| As the Olympic games draw to a close, so does Nameberry’s Olympic baby names coverage. This time with a look back to Games of the past. We perused the records going back to 1896, in search of the most unusual and interesting of past Gold Medalists’ names.
With such a wide-ranging international roster, we were able to mine some pretty exotic (in our culture, anyway) nuggets.
Girls
Annegret Richter — West Germany, track and field, 1972
Antonella Bellutti — Italy, racing cyclist, 1996
Beezie Madden (born Elizabeth) -– US, equestrian show jumping team, 2008
Clover Maitland -– Australia, field hockey, 1996 and 2000
Ellina Zvereva -– Belarus, discus throwing, 2000
Faustine Merret — France, windsurfing, 2004
Fernanda Ribeiro — Portugal, 10,000 meter race (established a new record), 1996
Fleur Mellor — Australia, track and field, 1956
Janica Kostelic — Croatia, Alpine skiing, 2002
Jearl Miles — US, track and field, 1996 and 2000
Liliya Nuritdinova -– Unified Team, track and field, 1992
Margitta Gummel — East Germany, shot put, 1968
Maritza Martén –- Cuba, discus throwing, 1992
Mildrette Netter — US, track and field, 1968
Oksana Baiul — Ukraine, figure skating, 1994 (at age 16)
Ondina Valla -– Italy, track and field, 1936
Petra Felke -– East Germany, javelin throw, 1988
Picabo Street -– US, ski racing, 1998
Rhi (Rhiannon) Jeffrey — US, swimming, 2004
Sanya Richards — US, track and field, 2004 and 2008
Savatheda Fynos — Bahamas, track and field, 2000
Séverine Vandenhende — France, judo, 2000
Sonja Henie — ice skating, Norway, 1928, 1932, 1936 — became a movie star
Susi Susanti (born Lucia) — Indonesia, badminton, 1992
Tenley Albright — US, figure skating, 1956
Torah Bright — Australia, snowboarding, 2010
Viorica Viscopoleanu -– Roumania, long jump, 1968
Wyomia Tyus — US, track and field, 1968
Xenia Stad-de-Jong — Netherlands, track and field, 1948
Boys
Apolo Anton Ohno — US, speed skating, 2002 and 2006
Bevil Rudd — South Africa, track and field, 1920
Bode Miller (born Samuel Bode) — US, ski racing, 2010
Bruny Sorin — Canada, track and field, 1996
Cael Sanderson — US, wrestling, 2004
Commodore Cochran—US, track and field, 1924
Daley Johnson — (born Francis), UK, decathlon, 1980, 1984
Danyon Loader — New Zealand, swimming, 1996
Delfo Cabrera — Argentina, marathon racer, 1948
Duke Kahanamoku — Hawaii, swimming, 1912, 1920 (he was named not for Hawaiian royalty, but after his father who had been christened “Duke” following the visit of the Duke of Edinburgh to Hawaii in 1869).
Eero Lehtonen — Finland, pentathlon, 1920 and 1924
Foy Draper — US, track and field, 1936
Gaston Reiff — Belgium, track and field, 1948
Gillis Grafström — Sweden, figure skating, 1920, 1924, 1928
Guinn Smith (born Owen Guinn) — US, pole vault, 1948
Harri Larva (born Harry) — Finland, track and field–28
Ilia Kulik — Russia figure skating, 1998
Ilmari Salminen — Finland, track and field, 1936
Ingo Weissenborn — Germany, fencing, 1992
Ivano Brugnetti — Italy, race walking, 2004
Jaak Uudmae — Estonia, long jump, 1980
Jacobus ”Jim” Thorpe — US–decathlon, 1912
Jasey-Jay Anderson — Canada, snowboarding, 2010
Josy Barthel (born Joseph) — Luxembourg, track and field, 1952
Kiko Sanchez (born Francis) — Spain, sailing, 1992
Livio Berruti — Italy, track and field, 1960
Lones Wigger -– US, shooting, 1965
Maurizio Damiliano — Italy, race walking, 1980
Mikio Oda — Japan, triple jump, 1928
Million Wolde — Ethiopia, track and field, 2000
Ollan Cassell — US, track and field, 1964
Paavo Nuirmi — Finland, track and field, 1920, 1924, 1928
Parry O’Brien — US, shot put, 1952, 1956
Rafer Johnson — US, decathlon, 1960
Sabin Carr — US, pole vault, 1927
Spyridon Louis — Greek, marathon, 1896 (first modern day Olympic marathon)
Tamio Kono –- US, weight lifting, 1952, 1956
Thane Baker (born Walter Thane) –- US, track and field, 1956
Usain Bolt — Jamaica, track and field, 2008
Xeno Müller — Swiss, rowing, 1996 |
