Nora, Sophie and Tabitha: Middle Name Ideas for Baby Girls!

Are you expecting a baby girl soon? Congratulations! Have you found a name yet? If not, here are three lovely choices that you could consider: Nora, Sophie and Tabitha. I have paired each of these names with several middle names for ideas, just in case you're stumped. The middle names vary in popularity and style, but all flow nicely with the first names.

Nora can be a short form of either Honora or Eleanor, and related names. Honora comes from the Latin Honorious meaning "honour".  Eleanor comes from the Old French form of the Occitan name Aliénor, related to the name Aenor. Nora herself dates back to 1880 in the US on record, and has been used well. She had a boosted run from 1914 to 1930, and again from 1947 to 1964. Recently, Nora has increased in popularity in 2004, entering the Top 100 in 2013. Today, Nora ranks at #28.

• Nora Louise
• Nora Caroline
• Nora Jeanne
• Nora Brienne
• Nora May
• Nora Willow
• Nora Payton
• Nora Elise
• Nora Gabrielle
• Nora Katherine
• Nora Felicity
• Nora Quinn
• Nora Reagan
• Nora Sabine
• Nora Juliet
• Nora Jane
• Nora Susanne
• Nora Romilly
• Nora Violet
• Nora Madeline
• Nora Sophie
• Nora Hadley

Sophie is the French form of Sophia, a Greek name meaning "wisdom". While it is no secret that Sophia has been very popular lately, even ranking at #1 in the country for 2011, 2012 and 2013, Sophie has been somewhat less popular. Both names date back in the US to 1880, and have enjoyed similar usage up until Sophie surged ahead from 1913 to 1925. After that, both remained common until Sophia began her popularity run starting in the 1980s. Sophie followed suit in the 2000s, but hasn't ranked nearly as high as Sophia. In 2017, Sophia was #5 and Sophie was #106.

• Sophie Alexandra
• Sophie Louise
• Sophie Caroline
• Sophie Matilda
• Sophie Grace
• Sophie Genevieve
• Sophie Juliet
• Sophie Amara
• Sophie Clementine
• Sophie Amelia
• Sophie Iris
• Sophie Olivia
• Sophie Wren
• Sophie Pearl
• Sophie Quinn
• Sophie Addison
• Sophie Jane
• Sophie Victoria
• Sophie Reese

Tabitha is an Aramaic name meaning "gazelle". It is translated into Greek as the name Dorcas. As a name, Tabitha dates back in the US to 1880, but it was very rare until it suddenly went from 34 births in 1965 to 327 births in 1966. The boost can be explained by the television show "Bewitched" airing in 1966 with a character named Tabitha. It continued to have popularity through the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s before declining a bit starting in 2000. As of 2017, it left the Top 1000, but it is prime to be used as a familiar but uncommon choice today.

• Tabitha Eve
• Tabitha Marie
• Tabitha June
• Tabitha Ivy
• Tabitha Kate
• Tabitha Brynn
• Tabitha Eloise
• Tabitha Pearl
• Tabitha Ottilie
• Tabitha Willow
• Tabitha Maeve
• Tabitha Shay
• Tabitha Avery
• Tabitha Faye
• Tabitha Madison
• Tabitha Claire
• Tabitha Charlotte
• Tabitha Noelle
• Tabitha May

Which of these combinations do you like? Can you list some more?

Nolan, Theodore or Nathaniel? Plus, Unusual Middle Name Ideas!

Sometimes parents are attracted to more unusual names but they don't wish for it to be the first name that their child goes by on a daily basis. Here are three common first names for boys that have been paired with more unusual choices in the middle name spot. This way, you can have some familiarity with your uniqueness and the child can choose which one suits them better.

Nolan is derived from an Irish surname Ó Nualláin meaning "descendant of Nuallán", which itself came from nuall meaning "noble, famous". Nolan dates back on record to the 1880s, but held steady for decades at a similar popularity. It started increasing in the 1990s, and entered the Top 100 in 2011. As of 2017, it ranked at #67.

• Nolan Maverick
• Nolan Marvel
• Nolan Colbalt
• Nolan Escher
• Nolan Ramsey
• Nolan Hawthorn
• Nolan Cordovan
• Nolan Sterling
• Nolan Quade
• Nolan Bingham
• Nolan Thackeray
• Nolan Wiley
• Nolan Lysander
• Nolan Huckleberry
• Nolan Peregrine

Theodore means "gift of god" from the Greek name Θεοδωρος (Theodoros). It has always been in use in the US for boys. In particular, it enjoyed extra popularity from 1912 through the 1960s before declining a bit. However, around the mid-2000s, it regained popularity and has really skyrocketed in the past few years. Its current highest peak ever took place in 2017 with nearly 6,000 male births and a rank of #62.

