Boy Name of the Week: Felix

The Boy's Name of the Week is the bold and playful Felix.  Beyond "Felix the Cat," this is a Latin name that means "happy and fortunate".

Felix has been the name of four popes and a whopping 67 saints! A biblical Felix was the governor of Judea who imprisoned Saint Paul.  In Ancient Roman times, General Sulla adopted the name Felix because he felt as though the gods blessed him with luck and fortune.

Felix has been all over various literature and films, too many to list. There are also many modern day examples and a couple celebrity babies.

If you zoom out and look internationally, the name Felix is very diverse! It works well in Spanish, German, Austrian, Russian and Polish. It is also quite popular in England/Wales, Denmark, France, The Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. Here in the U.S., it is definitely picking up steam!

It ranked at #316 in 2012 when 1,025 boys were born. There were even 15 female births, but Felix comes across as an all-boy name to me, despite it occasionally being used on girls since 1917.

Felix peaked in 1918, declined in usage, and then was moderately used through the 50s and 60s.  Usage increased again around 1990 and Felix hit its modern peak in 2011.   Since 1880, it has been above #394 on the Top 1000 chart, but yet it feels so very under-the-radar still.

Source

I think this name has potential to continue climbing the charts. It is a simple name with one possible spelling and it is unique but antique enough to be familiar. The fact that it is Latin and has such a wonderful meaning will boost the name in parents' eyes, and that X on the end gives it a stylish vibe.

What do you think of the name Felix? Is it on your list?

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Audrey, Beatrice, Fiona, Ivy, Lorelei, Ramona, Sophia
Brothers: Dexter, Elliott, Jasper, Julian, Maxwell, Oliver, Xavier

Middle Name Ideas:
Felix Alexander
Felix John
Felix Nathaniel
Felix Oliver

As a Middle Name:
Milo Felix
Oscar Felix
Charles Felix
Brody Felix
Henry Felix

Cool Names for Boys

If you are in need of a baby name and you don't really know how to narrow down your style and choose something, perhaps what you need is to find a "cool name" that would impress your friends and give your child that unique edge.

You're in luck! This is a list of "cool names for boys."  Of course, everyone's opinion differs, but you may just find what you're looking for here:

He's definitely an Ace or Cruz

Ace August Ash Axel Bay Beau Beckett Blaze Booker Boone Breccan Calix Calloway Cashel Chance Chase Cliff Colt Cormac Crispin Cruz Damian Dash Dashiell Decimus Denim Diesel Donovan Draven Felix Fergus Finn Gunner Gus Guthrie Harley Homer Hudson Humphrey

Hunter Inigo Ivo Jackson Jagger Jax Jett Justice King Knute Leonidas Lorcan Maddox Matteo Maximus Neo Nico Orion Ozias Pierce Pilot Ranger Ransom Rowan Ryder Ryker Sargent Sayer Steele Stone Storm Taj Talon West Wilder Wolf Wyatt Zane Zebulon

Which of these is your favorite? Can you think of any to add? Click Here for the Cool Girls Names list!

Predicting Trends: The 100 Year Rule

They say that it takes 100 years for names to come back into fashion. They aren't wrong.

When you think about all of the names that are currently at the top of the charts (or rising quickly) how many of them were previously considered "Grandma" names?

Perhaps these names are now being used to honor those grandparents. Or maybe those names now belong to the great-grandparents of current baby-namers and aren't well-known or thought of as old. Just like fashion trends, names have a way of coming back around and seeming fresh again. The 100 year rule is real!

To prove that, here are some names that saw popularity spikes in the 1915-1925 range. These same names have begun gaining popularity since 2010 (and sometimes earlier because of those parents ahead of the trend.)

We can only assume that these names will continue to climb our modern day charts and hit their peaks around the 100-years-later mark and then decline again.

Name: (Year with most births) #ranking in 2012

Names that spiked around 1920 that are also spiking in popularity today:
Adeline (1918) #239
Clara (1918)  #136
Eleanor (1920)  #135
Genevieve (1918) #228
Hazel (1918)  #175
Josephine (1918) #160
Lillian (1920) #25
Lola (1919) #231
Ruby (1920) #106
Sophie (1917) #52
Violet (1920) #89
Vivian (1920)  #141

Keep in mind that these names have not had any popularity spikes between then and now.

Here are some names that also had their spike around 1920 but haven't yet spiked today. These names are slowly inching upward per the 100 year rule. If you use one of these now, you'll be ahead of any possible spikes in the near future and I think they're coming.

Name: (Year with most births) #ranking in 2012

Names that spiked around 1920 and are climbing the charts today:
Adele (1918)  #536
Beatrice (1921)  #691
Edith (1918)  #762
Elsie (1918) #397
Estelle (1915)  #950
June (1925) #435
Leona  (1918)  #914
Lucille (1919)  #394
Mabel (1915) #1051
Mae (1918)  #750
Viola (1918)  #1408

What do you think of these two lists? Would you use any of these names and be part of the trend? Or does this information make you immediately avoid these names so that your daughter doesn't have a popular name in the coming years?  Let me know!

Girl Name of the Week: Antonia

The Girl's Name of the Week is a beautiful choice that often gets overlooked: Antonia.

Antonia is the feminine form of the Roman family name "Antonius" from which the male names Antony, Anthony, Antonio, etc also come. All of these names unfortunately do not have a known meaning.

In the 17th century, names like this were confused for having origins from the Greek word "Anthos" which means "flower" and resulted in the letter "h" being adding to names like Anthony.

Some websites will claim meanings for these names, but none have been proven to be true. I have seen meanings listed for Antonia such as "priceless," "beautiful," or "praiseworthy." If you wish to use one of these meanings for your daughter, that is fine with me, just remember they haven't been proven as the true meaning based on the root name Antonius, which has an unknown meaning.

Antonia and its variant forms such as Antoinette and Antonella, among others, have strong roots in history. A popular example was the Queen of France Marie Antoinette (born Maria Antonia.) There were also many women in Roman Antiquity named Antonia.

In 2007, Antonia took a nose-dive off the US Top 1000 chart. It had a strong popularity spike in 1996 with 669 babies born and then it immediately declined in usage afterward. There were only 219 baby girl Antonias born in 2012. Confusingly, there were also 6 males given this name.

Antonia historically saw decent usage in the 1920's and again in the 1950's before its big spike in 1996. If you are looking for a solid name with plenty of history without a ton of current popularity, Antonia is a great option! It ranked at #1122 in 2012.

