What would Britain do?

http://nameberry.com/blog/british-baby-names-hot-new-trends?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NameberryBlog+%28Nameberry+-+Baby+Name+Blog%29

Have you ever wondered what the British are naming their children?  Some of you may know if you browse baby name sites and what not.  There's also the fact that we tend to copy their naming trends these days.  At least to an extent.  Well, the above link is a list of recent births in the London Telegraph.  Take a look and see the difference.  Someone named their kid Hermione.  How AWESOME is that!?!  Someone also named their kid Badger.  Not sure how I feel about that one.  Also, take a look at the last name of the boys list...its very interesting.

Any names you would use?  Any names that you simply can't get your head wrapped around?

An RPG list

Here's a list of some World of Warcraft names that you could use for your child.  You tell me whether they're for a boy or a girl, or both. 

Players I've known:
Lyree (me)
Gryss
Justizia
Quinzax
Coryn
Callista

In game characters:
Freya
Leesa'oh
Athallen
Andrissa
Braelyn
Ithania
Sorrelon
Myrokos
Valiant
Alorah
Hiren
Caris
Arelas
Daelin

I'm certainly in love with the name Freya, but I can't see myself ever using the name because she's a character in Warcraft.  Would that stop you?  Or would you choose a name because of ties to a beloved game character, much like people do with film and literary characters?

H Names: The Boys

H Names: The Boys


Hunter (56) - English; one who hunts
Henry (71) - German; estate ruler
Hayden (91) - English; heather-grown hill
Hudson (150) - English; Hugh’s son
Hector (204) - Greek; holds fast
Harrison (242) - English; son of Harry
Holden (333) - English; hollow valley
Hugo (409) - German; mind, intellect
Harley (572) - English; the long field
Harry (650) - form of Henry (German); estate ruler
Heath (686) - English; the heathland dweller
Hayes (949) - English; hedged area
Hugh (988) - English, German; mind, intellect

My favorites: Henry, Hudson, Harrison, Holden, and Harry (if you know me, you know why).

H Names: The Girls

H Names: The Girls


Hannah (23) - Hebrew; grace
Hailey (25) - English; hay field

Hayden (131) - English; heather-grown hill
Harper (174) - English; harp player
Hope (233) - Virtue name; hope
Harmony (254) - Word name; harmony
Hazel (294) - English; the hazelnut tree
Heidi (297) - German; of noble birth
Hadley (361) - English; heathery field
Holly (380) - Nature name; holly (associated with Christmas)
Heather (558) - Scottish botanical name; heather flower
Helena (575) - Greek; bright, shining one
Harlow (902) - English surname; army

My favorites: Hannah, Harper, Hope, Heather, and Helena.

Christmas Names

Let's talk Christmas names.  It is the holiday season!  There are tons of names associated with Christmastime.  There are also names you can look at for Kwanzaa and Hanukkah, some of which are listed below.

These lists are Christmas and Winter Solstice names. 

For Girls:
Holly - A typical winter plant associated with Christmas.
Gloria - Latin for glory and the name of a Christmas carol.
Eve - Christmas eve, means "life"
Natalie - Means "Christmas day" or "born at Christmas"
Natasha - Means "Christmas day" or "born at Christmas"
Mary - As in the Virgin Mary.
Noel - French for "Merry Christmas" and a Christmas carol
Joy - A Christmas carol and the general feeling.
Angel - Spread the news of Jesus' birth.
Carol - Sung at Christmastime.
Ivy - Another common plant associated with Christmas.
Winter - The season of these holidays.
Nicole - form of Nicholas.  For Saint Nicholas, or Santa Clause.
Grace - A virtue you hear a lot about during Christmastime.
Hope - A virtue you hear a lot about during Christmastime.

For Boys:
Emmanuel - Hebrew for "God is with us"
Christian - Follower of Christ.
Christopher - Think Kris Kringle.  Also means "God has judged".
Noel - French for "Merry Christmas".
Timothy - Greek for "revering God".  Also, Tiny Tim from A Christmas Carol.
Gabriel - Name of the angel who announced the birth of Christ.
Joseph - Mary's husband and father of Jesus.
Nicholas - Saint Nicholas, or Santa Clause if you will.

I also found a couple of names for Kwanzaa.  They are some of the 7 principles that each day of Kwanzaa are dedicated to.

Umoja (unity) - Beautiful meaning, with a possible nickname of Uma
Nia (purpose) - This is actually a fairly common name.
Kuumba (creativity) - A more unusual choice with a cool meaning.
Imani (faith) - A recognizable name with a beautiful meaning.

My last list are names inspired by Hanukkah. 

For girls:
Chayil - Hebrew word for "army"
Israella - The holy land with a feminine twist.
Laila - Hebrew word for "night"
Lenorah - Chosen because it rhymes with menorah
Ninette - There are nine candles on the menorah
Norah - Again, from menorah.
Olive - Olive oil was used to light the sacred lamp.
Temple - The place of worship for Jews.

Blaize/Blaise - For the flames from each candle.
Clay - From the song, "I had a little dreidel, I made it out of clay."
Dreydan - Similar to dreidel.
Israel - The holy land.
Judah - Judah Maccabee led the army against Antiochus.
Maccabee - Judah Maccabee led the army against Antiochus.
Maoz - First word of the popular Hanukkah song "Maoz Tzur".

Your Choice!

Ok, its been a while since I've posted anything.  I am just running out of energy to do so I guess.  So to get back into the groove (a little), I'm posing a question to you.

If you could name a child ANYTHING without anyone to tell you no you can't use that name or having any consequences from it, what would you name this fictional child?

My choices:
Boy-Dashiell Finn
Girl-Lyra Hermione

Love 'em!  They're weird without being too weird.  At least, I think so :).

RPG Names

RPG names can be loads of fun to come up with.  Its a chance for name fanatics to pick a ridiculous name that's fanciful or silly or straight up bad ass. 

An obvious way to pick a name for your character is to choose a name that has to do with your character's job.  For instance, I named my rogue Lyree.  When you think about it, it works out quite well.  Lyree has a similar sound to liar, which fits a rogue so well since they are essentially thieves.  A great name for a warrior would be Alexander (although boring for an RPG name) because it means defending warrior.  The best way to find a good name to fit your character's job is to look up names by meaning.  There are some cool names out there from different origins that will fit right into an RPG realm.

Another way to pick a name is to go by origin.  You can find loads of neat names that are ancient Roman or Latin that will most likely fit in with the lore of the game.  One of the girls I used to play with named her characters after words but by using the Latin or Italian form, or at least a variation of that.  For instance, her paladin is Justizia.  What does Justizia sound like?  Justice.  What do paladins generally do?  Dole out some justice! 

Yet another way to pick a name is to just come up with something off the top of your head.  You can use existing names to create a new one.  You can choose a name made up of words that sound cool or funny together.  Steve named his warrior Dillmonkey.  I don't even remember why, but its a ridiculous name that works because its Steve and it fits for him.  His hunter is Steveman....not very original, but true to the player!

Or, if you feel like going with a name that has been chosen to go with the game, most RPG games have a random name generator that will generate a name for you.  Often, these names fit right in with the game's character names.

The real question is which of these names would actually work for a baby name.  I might question your sanity if you told me you were going to name your child Dillmonkey, but if you said you were thinking of using Lyree, I can see that as a legit name.  Give me a little more time, and I'll come up with a list of some names that I think could cross from being used as an RPG name into being used as a child's name.  If you can think of any as well, or know of any that have already been used, let me know and I'll add them to the list!

Will post again soon

I promise to post again soon.  Right now, this third trimester is kicking my ass.

Inspiration please!

I need some inspiration!  What kind of name topic would you like to see more about?  A certain style?  Perhaps names with certain meaning?  Anything celebrity?  Let me know!  I need a starting point!

To Change a Name

News flash!  Even celebrities second guess their name choices.  Recently (as in today), I found out that David Boreanaz and his wife decided to change their baby girls name.  Originally Bardot Vita, the little Boreanaz is now officially Bella.  I'm sure you can imagine that I love this name, but the important thing is that it fit for the parents and their child. 

If you suddenly decide that you made a wrong decision about your child's name, don't just live with it!  You'll be thinking about the other possibilities for the rest of your life and that's no way to think about your child or anything to do with your child.  This is probably why I immediately start thinking about what to name my baby when I find out I'm having one.  Hell, I was thinking about what I would name my kids well before I actually conceived. 

Anyway, sometimes you can fall in love with a name but when the baby comes it simply doesn't feel right.  What do you do?  Do you stick with it?  Do you find a new name in the hospital?  Are you able to find a new name in the hospital?  Some parents can't come up with their new choice in the hospital and either leave the birth certificate blank or just use their original choice.  Sometimes, parents also run into the problem of waking up when their child is a few months old and realizing they suddenly can't stand the name they've chosen because it doesn't seem right for their child. 

Now, for whatever reason someone decides this, it is pretty important to be sure to think through this thoroughly.  I don't think that any parent should leave their child with a name that they don't like but the parent should also be sure that there really is a problem with the name and that there is an obvious replacement that should have been chosen in the first place.  A person's name is so important that you can't just change it at a whim without seeming completely insane.  So, again, the parents need to really assess the situation.  What do they not like about the name?  What do they want in a name?  Does it fit their child? And most importantly, do they love the new name?

Ideally, you choose a name that you are in love with to begin with and it stays that way.  I honestly don't understand how you can choose a name for you child that you love and then suddenly that changes.  But I wouldn't judge someone because of that (until they start doing it multiple times...).  I think that you need to love your child's name, not just like it.  With that in mind, can you see yourself changing your mind about a name that has already been given?  More so, would you be brave enough to change it if you did?

Find me an Alternative

Its been a while, I know.  I just wasn't really inspired to get on here, but, in my defense, it has been a busy 2 weeks.  Anyway, my topic today is name alternatives.  The list below comes from babynamewizard.com.  The site's author wrote a blog about this a few months back.  I like these kinds of discussions because I have found a ton of names that I really love now by looking for alternatives to popular names.  This list doesn't even consist of wildly popular names, but it consists of names that are very close to being so.  The alternatives are options for you to stay ahead of the curve.  Although, seeing Arabella on there, I think it IS one of the names that should begin to have alternatives.  I'm surprised at how popular it has become in just the past couple of years.  With that said, here's some options for names that are so very close to popping into the top 100 (or perhaps already have).

