Thanks to Maureen for suggesting Campbell as Name of the Day.

Campbell conjures up Black Watch plaid and Old World castles.  There’s a certain romance to the name, though Campbell is far from frilly.

The Campbells trace their roots to the 1200s, and within a century or two, they were among the most powerful of the Scottish Highland clans.  The chief of Clan Campbell collected titles through the ages, eventually became the Duke of Argyll.  The current Duke’s given name is Torquhil, and his fortune is so vast that he plays elephant polo.

Some have tried to lend a poetic origin to the name, but most agree Campbell comes from the Gaelic caim beul - crooked mouth, possibly hinting at a foreign accent – and thus, foreign origins, for the original Campbell.  Regardless, he’s thoroughly Scottish today and there have been tons of famous bearers of the surname.

One of them went into the soup biz.

Joseph A. Campbell started the company in 1869, but it would be a few years before the company perfected the method of condensing soup.  Campbell’s grew into one of the biggest food companies in the world during the 20th century, and the red and white logo with the gold seal remains one of the most visible – and least changed – packages on any American supermarket shelf.

The humble can was elevated to high art in 1962. Pop art pioneer Andy Warhol – apparently a soup fan – took to painting the cans.  His first series represented the 32 varieties available and stayed faithful to the cans’ appearance.  Over the years, he painted ever more fanciful interpretations.  Even if you’re more of a Mona Lisa/Monet aficionado, it is hard to deny the impact of Warhol’s cans.  One of the original series – Small Torn Campbell Soup Can (Pepper Pot) -  sold for a staggering $11.8 million in 2006.

Maybe this is why Campbell feels a bit like another vaguely artistic surname, Jackson.

Boys have worn their mother’s maiden name in the first spot for years, enough that Campbell darts in the US Boys’ Top 1000 now and again, from the late nineteenth century right into recent years.  His last appearance was at #933 in 2005.

Alec Baldwin played an attorney named Campbell in 2009’s big screen adaptation of Jodi Picoult’s novel My Sister’s Keeper, but Campbell doesn’t seem to be catching on – at least not for boys.

Visit the US Girls’ Top 1000 and you’ll find a slightly different story.  Campbell entered the Girls’ Top 1000 in 2003, made it as high as #661 in 2006 and fell to #762 in 2008.  Cam- names for girls – from Baldwin’s co-star in My Sister’s Keeper, megastar Cameron Diaz – to the ladylike Camila and Camille – dot the popularity charts.  Her -bell ending is a bonus.

But Campbell’s use for girls is most likely linked to CNN news anchor Campbell Brown.  Born Alma Dale Campbell Brown, she’s a high profile working mom to sons Eli and Asher.

That said, Campbell doesn’t seem to be the next Addison.  If you find this name hanging on your family tree, it remains a solid, thoroughly Scottish surname choice to consider for a child.

Thanks to Sarah for suggesting Harriet as Name of the Day.

Evergreen Henry was worn by saints and kings.  Feminine forms include the four-syllable Henrietta and the slightly more tailored Harriet.

Henri came to England with the Normans, where the English pronounced the name Herry – or Harry.  Henriette – the logical French feminine form – must have led to Harriette and Harriet somewhere along that path.

Except that there weren’t any Harriets much before the 1600s, and her heyday was the eighteenth century century.  When the US first started compiling baby names stats in the early 1880s, she still ranked in the Top 100.

Notable  Harriets over the centuries have included:

• Harriet Martineau was a pioneer in the field of sociology and a noted feminist thinker of the early nineteenth century;
• The aristocratic Harriet Arbuthnot kept diaries about her life among the powerful.  Arbuthnot’s husband was a member of Parliament, but it is Arbuthnot’s writings that have endured, especially her observations about her close friend, the Duke of Wellington;
• Born Elizabeth Ann Haryett, Harriet Howard’s life story reads like a work of fiction, including her affair with Napoleon III of France;
• Hawaiian Queen Keopulani converted to Christianity on her deathbed in 1823, borrowing Harriet from a missionary’s wife.  Her daughter became known as Harrieta;
• Born Araminta, Harriet Tubman adopted her mother’s given name, and went on to become one of the most famous leaders of the Underground Railroad;
• Abolitionist Harriet Beecher Stowe is remembered for her world-changing 1852 novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin;
• Bachelor US President James Buchanan relied on his niece, Harriet Lane, to serve as his hostess during the 1850s;
• Harriet Brooks was something of a Canadian Marie Curie, a pioneer in the field of nuclear physics;
• Suffragette Harriet Shaw Weaver supported early publications of James Joyce’s novels;
• Writer Harriet Quimby became the first American woman to receive a pilot’s license in the US;
• Harriet Zwerling was part of the bohemian circle of Beat poets in Paris in the 1950s and has been a writer and model since;
• Real-life married couple Ozzie and Harriet Nelson starred in a successful radio program turned ABC sitcom, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.  So did their sons, and later their son’s wives.  Call it the first reality TV show.

