The baby name Atlas spent years in obscurity. Now it stands tall.
Thanks to Sinead for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.
BEARER of the HEAVENS
He’s got the world on his shoulders.
Atlas was one of the Titans, the earlier generation of immortals replaced by Zeus and company in Greek mythology.
He’s usually pictured holding a globe, but it isn’t the Earth. Instead, Atlas separates the heavens from the mortal realm, turning the skies and making the stars revolve.
Some versions describe Atlas’ task as a punishment. Other accounts make it a calling, even an honor. But it must have gotten old. Atlas once tricked Hercules into taking the burden briefly.
If you’ve been to Rockefeller Center in New York City, you’ve seen the iconic Art Deco sculpture of the Titan Atlas, an icon recognized across the world.
That sculpture defines the image of Atlas, a symbol of capable strength. It’s almost a modern virtue, akin to Journey or Haven.
After all, Atlas comes from a Greek word tlenai, meaning “to bear” or “to endure.”
His name, in turn, gives us:
- The Atlantic Ocean
- Africa’s Atlas Mountains
- Mount Atlas in Antarctica
And, of course, the map collections.
FROM MYTH to LIBRARY
For some, Atlas isn’t a Titan from ancient myth at all. Instead, it’s a book.
By the sixteenth century, images of the Titan Atlas appeared on collections of maps. Flemish-born innovator Gerardus Mercator was probably the first to call a book of maps an atlas, way back in 1585.
The name stuck, and now the term can refer to the Dell’Arcano del Mare, a seventeenth-century maritime atlas featuring all the world’s oceans – the first of its kind in print. It was the careful creation of English explorer and cartographer Sir Robert Dudley.
But it might also bring to mind far more humble paperbacks, used by countless Americans for road trips across the US long before smartphones changed everything.
CHARLES ATLAS
Italian immigrant Angelo Siciliano reinvented himself as bodybuilder Charles Atlas in the twentieth century. Apparently, a friend told him he resembled a Coney Island statue of the god.
The bodybuilder sold a strength-training program to transform “97 pound weaklings” into muscular men.
While the last name was chosen for specific reasons in this case, it does occur as a surname. In that case, the meaning of the name Atlas is probably satin or smooth. It’s ultimately borrowed from an Arabic word, and would’ve been adopted by cloth merchants.
But this, too, might ultimately trace back to Greek myth. Because it turns out that Etles silk is produced by the Atlas moth, Attacus atlas. They’re massive – the female is bigger than an adult human’s hand – so the name makes sense. And yes, their name comes from the Titan – just like Charles Atlas.
AYN RAND and OTHER ATLASES
Then there’s Ayn Rand’s 1957 novel Atlas Shrugged. There’s no character by the name. Instead, Atlas refers to the captains of business and industry who rebel against government control.
Van Halen put the god on the cover of their smash hit alum 5150. All manner of vehicles have been given the name. It’s found on the map, from Michigan to the moon. It’s the name of a star and one of Saturn’s satellites, too.
Sprinkle in some comic book characters, including a Marvel Comics villain. The video game series BioShock featured a bad guy by the name.
BY the NUMBERS
The baby name Atlas was seldom heard as a given name, though. It was absent from the US Top 1000 through the twentieth century.
But it was used in tiny numbers as early as 1910, mostly as a boy’s name. But occasionally the baby name Atlas was used for the opposite gender, too – five girls were born in 1910 with the name Atlas.
By the early 2000s, the name was rising. Credit baby boy names like Atticus, with the -s ending, as well as mythological picks like Orion.
One factor that boosted the baby name Atlas?
In 2009 actress Anne Heche welcomed her second son. She and actor James Tupper named their son Atlas.
Maybe it shouldn’t have been a surprise. Heche’s older son from a prior relationship was named Homer, which isn’t exactly a Top 100 pick. But it made waves.
By 2012, the popularity of the name Atlas had doubled in the US.
In 2013, the name had entered the US Top 1000 at #780. That same year, actor Edward Norton gave the name to his son.
One year later, in 2014, Atlas charted at #639.
In 2019, actress Shay Mitchell and boyfriend Matte Babbel named their daughter Atlas Noa. It’s been used in small numbers for girls since the 1910s – the same moment it started to gain in use for boys. (Shay and Matte also have a younger daughter named Rome.)
MIGHTY and MEANINGFUL
Celebrities clearly helped boost the baby name Atlas, but there’s more to this story.
Atlas projects strength. That puts it in the same category as mythological names like Aries.
But it’s also a name that suggests travel and adventure. After all, Atlas fits with similar names like Journey or place names, from London to Savannah.
