Everett vs Everest

Photo Courtesy of Rachael Spiegel Photography

It's a problem that many namers face at some stage. You love two very, very similar names. You can't use both, but how do you choose one over the other?

I often have this problem when deciding on names to feature on the blog. The particular example that springs to mind is Audra. I was seriously debating between Audrey ( a beautiful classic) and Audra. But Audra (to me) is just that little more spunky, a little more unexpected. So Audra it was. Likewise, I wrote about Bram because I love it. But occasionally I wonder if Bran wouldn't make for the better name. For me it comes down to associations. For Bran there's the cereal, but then there's also Bran Stark from 'Game of Thrones'. But I've read the books and he is admittedly not one of my favourite characters. As a lover of horror though, I love the connection Bram has to Bram Stoker's Dracula. So Bram definitely has the edge for me.

Which brings me to the two subjects of this post. Everett and Everest. These two are very high on my personal list of potential names for possible future sons. They probably are for a lot of people. Yet it's pretty obvious that they are far too similar to use both. So lets compare them head to head in a "Name Battle" I'll include my thoughts, but you may feel differently!


Origin, Meaning & Associations
These could easily be three separate headings, but I often find these things to be so intertwined that it's helpful to consider them together.

Everett - It's an Old English name, from the German Everard meaning 'strong as a wild boar'. It's also a place name with towns named Everett in the US and Canada, and an ice covered mountain range called the Everett Range in Antarctica.

Everest - Unclear. Some say it's of Old English origin, possibly derived from Everett. It's also possibly derived from the French "Evreax", a town name in Normandy that was transferred into use as a surname after the Normans invaded England. Or maybe from the French Evariste, itself a version of the Greek name Evaristus, meaning 'well pleasing'. Then of course there is Mount Everest, the tallest mountain in the world, which cements Everest as both a place and a nature name. Overall, it's origin and meaning may not be definitively certain, but the possibilities are rich.


Famous Namesakes 
Because sometimes it's helpful to know if someone has (or is likely too) put a negative spin on your name. Or if your child will have someone or something to be inspired by.

Everett - Most examples that spring to mind are surnames, or even middle names. Examples of these are aplenty - actors Rupert Everett, Thomas Everett Scott and Darren Everett Criss; former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop etc. First name bearers are a little rarer, such as Former US Senator Everett Dirkson or 'Citizen Kane' actor Everett Sloane. Fictional examples of Everett as a first name are not unusual though, such as George Clooneys character Everett McGill in the movie 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?' or Everett Hitch, a gunslinger played by Viggo Mortensen in 'Appaloosa'.

Everest - Can you call a mountain a namesake? Mount Everest was named for Sir George Everest, but not because he discovered it. The name was actually suggested by Sir Andrew Waugh, the then British Surveyor General of India, to honour his predecessor. This was a somewhat controversial move, as it ignored the names already used by the Tibetans and Nepalese, reportedly because their borders were closed to foreigners at the time making it hard to gather local names. Another argument was that since there were many local names, one could not be chosen over the others. George Everest himself objected naming the mountain Everest as it couldn't be written in Hindi or pronounced by the local Indian population.

Want some more recent celebrity buzz? George Lucas and Mellody Hobson named their daughter Everest in August 2013.


Pronunciation & Nicknames
Some people fall in love with a name for it's nicknames. Others aren't too fussed. But if it matters to you....

Everett - Pronounced EV-er-et or Ev-ritt. My personal favourite nickname and reason I first looked at Everett is nickname Rhett (or Rett). It's adorable. There's also Ev, Evie, E, Ever, Eveready. It's also worth noting here that some bearers report that people have trouble pronouncing their name, with the most common misunderstandings being Evert, Evan and - funnily enough - Everest.

Everest - Pronounced EV-eh-rest (although mountain namesake George Everest pronounced it EEV-rist). Possible nicknames include Ev, Evie, E, Ever, Rest, Mountain.


Popularity
Popularity is an point that can divide or decide. Some want a name that is popular because it means it is familiar and well liked, others prefer a name that is rare and will make their child stand out in a crowd.

Everett - Everett is a bit of a throwback name. Peaking at #81 in the U.S in 1906, it's not unusual for people to have a grandfather or great grandfather with the name. It never really got unfashionable as such, as it has never left the top 1000 and it's "low point" was just #647 in 1995. It has bounced back rapidly in recent years though, gaining 25 places in 2013 to attain a position of #189. Which for many equates to well liked but not over-used.

It's also getting fairly regular use for girls, but nowhere near as much as for boys.

Everest - Everest first charted for boys in 1914, and popped up sporadically after that until 1994, when it became a regular on the SSA lists. It has been very slowly climbing in recent years, charting at #2660 in 2013. Everest has also started charting for girls in recent years - but in contrast to the boys, was ranked at #13,515 in 2013.

