Raymond

A Norman name with protective instincts, Raymond comes from the Germanic ragin, counsel, and mund, protection, brought to England by William the Conqueror and carried through a line of crusader counts and Catalan saints. The name held top-ranks in mid-twentieth-century America, home to Raymond Chandler's detective prose and Everybody Loves Raymond's prime-time warmth. It has eased into the mid-300s as its generation ages, but a vintage revival is beginning to stir. Two grounded syllables, the long A giving way to a resolute ND close. Raymond reads dependable and kind, a name built for the head of the table, carving honors and all.