer.

I love the name Atlas. It's strong, rare but not too strange, and would be great for people who like mythological and constellation type names. Atlas also feels like a very modern sounding name. Personally I prefer it for a boy, but I can see how it also has the makings of a great girls name. It makes me think of an Amazonian warrior princess. What do you think? Is Atlas too much, or is it just right in today's namescape?

Adair

 

It's a little hard to decide how to start this post. Adair (pronounced ah-DARE) may seem like a quiet, innocuous little name, but I when you look a little closer, there's a lot to like about Adair.

1. Adair is a great, newly emerging unisex option
Adair is one of the freshest of the unisex "A" options. It has such a different feel to the classic Alex, or the oh-so-hot-right-now Avery. And because it is currently so uncommon, you're less likely to come across people who have pre-conceived notions of whether it's a "boys name" or a "girls name" when you introduce your little one to them for the first time.

2. Adair has a sound that people like
Claire is one similar sounding classic name. Blair would be considered by many to be a modern day classic. Adair is possibly the natural progression from these, the next spunky and preppy "air" name.

3. Adair is a nature name
And I always love a nature name! Adair comes from the Gaelic surname 'doire' meaning 'oak grove'. It is also thought to have come from either Old English or Old German as a variant of the name Edgar, a name derived from the words 'ead' meaning 'prosperity' and 'gar' meaning 'spear'. Hence Adair is also quoted to have the meaning 'spear of prosperity'. Both meanings have a very strong, solid image, belying it's almost soft sound.

4. Adair has a history but sounds modern
It's great to find something that feels new yet turns out it has a long history of use. Much of that is as a surname. But you may be surprised to know it has been charting as a given name in the U.S. since 1914 for boys and 1916 for girls. The highest position it has ever reached for either though was #1663 for boys in 2011. A history may not be high on everyone's list of desirables in a name, but it's nice for a child to feel connected to the world through their name.

5. Adair comes with great nicknames
It doesn't come much cooler than the nickname Dare. In fact, this is one of those situations where it's understandable that people would want to change the spelling (to Adare) just so they can more easily use Dare as a nickname. It's less cheesy than Danger and works for either gender. Or maybe you prefer Addie for your female Adair. This lovely vintage nickname would be a good compromise for parents torn between a modern or more classic sounding name.

There you have it - five great reasons to fall in love with Adair. I do of course have to add that in Australia you'd have to be quite daring (excuse the pun) to use it due to the very well recognised manchester and linen chain store Adairs. But if you're not in Australia and you're wondering how usable this name is, I'd say go for it. It's a great little name that has a lot to offer.

Audra

Judging by the US SSA list, "Au" names for girls have never been hotter. Whether you're a fan of the stylish Audrey, the warm Aubrey, the classical Aurelia or the natural Autumn, chances are there's an Au name on most people's favourites list.

My personal pick would be Audra. Simple, streamlined, lyrical and feminine, there's plenty to like about Audra. Plus it starts and ends with the ever popular letter "A", often a winning combination in a girls name.

Pronounced aw-drah, it is most commonly cited to be derived from the much more popular Audrey, an Old English name meaning 'noble strength'. Audra is also a Lithuanian name meaning 'storm'. This makes Audra both a virtue name and a nature name, without being a too obvious example of either. It also has the name day of the 23rd of March in Latvia, so would be great for a girl born on that date.

Audra is used a lot less than current favourites Audrey and Aubrey. In 2012 these two ranked #41 and #15 respectively in the U.S., and both also appeared on a small number of baby boys. That doesn't include their many spelling variations, which means there are more children named Audrey and Aubrey than these numbers suggest. Conversely, Audra was ranked #1285, and while it has been given to boys in the past it has been a number of years since any male Audra's have been born in the U.S. So  Audra is a good option if you love the sound of the other two but want a rarer option that is less likely to leave your girl mistaken for a boy.

