Name trends for 2012 article: Hunger Games names?

[azelmaroark.livejournal.com]

I saw this article yesterday and immediately thought of you guys. Apologies if it's been posted previously; I scanned the comm and couldn't find it.

From the article:

Rue – Credit The Hunger Games, which has turned the spotlight on a range of exotic botanical names for girls, from the heroine’s name Katniss to gentle Primrose to Posy and Clove. But the hottest choice for babies, according to the Nameberry statistics, is sleek, simple, if somewhat mournful Rue, the name of the agile young girl who meets a tragic end in the series. In real life, however, we see Rue as having a bright future.

Cato – Cato might be a villain in The Hunger Games, but the popular series turned attention on a name that fits into a couple of other hot trends. It’s an ancient Roman name that, like brothers Atticus and Cassius, is being resurrected by modern parents. It’s got the stylish O ending. And it kind of sounds like Kate, a name in the spotlight thanks to the new future Queen of England.

I've got to say that Cato seems like an odd name trend to get from THGs, much though I love the character. I also must admit that Rue and Primrose are growing on me, although they will remain firmly in guilty pleasure land. It got me thinking about Hunger Games names and what you all might think of them, so I thought I'd ask. Any that jump out to you? WDYT of the article's picks?

At least it's not Marvel and Glimmer?

Comments

[schexyschteve.livejournal.com]

I really like Rue. It would make an adorable nickname.

I think Finnick could grow in popularity as well. It's good as a full name for Finn, for people who don't like Finley or Phineas.

[r0ck-y0ur-s0ul.livejournal.com]

I like Primrose and Rue but I think that the only name I would really ever consider for a girl is Hazelle. For boys I really don't like Cato but would consider Gale or even Peeta.

[azelmaroark.livejournal.com]

I think I need to not tell my boyfriend how much I'm starting to like Rue. (I saw in the article's comments that someone suggested it as a nn for Ruby, which is kind of awesome to me.)

I agree on Finnick. Gale is another one that's a little less obviously-HGs-related. Hmm, or even Madge what with vintagey names being in right now.

[azelmaroark.livejournal.com]

Oddly enough I like the girls' names more, generally, but I think they're more my style, also. I love Cato-the-character, but. But. Just. The name is incredibly apt for him, but I'm not sure how it'd work on anyone else, yanno? =P

[ladydreamfire.livejournal.com]

I've said it once, and I'll say it again....I hate this trend. Katniss? I said it reminded me of Catnip and then somebody else offered up Cat piss. Rue isn't bad, but it sounds like a nickname of something else. Clove reminds me of cigarettes and beatniks. I really have nothing fond for either Posy or Primrose either.

Cato is always Kato from the O.J. Simpson trial. Give me Atticus of Cassius any day, but leave Cato at home.

I am just no fan at all of this.

Where's Stephanie Meyers naming style when you need it?? The stories suck but they had great names. Edward, Esme, Bella, Carlisle, Jasper, Alice, Rosalie, Rene, Charles, Emmett, Jacob....not a bad name among them even if they don't all suit my tastes.

[azelmaroark.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I've lamented more than one of my favorite names being lost to Twilight-associations. Baby names aren't really a topic I thought I'd be discussing in the context of THGs (I think the names fit the story/world but not so much do most of them work IRL), but when I saw this article I knew I had to post it here. I really didn't like the name Katniss at first, but I think it's grown on me a little because of character associations, to the point where I like it... for her. But probably not for anyone else. =P

[r0ck-y0ur-s0ul.livejournal.com]

TBH one of the reasons I don't like Cato so much is because of the way it sounds when Clove says "kill her, Cato". I know that's weird but I'm way into how things sound.

The girls names are more my style, too. I like Posy but husband would NEVER agree to it since its the last name of my favorite baseball player (won't even let me name a dog Buster) so Hazelle is my best chance at getting a name from the book if I really wanted one.

