The Art of Naming

The lovely name Ivy comes from the English word for the climbing plant with the same name. It ultimately comes from the Old English word ifig . This plant is known for its clinging vines and its small yellow flowers. Ivy actually symbolizes faithfulness and fidelity and was traditionally presented in the form of a wreath to newlyweds in ancient Greece. However, there is of course the association with the "poison ivy" plant that can causes rashes and skin irritations upon contact. Based on the nature of this plant comes the fictional character who uses these toxins for criminal activity. The DC Comics supervillainess, who is aptly named Poison Ivy, has been an enemy of Batman since her creation in 1966. She is essentially an eco-terrorist who is obsessed with botany and uses it to her advantage.  Modern little girls named Ivy will either think she is super cool or they will resent the association, so think carefully on this topic before committing to the name Ivy. Ther

Finding the perfect name is no easy task. While it may come relatively quickly for some parents, it can take months for others to narrow down their options. Sometimes it is a matter of feelings. A mom knows if the name is right or not based on holding that new baby in her arms for the first time. Other parents go more on facts and how the name looks and sounds than how it feels. Either method is fine! Sometimes parents wind up limiting their choices on purpose to make the process a bit easier. For example, they'll set guidelines they wish to follow. Perhaps these parents have a long last name that demands a short first name for balance. They end up looking for one-syllable names or 3 or 4 letter names and fall in love with a list like this one. Thus, little Ada Montgomery is named! Some of the names on this list could also be a short-form or nickname of a longer name. For instance, perhaps you fell in love with the name Ana. Ana can stand alone but perhaps you wish for a long

I just could not decide which 3-letter boys' name to highlight this week so I picked a few that I liked and took the question public! I put up a poll and 53 of you voted for the next featured name! The winner was Asa with 13 votes. So let's learn a little more about the boys' name Asa, pronounced AY-suh. According to BehindTheName, Asa is a Hebrew name meaning "doctor". However, Nameberry says the meaning of Asa is "born in the morning". BabyNames agrees with both meanings, listing Asa's meaning as "physician" and including a note that in Japanese, Asa means "Born at Dawn". This led me to look a bit further. According to Wikipedia,  there are several different meanings for this name in different cultures around the world so take your pick!: Hebrew: Healer and/or physician Yoruba Nigerian: Hawk or little hawk Igbo Nigerian: Beautiful Japanese: Morning Indonesian: Hope Portuguese: Wing Biblically, it was wor

There are many parents who search high and low to find the perfect name. Sometimes it is a matter of "I'll know it when I see it" and other times they have very specific guidelines they wish to follow. For example, perhaps these parents have a long last name to bestow upon a child and want to find a short first name to balance things out. They end up looking for 3 or 4 letter names and fall in love with a list like this one. Thus, little Ian Christensen is named! Many of these may also be a short-form or nickname of a longer name. For instance, Gus could be short for the much longer Augustus; and while Max can certainly stand alone, it may inspire you to choose Maximilian as a formal name and simply call him Max. Whatever your reasons are for browsing a list like this, be assured that these are some of the very best 3-letter names available to you! Which are your favorites? Abe           Ace Ade Åke Ala Alf Ali Apu Ara Ari Art Asa Ash Avi Ayo Ba

I thought it would be nice to see what the top 10 names are for every letter. Perhaps you know that you want a name that starts with the letter C for all of your children but you don't want to choose the three most popular C-names. Now you can see exactly how popular each name is per letter as well as overall in ranking according to the US Top 1000 chart (ranking in parenthesis). Soon we will be able to see the top names for 2013! The following names were for 2012. Let me know if you'd be interested in a similar post (or series of Facebook posts) like this for the next year!  For now, enjoy these: Top 10 A-Names for Girls in 2012: 1. Ava (#5) 2. Abigail (#7) 3. Avery (#13) 4. Addison (#14) 5. Aubrey (#15) 6. Amelia (#23) 7. Anna (#35) 8. Aaliyah (#36) 9. Allison (#38) 10. Alexis (#40) Top 10 B-Names for Girls in 2012: 1. Brooklyn (#29) 2. Brianna (#51) 3. Bella (#54) 4. Bailey (#79) 5. Brooke (#102) 6. Brielle (#111) 7. Brooklynn (#137) 8. Brynn (#189)