GIRLS

Amelia: Helena, Celia, Beatrice, Adela, Aurelia
Arianna: Arabella, Alessandra, Iliana, Ariella, Allegra
Lila: Luna, Isla, Lana, Mira, Calla
Marley: Presley, Laney, Ellery, Everly, Marlowe
Peyton: Teagan, Leighton, Madigan, Paxton, Larsen
Piper: Ivy, Sawyer, Juniper, Wren, Briar

BOYS
Carter: Porter, Archer, Ramsey, Calder, Seaver
Levi: Tobias, Cyrus, Jericho, Boaz, Wiley
Liam: Finn, Callum, Cian, Ewan, Teague
Maddox: Paxton, Hendrix, Lennox, Saxon, Hawkins
Oliver: Edgar, Julius, Everett, Alistair, Benedict
Wyatt: Sawyer, Walker, Abbott, Winslow, Crockett

Of course, I threw my own favorites in there (they are the bolded names).  The only one that really doesn't sound like such a good option to me is Crockett.  I immediately thought of a "crock of"......well, something that isn't very nice to say.  That's always something you have to consider when choosing a name, but while I may think of that, most people may find me crazy because I do. 

By the way, if any of you name your kid Finn, I will be eternally jealous of you and will think you're the coolest in the world. 

A Friendly Comparison

Hey friends, here’s some tidbits about your names! I thought I’d see where some of my friend’s names have been over the years.

Alexandra
Meaning: man’s defender (Greek)
Currently # 61
#220 in 1981
Most popular in the 1990s at #28 for the decade

Amanda
Meaning: much loved (Latin)
Currently # 166
#4 in 1985
Most popular in the 1980s at #3 for the decade

Angela
Meaning: divine messenger (Latin)
Currently # 142
#22 in 1983
Most popular in the 1970s at #7 for the decade

Ashley
Meaning: dweller near the ash tree meadow (English)
Currently # 20
#34 in 1981
Most popular in the 1980s at #4 for the decade

Heather
Meaning: Scottish botanical name
Currently # 558
#5 in 1977
Most popular in the 1970s at #8 for the decade

Heidi
Meaning: of noble birth (German)
Currently # 297
#102 in 1984
Most popular in the 1970s at #77 for the decade

Jessica
Meaning: wealthy (Hebrew)
Currently # 59
#2 in 1981
Most popular in the 1980s at #1 for the decade

Kayla
Meaning: laurel, crown (Arabic and Hebrew)
Currently # 35
#83 in 1983
Most popular in the 1990s at #12 for the decade

Kristi
Meaning: anointed, Christian (Greek)
Currently not in the top 1000
#168 in 1986
Most popular in the 1970s at #107 for the decade

Melanie
Meaning: black, dark (Greek)
Currently # 93
#85 in 1984
Most popular in the 1970s at #56 for the decade

Michelle
Meaning: who is like God (French)
Currently # 104
#23 in 1986
Most popular in the 1970s at #4 for the decade

Patricia
Meaning: noble, patrician (Latin)
Currently # 541
#77 in 1988
Most popular in the 1940s at #4 for the decade

These are a few of my friends names (mostly those of you who peek at the blog). Its interesting to see when your name was most popular because it may not have been when you were actually born. The other factor to look at is how popular the name is now. So far, mine is the only name not still on the top 1000 list and some of your names are still pretty popular. Is your name where you expected it to be?

G Names: The Boys

Gabriel (22) - Hebrew; God is my strength
Gavin (33) - Celtic; little hawk

Giovanni (132) - Italian; God is gracious
Grant (144) - Scottish; large
George (163) - Greek; farmer
Grayson (172) - English; son of the bailiff
Garrett (184) - Italian; spear strength
Griffin (233) - Welsh; strong fighter
Gregory (248) - Greek; vigilant, a watchman
Graham (262) - English; gravelly homestead
Grady (287) - Irish; noble, industrious
Gunner (400) - Scandinavian; bold warrior
Gary (452) - English; spearman
Gideon (549) - Hebrew; feller of trees
Garrison (953) - English; son of Garret

My favorites: George, Grayson, Griffin, Graham (LOVE), Gideon.

G Names: The Girls

Grace (17) - Virtue name; grace Gabriella (33) - Spanish and Italian; God is my strength
Gianna (76) - Italian; the Lord is gracious
Genesis (83) - Word name
Gabrielle (96) - French; God is my strength

Giselle (134) - German; pledge/hostage
Genevieve (288) - French, Celtic; woman of the people or white wave
Georgia (337) - English; farmer
Gloria (495) - Latin; glory
Gemma (568) - Italian; precious stone
Gwendolyn (585) - Welsh; white circle
Gia (590) - Italian; God is gracious
Greta (692) - German; pearl
Giuliana (705) - Italian; youthful
Gretchen (996) - German; pearl

My favorites: Grace, Genevieve, Gwendolyn, Giuliana

F Names: The Boys

No Top 100 names for the boys!


Fernando (178) - Spanish and Portuguese; bold voyager
Francisco (181) - Spanish and Portuguese; free man
Fabian (283) - Latin clan name; bean grower
Frank (289) - Latin; free man
Felix (339) - Latin; happy, fortunate
Finn (343) - Irish; bright, fair
Franklin (530) - English; free landholder
Frederick (536) - German; peaceful ruler
Finnegan (548) - Irish; fair
Felipe (563) - Spanish; lover of horses
Francis (680) - Latin; free man
Finley (722) - Irish and Scottish; fair-haired hero
Franco (750) - Italian; free man
Fisher (841) - Occupational name; fisherman
Fletcher (931) - English occupational name; arrow-maker

My favorites: Finn, Finnegan, Finley, Fisher

F Names: The Girls

Wow, there’s a real lack of F names in the top 1000. Most letters end up with me narrowing down the names I want to include so the list doesn’t go on forever. However, this time, this is the entire set of F names.

Faith (80) - Virtue name; faith
Fernanda (256) - Spanish and Portuguese; bold voyager
Fiona (313) - Scottish; the fair one
Francesca (470) - Italian; free man
Finley (526) - Irish and Scottish; fair-haired hero
Felicity (782) - Latin; happy
Frances (802) - Latin; free man
Frida (927) - German; peaceful

My favorites: Faith, Fiona, and Francesca.

Football baby

Now that I watch football with Steve to occupy our Sundays and Monday nights, I get interested in some of the players' lives.  This week, I'm particularly thinking of Drew Brees.  His wife is due with their second son anytime now and they are asking their fans for name suggestions.  They would like a name that starts with a B and is unusual.  Their first son is Baylen.  To go with that, I'm at a loss.  I can't think of anything.  Baylen isn't on the social security list, so its obviously a very unusual name. 

If you were to name the Brees' next kiddo, what would you choose (given the stipulations)?

E Names: The Boys

E Names: The Boys

Ethan (2) - Hebrew; strong, firm
Elijah (21) - Hebrew; the Lord is my god
Evan (35) - Welsh; God is gracious
Eli (90) - Hebrew; ascended, uplifted, height
Eric (95) - Old Norse; eternal ruler

Eduardo (128) - Spanish and Italian; wealthy guardian
Edward (137) - English; wealthy guardian
Emmanuel (146) - Hebrew; God is with us
Elias (158) - Greek; the Lord is my god
Easton (252) - English; east-facing place
Ezra (259) - Hebrew; help
Elliot (297) - English; the Lord is my god
Everett (320) - English; brave boar
Emmett (332) - Hebrew; industrious
Emerson (437) - German; son of the chief

My favorites: Ethan, Eli, Elliot, Everett, Emmett, Emerson

E Names: The Girls

E Names: The Girls

This is a hard set of names because there are so many good ones!

Emma (2) - German; healer of the universe
Emily (6) - Latin; energetic
Elizabeth (11) - Hebrew; pledged to God
Ella (14) - German; fairy maiden
Evelyn (39) - English; desired or French; little bird
Eva (99) - Hebrew; life

Eliana (193) - Hebrew; sun
Elena (195) - Spanish; bright, shining one
Elise (211) - French; pledged to God
Eleanor (218) - French; bright, shining one
Eliza (278) - Hebrew; pledged to God
Emerson (321) - German; son of the chief
Evangeline (429) - Greek; bearer of good news
Elle (442) - French; girl
Evie (723) - Hebrew; life
Elaine (767) - French; bring, shining one
 
My favorites: Elizabeth, Eliana, Elena, Emerson, Evangeline, Evie
Special mentions to Evelyn, a name that I didn't realize was so darn popular until my dear friend Michelle used it for her little bird!

D Names: The Boys

Daniel (7) - Hebrew; God is my judge
David (14) - Hebrew; beloved
Dylan (29) - Welsh; son of the sea
Diego (75) - Spanish; supplanter
Dominic (81) - Latin; belonging to the Lord

Devin (124) - Irish; poet
Damian (127) - Greek; to tame, subdue
Derek (170) - German; the people’s ruler
Donovan (215) - Irish; dark
Drake (230) - English; male duck
Declan (308) - Irish; meaning unknown
Desmond (384) - Latin; all creation
Davis (427) - Hebrew; beloved (version of David)
Dorian (509) - Greek; from Doris
Deacon (685) - Greek; messenger, servant
Duncan (732) - Scottish; dark warrior
Darwin (737) - English; dear friend

My favorites: Dominic, Drake, Declan, Deacon, Duncan

D Names: The Girls

D names aren’t quite so popular. Only one made it into the top 100.


Destiny (57) - word name; destiny
Daniela (136) - Italian, Polish, and Czech; God is my judge
Daisy (153) - flower name, form of Margaret; pearl
Diana (165) - Latin; divine
Danielle (170) - Hebrew; God is my judge
Delilah (191) - Hebrew, Arabic; desirable, seductive, or guide
Delaney (241) - Irish; dark challenger
Dakota (276) - place name, Sioux; friendly one
Dulce (345) - Latin; sweet
Danica (379) - Norse; morning star
Daphne (476) - Greek; laurel tree
Dana (530) - English; from Denmark
Dahlia (660) - flower name; dahlia flower
Dayanara (805) - invented name (the most unique of the D names I saw)
Dominique (962) - French; belonging to a lord
 
My favorites: Diana, Delilah (don't care that she was a whore), Danica (its growing on me), Daphne

Names of Halloween

Woot!  It's October.  That means that Halloween is only a few weeks away.  Of all the holidays in our culture, Halloween is probably one of the least likely holidays you'd use for naming inspiration.  But, if that is the case, I think you should reconsider!  Let's review:

Famous witches and wizards:
Morgana, Merlin, Nimue (Arthurian Legend)
Glinda (Wizard of Oz)
Winifred, Mary, and Sarah (Hocus Pocus)
Sabrina (the Teenage Witch)
Willow (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Piper, Prudence, Pheobe, and Paige (Charmed)
Then there's Bewitched, which gave us Samantha, Endora (her mother), Tabitha (her daughter), Clara (her aunt), and Serena (her cousin)!

