Excavate, like excavating for fossils.
These are actually all pretty good. Throh and Sawk and atrocious though. The only thing I don't like is there are LOADS of "or", "ur", "dur", "dor", etc name endings. It was SO predictable that most people would give a nonchalant "hmph, these are awful, NOA suck." response, like with absolutely everything else to do with this Gen. Just read them over a few times. When I got Gold version I only knew the Japanese names. It was a bit odd, but I now love most of Gen 2's names.
Just because the Japanese names sound more exotic or whatever to us doesn't make them any better...=P
Also: Suicune, Pidgeotto (if you hadn't watched the show), Gyarados, Cyndaquil, Gardevoir, Pachirisu and Illumise (and more) aren't exactly easy to pronounce for kids (or anyone), for those saying they must be fake on that basis. Or at least look complicated, much like these names.
And for the stupid/simple ones: Hoothoot, Muk, Seel, Electrode, Bagon (lol), Mew, Slaking.
[/obligatory early-gen-wasn't-much-better-in-that-department post]
Ones I love:
Sigilyph, Oshawott, Excadrill, Cofagrigus*, Tirtouga, Solosis, Reuniclus (said like "reunion" for those not sure about the beginning), Vanilluxe, Escavalier, Galvantula, Eelektross (would've prefered Elektross though), Fraxure, Haxorus (!), Volcarona (VERY nice)
*it's a variation of sarcophagus with an "f" (from "coffin" at the beginning?)....I hope no one's _genuinely_ actually concerned and being fussy about that 3 letter word in there. Shall we get a petition to change the name of the Grass type, or Silcoon and Cascoon (not going into detail there)? No.