But perhaps more importantly - have you ever met an Everest?


Feel & Impressions
These are the things that often attract us most strongly to a name. What feelings does it evoke for you? What characteristics or traits do you envision someone with this name having? And do you like those things?

Everett - To me Everett exudes southern charm, without being too syrupy. It's distinguished, but not snobby. The Ever part conveys a sense of reliability and dependability. An Everett seems steady, down to earth - fun and adventurous without being too rash or impulsive.

Everest - I'm a sucker for a name with a nature connection, and this is a good one. Mountains feel earthy and make you think of strength and constancy. Add a bit of snow to their peaks and they are beautiful, majestic. And Mount Everest itself is a symbol of great achievement amongst mountain climbers - dangerous and difficult, but the ultimate challenge. Which makes it something of an aspirational name.


Its a hard choice - for me they're both so charming, slightly preppy, and yet approachable and earthy. If I were looking for a first name, I'd go with Everett. It may be more popular (which I'm not really a fan of personally), but I love that nickname Rhett, and it does hit the middle ground of recognised but not too common. Plus my surname is pretty heavy on the "S"s, so a name with an "S" sound at the end isn't great for everyday use. However for a middle name I'd choose Everest over Everett in a heartbeat. I love the symbolism, and it's just the right degree of unexpected and quirky - qualities that I feel are great for the middle position. And just to clarify, I'm talking in terms of use for a boy. Using Everett for a girl isn't something I'd personally consider, although Everest? Maybe....

How about you - what arguments would you add, and which (if either) would you be more likely to choose?

I'll be making name battles such as this a semi-regular (i.e. one or two a month) feature from now on, so let me know if there are any very similar names you'd like to see go head to head in future posts!

Bellamy

Bellamy Blake, portrayed by Bob Morley on the CW TV show 'The 100'

Bellamy is an interesting one. I started seeing this name pop up quite regularly in forums maybe a year or a little more ago. It felt like it came out of nowhere, and suddenly it was on everyone's favourites list.

Admittedly I didn't see the immediate appeal, possibly thrown by the fact that it was most often discussed as a boys name, when to me it felt more feminine. Possible nicknames all felt girly - Belle, Amy, Mimi and Bella. It's hard to escape the fact that the Bella sound is extremely popular for young girls these days. It also has the familiar three syllable, ends with Y sound and flow seen on so many other girly faves, such as Emily, Natalie, Serenity, Kimberly and Trinity (all top 100 names in the U.S).

But of course names following this pattern aren't entirely unpopular for boys too. Anthony, Zachary and Jeremy all spring to mind, not to mention unisex options such as Avery, Kennedy and Mackenzie.

And now recently there are two new TV shows featuring a male Bellamy - and suddenly I see its' masculine appeal.

Bellamy is best recognised as a surname of Norman (Old French) origin. Coming from the words beu/bel for 'good, fair, handsome' and ami meaning 'friend', it has been interpreted by different sources as having meanings such as 'my good friend', 'handsome friend' and 'good-looking companion'. Which are all pretty much different ways of saying the same thing.

There are plenty of people bearing this surname, including:

• Pirates Charles and "Black Sam" Bellamy, 
• 18th century Dutch poet Jacob Bellamy, 
• American actor Ralph Bellamy, 
• author of the U.S Pledge of Allegiance Francis Bellamy, 
• Canadian Judge Denise Bellamy, 
• American pop and country music duo 'The Bellamy Brothers'; and
• the fictional family in the 70's British TV show 'Upstairs, Downstairs'

And this is just a small sample.

Despite it's widespread use as a surname, it took a lot longer for Bellamy to make the transition to given name. It barely made the U.S SSA charts for girls in 1993 and 1996, given to just five girls each year. Then in 2003 she was given to 23 girls, and she's been present on the charts since.

It's hard to pinpoint anything that happened in 2003 to give Bellamy the boost it needed to become a steady presence on the charts. At the time English band Muse (fronted by Matt Bellamy) had released their third album, the top selling 'Absolution'. American actor Bill Bellamy was starring on TV show 'Fastlane', and actress Bellamy Young was appearing on TV Western Crime show 'Peacemakers' and 'American Dreams'. She was born Amy Young, but adopted Bellamy in order to join the Screen Actors Guild, who already had another Amy Young registered.

Then in 2009 Bravo aired a reality show called '9 By Design', featuring designers Cortney and Robert Novogratz and their children, including twin daughters Bellamy and Tallulah. Bellamy's name was chosen because her parents love France, and even spent their honeymoon there. Subsequently 2010 saw another leap in popularity of the name.

