Two of the biggest success stories in boys’ names in recent years have been Peyton and Eli, which are of course the names of the football-playing Manning brothers.  Names of sports stars often prove inspirational, and in this Super Bowl weekend it makes sense to look at football names.

　　As with other celebrities, being attached to a fantastic player with personal appeal is not enough to catapult a name to stardom.  The name itself has to have something going for it too.

　　LaDainian Tomlinson of the San Diego Chargers is one of the best players today, for instance, but parents are hardly rushing out to honor him by using his less-than-easy name for their sons.  Plus, many football greats just have regular guy names, like Larry Fitzgerald and Ben Roethlisburger, two of the stars of this weekend’s contest.

　　Still, football abounds with creative names you might find inspiring for your own little athlete-to-be.  Here, some fascinating choices from the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the teams playing this weekend.

　　ANQUAN Boldin

　　BYRON Leftwich

　　CALAIS Campbell

　　CHIKE Okeafor

　　DESHEA Townsend

　　DEUCE Lutui

　　DONOVAN Woods  (McNabb made this appealing name famous)

　　EARLY Doucet

　　EDGERRIN James

　　ENOKA Lucas

　　FERNANDO Bryant

　　HEATH Miller

　　HINES Ward

　　IKE Taylor

　　KARLOS Dansby

　　KEYARON Fox

　　LEVI Brown

　　MEWEDDE Moore

　　ORPHEUS Roye

　　SANTONIO Holmes

　　TRAI Essex

　　TROY Polanalu

　　And in case you’re wondering, the football above is a real birth announcement.  Football fan expectant parents can order it at Lullabye Baby.