Names inspired by the moon, a haunting Halloween staple:
Luna (Roman goddess of the moon)
Selene (Greek goddess of the moon)

Names found in the underworld:
Persephone (Hades' wife)
Hades (Greek god of the underworld)
Osiris (Egyptian king of the underworld)
Anubis (Egyptian associated with death)
Horus (son of Osiris)
Odin (Norse god of death, and other things)
Avalon (King Arthur's resting ground)

Literary Horror figures:
Edgar Allen Poe
Bram Stoker
Mary Shelley
Stephen King

If you're up to it, supernatural villain names:
Samara (The Ring)
Damien (The Omen)
Regan (The Exorcist)
Freddy (Nightmare on Elm Street)
Jason (Friday the 13th)
Michael (Halloween film series)

Two big fantasy creature names:
Griffin
Phoenix

To revisit witch and wizard names, some Harry Potter names for you:
Harry
Ronald
Hermione
Percy
Fred
George
Arthur
Albus
Ginevra
Rowena
Fleur
Godric
Severus
Draco
Lily
James
Remus
Sirius

I could go on with Harry Potter names, but it would be a VERY long post.

There are so many names that are inspired by different parts of Halloween!  If you really wanted to honor Halloween, you could go with a name from what is probably most people's favorite thing about the holiday: Jack (as in Jack 'O Lantern).

How do you pick a name?

How difficult was it for you to pick a name?  For some parents, it takes no time at all.  They already have an idea of what they like or perhaps they are using a family name and there was no need to further discuss the issue.  More often than not, though, that's not what you hear about.  Parents talk about their struggle to pick the right name.  Some spend the entire 9 months looking and still haven't chosen a name by the time they go to the hospital.  There's also the issue of one parent immediately having a set of names that are top picks and the other parents shoots everyone of them down.  I can't tell you how many lists I've made in the past trying to pick a baby name.  Each time, I end up with a couple that Steve would even entertain. 

So, with so many names to choose from and so many factors making it that much more difficult, how do you choose a name?  There are many lists of ideas on what should be considered when choosing a name, but here are some of my favorite things to consider:


1) Make a list of names that have a special meaning to you.  It could be a family name, the name of a hero, or a name with a particular meaning.  If its special to you, its like to be special to your child as well.

2) Does the name sound good with your last name?  Carter is a cool name, but pair it with a last name like Calder and it just sounds silly.

3) Make sure the initials aren't ripe for the teasing.  Are you gonna name a girl Ashley Susanne Smith?  I hope not.  Also, do you want all of your children to have a name that begins with the same letter?

4) Will the name age well?  Princess may work for you now, but it's not going to sounds quite so cute when Princess is 30.

5) How do you feel about gender lines in naming?  There are lots of gender neutral names and plenty of names with a certain gender association that are making the switch, but how do you feel about all of that?

6) How badly do you want your child to have a unique name?  You can pick a less popular name or you can change the spelling of a name, but keep in mind that some obscure names or names spelled differently from the normal might cause your child grief later.  (I know this because there's a lot of different ways that people spell Kristi)

7) Above all else, make sure you AND your partner love the name.  Don't just settle on a name because you're sick of looking or tired of arguing.  The right one is out there and if you start early, you have a lot of time to find it!


To recap, meaning, last name compatibility, initials, name aging, gender association, uniqueness, and, most of all, mutual love of the name!

PS: If you found a name you and your partner love, STOP LOOKING! There's always going to be other names. I find myself having to beat this into my own head.

Wait, how do you spell Aiden?

http://www.babynamewizard.com/archives/2009/5/checking-in-on-the-age-of-aidans

Alright.  What's the deal with Aidan?  I have always thought it was a cute name, but my word, AIDENs ARE EVERYWHERE!  There's like 10 different ways to spell Aiden.  There's about 10 variations of the name that start with different letters or letter combinations.  Its enough to drive a person crazy.  I'm almost to the point where the name Aiden is just ruined for me because of all of the ridiculous variations and spellings.  There are a good amount of people that this is already the case. 

If you take a look at the link, you can read the different versions of Aiden that are in the top 1000.  There's around 40 names total, 10 of which are different ways to spell Aiden.  Am I just being super judgemental or has this really gotten out of hand? 

C Names: The Boys

C Names: The Boys

Christopher (11) - Greek and Latin; one who carries Christ
Christian (23) - Greek; follower of Christ
Caleb (31) - Hebrew; bold, intrepid
Carter (50) - English occupational name; cart maker or driver
Connor (52) - Irish; lover of hounds
Cameron (59) - Scottish; crooked nose
Chase (61) - French; to hunt
Charles (64) - French; free man
Carlos (79) - Spanish; free man
Cole (82) - English; swarthy, coal black
Cooper (84) - English occupational name; barrel maker
Carson (86) - Irish and Scottish; son of the marsh-dwellers
Colton (93) - English; from the coal or dark town

Camden (194) - Scottish; winding valley
Chance (236) - French; chancellor
Cash (250) - Word name, diminutive of Cassius; hollow
Cohen (323) - Hebrew; priest
Cade (324) - English; barrel
Chandler (469) - French occupational name; candle maker
Cullen (485) - Irish; puppy, cub
Cale (668) - Diminutive of Caleb; bold, intrepid
Cedric (702) - Celtic; model of generosity
Clark (708) - English; clerk
Callum (871) - Scottish; dove
Clinton (922) - English; hilltop town
Cassius (998) - Latin; hollow

My favorites: Caleb, Carter, Camden, Cullen (I know, Twilight, but its kind of a cool name), Cedric, Callum

C Names: The Girls

C Names: The Girls

Chloe (9) - Greek; young green shoot
Claire (53) - French; clear and bright
Charlotte (68) - English; free
Camila (79) - Italian; perfect
Caroline (87) - Latin; beautiful woman

Catherine (177) - Greek; pure
Clara (199) - Latin; illustrious
Cadence (222) - Latin; rhythm
Cecilia (265) - Latin; blind
Cora (303) - Greek; heart, maiden
Celeste (459) - Latin; heavenly
Campbell (727) - Scottish; crooked mouth
Celia (756) - Latin; heaven
Carina (870) - Spanish; dear one
Cambria (993) - Latin; from Wales
My favorite: Charlotte, Catherine, Clara, Cadence, Celia, Carina (Cambria is very close to making my top 5 here!  Its a pretty name you don't hear very often.)

Note: This one was more difficult because they were a lot more cool C names in the top 1000 than I thought!

There's a Draco among us!

It's true!  There is now a Draco in this world, and the name is no longer just attached to a fictional character or a constellation.  Danica McKellar recently had a son and she named him Draco.  Namecandy.com is calling the choice "arguably the best celebrity baby name story of the year".  I think I'd have to agree!  This is such a cool name, I don't care how scummy Draco Malfoy is!  After all, in the end he wasn't a real bad guy, just a victim of his surroundings (but that's not what I'm posting about). 

Just a little info on the name:
-It is a constellation (as I pointed out in the beginning)
-Only famous namesake is Draco Malfoy
-Latin name that means 'dragon'

B Names: The Boys

B Names: The Boys

Benjamin (20) - Hebrew; son of the right hand
Brandon (38) - English; broom-covered hill
Brayden (47) - English; wide valley
Brody (77) - Scottish; muddy place, ditch
Blake (89) - English; fair-haired, dark (weird how contradictory that is)
Bryan (92) - Irish; strong, virtuous, and honorable
Brian (94) - Irish; strong, virtuous, and honorable

Bradley (197) - English; wide meadow
Bennett (309) - English; blessed
Beau (396) - French; handsome
Beckett (413) - English, Irish; dweller near the brook
Bruce (465) - Scottish, English; from the brushwood thicket
Barrett (567) - German; bear strength
Brent (629) - English; dweller near the burnt land
Bailey (941) - English; law enforcer, bailiff

My favorites: Benjamin, Bennett, Beckett

Jude Alexander

So, why Jude?  Why Alexander?  Why the pair together?

1) Jude is one of my favorite names and has been on my boy list for most of both pregnancies.  Once Steve started to really like it, it was a no brainer!  Even though he doesn't really like the fact that Jude is named after a song ;).  But that's OK, we'll sing it to him all the time just to drive Steve mad!

2) Alexander just ended up being Steve's chosen "perfect match".  While looking for middle names, I ended up sticking with classic names in the top 100 that I liked.  I wanted something familiar and classic because those are Steve's favorite names.  I got lucky because Alexander is probably my favorite top 50 boys name, or at least top 3! 

3) We picked the combo because its one of the few Steve agreed to.  It was hard just to get him to pick a first name, then we struggled for another few days over a middle name.  With my favorite names, like Jude, he said he'd consider them if I could find the right middle name.  Alexander just happened to go with most of the names I love so much! 

4) I love the meaning.  You have Jude, which means praise, and Alexander, which means defending warrior.    Awesome meaning!

Yay for boy!  I'll always miss my second pick for a girl's name, because the nickname Lily Q gives me the warm fuzzies, but I'm super excited to have a boy!

Boy or Girl

Alright.  Tomorrow is the day.  I get to find out the sex of our second baby.  I must say the wait has been pretty annoying.  I'm the kind of person who can't wait if there's something I could know.  And I have been eligible for my sonogram for almost a week now.  Not cool.  Anyway, in anticipation for this, I have figured out the names for our baby, whether we have a boy or a girl.  After much deliberation since around, oh, 6 weeks, we have come to these two choices:

Boy: Jude Alexander
Girl: Lilliana Quinn

Now, of course, this isn't 100% official until the birth certificate is signed, but most likely the child will have one of these two names.  As to which name it will be, well, you'll have to wait until tomorrow just like me :).