 She’d wear well today, too.  Consider:

• Harriet currently ranks #73 in England;
• She shares the -et of Juliet, Violet and Scarlet;
• Her nickname options are great, including Hattie and Hettie, and even tomboy Harry;
• Just like Roald Dahl’s Matilda, there’s an enduring young adult novel with an appealing big screen adaptation.

The book is Louise Fitzhugh’s 1964 novel Harriet the Spy, about an eleven year old New Yorker and amateur investigative journalist – she makes the rounds of her ‘hood, noting various factoids about the neighbors and her classmates.  Naturally, her notebook falls into the wrong hands and Harriet suffers mightily.  But it all ends well, and Harriet becomes editor of the school’s newspaper.  It became a movie in 1996; the Disney Channel is about to reboot the character with a made-for-TV movie called Harriet the Spy: Blog Wars.  

Add it up, and she’s an appealing choice – smart, quirky cool, bold not dainty and definitely not mainstream.

Speaking of winners, whilst channel surfing earlier this week, I caught an episode of Toddlers and Tiaras featuring BFFs turned rivals, Jacee and Mayce.  I like Macy, but find Jaycee a touch too civic to wear.  But here’s the thing – neither of those spellings immediately suggests the correct sound.  I think I’d say JAH see and mace, like the weapon, except that I can guess what they’re meant to be.  Maycee, sure.  Jaycie, okay.  But Jacee and Mayce, IMHO, fail some essential test about phonetic transparency.

Not that that’s anything new.

And of course, I watched the two-part special episode of The Office just to hear the baby’s name.  Pam and Jim Halpert are now parents to Cecilia Marie.  Cecilia ranked #270 in 2008, and seemed to have plateau’d.  I suspect she’ll rise in 2010, because even though Nancy’s advice to Turn Off Your TV When Choosing Bad Names is sound, pop culture is powerful.

Elsewhere online:

• Momlogic posted their list of 8 illegal baby names.  Most of them are international violations of various codes – I suppose you could name your baby Metallica in the US.  Heck, someone probably already has;
• Speaking of illegal names and heavy metal, a bitsy Québécois baby gets to keep her umlaut.  New mom Kriystal – not a typo – decided that she wanted to make #19 name Zoé more unique with a gratuitous diacritical mark.  So she called her newborn babe Zöé and ran afoul of those crazy Canadian authorities who think that diacritical marks should indicate how to pronounce a name, not simply be strung on like so many Mardi Gras beads.  Kriystal won, and can look forward to years of explaining to the insurance company and school registrar precisely how to spell Zöé;
• Also in Canada, parents settled on the name Porsha, but insist it isn’t for the Shakespeare or the car.  The spelling Portia was dismissed because “it looked like a witch name.”  Here’s hoping Porsha grows up to be a lit major and discovers that Portia is actually the quick-witted woman who saves Antonio’s life when everyone else falls short – and a worthy namesake if ever one was;
• Nancy asks how similar should twin names be? I voted, then visited the Social Security Administration’s Top 100 list of twin names. Most strike me as on the edge of being too close:  Jacob and Joshua, the #1 combo, are fine.  But #5 pair Taylor and Tyler, #25 pair Christian and Christopher and #75 duo Heaven and Nevaeh all seem much too much.  I prefer sets like #33 Benjamin and Samuel or #35 Abigail and Emma - the names have similar styles, but it is clear that each child is an individual, not one half of novelty salt’n'pepper shakers;
• For Real Baby Names spots a lot of interesting names, but here’s one that baffles me: Gossip Anthony.  There must be a story there.  The girl name Loyalty Justice – also spotted this week – seems tame by comparison;
• If you prefer meaningful names with a more subtle style, Sebastiane brings us the lovely Honorine.  Also the Russian Lara;
• Road trippers might appreciate this one – For Real spotted a boy saddled with the name Soul-Ryder Prescott, to be called Ryder, which isn’t so unusual.  But his brother’s name?  Truck;
• All of a sudden, I love Aidan.  At least for this couple. Dad Daniel and mom Ailene settled on Aidan because it combines the first syllables of their names.  Clever;
• Nymbler stats are out for February 2010! No surprises in the Top Ten favorite names: Charlotte, Ava, Amelia, Grace, Ella, Audrey, Oliver, Jack, Benjamin and Henry.  But the four brand new names quite eye-popping:
  • Siri – An intriguing twist on Sigrid and Signe, but where did she come from?  I’m missing something!
  • Baylor – Are there really that many Bears alumni out there?  Or is this a riff on Taylor?
  • Emersyn – Okay, this one isn’t a shocker.  She fits with Addisyn et. al.;
  • Wednesday – As in Addams?

