By Linda Rosenkrantz

　　It’s become a Nameberry tradition, almost since the beginning to celebrate occupational names on Labor Day. This year we’re not only featuring those whose original occupations might no longer exist in the modern world, though they’re all good, wearable, sometimes trendy names, but also some of the more current occupational word-names which seem to be popping up with increasing frequency.

　　Right now, the usual, perhaps overworked, suspects populate the upper reaches of the popularity list, with Mason at #7.  Followed by the er-ending faves Carter, Hunter, Cooper, Ryder, Tucker, Archer, Sawyer, Gunner, and Tanner, all of which are in the Top 300.

　　But how about some of the more unusual ones that haven’t been heard quite so often?  Consider these:

　　BAIRD—Scottish version of bard—a poet, minstrel

　　BAXTER–communal baker, primarily female

　　BOOKER—scribe, used by Thandie Newton

　　BRENNER–charcoal burner and distiller of spirits

　　CARBRY–from the Gaelic for charioteer

　　CARDER—wool carder

　　CARRELL—maker of pillows

　　CASE—maker of boxes, now at #601

　　COLEMAN—charcoal burner, #873

　　CRAMER—shopkeeper

　　CURRIER—preparer of leather

　　FLETCHER—someone who attached feathers to the shaft of an arrow, #631, used by Brendan Fraser and Samantha Bee

　　GAGE—moneylender, #328, used by Beach Boy Dennis Wilson

　　GARTH—person in charge of a garden

　　MARSHALL—one who cares for horses #356, used by Peyton Manning and Patrick Kennedy

　　MERCER—a trader

　　MILLER—owner or worker in a grain mill, #852, used by Scott Wolf, Melissa Etheridge and Stella McCartney

　　REEVE—sheriff, local official

　　SHEPHERD– #797, used by Jerry Seinfeld, Zac Hanson and Jared Padalecki

　　SLATER—coverer of roofs with slate, used for one of their twins by Angela Bassett and Courtney Vance

　　SMITH–blacksmith

　　SPENCER–a person who dispensed provisions to those who worked at a manor, #292, used by Cuba Gooding, Jr and Tony Hawk

　　SUMNER—a summoner of witnesses to court

　　THATCHER—person who thatched roofs with straw, #847, used by Cat Cora and Meghan Kelly

　　TOLLIVER–metal worker

　　WARD—guard, guardian

　　WEBSTER–weaver

　　WRIGHT—craftsman

　　Modern babynamers have given the category a bit of a twist—rather than choosing occupational names with an archaic meaning that might have much relevance, we’ve seen the emergence of more straightforward profession word-names, a group favored especially by celebs and which seems to be growing all the time. I won’t include the royal “professions”—Prince and Princess et al, though they may be fulltime occupations.

　　BAKER

　　CHAPLIN—used by Ever Carradine (probably used more as a tribute to Charlie than for its profession).

　　DANCER

　　DEACON

　　DRUMMER

　　JUDGE

　　PILOT, famously used by Jason Lee for Pilot Inspektor

　　PIPER–#789, used by Gillian Anderson, Cuba Gooding, Jr, Sarah Palin and Samantha Bee

　　POET—used by Soleil Moon Frye

　　RACER—used by Robert Rodriguez and Sam Worthington

　　RANGER

　　SAILOR—used by Christie Brinkley

　　SCOUT–used by Demi Moore and Bruce Willis, Tom Berenger and Kerri Walsh

　　STRUMMER

　　If you chose one of these names, would it have any relation to the actual occupation?

　　HAPPY LABOR DAY!