Sanderson

Sanderson ~ Alexander's Son ~ Scottish

First, a little explanation. This name and the story around it has created a huge stir after The Bachelor aired on Monday. #SandersonPoe became a Twitter phenomenon after Kelsey Poe, a contestant on the show, shared the story of her husband's tragic death. The way in which she shared this story is what has everyone abuzz, a topic that I'd like to avoid, but an interesting little side note are the ripples made by her late husband's name: Sanderson Poe.

Eonline had this to say:

"...our new favorite name that is apparently actually real..."

There were tons of tweets along those lines. The name is just so mysterious, ultra-cool, literary, and dignified that it feels like a soap-opera style name created to drum up more drama. The fact that it is very much real gives it even more punch. It's so catchy that most of America had no trouble remembering it. And while it's definitely the combo of his specific first and last name that makes this one a superstar on its own, I wanted to talk a little about the name Sanderson. I know some people out there are curious or truly inspired by this name.

History
Sanderson translates to "Alexander's Son". Alexander is firmly in the Greek column, but this derivative is a Scottish clan name (with English use as well). It stems from the name Sander or Sanders, a Dutch form of Alexander. The feminine name Sandra comes from this name as well.

Sanderson is just another drop in the overflowing bucket of Alexander derivatives. Like many other Scottish clan names, there are several different spellings of this surname out there, like Saunderson, for example.

If you were wondering whether this name has a connection to Anderson, the answer is...not really. Remove the first S, and you get Anderson, which means "Andrew's son" and is the eighth most common surname in Scotland. But even though it sounds similar, Sanderson comes from a different name altogether.

Popularity
It doesn't take a name expert to come to the conclusion that using Sanderson as a given name is exceptionally rare.

Could this name catch on because of the attention it received on The Bachelor? I doubt it, but I do expect a few parents to be truly inspired by the sound of this interesting name. If you're looking for nickname options, I'd avoid Sandy and look to Sander to fit today's trends, in the vein of Xander (or Zander) and Sawyer.

I'm sure most people landing on this article were simply curious about the name, but for those of you considering adding Sanderson to your list of potential baby names, choosing this name would definitely bring this episode of The Bachelor to mind for any fans. That doesn't mean that you couldn't make it your own. A family claim to the name or another connection would help. Pair it with a one-syllable surname and you have a catchy name for sure...albeit a little bit derivative.

There are loads of examples of parents getting name inspiration from reality TV, even from people who don't have the best reputation or are surrounded by controversy. Americans love unique, catchy surnames and Sanderson is no exception. If the name truly speaks to you, I say go for it.