Captain James Tiberius Kirk; Image via Wikipedia

He puts the T. in Captain James T. Kirk, and before we went boldly where no man had gone before, he was a Roman Emperor.

Thanks to Sarah for suggesting Tiberius as our Baby Name of the Day.

If you think about Rome for a minute, you’ll find Tiberius among the most appropriate appellations to ever come from the eternal city.  Legend tells us that Rome was founded on the banks of the Tiber River eight centuries BC; the river’s name has roots older than the city.  Some speculate that it comes from the Etruscan Thefarie, which appears as a given name in inscriptions.  Others suggest it could be from the Celtic language Italic, also spoken in the region.  Or maybe it honors a king called Tiberinus who drowned in its waters.  The city of Tivoli was known as Tibur in the ancient world, suggesting other possibilities.

In any case, Tiberius is almost certainly linked to the river’s name, and conjures up visions of the ancient capital at its finest.  The second emperor of Rome, and a renowned military general, Tiberius reigned for two decades before suddenly stepping down.  The historian Tacitus paints a scathing picture of his rule, and Tiberius was wildly unpopular by the time of his death.  However, modern historians have suggested this might just be bad PR.  Tiberius left the empire on sound financial footing and made wise foreign policy choices.

Happily, he wasn’t the only Tiberius.  The name was a reasonably popular personal name over the centuries, lasting longer than the Roman Empire.  The name appears in the Byzantine Empire, too, and Geoffrey of Monmouth called a fictional – or perhaps patchwork – Roman Emperor Lucius Tiberias in his History of the Kings of Britain.

This makes Tiberius the kind of ancient appellation that’s always out there, but seldom used for a child.  Tiberius has never cracked the US Top 1000, even as Julius and Atticus have gone mainstream.

Then along came a little show called Star Trek, Gene Rodenberry’s enduring creation.  The USS Enterprise first sailed across our tiny television screens in 1966 under the command of Captain James T. Kirk.  His backstory was all-American with a twist: born in Iowa in 2233, a standout student at Starfleet Academy, and a capable leader.

Some fan sites attribute his middle name to a fictional grandfather called Tiberius; apparently it was actually inspired by a grandfather named Samuel who was interested in Roman history.  In early days of the series Kirk’s middle initial was given at least once as R.  One of the writers claims that it started as a joke that stuck.

All of this makes Tiberius an ancient appellation with a serious sci fi twist.  As a given name, Tiberius feels like a fierce growl of a choice.  Unlike Leonidas, he lacks an easy short form.  Tib?  Berry?  One possibility is Ty – but that’s as unsatisfying as reducing Alexander to Al.

In the middle spot, he’s clever.  Almost too clever, though he’s still more original than Danger.

Tiberius has never cracked the US Top 1000, but he’s not an all-out rarity.  He surfaces in US Census records, and Nancy reports that 53 boys received the name in 2010.  You’re more likely to meet a little Felix or Marcus, but with the popularity of really old school names on the rise, Tiberius won’t raise any more eyebrows than, say, Moses.

The middle name is a good place to go a little wild.  With the exception of a passport and possibly a marriage certificate, we’re rarely required to reveal our full name as adults.

So if you give your kiddo the middle name Danger, it is usually up to him to reveal his extreme appellation, or to go through life pretending the D is for David.

Then again, he could grow up to be an X-Games athlete, or maybe an International Man of Mystery.  Austin Powers, after all, claimed Danger as his middle name.  (Though Mike Myers went ahead and called his new son Spike.)  It isn’t just an urban legend – from twins in Australia who both share the menacing middle to Jakob Danger Armstrong, son of Green Day frontman Billie Joe, there are kids who do, indeed, have a built-in laugh line in the middle spot.

So let’s say you respect your partner’s longing for a daring, masculine middle – but want something slightly less cliched?  Here are a few ideas.

Ace - The Hebrew Asa is right at home with other Old Testament appellations, but Ace conjures up daring fighter pilots and winning hands of cards.  It’s a tough guy middle that would pair well with many a popular name.

Blaze – Blaise is saintly, but Blaze is fiery.  He’s over-the-top, but in the middle spot, he stays just on the right side of outrageous.

Breaker - From Connor to Carter, ends in -r names have a high style quotient these days.  Breaker, like Ryder or Ranger, boasts a modern masculine sound that could appeal.  Just don’t complain when you have to move all of the Waterford out of reach.

Draco – As in Harry Potter’s nemesis, but also the constellation, borrowed from the Latin for dragon.  Oh, and the seventh century BC Athenian lawgiver, known for replacing blood feuds with a written code of law.  Danica McKellar used the name for her son earlier this year.

