Showing posts with label food names. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food names. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Sweet Tooth Baby Names: Inspired by Chocolate Bars

sweet names of candy and chocolate companies at The Art of Naming

This list is surely limited since there are definitely way more chocolate bars out there, but this one covers a decent amount of possibilities if you are looking for a sweet, chocolatey name. Can you think of any other chocolate bars made around the world that has a name suitable for a human person? If so, share in the comments below! Let's get started...

Aero - Originally made by Rowntree, this chocolate bar has been manufactured by Nestlé since 1988. As a name, Aero has been in use in the US since 2005 for boys and 2013 for girls. It is a bold and interesting choice that fits well with other trendy names ending with -o. The same-sounding Arrow has also been climbing the charts.

Almond Joy -  Almond in French is Amande. If this happens to be your favorite candy bar, the name Amandine Joie would work in lieu of "Almond Joy" itself. Although, Joy is always a great virtue name. Joy was most popular in 1957 and 1974. Comparatively, it ranks lower today at only #436.

Baby Ruth - You may not write "Baby" on the birth certificate, but you could have your very own baby named Ruth in honor of your favorite chocolate, caramel nougat treat. This Nestlé-owned candy is said to have been named after President Grover Cleveland's daughter Ruth, so history buffs might also appreciate this name.

Caramello -  There's Carmelo and Carmella, why not Caramello? However, it has never had any usage on record, so feel free to start this trend, especially if you're a fan of caramel and milk chocolate.

Charleston Chew - For a boy, Charleston has been used in the US since 1914. It has never been in the Top 1000 and received 87 births in 2015. For girls, however, the name first gained usage in 1997 and currently had 253 births for the year. It could approach the Top 1000 soon! Which gender do you prefer? And do you enjoy this chocolatey nougat?

Clark Bar - I've featured this super name before, but here's the latest stats. The name Clark has been in use since the before 1880s in the US and peaked impressively in 1961. However, today's popularity high is nearly on par with that one. There were 858 boys named Clark in 2015, for a rank of #373. There were also 15 female births.

Heath Bar - This name peaked in 1974 at #181. These days, Heath is down at #832. It would be interesting to find out how the late Mr. Ledger affected this name's popularity, if at all. The name has also been used on a handful of females back in the 1970s-1980s. What do you think of Heath?

Hershey's - This male name was featured in the previous article as well, but since it's a big company with chocolate bars with the same name, it's worth mentioning again. As a name, Hershey has only been used at the bare minimum levels to be recorded, and only between the years 1914 and 1954, plus 5 births in 1982. A rare name! Alternatively, there's the similar-sounding Hershel that is more common.

Holly Bar - Holly is a name that is starting to fade from popularity recently. It was biggest in the 1970s and 1980s but has now dropped to #490 in 2015. It will most likely continue downward, but it is still a lovely choice. It is reminiscent of both a plant, and the chewy French nougat bar that's covered in chocolate.

Kit Kat - Kit is a diminutive of both Christopher and Katherine, while Kat also comes from Katherine and related names. This playful name works well for the crispy chocolatey wafer bars. As far as popularity goes, Kat is rarely used alone, but Kit had 28 female births and 40 male births in 2015.

Lindor -  The Lindor chocolate truffles from Lindt are a fancy treat. However, there have not been any births on record for the name Lindor in the US. Doesn't it sound like it could be a cool masculine form of Linda? Perhaps one of you chocolate-lovers could use it for your son to honor an aunt Linda.

Milo Bar - This caramel brownie treat is covered in chocolate and produced by Nestlé in Australia. And what a great name it has! Milo is one of those up-and-coming trendy choices for a boy. It is currently up to #288 in 2015. It was down at #724 just 10 years before that, and it ranked beyond the Top 1000 if you look back another 10 years in 1995. Sister-name Mila is also up.

Oh Henry! - This candy bar contains peanuts, caramel and fudge covered in chocolate, and has been produced since 1920. The name Henry ranked best around 1918, and still fared well through the 1940s. It took a dip in the 1970s-1980s but it is back on the rise, ranking as high as #29 in 2015.

