ALL ABOUT JOE! - March 27th is National Joe Day

March 27th is considered National Joe Day! From a "cup of Joe", to Sloppy Joes to the Average Joe; from Joe DiMaggio, to Joe Jonas, to Joe Biden, there are a ton of Joes to celebrate! So today we will take a closer look at Joseph, Josephine, Joe and other similar names.

According to Behind the Name, Joseph comes from From Ioseph, the Latin form of the Greek Ιωσηφ (Ioseph), which was from the Hebrew name יוֹסֵף (Yosef) meaning "he will add". Since it his Hebrew in origin, of course it is a biblical name. In the Old Testament, Joseph was the son of Jacob and Rachel.

Joseph is one of those names that translate well across a variety of languages and cultures around the world:

Yousef, Youssef, Yusef, Yusuf (Arabic) Youcef (Arabic (Maghrebi)) Hovsep (Armenian) Yusif (Azerbaijani) Joseba (Basque) Ioseph, Ioses (Biblical Greek) Yosef (Biblical Hebrew) Ioseph (Biblical Latin) Jusuf (Bosnian) Yosif (Bulgarian) Josep (Catalan) Ghjaseppu (Corsican) Josip, Joško, Joso, Jozo (Croatian) Josef (Czech) Josef (Danish) Josephus, Jozef, Jef, Joep, Joop, Joos, Joost, Jos, Sjef, Zef (Dutch) Jozefo, Joĉjo (Esperanto) Joosep (Estonian) Jooseppi, Juuso (Finnish) Xosé (Galician) Ioseb, Soso (Georgian) Iosif (Greek) Yosef (Hebrew) Josephus (History) József, Jóska, Józsi (Hungarian)

Seosamh (Irish) Giuseppe, Beppe, Peppe, Peppi, Peppino, Pino (Italian) Iosephus (Late Roman) Jāzeps (Latvian) Juozapas, Juozas (Lithuanian) Josif (Macedonian) Hohepa (Maori) Josef (Norwegian) Josèp (Occitan) Yousef, Yusef (Persian) Józef (Polish) José, Zé, Zezé (Portuguese) Iosif (Romanian) Iosif, Osip (Russian) Seòsaidh (Scottish) Josif (Serbian) Jozef (Slovak) Josip, Jožef, Jože (Slovene) José, Josepe, Pepe, Pepito (Spanish) Josef (Swedish) Yusuf (Turkish) Ýusup (Turkmen) Yosyp (Ukrainian) Yusup (Uyghur) Yussel (Yiddish)

There is also a handful of feminine forms of the name:

Jody, Josepha (English), Josée, Josèphe, Joséphine (French), Josepha (German)

And you can't forget the diminutives and "nickname" options:

Jo, Joe, Joey, Jojo (English), Jo, Sepp, Seppel (German)

As you can see, the various translations are quite unique and interesting. I'm sure we have all known a Joseph/Joe, but have you ever known anyone with one of these other, more cultural names? 

Now, Nameberry has quite an extensive list of famous Josephs. It is far too long to repost here, but I encourage you to take a look. 

As far as popularity goes, Joseph has always ranked very well. It has never ranked lower than #22, which happened in 2011. It has ranked as high as #5!  It ranked at #20 in 2016 and will probably linger within the Top 100 for a very long time to come.

Just "Joe" by itself even ranks well. Up until 1970, it was within the Top 100 in the US. Even now, as of 2016, Joe still came in at #618.

The lovely Josephine experienced a high popularity peak of 8,682 births in 1918. It declined after that, but is currently ticking upward. In 2016, there were 2,766 girls given the name which ranked it at #114 in the US.

If you're a Joe fan, here are some ideas for sibling names and middle names:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Amelia, Caroline, Elizabeth, Isabelle, Lucy, Margaret, Sarah
Brothers: Benjamin, Isaac, Michael, Nathaniel, Simon, Vincent, William

Middle Name Ideas:
Joseph Alexander
Joseph Elliott
Joseph Martin
Joseph Riley
Joseph Thomas

Josephine Amelia
Josephine Claire
Josephine Grace
Josephine May
Josephine Rose

Joe Edward
Joe Harrison
Joe Julius
Joe Theodore
Joe Zachariah

As a Middle Name: 

Adrian Joseph

Carter Joseph

Gabriel Joseph

Maxwell Joseph

Tyler Joseph

Anna Josephine

Clara Josephine

Lily Josephine

Morgan Josephine

Wren Josephine

Benjamin Joe

Everett Joe

Henry Joe

Lincoln Joe

Timothy Joe

What do you think of these Joe names? Which would you choose? Have you already used one?

Penelope

This name is a fast-rising modern Greek name for girls. It was featured in this week's list of gorgeous Greek names and we will learn more about it here.

The usage of the name Penelope dates back to Homers Odyssey. In the story, she was the wife of Odysseus who had to stand strong against suitors while he was in Troy.

As far as the origin and meaning go, it was possibly derived from the Greek  πηνελοψ (penelops) which refers to a kind of duck. However, it is also possible that Penelope is taken from  πηνη (pene) which means "threads" and  ωψ (ops) which means "face" or "eye". With those combined, Penelope is sometimes listed as meaning "weaver".

As a name in America, Penelope has been in use since records began in 1880 but it wasn't steadily used until 1909. It ranked well from 1935-1975, but left the Top 1000 until 2001. It was majorly trending upward from then on, hitting the Top 100 in 2013. As of 2015, it ranks as the 34th most popular name in the country.

If this is a name you are considering, here are some middle name ideas and some sibling name ideas for Penelope:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Amelia, Camilla, Delphine, Lydia, Olivia, Theresa, Veronica
Brothers: Anthony, Damian, