If Hunter is a popular choice for boys, then why not the legendary hunter who graces the night sky?

Today’s Baby Name of the Day is Orion.

In Greek myth, Orion’s adventures were detailed in several accounts.  While many of them are lost to time, the consensus is that Orion was a heroic figure and skilled hunter who ran afoul of the gods, but was rewarded for his prowess by spending the hereafter as a constellation.  This was apparently considered a happy ending in ancient times; today, he’d probably rate a biopic by an indie filmmaker with a killer soundtrack.

You can find a handful of men wearing the name through the ages, including Mark Twain’s big brother,  journalist and Nevada pioneer Orion Clemens.

The Royal Navy named ships in his honor.  Ford sold an Orion sedan in Europe.  Various space-going vessels have worn the name.  Jethro Tull and Metallica both wrote songs about him.  A 1977 novel titled Orion supposed what would happen if a rock star faked his own death, and then a real singer took the stage name Orion in 1980, fueling the stories that Elvis Presley was alive.

But Orion was mainly confined to the night sky, not the playground, until 1994.  He’d peeked into the US Top 1000 in the nineteenth century, and again in 1979, 1982, and 1991.  He’s appeared every year since 1994, and currently stands at #529.

What’s behind the rise of Orion?

• His similarity to long-popular Celtic charmer Ryan, which has been a Top 20 choice since 1976, helps;
• Actor Chris Noth chose the name for his son in January of 2008, raising the name’s profile;
• After years of two-syllable names reigning supreme for baby boys, this three-syllable choice sounds fresh and interesting;
• “O” remains the coolest of the vowels;
• The ry/ty/ky sound is well-established in masculine names ranging from the mainstream (Ryan, Kyle) to the new but widely accepted (Tyson, Tyler, Kai) to the creative and trendy (Rylan, Kyler);
• From 1978 to 1992, today’s parents watched countless movies released by Orion Pictures, from Amadeus to Silence of the Lambs.

Singer/songwriter Ryan Adams recently issued a limited-released album titled Orion.  And yup, you’re reading the description correctly – it’s a “sci-fi metal concept album.”  So much for “When the Stars Go Blue.”

If there’s one tiny drawback to the name, it’s the possible meaning.  While it’s most often linked to the Greek word horion for boundary, it may also derive from the word ouron – for urine.  Still, that’s fairly obscure knowledge that is not likely to haunt your child.  If anything, he’s more likely to find his name misspelled O’Ryan.

He also leans a bit heavily on the science fiction side, thanks to:

• 1993′s famous computer game Master of Orion, and a series of spin-offs;
• A green-skinned alien race in Star Trek wears the name;
• Sci fi novelist Ben Bova has penned an Orion series.

But overall, Orion’s sound, meaning, and association with perhaps the most familiar constellation make him an intriguing choice for a son.

Note:  This post was first published on May 18, 2008 and was revised in August 2010 as part of Rerun Week.