The name Gage hit the American mainstream in time-honored style: as a demon child.
You might think that the spawn of Satan would be a negative association when picking a baby name. In fact, the fiend-children of Hollywood horror are a reliable source of new hit names. The name Damien was launched into popularity by The Omen, Adrian by Rosemary’s Baby, and Regan by The Exorcist. Little Gage of Pet Sematary wasn’t technically demonic, just an undead kid, but he was evil-cute enough to make the cut. The name Gage debuted in the top 1000 in 1989, the year the movie came out, and has been a mainstay ever since.
As a surname, Gage has a deeper history. It has multiple derivations in English and French and ranks among the 6000 most common American surnames. Moved up to first-name status, it strikes a nice balance between the cowboy machismo of Colt and Cash and the preppy breeziness of Tate and Trey. It’s also a snap to spell and pronounce. Until it’s not.
As the baby name Gage rose steadily year by year, alternate spellings started to appear. Gaige first hit the top 1000 in the year 2000. Gauge broke through five years later, and it’s now the fastest rising form of the name. To me, it’s also the most intriguing.
The word gauge is a classic of English orthography, a completely non-standard bit of spelling that’s a fixture on “most frequently misspelled” lists. If you can find another word where the vowel pair AU is pronounced as a long A, you get a word-freak gold star. Gauge means “measure,” as either a noun or verb. As far as I know, that realm of meaning is not commonly adopted for name use in any language. And yet there can be no doubt that the rising new baby name Gauge exists because of the word. After all, you don’t see anybody spelling Paige as “Pauge.”
So let’s recap. People are changing the standard spelling of a modern baby name in order to match a familiar word. In a sense, the creative new spelling is actually a conservative stylistic impulse -- it was invented because it looks less “made up”. And that impulse is so strong that it holds sway even though the word has no intrinsic appeal and its spelling gives people fits. That has to be the most confusing push-pull of spellings and origins since…Page.
Name Spotlight: Gage, Gaige, Gauge
06/01/2009, 8:46PM
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Comments
Keren- That's so funny about Dawn-Dorn because when I try to say it that way it sounds like a super-typical New Yorker accent, not British at all... I must be doing it wrong, but it's pretty funny:) zoerhenne describes exactly how I say Dawn and Don (Aww-sad-event versus Dot), so even in the US they're not exactly the same, though close.
Another name-set like that is Erin vs. Aaron, when I slow it down I definitely say them differently Eh-rin vs Aa-(apple)-ron, but said fast they come out very similar. Just like Jenny and Ginny (I went to HS with a Ginny, can you tell?).
Now I'm also struggling with this Harry/Hairy thing... I keep saying Harry Potter like the movies but then Hairy like Head really throws me... This is tougher than you'd think I guess!
Mrs. D:
I actually love Liesl June (I do immediately think Sound of Music, but I love that movie so to me that's a plus...)
Siebe- all I can think of are the nurses(?) during WWII... however Siebe June has a nice flow. I think Phoebe June is a great idea though!
I like Cleo June, but I do hear Miss Cleo. What about Crea? I knew a little girl named that and it was super cute on her...
Maeve definitely rhymes with Wave for me, it's not a fave of mine, but if you do use it I liked Maeve Elise that someone suggested.
Amy3- so sad Tristyn is showing up for girls, I love it as a boys name! Well Tristan...
Jillc- George Foreman's kids may have gone to public school for that very reason;)
Just read about an interior designer who has children named Ethan and Eden. Thought they were really similar too. I guess she must love the sounds... actually, Amir, Armann, and Amari sound very different in comparison, I feel. Different syllables, different ending sounds...
zoer, I say awww and dot the same too (well, the same vowel sound anyway), so I suppose it's not surprising that Don and Dawn sound identical to me. And Jenny, I think there are regional variations on that sound because in my corner of the US they are identical.
I know a married couple named Erin and Aaron, in a part of the country where those are also pronounced the same. Makes receiving phone calls interesting, I'd imagine.
Mrs. D-- another vote for Liesl June. I also really like Cleo. There is a blogger who has twins Elsa and Clio (like that spelling better) and the name has grown on me. I think it's really spunky and sweet.
Wow never realized the similarities in so many names that sound the same. J3nnyLeigh glad I was able to help someone "hear" the difference. To me Erin and Aaron are very close-much closer than Dawn/Don and Jenny/Ginny. Erin ends up like Eh-rin and Aaron more like Air-ron. Jenny and Ginny are like the beginning of jet and ginger. The vowel sounds are different for me. Harry and hairy are not different so much when I say them but saying the name doesn't usually make me think of the adjective and vice versa. All of it is very interesting.