Revision: As of 2016, Antonia ranks at #993 with 264 births for the year.

What do you think of this name? Do you prefer one of the variants instead?

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Eva, Gloria, Louisa, Margaret, Michaela, Sophia
Brothers: Andrew, David, Joseph, Manuel, Rafael, Simon

Middle Name Ideas:
Antonia Elise
Antonia Kate
Antonia Jane
Antonia Guadalupe
Antonia Margarita
Antonia Penelope

As a Middle Name:
Evelyn Antonia
Maria Antonia
Willow Antonia
Josephine Antonia
Sara Antonia

What would you pair with Antonia?

Original post: 7/26/13
Revised: 5/14/17

Ancient Names for Girls

Like the Ancient Boy Name post, here are some lovely and unique ancient name options for girls! Many of them are Latin but there is a mixture of origins and eras in this list. Which of these do you think deserve to be used for a modern girl?

Abelia                         Aeliana Albia Aliana Amabel Amica Annia Antonia Aphra Aquilia Aries Argentia Arria Atarah Athalia Aurelia Avita Basilia Beata Bellatrix Caesarea Calvina Campana Candida Cassia Cecilia Claudia Clemencia Columba Constantina Cornelia Crispina Cyra Dahlia Damaris Damiane Decima Delicia Dominica Donata Drusilla Dulcina Elizabella Elysia Fabia Fannia Fausta Faustina Felicia Fidella Flavia Florentina Fortunata Francesca Gaia Galla Gaynor Gwenore Hilaria Honoria Horatia Imogene Isolde Jennet Jonet

Jovia Julia Junia Juno Justina Laelia Laurentia Lavinia Ligeia Livia Lucia Lucilla Lucretia Mahala Marciana Marilla Mattea Maxima Melisent Meriall Mila Minerva Mucia Nerilla Nicasia Nova Octavia Paccia Palantina Perpetua Persis Phillida Pisces Placidia Prima Prisca Priscilla Quintia Regina Rosalba Rufina Sabina Septima Sergia Seraphina Severina Sibyl Sidonia Silvia Tanaquil Tauria Tertia Titiana Tullia Turia Urbana Ursa Valentina Valeria Varinia Venecia Verina Viviana Zelina

The Prince of Cambridge Has A Name!

The name of the Prince of Cambridge, the third in line to the throne of England, has finally been announced!

What do you think of this Royal Baby Name? Is it fitting for a future King?  I think it is extremely strong and handsome. Perfect for this little Prince.  George was pretty much a sure thing and everyone was betting on it. Alexander is my own son's middle name and one of my very favorites. It wasn't on anyone's radar as an option. Louis is one of Prince William's middle names!

Here's the breakdown of what each of the names mean and who else has worn these names in the Royal Family:

George is a Greek name meaning "Farmer." The fact that they chose it is probably meant to reflect the humbleness of a farmer so that the Prince can always be down-to-earth and a more compassionate ruler. It is a strong name that is both royal and saintly. It was worn by the King of Britain for 116 years straight!  Most notably, George directly honors the most recent King George VI who was Queen Elizabeth's father. His full name was Albert "Bertie" Frederick Arthur George and he died in 1952. George is also one of the middle names of Grandpa Charles, the Prince of Wales.

Alexander is a Greek name meaning "Defender of Man" and puts a huge responsibility on this little prince already. In addition to giving him the humility and meekness of a farmer, he is meant to defend those around him with honor. This may be a nod to Queen Victoria whose real first name was Alexandrina.  And of course, the baby's Great-Grandmother, HRH Queen Elizabeth's middle name is Alexandra. There haven't been any King Alexanders in England.

Louis is a German and French name meaning "Renowned Warrior" which is another big meaning for a little prince. He is meant to be strong and brave and, combined with the other two meanings, protect his people. There was one King Louis who lived from 1187-1226 and had 13 children! Otherwise, this name is more frequently used in the middle name spot.  Prince William has this as a middle name and so does his uncle Prince Edward.

George Alexander Louis in his mother's arms.
Via The British Monarchy's Facebook

What do you think of this royal name for our new little prince? Did you guess correctly? Do you like it?

Boy Name of the Week: Benedict

The Boy Name of the Week is the strong and bold Benedict. I prefer this choice over the more-common Benjamin and Bennett.

Benedict is a Latin name meaning "blessed." It is also the name of Saint Benedict, an Italian Monk who formed the Benedictine Order in the 6th century. Additionally, a whopping sixteen popes have worn the name. Benedict hit England in the 12th century and became insanely popular.

The alternate spelling, Benedick, probably won't fly for a modern baby but it was used for a character in the Shakespeare piece Much Ado About Nothing.

Of course there will always be that link to the infamous traitor Benedict Arnold, but he died in 1801 so I'm willing to look past that now, are you?

To switch gears, a modern day Benedict is a new rising star. The British stage, film and TV actor named Benedict Cumberbatch is gaining popularity in the States now.

Let's look at the popularity stats of Benedict. It recently ranked at #420 in England/Wales, but the US has not flocked to this name yet. Its highest naming spike occurred in 1918 when 163 boys were given the name. It leveled out with minimal usage until another spike occurred in 2005 with 157 births which coincides with Pope Benedict taking over. However, usage has once again declined with a mere 86 baby Benedicts born in 2012 for a ranking of #1736.

Source

But you know what? I would say this is a gem of a name! It is familiar yet rarely used. It has "Ben" as a great, simple nickname for those wanting to tone down the in-your-face strength of Benedict.  It is clearly very handsome too! I'd recommend this name for parents who are a bit bold and want to find something unique without resorting to odd spellings. Benny or Benno are cute alternates to the nickname Ben. You might even be able to get away with Ned since it's in the spelling and even Eddy. ;)

I'd pair Benedict with something short, sweet and traditional like James, John or Lucas. The only possible issue with the name is the teasing potential of "you've been a dick" or anything along those lines. If that bothers you and you still love the name, something like James Benedict would be so insanely handsome and it would tuck Benedict safely into the middle name spot to avoid complications.  What do you think of this moniker?

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Alexandra, Clementine, Katharine, Josephine, Magnolia, Ophelia, Seraphina
Brothers: Alexander, Augustus, Julius, Leopold, Maximus, Nathaniel, Octavius

Middle Name Ideas:
Benedict James
Benedict Lucas
Benedict Constantine
Benedict August
Benedict Joseph

As a Middle Name:
James Benedict
Xavier Benedict
Leo Benedict
Henry Benedict
Max Benedict

The Prince Has Left The Building!

