Joe Mauer, aka Joseph Patrick Mauer

I met a little boy the other day named Orion.  He was at a birthday party that also saw kiddie guests named Jasper, Thea, Porter, and Cain.  I mostly know this because the kids made name plaques for an activity and I was there to help paint their bizarre names across each tile.  It sure makes me appreciate the classic masculinity of Minnesota Twin baseball player Joseph Patrick Mauer.  Talk about a name that will weather the generations!

"Joseph" means "Jehovah increases" and is the 20th most popular name in the U.S.  The name is found everywhere from the Bible to the Minnesota Twins baseball roster and everywhere in-between: G.I. Joe, Joe the Plumber, and Joe Biden.  Yep, it's a pretty plain name, but it's a solid good guy name.

"Patrick" means "noble, patrician."  Though it's Latin, it is often tied to Irish culture.  We have many Patricks in pop culture: Swayze, Dempsey, and Buchanan.  And who can forget St. Patrick's Day?

So there you have it: two thumbs up for Joseph Patrick Mauer, a solid name for a solid guy.