Does anyone say Wendy and windy the same?
Aybee & guest-
Thanks for the suggestions. I like Blake & Troy! I also like the name Dax. What do you think?
Guest, I like Dax. My DH really likes the name Dag (actually, he'd prefer Dag-Otto, the name of some Scandinavian cyclist, but that seems like just too much to me).
I've noticed even with my DD's name, Mamie Katherine, that many people mishear it as Mimi. Then I start to wonder if I pronounce it funny!
Jillc-Is Mamie named after a family member? I'm curious because it seems like such a unique name in a sea of others that are more common. Don't get me wrong, because I really like it. But I don't think I've ever run into a Mamie (young OR old). The only one I can think of is Mamie Eisenhower. Was that even her REAL name I don't remember?
Mrs. D: If you do like Cleo, why not consider Clio (I think someone already mentioned this)? In Greek mythology, Clio is the muse of history. I don't know if that helps or hurts the cause. :)
Philippa: Isola reminds me a bit of Isolde, which is why some people might assume it comes from the Isle. I believe Isolde is a princess in Arthurian legend, which also inspired a Wagner opera (Tristan und Isolde).
Guest seeking one-syllable: I tend to be traditional, so you may find these suggestions unsuitable. Here are few not mentioned yet:
George
Paul
Carl
Giles
James
Brandt
Blaine
Charles
Miles
Reid
ET - I am English and pronounce Gauge "gage" - just like Americans do. You may have heard the word used but not realised its spelling. If someone says, "I'm trying to gauge whether it will rain today or not" or "He used his engineering experience to gauge the height of the building", it is pronounced "gage". Same with if you are talking about measuring a bullet, eg "a 40 gauge bullet" - although us Brits are less likely to be talking about guns and bullets, haha! My father is a Northerner and he pronounces it this way too. Hope this helps!
Martine. Surprisingly, not listed in Namipedia.
Hi,
My sister just sent me this link as my son is named Gage. I thought I'd give y'all a peek inside the mind of someone who used the name. I am a huge Stephen King fan and when I first picked up that book and read that name I loved it. It was masculine and different two things I definitely wanted in a name for my future children. The book scared the crap out of me and the fact that the beautiful blond boy gets hit on the road by a tractor trailer did NOT make me want to use it, but I still loved the name and the Stephen King connection.
A few years later I met my (now ex) husband and he had also read the book and also loved the name. It was settled, if we ever had a son Gage would be his name. Four years later when we got pregnant, we knew without doubt that Gage would his name if he was a boy, we could never choose a girls name though, I hated his choices, he hated my choices. Thank God for all of us we had a boy! While pregnant I actually researched the name a little further and found out that it is French word for "a promise kept", hence the use in the words mortgage and engagement. This was perfect as having a baby was not in my plan but was a promise I had made to my husband.
Gage is now 14 and I have never regretted his name for one instant although some friends and family members were horrified at the time. He is strong and masculine, he likes having a different name. We do have to spell it for people but at least we only have to spell 4 letters. When he was two he was also blond, beautiful and precocious so I kept him from busy roads!
Sarah
I have lurked on this site for some time and am always intrigued and entertained by the observations posted here.
I, too, am the mom of a Gage. Mine is 10 years old. To further validate Laura Wattenberg's theory, Pet Sematary was also where I first heard the name. Unlike the previous poster however, I am not a Stephen King fan, specifically. I saw the movie at a sleepover when I was about 15 and something about the name instantly resonated with me — so much so that when I had my son eight years later, I still had my heart set on Gage.
Fortunately my husband liked it too — we've encountered many who don't. As it turned out, our little Gage bore a resemblance to his cinematic namesake — blonde hair, blue eyes. Luckily, though, that's where the similarities ended.
being pronounced - to rhyme with Beige? Maybe the u is to make it seem less like Gay? Really don't like it, anyway. i agreed online degree in nursing & online arts degrees - degree in web development
I must be doing it wrong, but it's pretty funny:) zoerhenne describes exactly how I say Dawn and Don (Aww-sad-event versus Dot), so even in the US they're not exactly the same, though close.
Another name-set like that is Erin vs. Aaron, when I slow it down I interior design degree online & online business administration degreedefinitely say them differently Eh-rin vs Aa-(apple)-ron, but said fast they come out very similar. Just like Jenny and Ginny (I went to HS with a Ginny, can you tell?).
Now I'm also struggling with this Harry/Hairy thing... I keep saying Harry Potter like the movies but then Hairy like Head really throws me... This is tougher than you'd think I guess!
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