• Theodore Weaver
• Theodore Quill
• Theodore Bloom
• Theodore Reeve
• Theodore Seven
• Theodore Merlin
• Theodore Quenby
• Theodore Crosby
• Theodore Dresden
• Theodore Hayes
• Theodore Atlas
• Theodore Rigby
• Theodore Rohan
• Theodore Rafferty
• Theodore Bromley

Nathaniel is the most common spelling but it comes from Nathanael which was the spelling used in the Old Testament (if not Nethanel or Nethaneel). They come from the Hebrew name נְתַנְאֵל (Netan'el) meaning "God has given". Nathaniel dates back to 1880 in the US, whereas Nathanael wasn't used until 1915. Nathaniel had a popularity peak from the 1940s through the 1960s before it really started to climb, joining the Top 100 in 1978. It received the most births ever in 2002 and ranked at #62. In 2017, it rests comfortably at #112, (Nathanael at #647).

• Nathaniel Crimson
• Nathaniel Cloud
• Nathaniel River
• Nathaniel Danger
• Nathaniel Frost
• Nathaniel Rune
• Nathaniel Tatum
• Nathaniel Tolliver
• Nathaniel Bane
• Nathaniel Kit
• Nathaniel Finch
• Nathaniel Wilder
• Nathaniel Madden
• Nathaniel Indigo
• Nathaniel Wolf

Which would you choose? Can you think of more middle names that would be interesting choices for a modern boy?

Spunky, Modern Girl Name Combos!

While a lot of this could be subjective, the names on this list have a bit of a modern, spunky vibe.  Some could be somewhat unisex as well. Girls today are receiving more and more names that are beyond the scope of traditional, classic choices. Surname and occupational names are huge, unisex names or even boy-names-on-girls (BNOG) are gaining popularity, and many Irish names and word names are catching on.

The following list was compiled by me in an effort to showcase some of the best modern names and offer ideas for first/middle combinations to anyone in the market for one:

Mackenzie Hollis

Riley Valentina
Darcy Magnolia
Hazel Kinsley
Kennedy Lace
Piper Connolly
Mercy Willow
Presley Morgan
Addison Hadley
Teagan Everly
Bailey Summer
Delaney Sloane
Ashton Lindsay
Reese Jessamine
Cassidy Ryanne
Paige Emerson
Tatum Siobhan
Kerrigan Fallon
Sylvie Madigan
Madison Serenity
Berkley Joss
Sable Amaya
Taylor Felicity
Whitley Harper
Auden Bristol
Finlay Marlowe
Elle Sheridan
Rosalie Brynn
Kenadie Brooke
Jaelyn Rue
Kaia Bailey
Delaney Blue
Zoey Lyla
Taryn Ellery
Aria Fable

Can you think of any other names that might fit this category? Share your combo ideas in the comments below!

78 Interesting and Uncommon Girl Name Combinations!

Are you looking for something slightly different than the norm? Just a little unusual with a touch of classic? Familiar but not weird? Here are some great name ideas for you! Some are more daring than others, and there is a variety of styles here. Feel free to mix and match or suggest even more great names in the comments!

Cassia Emmeline
Briar Genevieve
Felicity Lane
Ella Tempest
Sonnet Jane
Amaya Journey
Lillia Myrtle
Rowena Evening
Anna Whisper
Electra Maeve
Avalon Belle
Raven Serenity
Victoria Echo
Magnolia Eve
Hazel Valentina
Molly Cadence
Augusta Reverie
Nora Liberty
Harmony Moon
Liv Bellatrix
Jessamine Skye
Lucy Genesis
Sable Quintessa
Astoria Raine
Juno Caroline
Leona Sparrow
Alethea Coral
Lulu Florence
Eveline Caithe
Blythe Magdalena
Nova Rosabel
Elodie Wynne
Poppy Gwenora
Gemma Destiny
Laureline Fable
Thea Hermione
Mavis Octavia
Fleur Penelope
Verity Lark
Amabel June
Wren Melisande
Ivy Lorelei
Brynn Eloise
Iris Bellamy
Alice Viola
Thora Delphine
Willa Kennedy
Marley Saffron
Jordana Snow
Kinsley Darling
Aria Lavender
Esmarie Velvet
Joss Bernadette
Amaryllis Rey
Darcy Luna
January Grace
Millie Temperance
Jovie Lenora
Dorothea Maxine
Nova Romilly
Imogen Storm
Ada Hyacinth
Lavinia Dell
Remy Celeste
Clarity Simone
Zelda Roseline
Ophelia Blair
Neve Clementine
Pearl Gwendolen
Gesine Claire
Eudora Faith
Delta Camille
Esme September
Vienna Heloise
Cyra Octavie
Antonia Meadow
Marcella Reese
Tabitha Sybil

What do you think of these combinations I assembled? Share even more ideas in the comments!  Don't forget to check out the list of Interesting and Uncommon Boy Name Combinations, too.

