Athletic Baby Names

If you're a movie fan or a sports fan, you might be attracted to this name, via the film "Donnie Darko" or the Serbian-born basketball star Darko Milicic. It is kind of dark, though.

No longer a one-person name, as a number of parents have been inspired by basketball great Shaquille O'Neal to adopt it for their own future athletes.

This surname related to Clement is strongly associated with Major League pitcher Roger Clemens, winner of more Cy Young awards than any other pitcher in baseball history, and has a softer sound than Clement. Some variations are Clemen, Clementio, Clemention, and Clemons.

Unusual alternative to Fisher with a brisker surname appeal.

Thierry, which is very popular in France, would make an interesting import; it's somewhat familiar through designer Thierry Mugler and international soccer star Thierry Henry. It almost sounds like Terry, but not quite.

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.

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

Cameron is still more popular as a boy's name than a girls and this simple, snappy short form works well for either sex.

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

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

Joss is more fashionable than Jocelyn or Josslyn. This is a short form that could be used independently, a la the singer Joss Stone. One of a troupe of adorable boyish nicknames newly fashionable for girls a la Lou and Charlie.

Worldly, artistic and attractive Slavic version of the name of the Greek god of fertility and farming.

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.

Occasionally used in the African-American community to honor Jamaican activist Marcus Garvey, known as "Emperor of the Kingdom of Africa," though his first name is more frequently chosen. Another possible namesake is baseball player Steve Garvey. Garvey sounds more modern than Harvey.

A variation made famous by Australian Aboriginal tennis champ Evonne Goolagong.

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

There are ordinary folk named Prince, Earl, and Duke, so why not this rank of nobility as well? Many spellings compete, the most common being Marquis, Marquise, and Marquez. Rapper 50 Cent chose the Marquise version for his son; David Caruso chose Marquez.

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

Skater Tai Babilonia brought this sleek modern name to the world's attention. Pronounced "tie."

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.