Here’s the starbaby news, via Celebrity Baby Blog:

• Country Music’s Little Big Town Band members Karen Fairchild and Jimi Westbrook are new parents to a son, Elijah Daniel;
• Jenna Elfman welcomed a second son, Easton Quinn Monroe, a little brother for Story Elias;
• Joey Lawrence welcomed new daughter Liberty Grace, a sister for Charleston;
• Keyshia Cole welcomed a son named Daniel Hiram, Jr.;
• Christina Milian and The Dream welcomed their daughter, Violet Madison;
• Jamie Oliver and wife Jools are expecting baby #4. With three daughters called Poppy Honey, Daisy Boo and Petal Blossom Rainbow, well … let’s just say I am eagerly expecting their new arrival!

Drumroll please!  It’s time to enter the 5th Annual Baby Name Wizard 2009 Baby Name Pool! Guess three fastest rising and three fastest falling names and win bragging rights.  Serious bragging rights.  Entries are due April 15.

That’s all for this week – thanks for reading!

Of course, she’s also Norway’s answer to the Loch Ness monster.  And a creepy, cross-dressing polygamist wife on HBO’s Big Love.

Mexican actress Salma Hayek wears a similar, but unrelated Arabic name.

Selma hasn’t charted in the US Top 1000 since 1956, but she regularly charted in the Top 200 during the late nineteenth century.  Could she make a comeback today – yea or nay?

I’m smitten with Marpessa.  She was an Aetolian princess descended from the gods in Greek myth, but I cant explain how Marpessa Dawn, born in Pittsburgh, got the name.  Anyone care to use it for a daughter?

Thanks to Natalie for suggesting Nathaniel as Name of the Day.

Once upon a time, the favored spelling was Nathanael, as worn by a New Testament apostle, though he’s better known as Bartholomew.  There’s also an Old Testament figure named Nathan. While both choices are derived from the Hebrew element meaning gift, they seem to have developed separately.

If either was in use through the Middle Ages, they’re lost to the historical record.  But post-Protestant Reformation the Nat- names caught on, especially in the Colonies.  Notable Nathaniels include:

• Nathanael Greene served under George Washington during the American Revolution, ending as a Major General;
• Nathanial Saltonstall served as a judge during the Salem Witch Trials, and is remembered for resigning from his post.  It is generally assumed that he did so in protest.  His descendants have continued to distinguish themselves – and at least a few have also been called Nathaniel;
• Mathematician Nathaniel Bowditch is remembered primarily for his contributions to navigation in the early nineteenth century;
• Union Army General Nathaniel Banks went on to serve as Massachusetts governor and speaker of the US  House of Representatives.

But the best known Nathaniel was born Nathaniel Hathorne in Salem, Massachusetts.  As a young adult, he added a “w” to become Hawthorne, possibly because he preferred to distance himself from ancestor John Hathorne, the unrepentant judge from the Salem Witch Trials, Saltonstall’s polar opposite.

As Hawthorne, he went on to write many enduring works of American fiction, from The Scarlet Letter to The Blithedale Romance to The House of the Seven Gables.  His characters wore some great names – Hester, Zenobia, Hepzibah – and his own kids were nicely named, too – Una, Julian and Rose.