We got our first glimpse of the Prince of Cambridge! The proud parents Prince William and his wife Catherine briefly spoke with reporters today when they left the hospital.

They said that the baby is quite heavy and definitely has a strong pair of lungs on him. William changed the baby's first nappy and this whole experience has been very emotional for them. He also said that they are just now having a chance to be with him and get to know him so they haven't been able to pin down the perfect name yet.

Having a child of my own, I can relate to the whirlwind of events that come with childbirth. However, when you add in all of the media surrounding the hospital, the fact that you are royal, and the pressure of being charged with naming the future King of England, I cannot blame them for wanting to take a bit more time deciding on the name. After all, naming any child is a huge responsibility that should be taken very seriously. When you're naming royalty, it is that much more important.

Congratulations again to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. We had just a brief glimpse at the small child but he looked adorable already. William joked that the baby has all of his mother's looks to which Catherine sweetly disagreed with a laugh.

Hopefully we will soon be able to see a few baby photos and learn what name they've chosen! All in good time!

Ancient Names for Boys

I have an interest in ancient names. Here are some interesting choices for a boy. Most of them are of Latin origin and some are older than others but it will give you plenty of choices for naming inspiration! Many of them are very big names and would do better in a middle name spot. But for the bolder parents, they do make for a strong and handsome first name! I have a Maximus, myself!  Which of these is your favorite?

Aeneas                         Amadeus Andreas Antonius Antony Apollo Atticus Augustus Aurelius Benedict Brutus Caesar Caius Cassius Cato Celestine Cicero Claudius Constantine Cornelius Cosmo Cyrus Dante Decimus Demetrius Dominic Eliseo Felix Flavius Gaius Hadrian Helladius Hercules Horace Horatio Hyroniemus Ibis Ignatius Jarlath Jerome Josephus Julius Junius

Juno Jupiter Justus Lazarus Leonitus Leopold Lucius Magnus Marcellus Marcus Marius Maximus Mercury Miles Nero Octavian Octavius Paul Peregrine Philo Primus Quentin Quintus Remus Romanus Romulus Rufus Seneca Septimus Severus Silas Solaris Stephanus Tarquin Tertius Thelonius Theon Thor Tiberius Titus Ulysses Urban Vitalis

The Royal Baby is Finally Here!

This was as clear as the image could get.

Have you heard? We have a new future King of England! The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have just welcomed a son into the world!

The media has been abuzz about them since they announced their pregnancy months ago! And in the past few weeks, speculation on the gender and the name of the baby has skyrocketed. There were even bookies in England taking bets on what name would ultimately be chosen. (I wonder who scored big and who lost!)

I watched on a live news stream as the official correspondent left the hospital, entered the gates at Buckingham Palace and placed the official birth announcement on a golden easel.  The document said:

"Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge was safely delivered of a son at 4.24pm."

The baby is already being hailed as the Prince of Cambridge. He was born today, July 22nd in the  St. Mary's Hospital in Paddington, London. He weighed in at 8 lbs and 6 oz. A healthy start for new royalty! I'm sure all of England is rejoicing!

Media is swarming!

The Duke of Cambridge was present for the birth and the mother and child are doing well! She will remain in the hospital overnight but they should be announcing the baby's name very soon!

The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Harry and other family members have indeed been informed and are delighted with the news.

A royal announcement was made by an official in a red uniform with a scroll. He started by saying "Hear ye Hear ye" and revealed that it is indeed a son and ended with "Long live the Queen!" It was all very official and exciting. The media outside the palace cheered!

Later, the doctor left the building and shouted "It is a beautiful baby boy!" as he passed by.

I will update you again when the name is revealed!

Girl Name of the Week: Magnolia

Since I posted a list of tree and flower names for girls, I thought I would pick my favorite from the bunch for the Girl Name of the Week! I chose the lovely Magnolia.

This is a Latin flower name that gained a sweet, "Southern Belle" image from a character in the iconic novel and musical Showboat by Edna Ferber. If you've never heard of it, don't feel bad. The novel was written in 1926 and the musical was on Broadway in 1927. However there were three films produced since then.

The Magnolia flower was originally named in 1703 after a French botanist named Pierre Magnol who lived from 1638-1715 and contributed much to the way flowers are classified today.

Isn't she lovely?

In modern times, Magnolia as a name has come along on the latest wave of botanical names for girls. She began gaining more popularity around 2006. However, Magnolia has not cracked the Top 1000 chart since 1940. In 2012, Magnolia ranked in at #1123 with 218 births which is a fair amount considering she ranked at #493 in 1905 with just 47 births. (Oh how times have changed in the naming world!)

The highest popularity peak, besides 2012, occurred in 1921 when there were 150 baby girls named Magnolia. Random fact: apparently the only year that there weren't at least 5 births since 1880 was my birth year, 1987. Strange! I should have been named Magnolia just to possibly add to the stats! And also because it is beautiful and I love it!

Source

The first time I heard this name on someone was when I was watching the show Hart of Dixie and saw a blonde, southern belle teen named Magnolia Breeland. Because of this, I'm inclined to want to pair Magnolia with Breanne or Brielle or Brynn. (Also, her sister's name is Lemon!)

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Caroline, Daphne, Georgia, Jessica, Michaela, Seraphina
Brothers: Alexander, Benjamin, Jonathan, Maxwell, Theodore, Xavier

Middle Name Ideas:
Magnolia Claire
Magnolia Eve
Magnolia Vivienne

As a Middle Name:
Katherine Magnolia
Jane Magnolia
Alice Magnolia

I'd avoid other flower names like Rose or Lily for a sister or as a middle name. Cute nicknames include Maggie, Noa, Nollie, Nola and Lia.

What would you pair it with? What do you think of this lovely botanical name? Do you prefer another? Let me know!

Flower and Tree Names for Girls

There is nothing more beautiful than mother nature. Where names are concerned, flowers and trees are specifically wonderful for little girls.

Drawing inspiration from the beauty around us, I've compiled this list of flower and tree names that would be darling on a modern girl. They bring to mind such lovely images of petals and leaves.

If you're looking for a beautiful name, look no further! There are some classics in here such as Rose and Holly but there's also plenty of unusual and unique choices that you're sure to love! Which of these do you like best?

