tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24495557.post-20911024162309809902008-01-25T09:16:00.000-05:002008-01-25T09:24:30.439-05:002008-01-25T09:24:30.439-05:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">Let's start with this: I really like the baby name "Eli."</span> I guess I would say I like it, even though -- as a sports fan -- the immediate association is to "Eli Manning."<br /><br />Now, would you name your kid Eli after Eli Manning, the Giants QB? Hard to say.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Would you name your kid Eli after Eli Manning, the Ole Miss QB?</span> (Just check the birth records in the mid-90s in Tennessee for babies named "Peyton.) Feels like college fans are willing to make that leap more than pro fans. (Though I wonder how many babies in Wisconsin are named "Brett" every year.)<br /><br />OK: But would you name your kid Eli after Eli Manning, the high school QB?<br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/25/sports/football/25araton.html"><br />That's what this guy did</a>. It's definitely unconventional, but if you were ever going to promote that, this would be your week. Not sure how that kid had dealt with things during Eli's first few pro seasons (particularly the draft-day debacle of demands), but it's a good week to be an "Eli."<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Question: Do you know anyone who has named their kid specifically after an athlete?</span><br /><br />This isn't the same as having a kid's name coincidentally be the same as an athlete (i.e., Gabe is NOT named for Gabe Kapler, though I appreciate connection to something as novel as a Jewish baseball player. I also have a fond spot for someone like NBA rookie Gabe Pruitt, simply because he shares a name with my son.).<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">But the question is</span>: Do you know anyone who (or did YOU) name your kid specifically after an athlete? Would love to hear the stories. Send in a comment.<br /><br />-- D.S.DanShanoff.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08126386161198401693noreply@blogger.com18