The Name Trend

Trend Research Article

Whenever you have time or are bored, take a look at the above link.  The author makes a great point about the trend factor of a name.  Those names that are fast to rise are also quite fast to fall.  For instance, my own name follows this trend.  Kristi rose quickly to become quite popular in the 70s and 80s, then fell into obscurity by 2000.  So, why does this happen?

Well, names that become popular so quickly end up being viewed as trite and overused (which is the case most of the time).  Nevaeh is a good example of this phenomenon.  Although it is still popular, I wouldn't be surprised if it suddenly fell away and was no longer used frequently like it is now.  It almost seems that name trends becomes an issue of class, as well.  When I hear the name Nevaeh now, I think that it is the name was chosen by a very young mother or a lower income mother.  When I hear the name Addison, I think that the name was chosen by upper class parents, possibly in their 30s or older.  Neither of these are bad things, but just what seems to be true.

Then there are those who try to create the trends or beat them altogether.  I am closest to this group.  I like to pick a name that isn't very popular but is still accessible.  Many name elitists take it to the point that they pick super obscure names that hardly anyone would even consider.  Or they choose names that were popular a very long time ago and are due to make a comeback.  One such name that I've seen becoming more and more popular is Beatrice.  Now, these names do not trend quickly like Kristi or Nevaeh.  They are names that have a more classic feel to them, giving them the ability to come back into fashion.

How do you fit into the trend?  Do you choose names that are popular classics?  Or perhaps a more obscure name that is unlikely to be overused?  Or do you go for the super name that rose so quickly to popularity that it must be a good one ;)?

B Names: The Girls

B Names: The Girls (this is a letter that doesn’t have quite as many options.
Briana (24) - Irish; strong, virtuous, and honorable
Brooklyn (37) - place name
Brooke (54) - English; small stream
Bella (58) - Italian; beautiful
Bailey (85) - English; law enforcement, bailiff

Bethany (342) - Hebrew; house of figs
Bridget (424) - anglicized version of Brighid; strength, power
Brenna (444) - Irish; raven
Brittany (460) - English; from Britain
Barbara (656) - Latin; foreign woman
Beatrice (860) - Latin; she who brings happiness

My favorites: Brooke, Bella, Bethany, Bridget, Brenna.

A Names: The Boys

A Names: The Boys
name (popularity) - origin; meaning
Alexander (4) - Greek; defending warrior
Anthony (10) - Latin; priceless one
Aiden (12) - Irish; little and fiery (this is the most popular of 3 spellings of Aiden in the top 100)
Andrew (15) - Greek; strong and manly
Angel (37) - word name
Aaron (54) - Hebrew; exalted and enlightened
Adrian (58) - Latin; from the Adriatic
Austin (63) - a variation on Augustine; the exalted one
Adam (74) - Hebrew; son of the red earth
Alex (83) - diminutive of Alexander; defending warrior

Asher (165) - Hebrew; fortunate, blessed, happy one
Avery (223) - English; ruler of the Elves
Axel (264) - German; father of peace
Anderson (288) - Scandinavian; son of Anders
Arthur (376) - Celtic; noble one, bear man
Alec (405) - diminutive of Alexander; defending warrior
Abram (493) - Hebrew; father of multitudes
Atticus (609) - Greek; from Athens
Augustus (797) - Latin; exalted one
Alfred (828) - English; wise counselor
My favorites: Alexander (our middle name choice if we have a boy), Asher, Arthur, Abram, Atticus

A Names - The Girls

A Names - The Girls
name (popularity) - origin; meaning

The Popular
Ava (5) - Latin; like a bird
Abigail (8) - Hebrew; my father is joyful
Addison (12) - English; son of Adam
Alexis (13) - English; man’s defender
Alyssa (19) - English; noble
Ashley (20) - English; dweller near the ash tree meadow
Anna (29) - Hebrew; grace
Allison (30) - Scottish; noble
Avery (32) - English; ruler of the elves
Aubrey (41) - English; elf ruler
Alexa (42) - Greek; man’s defender
Audrey (49) - English; noble strength

The Obscure
Adriana (125) - Latin; from the Adriatic
Annabelle (156) - French; loving
Ariel (206) - Hebrew; lion of God
Aurora (217) - Latin; dawn
Alice (258) - German; noble
Adeline (351) - French; noble
Athena (430) - goddess in Greek mythology
Arabella (447) - Latin; beautiful altar
Aria (513) - Italian; a melody
Ada (573) - German; noble
Aimee (819) - French; beloved
Alana (991) - Irish; cheerful

My favorites: Ava, Allison, Audrey, Aurora, Alice, Adeline, Arabella, Aria

New Technique

I'm going to try something a little different.  Every so often, or however often I feel like, I am going to post names by their beginning letter.  I may do multiple posts on a letter later on depending on how many great names there are out there!  For instance, there are LOTS of L names to look at.  Anyway, I'll start in the next day or two and see how this goes!

Patrick and Ellany

Patrick


-meaning: noble
-origin: English
-potential nicknames: Pat, Rick
 
I honestly can't explain to you what it is about this name that I like so much.  I just do!  It is very reminiscent of Ireland, most obviously because of Saint Patrick's Day.  It's a classic name that has a lot of charm, and as a bonus, it isn't very popular.  It is #127 in the United States, and #19 in Ireland, have to love that :).
 
Ellany


-meaning: black (Melanie without the M)
-origin: Greek
-potential nickname: Ella, Elle
 
I love pretty much any name with Ella in it and this is no exception.  I also like the name Melaine, but Ellany is a little less expected.  It is not in the top 1000 in the US and there probably is only a small number of children who have this name.  Like less than 100 for the past few years.  The closest name I've found to Ellany on a baby name website is Elani.  Not quite the same, but close.  Ellany would certainly be one of a kind!

Names from the State

Regional Name Trends

Ever think "I love the name Lillian!  And it isn't too popular.  At least it isn't a top 10 name."  Well, you would only be partially correct.  Some names that don't even reach the top 25 are top 10 names in certain states.  Lillian IS a favorite of mine, so it stuck out when I saw this list.  Lillian is the number 10 name in Indiana.  This leads me to wonder how many names are popular in some states but aren't quite so popular nationally. 

Girls
Aurora is #17 in Alaska but #288 nationally.
Genesis is #13 in District of Columbia but #95 nationally.
Khloe is #13 in Hawaii but #196 nationally.
Malia is #16 in Hawaii but #345 nationally.
Aspen is #16 in Wyoming but #700 nationally.

Boys
Ezekiel is #11 in Hawaii but #241 nationally.
Micah is #15 in Hawaii but #123 nationally.
Issac is #17 in Colorado but #377 nationally.
Ryker is #22 in Utah but #420 nationally.
Tanner is #13 in Wyoming but #163 nationally.

Some of these are real shockers for multiple reasons.  I didn't realize Genesis was even that popular nationally!  I've personally never met a Genesis.  These names had the most drastic difference between their popularity in a certain state and their popularity nationally.  There are others that show up in a states top 20 but aren't quite as popular nationally, however, these names were more interesting to me.  Are there any names that you had no clue were popular nationally, much less in any state?

Am I a Broadcaster or a Keeper?

I am a BIG TIME broadcaster. With Bella, we figured out what we wanted to name her shortly after we found out she was a girl. I didn't discuss names too much with anyone before hand mostly because I only had a couple of girls name and that was it.

This time, I have had a lot more choices on my list and I've decided to talk to only a select few people about the names I like. We've had to reassess a name or two so far, but now no one has anything negative to say about what we've now chosen. That's not to say we can't change our minds, because you can ALWAYS change your mind. Remember that!

Because I'm a broadcaster, and we are close to the whole finding out the sex thing, I wanna put up the names that we considered but didn't ultimately choose. You'll have to wait til probably the day before the sonogram to find out the final selections.

Boys
Asher
Finn
Liam
Nathaniel

Girls
Adriana
Alice
Elena
Eliana

Keep it or Hide it?

Do you broadcast or do you hoard your names?  I just read an article about this subject.  I have been thinking about it more often because the number of people I know who are pregnant is increasing.  I'm always curious to see if the parents are going to find out the sex, what names they like, and whether or not they are going to talk to others about the names they do or don't like.  In the article, the author talks about two types of parents in relation to announcing names: broadcasters and keepers.  Let's talk about what it means to be one of those types.

Alrighty, Broadcasters (all points may not apply to you in the fullest extent):
-The minute you figure out your short list of names you announce it to everyone who will listen.
-When you find out the sex of your baby, you tell all of your friends and family the name you've chosen for your little sweetie.
-You use Facebook to update your distant friend and family base to announce the name.

• Benefits: Your choice is out there and is less likely to be used by friends and family.  You can also talk through your choices with close family and friends to be sure that this is the name you are going to stick with.
• Drawbacks: You lose some of the mystery of the birth of your child.  If everyone knows the name, that's one less thing to look forward to.  You may also lock yourself into a choice and feel like you can't change your mind.  Some also contend that sharing the name can really hurt if anything should go wrong.

And now, the Keepers:
-You only discuss your choices with your significant other.
-You wait until after the birth of your child to share the name you have chosen.
-You may not ever share the baby's name on an online forum.

• Benefits: No one has a good chance to tell you their negative thoughts of the name you have chosen.  If the baby is here, they'd be a real jerk to tell you they hate your name choice.
• Drawbacks:  Someone may choose the name you like before you get to use it.  Also, there may be someone close to you who has a very bad memory of someone else with the name you've chosen to give your child.  You also lose the benefit of bouncing ideas off of an impartial party to get a little bit of outside input on the names you like.

Now, you don't have to be one or the other.  The beauty of these types is that they can be combined!  What's the best way to do so?  Well, do as the article said!  Select a small few to discuss name choices,  someone who has a grip on the names that are out there and someone who knows your family well so that you don't use a taboo name.  Of course, you can take any level of mixture of these types when you are selecting names for your child.  So, are you a broadcaster or a keeper?

Is it Matthew or Matthias?

The Global Hit Name You Haven't Noticed

The above article poses a great point.  There are so many names that have multiple versions used around the world.  Matthew alone ranks in the top 100 of at least 37 countries, according to the article.  In Belgium, 5 versions of Matthew rank in the top 100! 

Some other names that have various international versions are Christina and Christopher, Anne, George, Elizabeth, Helen (LOVE Helena!), Joseph, Peter, Stephen, and Mary.  You can find these lists on nameberry.com.  There are even a few more names mixed in there. 

