It's time for the networks to start trotting out their latest attempts to strike ratings gold—but while the shows themselves may not make a big impression, perhaps some of the character names will. What do you think of these baby names?
Jemma Joss Whedon loves smart women—so it's no wonder he made his biochemist on Marvel Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. a woman. Jemma Simmons sports a nice alternative to the overused Emma—it means precious stone.
Cyrus A handsome genie who happens to be Alice in Wonderland's unrequited love gets the name Cyrus, a Persian name that means "throne." It's currently on a bit of an uptick, so maybe its inclusion on the new show Once Upon a Time in Wonderland will help move it into "hot name" territory?
Duncan This Scottish name means "dark warrior," apropos for the FBI agent who appears to have turned to the dark side in Hostages, played by Dylan McDermott. It's currently on a bit of a decline, but makes a nice alternative to the popular Declan or Dylan.
Virginia I'm psyched to catch the series Masters of Sex, which goes inside the groundbreaking studies Masters and Johnson did into human sexuality. (You can thank them for keeping fewer of us in the dark about what goes on in the dark!) Virginia Johnson, the female partner in the research proved invaluable in getting people to take part in what could be a very awkward study. I'm thinking that her name, which means virginal and pure, is kind of ironic.
Ichabod There's a fresh twist afoot on Sleepy Hollow, where Ichabod Crane is brought back in the 21st century to help keep evil—and the Headless Horseman—at bay. (And transforming Ichabod into a hunky British guy doesn't hurt either!) It's an old Hebrew name that means fading glory. I'm not sure it can totally overcome the obvious "Icky" nickname, but if it does, it could be among the clunky-but-cool names that are making a comeback.
Katrina Ichabod's true love and wife (and a witch, to boot) sports this name, a German twist on Katherine that means "pure."
Francis Could this be a new red-hot name, thanks to the new Pope and the new royal love triangle in Reign, the latest attempt to make history hot? Francis is one contender for the hand of Mary, Queen of Scots, and sports a name that means "free man."
Freya There's witches all over TV this year—between Sleepy Hollow, the American Horror Story reboot, and Witches of East End, which features a witch with the name Freya, a Norse name that means noble woman.
What do you think of these names? Anything on here stand out as an absolute do—or an absolute don't?
Image: Marvel Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, courtesy of ABC/Bob D'Amico
