These are my favorite boy names, in descending order, that I'd like to give my sons:

1. Solomon
2. Lucifer
3. Demian
4. Auberon

Tell me, would they kill me?

I have reasons, though, it's not just a penchant for florid names. I mean, for girls at least, I think I got over that long ago. My reasons being:

1. after the wise king. That king has so many wonderful stories to his name, and attributes to his being. The full name is wonderful spoken aloud, can be used casually, while Sol as an abbreviation is also beautiful and has its own kingly meaning.

2. I've always thought it to be a most beautiful name. And no, I am not naming my son after the Christian devil. The devil's name is Satan. Before he was the devil, before he fell from grace, he was God's highest angel, and his name was Lucifer. Light-bringer. Light-bringer! Unfortunately, this name has no graceful masculine abbreviation. I would relegate it to Solomon's second name. It's a good secret name to have.

3. Demian, after the character of Herman Hesse's book of the same name. He represents a man in touch with all aspects of his psyche; at peace with the dark aspects, in union with the light ones. Master of himself. And this book meant a lot to me in changing times. The spelling is the way I like it; it implies something softer in the pronunciation. This one needs no abbreviation. (My sister once said, But doesn't that mean demon? Yes. Yes it does. That's fine with me.)

4. A new favorite. Auberon (OH-burr-on). after the Fairy King. I don't mean fairies in your small-people pixie-dust and flowers kind of way; I mean fairies in the way of alternate realms, dangerous beauty, innate mischief, and immortality--Auberon is king of that. This too has no handy abbreviation; this would be Demian's second name. A good second name.

Solomon Lucifer, and Demian Auberon. So I would name my sons after the wisest king of men, God's highest angel, master of the psyche, and king of the Fay. Oh, it just ocurred to me the fifth name that I love:

5. Israel. The man who wrestled with God. Father of a nation. Also a great occultist.

What nerve! That these names should be the names of my sons! Of course, though, really. How could I give them anything less than superlatives.

Tell me, would they kill me?

And for all you feminists out there, don't you worry; I've thought of the girls' names too. Just don't feel like going into them right now. Falling asleep, that would be why.

12:20 a.m. 2003-11-13