Harley - The iconic American motorcycle started out as the surname of one of the company’s co-founders.  Despite some use for girls, it still revs the engine in the middle spot for a son.

Pendragon – While we’re breathing fire, there’s also Pendragon, sometimes used as a surname or epithet for the legendary King Arthur.  Depending on the usage, it could mean “son of the dragon” or “dragon’s head.”

Tiberius – This sounds like a classic appellation borrowed from antiquity – and it is.  But it also the middle name of Star Trek’s Captain James T. Kirk.  If you love Atticus but he’s not on board, this might satisfy.

What other daring, dangerous names would you add to the list for boys?

Image by foto.bulle via Flickr

Note: In all posts, links appear in blue text.  When a name appears in bold text, in blue, that means the link goes to the Baby Name of the Day post.

Oodles of women have the middle initial E, and my (completely unscientific) observation is that nearly all of them are Something Elizabeth Something.

And why not?  She’s a saintly, regal classic.  Elizabeth fills in the gap between a short given name and not-so-long last name, or vice versa.  She can anchor a gender-neutral or extremely uncommon choice.  And she’s been so popular for so long that chances are she honors someone in your family tree – or maybe lots of someones.

Of course she can also feel like a default choice – unimaginative filler.  If your last name is relatively common, and you’re in love with a popular given name, then Elizabeth might seem too plain – almost like no middle name at all.

But there are tons of intriguing choices that lead to the middle initial E.  Here are a few:

• Elettra – Electra is an awful lot of name, even in the middle, but Elettra – the Italian version – softens the mythological overtones.  There’s also Eletta, a family name for the poet Plutarch.
  
• Ellison – Surnames on girls are a touchy subject, but attitudes tend to soften if the name is in the middle spot.  Other elaborate E choices include Ellington, Ellery, Elliot, Emerson, Emery, and all of these ideas over at Nook of Names.
  
• Elspeth – The Scottish spin on Elizabeth is only a tiny bit different, but it could be enough.  Other international options include the Italian Elisabetta or maybe even the Basque Elixebete.
• Elsinore – She’s a literary place name, but if you’re looking for a literary E name, there’s also Eleanor or Elinor – not quite as unexpected, but still distinctively different.
• Eluned – Borrowed from a 5th century Welsh saint, she takes the best of Luna and Ella and puts them together for an unexpected middle moniker.
• Endellion - The Cornish saint’s name attracted a flurry of attention when British prime minister David Cameron and wife Samantha welcomed their daughter while vacationing in Cornwall – and called her Florence Rose Endellion in honor of her birthplace.  Another Cornish option?  Elowen.
  
• Embeth - I’m not certain where Embeth Davidtz’ parents found her unusual appellation, but like fellow South African actress Charlize Theron, she wears the classic-with-a-twist name nicely.  In the middle spot, she’s a smoosh that could honor an Emma or Emily and an Elizabeth.
  
• Emmeline - Or Emmaline, or Emeline, or even Emmalyn.
• Estella, Estelle – A spin on the soaring Stella.
• Esther - Like Estelle, she might not be long enough to bridge two shorter names, but she’s the kind of impeccable classic that fits nicely in the middle spot.  The French Estée might be another possibility.
• Evangeline - She’s a poetic pick that’s catching on fast.  Evangeline is also more dressed up than Eve or Evelyn in the middle.  Other unusual Ev- options include Evadne, Evelina, Everild, Everine, or Everly.

I’ve only scratched the surface with this list. (Yes, I thought about adding Eirene to the list – but that seemed cruel!)  What have I overlooked?  And which ones are just way too good to hide away in the middle?

In non-jingle bell news this week:

• For Real Baby Names spotted a little girl called Majestyk Valley.  What do you say ’bout that except For Real Baby Names spotted a little girl called Majestyk Valley;
• In Arizona, For Real spotted a few surprising choices – including Clark, Estelle and Kenzo.  I love seeing Clark in use;
• Nancy spotted a set of quintuplets born to a Nebraska couple called Anna, Brody, Ciara, David and Ella.  I cannot imagine coming up with five names at once, and I think their parents did a nice job – they’re clearly siblings without being too matched;
• The sharp-eyed Nancy also scanned past the unsurprising news that Sophie and Jack are the top Scots names for 2009 and spotted a baby girl called Renesme.  I do not believe for a second that the parents hadn’t heard of Twilight.  Plus a boy named Ringo and a girl called Vanilla;
• I don’t have my thoughts together yet, but one of the 2010 predictions is that the Addies are going to gang up and overtake the Maddies.  Don’t believe me?  Check out Sebastiane’s post on Adela – just a few of the lovely ways to get to Addie;
• Baby Names Garden has crowned Sparrow James Midnight the Best Celebrity Baby Name of 2009.  By “best,” they mean “different, unique, exotic, imaginative and completely wacky.”  Fair enough.  But I’m not sure Sparrow tops #3 Mars or #6 Bandit.

