Life
There comes a time in every pregnancy when, like it or not, you have to choose a name. You can turn to your family tree, the top 100 charts, celebrity baby names, or even make up your own baby's name out of thin air. With the Kentucky Derby fast approaching though, perhaps you weren't aware of the vast array of naming possibilities from the race's participants. Yes, the horses. If people can find inspiration from celebrities, I see no reason at all why Kentucky Derby themed baby names can't be a thing.
I know what you're thinking. "There's no way in heck that I'm naming my child Seabiscuit. Or any of the other ridiculous horse names they come up with." And I understand. Really, I do. I mean, Danzing Candy is one of the contenders this year. But, the key word here is inspired by. If you want to name your future child Danzing Candy or Trojan Nation, then by all means, go for it. But I'm a firm believer in seeing creativity in every situation— horse races and all.
In fact, some of the horses of this year and of previous years have downright inspirational names that wouldn't require too much of a stretch for a baby name. Others, will probably take a little bit of creativity. But in today's age, creativity is the whole point, right?
1
Nyquist
Currently the horse with the highest odds and earnings, Nyquist has taken first in every race he's been in. If naming your child after a horse with a name all too close to a common over the counter sleep aid, maybe try Nick or Nicole instead.
2
My Man Sam
Or just, you know, Sam for short. And then you can call him "my man Sam" or "my girl Sam" because gender neutral names are in for horses too.
3
Lani
As cute as it is feminine (despite the fact that Lani is a colt), this name could actually conceivably be given to a child. It's pretty darn adorable, in fact. Just don't tell the horse I said so.
4
Ferdinand
The 1986 Kentucky Derby winner is named for the German word meaning, "bold voyager."
5
Tom's Ready
The number 12 horse this year, Tom's Ready could easily be nodded at with the name Thomas or Tom. See also: Mo Tom. Apparently Tom's are big in the horse world too.
6
Shagaf
Shagaf is the Urdu word for "break" and is a very interesting, albeit powerful, sounding choice.
7
Mohaymen
Meaning "protector" in Latin, Mohaymen is a grey thoroughbred with an impressive history. If you love the meaning but are hesitant to go with a name you can barely pronounce, William and Alex both mean protector as well.
8
Apollo
You can't go wrong with Greek Mythology. The 1882 Derby winner was named Apollo after the Greek god of music, truth, and prophecy.
9
Destin
A quirky spin on the more common name Destiny (or the Florida city...), Destin is a contender for this year's race.
10
Whitmore
A horse whose name has serious British undertones, Whitmore is similar to more common names like Whitney or even Whit or Walt.
