I’m on a cartoon kick now. I’ve only posted about Pebbles and Cheetara so far, but there are many other cartoon-inspired baby names out there.
Including Aeon.
The name Aeon (pronounced EE-on) was invented for the character Æon Flux, who was first featured on MTV’s Liquid Television in 1991. Æon Flux became a standalone show in 1995. That’s when we first start seeing the name pop up in the U.S. baby name data:
- 2000: unlisted
- 1999: 6 baby girls named Aeon
- 1998: unlisted
- 1997: 5 baby boys named Aeon
- 1996: 7 baby girls named Aeon
- 1995: 6 baby boys named Aeon [debut]
- 1994: unlisted
Notice that both boys and girls were named Aeon. Interesting, isn’t it? The reason may be that the character, while female, wasn’t exactly feminine. She was an assassin who “dressed like a dominatrix” and “always managed to rack up an astonishingly high body count,” according to MTV’s description of the series. The show itself was dark, gritty, violent, sexual…definitely not something you’d see in the Saturday morning line-up.
The name Aeon didn’t emerge in the data again until 2006, following the late 2005 release of the not-very-well-received live-action Æon Flux movie, which starred Charlize Theron.
- 2009: 7 baby girls named Aeon
- 2008: 6 baby girls & 8 baby boys named Aeon
- 2007: 5 baby boys named Aeon
- 2006: 11 baby girls & 6 baby boys named Aeon
- 2005: unlisted
Do you think we’ll see more baby Aeons on the 2010 list?
Source: SSA
I wonder if the boys come from people using it as an alternative to Ian?
That could definitely be part of it — Aeon and Ian are a lot alike.
I actually like Aeon all on my own without any Aeon Flux influence… Aeon and Eon is a lovely word name IMO, meaning immesurably long period of time :) So melodious and the long period of time thing is a nice thing to wish for your baby, for her/him to live a long life ^^
I would probably use it for a girl as a first instinct, but it’s completely gender neutral to my ears when I think about it :) Lovely name…
My first daughter is going to be called Aeon, I just adore that name – and the movie/ Tv series.
My daughter named Aeon was born in 2008. I’ve never even seen Aeon Flux. We gave her the name just because we loved the meaning. Also, we pronounce it With a long A sound instead of “ee-on”.