Pressure Gauge by wwarby via Flickr
He’s a working name with a cowboy vibe, a surname promoted to the first spot in recent years.
Thanks to Beth for suggesting Gage as our Baby Name of the Day.
There’s a tendency to put Gage in the modern virtue name category, with his meaning listed as pledge or promise. That’s a very liberal interpretation.
In Old French, gauges were the actual measures used by moneylenders. Gauge or Gage became the occupational surname for those who lent money, borrowed from the weights themselves. In the sense that the act of borrowing money is a sort of promise, then that’s where the name picks up his appealing meaning. Anyone with a mortgage can get the idea.
Gage became a verb around the 1400s – to gage, to weigh, to measure – and plenty of gages and gauges that measure and weigh and otherwise judge have been developed since then.
Gage wouldn’t be the first occupational surname to come into general use, but there’s a twist. We can thank master of horror Stephen King for Gage.
Remember Pet Sematary? The Creed family – dad Louis, mom Rachel, daughter Ellie, and son Gage – move into a home on a busy road, one known for claiming the lives of many a hapless dog or cat. There’s a pet cemetery nearby, but it isn’t just your regular resting place for Fido. Instead, if you bury something there, it returns – reanimated and, oh by the way, evil. Louis tries this with Ellie’s cat, so he oughta know better when his son, Gage, dies tragically on that same road.
But hey, this is Stephen King. Sure enough, Gage becomes a murderous fiend, and the tale does not have a happy ending.
The novel was published in 1983, with the movie adaptation following in 1989. Suddenly, there he is, debuting at #755 in 1989. But it isn’t just about the movie. Gage fit with other names on the rise – the long a sounds shared by up-and-coming Jake and Aidan. In 1990, Gage hit #359, and he’d made it all the way to #141 by 2009.
Other notable Gages include:
- Nora Roberts has characters named Fox, Caleb, Layla, Cybil, Quinn, and Gage in her Sign of Seven trilogy.
- In the final season of 1990s hit Walker, Texas Ranger, Chuck Norris’ character mentored a rookie ranger named Francis Gage, usually called Gage.
- There’s even a girl Gage, teenaged actress Gage Golightly, recently seen as monster-fighting over-achiever Hayley on The Troop.
If all of this is a little too nouveau, there’s something more, something that saves Gage.
There’s a title in the Peerage of Ireland – Viscount Gage. It was created in 1720 for Thomas Gage, but the Gage family had been a big deal for a few generations by then, with a manor house acquired via marriage. Plenty of distinguished Gages have followed, including a military man and a botanist. Thanks to the latter, there’s a genus of flowers known as gagea.
Overall, Gage is a modern moniker, but he’s not without history to anchor him. If you’re looking for a short, 21st century appellation with roots, Gage is one that could appeal.
Judy says
April 27, 2013 at 1:48 AMHere’s a story I’ve wanted to tell for a while and this seems like the perfect time. My husband’s name is Gage. He just turned 60. We had been married for a couple of years when, in 1979, I missed my creative writing class to go hear my favorite author speak at our local library. Stephen King, of course. I thought it would be crowded, but there were only about 15 people present. I took three of my books to be autographed, which was made even more special because it was my birthday, September 20th. His wife Tabitha was also there because, as I found out that night, his birthday was the next day. I don’t remember mentioning my husband’s name to him, but was surprised when Pet Semetary came out and the baby’s name was Gage. At the time it was an unusual name – in our case it was a family name. Strange coincidences, I know, but true. I still have the autographed books, of course!
appellationmountain says
April 27, 2013 at 6:49 AMNow that is a story! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Gage's Mom says
May 10, 2012 at 5:56 PMWe welcomed our son, Gage Edward, on January 2, 2012.
My husband chose our son’s name and, although I had heard the name before (which I can attribute to Stephen King), it never crossed my mind to name our child Gage. I always liked the name, but I can’t say it really stuck with me over the years; at least not enough for it to make the list of baby-to-be names.
Truth be told, I wanted to name our baby James. Yet when he finally arrived, I took one look at him and just knew that he was a Gage. The name suited him perfectly. Now we call him our Gagie Baby and, at four months old, he just laughs and coos so sweetly. Not at all evil like the Gage in Stephen Kings novel!
When I picture Gage all grown up, I visualize a smart and dignified man; much like the article has suggested of the Gage family of Ireland. To me, Gage is a strong name; one that is very masculine and worthy to take note of; though with a meaning of “pledge or promise,” it’s hard not to. But again, I am Gage’s mom, so how can I not exude some bias!
waltzingmorethanmatilda says
March 9, 2012 at 8:48 PMI never understood why people like this name, and now I’m more confused than ever … this name always reminds me of the word “greengage”; gage is another word for “plum”.
SkyeRhyly says
March 7, 2012 at 6:41 AMFunny, I’ve always liked Sage for a boy, but I really don’t care for Gage at all. In fact, I just associate it with guns…
Julie says
March 7, 2012 at 2:54 PMExactly! Gage just brings to mind the ugly variant Gauge.
I looked it up– In 2010 there are very few girls named Gage/Gaige, but Sage/Saige and Paige/Page are largely given to females. It’s not the hard “G” sound since the “Gray- ” names are pretty evenly split between both sexes. I’m guessing it’s the association with hunting and shotguns keeps Gage male.
dreadedjaws says
March 6, 2012 at 1:46 PMYou know that’s right! – You say “Gage” – I see creepy fiendish “Pet Sematary” boy.
(Strangely, this was a movie I chose to watch at my birthday sleep-over – not my best year for movie choice – that goes to the “Say Anything” year). However, it definitely had the effect of equating Gage with evil for me. End. of. story. By the way, the first half of “mortgage” doesn’t really help with the whole death-link issue in my mind, so not surprisingly, I can’t quite get behind the name. Maybe if I met a little boy… a sweet one who was not, y’know, even too naughty, I might move past the Gage=evil thing in my crazy mind.
Panya says
March 6, 2012 at 10:32 AMGage has always been a favorite of mine and is currently in my top four [flip-flops at #3 with Heath]. Years ago when we were discussing potential baby names with my in-laws, Gage was the favorite of my father-in-law. I just love the sound of it.
Interestingly, of the 90-some kids in my graduating class, three of them have a Gage/Gaige [that I know of]! We were born in 1980-1981, so we were all around eight when the movie came out. I read the book in my teens, and can’t have been the only one of us.
C in DC says
March 6, 2012 at 9:45 AMMy father’s name was Gary, often called Gig. Gage would be an interesting tribute name, I think. Could also work as a tribute to George.
Diana says
March 6, 2012 at 7:47 AMI knew a Gage in high school. so he would have been born in the 70s, long before Stephen King’s book.