Anna Apple; Image via Wikipedia

Note: I started working on this more than a week before Steve Jobs died, inspired by the season.  It seems even more appropriate to post now.

No list of wacky celeb baby names is complete without Apple.  Pomeline was an early Baby Name of the Day, featured back in October 2008.  So now that we’re in fall, the heart of apple pie and apple cider season, I thought I’d take a look at the wide world of apples, and their surprisingly wearable crop of names.

There’s an Alexander apple, the Anna pictured above, and an Annie Elizabeth – and that’s just the A names.  I’ll skip over the many ordinary appellations to go searching for the less mainstream, all found on an orchard somewhere out there.

Ariane – Just like favorites Arianna and Ariana, this one traces her roots to the mythological Ariadne.  But the tailored French form strikes me as appealingly different.  More interesting that the faithful Marie in the middle spot, a 21st century cousin for Mary Anne.  One-part classic, one-part import, and the tiniest bit space age, too.

Crispin – Little wonder that someone called an apple the Crispin.  It’s nearly as predictable as Golden Delicious.  But Saint Crispin’s Day features large in Shakespeare’s Henry V, and actually derives from the Latin crispus - curly.  He’s an unusual pick, but in our era of Jayden, Aiden, Mason, Logan, Jackson, Nathan and Christian, another two-syllable, ends-in-n choice for a boy sounds right at home.

Cybele – An ancient goddess predating the Greek pantheon, the equivalent of Gaia or Rhea, and sometimes spelled Sybil.  Cybele is a far rarer choice, and yet she’s connected to the ever-so-stylish -bell names, too.

Franklin – With names like Oliver and Henry considered fashion-forward, and Dexter and Frederick feeling fresh once more, why not Franklin?  There’s the near-legendary president, plus a built-in nursery theme thanks to an animated turtle.  He’s slightly surnamey, but can shorten to Frank or Frankie – or just stand on his own.

Gala – Stay with me, here.  No, I don’t think you should name a child Party or Festival, but Gala feels like a name, in step with the botanical Calla or The Lion King’s Nala.  She’s an unexpected noun name.

Ingrid – She’s a Hollywood legend and a Scandinavian heritage choice.  If you’re looking for something feminine but not flimsy, Ingrid might appeal.

Jubilee – She shares the “oo” sound of Ruby and Lucy, plus the lee ending so in favor from Emily to Ashley to Hailey to Riley.  The word has spiritual associations, as well as the more traditional sense of anniversary.  Allison Krauss recorded a haunting song by the name; she’s not alone.  It’s a flashy choice, but probably a wearable one.

Katya – A Slavic and Scandinavian short form of Katherine, also spelled Katia and Katja, she’s a cousin to the fading Kaitlyn, but sounds fresh and appealingly global.  Some might try to say kah TEE ah, but those in the know pronounce her kah TYAH.

Lilibet – The apple is called the Sweet Lilibet, and I do find this name the tiniest bit too cute to wear.  But with the Lily epidemic, Lilibet, Lilibeth, or Lilabet all seem like intriguing smooshes that might attract parents who love Lily, but want something different on the birth certificate.  Also a childhood nickname for the current queen of England, lending the Lilibet a certain amount of throwback cred.

Milo Gibson – Milo is a jazzy choice and a starbaby go-to name, bright and wearable in the real world, too.  Gibson intrigues me.  Remember designer Laurie Hickson-Smith of Trading Spaces fame?  Her firstborn is a son called Gibson Witherspoon, big brother to India Dawson.  (Yes, she’s Southern and those are family names.)

Pendragon – I couldn’t resist!  He’s on last week’s list of names other than Danger to fill in the middle spot for a son, and he’s an apple, too.

Pilot – Another much-maligned celebritot pick, Jason Lee’s Pilot Inspektor routinely appears on craziest starbaby name lists, just a few spots behind Apple.  But I find he’s grown on me over the years, an occupational name with a vaguely spiritual overtone, kind of like calling your kid Carpenter.  Lee and ex Beth Riesgraf were inspired by this song.

Tioga – A common place name throughout the US – you’ll find them in New York, California, and Texas, to name just a few.  Tioga is an Iroquois term meaning “it forks,” generally used to refer to places where two rivers meet.  It’s a bold choice for a child.  The sound is close to the Spanish Diego or Santiago, but that ends-in-a raises the possibility that Tioga could be given to a girl.

Yates – He’s the poetic, preppy choice of Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly, and an apple, too.  The ends-in-s names feel like a trendlet, led by Miles.

Pick your own bumper crop at Orange Pippin, the source of all the apple varieties listed here.