It seems the odds that the baby in your local maternity ward has a name ripped from the pages of a Suzanne Collins novel are ever in your favor. The Hunger Games isn't just killing it at the box office. The dystopian tale has officially taken its place in the baby naming trends.
According to the folks at Nameberry, today's parents are paying tribute to the written word with the names Rue and Cato in particular. So if you're one of those "gotta have a unique name" parents, feel free to drop them off your labor and delivery list. But there's no need to cry like poor Katniss outside the Mellark bakery. There are plenty of Hunger Games names that haven't gotten the attention they deserve.
Either they're from the first book and being ignored or haven't been noticed by folks who failed to read Catching Fire and Mockingjay (shame on them!), but there are plenty of baby-worthy names to go around. Feel free to scoop one up -- beware, spoilers abound:
Primrose -- How cute is Katniss' little sister in the movie? As cute as this name for sure. You can call her Prim or Rose!
Effie -- Forget the pink hair and crazy makeup for a minute. This name has a Greek background and means "well-spoken." How's that for an attribute you want for your daughter?
Brutus -- A career tribute, the brute strength his name implies served him well in two games. Maybe not the kindest of names, but certainly not a guy people mess with!
Finnick -- Finn has taken the world by storm (thanks Glee!), but this is a little different. And as one of the main leaders of the revolution, he's a great role model.
Annie -- The love of Finnick Odair's life, she was an incredible swimmer!
Lavinia -- The Avox girl who didn't make it into the Hunger Games movie was -- nevertheless -- a big help to Katniss.
Johanna -- One of the tributes who won a games only to be pulled back to the Capitol and sent into the ring again, she was known for being particularly vicious. A name for a little girl who's a bit of a spitfire perhaps?
Darius -- What better man to name a child for than the heroic peacekeeper who saved Gale from being severely whipped? OK, so they cut out his tongue and turned him into an Avox, but still ... he's a hero! And hey, it worked for Hootie.
Mitchell -- A District 13 soldier with a strong name to match his stellar capacity for fighting. Not surprisingly, the name means "gift from God."
Cecilia -- She didn't make it far when she was thrown back into the games, but she was said to have a gentle, kind nature. Not surprising ... she was a mom!
What's your favorite name from The Hunger Games?