In celebrity news, while Johnny Knoxville welcomed a son named Rocko:

• The Young and the Restless’ Thad Luckinbill and Amelia Heinle welcomed a daughter called Georgia March.  She joins big brothers Thaddeus Rowe, Jr. and August Manning.  What a nicely named trio;
• Their castmate, Michelle Stafford, welcomed a daughter wearing the seasonally appropriate Natalia Scout Lee.

Check back this week.  In addition to the usual Names of the Day, I’ll be posting the Top Names of the Day of 2009.  Thanks for reading!

Thanks to Another for suggesting our Name of the Day: Faye.

There are three possible origins for Fay.  The stronger claim is probably the Middle English term for fairy – faie.  In Old French, it was fae; in Latin, fata, as in the Fates – a trio of goddesses responsible for controlling each man’s destiny.  In Arthurian legend, Morgan Le Fay was King Arthur’s trouble-making sorceress half-sister.  ”Le Fay” refers to her otherworldly heritage.  Combined, they lend this moniker a fanciful, mystical vibe.

The alternate meaning is solidly spiritual.  The Anglo-Norman fei meant faith, from the Latin fides.  The Middle English term was fai or fay.  Even Shakespeare used fay to mean faith.  Some contend that Fay/e is simply another variant of Faith.  The third century Saint Faith of Gaul is also called Fides, Foy and yup, Fay.

Lastly, Fay and Faye are both in use as surnames.  The Irish O’Fataigh sometimes became Fay/e.  In France, surnames like Du Fay and De Fay were Anglicized to Fay.

Our money is on the first and third explanations.  Faye was not a common given name until the 19th century, a creative moment in baby naming when other names from myth and legend were newly fashionable.  We suspect the surname argument carries some weight, too, because while most Fay/es are female, US census records show that it was also a masculine moniker in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Today, Faye conjures up the silver screen.  First there’s Fay Wray, the actress best known for portraying Ann Darrow, the damsel toted up the Empire State building in 1933′s King Kong.  Then there’s the Oscar-winning actress Faye Dunaway.  Liv Tyler played a fictional Faye in 1996′s That Thing You Do!  The name is not quite a silver screen staple, but she’s appeared in credits throughout the 20th century and beyond.

While Fay and Faye are familiar, either spelling would make an distinctive choice for a daughter born in 2008.  Fay regularly ranked in the 200s between 1888 and 1940, but last appeared in 1968.  Faye fared better, charting in the Top 200 from 1926 to 1948 and remaining ranked until 1979.  While we’re usually against extra letters, we do think Faye is the stronger spelling.

With Faith in the Top 100 and Rae and Mae popular choices for middle names, Faye’s sound is quite current.  The one possible drawback – the use of the term fay to mean effeminate – seems almost forgotten.

If your tastes tend towards the unusual, but you can’t imagine calling your daughter Evadne or Eulalie, Faye might be the ideal choice.  She has an undercurrent of the fantastic, but the name is simple and straight-forward.  In either the first or the middle spot, she’s a nice blend of the underused and the classic.

While many of these are gender neutral, this list was compiled with girls in mind.  For decades, parents have stuffed an unimaginative Anne or Lynne between the first and last names.  More recently, Grace and Rose have become the most common answers to the riddle of the middle.

Many fabulous pairings do not require a single-syllable middle name.  We love unexpected combinations like Mary Veronica or Alice Zenobia.  But if you find that keeping it simple is more your style, read on.