Orion - In the Czech Republic, the Orion brand chocolate bar has been hugely popular. It originated in Prague in 1896 and was acquired by Nestlé in 1991. There's also a company in South Korea called Orion Confectionery which makes cookies, pies, chocolate, candy and more, including its famous Choco Pie. Orion is not only a celestial name, it is also very chocolatey.  And it has gained popularity in the past two decades, currently ranking at #368.

Prince Polo - This Polish chocolate bar is also known as Prins Póló and sells well in Eurasian countries. You may be surprised to know that the name Prince has been consistently common since 1880. It ranked at #387 in 2015. Will it rise or fall in 2016 due to the passing of the music icon Prince?  Polo has also been used as a name here and there over the years with 8 births in 2015.

Reese's Peanut Butter Cups -These chocolate and peanut butter cups are best-sellers and well-known. The name Reese is rather popular too. It has been in use for boys since the 1880s, but only ranks at #701 in 2015. For girls, it gained consistent usage in 1992 and skyrocketed up the charts to its current #173. Do you like Reese more for a boy or a girl?

Rocky Road - This is not just a great flavor of ice cream, Rocky Road is also a candy bar made of fluffy marshmallow and topped with cashews and milk chocolate. It is made by the Annabelle Candy Company. The name Rocky has been given to boys since 1913, and has also been used by a few girls over the years. There were 229 male births in 2015 for a rank of #927, and there were 6 female births.

Rolo - The bite-sized ROLO pieces have a caramel center and are covered in milk chocolate. There are no births on record for the name Rolo, but if you add an L, Rollo was used well between 1881 and 1962. It started dying out after that, but suddenly gained 10 male births in 2015 after a nearly 30 year hiatus.

Sky Bar - The milk chocolate-covered Sky Bar has been produced by Necco since 1938 in America. It is known for having four different sections with a different filling in each: caramel, vanilla, peanut, and fudge. As a name, Sky was given to 81 boys and 365 girls in 2015. The similar Skye has 58 male births and 845 female. Which spelling do you prefer and for which gender?

Violet Crumble - This Australian chocolate bar has a crumbly honeycomb toffee center. It is made by Nestlé and it is also common in Hawaii. As a name, Violet seems to be a favorite lately. It has surpassed its previous high rank of #74 in 1919, by currently ranking at #50 in 2015.

York Peppermint Patty - This cool, refreshing treat is filled with mint and covered in dark chocolate. The name York has a very unsteady popularity pattern. It's been around since 1880 in the US, but there are many years when it only scores 5 or fewer births for the year. Its ultimate peak came in 1971 with a record-high of 21 births for the year. 2015 was graced by 7 births.

Would you ever name a child after your favorite chocolate bar? If not, that's understandable. But if your sweet tooth is beckoned, the above names are some of the best options around. Whether you would use it or not, which name do you like the most?

Source

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Amandine

This week's name theme is food-inspired. I have previously featured two of the names that are on the list: Basil and Clementine. I thought I would choose one that is less obviously food-related and more wearable as a name: Amandine.

Did you know that Amandine is a culinary term that refers to almonds that are used as garnish? It is sometimes misspelled as almondine in cookbooks in the US.  Did you also know that Amandine is the French form of the feminine name Amanda? Makes sense, right?


This lovely French diminutive means "much-loved" and is a wonderfully unique twist on the previously-popular and somewhat-dated name Amanda. On that note, it would also do well to honor a relative named Amanda but still give the child a modern and unique choice.

The French word for almond is amande. If you pronounce Amandine the way the French do, it would be a-mawn-DEEN. This name recently ranked at #87 in France and is occasionally used in Belgium. However, it is exceedingly rare in the US.

Actor John Malkovich named his daughter Amandine in 1990 which may have caused the very first record of the name being used in the US: there were 6 births in 1991. After that, there were 6 girls born with the name in 1996, 5 in 1999, 34 between 2002 and 2008. There were 5 born in 2013 with this name for a ranking of #16,594. (Of course the records require at least 5 births for the year so there could have been a few more Amandines born in between then that were not recorded.)

