Ziggy

This interesting name comes from our list of names ending with the letters "-gy". There are not many -gy names. In fact, there were only two decent options for boys, Iggy and Ziggy. I chose to learn a bit more about Ziggy.

Have you ever heard of this name before? Perhaps in the pop culture world, you've heard of the late Bob Marley's musician son named Ziggy. Where does the name come from? For Ziggy Marley, it's a nickname. His real name is David Nesta Marley. According to Bob Marley, Ziggy is just a nickname he gave his son meaning "little spliff".  He may have been inspired by David Bowie's album "Ziggy Stardust".

Ziggy Stardust, of course, was David Bowie's alter ego. Bowie was quoted in Rolling Stone Magazine as saying that Ziggy was "one of the few Christian names I could find beginning with the letter Z". Later, he also said he was inspired by a tailor shop called Ziggy's.

It is possible that Ziggy doesn't mean anything. It is also possible that it's a short form of the name Zigfried, a form of the German Siegfried. Siegfried comes from the elements sigu meaning "victory" and frid meaning "peace".  The meaning "peaceful victory" is appealing, but how common is this name?

It first popped up in the US with 5 male births in 1988; another 5 appeared in 1995. By 2000, this name gained some consistent usage. The most births it has ever had in a single year was 44 male births which occurred in both 2014 and 2015. It is an unusual name but it has a cool vibe with pop culture associations. Could Ziggy ever catch on?

If this is a name that peaks your interest, here's a few ideas for sibling names and middle names:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Blaire, Effie, Jacey, Maisie, Marlowe, Piper, Tamsin, Zoey
Brothers: Bowie, Bugsy, Flynn, Murphy, Rocky, Tad, Wiley, Wilder

Middle Name Ideas:
Ziggy Cole
Ziggy Daniels
Ziggy Finnegan
Ziggy John
Ziggy Sawyer
Ziggy Sebastian
Ziggy Tavish

As a Middle Name:
Evan Ziggy
Julian Ziggy
Kendall Ziggy
Milo Ziggy
Nolan Ziggy
Theodore Ziggy
Wyatt Ziggy

What would you pair with Ziggy? What do you think of it?

Oberon

Pulled from our previous list regarding The Very Best O Names for Boys and Girls is the interesting male name Oberon.

Pronounced O-bər-ahn, this name is a variant of the name Auberon which is the Norman French derivative of the Germanic name Alberich. Alberich means "elf power" and is also the father name of Aubrey.

A similar and relatively well-known literary name is Oberyn which was created by author George R. R. Martin for a character in the popular book series A Song of Ice and Fire and the television adaptation Game of Thrones.

Oberyn may have been inspired by Oberon even though the two are pronounced slightly differently. Oberon is also a literary name but it dates back much further than Oberyn.

Oberon was the King of the Fairies in Shakespeare's comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream in 1595. In honor of that character, Oberon is also the name of one of the moons of Uranus which makes Oberon a celestial name as well.

Despite all of these associations, Oberon remains obscure in the US. Oberon was not used as a name on record in the US until 2007. Even then, the most births it has received in a single year is 8 in both 2012 and 2014. This unranked, unusual name is surely deserving of some love. After all, its cousin name Aubrey is doing so well for girls at #20.

What do you think of the name Oberon for a boy? Do you prefer Auberon?  Here are some sibling and middle name ideas:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Alice, Johanna, Matilda, Minerva, Rosalind, Winifred, Zelda
Brothers: August, Conrad, Hawthorne, Jarvis, Roland, Titus, Willard

Middle Name Ideas:
Oberon Charles
Oberon Gray
Oberon Noble
Oberon Rivers
Oberon Walter

As a Middle Name:
Everett Oberon
Luther Oberon
Phoenix Oberon
Thomas Oberon
Vincent Oberon

These are just ideas. What would YOU pair with Oberon?

Conrad

Today's featured name comes from this week's list of The Very Best C Names for Boys and Girls! While there are plenty of great C names, Conrad is the one that caught my eye.