Interesting and Uncommon Boy Name Combinations!

Are you looking for something slightly different than the norm? Just a little unusual with a touch of classic? Familiar but not weird? Here are some great name ideas for you! Some are more unusual than others, and there is a variety of styles here. Feel free to mix and match or suggest even more great names in the comments!

Silas Merrill
Truett James
Beau Jameson
Watson Lucas
Ellison Burke
Huxley Wyatt
Brom Harrison
Maxwell Ranger
Eli Bennington
Harley Reid
Fletcher Henry
Graham Bennett
Merritt Ross
Tilden Sumner
Hayden Gabriel
Zayne Upton
Thorne Elijah
Jasper Emmett
Colton Lemuel
Bridger James
Branson Reid
Archer Daniel
Kingston Jack
Lincoln Bradley
Zane Percival
Drake Richmond
Thane Oliver
Emery York
Ryder Ellis
Flynn Arrow
Nolan Reid
Greyson Tobias
Landon Monroe
Harley Roarke
Rollin Foster
Griffin Lark
Sawyer Quill
Emerson Gray
Duncan Reid
Rafe Archer
Blaine Upton
Phoenix Rourke
Victor Armand
Eleazar Forrest
Viggo Henrik
Milo Konrad
Bryant Karter
Landry Merle
Arden Fox
Garrett Maxwell
Dominic Elias
Zephyr Clark
Atlas Hawthorne
Beckett Wilder
Hershel Kai
Julian Maximus
Toby Cordell
Marius Wolf
Cyril Bodhi
Atreyu Stone
Dashiell Todd
Soren Thatcher
Hendrix Hayes
Quill Indigo
Hugo Zaffre
Auden Guthrie
Theo Valor
Leif Emmerich
Kit Henning
Nash Benedict
Caspian Noble
Albin Justice
Rolf Gregor
Alvar Leopold
Fabian Gunnar
Stellan Otto
Dante Revere
Calix Augustin

Which is your favorite?

I Paired Five Ancient Girl Names with Vintage Middle Names

Creating a great first and middle name combination takes some practice. Some people have a very hard time with it and others are rather skilled at it! If you’d like to improve your naming skills, I thought I’d provide a few examples to show my step-by-step thought process for pairing two names together. Here is a list of names that work well together. You could either use these as inspiration or actually take and use them for your child.

This list of names is based on two specific styles that I like. The first names are all “ancient” names and the middles are more on the traditional, vintage side. I picked out five of my favorites to show you:

1. Amabel Grace
2. Sabrina Ruby
3. Sibyl Josephine
4. Viviana Pearl
5. Francesca Ivy

1. Amabel is a medieval name that has never caught on in modern times. Short form Mabel was popular in the 1880s and early 1900s but it is now considered a vintage name that is beginning to be revived again. Amabel is an obscure choice but it sounds similar enough to names like Annabelle and Arabella that it wouldn’t stand out as odd. With its three syllables and unique nature, I chose to pair it with the simple but lovely Grace. Grace is a virtue name and is very common for middle names these days so the popularity contrast provides balance to Amabel. Meaning-wise, Amabel means “loveable” which compliments the idea of grace in an attractive way. Amabel Grace is very balanced in many different ways which makes for a great first and middle name combination!

2. Sabrina dates back to the 12th century based on the Roman name for a river in Wales.  It has had 5 popularity spikes since the 1950s so it has been well used but it is currently not high on parents’ radars, ranking at a respectable #370 in 2016. It has three syllables which flows nicely with Ruby’s two syllables. Ruby is another vintage name that was popular about a hundred years ago and has come back into style today. Ruby currently ranks at #71 so they have a bit of a popularity contrast which is nice.  If you notice, both names have an R and a B. This is a personal preference. I think Sabrina Ruby as a combination ties together well because of this shared sound.

3.  Sibyl can also be spelled Sybil. Both names date back to Greek and Roman legend and they were popular in the Middle Ages too. I like Sibyl for being rather unheard of today. It hasn’t really been used at all in recent years for that spelling. Sybil is a bit more used but still only receives about 100 births per year. It is a lovely, two-syllable name that happens to pair beautifully with a longer traditional middle name. In this instance, I chose Josephine but I also debated using Margaret and Theodora.  Josephine is a feminine spin on the classic male name Joseph and it is considered a lovely vintage choice that’s making strides today. Sibyl Josephine as a whole is a strong and interesting girl name that isn’t overly feminine sounding.  

