This week, Appellation Mountain‘s Abby Sandel looks at the “quiet” classic baby names  and measures how they stand in the new popularity ratings. 

 There were dozens of stories in the baby name news last week, but they all shared a common theme: the Social Security Administration’s release of the 2012 baby name data

We talked about Titan and Briggs, Landry and Geraldine.  About how Jacob remained number one, but only if you didn’t tally up the many spellings of Aiden, Jackson, and Jayden.  Television’s influence was clear – Arya and Aria, Litzy, Major, and Jase.  Movies, sports, and music shaped our choices, too, as did faith.  Nevaeh’s little brother might just be called Messiah.

But what about the quiet classics, the names that rise and fall, but still appear in nearly every generation?  Hemlines change.  We graduated from the party line to the iPhone, the horse to the Prius.  And yet these names remain, worn by men and women, boys and girls of every age.

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The time has rolled around again when I get to do one of my favorite things—browse through the Birth Announcement Forum and get to see a snapshot of the gorgeous names Berries have chosen over these past three months–the latest installment of Baby Names 2012.  Because each quarter they seem to be more and more impressive and inventive, and this one is no exception, with many great first and middle combos and interesting sibsets as well.

It’s just so gratifying to see the final results of all the Nameberry advice and discussion—ours and especially the wise, measured opinions of fellow Berries  —  a fantastic mix of the classic and the creative, from Elizabeth to Arrow for a girl, Jack and John to Calder and Cato for boys.  Not to mention a veritable botanical garden of flower and tree names—Primrose, Tulip, Rose, Iris, Violet, Lilac, Jacinda, Maple and Olive, as well as a Flora, a Blossom and a Bloom.

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What with the movie Ted, starring an outrageously potty-mouthed teddy bear, becoming a box office sensation, and celebs giving their baby boys the actual first or middle name of Bear, this seems like a perfect time to think about Teddy and other fictional bear names for possible inspiration.

So, though you might not want to name your son Paddington, Fozzie, Corduroy, Smokey, Yogi, Bobo or Baloo, here are some ursine character names you might want to consider if you’re into the idea of animal names.

Ted, Teddy, Theodore—These ultimate bear name cluster was inspired by a Theodore Roosevelt hunting trip incident that became the subject of a political cartoon which in turn inspired the making of a little stuffed bear cub toy dubbed “Teddy’s Bear”–which soon ignited a national craze.  The name Theodore is currently experiencing  a resurgence—it’s now at Number 231, partially sparked by love for the nickname Theo, which itself entered the Top 1000 in 2010 and is a Nameberry fave.  Not so many Teds or Teddys these days, though.  In addition, of course, many Edwards—as in Edward Kennedy, have also been known as Teddy.

Winnie, Winifred, Winston—Winnie the Pooh, second only to teddy as an ursine icon, was created by A. A. Milne in 1926, and named after a stuffed teddy owned by his son Christopher Robin. The boy had taken the name from a bear that he often saw at the London zoo called Winnipeg, nn Winnie. In real life most Winnies are more often formally Winston (as in Churchill) or Winifred—both of which are starting to be used again. Maybe Winnie could be the next Hattie.

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