In past years, Audra was at it's peak popularity in 1966 when it shot to #283 from position #1110, thanks largely to the character Audra Barkley played by Linda Evans in TV show 'The Big Valley'. So it may be considered a "mum" name by some. But there are plenty of other famous (and younger) women sporting this name too, such as:

Linda Evans as
Audra Barkley

• American tennis player Audra Cohen
• 2012 Australian 'Masterchef' finalist Audra Morrice
• Lithuanian sprinter and politician Audra Dagelyte
• American actress and Playboy model Audra Lynn
• 'Private Practice' actress and singer Audra McDonald
• American singer/songwriter Audra Mae; and
• American politician Audra Strickland  

There's also an Arizona based band called Audra.

The lack of nickname options for Audra may be one of less attractive things about this name. There aren't many, and with some people's accents "odd" may be the word that most readily springs to mind. But I do kind of like the fun options Audi (pron OW-di) or Audie (pron ORR-di). Ra-ra could also be cute, or even Goldie (as the chemical symbol for gold is au). Then again, the fact that it is harder to get a nickname from Audra may be what appeals to some about this name, as not everyone wants to have a nickname for their child.

But perhaps one of my favourite things about Audra is the following quote I've seen online, that "It's like velvet on the tongue". It may seem like a slightly strange description, but it seems to sum up this pretty, understated and poetic name well. Alluring Audra would be a winner for any little girl.

Abercrombie

One of the (many) benefits to maintaining a baby name blog is that you can discover a naming style that you didn't even realise you loved until it reveals itself through the names that you feel inspired enough to write about. If you're a regular reader reader here at Baby Name Pondering you might already be able to tell what type of style I am referring to by today's chosen name, Abercrombie. Apparently it turns out I have a bit of a love affair with the preppy sounding surname name.

To address the elephant in the room up front, for Americans Abercrombie is so entwined with the clothing label Abercrombie and Fitch that it would take quite a brave person to use it. The label has often faced controversy, providing plenty of good reasons to avoid having your child forever associated with their brand. And indeed Abercrombie has never charted as a given name on the SSA lists. So US readers might want to pretend there's no such thing as Abercrombie and Fitch for a few minutes and look at this name with fresh eyes.

Like many surnames, Abercrombie (pronounced ab-err-CROM-bee) started as a place name. It comes from the Scottish Gaelic words aber meaning 'confluence' and crom meaning 'crooked', which gives it the meaning of 'confluence of rivers at a bend' or 'mouth of the bendy river'. The original Abercrombie is in Fife, Scotland, but other Abercrombies are also located in Nova Scotia, Alabama and North Dakota. There's also an Abercrombie Mountain in Washington, and Abercrombie River, Caves and National Park in New South Wales Australia, so there are plenty of places to be inspired by.

There are also several famous figures sporting the surname Abercrombie, such as:

• Governor of Hawaii Neil Abercrombie
• Scientist and politician Sir Charles Abercrombie-Smith
• British Fantasy writer Joe Abercrombie
• Australian Rugby players Gordon and Jim
• English actor Ian Abercrombie
• American Musician Jeff Abercrombie
• Sir Patrick Abercrombie, British town-planner instrumental in the re-development of post-war London

However there seems to be just one well known person bearing this as a first name - botanist Abercrombie Lawson, who was also a professor in the subject who taught at Stanford University, University of Glasgow and University of Sydney.

Yes indeed, Abercrombie would make for a very rare given name. I've seen a couple of people toying with it as a girls name with the nickname Abby, but this is one that I personally much prefer for a boy. Maybe because it has notes of boys name Ambrose.  It feels a little stronger and more solid than an Ambrose to my ears though. And obviously I like it's preppy feel.

Back to the clothing reference though. Much as I like Abercrombie and would like to think the American label doesn't have any impact in other countries, the fact is that it is iconic and recognisable almost worldwide. Making me think that true lovers of this name would be best using it in the middle position, and even then possibly only if it is a family name. Seems a shame.