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Alessia, Beatrice, Camille, Eugenie, Juliette, Melisande, Nicolette, Rafaella, Vivienne
Brothers: Alexandre, Basil, Bastien, Florian, Jourdain, Lawrence, Mathieu, Olivier, Percival

Middle Name Ideas:
Amandine Belle
Amandine Colette
Amandine Elise
Amandine Faye
Amandine Giselle
Amandine Matilde
Amandine Noelle

Middle Name to Avoid:
Amandine Joie (essentially Almond Joy, a candy bar.)

As a Middle Name:
Claire Amandine
Isabelle Amandine
Natalie Amandine
Sophie Amandine

What middle name would you pair with Amandine? Do you have any more suggestions for a good sibling name? Let me know in the comment section!

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Fruit and Spice and Everything Nice!: Food-Inspired Baby Names

When Gwyneth Paltrow named her baby girl Apple in 2004, many people had an opinion about it. To this day it is used as an example of "weird" and "awful" celebrity baby names.  But she isn't the only one who has used food names for their children. Just last year alone Hollywood has had at least 3 foody additions to the list: Drew Barrymore and Will Kopelman named their daughter Olive,  Barry Watson named a daughter Clover Clementyne, and Jason Bateman named his little girl Maple.

Why is it that Apple is mocked but Olive and Clementine and Maple are not? Is Apple really that strange? I think I was one of the minority that secretly thought Apple was freakin' adorable! And Gwyneth gets to say she is the apple of her eye. Win!

If you're among those who are fond of food names, here is a list of the most wearable options.  Which of these might you actually consider adding to your short list? Which do you think should never be used?

Almond
Amandine
Anise
Apple
Banana
Barley
Basil
Berry
Cayenne
Cerise
Chai
Cherry
Cinnamon
Citron
Clementine
Clove
Coriander
Crispin
Fennel
Ginger
Honey
Huckleberry
Kale
Lemon
Maize
Maple
Mango
Mirabelle
Olive
Peaches
Pepper
Plum
Quince
Rosemary
Saffron
Sage
Yarrow

If you do have a craving for any of these names, what would you pair with it? Are you bold enough to use one of these in the first name spot or would you safely tuck it away in the middle?  Post your pairings in the comment section!

Monday, August 5, 2013

Nature Names For Boys and Girls

Snow? Rose? Winter?
Photo taken by me.
I previously featured girl names that are inspired by flowers and trees. I thought I would find even more options for both genders that come from nature.

Included on this list are baby names that are inspired by flowers, trees, fruit, water, weather, the earth and even animals! There is a great variety here and you're sure to find one that you love!

Nature names have increased in popularity lately as parents look for bold, unconventional name options. Which of these cool options is your favorite? Did I miss any?
Amber
Apple
Aqua
Arbor
Ash
Aspen
Avis
Azalea
Basil
Bay
Beach
Berry
Birch
Blossom
Briar
Brook
Calla
Canyon
Cedar
Cerise
Cherry
Citron
Clay
Clementine
Cliff
Clover
Cobalt
Coral
Crane
Cricket
Dahlia
Daisy
Delta
Dove
Dune
Elm
Emerald
Falcon
Feather
Fern
Field
Fjord
Flint
Flora
Forest
Fox
Frost
Gardener
Garland
Garnet
Glen
Grove
Harbor
Hawk
Huckleberry
Iris
Isle
Ivy
Jade
Jasmine
Jasper
Jet
Juniper
Lake
Lark
Laurel
Lemon
Lily
Linden
Luna
Magnolia
Mango
Maple
Marigold
Meadow
Mercury
Mesa
Mica
Nova
Oak
Ocean
Onyx
Opal
Oriole
Orion
Pearl
Pepper
Peridot
Petunia
Pike
Pine
Plum
Poppy
Prairie
Primrose
Quarry
Quartz
Quill
Rain
Reed
Ridge
River
Robin
Rose
Ruby
Saffron
Sage
Sapphire
Shale
Skye
Slate
Snow
Sparrow
Spring
Spruce
Star
Stone
Tide
Topaz
Vale
Valley
Venus
Violet
Willow
Wolf
Wren
Yarrow
Zinc

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Name of the Day: Basil

Today's Name of the Day might raise your eyebrows at first. The Greek boy name Basil means "Regal" or "King" and is a quirky choice!

