Category Archives: People

The Name Game – Boys

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Baby Names: Then and Now

Unless you’re expecting a baby—or like to name your furry dependents as if they were human—you probably don’t spend much time thinking about baby names. Or maybe you’re one of those folks who’ve always disliked the name your parents lovingly (or randomly) chose for you, and you’re considering a change.

Whatever the reason, I found myself curious about how names have evolved over the years.

I was born in the 1950s (yes, I know, I’m vintage!), and back then, many names had strong biblical inspiration. Think James, John, David, and Deborah. Mary and Ruth were staples too—names that carried tradition, meaning, and a sense of timelessness.

So what’s trending today? Spoiler alert: Deborah didn’t even crack the top 20. But James is still holding strong at #5.

👶 Top Ten Baby Names for Boys

If any of my readers are currently wrestling with baby name decisions—for a child, a pet, or even a character in a story—let me help. According to the latest data from the U.S. government, here are the top 10 baby boy names, fresh off the press:

  1. Liam – A short form of William, Liam hails from Ireland and may owe its popularity to stars like Liam Neeson and Liam Hemsworth.
  2. Noah – Straight out of the Bible, Noah built the ark and saved mankind (and a whole lot of animals) from the great flood.
  3. Oliver – A classic name popular in the U.S., UK, and Australia. It always makes me think of “Oliver Twist.”
  4. Theodore – With ancient Greek roots meaning “gift of God,” Theodore offers charming nicknames like Theo, Ted, and Teddy.
  5. James – Another biblical favorite, James has stood the test of time as a strong, traditional name.
  6. Henry – Derived from the Germanic name Heimirich, Henry means “home ruler.” Nicknames include Hal, Hank, and Harry.
  7. Mateo – A nod to Spanish heritage, Mateo also means “gift of God” and is the Spanish version of Matthew.
  8. Elijah – Another biblical powerhouse, Elijah was a prophet and miracle worker in the Old Testament.
  9. Lucas – From the Greek “Lucania,” this name is also linked to the Latin word lucerne, meaning “to shine.” Lucas is the “bringer of light,” with nicknames like Luke and Lucky.
  10. William – A perennial favorite, William has never left the top 20 in America since 1880. You just can’t go wrong with Bill.

👧 Coming Soon…

We’re out of space for now, but don’t worry—the top 10 girls’ names are coming soon in a follow-up post. Stay tuned!

 

Find Your Inner Nerd Day

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🧠 Find Your Inner Nerd Day

As I browsed the list of holidays and historical moments tied to August 23, I’ll admit—I felt a bit deflated. The lineup was heavy:

  • A Day of Remembrance for the Abolition of the Slave Trade
  • Remembrance for the Victims of Stalinism and Nazism
  • Slavery Reembrace Day

And then there was poor William Wallace, executed in 1305 in a way so brutal it makes medieval horror look tame: hung (but cut down alive), emasculated, eviscerated, and finally drawn and quartered. Yikes. I think I need a new calendar.

It’s not that we shouldn’t honor these moments—they matter deeply. But here at Around Dusty Roads, I like to keep things light, curious, and a little whimsical. So when I stumbled across a more cheerful observance, I knew I’d found my muse: Find Your Inner Nerd Day!

14,700+ Nerd Boy Stock Photos, Pictures & Royalty-Free ...

Nerd Boy- Stock photo

🎉 Your Inner Nerd

We all have one. And these days? Nerds are having a moment. From science documentaries to UFO deep-dives, geek culture is thriving. What we used to hide—our comic book collections, sci-fi obsessions, and trivia superpowers—we now celebrate.

Not sure what a nerd is? Just take a moment to watch an episode of The Big Bang Theory. It’s all about Nerds.

Big Bang Theory' Cast: Now and Then | Entertainment Tonight

Cast of Big Bang Theory- Stock Photo

 

So what’s Find Your Inner Nerd Day really about? It’s a reminder to stay true to yourself and embrace whatever lights you up inside. Whether it’s video games, vintage tech, fantasy novels, or obscure historical facts, today is your day to revel in it.

🚀 My Nerdy Confession

Am I a nerd? Absolutely.

If that makes me a nerd, so be it. My inner nerd gets its fix every week—okay, maybe every day.

💬 What About You?

What do you do for your inner nerd? Do you collect crystals, decode alien theories, binge anime, or build elaborate LEGO cities? Whatever it is, today’s the day to let it shine.