Then again, Abernathy could be a viable alternative - a similar sound, origin and meaning without elitist connotations.......what do you think?

Alliterative Names

Ever noticed that all four of HBO's 'Girls' characters - Jessa Johansson, Marnie Michaels,
Hannah Horvath and Shoshanna Shapiro - all have alliterative names?

Alliterative names - first/middle/last names starting with the same letter/sound – is a subject that many people have strong feelings about. Some people love them, some hate them with a passion.

For those that hate them, there really only seems to be one argument against them. They are just too cutesy and "matchy-matchy". They just make it too hard to take a person seriously. These people actively avoid giving this type of name to their children.

Others love them for almost the same reason they are hated - because they are cute and snazzy sounding. This makes them fun, easier to remember and hence more memorable.

Being more memorable makes them perfect for celebrities, superheroes, wrestlers and fictional characters. J.K. Rowlings world of 'Harry Potter' is full of alliterative names. Just look at examples such as Luna Lovegood, Severus Snape, Dudley Dursley and Minerva McGonagall. And have you ever paid much attention to the founders of the four houses at Hogwarts? All four of them have alliterative names. HBO show 'Girls' is another example that may have slipped most peoples notice. All four of the lead characters also have alliterative names.

Popular comic book author Stan Lee is another writer with a preference for alliterative names, mainly as a way to help him remember the names of his own characters (such as Peter Parker, Bruce Banner etc). He wrote about so many that he sometimes had trouble keeping track of all them. They also work well when paired with a descriptor - hence we have Green Goblin, Silver Surfer and Fantastic Four. Other creators also use this to great effect. Think Big Bird, Pink Panther and Mickey Mouse. Would Mickey be as memorable if he were named Harvey Mouse? Probably not.

The memorable factor is also why many celebrities use alliterative names. We may think that they choose this, and some deliberately do, but many more are actually given alliterative names. Does this make it easier for them to reach stardom? Who knows. But some are plainly happy with their alliterative names, as some alliterative celebrities (Sylvester Stallone, Robert Rodriguez, Steven Spielberg) have continued the tradition with their own children.

And why not? One of my husbands' friends has an alliterative name, and he loves it. When his first child was born last year, their number one rule was that they also had to be given an alliterative name. He felt it was lucky and had served him well. I found it a little surprising when I first heard this, but I guess I hadn't really thought about it myself.

When I thought about it some more, I realised that both my husband and one of my brothers actually have alliterative names, and my other brother likes to go by a nickname that is also alliterative. In their cases it's not deliberate. So I guess there is something behind the thought that alliterative names are often just naturally catchy and attractive sounding. Some would argue that certain letters work better than others for these types of names. But whatever you think of them, I can almost guarantee that there are plenty of them out there that you never even noticed.

What do you think - catchy and cool, only OK in some cases, or just not to your taste? And if you're still undecided, here are some lists of just some of the many examples you may or may not have already noticed in the world around you to get you thinking.


Famous "Stage" Names

Adam Ant		Joan Jett		Robert Reed
Alan Alda		Loretta Lynn		Roy Rogers
Anouk Aimee		Lucy Lawless		Simone Signoret
Claudia Cardinale		Malcolm McDowell		Sissy Spacek
Coco Chanel		Amanda “Mandy” Moore		Susan Sarandon
Cyd Charisse		Marilyn Monroe		Suzanne Somers
Erik Estrada		Marisa Miller		(Richard) William “Wil” Wheaton
Greta Garbo		Priscilla Presley		(Thomas) Woodrow Wilson
Hulk Hogan		(Charles) Robert Redford