Acacia Alyssum Amaryllis Amarantha Apple Ash Aspen Aster Aven Azalea Blossom Bluebell Bryony Calla                                   Calantha Camellia Chrysantha Chrysanthemum Clematis Clover Daffodil Dahlia Daisy Delphine Eirlys Fern Fleur Flora Forsythia Gardenia Garland Hazel Heather Holly Hyacinth Ianthe Ilara Iolanthe Iris

Ivy Jacinta Jasmine Jonquil Juniper Kamilah Kennedia Laurel Lavender Leilani Lemon Lilac Lily Linnea Lotus Magnolia Marguerite Marigold Marjoram Myrtle Olive Orchid Pansy Peony Petal Petunia Poppy Posey Primrose Rose Saffron Senna Tulip Veronica Violet Willow Wisteria Zahara Zinnia

For even more baby name ideas, take a look at this list of Nature Names for both boys and girls!

Boy Name of the Week: Chandler

The Boy Name of the Week is one of my favorite occupational names and I chose it in honor of yesterday's name list. It is derived from an Old French name that took form as a Middle English occupational name meaning "candlestick maker" or "candle seller."  Have you guessed? Yes, its Chandler. A chandler was the head of the chandlery in medieval households, responsible for wax, candles, and soap.

There are some parents who will give this name to their daughter but it is more popular for boys. The most popular example in recent memory is funny-man Chandler Bing on the TV show Friends which aired from 1994-2004. However, despite fitting right in with the "-er" trend and the occupational name trend, Chandler has lost its popularity since 2004. In fact, the most usage this name has seen was indeed during the airing of that show. It more than doubled between 1994 and 1995, (from 704 births to 1,856). Its highest peak occurred in 1999 with 2,394 births and a ranking of #151.

But lets back up a bit. Chandler first appeared on American baby boys in 1900 with 5 births. It took 62 years for the name to hit the girl market with 10 female births in 1962. Yet, before Friends even aired, the girl-Chandlers increased from 90 births in 1991 to 437 births in 1992 with its highest peak of 744 births occurring in 1995.

The name has declined in usage for boys over the past decade, but it has actually increased for girls. In 2016, male Chandlers ranked at #466 with 650 births, whereas the females made a leap onto the Top 1000 chart, returning for the first time since 2002 for a rank of #995 and 264 births. It is almost time for this name to be fresh again.

What do you think of this name and do you prefer it on a boy or a girl?  Here are some ideas for sibling names and middle names:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Avery, Delaney, Jessica, Matilda, Savannah, Willow
Brothers: Carter, Ethan, Harrison, Landon, Lincoln, Taylor,

Middle Name Ideas (Boy): 
Chandler Michael
Chandler Ellis
Chandler Adrian
Chandler Scott

Middle Name Ideas (Girl):
Chandler Isabelle
Chandler Lillian
Chandler Elise
Chandler Sophia

Which gender do you prefer for the name Chandler? What middle name would you pair with it?

Revised: 5/18/17

Occupational Names

Knight's Helmet by George Hodan
Perhaps Knight is your favorite name?

Long ago, people were known by their occupations. You'd have Joe the Blacksmith or Mary the Tailor. After a while, these job titles became their surnames and you'd have Joe Smith and Mary Taylor.

In modern times, these "occupational names" that were sometimes initially a surname have become a trend and are used as first names. Most of these are better on boys, but there are a few that can be used on a girl or on both genders equally.

I'll list them out and let you choose which gender you'd prefer:

Abbott             Anchor Archer Bacchus Bailey Baird Baker Bandit Banner Barber Barker Baxter Bekker Bender Berger Bishop Booker Bowman Brenner Brewer Brewster Butler Cantrell Carbry Carpenter Carrin Carter Carver Cater Century Chafer Chaffer Challender Chamberlain Chambers Chandler Chaplin Chapman Chaucer Cherrier Clark Coldren Coleman Collier Conner Cooper Cotter Currier Dancer Deacon Dexter Draper Dyer Drummer

Falconer           Falkner Farmer Fearson Fifer Fisher Fiske Fletcher Forester Foster Fowler Fuller Gage Gardener Glover Granger Harper Hayward Hooper Hunter Jagger Jeter Kantor Kellogg Kiefer King Knight Lander Lanier Lister Lorimer Marshall Mason Mercer Miller Miner Nader Naylor Page Paget Paige Painter Palmer Parker Parson Pilot Piper Plummer Poet Porter Potter Proctor Provost Purcell

Ranger Redman Reeve Rocker Roper Ryder Sadler Sargent Sailor Sawyer Sayer Scully Sexton Shepherd Shields Singer Skinner Slater Skipper Smith Snyder Spencer Stonier Steele Stewart Tabor Tanner Taverner Taylor Thatcher Tiller Tillman Todd Toller Tolliver Trapp Travers Trinder Trotter Tucker Turner Tyler Voss Walker Waller Ward Warner Wayne Weaver Webb Webster Wheeler Whistler Woodward Wright

While some of these are nice and are regularly used, some of these are a bit too out there and aren't recommended. But alas, I provide the options! It is up to you!

Girl Name of the Week: Liesel

In honor of the post from yesterday regarding your favorite classic girl's name, I thought I'd choose a variant of the poll winner, Elizabeth.

If you are familiar with this name, you'll know that it has so many variants, diminutives and foreign versions, even whole names like Isabella and Lillian come from Elizabeth.  I searched high and low for an interesting choice and came up with Liesel.

Liesel is a German Diminutive of Elisabeth (which is obviously an alternate spelling of Elizabeth.) Pronounced LEE-zel.  It is also spelled Liesl.  Elizabeth is a Hebrew name meaning "Pledged to God." For Liesel, I only seemed to find the meanings "God is my Oath" or "My God is a Vow." You get the idea.

I saw Liesel appear all over baby name forums a couple years ago and it has seemed to completely fall off the radar once again. If you don't like it as a given name, it would make for a spunky nickname for Elizabeth that is probably not used very often.

As a given name, Liesel first hit the charts in 1954 with only 5 births. It wasn't heard from again until 1963, but it has been regularly used since then. However, the most births in a single year was in 2008 with just 33 baby girls born.  You know you have a unique name when only 32 other girls in the country also have it in your birth year.

In 2012, only 19 babies received this name, proving that it is indeed very obscure. It ranked at #6713.  Liesel might even do well to honor grandma Lisa by offering a more updated sound. Lisa also comes from Elisabeth.

Source

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Annabel, Gretel, Heidi, Lauren, Millicent, Renee

Brothers: Archer, Brenton, Calvin, Grant, Lance, Wilson

Middle Name Ideas:
Liesel Ramona
Liesel Evangeline
Liesel Grace
Liesel Minerva

As a Middle Name:
Catherine Liesel
Harriet Liesel
Penelope Liesel
Sabrina Liesel

It seems to flow better as a first name.  But whether you're looking for a rare given name or a spunky nickname for one of the most-used names in history, Liesel is it!  What do you think?

