Day Names for Babies

Thursday is named after the god Thor, itself becoming a popular baby name (who would have thought?). So why not Thursday?

Eos -- that's pronounced with a short e like eros without the r -- is the Greek Titan of the dawn. Any ancient name with a sleek modern feel has definite revival possibilities. Eos could be an inventive way to honor grandma Dawn.

Verna may mean "springtime," but May or Spring is fresher.

The Akan people of Ghana and the Ivory Coast frequently name their children after the day of the week they were born and the order in which they were born. Most Ghanaians have a name using this system (think Kofi Annan, whose name means born on a Friday).

Sorley is an anglicization of the Irish name Somhairle, itself derived from the Old Norse Sumarliði, a nickname for a summer traveler (perhaps meaning a viking raider!). It is sometimes used as a boy name in Britain, but very rarely in the US. The similarity to the word "sorely" may put some off, but we still think it makes a jaunty, unusual surname-style option.

An anagram of Mama, in tune with its Tamil meaning.

This is a soft and strong Arabic and Persian name commonly heard in the Middle East.

In geography, a meridian is a line drawn around the curve of the Earth between the North and South Poles. The term comes from Latin meridianus, meaning "pertaining to midday", and the association with midday has led to the word gaining an added figurative meaning of "pinnacle; culmination".

Diminutive for all the Slavic names that start with Jar-. If for family or cultural reasons you're seeking such a name, then this is a reasonable short form.

To the non-Scandinavian ear, a cute and unusual nickname name, used by Finnish supermodel Suvi Koponen. It has a zippy, yet sunny feel to it, and could make an interesting alternative to Susie.

The French Canadian pop star Avril Lavigne put the spotlight on this name when she made the charts with "Sk8er Boi". It is simply the French form of April, the fourth month of the year, whose name might derive from the Latin aperire meaning "to open" in reference to the start of spring in the Northern hemisphere. Other sources suggest it comes from the Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite.

Though this feels like a new invention, people have used day names such as Morning and Afternoon for centuries -- and so why not Evening too? It's a lovely word with an evocative meaning and makes a perfect addition to this newly stylish group.

Spring doesn't sound half as contemporary as Winter, which has become the cool season name.

Hesperos or Hesperus is the personification of the evening star in Greek mythology; in Roman myth, that role is held by Venus. There's a Longfellow poem called "The Wreck of the Hesperus" about a tragic ship voyage.

Lots of charm.

The Akan people of Ghana and the Ivory Coast frequently name their children after the day of the week they were born and the order in which they were born. Most Ghanaians have a name using this system (think Kofi Annan, whose name means born on a Friday).

This name of the patron saint of Naples would make an apt choice for a New Year's baby, or one with Neapolitan roots.

Thanks to two cultural influences, January has joined March, April, June and August as a plausible month name.

Most things Jul-related – from the month of July to popular modern names Julia and Julian – originate with Roman emperor Julius Caesar, and the month name July is no exception. Fifteen girls and seven boys were named July in 2013, putting this month name into the class of gender neutral names.

Problematic, even if not for Dilbert.