Conrad comes from the Germanic elements kuoni and rad that, when combined, mean "brave counsel".  This moniker comes across as strong and interesting. It is well-known enough to work for a modern boy but it is also rather uncommon which would make it refreshing to hear. As far as Con- names go, it falls into a sweet spot: it is bolder than Connor but not as bold as Constantine.

In history, Conrad is both saintly and regal having been used by a 10th-century saint from Germany as well as several medieval German kings and dukes. England had a bit of love for the name during the Middle Ages but it wasn't common until the 19th century after being reintroduced there by the Germans.

In the US, Conrad has been used consistently every year since at least 1880. It has never been popular though. Its highest peak occurred in 1931 when 585 babies were named Conrad. These days, there were 343 boys born in 2013 with the name for a ranking of #691.

This rad name doesn't have very many nickname options but you could call your Conrad by Con, Connie, or Rad.  If you're interested in this strong and handsome name, perhaps you'll find the following suggestions of sibling names and middle names helpful:

Sibling Name Ideas:

Sisters: Adelaide, Clara, Elsa, Louise, Matilda, Rosalind, Viola

Brothers: Casper, Frederick, George, Henry, Leopold, Robert, Vincent

Middle Name Ideas:

Conrad Alexander

Conrad Gregor

Conrad James

Conrad Miles

Conrad Oliver

Conrad Simon

As a Middle Name: 

Andrew Conrad

Geoffrey Conrad

Leo Conrad

Ryan Conrad

Stephen Conrad

William Conrad

Can you think of any other names that might pair well with Conrad either as a sibling name or a middle name? What do you think of this name? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Elsa

Along with dozens of other names, Elsa comes from the name Elizabeth.  Of course, Elizabeth comes from the Greek form of the Hebrew name Elisheva. It means either "my God is an oath", "my God is abundance" or "pledged to God". Elizabeth has been extremely consistent in its popularity over the years, having always been in the Top 30 since 1880.

The lovely German Elsa is also very consistent in its popularity since 1880 in the US. Since the release of the wildly successful movie Disney's Frozen in November 2013 featuring a Queen Elsa, the baby name Elsa is expected to leap up the charts in 2014.  Before Frozen, Elsa originally gained popularity as a name among English speakers because of Wagner's romantic opera Lohengrin in 1848. Elsa was the name of the heroine in the opera.

I chose to feature Elsa as part of Scandinavian week because, while it is mostly used in Germany, it also has usage in the Scandinavian countries, particularly Sweden and Norway. Even Iceland has love for it!

Here in the US, Queen Elsa is everywhere these days so if you love the name Elsa but want to avoid trends and popularity, perhaps you should consider Elsie or Elise instead. In 2013, there were 560 baby girls named Elsa for a ranking of #528. Right now it isn't ranked too high but I expect this name to break into the 300s, at least, in 2014.

What do you think? Do you know any babies named Elsa? If so, what are their siblings named? What middle name did they receive? Here are some ideas if you're in need:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Annabelle, Charlotte, Grace, Hallie, Johanna, Olivia, Tilly
Brothers: Axel, Charles, Erik, Henry, Matthias, Miles, Sebastian

Middle Name Ideas:
Elsa Corinne
Elsa Juliet
Elsa Margaret
Elsa Violet

As a Middle Name:
Dagny Elsa
Harper Elsa
Kiersten Elsa
Maren Elsa

Elsa is a bit difficult to put in the middle name spot and also achieve good flow from first to middle to last, so it'd probably fit best in the first name spot.  What names would you suggest to go with Elsa?

Lorelei

To complete our week of analyzing German baby naming traditions and names, I present to you the lovely name Lorelei.

It actually comes from German mythology. According to legend, a beautiful seductress lived on a rock headland on the Rhine River. The rock itself is located near St. Goarshausen, Germany and is named the Lorelei even today. It is said that the maiden, or "water spirit", lures fishermen to their death with her haunting voice and beautiful song. For this reason, Lorelei means "luring rock" or "alluring temptress/enchantress".   It is sometimes spelled Loreley as well.