Atlas is brief and complete, and yet it can also share nickname Attie with Atticus, making it just a little more versatile.
No surprise then, that mighty and meaningful Atlas has reached #129 in the US … and could easily rise higher still.
What do you think of the baby name Atlas?
Originally published on September 1, 2011, this post was revised and re-posted on June 8, 2015 and again on May 30, 2023.
When I floated this name idea by a few people, they kept mis-hearing it as “Alice.” Just something to think about that wouldn’t have occurred to me otherwise…
Interesting … I can see how that would happen.
I never understood the uproar when Anne Heche named her son Atlas, because Atlas feels right instep with Archer and Atticus.
Atlas doesn’t work with my surname, but I’d heartily endorse the name for someone else.
Agreed – and you’re right, there was a big explosion of “celebrities choose the craziest names” after Atlas’ arrival, wasn’t there?!
British presenter Kirsty Allsop has two sons: Bay Atlas and Oscar Hercules. And two stepsons Orion and Hal.
Yesss! I knew I’d heard it somewhere, and had been struggling to put my finger on it. Diolch, Elea ;).
What lovely names!
Atlas is a favorite of mine too. I like strong, simple names and my boys are linebacker-ish when grown, so it works for me. Attie is adorable on a little one. I used to work with an Attie, short for Attilla. I like Homer & Atlas as brothers, Titus & Atlas too. awesome, awesome sibsets! I’d use it in the middle, something like Henry Atlas really appeals to me.
Atlas is one of my favorites. I have loved it for a while, and I hated it when Anne Heche used it (not a fan of hers). I’d still use it, but probably just as a middle name.
I know an Atlas who’s in high school, and I have to say, his name sounds a bit silly called out loud and I can imagine that many people have no idea the name comes from a Greek god and not the name for a map. But it’s a legitimate name with lots of history, and it has a nice sound, so why not?
I wouldn’t use it myself, but the wannabe Geography teacher in me appreciates Atlas on others. It fittingly sounds strong, and the nickname Attie is cute for a little one.
Atlas gave his names to maps because of the writings of Euhemerus in the 4th C. He said that the ‘man’ behind the myth of Atlas was a Mauretanian king with a flair for astronomy. Gerardus Mercator chose to dedicate his collection of maps to him, and thus the ‘atlas’ was born.
I think it makes a great name :).
Ooooh, very interesting! However, I wouldn’t personally use the name simply because I keep wanting to say “Shrugged” after the word “Atlas”, although I’ve never actually read the novel.
I really love this name. I would not use it because I already have a Titus. I agree with Waltzing Matilda. It is a strong name – the name of a Titan. The genetics of our family would make me feel confident I could use it. That certainly factored in to our use of Titus which also seemed like a name for a tall strong kid. I have to say, having just finished Rand’s book this year, although I do not share all her philosophies, the book is a literary masterpiece and contributes quite the intellectual prowess and can-do attitude this already strong name.
Wow, that’s quite a name – it’s very strong and powerful sounding. I guess my only concern is that this name just sounds so enormous; I mean your son will be quite small for at least a while, and may end up weighing 120 pounds wringing wet. But if all your family are shot-put champions and professional wrestlers, then oh yeah! (Let’s just say, it would be wrong for me personally) 😉
The jokes about “Let’s look that up in the atlas” will be boring, but nothing at all hurtful.
Except that I haven’t owned an atlas in a decade – won’t our kids all grow up with GPS? 🙂
OK, I don’t have GPS, either. But I do think that Atlas might be like Mason – you’re dimly aware that the word had a meaning, but it is from an earlier time.
Hi, I am now at a very early pregnancy, but my partner and I speak about baby names for a very long time. The name he likes very much to give it to a son if he has one is Atlas. I was (still am) rather suspicious of the name. I grew up with atlas and loving them. And I do own a couple, plus a globe. So naming my son Atlas is rather weird for me, not to mention that is not common to give weird/different names in my country (but we are a mixed couple and live in a third different country). And.. there’s nothing I say that changes my partner’s mind. So the name has been growing on me and there isn’t any other boy’s name that I love… so… if we have a boy, likely will be named Atlas.
I liked very much your comment that the kids will grow up with GPS and well… at least google maps and maybe no longer will know what an atlas is. So thank you for putting my mind a bit more at rest 🙂 Because is also the mocking at school that worries me, but you might be right, atlas books belong to the past 🙂
Hi Catarina –
Congratulations on your baby-on-the-way. If you have serious misgivings, you might still want to reconsider. But I *do* think Atlas will feel like a perfectly normal name to your child and his peers.
Best,
Abby