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Knights and lions and trains, oh my – what’s better for a little boy?

Thanks to Sara for suggesting Lionel as Baby Name of the Day.

Lionel traces his roots to the Greek leon – lion.  The king of the jungle has inspired parents for centuries.  There were popes called Leo, the revolutionary Leon Trotsky, and Sir Lionel, a Knight of the Round Table in Arthurian legend.

Lionel probably evolved as a French diminutive – Leon plus -el, hence the meaning “little lion” you’ll find in many guides.  The first famous Lionel was the younger son of the King of Gaul and cousin to Lancelot.  He’s almost certainly a fiction, but like any Arthurian knight, there’s something romantically appealing about his name.

Plenty of aristocratic Lionels can be found over the centuries.  King Edward III of England gave the name to his third son, the future Duke of Clarence, in the 1300s.  Three hundred years later, Lionel Boyle was the 3rd Earl of Orrery, and a Member of Parliament from Ireland.  A string of Lionels can be found in between, too.

American royalty also embraced the name.  Oscar-winning Lionel Barrymore was part of the acting dynasty.

In more recent generations, Lionel has seemed more workaday.  Lionel Cartwright scored several hit singles on the Billboard country music charts in the 1980s.  On television, George and Louise Jefferson were parents to Lionel; the character moved from neighborhoods with his parents from All in the Family to The Jeffersons.

And then there are the trains.

Before there was Thomas the Tank Engine, kids grew up playing with Lionel model trains.  Founded by Joshua Lionel Cowen, the company produced trains from 1903 until 1969, and recently re-entered the business.  Cowen wasn’t the first to put train tracks under Christmas trees – the practice started in Germany – but they’ve become an American tradition.  It lends Lionel a certain vintage charm.

With Leo all the rage, you might expect Lionel to making a comeback, too.  But so far, the tide that has lifted Leonardo and Leon has left him out.  Never a smash hit in the US, Lionel appeared in the Top 1000 most years from 1880 through 1998.  But he’s been fading for years.

Blame it on Lionel Richie.  While our kids may know him mainly as grandpa to Harlow and Sparrow, today’s parents probably hear Lionel and think easy listening.

Spanish variant Leonel does chart in the US Top 1000 and might be an option for parents who love Lionel’s three-syllable rhythm, but would rather not hear the lyrics to “Dancin’ on the Ceiling” and “Hello” sung as lullabyes.

But the pop singer is fading, while Leo is widly fashionable, and boys’ names ending in -el are catching on, too.  If Gabriel and Raphael, Abel and Dashiell, can join the evergreen Michael and Daniel in use, then why not Lionel?

Thanks to Fran and Francis for suggesting Tobias as our Baby Name of the Day.

The Bible isn’t the rigid, unchanging collection of writings that we sometimes assume.  Books have been included and booted over the centuries, and different faith traditions don’t always agree.  So it is with the Book of Tobit.  Catholics say yay, but most Protestants give him the miss.

Tobit’s tale is set in the eight century BC, in Nineveh.  Tobit is father to Tobias; both names are derived from the element tobih – my good.  The book involves travel and marriage and wrestling with demons.  The angel Raphael secretly assists Tobias as he completes his tasks.  Renaissance artists were inspired by the story, and you’ll find a handful of men named Tobias throughout the centuries, including a fourth century saint.

But to talk about Tobias, we really need to talk about Toby.  While Tobias has never ranked higher than #475, and today stands at a relatively obscure #506, Toby fared well in the 1970s, peaking at #190 in 1975.  In 2009, he came in at a distant #628, but together Tobias and Toby make for a vaguely familiar choice.

Fictional bearers of the name have included the uncle in 1923′s Tristram Shandy, as well as small screen characters like:

• Toby Flenderson, the long-suffering HR guy on The Office;
• Supersmart, idealistic Toby Ziegler on The West Wing;
• The dysfunctional Arrested Development family’s disgraced doctor turned aspiring actor Tobias Fünke;

The baby brother stolen by goblins in 1986′s Labyrinth was called Toby, as was the child actor who played the part.