Result of "Favorite Classic Girls Name" Poll

If you've seen the polls on the right side of my blog, you may have noticed that two of them have closed. I'd like to report the results of one of the polls now!

This poll asked the question: "What is your favorite classic girls name?"  I provided the following options:

Elizabeth - 14 votes (34%)
Alexandra -  8 votes (19%)
Anna      -  8 votes (19%)
Katherine -  6 votes (14%)
Victoria -   5 votes (12%)

Elizabeth was the clear winner of the poll! I wrote a blog article about the name Elizabeth asking why it has been a perpetually popular name since 1880. It appears to still have the winning-edge over its contemporaries!  Elizabeth has a rich history, a timeless style and a multitude of nickname options! It is a Hebrew name meaning "pledged to God," and is ranked at #10 on the US Top 1000 names chart.

Alexandra and Anna tied for 2nd place.  Alexandra is my favorite of the bunch. It is a strong but elegant Greek name meaning "Defender of the People."  With many nickname possibilities, this name remains popular at #76.

The name Anna is short and sweet. On its own, it is a Hebrew name meaning "Grace," but it is also considered a Greek or Latin version of the name Hannah. Anna has an exotic appeal that works internationally. It is currently ranked at #35.

Katherine placed next on the poll rankings and is one of the oldest and most diverse names! It is equally powerful and feminine with a royal and saintly edge. Katherine has many spellings, short forms and nicknames which makes it very adaptable to the name bearer. It is Greek meaning "pure," and is currently ranked at #64. This name is my second favorite on the list.

Lastly, Victoria! Queen Victoria's name was responsible for classifying an entire era that epitomizes gentility and refinement. It is Latin meaning "victory," and is currently ranked at #28. I would personally like this name better if I didn't dislike the nickname "Vicky" so much. Perhaps that is one reason this classic name ranked last on the poll.

Which did you vote for? What are your favorite nicknames for each name?  Let me know in the comments below and check out the results of the Classic Boy Name poll from Monday's post!  Stay tuned for tomorrow's Girl Name of the Week! I'll be using a diminutive of one of the names above!

Boy Name of the Week: Ewan

The Boy Name of the Week is the Scottish form of a Gaelic name: Ewan. It is pronounced YOO-un.

It comes from the Gaelic name Eoghan. There were several legendary Irish figures with the name Eoghan, which possibly means "born from the yew tree" in Irish. Some say it may be derived from Eugene which comes from Greek words meaning "well born."  I've also seen some sites say that Ewan means "Youth" but I'm not sure where they got that information from.

So while I can't seem to get a clear picture on what it really means, it is still a very handsome name. Ewan can also be spelled Euan, Ewen, Ewyn or even Ouen, depending on where you live.  Sometimes it is said to be a variation of names like John, Owen, Evan, Hugh and again Eugene. Owen is actually the Welsh spelling of the name, also spelled Owain.

If you do more research on Eoghan, you'll see that it also has various spellings and that its true meaning is heavily debated.  The encyclopedia of Irish Names (1981, 1990) disputes any connection with Eugene and derives the name from Old Irish: Eógan meaning "born of the yew". So I think I'll go with that!

As you can see, Ewan has plenty of possible roots and brother-names.  What I think makes it so special is its unique sound, spelling and the fact that it isn't super popular. Sure, you've heard of the Scottish Actor Ewan McGregor, but how many others do you know? I can't say I've met one.

You may need to click the image to see it better.  Source

Let's look at the stats! This name wasn't heard of in the US until 1972. It did not catch on at all until 1997. The most usage that Ewan has received was in 2006 when there were 148 babies born. That wasn't enough for the name to crack the Top 1000 though.

In 2012, there were 140 baby Ewans born, ranking the name at #1245. Compare that to the 7,851 baby boys named Evan (#47), and the 8,630 baby boys named Owen (#38).

I like Ewan for how under-the-radar it still is.  What do you think of it?

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Ainsley, Caitlin, Clara, Fiona, Isla, Maeve, Rosalie, Siobhan
Brothers: Aiden, Callum, Finn, Gavin, Kellan, Lachlan, Ronan, Teague

Middle Name Ideas: 
Ewan Bryant
Ewan Cashel
Ewan Dempsey
Ewan Flannerry
Ewan Malone
Ewan Rafferty
Ewan Reilly

Result of "Favorite Classic Boys Name" Poll

If you've noticed the polls that are located on the right side of this blog, you'll see that the two on the bottom have closed. I have the results of the boy poll here!  I will feature the girl's poll on Thursday.

I asked the question: "Which of these classic boy names do you prefer?" These were the options:

Alexander - 14 votes (35%)
William - 8 votes (20%)
James -  8 votes (20%)
John -  5 votes (12%)
Charles - 4 votes (10%)

Looking back on this, I would have probably preferred to remove one of them and include Arthur or Frederick. Nonetheless, you guys voted and the clear winner was Alexander.

Alexander is a Greek name meaning "Defender of the People," and it is also my favorite on this list. It is the name I chose for my son's middle name. It ranked at #9 on the 2012 US Top 1000 Names chart! It is a noble name with many nicknames and variations such as Alex, Lex, Xander/Zander and even the exotic Sasha.

There was a two-way tie for second place, William and James.  William is a royal name, currently used by Prince William. This is a classic name that has endured over the years. It currently sits at #5! It is both conservative and contemporary with the cute, popular nickname Liam (which ranked #6 on its own.) Despite Liam, there will continue to be Wills and Bills and Billys. William is an English name meaning "resolute protection."

James is considered the English variation of Jacob, but it is also known as a Hebrew name meaning "supplanter." This name has also endured time and remains as popular and stylish as ever! It ranks at #14 and is beloved by many for its extensive history and cute nicknames like Jimmy and Jamie. There are also many interesting foreign variations of the name from Jacques to Hamish to Seamus.

John is a solid classic that stood at the top of the list for decades. In fact, before the SSA began compiling data in 1880, John was the most popular name for nearly 400 years! While it ranked at #28 last year, many parents view it was overused, opting for Jack or another international variation such as Jean, Sean, Ian, Evan or Ewan. The ones that use John today seem to use it to honor a relative rather than using it for stylistic reasons. It is at its lowest point ever right now. It is a Hebrew name meaning "God is gracious," and despite its drop in popularity, I imagine it will always be in the Top 100.