Maybe 2014 will be the year that sees Bellamy chart for boys too. Those two male Bellamy's I mentioned earlier? One is 'Resurrection' Immigration and Customs Agent Martin Bellamy, played by Omar Epps. Being a Federal Agent, he's primarily referred to as Bellamy on the show. The other is Bellamy Blake, a main character on TV show 'The 100'. He's played by young Australian actor Bob Morley, and helps to give the name a youthful, bad boy edge. I also love the alliteration of his name - Bellamy is a name that really lends itself well to alliteration for some reason.

It's equal parts soft and flowy, yet solid and spunky, with a stylish feel. On trend but not trendy. Bellamy is a well balanced name that lends itself well to either boys or girls if you're looking for something familiar feeling but not weird.

Korben

You may remember a 1997 movie that featured Bruce Willis in an orange singlet, Milla Jovovich with orange hair, and a man named Ruby. 'The Fifth Element' is a futuristic sci-fi action adventure in which Willis plays Korben Dallas, an ex-taxi driver who finds himself tasked with saving the universe.Willis is great in this, and the movie itself is fun and funky, filled with snappy dialogue and somewhat bizarre characters.

Korben is a variation of another name, although there is some debate as to whether it stems from the Latin Corbin or the Hebrew Korban. They all sound alike (pronounced KOR-bin) and are so intertwined though that it's probably a bit of both.

The Latin Corbin meaning 'crow, raven' or 'raven-haired' is name that was once used by the Anglo-Normans in Old French and Old English times. It's thought it may have started as a shorter form for the longer and less wieldy Corbinian - a seventh century Frankish saint. Possibly it was just used a nickname for people with dark hair. It also saw use as a last name.

The Hebrew Korban (or Corban) is a biblical name, meaning 'gift or consecrated to God'. It wasn't used as a person given name though, it seems if was more another term for a gift, the purpose of which was to bring one closer to God. Many theorise that this is more like a sacrifice or sacrificial offering than a gift, and hence feel it can have negative undertones, but your viewpoint may depend on your religion.

What we do see here though is a myriad of spellings. With C and K spelling both having "legitimate" origins, this is one name where spelling it with a K isn't necessarily a case or Kardashian syndrome, or trying to create a "trendier" spelling. Variations that charted in the U.S in 2012 (in order of popularity) were Corbin (#221), Korbin (#559), Korbyn (#1052), Corban (#1069), Corbyn (#1166), Korben (#1422), Corben (#1992), Korban (#3932). Spellings Korbyn, Corbyn, Corbin and Korbin also chart for girls, but at a distant #4875, #7848, #11414 and #18167 respectively.

What I do like about this particular spelling - other than the sci-fi action hero reference - is that it lends itself to the nickname Ben, which is a great friendly and familiar nickname. Especially for a more distinguished, somewhat formal sounding name such as Korben. These contrasting feels makes this a very wearable name - a man with this name could be Ben when out drinking with the guys, but the respectable Korben when in the boardroom.  And I feel that in this particular case the K does make it a more powerful, masculine feeling name.

It's easy to pronounce, not super popular but still easily recognisable. It may look invented, but it has some very respectable origins And it doesn't hurt to tell your son that his name was inspired by an action hero who saved the universe.

Ralph

Wreck-It Ralph

A couple of different paths of thought led me to profile Ralph today. One is that I recently saw 'Wreck-It Ralph' again for the second time, and I am still just as in love with it as I was the first time I saw it. And the second is a recent post I did on the name Barney.

Not only could Barney and Ralph be brothers, it also strikes me that these two names have a lot of similarities. Both are well recognised names that have long been popular. Both have often appeared on characters that while lovable, tend not to be the hunkiest or most heroic. But just as the character Barney Stinson is helping to make Barney cool and likable again, 'Wreck-It Ralph' could also have a positive impact in the way we view the name Ralph.

Ralph has historically been quite a popular name. In the US it was a top 100 name from 1880 until 1963, but has slowly been moving down. In 2011 it was raked at #953, dangerously close to slipping out of the top 1000. The name Ralph evolved from Old Norse, Norman and Germanic roots. In each case it is a compound of two words meaning counsel and wolf, hence it has the meaning 'wolf counsel'.

It's meaning coveys a somewhat sophisticated and clever image, and several real life Ralphs also help to lend some class and substance to the name. Think fashion designer Ralph Lauren, American activist Ralph Nader, or Transcendentalism leader Ralph Waldo Emerson. British Ralphs - actor Ralph Fiennes and composer Ralph Vaughan Williams - take it up yet another level by pronouncing Ralph as Rafe, rather than Ralf, which has a sexier sound and feel.