The image of this deadly siren has been a part of the name Lorelei for ages. Some may view that with a negative connotation, and others may enjoy the mythic beauty of a singing mermaid seductress despite the fact that she caused many deaths. It is just a legend, after all, so it is up to you whether the association is an issue or not.

Another strong association that has been around for a while is that of a gold digger in the film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. She was portrayed by the late Marilyn Monroe.

However, the most recent association around today comes straight from pop-culture. In fact, many people will think of these two Loreleis first upon hearing the name. On the TV show The Gilmore Girls (2000-2007), a young mom named Lorelei decided that her daughter would be a junior and named her Lorelei as well, but she went by Rory. They spelled it Lorelai but pronounced it the same: LORE-uh-lie. Their middle names were Victoria and Leigh.

Other nicknames beyond Rory may include Lori, Lora, Lorel, Lore, and possibly even Lola, Lila or Lolly if you stretch it.

Lorelei was first used as a baby name in the US in 1916. It gained more regularity in 1925 with a small spike in 1938 of 121 births. It did well in the 1950s and early 60s but tapered off again until it got a boost in 2002.  It has been trending upward since then, climbing to a peak of 594 births in 2013 which ranks it at #501.

Interestingly, the spelling Lorelai, used in Gilmore Girls, was not used at all until 2001, coinciding with the show.  It has also climbed up the charts and had 336 births in 2013 for a ranking of #800.

Which spelling do you like better? Lorelei or Lorelai? Perhaps something else?  Here are some ideas for sibling and middle names if you're considering using this name for your child!

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Adelaide, Alexis, Amelia, Daphne, Elodie, Minerva, Rebecca, Scarlett
Brothers: Alaric, Elliott, Garrett, Gideon, Liam, Matthew, Theodore, Warren

Middle Name Ideas:
Lorelei Adele
Lorelei Charlotte
Lorelei Geneva
Lorelei Johanna

As a Middle Name: 
Ava Lorelei
Elsa Lorelei
Katrina Lorelei
Minna Lorelei

What do you think of the name Lorelei. Does the German myth bother you? What middle name might you pair with Lorelei? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below or on Facebook!

World-Wide Wednesday: German Baby Names

Moritzburg Castle, Germany
Featured German Names:
Alaric & Lorelei

This month's World-Wide Wednesday features baby naming customs from Germany.

Prior to the late 19th century, Germany was a vast territory that saw major differences in the way baby names were given across the land and in different time periods. Traditionally, most boys in central and southern Germany in the 1700s were named Johann or Johannes. (Hans was big in the 1600s). Sometimes they would go by a middle name to differentiate between them. Similarly, girls tended to be named Maria or Anna.

In the north and northeast, children in the mid-1800s received anywhere from three to five given names. This was a sign of nobility. The more names a person had, the more important they would appear. In records, ministers would often underline the preferred name, and sometimes marriage licenses would have the names in a slightly different order than what was on the birth record. They may have even been simplified or spelled differently.  Surnames weren't regularly used until the 1500s.

Up near Denmark in a place called Schelswig and a place called the duchy of Holstein, it was popular tradition to use patronymic names through to the 18th century. This means that most children were named for their fathers or grandfathers. For example, if a father was named Peter, his sons and daugthers would use the surname Petersen (and occasionally girls who were very near Denmark would follow those traditions and use Petersdatter as a surname instead). It wasn't until 1771 that this got to be rather confusing and a law was passed that required children to take a set surname, usually the same one their father had instead of basing a new one on his first name.

In Ostfriesland, which is in the northwestern corner of modern Germany, people followed a patronymic pattern that was very similar to that of their Dutch neighbors to the west. Instead of adding -sen or -datter to their father's name, boys and girls would simply add an -s. The confusing part about this tradition is that back in Schleswig most wives would take their husband's name and add -s to it. Depending on where you lived, your name would indicate whether you were the wife of Peter (in Schleswig and Denmark) or the daughter of Peter (in Ostfriesland).