For those of you that follow The Art of Naming on Facebook, you've probably seen me post lists like this before. I thought it would be nice to see what the top 10 names are for every letter. Perhaps you know that you want a name that starts with the letter A but you don't want to choose one that is overly popular. Now you can see exactly how popular each name is per letter as well as overall in ranking according the the US Top 1000 chart (ranking in parenthesis). I started posting these on Facebook around June or July of 2013 and finally got through the entire alphabet for the year 2012. Now it is nearly time to discover the top names of 2013!   If you like this sort of information and wish for it to be compiled again for the next year, let me know in the comments! Enjoy! Top 10 A-Names for Boys in 2012: 1. Alexander (#9) 2. Aiden (#10) 3. Anthony (#15) 4. Andrew (#18) 5. Aaron (#51) 6. Angel (#57) 7. Austin (#58) 8. Adrian (#60) 9. Ayden (#69) 10. Adam (#82)

Audrey Hepburn is a film and fashion icon. Born in 1929 as  Audrey Kathleen Ruston , this beloved actress had a great career during Hollywood's Golden Age and she continues to inspire people today through the legacy she left behind. She acted from 1951 until 1989 before sadly passing away in 1993 from cancer. Toward the end of her life, she was well known for her work with UNICEF as a Goodwill Ambassador.  She was a truly beautiful person! In fact, she is considered by many to be the most naturally beautiful woman of all time. Even her name is lovely! What about all of the names that she has portrayed in film? Let's take a look at the name character names of Audrey Hepburn. Frieda Chiquita Celia Eve Melissa Nora Ann Linda Sabrina Natasha Marie Jo Ariane Rima Gabrielle Rachel Holly Karen Regina Gabrielle Eliza Nicole Joanna Susy Marian Elizabeth Angela Caroline Which of these names is your favorite? I really like Sabrina.  I also really lo

Vivian is a vintage name that is currently popular for girls again. Since the middle ages, Vivian has also been used for males. Especially in modern times (or at least since 1880 in the US), this name is predominantly female despite the name still being given to boys here and there. The name Vivian comes from the Latin name Vivianus which was taken from the Latin word vivus which means "alive". However, as a feminine name, Vivian is also said to be an Anglicized form of the name B é binn   which means "fair lady" in Irish Gaelic. This form has been used by several women in Irish mythology including the goddess of childbirth. The spelling Vivien was first used by Alfred Lord Tennyson in his epic Idylls of the King in 1859. It is said that he either based it on Vivienne, (which is the French form of Viviana which comes from Vivian), or it could have been a misreading of Ninian. However, the theory that Ninian leads to Vivian is uncertain. Click here to vi

Old Hollywood was such a glamorous time! The female celebrities from "the golden era" are still admired for their beauty, grace, elegance, and poise. Even after all these years have gone by, somehow these celebrities still remain relevant and interesting in everything from their fashion sense to the classic films they starred in to their lovely names that continue to inspire parents to this very day! There were so many beautiful celebrities with amazing names that I just listed the first one I came across with that first name, even though I know there are many more that may have also had that name. I hope I did not forget anyone but if I did, please let me know in the comments below! Which of these Old Hollywood names are your favorites? Would you ever use one of them for a daughter? Have you already? Do share! These are listed by first (and last) name. AGNES  (Moorehead)                         ANNE  (Baxter) ANITA  (Page) AUDREY  (Hepburn) AVA  (Gardner)

The late Hollywood film actor Cary Grant was actually born as Archibald Alexander Leach in 1904. He was best known for his dashing good looks and his transatlantic accent. As one of classic Hollywood's leading men, he had many roles over his 34 year acting career. It is worth noting that since his career spanned from 1932 to 1966, many of these names are rather traditional to the era but they are fun to browse nonetheless! First and last names will be listed but occasionally they could make for nice first and middle name combos! Which of the following character names is your favorite? STEPHEN Mathewson                           CHARLIE Baxter NICK Townsend ROMER Sheffield JEFFREY Baxter HENRY  Cocker ACE Corbin JACK Clayton MALCOLM  Trevor PORTER Madison III MAURICE  Lamar JULIAN  De Lussac GERALD  Fitzgerald KEN  Gordon MICHAEL  Andrews ANDRE Charville ERNEST  Bliss CHARLIE  Mason JIMMY Hudson GEORGE  Kerby JERRY Warriner JOHNNY Case