The Art of Naming

Go ahead and put that baby name book down. Close all of your browser tabs, too. You don't need them anymore! It's true, you've been hunting for a wonderful name starting with D to honor a few relatives whose names also begin with D, but you haven't found the right one yet. Look no further! This is your list!! I present to you 50 of the best D names for boys and girls!  These names range from common to unusual but they are all delightful. Which do you like best? If you had to delete one name from each list, what would you replace them with? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!  Dagny                        Daisy Dahlia Danae Danica Danielle Daphne Darcy Davina Dawn Deanna Dierdre Delaney Delilah Delphina Demetria Desdemona Desiree Diana Dianthe Dixie Dorothea Dorothy Dulce Dulcinea Dalton Damian Daniel Dante Darius Darren Dashiell David Dax Dawson ...

So you're expecting a baby soon. Congratulations! What name will you choose?  If you're still a bit stumped in that regard, perhaps you'll enjoy this simplified list of ideas. In this series of posts, I cut out a lot of the work for you. I'm saving you from hours of browsing through endless lists of thousands of baby names. Here you'll find fifty of the best names that start with the letter C. That's 25 per gender and there's a little bit of something for everyone. These mostly follow American ideals but they can also work abroad. As a fan of C names, you'll surely find one that you love. Go on, take a look: Cadence                        Caitlin Calista Calliope Camille Cara Caroline Cassandra Catherine Cecelia Celeste Celine Charlotte Cheyenne Christina Claire Claudia Clementine Colette Constance Cordelia Corinne Cosette Courtney Cynthia Caesar Caius Caleb Calvin Cam...

When you are in need of an amazing baby name, where do you look? A baby name book? A website with a database full of names? Your family tree? ...A phone book?  All of these options will provide great names, I'm sure, but they may also be a bit overwhelming in size. A book can be a couple hundred pages long with a few thousand names in it. Baby name databases online could hold 100,000 names or more!  How are you ever supposed to track down the perfect name for your child? You're in luck! If you happen to be a fan of names that begin with the letter B, you may find a winner on the lists below.  I sifted through hundreds of B names to handpick 50 of the very best options available to you. There are 25 for girls and 25 for boys. I hope you'll fall for one of them! Bailey                      Beatrice Beatrix Bellamy Belle Bernadette Betty Bethany Bianca Blair Blanca Blythe Brianna Briar Bri...

Baby name websites have thousands of names in their databases. This can cause headaches for expecting parents to browse through. How do you know which will be the perfect name for your little one? How can you sift through the unusual names from foreign cultures that you've never even heard of and don't know how to pronounce? After all, you just want a familiar, traditional name that will work well on a baby today. The following list contains fifty of the best names that start with the letter A, twenty-five names per gender. The goal was to include something for nearly everyone. Since I'm based in the US, these names lean more toward current American styles but I'm sure some of these work internationally too. Take a look and let me know which you like best:      Girls: Aaliyah                                    Abigail Adelaide Addison Adriana Ainsley Alana ...

The letter V has a certain appeal to it that has been captivating modern parents, especially the Av- and Ev- names. This is a compilation of the best girl names that contain the letter V. It may seem long, but trust me, I narrowed it down quite a bit. There just happens to be a lot of lovely name options with a V in them! Which of these do you like best? Alivia                 Alva Ava Avabelle Avah Avalee Avalie Avalina Avaline Avalon Avalyn Avalynn Avani Avari Avaya Ave Avelaine Avelina Aveline Aven Averie Averil Averley Avery Avia Aviana Avianna Avie Avielle Avigail Avila Avis Aviva Avonlea Avra Avrielle Avril Belva Bev Beverley Beverly Bevin Chava Chavela Chevaune Chevelle Chevonne Clavel Clove Clover Dava Davalyn Daveigh Daveney Davette Davia Daviana Davida Davina Devan Devanie Devany Devanya Deven Devere Devereaux Devin Devina Devlyn Devon Devona Devony...

The letter V provides one of my favorite sounds within a name. It is a striking but attractive letter that is popping up in various trends across the baby naming community. In order to celebrate the beauty of this great letter, I've put together a collection of the very best boy names that contain the letter V. If you were to give all of your sons a name with the letter V in it, which of the following names would you choose? Share your favorite names and first/middle name combinations in the comments below! Alvaro                  Alvin Arvel Averett Averill Avery Avett Avi Avory Avraham Avram Avrian Belvin Benvolio Bevan Bonaventure Brevin Brevyn Calvary Calvin Carver Cavan Cavell Cavin Chevalier Chevy Cleve Cleveland Clive Clovis Cordovan Corvin Cove Covington Davian David Davide Davin Davion Davis Davison Davy Delvin Denver Devan Devereaux Devin Devlin Devon Devonte Do...

