World Baseball Classic 2013

Names. Photography. Baseball. These are my three passions and the things I spend most of my time on outside of family. The World Baseball Classic is currently being held all over the world with teams competing from Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Chinese Taipei, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, Puerto Rico, Spain, USA, and Venezuela. While going through the rosters, I found some great names to share!

Bruno (Brazil) - Bruno seems to be rising in popularity in Spain and was #37 in Brazil in 2011. It was ranked the highest in the US in the 1910s, reaching #260 in 1915, and reentered the Top 1000 in 2000 after being absent since the 1970s.

Cale (Canada) - Cale is said to be a short form of Caleb, but I can't hep but think of the vegetable kale. It is currently falling in popularity in the US, with Kale ranking higher.

Dushan (Australia) - Dušan is a Slavic name, used in the Slavic Central European countries (Slovenia, Slovakia, Croatia, Serbia, etc.), and means "sincere." The player Dushan's last name is Ruzic, also a Slavic name.

Efrain (PR) - Efrain is the Spanish form of Ephraim. There is also an Efren, a variant spelling, on the Mexican team. Both versions appear to be more popular in the US than Ephraim.

Eriel (Cuba) - I am guessing that this is pronounced like Ariel, which is found in the Bible and was initially used as a Hebrew boy name. Eriel could be a variant spelling.

Gio (USA) - The American ballplayer of Cuban descent, Gio is short for Giovany. Giovanni is the Italian form of John. While it could also be a nickname for Giorgio or even George, Gio is being used as a given name as well.

Hainley (Netherlands) - Hainley is a surname and could be attractive to parents who want something different but similar to Hailey for their son.

Hanley (DR) - Hanley has been given to both boys and girls but is slightly more common on boys. It is also a surname and a place name.

Heath (USA) - Heath reached its height in popularity in the 1970s, topping off at #181 in 1974, and has experienced quite a roller coaster ride since then. For me, the only drawback is the candy bar of the same name.

Henderson (Venezuela) - Henderson is a Scottish surname meaning "son of Henry." It was used more often in the late 1800s and early 1900s in the United States. I would love the story on how Venezuelan parents came to use this name.

Kalian (Netherlands) - According to Urban Dictionary, Kalian is the last name of the gods. It's also a Persian tobacco pipe, which is otherwise known as hookah. I've also seen it as a surname. It has not been given to at least five babies in any given year in the US.

Kelvin (DR) - Kelvin is a unit of measure for temperature, named after Lord Kelvin, but also the name of a Scottish river. It is falling in popularity since reaching the #207 in 1965, but has been ranked in the Top 1000 in the US since 1950.

Kenji (Japan) - Kenji means to be twice as wise or an intelligent second son. It is popular in Japan and was ranked in the US in 1978 and 1979.

Leandro (Cuba) - A "lion of a man," Leandro is the Spanish, Portuguese and Italian form of Leander, and could be an alternative to similar names Leo and Leonardo, which are growing in popularity. It has been ranked in the US since 2005.

Lorenzo (Italy) - The Italian and Spanish form of Laurence, Lorenzo has had a very consistent presence in the US's Top 1000. It is a Top 5 name in Italy and is fairly popular in France as well. Enzo is a fabulous nickname.

Murilo (Brazil) - Murilo is a Portuguese name that ranked #22 in Brazil in 2011. Five or six boys were given the name in the US in 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2009.

Omar (Venezuela) - Omar is either an Arabic variant of Umar that means "flourishing" or a Hebrew name that means "speaker." It is in Spain's Top 100, but is falling in popularity in the US, ranking at #193 in 2011.

Rene (Canada) - Rene, the boy name, and Renee, the girl name, are French versions of Renatus, which is a Roman name meaning "born again." The girl version was always more popular in the States, but it did reach the #250s in the 1960s and 1970s. Rene has also charted in Slovenia.

Rhiner (Spain) - We do have boys named Reiner in the US, but no recorded information about a Rhiner. It is a surname, but the first thing I think of is the Rhine River.

Salomon (Spain) - This Spanish form of Solomon has an accent over the last "o" and that also explains how it is pronounced. In the past few decades, at least 30 boys were given the name in the United States.

Stefan (Australia) - A form of Stephen, Stefan is used in Germany, Poland, and Central European and Scandinavian countries. The first syllable is stressed when pronouncing it. It has been ranked in the US since 1949 with the height of its popularity in the late 1980s and early 1990s. A player on the Italian team is named Stefano, the Italian form that is pronounced with the accent on the second syllable.

Tiago (Italy) - I have already been diverted by Thiago. Tiago is the original spelling and the Portuguese form of James, derived from Santiago. A player with yet another spelling of the name, Thyago, is on the Brazilian team.

Warwick (Australia) - Warwick is an English surname that is pronounced "war-ick." It's also a place name; Warwick, England is home of Warwick Castle and Warwick, Australia is in Queensland. There have been a handful of boys named Warwick in the US over the years.

Yasmany (Cuba) - Yasmany seems to be a pretty well-used name in Cuba, but I cannot find any information on its meaning or where it's from. Five boys were given the name in 2009 and 2010 in the US.

Do you have a favorite on this list?

References: Behind the Name, Nameberry, Nancy's Baby Names, Baby Name Wizard and Baby Name Facts.