Athletic Baby Names

Lleyton is the novel spelling publicized by Australian tennis star Lleyton Hewitt. Other double 'L's are found in such Welsh names as LLOYD and LLEWELLYN. VARIATIONS: LAYTON, LEYTON

Unusual alternative to Fisher with a brisker surname appeal.

Streamlined spelling of the biblical name, as in basketball great Isiah Thomas, falling fast from its height in the charts.

Noted bearers of this surname include a metaphysical poet, a Nobel Prize winner, and a baseball Hall of Famer, so there's plenty of hero-name inspiration.

Stylish way to name your son after basketball great Walt -- though Walt is sounding fresh again too.

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. While the Emmet spelling might still seem most masculine, the extra T in Emmett does make it seem girl-appropriate. Emmette is an even more feminine spelling. But don't be too alarmed: There were over 3000 boys named Emmett in one recent year compared to only 13 girls.

Classic Irish surname with a lot of character and some interesting associations: the title character of a Samuel Beckett novel and basketball great Karl Malone. Malone is a popular name for baby boys in France.

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.

Boris is one of the old Russian names being revived by chic Europeans; it hasn't quite made a comeback yet in the U.S., but it does have potential.

Branch is an attractive name with associations both with trees and with branching out into brave new worlds. Baseball's Branch (born Wesley, with Branch as his middle name) Rickey broke the color barrier by hiring Jackie Robinson for the Dodgers. Like Leaf, Branch makes a nice, not-so-obvious, addition to the tree category.

A favorite Muslim name, Kareem first appeared on the US Top 1000 list in 1972 (jumping in at Number 405!), coinciding with the early career of basketball great turned writer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (born Lewis Alcindor). It has continued to chart every year since.

One of the less common members of the currently popular craftsmen's guild, Becker once had a self-named sitcom, and is also associated with Wimbleton tennis legend Boris Becker.

Though Peyton remains extremely popular for both boys and girls, Payton as a boys name has started to fall out of favor. It was in the Top 300 from 2000 to 2008, but has now fallen in the charts.

New England Patriots linebacker Adalius Thomas brought his Latinate name into the spotlight, and he has an equally unusual middle name--DONQUAIL.

Spunky Irish surname that still has a pugnacious feel from its lingering association with one of boxing's greatest champs, Jack Dempsey. Many people may associate it more with Patrick Dempsey these days—McDreamy from TV's Grey's Anatomy.

A possible last-name-first name represented by former first baseman Chris Sabo.

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.

Found as a first name primarily in baseball books giving the stats on the late New York Yankee Thurman Munson.

If it's a choice between golf champ Woods's real name Eldrick or nickname Tiger, we'd have to go with the latter. But while animal names are becoming more familiar and stylish, we'd recommend Wolf or Fox over Tiger.

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.