As you can see, different areas had different customs that drew great influence from neighboring countries. Another example is that of the people of Westfalen which borders Hannover, Rheinland. Since medieval times, they had an entirely different naming method.  Surnames were called Hofname or "farm-names". The family living on that particular farm would take that particular surname. If a daughter inherited the farm and married, her husband would change his name to that of her farm. His old name would be listed with his new surname with a phrase such as genannt, vulgo, modo, sive, or alias listed between them meaning he had one surname but was called by another.

Today, there are still some faint remnants of these patronymic systems but they don't tend to form a child's official name. Names consist of one or several usually gender-specific given names and a set surname. Women traditionally adopt their husband's surname and hyphenate it with their own.

Most first names in the past were very traditionally Germanic, or they were biblical. Examples include:

Boys:                                       Carl Karl Wilhelm Otto Heinrich Friedrich Paul Hans Gustav Max Walter Walther Hermann Ernst Werner Heinz Curt Kurt Günter Günther Herbert Gerhard Helmuth Peter Claus Klaus Uwe Jürgen Dieter Horst Manfred Wolfgang Bernd Andreas Frank Stefan Jörg Torsten

Girls: Anna Martha Frieda Bertha Emma Maria Margarethe Erna Elsa Gertrud Hertha Käthe Elisabeth Hildegard Ilse Irmgard Gerda Lieselotte Elfriede Ursula Edith Helga Gisela Inge Ingrid Ingeborg Karin Renate Elke Monika Brigitte Angelika Sabine Martina Ute Keike Petra Birgit Anja

It is only since the 1970s or so that Germans have adopted more Westernized names such as:

Boys:                                       Thomas Michael Marcus Christian Oliver Matthias Sebastian Daniel Martin Dennis Alexander Tobias Patrick Marcel Philipp Lucas Ben Finn Jonas Maximilian Felix Leon Louis

Girls: Nicole Claudia Stephanie Andrea Susanne Julia Melanie Sandra Nadine Christina Sabrina Sarah Jennifer Lisa Katharina Jessica Laura Leah Hannah Michelle Lara Lena Mia Sophia Leonie

There was a bit of a pattern that many parents followed in order to properly honor saints and relatives in their children's names. Take a look at this chart for an example:

Source

If there were duplicate names in the pattern, they'd usually skip to the next name in the pattern. If a child were to die in infancy, their name would be reused for the next child of the same gender.

When the children were baptized, they were most often given one first name that was a spiritual name honoring that special saint or relative, and they'd receive a middle name or a "call name." They would go by this call name most often. Often, children were all given the same first name such as the very popular Johann. Three brothers might have the following names:

Johann Heinrich Schmidt
Johann Wilhelm Schmidt
Johann Gustav Schmidt

They would be known as Heinrich, Wilhelm and Gustav. Girls would have a similar situation but most commonly with the first name Anna or Maria. This occurrence did not always happen though. It did depend on the family and when and where they lived.

There is no official statistics for baby names in Germany but Knud Bielefeld (publisher of firstnamesgermany.com) has analysed approximately 182,300 German birth notifications and compiled a list of the most popular baby names in 2013. Borrowing graciously from him, here are the Top 10:

1. Ben                                         2. Luca / Luka 3. Paul 4. Jonas 5. Finn / Fynn 6. Leon 7. Luis / Louis 8. Lukas / Lucas 9. Maximilian 10. Felix

1. Mia 2. Emma 3. Hannah / Hanna 4. Sofia / Sophia 5. Anna 6. Lea / Leah 7. Emilia 8. Marie 9. Lena 10. Leonie

What do you think of the baby naming customs of Germany? Do you have any German relatives with names like these? Which traditionally German name is your favorite? Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences in the comment section below or on our Facebook page!

Source | Source | Source | Source

[Note: I do have German blood but I've never been to Germany and don't speak German. If any of this information seems incorrect, please let me know so I can fix it!]

Alaric

The awesome baby name lovers on Instagram and Tumblr have spoken! When polled about which German name I should feature for my World-Wide Wednesday segment, Alaric was the clear winner for the boys! The girl name is coming on Friday!

