Mark

Mark comes from the Latin name Marcus, which probably derives from the Roman god of war, Mars. We are familiar with the name Mark from the New Testament, as well as American writer Mark Twain. There was also King Mark in Arthurian legend, and according to the Ask Oxford Concise Dictionary of Names, King Mark's name was probably of Celtic origin, from a word that meant "horse." Although it has recently fallen out of the top 100 names for boys in the U.S., Mark has been quite popular in the U.S. for over a century. Its status as a saint name and important biblical figure, and its simplicity, probably guarantee its continued popularity. You won't win any points for originality if you name your baby boy Mark, but its still a fine choice.

Conan

According to most sources, Conan means "wolf" or "hound." (So would Conan-Conan mean wolfhound? Hmm.) The origin is Celtic. We are aware of the name because of Conan O'Brien, as well as Conan the Barbarian, and of course, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I find it interesting that the Social Security Administration's baby names site says that Conan hasn't been in the top 1000 names for any year. Considering that none of the instant associations with the name are bad (well, the barbarian one, but that's not bad, just odd,)and considering that parents recently have seemed to have an obsession with Celtic and Gaelic names, and considering that the sound of Conan is pretty agreeable...well, I'm surprised. Well, if parents aren't going to use this name, someone should. Conan is a great name for a big dog such as a doberman or rottweiler...or if you're feeling silly, name your chihuahua Conan. Or your cat, that'll work really well also. In most fantasy-based RPG's, I'd guess that Conan is probably already taken as a character name, but if the game is new, give it a try, one never knows. For fictional characters--Conan has been used at least in Ireland since the Norman Conquest, but since the name is already so heavily associated with that barbarian guy, I'd be careful.

Rhonda

I knew a Rhonda in elementary school. I didn't like her. Rhonda, if you're out there, I just want you to know that if you wouldn't have mispronounced words when I was forced against my will to do spelling drills with you, I wouldn't have misspelled them. And I wonder to this day if you still say "ofent" when you see the word "often." Had to get that off my chest. Sorry. Alrighty then. Rhonda is a Celtic name and means "good spear," so if you are you looking for a name for your favorite weapon before you take it into battle, look no further. It's not exactly "Excalibur," but then you're not King Arthur, are you? For practical naming purposes, Rhonda appeared on the U.S. top 1000 list in the 1940's, made it all the way to 44th most popular in the 1960's, and has been falling out of favor ever since. 1994 was the last year it was even in the top 1000. So what happened to Rhonda? It may be that it's just one of those shooting star names, here today, gone tomorrow. There is also the little matter of a well-known song--"Help Me Rhonda" casts Rhonda as a girl expected to be a substitute for the girl the singer really wants. Not an image most parents want for their newborn daughters.