4.  Viviana dates back to a saint and martyr in the 4th century. The name itself comes from the Late Roman name Vivianus meaning “alive”. It currently ranks at #444. I chose Viviana because of how long, flowy and feminine it is but to balance it out, I paired it with the one-syllable name Pearl. Pearl was well used from the 1880s to the 1940s but fell out of favor since then. Today it is starting to make a comeback, ranking back up at #567 in 2016. This combination of ancient and vintage works well since they’re both gaining popularity again as modern names. Viviana Pearl is a sweet, balanced combination suitable for a girl today.

5. Francesca is the Italian form of the Latin Franciscus. The entire family tree of Franc- names is very internationally used. Because of associations with saints, these names have been well-used since at least the 13th century. Francesca is such a long, traditional choice so I chose to pair it with the short, nature name Ivy. Francesca always gets a similar amount of births per year so it is neither gaining nor losing popularity. Vintage Ivy is actively gaining popularity again, doing even better today than it did in the early 1900s. Together, Francesca Ivy is a beautiful name that flows well and isn’t too popular or too obscure.

What do you think of these five combinations? How do you go about pairing names? Click below to view the article featuring five boy name combinations.

Ancient Boy Names + Traditional Middle Names = 5 Great Name Combinations

Creating a great first and middle name combination should take some serious thought and a little bit of research. The more effort that goes into it, the better the name will be, usually. I thought I’d provide a few examples to show my step-by-step thought process for pairing two names together. Here are five boy names that flow well together. The first names are of the “ancient” style and the middle names are classic, traditional choices.

1. Atticus William
2. Dante Oliver
3. Apollo James
4. Cyrus Alexander
5. Dominic Theodore

1. Atticus comes from a Roman name that means "from Attica" in Latin, which is a location in Greece. It has a solid background in that area of the world and in history because of a couple philosophers who had the name. Atticus has only been used in the US in the past thirty years or so, breaking into the Top 1000 in 2004. William, on the other hand, also has a very strong history in the form of kings and poets and authors. It has been used in the US in mass quantities since before records began in 1880. Atticus William flows well as a whole name. These names are very strong together without overdoing it and they have a nice popularity contrast. Atticus ranked at #360 in 2016 while William was #3.

2. Dante is the medieval form of Durante and also has ties to the 13th-century Italian poet Dante Alighieri. This name has been in use in the US since 1908, gaining a boost in popularity around the late 1990s. It has been ranking consistently in the 200-300s since then, including #344 in 2016. Oliver also has some ancient ties to the middle ages, but it has always ranked fairly well in the US giving it a classic vibe. In fact, Oliver is on the rise, ranking at an all-time high of #12 in 2016. With a 2:3 syllable count, Dante Oliver flows nicely and offers enough of a popularity contrast to stand apart from the crowd.

3.  Apollo dates way back to Greek mythology as the son of Zeus and Leto, and twin brother of Artemis. This name is definitely ancient and strong. James is also an old name, dating back to biblical times, but it has remained modern. James is actually the #1 boy name for the past 100 years, topping John for the title. As a result, it is possibly the most common middle name as well. However, since Apollo is still somewhat unusual with a popularity ranking of #584 against James' #5 in 2016, the two work nicely together. Apollo James as a whole sounds strong and is full of history.

4. The Greek Cyrus dates back to several ancient kings of Persia including the biblical Cyrus the Great. It is known as Kurush in ancient Persia and Kyros in Biblical Greek among other international variations. Alexander also has strong ancient and biblical history, as well as a namesake known as Alexander the Great. Cyrus ranks at #427 in 2016 and Alexander is at #11 in the US. These two names just go together. Cyrus Alexander is strong, bold and, well, great!

5.  Many may not realize that Dominic is an old name. It comes from the late Latin Dominicus meaning "of the Lord" and was the name of several saints, dating back to around the year 1000. There was also the Dominican order of friars in the 13th century. I paired Dominic with the middle name Theodore which comes from a Greek name meaning "gift of God". This name has remained rather traditional today but it actually dates way back to several saints too, at least to the 4th century. Dominic Theodore sounds very modern but it is actually a very old combination whose meanings happen to be quite compatible.

Do you find yourself drawn to any of the above examples? Feel free to use them if you’d like! These are just a few names within a very specific theme that caught my attention. Stay tuned for a similar list of female names next week!