Alaric is an Ancient Germanic name meaning "Ruler of All" or "All-Powerful Ruler".  It comes from the Gothic name Alareiks and is derived from the Germanic elements ala "all" and ric "ruler, power".

In history, Alaric was the name of the king of the Visigoths who sacked Rome in the 5th century. Because of this king, the name has a very ancient and regal feel to it, but it still has the potential to be a cool, quirky and modern choice for a baby boy today.

This name is still flying under the radar in terms of popularity. I've seen it discussed many times on forums but as far as actual usage goes, it is rare!

It first appeared in the US in 1949 and it took another ten years to catch on regularly. Alaric is just now coming into its prime! It hasn't had much love until recently with 88 births in 2012 and a record-high 116 births in 2013 for a ranking of #1414. I think Alaric could potentially break into the Top 1000 in the next decade. It seems to be a growing favorite!

Alaric is a bold and strong name on its own, but it also has the nickname possibilities of Al, Ric, Ricky, Lars, Alec, Alar and Aric. It is typically pronounced AL-er-ic, just like it looks, but this name is used on the TV show The Vampire Diaries and is pronounced as uh-LAR-ik.  I definitely prefer the typical pronunciation.

What do you think of this name? What sort of middle names and sibling names would you pair with it? Here are some ideas that I came up with:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Adelaide, Elsie, Ingrid,  Lorelei, Mathilda, Wilhelmina
Brothers: Caspar, Edsel, Jaegar, Kiefer, Otto, Warren

Middle Name Ideas:
Alaric Charles
Alaric Ferdinand
Alaric Johan
Alaric Leonardo
Alaric Theodore

As a Middle Name:
Diesel Alaric
Henry Alaric
Joseph Alaric
Lucas Alaric
Matthew Alaric

I tried not to only pair other German names with it, but it was a bit tricky to get decent flow. What do you think? Which names would you use?

Top Baby Names from Switzerland in 2012

It is always fun to take a look at what kind of names are popular in other parts of the world. Sometimes, us American bloggers get so caught up writing about the Top US names that we forget to look around.

In 2012, there were 82,164 live births in Switzerland. 39,729 were girls and 42,435 were boys. Below are the top names for the babies born to parents who speak French, German and Italian but live within Switzerland.

It is so interesting that these names can come from one country and yet differ so greatly between the three languages. One thing is certain, they all tend to favor the "L" sound in many of these favorite names!  Take a look at the top 16 names for each language!

French-Speaking Switzerland:

Boys:
1. Gabriel
2. Luca
3. Thomas
4. Noah
5. Nathan
6. Lucas
7. Samuel
8. Theo

Girls:
1. Emma
2. Léa
3. Chloé
4. Zoé
5. Lara
6. Eva
7. Charlotte
8. Clara

German-Speaking Switzerland:

Boys:
1. Noah
2. Luca
3. David
4. Leon
5. Leandro
6. Nico
7. Levin
8. Julian

Girls:
1. Mia
2. Alina
3. Laura
4. Julia
5. Anna
6. Emma
7. Leonie
8. Lena

Italian-Speaking Switzerland:

Boys:
1. Gabriel
2. Alessandro
3. Leonardo
4. Matteo
5. Nathan
6. Samuele
7. Elia
8. Samuel

Girls:
1. Sofia
2. Alice
3. Emma
4. Elisa
5. Giulia
6. Martina
7. Giada
8. Giorgia

I think I would side with the French-Speaking list but they are all pretty great! Which do you like best?

Source | Source | Source

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?

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.

Name of the Day: Everett

Today's Name of the Day is the boy name Everett. This is an English variation of the German name Eberhard meaning "brave as a wild boar."

This is a name that is quickly climbing back up the popularity charts. If you go by rank alone, Everett was at its peak in 1906 with a ranking of #81. In 2012 it ranked at #214 which is up from #534 in 2005.

If you go by the number of babies born each year, there are two notable peaks in usage. The first is in 1912 when the name shot up with 424 births more than the previous year. Then it really spiked, averaging 1,500 or more babies every year from 1914 until the early 1930s.

