Would you name your baby after someone famous?

Once upon a time, I thought I'd get gold stars stamped on to my feminist card by naming my child after one of my women's rights heroes -Elizabeth Cady Stanton. I tried and tried to configure Cady with a hyphenated last name, to possibly throw in a nod to the goddess of wisdom, or maybe incorporate my grandmother's middle name. All my good intentions of imbuing my daughter with the spirit of strong women I admired just ended up being a big old convoluted mess that would have sounded awful and furthermore, never fit in the bubbles of a Scantron test.

It didn't matter anyway. I had a boy and his name was clear and very much his own from early on in the pregnancy. Still, I wonder if I one day do give birth to a girl if I will feel just as compelled to Cady-up her name.

Although I would have mucked it all up, a couple in Wisconsin seems to have made their own nom homage work beautifully. Twice.

Rep. Cory Mason, D-Racine, and wife Rebecca, worked in the full names of two historic Americans for their daughters. Two-year-old Eleanor Roosevelt Mason was the first child and bears the moniker of the famous first lady and humanitarian. Her newborn sister holds a legacy in her own name as Amelia Earhart Mason.

Eleanor's parents say she vaguely recognizes the Roosevelt she's named for and that she will be served by knowing more about the activist.

"It can be a rough world. [Their names] can be one more tool in their back pockets," their mother told the local paper.

For now, though, the unique names do have some funny consequences for the parents.

"It's very weird to scold Eleanor Roosevelt," Rebecca said.


Did you go for it and name your child after someone famous?

If not, which legendary person do you wish you could have incorporated into your child's name?



[a hat tip to Veronica Arreola at Girl W/Pen for sharing this article.]