Now for the story:

Aurelia Ryan:

Pronounced: ow-REL-yah
Feminine form of Aurelius. Roman family name which was derived from Latin aureus "golden, gilded". This was the name of several early saints. Aurelia was most popular in 1918 and is currently not among the top 1000 U.S. girls' names.

From an Irish surname which was derived from Ó Riain meaning "descendent of Rian". The given name Rian probably means "little king" (from Irish rí "king" combined with a diminutive suffix).

The name Aurelia has been a strong choice since before Godot. Peder suggested it and I agreed pretty much immediately. I think he got it from the movie "Love Actually". That is the only place I have ever heard it. I do have moments where I think it sounds too aristocratic, but we will most likely have a nickname of some sort anyway. Ryan is, of course, my brother.


Felix Drake:

From a Roman cognomen meaning "lucky, successful" in Latin. This was the name of many early saints and four popes. Felix is at an all-time popularity peak and is currently ranked #374 among the U.S. boys' names.

From a surname derived from either Middle English drake "male duck" or else from the Old Norse personal name Draki or the Old English personal name Draca both meaning "dragon".

Peder and I had another name picked out, but I wasn't all that thrilled with it. (Rachel guessed that one too at Christmas: Christopher Wren) after many discussions we decided that we both liked Felix. I just liked the name and that it wasn't as common, and Peder liked that it had an "X" in it and that it is Latin for happy or lucky. No firm decision that that was definitely the name, just that we both liked it.

One day, a couple of weeks later, Peder emailed me saying he thought "Felix Drake" was a good strong name. I replied, "Drake? Like a duck? Later we laughed at the idea of naming our child "lucky duck". The longer we have been tossing it around, the more it has stuck to the point where I feel confident sharing. As terrible as it is that the name is a cute joke, we also know that only geeks like us would make the connection.

I also noted the alternate meaning: Lucky Dragon. Anyone remember Falkor the luck dragon from "The Neverending Story?"


BTW, Rachel, I am impressed that you got as far as you did with your name guesses! Nice work!