What the O-Town guys names mean
Ashley
What Ashley's name means: ASHLEY. Even if the sensitive Ashley Wilkes was your favorite character in Gone With the Wind, bear in mind that Ashley is at this moment the number one most popular name given to girl babies in America, making it not the most viable or virile choice for a boy.
Erik
What Erik's name means:ERIC, ERIK. This is the most popular Scandinavian boys’ name ever in the United States — it was as high as number eight for babies born in 1982, and although it has now begun to fade, some parents are still attracted to its Norse strength, reminiscent of Viking hero Eric the Red. The k ending definitely emphasizes the Nordic connection. Noteworthy bearers of the name include sports figures Dickerson and Heiden and musicians Nelson (known as Rick) and Clapton. The spelling ERICH adds a more Germanic spin.
Jacob
What Jacob's name means: JACOB, JAKE. One of the most venerable of the Old Testament names, Jacob has leapt up the popularity lists to its current fifth place, actually topping the boys’ list in some states. It’s easy to see what makes Jacob such an appealing name: It conveys an image of honesty and warmth, and nickname Jake shares a certain unpretentious earthy feeling with equally stylish cousins Max, Sam and, yes, Jack. Jacobs and Jakes abound among the junior celebrity set: Sting, Sinead O’Connor, Dustin Hoffman, Rhea Perlman and Danny DeVito, and Nora Ephron and Carl Bernstein, have all chosen it for their offspring. For you, this means that although Jacob/Jake is a fine name, it’s also a very widely used one, threatening to become tomorrow’s Jason. In the Bible, Jacob, the youngest son of Isaac and Rebecca, husband of both Leah and Rachel, was one of the central patriarchs in the Book of Genesis, the twelve tribes of Israel evolving from his twelve sons. Name changes: Jacob’s name was changed to Israel after a wrestling match with an angel. Centuries later, two show biz notables dropped Jacob and took on new names when they entered the world of entertainment — George Gershwin and Rodney Dangerfield. Literary associations include Scrooge’s partner Jacob Marley in A Christmas Carol, and Jake was a hunk name on Melrose Place. JAKOB is the spelling used by the Dutch, Scandinavians, and Germans. An interesting alternative nickname is KOBY.
Trevor
What Trevor's name means:
TREVOR. Trevor is one of those quintessentially British flyboy names that have been moving onto some U.S. most popular charts of late, following Ian and in tandem with Derek and Duncan. To many Yanks, Trevor may sound appealingly offbeat and classy at the same time, but true Anglophiles may realize it’s more usually a working-class name in Britain these days.
Dan
DANIEL. A perennial favorite, Daniel was popular in the days of Daniel Webster and Daniel Boone and is still the twelfth most prevalent name for boy babies in America today. And its appeal is international — not only is it found all over expected places like Israel and Ireland, but it is currently number three in Germany as well. What is it that makes this name so attractive to so many different kinds of parents? A prime factor is that although it was the name of one of the greatest biblical heroes (what child has not thrilled to the story of the prophet whose faith protected him when he was thrown into a den of lions?), it does not seem at all solemn or pretentious compared, say, to Ezekiel or even Abraham. Daniel is, in fact, one of the very few male names that’s both traditional and modern-sounding, that has charm as well as weight. And its nicknames — DANNY and DAN — make it sound even friendlier, although, as with other classics, more and more parents are opting to use the name in full.