Winter Olympics Baby Names–Part 1, The Girls
By Tara Ryazansky
The roster of US athletes hoping to compete in the Olympic games is a name list as diverse as the nation itself. Here I have curated a list of some girl names that feel like winners for a 2014 baby.
Petra– As in Petra Acker, college student and speed skater. This feminization of Peter is from the Greek word for “rock” or “stone”. I’ve always thought that Petra sounds elegant and sophisticated, yet wearable for a little one.
Lolo– Like the track star turned bobsledder, Lolo Jones (born, Lori). Lolo is a diminutive of Caroline, but I could see it working for plenty of other names including favorites like Charlotte and Eloise. More playful and friendly than Lola, maybe Lolo will pick up speed as a nickname in the years to come.S**ummer**– As in Summer Britcher of women’s singles luge. This sunny name brings the Summer Olympics, and perhaps swimmer, Summer Sanders, to mind more than ice and snow. Its bright, golden quality is appealing.
Annelies– This name calls Anne Frank to mind, it was her first name. But it’s also the name of US Biathlon team member Annelies Cook. This spelling feels more traditional and less on-the-radar then Annalise. It also feels more streamlined then Annaliese. It might just be my favorite spelling of the name.
Sugar– Born Sugar Raeshelle-Faye Chelsea Todd, Sugar had plenty of back-up names to chose from if she found her given name too sweet. I’m glad the US speed skater stuck with Sugar though. She’s a great reference point when people try to argue that a woman can’t be successful if her name is too cutesy.
Lana– As in short track speed skater Lana Gehring. Ranked 442, I think the name Lana could jump substantially in the next few years. It’s a simple but sultry choice that’s easy to spell and say. It brings to mind vintage beauty Lana Turner and modern beauty Lana del Rey. Who doesn’t love those lilting L names?
Kimber-As in Kimber Gabryszak of the Skeleton National Team. This variant of Kimberly is fairly new in usage, but feels familiar because it shares sounds with names like Amber, Ember & Kimba.
Meryl– As in figure skater Meryl Davis. Of course Meryl Streep comes to mind, but I think that cheerful but sleek Meryl can stand outside of the association. If you like the sound, but find the connection to Streep is too strong, consider Merle.
Ellery-As in US Snowboarder Ellery Hollingsworth. This unisex name feels like a modern pick for parents looking for a way to get to Elle, Ellie or Ella. If one of the more vintage routes feel too dusty, Ellery might work for you.
Maia– As in figure skater Maia Shibutani. Pretty and simple, the Maya spelling is far more popular than sweet Maia. I think that they are equally nice.
Darian– US Ski Team member Darian Stevens makes the name feel brisk and cool. This unisex choice is jaunty and modern on a girl, but kind of falls flat as a boy name for me.
Ida– As in Ida Sargent of the US Ski Team. With the mass appeal of Ava and Eva and increasing interest in Ada, I often wonder why Ida hasn’t taken off in the same way. I especially like the softer Ee-duh pronunciation.
Josephine– Josephine Pucci, the Team US Hockey Defenseman who played for Harvard, is a great namesake for a 2014 baby. The name has a strong, proud ring to it and a nice long list of potential nicknames that would be fun to pick from.
Faye– As in Faye Gulini, US Snowboarder. This name manages to be vintage, ethereal and minimalist all at once. I think it could entice all kinds of name-seekers as long as they aren’t put off by names that are a mere single syllable.
Do these names deserve a gold, silver or bronze metal? What do you think? Share your opinions in the comments below. I would love to hear your top 3 picks. And feel free to add a list of favorites from another country’s team.