Now that the Tokyo Olympics are finally here, it's time to settle in and enjoy watching some of the world's most impressive athletes come together to compete for the coveted gold medals (though there's nothing wrong with silver and bronze medals, either). In the process, we'll get to know and root for people who have trained most of their lives for this event — and along the way, we'll probably find some baby name inspiration for the little boys-to-be in our own lives, too.
Naming a kid is no easy feat, and it's not until you're saddled with the responsibility of doing it yourself that you realize exactly how difficult picking out the perfect baby name can be. At a point, you realize that ideas can come from anywhere — even watching the Summer Olympics.
Need a little inspiration from some of the best athletes around? Read on for baby names for boys inspired by Olympians, both past and present, from the United States as well as all over the world.
MICHAEL
When we think of male Olympians, it's hard not to think about Michael Phelps, the US swimming legend and gold medalist who easily became beloved by millions as he competed. After all, he does have more medals than any other Olympian in history — who better to name a baby boy after?
TAKASHI
Throwing it back to the '50s, let's talk about Takashi Ono, one of the best gymnasts to ever compete. Hailing from Japan, he managed to take home a total of 13 medals across four Olympic games during his career, and he went down in history as a legend in the sport.
EDOARDO
Though the sport definitely doesn't get the attention it should, fencing has always been an interesting one at the Olympics. Edoardo Mangiarotti, who was from Italy, was one of the most successful fencers of all time, winning multiple medals at the Olympics, both individually and for his team.
JESSE
On the subject of actual Olympic legends, how could we not also bring up the name Jesse? Yep, we're talking about the record breaking Jesse Owens, the track and field star who won four gold medals at the 1936 Olympics. Maybe using his name will help your little one be just as fast as he was.
CARL
Another notable track and field athlete is Carl Lewis, who has won 10 Olympic medals (nine of them gold medals — not too shabby). And if you're feeling inspired by him and his career, using either the name Carl or the name Lewis would be a great way to pay tribute.
RYAN
Ryan Lochte isn't just an Olympic swimmer, y'all — he turned himself into a star. Sure, he ended up at the center of controversy for a while there, but that didn't stop him from becoming one of the greatest swimmers of all time. And who could forget watching What Would Ryan Lochte Do? on E!?
MARK
Add another impressive Olympic swimmer to the list of name inspiration! Though he has long since retired, Mark Spitz was the most successful Olympic athlete at the 1972 games in Munich, where he took home seven gold medals. That's some pretty impressive stuff!
KEVIN
Basketball fans might know Kevin Durant best as an NBA legend, but he's also an Olympian — he'll even be competing in the Tokyo Games, playing with Team USA. His name is a classic one that will never go out of style, and represents an athlete who's had a career that's been going strong for over 10 years.
TOWNLEY
Looking for an unusual name that's inspired by an Olympian? Maybe Townley Haas can help you out! This Olympic swimmer scored a gold medal in the 2016 Olympics when he was still a teenager, and now, at 24 years old, he's returning to represent the US at the Tokyo Games.
JUVAUGHN
Here's another uncommon name for a baby boy who, if he follows in his namesake's footsteps, will certainly be anything but ordinary! Juvaughn Harrison is competing in his first Olympic Games in 2021, and he's already impressed audiences with his high jump skills.
GUNNAR
Gunnar Bentz is an Olympic swimmer who has competed twice, even winning a gold medal for his talents. His name is an unusual one — it's not too popular right now, so it guarantees that your little swimmer will stand out among the crowd. Maybe he'll even end up breaking records, too?
ASHTON
For those track and field fans out there, the decathlon is, of course, always an impressive event, and a notable star is Ashton Eaton. After all, he did win back to back gold medals in the 2012 and 2016 Olympic games. Bonus: A gender neutral name is always good to come by!
ARMAND
Here's another unusual name to add to the list: Armand. Athlete Armand Duplantis is a pole vaulter from Sweden, and at 21 years old, he will be competing at the Olympics for the first time in Tokyo. His nickname is "Mondo," which is definitely an option for anyone who chooses to name their baby after him.
GIL
This name inspiration comes from 32-year-old track and field star Gil Roberts, who has represented the United States at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, where he won a gold medal in the 400 meters race. Aside from that, he's also competed in (and won) plenty of other championships, too.
HARRISON
This Olympic-themed name comes from a pretty cool piece of history from the games. Calvin and Alvin Harrison, track and field athletes, were the first pair of twins to ever compete and win gold medals in the Olympics on the same team, for as long as the modern version of the event has existed. So awesome!
CRISTIANO
The name "Cristiano" probably sounds familiar to you, because this athlete isn't just famous for his Olympic career! Not only has Cristiano Ronaldo competed in the Games, but he's also a soccer legend in his own right — and quite a celebrity in general at that.
CAELEB
Send our condolences to Matthew Phelps and Ryan Lochte, because if Tokyo goes the way that certain people are predicting, Caeleb Dressel might be the next big thing. He's competing again this year with two gold medals under his belt, and he's inspiring us with the unique way he spells his popular name.
NYJAH
Something new about this year's Olympic games is the fact that skateboarding is going to be included for the first time, and one of the talented skaters making their debut is Nyjah Huston. He already has almost 5 million followers on Instagram, and a pretty cool name to match.
KYLE
Kyle is a timeless name that's definitely worth considering for a baby boy — and it's also the name of an athlete who's expected to be one to watch this year. Kyle Snyder will be competing with the US freestyle wrestling team, and at 20 years old, he's already the youngest gold medalist in Olympic wrestling.
BRODY
The name Brody isn't too common these days, and it also belongs to a gymnast who could end up winning big this year. Brody Malone is 20 years old and will be competing on the US gymnastics team after also competing with his college, Stanford University.