JRR Tolkein named a hobbit Tobold in The Lord of the Rings.  There’s also Tobin, sometimes listed as a pet form of Tobias and sometimes viewed as a separate surname related to the Irish Tóibín, derived from place name Saint Aubin in Brittany.

Toby has also taken a turn as a girl’s name, probably thanks to Toby Wing.  Even though her acting career never took off, Miss Wing – born Martha – was well-known in the 1930s, and even rated a star on Hollywood Boulevard.  Her stage name, it is said, was borrowed from a horse.  The name appeared in the US Top 1000 for girls as late as 1975.

But say Toby today, and one of two figures likely come to mind.

First, there’s Tobey Maguire, born Tobias, the actor better known as Peter Parker and his alter ego, Spider-Man.  Then there’s Toby Keith, who scored his first hit with “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” but has done quite well as a country music star since the 1990s.

You might also think of author Tobias Wolff.  His 1989 memoir This Boy’s Life was adapted for the big screen in 1993.  Leonardo DiCaprio was the lead, but Tobey Maguire had a small role.

File Tobias as one of those names that is both perfectly ordinary and nicely quirky.  You won’t shock anyone by choosing Tobias for your son, but neither will they expect it.  Despite the handful of women named Toby, he manages to remain masculine, fitting in just fine with 21st century boys called Jayden and Isaiah.

The official Social Security Administration list won’t be out until May, but unofficial lists have been circulating since mid-December.

Here at AppMtn, I can’t possibly claim that the most popular posts will be reflected in the Top Ten – or even Top 100 – baby names in use.  Many of the names I write about are obscure.  Some are downright weird.  (Habakkuk, anyone?)  Others probably chart simply because AppMtn is one of the few sites to cover the name in any detail.

And yet, if you look at the lists carefully, there are ripples.  A few of these are definitely coming to a playground near you.

The Top 20 Names of the Day for Boys, as judged by the most popular posts:

1. Finn – The top boy’s Name of the Day for two years, Finn is definitely a name on the rise.  But with plenty of formal choices for the birth certificate, Finn is deceptive.  In 2000, he ranked #834.  By 2008, he’d climbed to #368.  That still seems obscure, but factor in Finnegan and Finley, and that number nearly doubles.
2. Etienne – He’s not in US Top 1000, but the French version of Stephen continues to chart in the AppMtn Top Ten for the second year.
3. St. John – Chalk this one up to curiosity.
4. Eamon – On the other hand, Eamon – with his Irish roots and vowel-rich sound – could catch on.  He’s far more dashing than his English equivalent, Edmund.
5. Caelin – Most of you indicated that history aside, Caelin wouldn’t make the cut for you, thanks to his resemblance to nouveau – and often feminine – names like Kaylin.
6. Declan – He continues to edge up in the US rankings just a bit, and probably represents one that parents are considering as an alternative to Aidan and friends.
7. Elliot – Decades after E.T. flew across movie screens in his bicycle basket, Elliot is finally catching on.  With two equally valid spellings, file him with Finn – more popular than he seems at first glance.  Elliot ranked #332 in 2008.  Add in Elliott, just a few places behind at #386, and this one would rank around #225 in the US.  He’s also among the newest batch of boys’ names parents are considered for girls, probably because of the nickname Ellie.
8. Angus – Parents seeking a formal name for Gus might be cautiously considering Angus, but he remains rare in the US.
9. Kelly – I wrote about Kelly for a boy, and some parents are reclaiming him for Team Blue.  But it is certainly possible that many – even most – of the page views still reflect the use of Kelly for girls.
10. Ronan – Just like Eamon and Declan, this one continues to edge upwards slightly as a possible replacement for Aidan.
11. Alexander – I write about Alexander quite a bit.  It is my firstborn’s name, after all.  His ranking probably reflects how very many other boys share the name, too.
12. Gavin – He’s still climbing, up to #30 in 2008.
13. Elmer – Perhaps he’s in the next wave of hipster baby names, but most searches seem to be related to Mr. Fudd.
14. Donncha – See St. John.  He’d be dashing in Dublin, but in Des Moines you’d be explaining your son’s name thrice daily.
15. Roarke – As short names for boys gain in favor, Roarke might catch on.
16. Remy – Sure he’s a rat.  But he’s a Disney Pixar rat who can cook.
17. Asher – Like Finn, Asher is one of those names that seems original – to lots of parents, all at the same time.  In 2000, he ranked #579.  By 2008, he’d climbed to #206.
18. Cohen – Ah, controversial Cohen.  Yes, he’s only #18 on this list – but his post has only been up for a month.  Leaping from #650 in 2004 to #356 in 2008, like it or not, Cohen is catching on.
19. Holden – He feels like one of those names that fits with current trends nicely, but might not ever quite catch on.  That’s not necessarily a bad thing – though his appearance on this list suggests he might be more popular than I think.
20. Jude – He’s likely to benefit from the trend towards shorter names for boys, and Jude Law doesn’t hurt any.  But Jude probably makes this list at least partially because he was among the first few dozen names I covered, back in May 2008.