I unknowingly call my daughter a form of Elizabeth (Bella).  It does make sense to me though.  I love Elizabeth and many of it's variations, Bella being one of them!  Are there any names you love that are international versions of a more common name? 

Fast to Rise and Fast to Fall

Baby Name Wizard Names of the decade (2000s)

OK, this list is wonderful and sad all at the same time.  In the link above, there's a list of the names that rose the fastest from 2000-2009 and the names that fell the fastest from 2000-2009.  Now you may think that I find those that rose to be great and those that fell to be sad.  That would not be entirely true.  Let's take a look at the lists and what I think is great and what is...not so great.

Names that rose:
GIRLS
1. Kaydence-I like this name, but with its traditional musical spelling.  To me, its Cadence, not Kaydence.
2. Miley-This name isn't terrible, but I'm not really on the Miley band wagon.  Its a made up name that came from a cute word (smiley), but its still made up.
3. Nevaeh-Ouy....I'm sorry, but I'm really not a fan of Nevaeh.  I just don't understand this trend whatsoever.  I'd take a little one named Heaven over Nevaeh any day.
4. Rihanna-Cute name.  Sexy music star.  Nothing bad here!
5. Khloe-I do love the name Chloe, but again its all about the spelling.  I don't think Khloe, I think Chloe.

BOYS
1. Aaden-Another name that can be spelled 20 different way when it shouldn't be, but to each their own.
2. Maddox-This is a cute name.  It has the X-factor, quite literally, which is really popular even now. 
3. Gael-I have no strong feelings on this name one way or the other.  I have no idea where this one came from, though.
4. Aiden-Didn't we just see this name?  Yes.  Yes we did.  But this is the spelling I know and love!
5. Kingston-Not a name I would use, but hey, you named your kid King!  That's pretty cool!

Names that fell:
GIRLS
1. Hannah (my fave of all of these lists)
2. Jessica
3. Megan-
4. Amanda
5. Lauren

BOYS
1. Nicholas
2. Zachary
3. Kyle
4. Jared
5. Brandon
I have one general comment for all of the girls and boys names that have fallen the fastest. That comment is that there are too many parents who find the names dated to the 80s and 90s. Its sad because these are all great names, but they're girls names, and girls names trend harder and faster than boys names probably ever will.
 
Now, what will we see in another 10 years?  If I had to guess, I think that some of the names we'll see on the rising list are:
GIRLS
-Mirabella-I think at least one of the not popular yet Bella names is gonna get this moniker after the next decade.  Mirabella is the least popular now.
-Freya-I'm rooting for it, at least.
BOYS
-Finnigan-Finn is popular, and I bet this will break into the top 1000 very soon.
 
GIRLS
-Emily
-Nevaeh (I hope)
BOYS
-Aiden (or at least one of its variants: Brayden, Jayden, Kayden, etc.)
 
Its a bit more difficult to guess for the boys because, again, the names don't trend as quickly as the girls names.  But that's my short prediction.  Take a guess for yourself.  Are there any names you see becoming extraordinarily popular in the next decade?  Or falling of the popularity bandwagon?

Feel the Heat!

Summer Time Names

I read this article and thought about how many of these names we actually hear anymore.  You have some obvious choices:
Summer- This name isn't one that I hear very often, but I've known a couple of twenty-something Summers.  I was surprised to find that Summer is still in the top 200 names, but it is on the decline.

June- Super popular from the 1910s to the 1930s, June has just popped back on the top 1000 radar.  Its also rising somewhat quickly.  It rose 205 spots from 2008 to 2009.  We could be seeing this a lot more often in the future (not just as a middle name).  Also, don't forget, we get this from Juno ;).

August- In particular, I like this choice.  Its got a super cool sound to it, definitely for a boy!  The name was most popular at the turn of the 19th century and shortly into the 20th century.  However, August is slowly making a comeback. 


Then for summer names, there are, perhaps, some less obvious choices:
Heather- Its a summer flower folks!  I love this name.  Heather peaked in the 70s, big time.  It was a top 10 name!  But now, Heather is on the decline.  It makes me sad, because Heather is such a pretty name.

Sky- Sure!  You bet this is a summer name.  I know we always have a sky, but we think about it most in the spring and summer, when the sky is most clear and beautiful.  Now, to me, this can be a boy or girls name, but it has only shown up on the girls top 1000 in the recent past.  Skyler, on the other hand, is far more popular for both girls and boys. 

Julie or Julia- The Jul- names are variations of Julius, which is where we got July from.  Julia has never really gone below the top 150 mark.  Its a definite classic.  Julie personally reminds me of the 1970s and guess when it peaked!  It rose to popularity in the 60s and 70s and has been on the decline ever since.  If you really wanted, you could use July, too.  Its a name that ends in a "y" without having the "ee" sound at the end, which isn't very common.

Summer is full of loads of naming inspiration and I only mentioned a very small few of your choices.  There are tons of summer flowers that we use for naming inspiration, many are mentioned in the link above.  Anyway, take a look and see if you can think of any other names that remind you of summer!

Can you say goodbye to a name?

Check out the link below! 
The Name not Taken

The post takes a very good look at what it means for parents to give up a name.  I already am starting to feel this pain.  Steve doesn't get attached to names like I do.  If I find a name that really strikes a cord with me, its really hard to let it go.  In fact, I have a back burner list of names that I would use for novel characters (should I ever get around to doing so).  These are names that I adore so much and wish I could have used, but won't get a chance to for one reason or another.  Now, I'm going to share some of the names that I know I won't get a chance to use no matter how many kids I have in the future.

For the girls (basically, all of these are names that Steve won't let me use):

Lyra- This is one of the coolest names I've ever heard.  I first heard it when I read The Golden Compass.  The name has such a vintage feel to it and I've mentioned before how much I love vintage names.  Its also almost unheard of here in the US.  That makes it extra appealing to me.  I don't quite understand how its so unpopular here unless everyone thinks like Steve, who says people told him the name was too close to the word "liar".  Anyway, its a super cute name that has great potential!
Hermione- This name has a similar fate as Lyra due to similar reasons.  Steve can't imagine using this name because of the character from Harry Potter.  There is also the fact that it is a little too out there for his tastes.  I love this name for the exact same reasons as Lyra: its got a vintage feel and its uncommon.  I hope that more people start using this name, even if its for a child's middle name!  Its an underused gem that is just too cool to pass up, in my opinion.
Freya- Its a goodess' name!  How cool is that?  Its also really popular in Britain, so I wouldn't be surprised if we see it pop up in the top 1000 names in the US sometime in the future.  This name doesn't necessarily sound vintage to me, but it has the uncommon factor going for it, big time!  The reason I can't use this name is because it is the name of a video game boss and that is what we would always be reminded of when we looked at our daughter.  Its so sad because this is another really pretty name that is just begging to be used!

For the boys (if we don't have a boy now, we'll keep the choice we've made if we do have a boy later):

Max- Oh, I love this name.  Its so cool and it has the vintage vibe I love.  However, that vintage vibe is slowly being replaced by a trendy vibe.  That is why both Steve and I have decided to retire this name.  When even Steve says a name is getting too trendy for him, then its serious.  I'll always love Max and I will miss this choice greatly. 
Finn- Another name that Steve just won't go for.  He was willing to use it as a middle name, but the combination we had we've decided to pass on.  I think Finn is one of the most handsome choices for a boy out there!  And other people are agreeing with me.  The proof is in the pudding and Finn is rising steadily in popularity.  Soon enough, its probably going to be a top 100 name and I hope more parents continue to chose this name for their little boys!
Emerson- Unfortunately, we're slowly loosing this name to the girls!  Its a really neat choice for book lovers because Ralph Waldo Emerson was an amazing writer and what a great way to celebrate that.  Emerson is a fairly popular name, there are people using it for boys, as well as girls.  However, I don't think that this name has the qualities that Steve likes for a boys name.  It was another possible middle name choice, but it never made it onto our final list of choices.
Graham- Oh, I've gotten so much grief for loving this name.  I think the favored complaint is Graham cracker.  I think Gray is a really handsome nickname to go with this name, but, again, Steve just can't bring himself to get on board with this name.  I don't see this name becoming too popular, which appeals to me, but if its going down in popularity, that kinda gives Steve more evidence that this may not be the name for us. 

I know I've put the weight on Steve for giving up these names, but I value his opinion greatly and its his kid too.  For me, we both have to like the name, preferably love the name!  These are the gems that I love so much that we have decided to pass on.  Feel free to see if you can get your significant others on board to use one of them.  Someone should :)!

Alexander and Luke

Alexander


-meaning: defender of the people
-origin: Greek
-potential nicknames: Alex, Xander

The Great! I’m sure that’s most people’s thought when they hear this name. I love how strong the name Alexander is, and that’s probably what has made it so darn popular! Alexander was a famous Greek leader of Macedon, one of Buffy’s quirky sidekicks (Xander Harris), and there have been quite a few Pope Alexander’s. The name is currently the 4th most popular name in the US, and its not going anywhere anytime soon.
 
Luke


-meaning: from Lucania
-origin: Greek
-potential nicknames: none

Matthew, Mark, _____, and John. Guess what name fits in there!? Yup, Luke. Luke is a prominent biblical figure, but he’s also a master Jedi! Kinda cool if you ask me. This is certainly a classic name, as its been around for a VERY long time. The meaning is kind of boring, but to many that doesn’t matter one bit. Luke is currently the 48th most popular name in the States, and its variant Lucas, is slightly ahead at number 39.

Why is Finn so great?

All the Fins in the sea

The above link discusses one of my favorite boys names ever!  Finn is becoming more and more popular every year, and its no wonder why.  Its short.  Its strong.  And its cool.  And hey, if you are squeamish about one syllable names, you can also go with Finley or Finnegan!  Finley would be my choice of the two, but I don't really see the problem with Finn by itself.

Another nice little fact about Finn, there aren't an abundance of celebrities who have chosen this name.  The ones that have only make it cooler if you ask me.  Jane Leaves used this name in 2003 and Edward Burns used the name in 2006. 

There's also the fact that one of the male leads of Glee is Finn, as well.  He's a cute and sweet jock who has a soft spot for singing, which makes him all the more appealing!  I have a feeling that this fact alone is going to help the name sky rocket towards the top 100. 