If you are expecting a child and dreaming of a name with double letters within it, this is your ultimate resource.  This list contains baby girl names that contain the letter sequences "ee", "ll", "nn", "rr", "ss", and "tt". You're sure to find a great double-lettered name here but keep in mind that this list doesn't feature every possible name out there, just some of the best options available! Which do you like most? Double-E Names:  Aberdeen, Absidee, Adalee, Adlee, Aileen, Aimee, Ainslee, Aleena, Aleesha, Alizee, Amalee, Amberlee, Ameera, Amelee, Analee, Andree, Andreea, Annalee, Anslee, Arleen, Ashlee, Aubree, Audree, Avalee, Aylee, Bailee, Baylee, Beverlee, Brailee, Brandee, Braylee, Bree, Breeanna, Breena, Breezy, Brilee, Brinlee, Brittnee, Brooklee, Brylee, Brynnlee, Cailee, Caitee, Cambree, Carlee, Carolee, Cassadee, Cathleen, Caylee, Ceegan, Charlee, Charleen, Chelsee, Colleen, Coralee, Cree, Creeda, Cydne...

An easy resource for parents in search of a specific name. This post features double-letter names, specifically boy names that contain the repetitive letter sequences "ll",  "nn", "rr", "ss", "tt". If you're trying to fit a sib-set that consists of names with double-letters in them, here are some of the best options: Double-L Boy Names: Achilles, Allen, Allison, Antonello, Apollo, Ardell, Averill, Ballard, Bellamy, Billy, Bramwell, Caldwell, Callahan, Callan, Callaway, Callisto, Callum, Campbell, Cavell, Cillian, Clellan, Collin, Connell, Cullen, Cyrill, Dallas, Dashiell, Darnell, Darrell, Dillion, Donatello, Donnell, Ellery, Elliott, Ellis, Ellison, Farrell, Fitzwilliam, Gallagher, Guillermo, Gulliver, Haskell, Holland, Hollis, Howell, Jarrell, Kellan, Kellen, Keller, Kelly, Kendall, Killian, Llewellyn, Lloyd, Lowell, Lyall, Macallister, Marcell, Marshall, Maximillian, Maxwell, Merrill, Millan, Miller, Mitchell, Neill, Niall, Ol...

Xenia is a cool and fun choice for a girl. It has that bold letter X at the beginning with a lovely and girlish -ia ending. I have seen it pronounced ZEEN-ee-uh and SEN-ya. Originally, this name comes from the ancient Greek Ξενια. It means "hospitality" in the language. However, as a word, it is more in depth than that. When translated, xenia actually refers to the Greek concept of the generosity and courtesy shown to guests of the household. This may have also included gift giving beyond the basic shelter, protection and food. It comes from the word xenos which is used in various forms throughout Greek mythology to explain a person who extends this hospitality to a stranger. Zeus was sometimes called Zeus Xenios because of his role as protector of travelers. Beyond its fellow Greek variant Xene, this name translates into several languages: Croatian: Ksenija English: Zena Finnish: Senja Macedonian: Ksenija Polish: Ksenia Russian: Kseniya, Oksana, Oxana, Ak...

For parents who are looking for a strong but feminine name, look no further than these! This is a compilation of girl names that contain the letter X.  While this letter is a bit hotter for masculine names, there are still plenty of lovely choices for a girl. From the traditional Alexandra to the elegant Margeaux and the spunky Roxanna, this list is a treasure trove of amazing gems! What is your favorite feminine name that has the letter X in it? Aixa                     Alex Alexa Alexana Alexandra Alexandrea Alexandretta Alexandria Alexandrina Alexandrine Alexea Alexi Alexia Alexie Alexina Alexis Alexius Alexus Alexxia Alexys Alexzandria Alix Alixia Alixana Allexis Alyxandria Alyxia Anaxandra Anaxandria Aphixia Arantxa Aranxa Araxie Aurex Auxerre Axelina Axelle Beatrix Bellatrix Bijoux Brinxlee Brinxley Calixta Calyx Cinxia Devereaux Dexlee Dextra Dixie Elexandra Elexia ...

The letter X is bold and interesting. While there are attractive names that begin with the letter X, options are somewhat limited. There are, however, quite a few options that contain the letter X within the name. Let's take a look at some names that contain this letter and are not currently ranking within the top 1000 names. If you're looking for a unique and bold name, this list is for you! Girls: There are plenty of lovely X names for a girl. Many of these could be described as elegant with just a pinch of bad-ass thrown in. Here are five of my favorite, unranked X-names and a little bit of info about each of them: Beatrix (#1332 - 175 births in 2014) This name has been floating around the forums here and there recently. However, many parents seem to prefer Beatrice instead.  Do you like the bold and sassy Beatrix more? She certainly offers the same nickname of Bea, but she'll also give you Trixie which is adorable and playful.  She comes from the name Viatr...

There is no denying that the letter X is a hot one. As part of a trend that I myself fell prey to with my Maximus Alexander, many parents are finding themselves in love with the X. There is something bold and strong about it but there's also a limited amount of names that contain this letter so it has become somewhat of a sought after gem. If these kinds of names are up your alley, perhaps you'll enjoy this post!  Here are the very best boy names that contain the coveted letter X. Which is your favorite? Abrax                       Abraxas Ajax Alex Alexander Alexandre Alexandreus Alexandro Alexandros Alexandru Alexavier Alexei Alexi Alexian Alexios Alexis Alexius Alexzander Alixander Anaxander Anaxandrias Anaxandros Anxo Axel Axton Bax Baxley Baxter Beauxregard Bix Bixby Blixa Braxton Brexton Bronx Buxton Calexto Calix Calixto Calixte Cilix Croix Dax Daxon Daxton Daxte...

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...

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 As...

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) ...