Name Your Kid from Route 66: California
by Casey Anderson
Route 66, known also as the Mother Road, was one of the original highways of the U.S. Highway System. Nowadays that doesn't seem like a big deal, but back then, it was historic. There were songs and a whole TV show dedicated to it. So, what better way to pick a name for your baby? One day you can tell them your inspiration, the history behind it and better yet, take your child on a Route 66 road trip!
We've already covered Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona here, and now we're moving west to our last stop, California.
Goff (Goffs) This name is more commonly found as Geoff and is a diminutive form of Geoffrey. The meaning of the word is debated, common meanings considered 'territory peace,' and 'foreign peace.' Either way, the name lends towards a place of peace. The now ghost town of Goffs has one unique claim to fame, it is the 'Desert Tortoise Capital of the World.' Desert Tortoises are considered threatened in America, thus if you drive through Goff be very careful to look for these rugged creatures of the desert. They tend to drink from puddles on the road. Count yourself and your son Goff to be lucky to see one as you peacefully drive by.
Fenner A Fen is a wetland, and a Fenner is someone who lives in a wetland. The town had a spring, allowing it to have more water than most villages in the desert. It was considered an oasis. So if your boy is expected to be a little water bug, Fenner is a good name. It sounds like someone on the go, a busy and energetic guy.
Danby Danby is originally a surname from English, comes from "Dane" a Danish person, and 'by' which means farmstead. So, Danby means "farmstead of the Danes." A particularly good choice if you're Danish. It's also considered by some as a modern form of "Daniel." This makes it a good name to use for honoring a Daniel in your family while keeping your child's name original. The town is a ghost town, but in its heyday it provided gold, silver and loads of salt.
Hodge Believe it or not, this name is actually a diminutive of Rodger. The English were unable to pronounce the French "R" sound, thus ended up with Hodge, and sometimes Hodges. The origin name means "famous spear," giving the name Hodge the sound of a great warrior. Sounds to me like someone both grand and humble. The town is almost a ghost town, with very few buildings left.
Helen (Helendale) Helen is one of the most popular English female names over history. Helen means 'torch' but has associated by many to with beautiful, in regards to the story of Helen of Troy. It's a classic name that somehow always feels modern. Helen is a bright girl, shining her light around to others. The town of Helendale has some must see Route 66 sites, including the famous Bottle Tree Ranch, Burden's Store and Post Office and the Polly Gas Station sign. These are some sites I'm sure Helen would love to see.
Victor (Victorville) Victor means "conqueror" and is an apt description of the city of Victorville. It has conquered the desert landscape around it. It is by no means a ghost town. Victor is a good name to live up to. Your son can take the name to mean many things, conquer his enemies, conquer his fears, his inhibitions, Victor could be limitless. The town is where the Mojave Desert meets the mountains. The surrounding desert landscape is beautiful and there are many Route 66 sites to visit, including the California Route 66 Museum.
Fontana Fontana is Italian and means "fountain." It's a pretty name, with a visual of beautiful sparkling fountains in the sun. This would be a nice unique name for your little girl. The town of Fontana has plenty of great Route 66 attractions, like Bono's Restaurant and Deli, which now has the Giant Orange, and old Route 66 fruit stand. And perhaps one of the most unique things about the city, it houses notorious gangster Al Capone's winter hideout.
Finally, we come to the end of our Route 66 road trip where Route 66 meets the ocean, and that's:
Monica (Santa Monica) The name Monica means 'advisor' and I bet your daughter Monica would advise you to check out the gorgeous city of Santa Monica California. Route 66 runs right up to the Santa Monica Pier, where it has an End of the Trail sign. Ok, so, Route 66 officially ends a few blocks back, but it is commonly thought it goes all the way to the trail, and the Route 66 souvenir shop on the pier does much to encourage that thought. Monica won't mind, she will love that you took her on this great road trip and ended it in her namesake city.
Thanks again for reading through the baby name tour of Route 66! I hope you have learned some new ideas for naming your upcoming bundle of joy, as well as some great future vacation destinations to take them on!