In more recent years, the legendary Nat King Cole was born Nathaniel.  The small screen gave us Nate Fisher on Six Feet Under and Nate Archibald on Gossip Girl.  Feminine version Natalie – the name Cole gave to his daughter – ranked #13 in 2008, more popular than either of the masculine versions.

My vote for most intriguing character was Nathanael West, born Nathan Weinstein.  While worked nights at a hotel, he penned Miss Lonleyhearts, a Great Depression-era novel about a male advice columnist masquerading as a female advice columnist.  It’s no light-hearted farce, but a dark tale of sorrow and despair.

Maybe it isn’t the best inspiration for a child’s name.  But it doesn’t matter.  The Nat- names have an undeniable appeal.  They wear well from childhood through adulthood and manage to sound both classic and current.  Nickname Nate also shares the fashionable long a sound of Aidan and company.

As is so often the case, his popularity is the only possible shortcoming for Nathaniel.  Not only was he a Top 100 pick in the US, ranking #77 in 2008, but he also charted in the Canadian Top 100.  Nathan was #21 in the US, and is huge in the French-speaking world, including Canada, Switzerland and France.

If you don’t mind the possibility that your son will share his name, Nathaniel remains a great choice, rich in history and offering both a distinguished formal name and friendly short forms.

Thanks to Melissa for suggesting Juliet as Name of the Day.

Americans – and most English speakers – tend to favor diminutives formed by shortening a name.  William becomes Bill and Caroline answers to Carrie.  But in many other languages, the pet form is longer than the original.  So it is with Juliet.  In the Italian, Giulia becomes Guilietta.  In the French, Julie transforms to Juliette.

Bill Shakespeare borrowed the names and plot of his enduring tragedy from poet Arthur Brooke, whose 1562 The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet is largely forgotten.  Brooke, in turn, owed his inspiration to  Italian writer Matteo Bandello, though Bandello may have simply been assembling traditional stories and Shakespeare was reading translations into English from French translations of the original, rather than Bandello’s Italian collection.

In any case, Giulietta had been streamlined to Juliet early in the story-telling, and despite the diminutive form, there’s no indication in the play that her name is anything other.  She is, of course, the daughter of the Capulets, a wealthy heiress about to be wed to a suitable suitor.  Romeo gate-crashes the Capulet’s ball, and well, you know the rest.    

Romeo’s name was long considered much too much for parents to give to a son, but there’s been a steady willingness to use Juliet for generations.  Her 2008 ranking of #451 isn’t her peak – that was #442 in 1886 – and she appeared in the Top 1000 right through the 1970s.

Add in Juliette, currently ranked at #549 and the name is more common than you might think.

Juliette is a Top Ten pick in Quebec and a Top 50 choice in Belgium.  The two spellings combined could be nearly as successful in the US.  

Just like her beloved, Juliet owes much of her popularity to the 1996 Baz Lurhman reboot of Romeo + Juliet.  She’d fallen out of use until the year of the movie’s release, when she resurfaced at #825.

It isn’t just the silver screen encouraging parents to consider the lovely Juliet.  It’s also that stylish -et ending, shared by:

• The Irish Bridget;
• Botanical Violet;
• The colorful Scarlet.

A handful of pop culture references continue to boost Juliet.  Television characters on Lost and Psych wear the name.  Recording artists from Stevie Nicks to LMNT have recorded singles called “Juliet.”  Taylor Swift’s 2008 hit single “Love Story” gives the ill-fated lovers a happy ending.

There’s also the popularity of Julian, currently a Top 100 pick for boys and the rise of many a French nom for jeune filles.

Real life Juliets can be found, too, from FOX News’ Juliet Huddy to French actress Juliette Binoche.  Girl Scout founder Juliette Gordon Low is one of the best known Juliettes.  She was named after her grandmother, Juliette Magill Kinzie, an early nineteenth century writer.

While some literary choices feel like a lot of name, Juliet can wear Julie or Jules as easily as Julia, Julianne or any of the formal versions might.  Doubtless that’s part of her appeal.

Overall, Juliet and Juliette make for names that are just a little bit different – not quite the classic Julia, but not too unusual either.

Thanks to Emma for suggesting Quentin as Name of the Day.

Quentin comes from the Latin quintus – five.  Quintus was worn by dozens of notables in the Roman Empire, and you’ll find Quintinus in the historical record, too.