Famous Faces

Alfie Allen		Janis Joplin		Nick Nolte
Amy Adams		January Jones		Parker Posey
Armand Assante		Jesse James		Piper Perabo
Asia Argento		Karolina Kurkova		Rebecca Romijn
Benjamin Bratt		Kevin Kline		Rob Reiner
Brigitte Bardot		Kim, Kourtney & Khloe Kardashian		Robert Rodriguez
Charisma Carpenter		Kris Kristofferson		Ron Rifkin
Charles “Charlie” Chaplin		Laura Linney		Ronald Reagan
Chris Columbus		Leona Louise Lewis		Ryan Rodney Reynolds
Colbie Caillat		Lindsay Lohan		Sarah Silverman
Courtney Cox		Logan Lerman		Scott Speedman
Daniel Day-Lewis		Lucy Liu		Sharon Stone
Danny DeVito		Matthew Morrison		Steven Seagal
Emilio Estevez		Maureen McCormick		Steven Spielberg
Farrah Fawcett		Melissa McCarthy		Steven Soderberg
Holly Hunter		Michael McMillian		Sylvester Stallone
Howard Hughes		Michelle Monaghan		William Wallace
Janet Jackson		Mike Myers		William Windsor

Famous Offspring

Archibald & Abel Arnett		Hannah & Harper Hader
Bear Blu Jarecki		Harper Harris
Benjamin Brady		Hayley Hasselhoff
Billie Beatrice & Georgia Geraldine Dane		Henry Hornsby
Bingham Bellamy		Jesse Johnson
Brooklyn Beckham		Liberty Lawrence
Buddy Bear Oliver		Maggie McGraw
Camden Cutler		Memphis Mosberg
Caroline Couric Monahan		Mitchell Murphy
Cayden Costner		Mosley Manning
Connor Cruise		Racer, Rebel & Rocket Rodriguez
Dallas Durst		Rocco & Rafael Ritchie
Dylan Douglas		Ryder Robinson
Exton Elias Downey		Sage, Seargeoh, Sophia, Sistine and Scarlet Stallone
Fiona Facinelli		Sasha & Sawyer Spielberg
Grace Gummer		Taj Tyler
Greer Grammer		Tennessee Toth

Fictional Figures

Artie Abrams		Helga Hufflepuff		Pepper Potts
Bastian Balthasar Bux		Honor Harrington		Peter Pan
Betty Boop		Horatio Hornblower		Peter Parker
Bilbo Baggins		Huckleberry Hound		Peter Petrelli
Bob “Bulldog” Briscoe		J. Jonah Jameson		Pink Panther
Bobby Brady		Jane & Judy Jetson		Reed Richards
Bruce Banner		Jessa Johansson		Ricky Ricardo
Bugs Bunny		Junie Jones		Roger Rabbit
Carl Conrad Coreander		Kathleen Kelly		Rowena Ravenclaw
Charlie Chan		King Kong		Salazar Slytherin
Cordelia Chase		Lex Luthor		Sansa Stark
Daffy Duck		Locke Lamora		Scott Summers
Donald Duck		Lois Lane		Severus Snape
Elizabeth Elliot		Luna Lovegood		Seymour Skinner
Fleur Forsyte		Mae Mobley		Shane “Scarecrow” Schofield
Franky Fitzgerald		Marnie Michaels		Shoshanna Shapiro
Fred Flintstone		Marty McFly		Steffan Salvatore
Gabriel Gray		Michael Myers		Strawberry Shortcake
Gil Grissom		Mickey & Minnie Mouse		Sue Sylvester
Godric Gryffindor		Ned Nickerson		Tom Tucker
Hank Hill		Olive Oyl		Tricia Takanawa
Hannah Horvath		Peppa Pig		Willy Wonka

Azlynn

Valerie Azlynn 

I wasn't really aware of who Valerie Azlynn was until I saw her last week on 'The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson' (obviously I don't watch her current show 'Sullivan & Son'). While her first name itself is a pretty and underused, during this appearance it was Valerie's surname that stood out to me more, mainly because they specifically discussed it. She chose Azlynn as a re-spelling of her actual last name - Asselin - to get rid of the pesky Ass in her name. It's definitely easy to understand why you wouldn't want to be thought of as that Ass girl when you go for auditions (or even ordinary job interviews).