The most famous bearer of this name is Basil Rathbone who portrayed the very British Sherlock Holmes in 1939. And of course, many of you probably already thought of the basil herb. It is usually pronounced Baz-uhl rather than Bays-uhl like the herb.


Let's try to see it from a different perspective than the above:

From the Greek name Βασιλειος (Basileios) which was derived from βασιλευς (basileus) meaning "king".  There were many Byzantine Empire rulers named Basil, as well as some Eastern Orthodox saints. Saint Basil the Great was a 4th century bishop who helped to found the early Christian church. Basil is rich in history.

Despite its past-bearers, this name is definitely unique today. It has been used very steadily since 1880. It was most popular from 1912-1969. It fell off the Top 1000 chart in 1970 and hasn't ranked since! However, in 2012, it ranked at #2709 with 44 boys named Basil, and 20 girls! (Although there have only been a total of 69 girls EVER named Basil. It saw usage starting in 2006, with the exception of 12 named in the early 1900s.)


Today, Basil has been classified as a very fun name because of the manic Basil Fawlty from the British TV comedy classic "Fawlty Towers." There is also a Disney movie called "Basil of Baker Street" which stars "the Sherlock Holmes of the Mouse World."

If you still aren't sold, that's fine. I think this is an interesting name. It is on my guilty pleasures list so I can't blame any of you for not immediately using it for a son. However, there are other variations of the name that are interesting like the Russian Vassily or Vaska, the Ancient Greek Basilius, the French Basile, the Italian Basillo or the Polish Bazyli.

What do you think of Basil? Do you get the same unique and quirky, yet old-fashioned vibe that I get? Do you think it will ever be popular again, or is it too fusty?

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Beatrix, Celeste, Daphne, Eleanor, Lilac, Octavia, Sabina
Brothers: Dexter, Edward, Gideon, Luca, Otto, Rafferty, Tobias

Middle Name Ideas:
Basil Sebastian
Basil Edmund
Basil Augustus
Basil Hayes
Basil Owen

As a Middle Name:
Phillip Basil
William Basil
Leonard Basil
Ethan Basil
Samuel Basil

Saturday, June 8, 2013

Name of the Day: Clementine

Today's featured name is Clementine. It originates as the French feminine form of the male name Clement, which is derived from the Late Latin name Clemens or Clementius, meaning "merciful," "gentle" or "mild."



If the "Oh my Darlin'" association is too strong for you, try pronouncing it as Cle-mahn-teen instead as the French do. Alternatively, try Clementina. This spelling originates with Italian, Late Roman, Portuguese and Spanish.  The Polish Klementyna is neat too if you have Polish roots!

Personally, I think Clementine would make a lovely middle name. (i.e.  Amelia Clementine or Ivy Clementine). It has the beautiful, French flair and is still rather unique!

Clementine was a darling on the charts in the 1920s-1950s. 1921 was Clementine's best year for number of births. There were 160 girls born which ranked the name at #567 at the time. It went up and down on the charts for a while and actually had a few years in the 70s and 80s where the name wasn't used at all, but it is on an upswing again. 221 girls were named Clementine in 2013 for a ranking of #1100.
Source
In France, though, the name Clementine is ranked just outside of the Top 100!  What do you think of this name?  Would you ever use it? Here are some sibling and middle name ideas:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Amelia, Josephine, Mabel, Scarlett, Tallulah
Brothers: Alastair, Benedict, Nathaniel, Sullivan, Theodore

Middle Name Ideas: 
Clementine Ivy
Clementine Eve
Clementine Louise
Clementine Estella

As a Middle Name:
Isla Clementine
Reese Clementine
Lily Clementine
Piper Clementine

Share your thoughts on this name in the comments below!

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