Currently, Finn is #343 in popularity in the US.  The name hit the top 1000 in 2000, coming in at 834.  Its seen gains every year, except for the year 2002 (which it only dropped 4 spots), then resumed its climb towards the top.  Give it 3 or 4 years and it may very well have reached the top 100.  Maybe even the top 50.  Only time will tell, but I have high hopes for this wonderful name!

Adrianna and Zane

Adrianna


-meaning: from Hadria
-origin: Latin
-potential nicknames: Addy, Adri, Anna

Adrianna is a bit of a mouthful, but has lots of nickname potential. It is a Shakespearean name. It has also become more popular in the past decade, but has yet to crack the top 100 list for the US.
 
Zane


-meaning: God is gracious
-origin: American
-potential nicknames: none

Zane is considered a form of John. It’s a good strong name but isn’t a typical name. In the United States it is number 235 for the year 2009. However, it was recently in the top 100 in a couple of states: Montana and Oklahoma.

Middle Name Rut

WOW how the tables can turn!  Now, we have a girl's name but no boy's name.  It works for me because I still think we're having another girl.  However, we can't come to any agreement on a middle name.  What's new?  This also happened with Arabella.  My mom is the one who finally suggested Nicole.  Steve laughed last night and said that Nicole would work for this baby name too!  Too bad.  Half the fun is picking new names, not using old ones.  So the search begins.

We can always go with one of your staple middle names:
Marie
Grace
Lynn
Michelle
Ann
Renee
Catherine
All are great names.  They work because they sound great with most names.  But I'm not quite convinced yet.  I am considering a couple of these names, but most of them I know I would pass on.

Then I could go the trend route and pick a name that's short, sweet, and possibly unisex:
Brynn
Eve
Greer
Hope
Joy
Pearl
Wren
It's cool to pick a short, one-syllable name that can be matched with a longer, maybe even frillier name.

Or, I could go all out and pick a longer middle name:
Chantal
Felicity
Genevieve
Larissa
Rosalie
Serena

My instinct is telling me to go with something two syllables or less and in the style of Nicole, which is definitely a standard (or go-to) middle name.  If you have any suggestions, feel free to leave me a note!

Abigail and Xander

Abigail


-meaning: father’s joy
-origin: Hebrew
-potential nicknames: Abby, Gail

Abigail is a biblical name. It has become very popular in the past decade or so, cracking the top 10 names in the US. This is why I can’t see myself using it as a first name, but I do love the nickname Abby. Beautiful name with a beautiful meaning.
 
Xander


-meaning: defender of the people
-origin: Greek
-potential nicknames: Xan

BUFFY ALERT! Where did Xander come from!? Well, the name didn’t actually originate from the television show Buffy, but that did help boost its popularity. Xander went from being uncharted in the 1990s to its current spot in the 200s in the 2000s. Thanks Alexander for giving us the uber cool nickname Xander. I think he’s flourishing quite well on his own now J.

New Lists

So I've taken another look through the lists I've made in the past to try and come up with a new list of baby name choices for our next kiddo.  I have had some success, I must say.  Like I said in my last post, I was really having problems with finding girl's names.  I love a lot of girl's names but I also needed to find names that Steve would like as well.  We're back up to like 4 or 5 choices again instead of 0-1.  In fact, only 1 name from my past list stayed in tact.  When it comes to boys names, I have 2 or 3 that Steve likes, but he really only loves one of the names.  OK, that's fine.  I get the middle name to express myself as well.  So it's pretty safe to say that our boys name is pretty much picked out. 

I am not gonna spoil the surprise though of my choices.  I may or may not give out my list a day or two before we find out the sex, but I'm not going to guarantee anything.  I would hate to say all of the names I like and someone either tell me they're planning on using the name or that they knew someone with that name who was a total B.  It kind of ruins it, ya know?  I already have my mom and Steve to contend with.  Both are REALLY picky people.  Something I will tell you though, is the thought process that goes into picking these names.

1) How popular is the name?  I'm just not the kind of girl who's gonna use a top 10 name.  Really, I'm not even a fan of using a top 100 name for my kids.  Obviously, with nicknames you might get close to a popular name, which was something I didn't really think about with Bella.  But I can live with that.  Having a less common first name that has a common nickname gives your kid options when they get into school. 

2) Does the name flow well with the last name?  Although this is a mundane question to ask yourself, it's a crucial one.  If the name doesn't work with your last name, it takes away from the name you picked.  For instance, I like the name Carter.  But Carter Calder?  That seems like overkill to me.  Too many R's and too many C's.  It flows OK, but the names are definitely too similar.  A great rule (although this isn't always true!), pick a name that ends in a different sound than your last name.  That way its more likely to sound great with your last name.

3) Does the name have a cool meaning or origin?  This just adds to the lure of the name you pick.  Some people actively look for a name with a certain meaning because the meaning is so important to them.   Although this isn't a clincher for my by any means, I like to know what the name means.  Origin is also fun to know.  Again some parents choose a name based on origin.  I hear about plenty of Irish families who want to stick to Irish names.  It's a great tradition to stick with because its very meaningful for that family. 

4) Is there anyone you know who has this name?  This is kind of a two parter.  One: I don't want to name my child after someone I see regularly because it would be odd to have two people with the same name to cause confusion.  Two: I really don't want to name my kid after someone who is a person I don't like.  Think ex girlfriend/ex boyfriend, someone you just didn't like in your life, or a notorious celebrity or character that will have bad thoughts associated with his or her name. 

After that, I consider what middle name to use.  Although choosing the middle name can be far more difficult than choosing a first name, it makes more sense to solidify the first name because that is the name your child will go by 9 times out of 10.  Finding a middle name that flows well isn't really as difficult as some parents may think.  Shoot, if all else fails, the middle name is the best place to use a family name!  That way you don't have two people by the same name in the family, but you are still able to honor the person you are choosing to honor.

Lack of inspiration

So, I get to pick new baby names!  Yay, right?  Not exactly.  You see, I'm actually having trouble picking names to put on a list this time.  I had a short list of girls and boys names that were names that I loved!  However, then I have to take into account what Steve likes, and I always ask my mom because I don't want her to not like the name.  Everyone else can eat a brick if they don't like the name I choose!  BUT, between Steve and my mom, two very clashing personalities, my lists get cut down pretty quick.

In fact, there's only one boys name that everyone can agree on (maybe two, but I'm the one who's skeptical about the second), and my girl's list is damn near nonexistent.  Each of the names I had picked, about 6 or 7 names, got nixed by someone.  So I'm in a pickle.  I need names!  Just because I blog them doesn't mean that I would use them.  Ideally, I would like a list of about 4 or 5 names each to choose from that all three parties likes.  Especially with the girl's names.  I am almost sure about the boy's name on our list, but I wouldn't mind another choice or two. 

And so, my search continues.  I'll be scouring lists and creating new ones.  I probably won't announce my lists, but I'll likely give out our choice for a girl and for a boy a day or two before we find out the sex.  Until then, I'll be hitting the books.

Finn

Finn


-meaning: fair
-origin: Irish
-potential nicknames: none

Finn is a cute, short name, making it easy for child to grow up with. Its probably going to gain some popularity due to Glee. If you like Finn as a nickname but can't bring yourself to choose it alone, you can look at other names like Finley, Finnigan, and Phineas.  As of now, its in the mid 300s on the popularity charts.

Top 10 of 2019

Last September, one of my favorite baby name blogs (on Baby Name Wizard) did a post about the top names of 2019.  What did she think would be popular?  Well, instead of doing that exactly, she made a list of names that she thinks will have risen quite a bit by then.  Her argument was that predicting the top names would be fairly easy and kind of boring because many of the names would be terribly familiar.  Looking back at the lists of top 10 names for boys and girls, I can assure you that she's pretty spot on about that one.  Jacob, Joshua, Daniel, Matthew, and Michael have all been top 10 material for about 2 decades now.  Emily, Hannah, Samantha, and Ashley have also been top 10 names for a couple of decades. 

It is true that girls names trend faster than boys names, so the boys list would be really boring to predict.  You can bet that the five names I mentioned above will be in the top 10 or at least very close.  Ethan and Alexander will most likely still be in the area as well, since they have recently trended.  As for the ladies' names, Emily will certainly be around, but as for the others, I'm not necessarily convinced.  Names like Lily, Ella, and Avery have great potential to make it to the top 10 in the next 10 years, but with girl's names there is no gaurantee. 

The list below is Laura Wattenberg's predicted list (Top baby names of 2019):

GIRLS
1. Lila
2. Peyton
3. Lucy
4. Violet
5. Aubrey
6. Amelia
7. Piper
8. Ruby
9. Juliet
10. Harper
BOYS
1. Miles
2. Rowan
3. Lincoln
4. Eli
5. Jude
6. Cooper
7. Wyatt
8. Ryder
9. Lucas
10. Henry
 
Love the choices (most of them), but there are loads of names on these lists that I don't think will make it to the top 10, even in the next 10 years.  For instance, Eli and Ryder.  While I agree that I can see them trending upwards in the next decade, I don't think they'll make it to the top 100.  More likely Elliott or Elijah could make it to the top 10 instead of Eli.  For the girl's choices, Lila, Harper, and Violet all have great potential.  It is fairly likely that we'll see Violet, but perhaps we'll see Lillian or Lily instead of Lila. 
 
Really, only time will tell what actually happens, but its always fun to guess!

How many syllables is that?

I was browsing names today and wanted to use a search engine with a syllable search. Just my luck, babynames.com has that option! So I was going to start with 4 syllable names because Arabella is 4 syllables and I was curious if I could find other names I like that are 4 syllables for her sibling. Well then I noticed that you can search for up to 6 syllables, and I thought “What on earth? What name has 6 syllables?” What did I find? Anunciacion. Now, what is this name? Well first of all, it is Spanish. It means announces. So it’s a word name. OK, but really? You’re really gonna give that as a name….then, I saw the gender for the name. Female. WHAT!?! I’m sure you won’t be surprised to find out that it is not ranked on the popularity charts. Really, it sounds like the name was just made up. Someone probably opened up their Spanish to English dictionary, pointed at a word and said “That’s her name!”

Anyway, in light of that, I figured I’d find some of my favorite 4 syllable names and give you a short rundown (name, origin, and rank, if applicable).