Ranging from the unexpected to the somewhat predictable, why not consider:

• Beach, Bay, Cay:  For parents happiest down by the sea, or hoping to raise a surfer girl.
• Belle, Elle:  They’re overexposed as first names, true, but if you love them, tucking them in the middle is a nice way to preserve a favorite.
• Blythe: It means joyful – and works much better than the dated Joy or Joyce.
• Blair, Blake, Beau, Drew, Finn, Flynn: They’re all a bit boyish – Beau literally so! – but could compliment a frilly first name.  Think Genevieve Blair or Cordelia Finn.
• Bess, Bette, Bex, Liv, Nell, Tess:  These nicknames would seem flimsy as a given name, but they can offer a fresh and unexpected twist in the middle.
• Blue, Gray, Teal: A splash of color in the middle can perk up an otherwise common given name.  Emma Blue stands out miles from Emma Rose.
• Chance, Chase: Nouns and verbs are fair game these days, and these two single syllable choices work well in the middle.
• Dree:  While we find Bree horribly unappealing, Dree has some zip.  Mariel Hemingway used it for her daughter, and Wookiepedia, the Star Wars Wiki, lists Dree as the name of a minor (male) character.  It’s modern and interesting.
• Dove, Pax, Paz:  Three names that mean peace – Pax was the Roman goddess; Paz is the Spanish translation of the word; and a Dove, of course, is its well known symbol.
• Fife, Fyfe:  A Scottish place name that works well for boys and girls, Patrick Dempsey chose the “y” version as a middle name for his daughter, Talula.
• Greer, Grier:  Oscar-winning actress Greer Garson lends this name Hollywood glamour.  Brooke Shields chose Grier for her second daughter.
• Gwynne, Wynne:  Both names are Welsh in origin and mean fair.  Unlike Greer or Fyfe, these are soft enough to work with a less conventionally feminine first name.  Think Hadley Wynne, for example.
• Hue:  This unexpected choice could be thought of in three different ways.  It could be a feminine version of Hugh; the quintessential color name; or, a Vietnamese name pronounced Hway that means lily.
• Jaye, Sian:  While Jane is a bit plain, the boyish Jaye is a perkier choice. Sian – pronounced Shan – is the Welsh version of Jane.  It’s more interesting than the expected, and far more sophisticated than Shea, Shay or Shane.
• Joss:  It brings to mind Bess or Tess, but has a more modern vibe than either of those gently old-fashioned options. 
• Jewel, Jin, Jules: These three middle name possibilities suggest precious gems and metals.  Jewel is the most literal of the bunch.  Jules merely hints at the idea, and with its masculine, French-friend appeal has other attributes to recommend it.  While Jin might conjure up images of bottles, rummy or blue ruin, this spelling is actually a Chinese name, meaning gold.
• Kai: Kay gave way to Kate, and now perhaps it’s time for both choices to step aside in favor of Kai, traditionally a Japanese boy’s name meaning ocean – and pronounced to rhyme with tie.
• Lark, Wren: Depending on your perspective, an avian name is either charming or flu-inducing.  These two bird names, along with Dove (see above) might make good choices for parents interested in a nature-inspired choice for their daughter.
• Luz, Noor:  Claire’s appeal as both a first and middle name is long established.  In addition to its simple sound, Claire’s meaning – clear, bright – is an attractive one.  The more exotic Noor is an Arabic name meaning light, and Luz is a Spanish version with the same meaning.  They both make for good alternatives to Claire – though even so, that’s one choice that is not yet as overused as Grace or Rose.
• Mair, Maire:  A variant of Mary, Mair or Maire might be a twist on the overtaxed Marie, or it might be a great way to honor Great Aunt Mary Jo.  Both spellings are fair game, but we advise you to stay away from Mare, as it is a bit too horsey to wear well on a child.
• Maeve, Neve, Niamh – Maeve and Niamh are great Celtic choices for parents embracing their heritage.  The first sounds like May with a “ve” at the end; the second like “Neev.”  Neve is either the simplified spelling of the last name, or an Italian word meaning snow.  The actress Neve Campbell popularized the pronunciation “Nehv.”  It’s her mother’s maiden name.
• Penn, Quinn, Reese, Tate, Tyne, Sloane: If surname choices are at the forefront of popular first names, there’s no reason they shouldn’t appear in the middle, too.  This list is certainly not exhaustive – in fact, some of the best choices are probably home grown on your own family tree. Actress Amanda Peet named her daughter Frances Pen; but in her case, Pen honors her mother, Penny.  One word of warning with surnames in the middle – if your child’s name looks like it could be a law firm, rethink.  Madigan Sloane Hunter sounds more like it should have offices on Wall Street, not a desk at PS 102.  And, of course, many surnames are also place names – the Tyne River in England, fashionable Sloane Square at the Tate Modern museum, both in London. 
• Scout: One of the few literary names on this list, Scout was, of course, the nickname for Jean Louise Finch in To Kill A Mockingbird.
• Sage, Sky, Skye, Star, Rain: The well of nature names is deep, but these are among the most commonly heard.  We can’t help feel that these are tricky to use.  Giselle Rain is appealing; Amber Rain sounds like more like a sign of rampant pollution.  Still, they’re worth considering.
• Taj:  A Sanskrit name used for boys, Taj means crown.  Taja is the feminine version, but we can’t help think the simpler Taj would wear well as a girl’s middle name, especially when paired with a very simple given name – Elisabeth Taj, for example.
• Tai:  When spelled Ty, this is squarely a choice for boys.  But Tai evokes the Vietnamese girl’s name meaning talent – and the very talented figure skater Tai Babilonia, herself the mother of a son called Scout.
• True, Vrai:  True is a more extreme version of popular virtue choices like Hope and Faith; Vrai – rhymes with way – is the word translated into French, making for an exotic choice.
• Zan:  It sounds like a twist on Jan, but in fact Zan is a Chinese girl’s name meaning support; favor; praise.  Zan was also the (male) Wonder Twin.  His sister was Jayna.  But we’re willing to overlook that – as long as you stick this name in the middle.