Quentin appears in the French Top 100 today, and has been in use for centuries.  In the 200s, Saint Quentin of Amiens was a Roman citizen turned Christian missionary and martyred in Gaul.  While we know little of his life, we do know that his tomb became an important pilgrimage site in medieval France.

Many places were named in his honor, and so the Normans brought Quentin to England in two forms – as a surname for those from one of the towns, and as a given name, too.

In the US, the most famous San Quentin is in California, the home of a famous state prison first opened in 1852.  It’s housed the notorious, from Black Bart to Sirhan Sirhan.  Maybe that’s one of the reasons Quentin feels tougher than his sound suggests.

Then there’s the inventive, celebrated and unapologetically violent director Quentin Tarantino.  Reservoir Dogs put him on the map in 1992.  Today, Inglorious Basterds is up for Oscars.  He’s probably the reason dads who prefer names like Gunnar and Slade find Quentin an acceptably masculine moniker.

Other famous Quentins include:

• Walter Scott’s 1823 novel Quentin Durward is about a Scottish archer in the service of King Louis XI.  It’s history with splashes of romance – Quentin gets the girl;
• The youngest son of President Theodore Roosevelt was called Quentin.  Just a toddler when dad won the White House, he went on to become a fighter pilot during World War I and died in service;
• Nineteenth century English businessman turned philanthropist, Quintin Hogg’s gifts helped establish the University of Westminster;
• William Faulkner’s fictional Quentin Compson appeared in Absalom! Absalom! and The Sound and the Fury;
• Athletic Quentins include the NFL’s Quentin Jammer of the San Diego Chargers;
• Fatboy Slim’s real name is Norman Quentin Cook;
• Quentin Crisp is a noted English writer;
• Enid Blyton gave the name to the Uncle in her Famous Five series;
• Quentin Travers was a character in TV’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a good guy who isn’t necessarily good;
• Quentin Beck was a Marvel Comics bad guy and nemesis of Spider-man;
• Dr. Quentin Costa was a Nip/Tuck plastic surgeon turned out to be a serial rapist;
• Dark Shadows’ Quentin Collins was a TV vampire in the late 1960s;
• Quentin Sondergaard starred on TV Westerns in the 1950s, 60s and 70s.

Quentin has risen and fallen since entering the US Top 1000 in the early 1900s.  Today he stands at #379.  The unrelated Quinn could serve as a nickname – but just like Finn, he stands on his own and.  In 2008, Quinn charted at #280.  Variant spelling Quinten ranked #887, Quintin #686 and Quinton #464.

Just like Quinn is sometimes given to girls, there’s at least one famous female Quentin – Quentin Bryce, Governor-General of Australia.

Quentin is quirky and just a little bit different.  His sound is soft, but his history of use suggests your Quentin is more likely to be a solider than poet.  With the nickname option Quinn, it is easy to see this choice wearing well on a son born circa 2010.

Thanks to Rachel for suggesting Oriana as Name of the Day.

Search the US Top 1000 today and Oriana is nowhere to be found.  The same is true of Orianna, Oriane and Oriande.  Swap the O for an A, and the story changes.  Arianna ranked #66 in 2008 while the slightly sparer Ariana came in at #81.  Add them together, and she’s a Top 25 pick.  The only time an Ori- name ranked was back in the nineteenth century, when Orrie appeared a handful of times – for boys.  

Like Aurelia, Oriana is often linked to the word for gold.  Aurelia comes from the Latin aureus; Oriana is via the Spanish oro.  Other meanings have been suggested, but her origins seem to support the precious metal vibe.

Before he sent Don Quixote tilting at windmills in the early 1600s, Miguel Cervantes read Amadis of Gaul.  Everyone knew the sweeping romance Amadis of Gaul, along with prequels and sequels galore.

Amadis may have been inspired by real world events in the thirteenth century.  The tales are referenced as early as the 1300s, but the first written version dates to the early 1500s.  A Spanish writer named Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo is generally credited with assembling the text.  Montalvo was more editor than author, but he did pen at least one sequel – in which he named a mythical island California.

Amadis was born the bastard child of a king and a princess, left for dead but rescued and raised to be a knight.  He meets Princess Oriana, heiress to the throne of Great Britain, when they’re still children.  He’s a nobody and she’s a blue blood, but they fall madly in love anyhow.  Drama follows.