It also struck me though that Azlynn is the type of name that has a lot of appeal as a first name. It's not too out there or weird, but it's just different enough to stand out in a crowd. The Lynn makes it girly and familiar, while the "Z" gives it a little bit of a cool and modern edge. And it's just the type of name that is popping up on the charts all over the place.

So it shouldn't really be surprising that some people have already cottoned on to this name. In the U.S., Azlynn first charted in 1992, then again in 1997, and it has been present every year since then. In 1992 it was bestowed on just 7 girls. In 2012, 80 baby girls were called Azlynn, so it's a name slowly on the rise. It's highly possible that in 10 years time it will be in the top 1000, at which point we'll all be wondering where this pretty little name came from.

Which is a good question. The best theory is that it is a somewhat phonetic variation of Aislinn. Yes, Aislinn comes from Aisling and is therefore meant to be pronounced Ash-lynn. But it's not hard to see how people would see the spelling Aislinn and think it should be Ays-lynn and then make the short leap to Azlynn. It's almost as if people were inspired by the original to come up with a new name, rather than simply butchering the original. Although I'm sure not everyone will feel the same way!

One possible hiccup to be aware of if choosing this name is pronunciation. Valerie pronounces it AZ-lynn, but I have seen people lean to AYZ-lynn or even As-LAN (like the lion leader of Narnia) at a stretch. The other one is that some people do feel it is "ugly" because it is "made up".

On the other hand though, I've seen it described on different forums as sweet, magical, romantic, feminine and pretty. Plus if we assume that the origin is actually Aislinn then the meaning of Azlynn would be 'fantasy, dream, vision'. Which is just as pretty and fantasy-like as the name itself - an image that most parents would be happy to have associated with their little girl. This could be a great name if you're after something different and modern, but one that is attractive enough people to be on the charts for quite a while to come.

Alyssum

This is one of those sneaky names that has recently popped up in a couple of places. First, I saw it as a minor, blink-and-you'll-miss-them character in the book I'm currently reading, and then I saw it mentioned on a forum. I generally take it as sign that a name is worth a second look when I see such a rare name this way.

The green thumbs out there will be able to tell you right away that Alyssum (pronounced a-LISS-um) is a floral, nature name. Although this name covers over 100 variants of this plant, when I think of alyssum I always remember the "carpet of snow" variety that we had in the front garden when I was a child. I used to love putting it in tiny little posies and selling them for 5c each. Very enterprising for a 6 year old ☺.

This early association makes me think of Alyssum as a delicate, pretty, and cheerful name, yet also vintage feeling. I could imagine an Alyssum just as at home in a county kitchen as a Viennese ball.

There are a couple of different theories as to where the name originated. As a plant name, Alyssum comes from the Greek alyssos, meaning 'curing madness', as it was once used as a remedy for dogs with rabies. As a name for a person, it has also been denoted to mean 'noble', coming from the same roots as Alice, Alicia and Alyssa. Or if you prefer to take it's meaning from the symbolism behind this flower, the flower is said to mean 'beauty'.

The Sweet Alyssum variant is also said to have some magical properties - planted around the house it will deflect spells, or worn on your lapel it will prevent angry encounters. It's scent promotes peaceful energy and spiritual and emotional balance. Which I guess goes with it's charming and cheerful image.

The main objection I've heard to this name is that it reminds people of the word asylum, as in lunatic asylum. Which is a little sad, as the word asylum means shelter and protection from danger so should have a positive connotation, rather than the negative vibe we feel because it is so often paired with lunatic. But if people are OK with Luna, then there is no reason Alyssum should suffer from any problems with this occasional association. Plus, the enduring popularity of Alice, Alicia and Alyssa shows us that other similar sounding names are actually quite well liked, which would be to its advantage.

