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.