It’s a plot line that never grows old, but in several tellings, Amadis and Oriana do end happily ever after.  

Four operas have been based on the story.  Scholars debate the original author’s identity and speculate that Eleanor of Aquitaine or Constanza of Aragon might’ve been the inspiration for Oriana.  Sue Burke is translating the original and commenting on the backstory at her blog.  Amadis is fascinating, as is the conversation about what’s real and what’s pure fiction.

Other uses of the name include:

• English composer Thomas Morley compiled a book of madrigals called The Triumphs of Oriana.  The book was first published in 1601, and it is generally thought that Oriana was one of many poetic references to Queen Elizabeth I, akin to Gloriana;
• At about the same time as Cervantes’ novel, the tale of another princess Oriana was recorded.  This time, it was about a Moorish princess called Fatima, kidnapped by a Christian knight.  He married her and she took the Christian name Oureana.  It’s almost certainly a myth, but you can still visit a town – and castle – called Ourém in modern day Portugal;
• Marcel Proust gave the name Oriane to a duchess in his Remembrance of Things Past;
• One of the Orient Line’s luxury cruise ships wore the name, but that might’ve had just as much to do with the relatively limited selection of O-appellations.

Oriana is a feminissa pick, and a truly distinctive one.  Her origins in medieval romance put her in the company of names like Juliet and Isolde.  Her similarity to Arianna could cause some confusion, but if pretty and literary is your vibe, Oriana is one to consider.

Thanks to Corinne for suggesting another Gaelic choice.  Lorcán is our Name of the Day.

Lorcan sounds brainy, but his meaning is from the Gaelic lorc – fierce.  Notable Lorcans have run the gamut from saints and scholars to a warrior king:

• The ninth century Lorcán mac Callaig was King of Leinster.  There’s not much about him in the history books, but we know that he scored a victory against the Vikings.  At least one of his successors wore the name, too;
• Irish king Brian Boru’s grandfather was called Lorcan;
• You may have heard of St. Laurence O’Toole, a twelfth century Irish-born saint.  He was born Lorcan, and while he died in Normandy, he left his heart in Dublin – literally.  You can still visit it at Christ Church Cathedral.

He’s certainly a valid heritage choice, and he’s perfectly current in Ireland, where he hovers near the Top 100.  Irish television staple, the long-running RTÉ One soap opera Fair City, included a character by the name.  While the original Lorcan has gone to his reward, he left behind a son called Lorcan Jr.

Americans might think of actor Lorcan Cranitch as the villainous Erastes in HBO’s Rome.  Other modern Lorcans include a computer scientist, an architect and an Irish politician.

Future parents may be more likely to stumble on this name in the epilogue to the Harry Potter series.  Ordinary readers wanted to know how the characters turned out; the name-obsessed wanted to hear the names of their offspring.  JK Rowling came through splendidly, passing on family names to Harry and Ginny Potter’s trio and even telling us that Luna Scamander, née Lovegood, was mom to twin boys Lysander and Lorcan.

Plenty of appealing Gaelic options are scuppered by their spellings.  (Remember our discussion about Tadhg?)  Lorcan’s pronunciation is trouble-free.  Plus, with Logan, Landon and Liam all among the more popular picks for American boys, and plenty of parents seeking an alternative to Aidan, Lorcan could fit the bill.  Nameberry even listed him among their Ten Classic Names You’ve Never Considered.

You’ll notice that Lorcan was sometimes Anglicized as Laurence.  Despite some superficial resemblance, there’s no etymological link between the two names.  Still, tradition has connected them, and the saint’s popularity strengthens the tie.  So if you’re looking to honor a grandpa Larry, you might consider Lorcan.  Laurence’s medieval diminutive Larkin is another possibility, but with the rise of Lark as a girls’ name, some parents may wish to steer clear.

While Lorcan’s “orc” sound conjures up killer whales and Robin Williams’ breakthrough role as a sitcom alien, those are the kind of minor challenges shared by many a name.  (Of course, swap out the “l” for a “d” and you can imagine another teasing nickname, one that could prove burdensome.)

He doesn’t require a nickname, but Lorry is an option, at least until he gets to middle school.

Overall, Lorcan is a rarity in the US that would prove straightforward to spell and pronounce.  He has a solid history and impeccable roots as a valid Irish import.  If you’re looking for a kelly green name for your son, Lorcan is one to consider.