Comments on: Atlas: Behind Anne Heche's Name Choice

By: Suzi

Suzi — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 19:53:08 +0000

I names my son Atlas in early 2008 when he was born – I love, love that name.
Homer refers to Atlas as “one who knows the depths of the whole sea, and keeps the tall pillars who hold heaven and earth asunder”

By: Misti

Misti — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 21:39:57 +0000

I have a son named Atlas and think it fits him. I don’t feel it will have a negative effect, if anything postive… We just liked the name and didn’t even consider we were trying to make him into a tiny God to worship. Bottom line… it is a great name.

By: Pencils

Pencils — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 10:39:27 +0000

My daughter is called Aurora, the Latin goddess of the dawn, so, yes, I’d use a mythological name! I minored in classics in college (majored in ancient history and studied archaeology in grad school) so I definitely wanted a good Graeco-Latin name for my baby. (Her middle names are more ordinary: Jane Katherine.)

Obviously I like the trend, but I think some names are more “usable” in our society than others. Atlas, I’m afraid, isn’t one of them. I like Castor, I like Luna, but I’m afraid that Hermes makes me think of the luxury brand before the god.

By: maria

maria — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 02:20:33 +0000

Atlas is fine, beautiful even. But Aristotle? I think that it is important to really research ancient names. Not all of them are the same and not all of them are mythological. Aristotle was an actual person. Eg. Ancient philosopher in the lineage of Plato and Socrates, assigned for most undergraduate reading classes. Similiar to naming your child Einstein, Hawking or Mozart. Intense choice! Also, Sophocles is an ancient Greek playwright who wrote the tragic play Oedipus, about the king who married his mother and killed his father!

By: Sam & Freya's Mum, NZ

Sam & Freya's Mum, NZ — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 10:32:25 +0000

K: We have a Freya too! She’s just over 14 mths. We named her that because I’d seen it in a UK magazine while preg with son nearly 5 years ago and liked it, first impressions and all I guess, had it in back of mind, and at one stage liked Mia/Maia but became so popular/common changed minds!, guess Freya would be more popular in UK with it being nearer Scandinavia, not that common here in New Zealand yet, which is partly why we liked it, a bit diff but loved the ring to it! Luckily when I suggested it hubby liked it too – he’s into mythology and had heard the name before so that helped seal it, although was mainly that we liked the sound of it, that it was an obviously feminine name, not too long winded and not the usual Mia, Sophie, Ella, Emma, Madison type name either! Nice to hear of another mum of a Freya! Our 4 1/2 year old son however has a more ‘normal’ name, Sam! Not short for Samuel as hubby prefers shorter version and so do I now. Called him Sammy when younger but as I saw in another item re Naomi Watts, think it does sound babyish when older as Sammy as she said, to us anyhow, so as he’s gotten older it’s mainly Sam – we couldn’t agree on other boys names, so have a traditional and not so traditional name for our two! Freya’s middle name’s Isabelle so she can go by that or Izzy perhaps if she prefers it to Freya when older. My friend Barb didn’t know any Freya’s a few years ago, now knows 4 including our little Miss. Most people have commented that they like the name and hadn’t really heard it before. Does your Freya have a middle name, K? Generally not into the other mythological names myself, but don’t mind Atlas, prefer it to Homer – but wouldn’t be brave enough to name a child Atlas myself!

By: Mia

Mia — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 04:09:56 +0000

Another reason to like the name “Aurora” is after the Foo Fighters song, so that is pretty cool. I wouldn’t use it, but I think it’s a very cool name.

By: Isabella

Isabella — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 03:06:45 +0000

Yesss! I love them!

By: danda_lion

danda_lion — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 01:32:31 +0000

Like Aelys said, any Greek person would know people with many of these names from mythology. [Incidentally, some names that non-Greeks would think of as ancient never fell out of use. I know two guys named Aristotle.]

There was a boy named Thor at a school where I worked. His father complained about him being too loud. His teacher said to me, “He’s the one who named him *Thor*.”

By: babyboopie

babyboopie — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 20:53:14 +0000

I love the name Athena and Artemis as well as Amadeus. I adore the name Luna but it’s too close to Lunatic or Loony!

By: Leigh

Leigh — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 20:11:42 +0000

Ok mom to the baby who wanted to name him Jay-nus…You need to thank your family for talking you out of it…I mean Jay-nus…Anus…hello!!!! Atlas is horrible as are most celebrity baby names. Can’t you see the kids saying to a teenage Apple…come here baby and let me take a bite out of you? Come on, kids have enough to deal with, give them NORMAL names! Do you want your son to get his butt kicked every day? with Atlas he’ll have to prove himself over and over again…seriously, think about it, your kids are saddled with their name their ENTIRE life