Feast On The Names
T-minus five days until Thanksgiving. Which got me thinking, are there any names that could represent a traditional thanksgiving feast? It turns of there’s A LOT!
From the turkey to deviled eggs to sweet potatoes, there’s a baby name to represent everyone’s favorite holiday dish.
Jake
Origin: Hebrew - Meaning: Supplanter
We all know mature male turkeys are known as a Tom turkey; but did you know a juvenile male is known as a Jake? Young females also have a name all their own - Jenny. Variants of John have been dominating the charts lately and Jake isn’t far behind. As of 2020, Jake comes in at 319 with 1,027 births.
Russet
Origin: English - Meaning: Reddish Brown
From oven roasted to baked to mashed, no matter how you serve them there is no denying potatoes are everyone’s favorite side dish.
Roux
Origin: French, Latin - Meaning: Red, Russet
We certainly can’t have mashed potatoes without gravy. The first step to make any gravy is to make a Roux. This type of sauce mixes one part butter or fat in a saucepan with equal parts flour. A roux is also used to make soups and sauces.
Fabian
Origin: Latin - Meaning: Bean Grower
This little bean grower reminds us of delicious green bean casserole. One of the top rated side dishes to any thanksgiving dinner.
Demetrius
Origin: Greek - Meaning: Follower of Demeter, Earth Lover
Demetrius is a variant name of Demeter, the mythological Greek goddess of corn, grain and harvest. Thanksgiving side dishes tend to include a lot of grains. Think corn, stuffing and rolls. While Demetrius was much more popular back in 2000, it does still rank in the top 1,000 today. If you’re looking for a name that is familiar but not overly common, this may be the name for you.
Sage
Origin: Latin - Meaning: Wise
Turkey pairs well with sweet and savory flavors and herbs. Herb names have been making there way from the kitchen to the nursery more and more in recent years. Basil was a top 1,000 contender until 1971, Rosemary currently ranks at 445 and Sage tops them all at 223 for girls and 442 for boys.
Mac
Origin: Scottish, Irish - Meaning: Son Of
Scottish and Irish surnames frequently have the prefix Mc or Mac. Over the years many of these surnames have transitioned into first names. Mackenzie, Macintosh and Macbeth to name a few. For us, Mac also brings to mind the decadent cheesy goodness of Mac n’ Cheese.
Waltham
Origin: Old English - Meaning: Walt’s Village
One seasonal vegetable commonly served at the feast is butternut squash. The Waltham squash is the most commonly store bought type. Waltham would make a uniquely sentimental option when honoring someone named Walt.
Galeux
Origin: French - Meaning: Peanut Pumpkin
Another type of squash is a Galeux D’Eysines. Also known as the winter squash. The Galeux squash is used to make pumpkin puree. This pumpkin puree is used in our favorite seasonal pumpkin dishes from pies to soups to gnocchi.
Bezai
Origin: Hebrew - Meaning: Eggs
When most people think of holiday eggs they probably think of Easter. However, eggs can be found at the thanksgiving table too, in the form of deviled eggs. This rare Hebrew boys name is the only name that means eggs.
Zia
Origin: Arabic, Latin - Meaning: Grain, Light, Splendor, Aunt
One other grain name we want to highlight for you is Zia. Zia varies in meaning depending on origin and is completely unranked.
Aeron
Origin: Welsh, Celtic - Meaning: Goddess of Battle and War, Berry
Berries anyone? Whether you like them canned or pureed into a sauce, cranberries are one of the top five side dishes served this time of year. Often marked as a necessity on any thanksgiving plate. We must note, Aeron is often mistaken as a variant of Aaron, however these two names are not related.
Cortland
Origin: French - Meaning: Courteous, From the Court
This variation of Courtney is not commonly used as a first name. It is however found in many apple pies. The Cortland apple, named after Courtland County, New York is one of the top apples used when baking pies, cobblers or crisps. They are both juicy and slightly tart making their flavor the go-to choice.
Russel
Origin: French - Meaning: Redhead
Russel isn’t an obvious thanksgiving name but we’d like to point out it is one letter away from Brussel. We know Brussel Sprouts aren’t loved by many but with a little bit of maple bacon and roasted pecans mixed in, they may become your new favorite side dish. Or al least we hope, your new favorite name.
Beauregard
Origin: French - Meaning: Beautiful Gaze
If mashed potatoes aren’t your favorite, what about sweet potatoes? The Beauregard sweet potato was developed by Larry Rolston at Louisiana Sate University in 1987 and has since become the most popular sweet potato used today.