May include: A wooden box filled with a variety of tumbled and polished stones, including rose quartz, amethyst, clear quartz, tiger's eye, green aventurine, and more. The stones are arranged in a decorative pattern and are surrounded by straw-like material.

Crystal collection- Stock Photo

So go ahead—nerd out. Loudly. Proudly. And with joy.

 

 

What Are You Thankful For?

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Happy Thanksgiving

I’m Thankful for Laughter

I’m Thankful for Family

Family

For the Beautiful world we live in, I give Thanks

For Friends and Fun, Thank you

I’m Thankful that I’m not a turkey

tom turkey

Have Blessed and Happy Thanksgiving

https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/efacademyblog/top-10-thanksgiving-traditions-in-the-us/

 

Merry Christmas and Bye Bye 2020

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Merry Christmas to all

It doesn’t feel like Christmas this year. The parties and holiday spirit just doesn’t seem to be here. I think it’s because we’ve spend almost a full year locked down. I didn’t even send Christmas cards this year. Oh I made them up and put them together ready to send but then I never got around to addressing them and putting them in the mail. Do I send them late, an after Christmas wish or save them for next year? In case I decide to save them, here’s my Christmas wishes to all.

Busch Gardens – Santa

Bye Bye 2020

I’m happy to be saying good bye to 2020. It wasn’t bad enough that we’ve spent most of the year in quarantine but we lost my beloved sister -in -law, Robin.

 

And I lost another  piece of my heart when my furry feline companion  of 19 years crossed the rainbow bridge in March.

Rocky’s spirit lives on in his namesake, Balboa. Rocky was named after Rocky Balboa from the Rocky movies. When I adopted Balboa I decided to keep his name. It just seemed to be the right thing to do.

So now I have Banner and Balboa to brighten up my days.

 

Banner & Balboa 2020

Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree

So with two kittens (Banner 6 months & Balboa 4 months)  in the house I decided to skip the Christmas tree this year. Then I found a cat tree that looks like a plant, maybe not a pine tree but at least a tree. The tree is a hit. Both cats tear around and through it.

I wanted to have a picture of  before and after. A picture of the cat tree and then a picture of it decorated as a Christmas tree. I figured if I used plastic ornaments the cats could play and not hurt anything. Wrong! I never got the lights on before Banner got them in his mouth and snapped the wire right in half.

So we have the tree but no decorations… this year. Just wait you guys, 2021 will be a different year!

Feast or Famine

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My Life is Either Feast or Famine

All or nothing, Feast or Famine, that’s the best way, the only way to describe my life. It’s crazy really. I go years, years , I say, without a chance in ____(well you know) of ever meeting any of my idols and then BAM! 3 at once. How am I supposed to swing that?

The Top 5

Remember that post a couple of weeks ago when I told you to pick 5 people -living or dead- that you would like to spend an evening with? I shared my top 5 choices choices at that time.

  1. Dr. Greg Skomal
  2. Neil Degrasse-Tyson
  3. Seth Shostak
  4. Dr. Michio Kaku
  5. Josh Gates

I met Dr. Skomal on  Thursday September 26 at his appearance on Cape Cod. I figured that was it for the year. I mean really are personal appearances in the area for any of these gentlemen common? I think not but I was in for a surprise.

Neil Degrasse- Tyson

I was still walking on air from seeing Dr. Skomel when I heard that Neil Degrasse -Tyson was making an appearance in Medford MA on Monday Oct, 21.  He’ll be speaking at the Chevalier Theater. I checked his tour schedule and that’s the only Massachusetts stop in his whole tour!  So now I have a decision to make. I have a vacation on the books and will be spending money for that.  Who knows when  or if he’ll be back in the area! Do I spring for a ticket? Decisions, decisions!

 Josh Gates

Josh Gates is a Massachusetts native son but does he do appearances here? Nope , never so what were the odds that he’d have his first ever Massachusetts appearance on Sunday October 20? That’s the day before the Neil Degrasse- Tyson appearance! That’s also the last day of my vacation. My plan is to be on a plane coming back to Massachusetts. How am I supposed to be in 2 places at once? Like I said, feast or famine. Now I just need to find out that Seth Shostak and Dr Kaku have appearances too to really push me over the top!

What Would You Do?

Everybody has been really quiet lately but I’m sure you have ideas about this dilemma. Faced with a chance to see appearances by any of your top 5 what would you do? Would you spend the money for the tickets even though its one right after the other or would you cross your fingers and hope they’ll come back to Massachusetts again in your lifetime? Please share your thoughts.