Baby Name of the Day- Austin

Today's baby name is Austin.
AUSTIN
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: AWS-tin [key]
Medieval contracted form of AUGUSTINE (1). Modern use of the name is probably also partly inspired by the common surname Austin, which is of the same origin. This is also the name of the capital city in Texas.

The SS lists this name at the number 55 spot for 2008. The name Austin first appears on the SS list at the number 220 spot in 1880. It kept a pretty steady spot in the 200s and 300s until the 60's-70's when it dropped into the 400s and 500s. Slowly after 1972 Austin started to gain popularity again and by 1982 it was at the number 156 spot. Austin entered the top 100 in 1986 at the number 90 spot, and jumped to number 10 in just 9 short years. Austin's peek was in 1996 and 1997 at the number 9 spot for both years. After 1999 the name has slowly lost popularity and now rests at a nice spot at number 55.

I personally love this name. It's one of the few "place names" that I enjoy hearing. There is a certain roughness about it, something that is very manly and chiseled sounding. In my imagination (purely my own silliness of course, lol) I picture a well formed roughneck, dirty and tired from working on the rig. A pair of piercing blue eyes, brown hair, square jaw, nice smile and a slight dimple. A total "Texan", but NOT a cowboy. Just someone really manly and handsome. This could of course be caused by the fact that I was born and raised in Texas, and this is one of the many "good 'ol boy" names used in West Texas were I grew up. There is a collection of names in this area of Texas in which has that rough, hard working, manly feel to them, and Austin is in this category.

I personally enjoy the name Austen (with an e) better, but my love of this name isn't for the rough nature and hometown ties, it's because of Jane Austen the author. I separate the names Austin and Austen as two totally different 'feels'. Austin is rough and manly while Austen is handsome and elegant. Austin is steak and potatoes and Austen is veal and caviar. Also Austin is the state capital of Texas (yes, not San Antonio or Dallas like most Yankees think. *wink*), so i do prefer the Austen spelling as not to seem too corny...I love Texas and I am a proud Texan, but I'm not naming my kids Austin, Dallas, Houston or Antonio; but Austen is great. lol

Middle and First names for Austin-

Austin James
Austin Christopher
Austin Lucas
Austin Brody
Austin Edmund
Vincent Austin
William Austin
Douglas Austin
Kyle Austin

I think Austin is a fairly hard name to pair, but it's not too difficult. Finding the right flow and rhythm is what is the hardest. I think it would be a better first name than middle, though I do like the flow of it with a longer surname when it's used as a middle.

Alternatives for Austin-

Obviously my favorite Austen.
Aubrey (yes, this is masculine but ill leave it for another blog)
Aubren
Auden
Audi
August
Augustus
Augustin
Auren

Many of these alternatives are quite nice. I love Aubrey, but it's over use on girls (dag-nabbit!) turns me off too much. Aubren is a great one, has the feel of both Austin and Aubrey and is very masculine in look and sound. The traditional August and Augustus are great, but may only appeal to certain crowds. Auren and Auden a classic alternative with a modern feel. I think both of those would appeal to a very wide crowd of parents. Any of these names would make a great choice IMHO. 

Over all I find Austin very appealing and quite uncommon, though heard of. It has a very masculine quality to it that is very nice, and yet spelled slightly different it can have a real regal look. The name fits great with a well chosen middle or first name and balanced surname. The alternatives are great and vast. I really think this is one of those fast risen and fast fallen names that should have stuck around on the top 10 for just a tad longer. It's sparkle has not faded yet.

~Jaesus

Lions and Tigers and Darth Pandas?

Our trip to Austin was tons of fun. We did a lot, and visited with family. The kids had a blast. One little trip we made was to one of the malls in Ceder Park. We went to the Build-a-Bear store and the kids got to pick and make their own stuffed animals. :) FUN!!! Brandon even got in on the fun. Laney picked a Hello Kitty doll, and of course dressed her up like a princess. She picked out a cute little purple

and pink dress with matching princess shoes and a cute little Hello Kitty purse. She named her new doll...Kitty of course. She's just too cute. Next she picked a sound to put in her Kitty. You guessed it, a meow sound. And we also put in a heart button that when pressed makes a heartbeat sound. Hayden picked his out next. He looked at each and every choice twice....thought about it very hard and settled on a pink teddy bear. Yes I know some people might have a knee jerk reaction to their little boy picking out a pink...anything....but I honestly wasn't surprised or freaked by it. He likes pink....so what? So the morons that gave me dirty looks for letting my son have a pink teddy bear can just shove it! The bear is adorable. He picked out a UT (University of Texas) basketball uniform, complete w/basketball socks, shoes, and a basket ball. It's just adorable, and Hayden loves his bear. He named his bear

Pinkie. I added the last name McDribble. Pinkie McDribble is the cutest little thing. That bear is SOFT too, and fluffy! The shoes look a bit alien on him...they are huge! Hayden picked out the "I love you" sound and he got a heart inside his bear too. Hayden smiled from ear to ear for hours! Brandon decided to get in on the fun as well and he picked out a panda bear. Brandon of course had to 'cool him out' by picking the Star Wars sound for his panda, and (giggles) dressing him up as Darth Vadar! This is the funniest damn thing I've seen in a

in a long time! It comes complete with Darth Vadar's outfit, cape, and boots...and even a bear sized lightsabar! I mean how adorable is that? The funny thing...that you can't see in the picture is that because it's a panda bear, his ears poking out of the helmet are black, but his tail is white. It's just SO funny pokin' out through the tail hole. ~~In a galaxy far, far away....a Panda rose in the ranks to become the new master of the evil empire. His name was Anakin Skypanda, but he is now known as Darth Panda!~~ [cue Star Wars theme here]. Yes we had TONS of fun. :) I really enjoy hanging out with my family, with my kids, with my hubs. We always have a blast. I hope to go back to Austin again this summer. Next time I want a Build-a-Bear of my own! Maybe a puppy....or a tie-dye bunny with huge floppy ears, or one of their fancy ones like the 'real' looking wolf, or bear, or owl. Who knows! I think a puppy, dressed as a rocker, or a biker! LOL I love that store, and I'll be getting little outfits for the kiddos to change their dolls into and play and make up all kinds of fun stories and adventures! Hope everyone has a great rest-of-spring-break!

Jaesus.