Lastly, Charles only got 4 votes. The name dates back to Charles the Great or the emperor Charlemagne. It is an elegant royal name that is currently in usage by Prince Charles, son of Queen Elizabeth and first in line to the throne of England. It has also been the name of Kings in France, Spain, Portugal and Hungary. It ranks at #62 in the US and is a French name meaning "free man." It seems many parents prefer the nickname Charlie as a given name.

Which of these names did you vote for? What are your favorite nicknames for each? Let me know in the comments below!  And stay tuned for the results of the girl's name poll! It will post on Thursday!

10 Ancient Names that Deserve Usage Today

Minerva

Many vintage names are coming back into style today but there are also plenty of ancient gems out there that very few people are considering. It begs the question, what makes certain names desirable and others not?  Here are 10 perfectly viable names with history and beauty that are being virtually ignored for modern babies:

Aveline
This name originated as a French surname that was introduced by the Norman French to the British. It became very rare after the Middle Ages. I found it listed as a surname for some famous people dating back as early as 1656. Unlike most surnames, this one is actually very feminine and would be beautiful on a girl. It follows the popular Ava trend and is similar to all the other -line names.  It has very rare usage in the US (the first record being in 1923) and it ranked at #3678 in 2013 with 41 births. Unlike some of the other Av- names, this is not associate with birds. Aveline is said to come from "Avila," a town in Spain, which means "desired." Another source says it comes from the Ancient Roman place "Avella" which means "Hazelnut." Perhaps in this case, you can choose which meaning you like better since neither are marked as the official meaning.

Isolde
A name that frequently gets tossed around naming forums but is rarely used in the US. There were only 9 births in 2013 which ranks the name at #11264; this is down from 22 births in 2012. A romantic and tragic name, Isolde brings to mind the Arthurian legends of the Irish Princess and her lover Knight Tristan. This story made the name very popular during the Middle Ages (also spelled Iseult.) It regained some popularity from Richard Wagner's opera "Tristan und Isolde" in 1865. However there are no US births on record until 1971, then not again until 1997. Its been used regularly but rarely since 2006.

Junia
With the spunky Juno being tossed around (but still rarely used) and the lovely June coming back, I'd like to explore another rare option: Junia. Ranking at #4655 with 30 births in 2013, this Ancient Roman name could be hot again! With a Biblical twist, Junia is also debated to possibly be a female apostle who was complimented by Paul in the 1st century (some argue the name was used for a man.)  The name Junia first ranked at #981 in 1883 (with 5 births) and has been used sporadically  over the years with a vintage peak of 16 births in 1922. It took a hiatus through the 60s and 70s and has seen a slight increase in usage since 2004.

Lavinia

I've featured this name before and it remains one of my favorites. It has been used every year since 1880 but it averages only 20-40 births a year with a peak of 93 births in both 1920 and 1921. Perhaps parents aren't loving it because of its unknown meaning. However, she was a Shakespearean character in Titus Andronicus. Lavinia was also the wife of the Trojan hero Aeneas and was considered to be the mother of the Roman people according to Roman legends. The town of Lavinium, Italy was named after her. For those of you that like a name with history or a name that comes from ancient legends, this is a very ancient name that sounds beautiful and classy. It was also the middle name of the beloved Old Hollywood starlet Ava Gardner. There were only 70 girls born with this name in 2013, with a ranking of #2534.

Minerva
This is another Ancient Latin name that has long been neglected. It means"intellect." This name's most notable namesake is the Roman Goddess of wisdom, invention and war. She is said to be the equivalent of the Greek Goddess Athena. Minerva is also associated with arts, music, poetry, medicine and crafts which would be an excellent choice for artistic, adventurous parents. This name has been used since the Renaissance. It peaked in popularity around 1915-1920 and again around 1955-1960 so it is due for a spike in modern usage. It only ranked at #3417 with 46 births in 2013.

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Amadeus
This Latin boy's name is most famously known as the middle name of the classical composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. "Amadeus" was also the title of a Peter Shaffer play which became an award-winning film in 1984. The name Amadeus means "Lover of God" and is a unique but familiar pick. It has only been used as a recorded first-name since 1985, probably as a response to the film. Its peak usage occurred last year in 2013 with only 53 babies born. That ranks the name at #2351. Amadeus definitely deserves some love!

Constantine
Another Latin name that could use more usage! With the similar girl name Constance having such success, its a wonder why Constantine is rarely heard! A derivative of Constans, meaning "steadfast" or "constant", a famous bearer of the name was Constantine the Great (272-337) who was the first Roman emperor to adopt Christianity. He famously moved the capital of the empire from Rome to Byzantium and renamed it Constantinople after himself. It is now Istanbul in modern times. Perhaps the long length of Constantine and the lack of good nicknames (Connie? Stan? Tino?) is enough to keep the name from gaining popularity. However, it was given to 95 babies in 2013 for a rank of #1602. It's been regularly used since 1906, with its first US appearances in 1885. I happen to love this name in the middle name spot!

Leopold
This name tends to get associated with the "Leo" names meaning "Lion" like Leon and Leonardo, but Leopold does not come from the same meaning. It is derived from the Germanic elements "leud" meaning "people" and "bald" meaning "bold." Some sites say that it means "Brave People." Bold or Brave, this aristocratic name was used by Queen Victoria to honor her favorite uncle King Leopold of Belgium. This name was common among German royalty as well. Leopold was also a 12th-century Saint in Austria, who is now considered the patron of that country. In literature, Leopold Bloom is the main character in James Joyce's novel "Ulysses" (1920). Leopold has been steadily used every year since 1880 but for few babies per year. It hit a peak of 79 births in 1916. In 2013, only 64 little Leopolds were born, ranking the name at #2090. I prefer the nickname "Leo" to come from Leopold.

Marcellus
This is a Roman family name that originates from the more popular "Marcus." All these Mar- variations stem from the name of the Roman god "Mars" who was the god of war, equivalent to the Greek Ares. Marcellus is a Latin name meaning "Young Warrior" and has been used by two popes along with the famous Marcus Claudius Marcellus. With other ancient Roman names like Maximus, Augustus, Julius and Titus gaining popularity, I could see Marcellus fitting right in with the nickname Marc. The name has had very little usage per year, but has been on the record since 1880. Its first usage peak was in 1971 when 121 babies were born. Next, the 90's saw elevated numbers like 107 and 117 and 109 births. Marcellus has stayed in the 90-110 range, falling to just 80 births in 2013. That ranks the name at #1792.