Girls
Arabella-(no kidding, right?) answered prayer, Latin, #447
Aurelia- gold, Latin, not ranked
Cecilia- blind one, Latin, #265
Cordelia- daughter of the sea, Latin, not ranked
Liliana- lily, Italian and Spanish, #120

Boys
Alexander- defending warrior, Greek, #4
Jeremiah- the Lord exalts, Hebrew, #65
Leonardo- brave lion, Italian and Spanish, #164

I am not sure that I’m crazy enough about any of these names to use them, but I like that I can see what else is out there that is more of a mouthful like Arabella’s name. Are there any awesome 4 syllable names that I’ve missed? If so, let me know.

Lilah and Alice

Lilah


-meaning: you are mine
-origin: Hebrew (also considered Persian on some sites)
-potential nicknames: Lil, Lily

This name is short and sweet without being too plain. It was most popular around the 1920s and is around 400 on the popularity lists today. It's just above the 200s spelled as Lila.  Lilah is a great name for an older woman, but has Lily as a great nickname for a little girl.
 
Alice


-meaning: noble one
-origin: English
-potential nicknames: Aly, Lissy

I love, love, love the name Alice. I immediately think of an adorable, curious little girl. The inspiration comes from the novel The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor, in which Alice is really Alyss. It is a retelling of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. This name is classic, but remains fairly low on the popularity lists. It would be a beautiful name for a girl or a woman.

Jude and Noah

Jude


-meaning: praise
-origin: Hebrew
-potential nicknames: none

Jude is a biblical name that has a new, artistic feel to it. Hey, Jude even has his own song!  Its gained popularity in the past decade or so, but is still below 200 on the US popularity lists. Great name for a Beatles fan.
 
Noah


-meaning: peace
-origin: Hebrew
-potential nicknames: none

Noah is a very biblical name. Perhaps, the ark might come to mind? Its a super cute choice, but is wildly popular (number 15 in 2008). If that doesn’t bother you, its an awesome name. I would probably choose this for a middle name, as it compliments many other boys names.

Request!: Let’s go to Paris….’s house

Yes, place names. They are fairly popular and there are lots of great ones out there. But the question is, what makes a good city name to human name transfer. For me, I think that the name should be reminiscent of other names (popular or not). It should also be a name that the individual giving it loves (who cares what other people think, save maybe a few family members). And it should be a name that sounds like a name. I wouldn’t name a child Frankfurt (Germany), but I might name the child Frank. I’m sure there’s other criteria to consider, but those where the points that came to mind.

For girls, Paris, London, and Brooklyn are all cute choices (although they could be used for boys too). And let’s not forget, probably the most popular place name out there, Madison. Madison comes in at number 7 for popular baby names of 2009. It has been popular for a while now. I may not know a Paris, London, or Brooklyn, but I sure do know a Madison (soon 2 possibly, congrats Ashley!).

For boys, Austin, Jackson, and Lincoln all come to mind for boys names. I know two Jackson’s on TV and it is a super cute name. Kinda has a country feel if you ask me. Austin was a character on Days a while back. And I know a Lincoln who was born merely months ago! He’s super cute! AND you get a bonus nickname with Lincoln: Linc! Similar to Link, and if you’re a Zelda fan, that’s an awesome name!

There are TONS of place names that apply to the world of baby names, so I just mentioned a very few of my favorites. I also didn’t really mention state names, and there are loads of those as well. Let me know if you care to hear about some! In the meantime, here’s the link for some of the inspiration for the article (and some of the comments mention some cool, but crazy cities for baby names! Check it out!

http://www.namecandy.com/celebrity-baby-names/blog/2010/05/18/city-names-the-place-to-person-transfer

Request!: Is your name old?

Chances are, probably not. My name is a tried and true name of the 1970s (despite my being born in the 80s).  My mom's name is a tried and true name of the 1940s.  Neither has been very popular since.  But that is simply because names trend. However, there has been a recent increase in old school names making a come back. I suppose I prefer the term vintage. I am a fan of vintage names or names that have a vintage feel. Something to keep in mind is that biblical names are often going to be vintage and names that were popular a decade ago are totally vintage. For instance, John and Mary topped the charts back in the 1880s. Even though they are both somewhat popular now, they are definitely vintage.

In the top 100, some of my favorite vintage names are Amelia, Elijah, Ella, Ethan, Henry, Josiah, Lillian, Lucas, and Sebastian. Of course, they all are current names, but they have that old time feel to them. Some others that are oh so wonderful are Alice, Arthur, Clara, Oliver, Phineas, and Theo. Most of those names are starting to climb the charts. Almost all of the names that are on my “I would love to use” list would be considered vintage. Arabella sounds pretty vintage as well. Here are a few lists of vintage names for you to check out. Also, the site that these lists are on has a name search option where you can choose vintage as one of your criteria when looking for names!
Nameberry Vintage Boys Names
Nameberry Vintage Girls Names

And another fun couple of links to check out: http://www.babynamewizard.com/archives/2010/2/the-view-from-abroad-a-look-back-at-the-future
Social Security Popular Names 1880s
Enjoy!

Double Wammy! Adeline and Nolan

Adeline


-meaning: noble
-origin: English
-potential nicknames: Addy

Adeline has a lot of charm. It has a sophisticated sound to it that will grow with the child into adulthood and a nickname that can fit a cute little girl. It is in the mid-range of the top 1000 names in the US right now. It was most popular in the beginning of the 20th century.
 
 
Nolan


-meaning: descendant of the famous one
-origin: Irish
-potential nicknames: Nole

Nolan is a great name for a baseball fan. Although it has that sports feel to it due to Nolan Ryan, it also has a bit of sophistication to it. To me, its also reminiscent of Noah, which I love. It is not too popular, sitting around 130 on the top 1000 list.

Luna

Luna

-meaning: moon
-origin: Latin
-potential nicknames: none

Luna is another cool Harry Potter choice. Perhaps it is a bit more accessible than Hermione, seeing as it is actually on the top 1000 list in the US, but it is still only around number 400. Another cool fact about Luna is that it is the name of the Roman goddess of the moon.

Arthur

Arthur


-meaning: bear
-origin: Welsh
-potential nicknames: Artie, Art

Arthur can only make me think of one thing: King Arthur. How cool would that be to say you were named after a king? It is a bit of an old choice, but perhaps it will get a bit of a revival soon. Now, it sits in the mid 300s on the popularity charts in the US, with it being far more popular in the early 1900s.

Do you like Vampires?

The Names of Twilight

I’ve devoted the past 3 post to good girl and good boy names. We’ve talked some Bible names. We’ve talked about virtues and a lot of the names they have given us. Joy and Abigail. Honor and Joshua. Well, I think its time for a change!

What’s something that’s quite the opposite of biblical? Oooo, Vampires! I’m pretty sure they are considered demonic, after all. Recently, we’ve seen a big surge in popularity for Vampire names. What can we thank for this explosion of vampirey goodness? The Stephanie Meyer novel, Twilight. Even I have inadvertently fallen into this vampire trap while choosing a name for my child. Arabella may not be Isabella, but the nickname’s the same no matter how you cut it.

Of course, with this surge of interest in the novels and the movies, there have been blogs and articles about the Twilight names as well. Because, honestly, many of them are pretty darn clever! If you’ve read or heard any interviews with Stephanie Meyer, she has said many times that she chose the names of the characters based on their year of birth. She did some research and found out names that were popular at the time and those were the names she chose from for each character.

For instance, all of the regular high school students have typical names like Mike and Jessica. Well, Michael has always been pretty popular for boys, but Jessica is totally a popular 80s staple. Then there are the parents, Renee and Charlie. Guess what!? Renee peaked in the 1960s, which is when I’m guessing Bella’s mother was born. Anyway, one of the highlights of the series is the vampire’s names. So here goes, some of the names that have seen a popularity surge are:

Alice - This name is already a classic! We can thank Alice in Wonderland for that. This is an adorable name for a curious little girl.

Cullen - The last name of the vampire clan has actually been used as a first name for a decade or two now. It’s a regal name that perhaps might sound a little too refined for a little boy for my tastes.

Emmett - Well, I honestly think of Emmett Smith…BUT Emmett has been fairly popular in the past (say the around the 1900s) and it is making a strong comeback. I do like the name Emmett, its strong and is sure to grow with the boy to becoming a man.

Jasper - Oh how I love this name. I think its totally hipster. Jasper has always been around, but has never been very high popularity-wise. That makes it a cool name for those of us who don’t like going with obvious/popular names!

All three of the male names were in the top 10 “jumpers” for 2009, all gaining at least 100 spots. And since the series began to be popular, Alice has risen almost 200 spots over 4 years. There’s no doubt that Twilight has had an influence on our culture and naming was definitely not left out of the craze!

Biblical inspiration follow up

I wanted to do a little follow up on biblical names quickly, because I found some gems for girls in one of my many baby name books!  The list is of patron saints.  Here are some that would go onto my short list:

Adelaide
Anastasia
Colette
Diana
Emma
Genevieve
Helena
Madeline
Sophia
and
Zoe

So, there!  More female biblical names and many of them are names that I wouldn't have thought of to be biblical at all!  Shoot, Helena to me is Greek.  Anastasia is Russian.  Emma screams British.  But keep in mind, patron saints have been popping up since well beyond the years of the Bible.  So, they aren't all biblical in a sense, but they're close!

What's your favorite virtue?

Warning: Only girls names in this post.

I decided to expound upon yesterdays post with some girls names!
Virtue names! What are they? Well that’s easy, they are names that are traditional virtues of humans. For instance, Prudence. Perhaps that isn’t your cup of tea, but it is a virtue that is now being used as a name.

Now, there is a gem that is quite popular, unlike its fellow name Prudence, as seen in this post: http://www.namecandy.com/celebrity-baby-names/blog/2009/07/09/names-to-live-by-honor-grace-other-virtuous-names. That name is Grace. Grace is top 20 popular, and as it should be! Grace is a very pretty name. A couple of other nice virtue names are Faith and Joy. Both pretty names that I can see used for any little girl.

Then there are some others that are cute, but I don’t know how well received they have been. One of these names is Honor. The first time I ever heard Honor used as a name was when Jessica Alba bestowed it to her daughter. I wouldn’t be too surprised if Honor had a good boost on the popularity charts in the coming years, but I don’t know if it will even be noticed. So far, it still isn’t on the top 1000 chart.

Then there are other virtue names, Justice, Patience, Purity, and Silence for instance, that are a little too out there for me. I mean really, Silence. That’s an awful name for a little girl! “Hey Silence, can you pass me the butter?” It’s like you’re telling your kid to shut up every time you call to them.