However it is the pop culture and colloquial Ralph's that have most likely been leading to the drop in popularity for this name. Unfortunately, "to ralph" is a slang term for vomiting (something which is not as much of an issue if you use the British Rafe pronunciation) which is not a likable association. And fictional Ralphs have often portrayed an image of well meaning but not too bright. Some of the most recognised fictional Ralphs include 'Happy Days' funny but silly sidekick Ralph Malph, American slob turned heir to the throne 'King Ralph', played by John Goodman, sweet but clueless Ralph Wiggum of 'The Simpsons' and Ralph Kramden, the blustery short tempered main character in the classic TV show 'The Honeymooners'.

'Wreck-It Ralph' introduces people to a Ralph who it still sweet and well meaning, but a bit smarter and less of a comedic caricature. If you haven't seen the movie, Ralph's job is to continuously wreck a building so the hero Fix-It Felix can save the day for the people that live in the building. Ralph feels that even though he has a job that other people don't like, it's an important job and doesn't mean that he is a bad guy. So he sets out to win a medal to prove that he to can be a hero and a good guy that people should want to be friends with. Of course, things don't go quite according to plan, but along the way Ralph learns to like himself and makes his first friends. This movie is also a good lesson not to judge (and exclude) people without getting to know them first.

Maybe the movie won't help Ralph's image as much with adults, but I think it will definitely increase it's cool factor amongst children. Rather than being seen as someone possibly not very bright whose name means vomit, Ralph's could now be seen as strong and heroic. I also think this is a name that could grow well - I love the nickname Ralphie for a young child! And Ralph is a good solid name to have. There is the option to use the Rafe pronunciation, but despite the popularity of actor Ralph Fiennes I'm not sure how well this would go outside Britain. Most likely you'd either be constantly correcting people on their pronunciation if they say it written, or saying "no, that's not short for Raphael/Rafael" when introduced verbally.

However you prefer to pronounce it, I think signs are good that Ralph is due for a comeback.

Percy

Logan Lerman plays Percy (Perseus) Jackson

Since the release of the Percy Jackson books and then the movie 'Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief" (released in 2010) Percy has started to become a more attractive option to modern day parents. Admittedly, I have an extra reason to like Percy, as it was the middle name of one of my great grandfathers.

Back in the 1890's, Percy was hot stuff. It peaked at #111 in America, much more popular than the longer Percival that people often assume the name is derived from. Since that time, Percy has slowly slid into almost non-existence, not even mentioning a rating on the American charts in the 1990's.

There is some debate as to the origins of the name Percy. The main theories are:

1. It is a short form of the French name Percival, which means 'valley piercer'
2. It was an aristocratic Norman surname, which started as a place name from Perci-en-Auge
3. The name is from the Greek Perseus, which is derived from pērtho (to destroy).

It is the third alternative that is used in the Percy Jackson series, helping to give Percy the tougher image that it sorely needs. For some reason, over the past hundred years Percy gained a reputation as being a wimpy name. The negative comments I've seen about this name are:

• It has been used as a name for men's genitalia (I had never heard this - oh the joys of the Internet)
• And unfortunately also sounds similar to a slang word for a females genitalia
• "for some reason Percy Filth was used at college as a euphemism about having it off" (I assume this is related to the first point?)
• It reminds people of Percy Pig (I think this is a confectionery brand?)
• People think of the wimpy Percy character in 'The Black Adder' TV series
• Percy is the name of a train in 'Thomas the Tank Engine'
• The Harry Potter character Percy Weasley was a nasty, supercilious traitor
• The most famous Percy was Percy Bysshe Shelley, an English romantic poet
• Percy is an effeminate, "sissy" name

This conclusion is quite surprising when you consider the earliest examples of Perseus and Percival. Percival was one of King Arthur's Legendary Knights. He was the only knight virtuous enough to be able to retrieve the highly coveted Holy Grail, making him a hero. Likewise, Perseus was a great hero in Greek mythology, credited with killing the famous snake-haired Medusa. Perseus has recently been depicted not only in the Percy Jackson series, but also by the very easy to look at Australian Actor Sam Worthington, in the movies "Clash of the Titans" (2010) and "Wrath of the Titans" (2012).

I'm sure that it is due to these dual Perseus depictions that the shorter Percy is suddenly back on the radar. It now has a tough image longer form, and a lot of people are really love Greek mythological names. Perseus is one that has flown under the radar for a long time, so it has a certain cool and unique factor about it. And as with many names, it will soon lose a lot of it's negative tarnish and be considered cool again. People have already started comparing it to Archie, Alfie, Perry, Freddie, Artie and Charlie. Could Percy possibly be the next big thing in the nickname-as-name trend? I think it could.