Middle names might be seldom heard, but with all these fabulous options?  We’re betting you’ll want your kiddo to get in trouble so you can call out their full name.  ;)

But there are some guidelines that I believe in strongly enough to call rules, at least here on Appellation Mountain.  And here’s the first:  The Middle Matters.

Just as every generation has its Top 10 names, they also have their reliable go-to middle name choices.  Pair up a white hot given name with a worn-out middle at your peril.   In the 1970s, we all knew at least one Jennifer Anne, if not three, four or more.  And how about Michael James?  Amy Elizabeth?  They are legion.  And if your last name is relatively common, too, then your son, Jeffrey Andrew Hall, is one of several men with the identical name, and perhaps the same date of birth.

The names have changed in recent years, but the problem persists.  Today, it’s Emma Grace and Aiden James, Isabella Marie and Ethan William.

On the flipside, for every parent naming their daughter Laura Elizabeth, there is one thinking about christening their child Cascata Eleni.  Neither name quite works, though the first is unobjectionable and the second has a certain poetry.

What they both need is a bit of the other’s spirit.  Laura Eleni and Cascata Elizabeth  are much stronger choices.

And so here’s the rule:  If you’re using a common, classic given name, go a little wild with the middle name choices.  If you’ve already went out on a limb with the first name choice, give yourself a safe fallback in the middle.

Here’s the rule in action:

• Instead of Elizabeth Anne, consider Elizabeth Wren.
• Instead of William David, consider William Dakota.
• Instead of Olivia Marie, consider Olivia Maren or Olivia Maris.
• Instead of Estrella Garbo, consider Estrella Katharine.
• Instead of Hansel Hadley, consider Hansel Jameson.
• Instead of Ezekiel Stryker, consider Ezekiel Stephen.

The examples are, obviously, not exhaustive.  But it’s a good rule to keep in mind, and it gives your child options – to be known as E. Katharine if she dislikes her unusual first name; to be called William Dakota Hunt if there is another William Hunt in his field.

How wild should you go in the middle?  Or how safe should you play it?  That’s a tricky line, but I’d say this:  if both your first and middle name are Top 50 choices, you haven’t gone far enough.  And if neither your first nor middle picks are in the Top 1000, then you’re out to sea.

The same is true of Jane, Ann, Mae, Rae, Lynn, Jo and, increasingly, Nicole, Christine and Danielle – though the latter three are still commonly bestowed as first names.

This generation adds the following one-syllable choices to the list of common middle names:

• Virtue choices like Grace, Hope and Faith
• Nature names like Sky, Brooke and Rain
• The most powerful of the flower choices, Rose
• Nickname names like Meg, Kate and Elle

While there’s no requirement that children be given a middle name – and very little data on their use or the most common choices – it must be said that anyone who pays attention to names will notice that there’s often not much creativity between the endlessly debated first name and the (more or less) set in stone last name.

The simple fact is that nearly any name can work well in the middle – regardless of length. Witness how many women sport Elizabeth or Katherine in the middle spot.

But many parents are most comfortable keeping it short and sweet, and so I suggest a few fresh alternatives to the (mostly) tired ones listed above.

Instead of Marie, consider Maren.

Instead of Ann/Anne, consider Anneliese, Annalie or Honore

Instead of Rose, consider Riley, Rebecca or Violet.

Instead of Grace, consider Greer, Gwynne or Wynne.

And, if none of these suit, why not use:

• Sloane
• Sarai
• Celeste
• Evangeline
• Isolde
• Ivy
• Lauren
• Nell
• Joss
• Vrai (French for true)
• Lourdes
• Allison

Or any of the other names in the name-your-baby guide that didn’t *quite* make the cut for a first name.