So, to me, some virtue names work and some do not. I have a feeling we won’t be seeing Prudence or Silence on the popularity charts in the near future (or ever….). I also can’t see Grace or Faith going anywhere off the charts anytime soon either.

Biblical inspiration

My brother in law has a nickname. That nickname is “Thomas the doubter”. Why is this his nickname? All you have to do to find out is look to the Bible. There is a story about Saint Thomas in which he doubts the return of Jesus. Anyway, TJ was given a biblical name, which led to the nickname, and that’s what I want to talk about! Biblical names!


Biblical names are everywhere because there are so many names in the Bible. In the top 10 names, six boys names are biblical. They are classics and so many biblical names sound pleasant. A lot of parents choose a biblical name without even knowing its biblical. However, only one girls name is biblical, Abigail. Which brings me to ask why that might be.

One thought comes to mind. Because girls are less likely to be made fun of for a lacy, unique, or elaborate name, parents take that opportunity to find a name that is different. Many of those names have been created long since the biblical era. But with boys, choosing a standard name is more appealing because it seems ridiculous to give a male a name that won’t quite fit in with the rest of his peers. In a sea of Ethan’s, Andrew’s, and Jacob’s, you don’t quite think of a name like Blaise or Eden (yup, its on the top 1000 list of boys names) fitting in with that group.

Which leads me to see that parents default to biblical names for boys because they are widely recognized, many of them are masculine, and they aren’t fussy names. Another advantage to most of those names is that they are easy to grow up with. Andrew becomes Andy until he feels like its time to go back to using Andrew to feel a bit more mature. The same could be said for other names like Thomas, Nathaniel, and Joshua.

But I want to hear about some good female biblical names. Some of my favorites are Abigail, Beth, and Hannah. Only one of which is extraordinarily popular. So, what are some of your favorite biblical girls names. Anything that’s unique or rare? Or do you like a lot of the classics that have become mainstays in our society?

Twin Power!

Ok, let's talk twins.  My beloved source, the social security administrations top 1000 list, also has a list of popular twin names!  SSA Popular Twins Names is the link to go to if you'd like to check that out.  Overall, there were certainly a small number of twins considering the amount of single births there were last year, but there are a good amount of those twins that have a certain combination of names. 

For instance, for twin girls, Isabella and Sophia are the most popular names to give the set.  Not too surprising, seeing as Isabella is really popular and Sophia isn't far behind.  They also have an Italian or Spanish feel to them, depending on what you're going for.  For a set of twins which are male and female, Madison and Mason top the chart.  This pair flows nicely and, again, Madison is still a very popular name.  Mason is a bit less popular, but it fits so well with Madison that it just makes sense to use it!  Then there's a set of twin boys, which dominate the twin world it seems.  The most popular set of names for twin boys is Jacob and Joshua.  Hello biblical!  We have two J names.  Two biblical names. Two very popular boys names.  They're a match made in heaven, so to speak. 

But what about celebrity twins.  Traditionally, you hear about celebrity babies when they have new and unheard of names, and that seems to be the trend in Hollywood anyway.  Celebrities don't want just any name for their kids.  They want something unique and you figure they must know that what they pick will likely become in vogue, because 9 times out of 10 it does.  Well, this isn't any different for a set of celebrity twins!  Here's a list of recent celebrity twins, parents and the babies:

•Hazel Patricia and Phinnaeus Walter: Julia Roberts and Danny Moder
•Eden and Savannah: Marcia Cross and Tom Mahoney
•Bob and Max: Charlie Sheen and Brooke Mueller
•Thomas Boone and Zoe Grace: Dennis Quaid and Kimberly Buffington
•Knox Leon and Vivienne Marcheline: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie
•Darby Galen and Sullivan Patrick: Patrick Dempsey and Jillian Fink
•Maximillian David Muniz and Emme Marbiel Muniz: Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez
•Dolly Rebecca Rose and Charlie Tamara Tulip: Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O'Connell
•D'Lila Star and Jessie James: Sean "Diddy" Combs and Kim Porter
*source (http://www.namecandy.com/celebrity-baby-names/blog/2009/06/24/marion-and-tabitha-brodericks-name-competition)
 
For the most part, I love these names.  They're all really cute choices.  My particular favorites are Max and Emme.  I love Max, LOVE IT!  Then there's Emme.  What a sweet little twist on Emma!  Some other highlights of the list are Rebecca Romijn using Charlie for a little girl (use Charlotte if you'd like Charlie as a nickname), Patrick Dempsey using Sullivan for one of his little boys (very cute and very rare), and Julia Roberts' use of Phinneaus for the little boy in her set of twins!
 
Although, its highly unlikely that most of us will have a set of twins, its still fun to think of name pairs that you'd like to use if you had the chance!

Viola

Viola


-meaning: violet
-origin: Italian
-potential nicknames: Vi
 
Ooo, Shakespeare name!  I like the simplicity of this name, but I also love that it totally has an exotic flair to it.  This is quite an old school name.  It was the most popular, recently, at the turn of the century (19th to 20th) and fell completely off the charts by the 1960s.  It has yet to have a revival, but Violet has seen a surge in popularity in the past 10 years or so.  Perhaps, Viola is next.

Peter

Peter


-meaning: rock
-origin: Greek
-potential nicknames: Pete
 
Two people come to mind when I see this name: Peter Pevensie and Peter Griffin.  There are loads of famous Peters, but those are the two characters that come straight to mind.  Which is funny because one is a sweet, loyal, teen ruler of a magical land and the other is a misogynist, drunkard, funny man.  Two COMPLETELY different personalities for one little name.  I like this name and really like the nickname, Pete.  But not only are there some rediculous characters named Peter, there are also those who have dirty minds, and, well, if you don't know what I mean by that, you probably don't need to.  As of 2009, Peter is number 191 on the Social Security list, not too popular but still a widely accepted name.

I love you, Harry!

OH MY GOD!  It's been forever and I was starting to have withdraws.  I feel better now.  Anyway!

How could I NOT do an entry about Harry Potter names!?! Seeing as this is my favorite book series, I just couldn’t let this go untouched. One of my favorite baby name blogs posted an article about the origin of a select few of the now famous names and where they originated, as seen in this link:
Behind the Harry Potter Names

I figured, I ought to cover some of the names that weren’t covered in the article. So, here goes:

Luna- This sweet gem is Italian and means moon. This is also the name of the Roman goddess of the moon. This name saw a lot of popularity at the end of the 19th century, and now, it is experiencing a resurgence of popularity. In the books, the name belongs to Luna Lovegood, a very eccentric and good-natured Ravenclaw who helps Harry in the oddest of ways.

Lily- I’m sure this name is familiar to many, Harry Potter fan or not. The name means exactly what it is, lily. The word lily is derived from the Middle English lilie, which is from the Old English and Latin lilium. This name has been hanging out in the top 1000 since the SSA has record of name popularity (the 1880s) and is now very close to breaking the top 10. Lily Potter is Harry’s mother.

Ginevra- You may know this character better by her nickname, Ginny. Although the origin is uncertain, many claim it to be the Italian version of Jennifer, which means white wave or fair one. This name is obviously very rare in America, as it has never placed on the top 1000 list. Although this is an eccentric name, it offers a very cute nickname that can easily pose as a first name. Ginevra, or Ginny, is the only girl and youngest child of the Weasley family, as well as Harry’s eventual love interest.

Rowena- (edit) From elleanne: Rowena is the female form of Rowan, and Rowan is type of tree.  It has also been suggested that Rowena is a Germanic name from the elements hrod "fame" and wynn "joy". But we know for sure a rowan is a tree!  Nature lovers take note!  Sir Walter Scott brought the name some popularity when he used it in his novel Ivanhoe. Although this name has been on the Social Security top 1000 in the past (never really past the 500 mark), it is no longer on it and hasn’t been since the 1950s. Rowena Ravenclaw is one of the founders of Hogwarts and the inspiration for Ravenclaw house.

Fleur- Fleur is simply the French word for flower. However, the French do not really use it as a given name. That is something that the English have come to do. It has not cracked the top 1000 list here in America. Fleur Delacour is a witch who graduated from Beauxbatons, but not before competing in the Triwizard Tournament. She is part veela, which is a magical being that possesses a great, ethereal beauty, and she has proven to be a smart witch with a stubborn streak.


Arthur- I think many of us know this one from the plethora of works written about King Arthur and Arthurian legends. The name is Celtic and is thought to be derived from the Celtic word artos, meaning “bear”, but it is uncertain if this is true. Although the name was very popular since at least the 1880s, its popularity has had a steady decline, dropping out of the top 100 after the 1960s and falling into the 300 range by the 2000s. Arthur is the head of the Weasley clan.

Seamus- This name screams Irish, and it is Irish. The meaning of this name is supplanter. Also, Seamus is the Irish form of James. Seamus just recently appeared on popularity list in the 1990s, but has yet to even pass the 700 mark. This moniker belongs to Seamus Finnegan, another Gryffindor who is a bit of a joker and certainly a bit of a mess with spells gone awry.

Draco- Draco is both considered to be from the Ancient Greek word drakon, which means dragon, and a Latin name, which also means dragon. Another fun fact, Draco is the name of a constellation in the far northern sky. The name does not show up on the popularity lists for America, although Drake, which could serve as a nickname, has gained popularity recently. Draco Malfoy is a fairly nasty Slytherin who has been trained to hate any non-pureblood and is also Harry’s rival, who causes more and more trouble for Harry as the series progresses.

Remus- The meaning of this name is unknown, but we do know it is of Roman origin. Remus is one of the twins who founded Rome, according to Roman mythology. He is later killed by his brother Romulus. Remus has not shown up on the popularity list in America. Remus Lupin is one of the Marauders and a trusted ally to Harry. Although normally mild mannered, Remus turns into a werewolf during each full moon.

Cedric- Another Ivanhoe name! This name was an invention of Sir Walter Scott for the novel. Cedric is apparently based on the name of the semi-legendary founder of the kingdom of Wessex in the 6th-century. It is also decided to be of Old English origin. This name saw a peak in popularity in the 1970s, but has quickly fallen back to the lower end of the chart. Cedric Diggory was a kind-hearted Hufflepuff seeker, who competed with Harry in the Triwizard Tournament but ultimately met his end at the completion of the final task.

In case your interested to see more Harry Potter names, even the really obscure ones, the list I got these names from is:
List of Harry Potter Names