Athletic Baby Names

Kenyon is a very engaging British surname name, the middle y giving it a kind of southwestern canyonesque undertone.

Though you might have been a fan of tennis star Chris Evert, stick with EVERETT, which everyone will think you're saying anyway.

The new Jason, spelled many different ways, and popularized by basketball star Jalen Rose.

Originating in Ethiopia, this warm-feeling name is now associated with Phoenix Suns basketball player Amare Stoudemire. It has ranked in the US Top 1000 since 2005.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Plaxico Burress brought this name, which was inherited from an uncle, into the mix, adding to the category of names with peaceful meanings.

This British surname has a somewhat aristocratic air, which ties in to its association with the early American boxing champ "Gentleman Jim" Corbett. Also borne by actor and country singer John Corbett, it blends the sounds of the more popular Corbin, Cory, Barrett, Bennett, and Beckett.

Marino is an Italian first and surname with distinct crossover possibilities, having pleasant seaside undertones, and is far more unusual in the U.S. than sister Marina.

Olympic skier Picabo Street was allowed to choose her name at the age of three, and picked it possibly (a) after a nearby Idaho town or (b) because she loved to play peekaboo. No longer a single-person name, it is now worn by a number of satisfied bearers.

Ichiro is a good classic choice for the first boy in a Japanese family.

An extreme example of the newly possible ecclesiastical brotherhood that includes Deacon and Bishop. This one might work better in the middle spot.

Ventura started life as a shortening of Bonaventura, Spanish for good luck or good fortune, but now stands on its own. It has a pleasant sound and the stylish 'V' ending, but Angelenos would associate it with the Valley's main stem--Ventura Boulevard, and others might think of Ace or Jesse Ventura.

Variation of the popular religious name, boosted by megastar Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo.

Baseball player Ryne Sandberg's nickname is RYNO. Need we say more?

For basketball fans, in honor of Magic Johnson. Or anyone who believes in magic.

Emmett has had an interesting and unusual gender history. A long-obscure masculinization of Emma, Emmett is now rising as a boys' name as a companion to the very popular Emma and Emily. And at the same time, Emmett itself is seen by a handful of parents as a new spin for girls on those uber-popular choices.

Basketball legend Wilt Chamberlain (born Wilton) lends a sort of mythic quality to his name. Few have ventured to use it since it is so tied to the famed Chamberlain, but it could make an inspired middle.

A common Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean unisex name, and the name of a culturally rich Chinese Dynastic period. Yao Ming is the seven and a half foot Shanghai-born basketball star. Trivia tidbit: His parents were the tallest couple in China at the time of his birth.

Gehrig might have been used as a sports hero name honoring legendary baseball Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig, but the association with the disease he gave his name to makes it a no-no.

Durant's meaning signifies staying power, a good quality to impart to your child. Notables with the surname Durant include Pulitzer Prize-winning authors Will and Ariel Durant, most famous for their eleven-volume The Story of Civilization, and William Crappo Durant, co-founder of General Motors and Chevrolet.

A strong, powerful choice, ancestor of the modern Superboy Names. Knut is the name of the patron saint of Denmark; Knute Rockne was a legendary Notre Dame football coach. Knute is the middle name of Jessica Simpson's son Ace, in honor of his paternal great-grandfather. Note that pronunciation is two syllables, with the K sounded.