Daredevil Baby Names: Tanner, Jeb and Felix

By Dantea

Many children are daring little people who seem absolutely fearless; they’re daredevils who try things that they shouldn’t, and often enjoy themselves even if they fail. Parents, too, seem to be reaching for more daring names, like the slew of obscure old biblical names coming back in a sea of Isabellas and Aidans, and the older Greek and Roman names like Titus and Athena that are rising on the name lists. Here is a list of famous people who never outgrew their intrepid childhood tendencies. Perhaps you can find a name for your own potential daredevil here.

Felix – A Latin name meaning “happy, fortunate.” The namesake is Felix Baumgartner who will be attempting a Stratos jump where he will fall from 23 miles up and break the speed of sound. He’s also BASE jumped from the Brazil Christ statue and Taipei 101. Felix is also the name of four popes and sixty-seven saints, is in the bible, is scattered throughout a variety of books, and is rapidly becoming popular all over the world—now at 262 in the US, 26 on Nameberry, and in the Top 100 of Germany, Sweden, England, Australia.New Zealand and Norway.

Jeb – A shortening of the Hebrew Jebediah, meaning “beloved friend.” Jeb Corliss jumped in a flight suit through China’s 100-foot-wide Tianmen Caves, and from the Eiffel Tower, and the Space Needle. Jeb has had a long history in literature, movies and TV Westerns. Currently, the most well-known bearer is Jeb Bush (born John Ellis Bush); Confederate General in the American Civil War Jeb Stuart was christened James Ewell Brown Stuart.

Tanner – An occupational name meaning “leather tanner.” Tanner Foust is a stunt driver who currently holds three world records. Tanner dropped about 20 places this year, but I’ve met a lot of little Fletchers, Masons, and other such occupational babies. Maybe it’s time Tanner went back up?

Glen – A Scottish name meaning “a narrow valley.” Glen Plake was a freeskier well known for his death-defying leaps and thrilling runs. Glen works for both genders, but (also spelled Glenn) is more popular for girls right now. For boys, Glen has been attached to an American country singer, an Irish singer/actor, a jockey in Australia, a sci-fi writer, a basketball player, and a musician.

Alain – The French version of Alan meaning “handsome, cheerful.” Alain Robert has free climbed the world’s three tallest buildings and various other landmarks. The name is soft and dashing, a nice international update of Alan. There are several notable French Alains who are film directors, writers and actors, and Alain Marie Juppé was the prime minister of France. Stephen King used it for a character in his The Dark Tower series.

Karina – The Scandinavian vsriation of Carina meaning “dear little one.” Karina Hollekim is a freeskier and BASE jumper who defied death in 2006 when a jump went wrong and she hit the ground at 60 miles per hour. Despite being told she’d never walk, she did, and she is now the only woman to ever complete a ski BASE jump. Karina is a sweet and spunky name, easy to wear, and with nicknames for any type of girl. There are several Karinas throughout the singing world and in sports (there are three Olympic medalists by the name), and Karina Beteta is a Peruvian politician.

Mapelli – This is a different sort of entry from the others on this list, in that Mapelli is the last name of Sarah Mapelli, a performance artist who covers herself in 12,000 bees and then dances following the flow of the bees. I chose her surname, Mapelli, because it feels exotic, has the trending ee sound at the end, and because surname names have become popular for girls too. Her first name, Sarah, is a timeless classic, of course.

Laia – The Catalan diminutive of Eulalia meaning “sweet speaking.” Laia Sanz is a Catalan sportswoman who has won thirteen world titles on her motorcycle and is attempting to win even more. Saint Eulalia is the patron of Barcelona, so it and its diminutives are popular there. Laia is a name that seems to be all over the sports world, with a basketball player, sprinter, hurdler, and swimmer all bearing the name.