Romulus

I would love to see a little Romulus with the nickname Romy. Like Marcellus, this name would fit right in with all the other Latin "-us" names that are gaining popularity. While I love the sound of this name, I do have to warn parents about its most obvious namesake. Romulus was one of the original Romans. His name means "citizen of Rome" in Latin. He and his twin brother, Remus, founded Rome. However, according to legend, Romulus killed his brother and created the city in his own image. His name is later changed to Quinnius.  Another notable namesake is found in the Star Trek series as the home planet of the Romulan race. Despite the legendary Romulus, a few parents have found this name appealing over the years. It was first recorded as being used in the US in 1922 with just 6 births. There have only been a total of 225 boys named Romulus in the US. In 2013, only 7 boys received this strong, bold choice. 

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What do you think of these rare names? Do you think it is the strong associations that they have in history that keeps parents from using them? Or have they simply not caught on as a popular choice yet? Yes, they are not in the normal rotation of names, but I don't see why they should remain obscure and unloved.  

Tell me: why do you think some names are overused and some remain forever obscure? Is our society just not ready for the more unusual but historic choices? Which one is your favorite?

This article also appears on Nameberry.

Girl Name of the Week: Maeve

The Girl Name of the Week is a short and sweet Irish name in honor of the one-syllable girl names post from yesterday. This name belonged to a legendary ancient Irish queen: Maeve. Today, it is starting to come back into favor with modern parents for both a first and middle name.

Maeve is the anglicized form of the Gaelic name "Medb" which means "intoxicating". In Irish legend this was the name of a powerful, warrior Queen of Connacht. Her fight against Ulster and the hero Cúchulainn is told in the Irish epic "The Cattle Raid of Cooley."

In Ireland, the Irish spelling Meabh is used more frequently. It is in the top 100 names there, but that spelling isn't recommended for usage in the US. Meabh actually comes from  "Medb" which is the original Irish form of Maeve. Other variants include Meadhbh, Mave, Maive, Mayve, Maeva and Meave. However, Maeve is my favorite.

It is gaining popularity in the US. It has the lovely nickname Mae/May as well as the stylish V sound. Maeve did not appear on [recorded] US birth certificates until 1940 when 8 girls bore the name. It has been rarely but steadily used since then but did not start to gain momentum in usage until the early 90s. Maeve landed in the top 1000 in 1997 at #955, which accounted for 207 births.  It gradually climbed the ranks and sits pretty at #484 in 2013, which equals 620 births.  In Ireland, Maeve ranked at #147 in 2011 with just 15 births.

Source

What do you think of Maeve? If you like it, here are some sibling and middle name ideas:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Bridget, Erin, Fiona, Julia, Molly, Tessa
Brothers: Aiden, Connor, Finn, Jack, Patrick, Sean

Middle Name Ideas:
Maeve Alexandra
Maeve Carrigan
Maeve Kathleen
Maeve Sheridan

As a First Name:
Caroline Maeve
Enye Maeve
Kiley Maeve
Saoirse Maeve (seer-shah)

What name would you pair with it? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

One-Syllable Given Names for Girls

Names that are "short and sweet" are often very desirable for a girl, especially in the middle name spot to complement a long first name. What are some viable names that only have one-syllable? I'm sure you can think of a few, but how many are full names and not nicknames?

Let's see if we can list as many one-syllable full-names as possible! Let me know if I have missed any or if any should be removed because they are just too nicknamey. Although some may double as a nickname and a stand-alone name. This is where it gets tricky! For instance, you can be just "Gwen" but that could potentially be a nickname for Gwendolyn. I will include it anyway.

Here is a short list of girl names for those who want the more common choices pointed out among the more unusual names on the list:

Anne, Bea, Belle, Beth, Blanche, Blythe, Bree, Brooke, Claire, Dawn, Elle, Eve, Faith, Fawn, Faye, Gail, Gwen, Hope, Jade, Jane, Jean, Jill, Joy, June, Kay, Lane, Leigh, Lux, Maeve, Maude, May, Moon, Naomh, Niamh, Paige, Pearl, Rae, Raine, Rose, Ruth, Sage, Shea, Skye, Snow, Tess, True, Wren, Wynne

These are names that would work on a girl, whether they're feminine or unisex. Click here to view the list of one-syllable boy names! However, there may be duplicates on both lists.

Ames                           Ann Anne Ash Aure Bay Banks Bea Belle Bern Bess Beth Blaine Blair Blaise Blake Blanche Blaze Bliss Blue Blythe Bree Brett Bridge Britt Bronx Brook Brooke Bryce Brynn Cade Cael Cain Cane Case Claire Clove Coeur Coy Crane Cree Dawn Drew Elle Eve Faith Fauve Fawn Faye Fern Fleur Fran Gail Gene Gift Glenn Greer Grey Gwen Hilde Hope Ives Jade Jan Jane Jax Jean Jem Jiles Jill Jin Joan Joss Joy Joyce Jules June Kade Kai Kate Kay Keane Kern Kerr Kieve Kit Kris Kyle Lane Lee Lei Leigh Len Lis Liv

Locke Lorne Lux Luz Lyle Lynn Lyre Madge Mae Maeve Maine Mair March Mare Marge Mars Maude Mauve May Mayes Mead Merle Mills Milne Mint Mist Moon Mose Myrrh Naomh Neith Neve Niamh Nile Noor North Nowles Nox Oakes Page Paige Park Pax Paz Pearl Pier Quinn Rae Raine Rea Reed Reese Reign Ren Rhodes Rome Rose Rue Ruth Sage Sean Shae Shane Shay Shea Shields Sky Skye Snow Sol Star Storm Tait Tate Teal Tess Thais Thane Trace Tress Trish True Twain Tyme Tyne Vail Voss Wren Wynne Yale Yates Yule Zane Zeal Zen

Let me know if I have missed any or if some should not be included (and why!) If you're interested in short names, you may also love this list of 3-Letter Names or this list of 4-Letter Names for girls!

If you need help coming up with first and middle name combinations that flow well, take a look at some of the naming services I currently offer!

Boy Name of the Week: Flynn

In honor of my "One-Syllable Boy Names" post from yesterday, I chose a one-syllable name to feature.  This Boy Name of the Week has had a very sharp increase in usage from one year to the next. The name is Flynn.