[azelmaroark.livejournal.com]

Interesting! Maybe at some point people will think of something else besides THGs! I don't think it's a bad association at all because I adore the character, but I agree that naming after trendy book characters is so not something I roll with.

[azelmaroark.livejournal.com]

Oh gawd, that line and "where's loverboy?" will haunt my every nightmare for a long time. Fuhrman is a scary and amazing creature.

I love flowery girls' names with adorable nickname potential, so a lot of them are fun for me at least in a cool-to-think-about way. I probably wouldn't actually use any of them, but. Rue and Primrose. Gotta stop now.

[waitingonsunday.livejournal.com]

I loved Rue before I read the books, but I love it even more now. I could definitely see using it. The novels made me love Primrose and, not gonna lie, Katniss. Clove's all right, but I've always been a fan of Clover, which I still prefer. My favorite name from the series may be Alma, President Coin's first name, though I think it's only mentioned onceI love how it fits in with the apple imagery of the book and I love the name in general. And this is neither here nor there, but that's the first time I've encountered a literary character with my last name, which I also love.

When I drove past a clothing store called Cato's yesterday, the first thing I thought of was the character Cato, but usually when I hear the name aloud, the first thing I think of is Kato Kaelin. Neither the fictional one nor the real one make the name especially endearing to me. I didn't mind Peeta (though I prefer Peter). I'd find it kind of fun and weird to see something more unusual, like Haymitch, start popping up. I've always thought of it as a version of Hamish/James, so while I'm pretty sure it's invented, it's not too far out there. Not that I'd use it.

[azelmaroark.livejournal.com]

Clover is adorable. I saw somebody in this comm a few years ago considering Chloe as a nickname for Clover, and that always stuck with me. Clove is my favorite HGs character, but I hope I'm not nuts enough to name a child after her.

Ha, one of my HGs fandom friends JUST linked me to the Cato's clothing store today and was all "I found out what Cato does after winning the Games." I love him, but as I said above, I sort of think the name is hugely fitting for him and nobody else. Haymitch is similar in my head to the "Hayden/Payden/etc" trend, so I've always thought that one might catch on.

[waitingonsunday.livejournal.com]

lololololing forever at "what Cato does after winning the Games."

[hermione-vader.livejournal.com]

I read this article a few days ago, too, and I thought of posting it here, but never got around to it. I really like Rue. I think it could work really well as a first or middle name when paired with a longer name, like Helena Rue or Rue Alexandra. I'm "meh" on Cato though.

I also love Katniss and Primrose. I like the name Johanna, but I have no opinions on the character since I haven't read the sequels yet.

[shirogirl.livejournal.com]

I can't get into the name Rue because where I live rue means street :x

[duckduckcaboose.livejournal.com]

I like the books, but I wouldn't name my kids after any of the characters, because with a few exceptions all of the characters are either 1) obnoxious or 2) dead by the end of the series.

[http://users.livejournal.com/___heyvanity/]

I think Rue is a great nn for Ruth. Love that.

[sictransitsuzy.livejournal.com]

I like Cato a lot. Am I the only one?

[twitchywoman.livejournal.com]

I think of her too! I'll probably never read the Hunger Games myself... it seems rather boring. While I like literary connections to names, I don't like it when EVERYONE likes the name and only because of the book.

[autopsycorpses.livejournal.com]

I've loved Rue all my life but won't use it now because of it's popularity. Eff THG.

[audiobiblio.livejournal.com]

So many of the feminine names from The Hunger Games are lovely, but the masculine ones are just not for me. I think Finnick is the only one I could potentially see myself using.

And I agree about the names from Twilight. Such a shame that the series tainted some really great names. Cullen, Jasper, and Emmett had all been on my list, but now I just can't bring myself to use them because of the reference. My husband actually suggested Emmett for this baby, but as soon as I told him that it was the name of a well-known character in Twilight, he changed his tune.