Compared to the 2008 list, there are a few changes.  Vaughn, Orrin, Aoyun, Rhys, Raphael and Xavier all dropped out of the Top Ten.  Finn moved up from #2 to #1.

I’m curious to hear your reactions – and standby for the girls’ list later this week!

Top Ten Boys

Four of the ten are single syllables – suggesting that it may indeed be one of the hottest trends in baby naming. 

1. Vaughn
2. Finn
3. Etienne  This was the big surprise!  Will French names catch on for boys, too?
4. Ronan
5. Orrin
6. Aoyun The Olympic name attracted attention long after the games’ end.
7. Jude
8. Rhys
9. Raphael
10. Xavier

Top Twenty Girls:

Girls’ name searches outrank boys’ name searches by more than 2:1.  In other words, even the 20th most popular girls’ NotD had more hits than the 10th most popular boys’ post.  That’s while you find twice as many girls’ names listed as boys.

1. Esme She’s also the top search name for the site.
2. Isla She’s right behind Esme on the search list.
3. Poppy
4. Helena
5. Lorelei
6. Noa
7. Mallory
8. Nina
9. Xanthe
10. Tallulah Despite the flap over New Zealand’s Talula Does the Hula from Hawaii this summer, plenty of parents find this one intriguing.
11. Natasha The First Daughter could inspire thousands of namesakes in the next few years.
12. Eulalie
13. Sylvia
14. Clara
15. Romilly
16. Frances
17. Annika Could she be the next Annabel?
18. Ophelia
19. Oona
20. Octavia  Hmm … three O names in a row!  Are parents desperate to find substitutes for Olivia?

I can’t wait to see if any of these actually move up in the US rankings for 2008!

Thanks to Natalie for suggesting today’s Name of the Day.

Say the name to a school-aged child and the Raphael that springs to mind is probably a turtle – a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, to be precise.  Like his fellow crime-fighting testudinates – Leonardo, Michelangelo and Donatello – he was named after a Renaissance painter, the Italian Raffaello Sanzio.

Raphael is also an archangel, referenced by name in Judaism, Christianity and Islam.  The Hebrew translation of his name means “God heals.”  There have been two Saint Raphaels, both in recent times, and dozens of communities are named in his honor: Saint-Raphaël in France and San Rafael through the Spanish-speaking world.

In fact, the influence of Spanish is significant.  Rafael ranked #228 in the US Top 1000 boys’ names for 2007.  Raphael, however, languished at a relatively obscure #705. 

