Table of Contents
Name-inspired news and notes for your Sunday reading.
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Can we talk about Kon Knueppel?
The Milwaukee native was the #4 pick in the 2025 NBA draft. And his name? It made some headlines.
First, the K in Knueppel is not silent. He’s Kon ka-nip-el.
And his full name? It’s Kon II Knueppel. Let’s break it down:
- He’s named for his dad, Kon Knueppel Sr.
- The II middle name? It’s sort of a stand-in for junior, or the Roman numerals for two, commonly pronounced “the second.”
- But it also looks like the number eleven … and it just so happens that K is the eleventh letter of the alphabet.
The K names are very much a family tradition. Kon Sr.’s brothers are Klint, Klay, and Kole.
This generation? After Kon II, there’s Kager, Kinston, Kash, and Kidman called “Kid.”
It’s not my style at all, but it’s a attention-grabbing story.
Elsewhere online:
Another sports related story: Brady Quinn was a Notre Dame football star. And now another Brady Quinn is a Notre Dame football recruit. Which would be a fun story, except it’s also a (potential) problem. Why? Because college athletes can now earn NIL money – Name, Image and Likeness deals. Laura notes that the Screen Actors Guild prohibits professional actors from sharing a name for this very reason, but it’s not clear how this will impact athletes just yet.
They changed their daughter’s name from Madeline to Winona because they realized how very common Maddie has become. But wait, there’s more! Follow the links from the Facebook reel to TikTok and here’s the full story. Kate is mom to sons Hugh and Harry. They initially named their daughter Margaret Joan, after her husband’s grandmother, but couldn’t settle on a nickname. They then went back to Madeline, a name they’d seriously considered originally. And then, overwhelmed by the popularity of Maddie, they settled on Winona … but they’re now back to Margaret, nickname TBD. They know they won’t use Maggie, but are considering Margot, Mara, Daisy, and even Riot (!), but it sounds like Molly is the front-runner.
Can we talk about Skipper? Because Taylor has pretty much convinced me that it works as a girl’s name in 2025. (Also, yes – you can still buy a Skipper doll.)
Updating & thinking about:
I think Beckett is pretty much perfect right now, and I’d put money on it breaking into the Top 100. (Not Final Jeopardy, risk-it-all money, but still.)
Another unstoppable name: Arlo. Love the vibrant O-ending, the folksy-vibe. It’s also on my list of Homespun Boy Names, a category that’s surprisingly dominant for this generation.
Chloe opened the door for Penelope, and then Penelope made way for Calliope … with an assist from Grey’s Anatomy along the way. It’s one of my favorite formal names for Callie.
That’s all for now. As always, thank you for reading – and have a great week!