Alyssum has only seen rare use in the U.S. - since 1880 it has only charted twice, each time given to just 5 girls and the most recent appearance being in 2007. This makes it a perfect alternative if you love floral names but want something a world away from Lily and Rose yet not so exuberant as options like Amaryllis or Magnolia. Alyssum is definitely one pretty name that I could imagine people complimenting often.

'Carpet of Snow' Alyssum

Axis

Photo courtesy of Tammy B Photography

Have you ever come across a name in a book that just feels so perfect as a name that you wonder why it isn't actually used as a name? This is how I feel about Axis.

I first saw Axis as the main male character in the aptly named Sara Douglass fantasy series 'The Axis Trilogy'. He also appears in 'The Wayfarer Redemption' series. Axis starts as a talented soldier, but soon learns that he has a greater destiny to fulfill, and becomes a legendary hero who saves his world.

I like the idea of Axis (pronounced ax-ISS) as a heroic, inspirational name. It is of course a word, which means any line used as a fixed reference for determining the position of a point or series of points, or about which a rotating body such as the Earth turns; or an alliance of two or more nations to coordinate their foreign and military policies. Both are reflective of the characters' role in the series. And if you look at Axis is the light of it being a central line or an anchor of sorts for other points, it could also be said that Axis is somewhat of an inspirational name in a similar way to the name North is an inspirational name.

Axis feels a little bit Axel, a little bit Atlas. But unlike both of those he is not a name steeped in mythology or meaning. Or if you like the idea of Axis but prefer it as a nickname for a more substantial name, it could be a fun option for a young Abraxas/Abraxis, or even Alexis.

Axis would be a very cool, strong and modern-but-not-made-up name. It also has that great "X" factor that is so hot right now. Due to my association with the character I immediately think of this as a boys name, but this could also be a funky spunky girls name. This is possibly because there is also a type of deer known as the axis deer (or the chital deer or spotted deer), and the imagery of the deer always makes me think of strength, grace and agility. It's the grace and agility part that makes deer related names feel well suited to girls (for me, at least).

If you are after a truly rare name, it's hard to find one rarer than Axis - this one has never appeared on the U.S. SSA lists. This could be one fantastic name for the parents willing to take a chance on it.

A Month of "A" Names

I was thinking about what name I wanted to blog about next, when I found that overwhelmingly I kept thinking of names that started with "A". But the last name I profiled was "A" name Astley, and recent names Cavalia and Malta are also quite heavy on the "A"'s. Would it be too much?

Then I read this week's 'Nameberry Nine' post by Abby. Seems I'm not the only one who has been noticing "A" names everywhere recently. And since August also starts with the letter "A", I thought it would be the perfect time to go the whole hog (so to speak) and devote the entire month to "A" themed names.

"A" names are perennial favourites amongst today's parents. For the girls they are a clear winner. Of the 19,380 girls names that appeared on the 2012 SSA list, a massive 3,048 of them - or 15.7% - started with the letter "A". The next popular letter was "M", which started 1,761 (9.1%) of girls names. That's a fairly big lead. Again, if you look at popularity by number of births 18.1% of baby girls were given an "A" name - that adds up to 315,445 girls!

The boys have a similar story, although "A" names are still a second favourite for American boys, behind the number one letter of choice, "J". Newborn boys with a name starting with "A" totaled 194,6788 in 2012, representing 10.4% of boys. This was made up of 1,449 different names, just 20 fewer than the number of different "J" names used by parents in 2012, or 10.2% or boys names.

So why are "A" names so popular? It's hard to say as every individual name has it's own special charms. Maybe because the letter "A" can give a name a gentle softness, a lilting lyrical feel, or a subtle strength depending on how it is used. Maybe you like the idea of being called first if a group is going alphabetically. Or maybe you've seen the study that found that people with names starting with "A" are more likely to receive "A" grades at school.

Do you have any "A" names on your list? What is it that you like about them? And what names are you hoping to see me profile this month?