Regardless of spelling, it is normally pronounced rah fye EL and the nickname is always spelled Rafe, with an f.

It’s worth noting that Ralph is not, in fact, related to Raphael in origin or history.  However at least one famous Ralph – actor Fiennes – favors the pronunciation “Rafe.”  There’s also a similar Arabic name, Raef, again not linked to Raphael or Ralph.

What is certain is that the name is quite familiar throughout the world.  Raphael is a Top 20 name in Quebec and Rafael ranks in the Top 50 in Spain.

While the name has a romantic quality, it’s not quite as extreme as calling your boy Romeo.  And the short form Rafe makes the three syllables easier to wear.

If you’re hunting for a name with a certain pan-European flair and a long history of use, this is certainly one to consider.

Trouble is, that while some names are easily, and cheerfully passed down, others feel a little, well, moth-eaten.

So what’s an expectant parent to do about the expectations of grandparents?

There are a few possibilities:

1. Pitch a fit and refuse to call your darling baby boy Stuart, just because your mother-in-law wants it. You want to call your son Jaidyn! This is, of course, a valid option. It’s your hand holding the pen.  And want grandparent won’t melt when they meet a new grandchild, regardless of appellation?

But may I gently suggest that it might be kinder to at least consider the family heirloom? If you’re old enough to become a parent, we here at Appellation Mountain rather hope that you’re old enough to think sensibly about making such a life-long choice.

2. Embrace the quirkiness of calling your newborn baby boy Angus, Vincent or Floyd. Obviously, this works better for some names than others. Everyone is happy except, possibly, your son. And you. Because while a handful of old school names are underused gems – Angus is fabulous choice – plenty of them are just awkward by the standards of 2008. So if you can’t imagine introducing your son Floyd without cringing, read on!

3. Add a J. This is a long-standing trick for distinguishing fathers and sons sharing a name; it can also mask a less-than-lovely first name. If you can’t imagine calling your baby boy Roger – a hot choice in the 1940s and 50s, prime grandpa age today – then can you stomach calling him RJ? Yes, he’ll still be Roger James on his driver’s license, but you don’t have to think about that. This works for any first name starting with A, B, C, D, J, P, R or T, so it’s worth considering.

4. Use it as his middle name. This often makes nearly everyone nearly as happy as if it had been bestowed as a given name. Grandma can introduce the newest family member as Charles Bruce, while you breathe easy.  It’s sometimes the best dodge available, but not every family is content with such a compromise.

5. Use it as his first name, but call him by his middle. The world overflows with people called S. Michael and G. Anthony, many for this very reason. You might feel bound by tradition to use the hand-me-down name, but nothing says it has to be trotted out for everyday use. Will it create a few headaches with paperwork now and again? Sure.  But if Stanley just has to be your child’s formal name, well, it’s not a bad escape.

I’ve saved the best for last, dear reader. If you’re really dreading using that family name, even in the middle spot, why not consider:

6. Remix it. Plenty of worn-out names from generations past are prime for a makeover. If you can’t possibly consider calling your new son Arthur, could you call him by the dashing and fashionable moniker Archer? Grandpa Walter’s name could be nipped and tucked and emerge as Walton, a surname choice that feels perfectly in step in 2008. Likewise, Richard becomes Hardy; Milton becomes Miller.

Here are a few other potential remixes, but the list is endless:

• Gary becomes Garrett
• Wayne becomes Zane
• Raymond becomes Ryan
• Ronald becomes Ronan or Rohan
• Harold becomes Harris or even Harry
• Roy or Leroy becomes Kingston (a stretch, perhaps, but Roy and Leroy are derived from the French le roi – for the king.)
• Ralph becomes Raphael, with the great nickname Rafe

Will your family accept it, or balk and protest “But Daddy’s name was Scott, not Otto!” Maybe. Possibly.

Just remind them that you could’ve called your new little person Jaidyn, and hope that gets them off your back.