Then it started to decline until it started gaining momentum again in the mid 2000s. Its new highest peak is in 2012 when there were 1,724 boys named Everett.

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This name has cute nickname options such as Ever or Rhett. I believe Everett's rise in popularity in the past few years is because of similar trendy girl names Eva and Ava and their variants. Many parents view the crisp V sound as stylish. However, there were 21 girls given the name Everett in 2012.

As for the history of the name Everett, it came from the English surname Everard which was introduced to England by the Normans. Everard has Germanic elements to it such as "eber" meaning wild boar, and  "hard" meaning brave or hardy. This name has rarely been used since medieval times, but Everett is clearly gaining popularity in the modern world.

What do you think of the name Everett? Is it on your list or do you prefer similar name Emmett instead?

Sibling Name Ideas: 
Sisters: Audrey, Caroline, Ella, Harper, Olivia, Ruth
Brothers: Asher, Blake, Griffin, Nathan, Owen, Sawyer

Middle Name Ideas:
Everett Carter
Everett James
Everett Lucas
Everett August
Everett Paul

As a Middle Name:
John Everett
Henry Everett
Braden Everett
Zane Everett

Name of the Day: Frederick

Today's blog post analyzed the name Elizabeth, so I thought I would go a bit more "classic" than usual with the "Name of the Day.'  I chose the handsome Frederick.

German meaning "peaceful ruler," Frederick is one of those old-fashioned, classic names that nearly disappeared for a while; (how many Freds do you know?)  Today, some parents are liking its solid history and classic charm and are reviving it!

Of course it hasn't really disappeared. Frederick has comfortably been hanging out in the 300-500 range of the US Top 1000 chart for the past couple decades! It was last in the top 100 in 1957.

Its largest popularity spikes occurred around 1914 and again around 1946. It was most popular in 1951 with a total of 4,982 baby boys born with the name Frederick.  It was even rarely but consistently used for girls between 1908 and 1993! Since the male popularity spikes, the name has fallen back down to respectable levels. In 2012, there were 482 babies born, which ranked Frederick at #536 on the US Top 1000 chart for boys. 

What sort of history does this name have? A very extensive one! I can't list everyone named Frederick. There are many ancient emperors and kings who held the name. Click here to view a wikipedia list of all the famous Fredericks.

The most notable Fredericks are Frederick the Great who was the King of Prussia (1712-1786), Frederick Douglass who was an escaped slave turned abolitionist (1818-1891),  and of course actor/singer Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz 1899-1987).

I had this article prepped up and then a while later I came across this article from Nameberry that was interesting. It interviews a man named Frederick and he gives his thoughts on his name and his nickname Fred. 

What do you think of the name Frederick. Would you call him Freddie/Freddy or Fred?  Would you go with another nickname like Red, Fritz, or Rick? Or perhaps Derick/Erick which are derived from the spelling? Maybe good ol' Frederick is perfect is its entirety!   Let me know your thoughts below!

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Alexandra, Elizabeth, Helena, Matilda, Victoria
Brothers: Alexander, Finnegan, Matthew, Nicholas, Theodore

Middle Name Ideas:
Frederick James
Frederick Arthur
Frederick George
Frederick Mason
Frederick Dean

As a Middle Name:
Owen Frederick
Evan Frederick
Jacob Frederick
Aaron Frederick
Oliver Frederick

Name(s) of the Day: Melisande/Millicent

Today, you get a 2-for-1 special for the Name(s) of the Day.

I've recently had a new-found fascination with the name Millicent but it just feels a bit too old-fashioned and stiff for me to personally consider using. I decided to look at variations of it and fell in love with the French Melisande, which I would use in a heartbeat if I could get hubby on-board since he speaks French and I'm learning it.

When I went to look up the popularity stats on these names that I hear quite frequently on naming forums, I was surprised to see how little-used and extremely rare Melisande is in the US.

Check this out! The data pool that I use doesn't record a name for the year if there were not at least 5 births. So perhaps there have been 1-4 births here and there all along, but according to this data, there were 5 girls named Melisande in 2005 (ranked #18226), 6 in 1972, 5 in 1960, 5 in 1947 and that is all! A total of 21 little girls named Melisande in the US EVER! How much more unique could you get?

