Archer

On Girls Gone Child, the lone son Archer Sage has comparitively the most "normal" name out of all of his siblings. On the other hand, the nice thing about having a name that's been used for many years is that when some random blogger writes about it she has a lot more to go on!

The meaning of Archer should be obvious to anyone who speaks the English language, but it's ultimately derived from the Latin word arcus, meaning "bow." Archery was the main long-distance weapon for hunting and battle for thousands of years, but the invention of firearms rendered the skill obsolete. Still, archery continues to exist as a sport and hobby.

Many heroes and dieties from Pagan mythology have been described as archers. Some of them include Artemis, Cupid, Apollo, Diana, Rama, Shiva, Lempo, William Tell, and Robin Hood. In Greek mythology, there are three minor dieties of archery that were worshiped on the island of Delos. Hekaerge (representing distance), Loxo (representing trajectory), and Oupis (representing aim) were believed to be attendants of Artemis. Earlier depictions of Hercules show him as an archer rather than a club weilder. And, of course, this would be a great name for anyone born under the zodiac sign of Sagittarius.

Historically, Archer is far more common as a surname. It did experience some fleeting popularity as a first name back in the 1880s. However, it has been more used now than it has ever been used before. It first appeared on the top 1,000 in 2009 and now ranks at #447. That's impressive.

So I would be very surprised if this name didn't become more mainstream in the coming years, much to the chagrin of the older set. My parents, for example, hate Archer. They wrinkle their noses whenever I bring it up. They think it's "old money." They've seen way too many television shows in which a boy named Archer is the "Draco Malfoy" of the story. They don't understand why I love it. But isn't that always the way with different generations? And knowing the general distaste for the boys-names-for-girls trend a few name enthusiasts are going to give me a dirty look, but...I think Archer would be badass on a girl! Oh what, only men can draw a bow and arrow?

If you're not put off by Archer's rising popularity, it's a great option. It has a mythic, rustic feel to me, but it also has a preppy side. So it can appeal to a great number of people.

Sources:
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=archer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archery
http://www.babynamewizard.com/baby-name/boy/archer

Image Credit:
Found via http://pinterest.com