MM basketballsHow did your favorite boy names fare in the last round of March Madness?

  • The Scandinavian Soren surpassed color name Gray.  They’re both nouvel choices, names with history but without significant use in the US.  I couldn’t guess which could come out on top, but Soren won by a decent margin.  Will we hear this one more, or are parents simply reluctant to give their son a Shades name?
  • The über-popular Finn handily beat the literary Huxley.  It was the most resounding victory from the last round, and not much of a surprise.  Finn is such a friendly, upbeat name that it is easy to imagine him winning the whole tourney.
  • Atticus shut down Atlas, proving that literary cred trumps mythological standing.
  • Up-and-coming Archer won over quirky, hipster Otto.  That was an easy one to predict, but I think fans of Otto can be pleased that he’s done so well.  Ot- and Od- names really are moving into that elusive category: names everyone likes, but few of us are actually using.

It seems like the names on the fringe fall early, and the ones that stay in the running are more mainstream.  Not always, of course.  It depends so much on the match-ups, and a number of wildly popular picks have already fallen.

By the semi-finals, the names that are gone are a long list: Indigo, Camden, Declan, Benton, Cohen, Dashiell, Etienne, Eamon have all left the competition.  Are your favorite boy names still in?

What’s your guess for the Final Winner?  If I had to bet, my money would be on Finn.  He combines two major trends: our affection for Irish names and the tendency to give short, single-syllable appellations, especially to boys.

Please vote in the next round, and don’t forget to check back for the Girls’ Semi-Finals later today!

The Scandinavian Soren takes on the sharp surname Archer

The Irish Finn faces the literary Atticus

Thanks for voting!  Polls close on Friday, March 22, and the Finals take place on Saturday, March 23.

About Abby Sandel

Whether you're naming a baby, or just all about names, you've come to the right place! Appellation Mountain is a haven for lovers of obscure gems and enduring classics alike.

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What do you think?

5 Comments

  1. I wanted to prefer Soren and Atticus but really did prefer Archer and Finn. Weird how it turned out that way for both polls.

  2. If it had been paired differently I would have voted differently. I like Archer more than Soren, but I like Soren much more than Finn and more than Atticus. Atticus and Archer are about the same. Anyhow, I voted Archer and Atticus given how they are paired.

  3. Hmm … must have been a fluke of early voting, Bek. It looks like Archer has pulled into the lead.

    Finn and Atticus are close, though – that’s kind of a thrill! I fretted that Atticus might have gone down without a fight …

  4. I’m a bit surprised to see Soren so handily beating Archer at this point. I mean, I voted for Soren, but I don’t see it appealing to the masses quite as easily as Archer.