You probably already know why it is suddenly more popular.  The Disney movie "Tangled" was released in November 2010 starring a cool character called Flynn Ryder. In 2011,  the name landed on the Top 1000 chart for the first time at #940 (up from #1806) with a total of 210 baby boys born (up from just 86 in 2010.)

Actor Orlando Bloom and his model wife Miranda Kerr recently named their son Flynn, which may or may not have had a lasting influence.

Flynn is an Irish surname. It is an anglicized form of "Ó Floinn" meaning "descendant of Flann." It is also said to mean "son of the red-haired one."  Flynn has a casual charm to it with a very handsome appeal.

In 2012, the name ranked #692 which is its highest ranking ever!  It originally appeared on US babies in 1913 when 5 of them were born. It remained very sporadically used with 5 babies here, none there, 7 here, etc. until it began ranking every year in the 50's. Only in the past decade has it gained popularity.

Click Image to View it Larger.  Source

Since Flynn is originally a surname, there are many famous people who have the last name Flynn. I'd like to see this name used more regularly in the first name spot.

However, there is a slight downside by association. The infamous Errol Flynn wore it as a surname and may be the most popular Flynn. Born in 1909, he was an Australian-American actor known for his romantic swashbuckler roles as well as his over-the-top playboy lifestyle. There were some allegations of sexual misconduct against him before and after his early death.

The phrase "In like Flynn" is a slang phrase meaning "having achieved a goal or gained access as desired". However, some believe it was in reference to Errol Flynn because of his reputation for womanizing.  He died in 1959 so it has been a long time since his name was in public thought.

Does this bother you or would you use Flynn despite the association?

What do you think of the name Flynn? Do you prefer one of the Finn variants instead? Let me know!

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Charlotte, Emily, Lauren, Paige, Ruby
Brothers: Ashton, Ethan, Liam, Noah, Rowan'

Middle Name Ideas:
Flynn Oliver
Flynn Walter
Flynn Silas
Flynn Henry
Flynn Alexander

As a Middle Name:
Sawyer Flynn
Thomas Flynn
Emmett Flynn
Eli Flynn
Lucas Flynn

One-Syllable Given Names for Boys

What are some viable names that only have one-syllable? I'm sure you can think of a few, but how many are full names and not nicknames?

Let's see if we can list as many one-syllable full-names as possible! Let me know if I have missed any or if any should be removed because they are actually a nickname. Although some may double as a nickname and a stand-alone name. This is where it gets tricky! For instance, you can be just "Abe" but that could potentially be a nickname for Abel or Abraham. I will include it anyway.

These are names that would work on a boy, whether they're masculine or unisex. You can find the list of one syllable girl names here, but there may be duplicates on both lists.

Short list of semi-common names for those of you that don't want to browse through so many options: 

Blaine, Blake, Boone, Brant, Brent, Brice, Brock, Cade, Cane, Chance, Charles, Chase, Clarke, Craig, Dean, Drake, Dwayne, Earl, Finn, Ford, Gage, Graham, Grant, Gray, Hayes, Heath, Hugh, Jack, James, John, Jude, Keane, Keith, Lance, Lee, Luke, Kyle, Max, Miles, Nash, Neil, North, Page, Paul, Pierce, Quinn, Ray, Reece, Reid, Rex, Rhett, Rhodes, Ross, Scott, Seth, Shawn, Sloan, Stone, Tate, Thorne, Todd, Troy, Vaughn, Wade, Wolf, Yale

Have fun browsing through the rest of them and let me know if there are any that you'd like me to add or delete.  

Abe         Ace Ames Arch Ash Aure Baird Banks Bart Bash Bay Beale Bear Beau Beck Berne Bert Birch Blade Blaine Blair Blaise Blake Blaze Bliss Blue Bond Boone Booth Boyce Boyd Bram Brant Breck Brent Brett Brice Brick Bridge Brit Brock Bronx Brook Brooks Brown Bruce Bryce Brynn Burke Burt Butch Buzz Byrd Byrne Cade Cael Cain Cale Cane Carl Carr Case Cash Chad Chance Charles Chas Chase Chaz Chet Cid Clark Claude Claus Clay Cleave Clem Cliff Clint Clive Cloud Clove Clyde Coeur Cole Colt Coy Craig Crane Creed Crew

Cruz         Curt Cyd Czar Dale Dane Darth Dash Dax Dean Dirk Doug Doyle Drake Drew Duane Duke Dunn Dwayne Dwight Earl Falk Field Finn Fionn Fisk Flint Floyd Flynn Forbes Ford Fox Frank Franz Fred Fritz Frost Gael Gage Gale Garth Gates Gene Geoff George Gil Giles Glenn Graham Grant Gray Greer Grey Gregg Gus Guy Haines Hank Hayes Heath Herb Holt Howe Huck Hugh Hume Ives Jace Jack Jacques Jake Jam James Jan Jarl Jase Javes Jax Jay Jazz Jean Jem Jett Jiles Job John Jon Jones Joss Juan Judd

Jude Judge       Juke Jules Kade Kael Kai Kale Kane Karl Keefe Keane Keith Ken Kent Kern Kerr King Kipp Kirk Kit Klaus Knox Knute Kris Kurt Kyle Laird Lance Lane Lee Leif Lev Link Lisle Lloyd Locke Lorne Luce Luke Lux Luz Lyle Lynn Lyre Mace Maine March Mark Max Mayes Mead Merle Miles Mills Milne Mitch Mitt Moon Mose Nash Neal Neil Niles Noor North Nowles Nox Nye Oak Oakes Orde Page Park Patch Paul Pax Paz Penn Perth Pier Pierce Platt Price Prince Quade Quinn Rafe Rain Ralph Ray

Reece Reed Reese Reeves Reid Reign Ren Rex Rhett Rhodes Rhys Rock Rogue Rolf Rome Ross Roy Royce Rush Sage Saul Scott Scout Sean Serge Seth Shae Shane Shaun Shaw Shawn Shay Shea Shields Sky Slade Sloan Smith Spence Sprague Stone Storm Strom Sven Sain Tadhg Tate Tave Teague Teal Teige Thai Thane Thor Thorne Todd Trace Trent Trey Tripp Troy Twain Tyme Tyne Vail Vance Vaughn Verne Vlad Voss Vox Wade Ward Wayne Webb West Wolf Woods Worth Wright Wynn Xan Xarles Yale Yates York Yule Yves Zane Zeal Zeus

If it is short and sweet names that you're looking for, you may also like this article: The Very Best 4-Letter Boys Names!  If you need help coming up with first and middle name combinations that flow well, take a look at some of the naming services I currently offer!