Yet the name sounds familiar as if you should know a Melisande or two. Millicent, however, has been steadily popular since the SSA began ranking names in 1880. There was a peak of 249 girls named Millicent in 1927 (which is its highest chart ranking of #435) and it has never reached that many since then. In 2012, there were 71 baby Millicents which ranked the name at #2539.

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Both names are rarely heard of today and would be refreshing and adorable! Millicent could go by Millie, and Melisande could be Mellie or Sandy or even Lissy or Andy if you go by spelling instead of sound. (Remember, it has a French pronunciation which roughly sounds like "mehl-ee-sahnd.) See the popularity of Melisande in France here.

Both names mean "Strong" or "Industrious". Melisande is French and Millicent is German. Melisande was used by Maurice Maeterlinck in his play 'Pelléas et Mélisande' (1893). The play was later adapted by Claude Debussy into an opera (1902).

What do you think of these non-ranking names? Too old-fashioned, or perfectly unique and beautiful?

Sibling Name Ideas for Melisande:
Sisters: Amandine, Anneliese, Clementine, Genevieve, Lucinda, Romilly
Brothers: Clement, Frances, Marcel, Phineas, Roman, Tobias

Middle Name Ideas:
Melisande Joie
Melisande Colette
Melisande Ramona
Melisande Kate
Melisande Elise

As a Middle Name:
Ivy Melisande
Anna Melisande
Juliet Melisande
Lily Melisande

Sibling Name Ideas for Millicent:
Sisters: Amelia, Elizabeth, Francesca, Lucille, Mabel, Philippa
Brothers: Benjamin, Elliott, Finnegan, Oliver, Robert, William

Middle Name Ideas:
Millicent Claire
Millicent Eve
Millicent Josephine
Millicent Lorraine
Millicent Grace

As a Middle Name:
Eve Millicent
Lucy Millicent
Nora Millicent
Rachel Millicent

Name of the Day: Emmeline

Today's Name of the Day is my new favorite girl's name: Emmeline. As a big fan of Emma (but not of her popularity), Emmeline appeals to me in a big way! Unfortunately, I think many other baby-namers who feel the same way will help to make this name popular soon. It fits in with mega-popular Emma and Emily, as well as all the Madelines, Adelines and Carolines.  It's a wonder this name hasn't caught on already!

In the real world, actor Christian Bale has a daughter named Emmeline; a famous English suffragette was named Emmeline Pankhurst; and there is an American journalist known as Emmeline Wells. In the fictional world, Emmeline Vance was a character in Harry Potter.  There are a couple other examples, such as Brooke Shields' character in "The Blue Lagoon" (1980).

Emmeline is currently sitting just outside of the Top 1000 chart at #1078 in 2012. She has never broken onto the chart, but I think her time is coming soon!  She is ranked just slightly higher today than she was in 1904 (#1296). Emmeline massively lost popularity through the 1940's and 1950's before beginning to spike upward again in the 70's. Take a look at this dramatic chart!

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Emmeline is an Old French form of the Germanic name Amelina, which is a diminutive of other Germanic names that begin with "amal" which means "work". Having a little "hardworker" is adorable! The Normans introduced this name to England. It has always been around, but it has been very under-the-radar for years!

What do you think of this lovely name? Would you pronounce it Emme-line or Emme-leen? I go back and forth on that. There is a big debate about which is accurate but it may just come down to personal preference. I lean toward the -leen sound. Would you name your daughter Emmeline?

Sibling Name Ideas: 
Sisters: Adelaide, Imogen, Genevieve, Magnolia, Violet
Brothers: Atticus, Elijah, Jasper, Oliver, William

Middle Name Ideas:
Emmeline Clara
Emmeline Scarlett
Emmeline Paige
Emmeline Vivienne

As a Middle Name:
Julia Emmeline
Sarah Emmeline
Lily Emmeline
Sophia Emmeline