Artis Gilmore; Image by Vedia via Flickr
He was a regular in the US Top 1000 in the first half of the twentieth century, but today he’s all but unknown.
Thanks to Sara for suggesting the antique Artis as our Baby Name of the Day.
When Courtney Cox mentioned it on Cougar Town, I thought this name must be on the verge. And the Sherlock Holmes reboot put the character’s creator in the spotlight. But I think this makes it official: Selma Blair has welcomed a son called Arthur.
His full name is Arthur Saint Bleick. No word yet on whether Saint is a family name, or if the Blair-Bleicks are following the Beckham family’s lead and choosing stylish-but-safe first names paired with way-out-there middles.
I’m wildly biased in favor of Arthur, of course – it is shared by no fewer than three of my favorite guys, including my dear, departed grandfather. But with ends-in-r names feeling very current these days, Arthur gets extra points.
Congratulations to Selma and Jason! What do you think of their pick?
Ellen Terry as Guinevere; Image via Wikipedia
She’s the queen of Camelot, and the source of the #1 baby name of the 1970s.
Thanks to Angel and Charlotte for suggesting Guinevere as our Baby Name of the Day.
King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table; Image via Wikipedia
He’s a medieval knight and a 21st century sidekick.
Thanks to Shan for suggesting Gareth as our Baby Name of the Day.
Remember the Yea or Nay posts? It’s been a while since a name was put up for a vote.
Riley is your kid’s classmate. Bradley is Riley’s dad.
Smoosh ‘em together, and you get Radley, a surname worn by To Kill a Mockingbird’s recluse, Arthur “Boo” Radley.
Could Radley catch on as the next big thing in last names? Tell us – Yea or Nay?
Image by J.E.S. via Flickr
There’s something tremendously upbeat about this Irish surname.
Thanks to Kelly for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day: Sullivan.
Coat of arms of Hogwarts; Image via Wikipedia
Harry Potter’s classmate Neville Longbottom starts out a bumbler, becomes an object of pity, and eventually grows up to be a hero in his own right.
It’s enough to make parents consider the underused Neville, and thanks to Liz, he’s our Baby Name of the Day.
Image by Jenn and Tony Bot via Flickr
She’s been quietly rising since 2002. What’s behind this intriguing appellation?
Thanks to Samantha for suggesting her mother’s name, Danna, as our Baby Name of the Day.
Things for which I am grateful: name blogger Xanthe Linnea is back with the story of her son’s name, Leo Nathaniel. And Emmy Jo shared Julius Arthur‘s name story, complete with absolutely adorable photos! They make for great reading. Plus, be on the lookout for another Reader Baby Name Story here next Saturday!
Another thing that fills me with joy: your boundless creativity, as seen in the Holiday Baby Name Game: Thanksgiving Edition. The suggestions were fabulous – I’ve winnowed it down to a few choices for the polls. Vote for your favorites below!
I’ve been putting more and more Real Life name spottings over at Facebook, but here are a few I couldn’t resist:
The first two sets run afoul of my How Close is too Close? tests. And while I’ve defended alternate spellings, Emett makes me want to backspace. I wonder if there’s a reason?
Elsewhere online:
The big Hollywood news was the birth of Benjamin Travolta. But with Pink among the currently expecting celebs, we can only expect a bumper crop of fabulous baby names in 2011.
Hope you had a great week, and for those in the US, a fun Thanksgiving.
Thanks for reading, and see you next week!
