Name Contest Winners!

Now that Oskar is 8+ months old, we figured that it was high time to announce the winners of our Name the Baby: The Sequel Contest!

We asked for creative suggestions so that we would end up with something as cool as "Anders Rocket". We like unusual names, Scandinavian influences, vehicle/space/science themes, and something that could work as a codename (ala Rocket). Thankfully, you were all up to the task. Here were some of our favorites, with the submitter(s) listed!

FIRST NAME
Oskar
Julie H., Atif C.
We obviously liked this name, since we used it. Oscar (with a 'c') is in the top 200 most popular boys names in the US, but we liked it well enough anyway. The 'k' in Oskar gives it both Scandinavian and German heritage, representing ancestry from both of our families. But it's still obvious how it should be pronounced (at least the American way). Oskar was actually the name of Corinne's grandfather who emigrated here from Norway.

BEST MAD SCIENTIST
Max Q
Tara W. & Jason R.
This is an aerospace term for the maximum dynamic pressure and also a great nerd super-hero (or super-villain) name.

Atlas Vems
Brian J.
Vems is actually a Swedish name, but it can also represent escape velocity, i.e. V_e (m/s). Atlas pairs well with that.

Sigurd Apogee
Kelly H.
Sigurd is a hero from Norse mythology (check), and Apogee is a term from orbital mechanics (check).

NAMES THAT MAKE AN 8 YEAR OLD LAUGH
Ragnar Poopypants
Dean C.

Baby McBabyFace / Baby McBoatFace
Marnie H., Dave S., Tabitha C.
Every good online naming contest needs a good Boaty McBoatFace entry.

It's not actually that hard to make an 8 year old laugh, but those do it every time.

NAME THAT MAKES A 45 YEAR OLD LAUGH
Lars Dumptruck
Marnie H.
This one just reminds me of a Mad-Libs every time I hear it. "Scandinavian Name? Vehicle? Done."

MOST PROLIFIC SUBMITTERS
Tara W. & Jason R. (31)
Abby F. (33)
We had a lot of great submissions, but these folks were the most prolific by quite a bit. Must be something about people who have lived in Denmark.

BEST WORDPLAY
Will Ship Daly
Ben J. (with assist from Birgit M.)
I've heard a lot of "Daly" jokes over the years, but as a name for someone who is the child of two software developer parents, this one is just too good. And ship is a vehicle!

Nice Moniker
Ben J.
This one wasn't actually a name suggestion, but it just happens to be an anagram of the names Mike and Corinne. Pretty sweet.

LONGEST NAME
Breton Second Stage Lift Vehicle
Dr. Rat
This one wins for the longest suggestion. But it's not much longer than the name we actually chose.

CLEVER BUT STILL PLAUSIBLE
Claus Copter
Atif C.
Satisfies all of the criteria and does kinda roll off the tongue, no?

Soren Comet
Tara W. & Jason R.
Get it? Soarin' Comet?

Otto Bus
Doris & George K.
Otto => Auto. (I think I'd have a little bit of a hard time naming someone Bus, though.)

GRAND PRIZE
Eon
Tara W. & Jason R.
We really liked the combination of short, kinda tech-y, kinda space-y, but not too specific. Since Oskar arrived on pretty much the same schedule that Anders did - that is, 3 weeks early - we didn't really have that much time to use it as a codename. But it stuck as a middle name. And Oskar Eon IS just as cool as Anders Rocket, and we think they sound great together.

Believe it or not, Tara & Jason actually WON the previous name contest as well! Some people are just good at naming, I guess. (Although not everyone has the benefit of having an engineering degree AND living in a Scandinavian country.)

We really had fun reading and considering all of the names suggested, and we were inspired by your collective creativity! Here was our final "Top 10" list of first names (in no particular order): Alton, Apollo, Archer, Kai, Kell or Keld (the d is silent), Kelvin, Kian, Nils or Niels, Stig (pronounced "Steeg"), ...and Oskar, of course. Our other finalists for middle name were: Apollo, Comet, Lander, Mercury, and Jett, but Eon was the odds-on favorite from the start.

Thanks to everyone for all of the fun! Come visit us and meet Oskar Eon Balto Ilvedson Daly yourself!

- Mike, Corinne, Anders Rocket, and Oskar Eon