The days of exams, textbooks, and overnight visits to the library might be over for you, but that doesn't mean that the college days have lost their influence. In fact, those schooling years could help you make one more major decision in life: picking a baby name for your little boy.
In fact, all that time you spent walking the hallowed halls and furiously taking notes could actually influence your little guy's name. And there is plenty of inspiration to be found.
Check out the list of top collegiate baby names for boys:
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Benedict: No, it has nothing to do with the famous Cumberbatch, but Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina is the collegiate inspiration for this school-themed name.
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Charleston: There's the University of Charleston (in West Virginia), and the College of Charleston (in South Carolina), which are just a couple of the collegiate connections with the name. The SC city is also home to The Citadel, one of the country's six senior military colleges.
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Colby: Colby College in Waterville, Maine gives the traditionally Scandinavian name a collegiate reach. The name has also been on the rise lately, and it peaked in popularity in 2005, after decades of lower numbers.
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Cornell: The Ithaca, New York university inspires this name, which is also a shorter form of the older Cornelius.
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Dean: Like Dean Martin, Dean Norris, and James Dean, the name carries some strong and wise connotations. It's also the title for one of the highest academic positions at any university.
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Drake: Sure, it's the name of one of the biggest rappers today, but Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa puts it on this collegiate baby name list.
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Duke: While the name originated from the title itself (it's the ranking right below the prince), it has also long been the nickname of Edward, and name of Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.
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Emerson: The name comes from Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts, but it's also been inspired by the famed writer, Ralph Waldo Emerson.
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Franklin: Along with Marshall (hello, twin boy names!), Franklin stands for Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania … and one of our more esteemed presidents.
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Howard: Howard University in Washington, D.C. is one of the country's historic black colleges and has plenty of other namesakes: Howard Hughes, Howie Mandel, and Howard Zinn, just to name a few.
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Irvine: The University of California, Irvine, lends itself to a not-so-common name. Irvine isn't the most popular name on the list, but consider it a simple and sweeter version of the traditional Irving.
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Jefferson: Meaning "son of Jeffrey," it's also the name of Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. And, of course, the name itself (and the school's namesake) comes from Thomas Jefferson.
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Judson: The university is based in Elgin, Illinois, but the name itself takes is international in origin: it's based on the Jordan River in Asia.
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Miles: From Miles Davis to Miles Davis, Miles College in Fairfield, Alabama has miles of inspired names (get it? get it?).
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Mitchell: Originally created as a variant of Michael (and also originally used as a last name), Mitchell is now closely associated with Mitchell College, which is based in New London, Connecticut.
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- Oxford: The University of Oxford, also located in Oxford, England, gives its name to this fancy baby moniker. The name itself means "place where the oxen cross the river," but it's easily associated with one of the highest-ranked and best universities in the world.
- Penn: Think of Penn State (Pennsylvania State University) or U Penn (University of Pennsylvania), but also remember that plenty of Hollywood stars have the name. Penn Badgley, Sean Penn, and Kal Penn are just a few.
- Princeton: Princeton University, also from Princeton, New Jersey, has been on the rise in just the past couple years. It's never cracked the Social Security Administration's most popular names, but 2012 was its biggest year to date!
- Stanford: The baby name peaked in the 1910s, but its collegiate influence hasn't gone away. Stanford University in Stanford, California is still one of the biggest and most respected universities in the country.
- Trig: One of the most popular (and difficult) college courses lends itself to this baby name. Trigonometry (which is not technically a name… yet), can easily be shortened for this moniker. Even Sarah Palin used it for her son back in 2008.
- Troy: The moniker peaked in the 1960s as a frontier name, and now it's back on the popularity upswing. It's also the name of Troy University in Troy, Alabama.
- Vaughn: While it's now become a somewhat unisex name, Vaughn still remains mostly a masculine title. Its collegiate connection comes from the Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology in New York City.
- Warren: The Warren National University in Cheyenne, Wyoming gives the name its old-school feel, and is, no doubt, also connected with success and honor. Just think of Warren Beatty, Warren Harding, and Warren Buffet.
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- Wesley: Wesley College in Dover, Delaware gives it the school link, but the name holds merit in its own right. It's also the name of some Hollywood greats: Wes Anderson, Wes Craven, and Wesley Snipes.
- Xavier: Saint Xavier University inĀ Chicago, Illinois is named after the famed missionary,Ā Francis Xavier, who is now theĀ patron saint of missionaries in foreign lands.
Which is your favorite collegiate baby name for boys?
Image via Kraevski Vitaly/shutterstock; blessings/shutterstock
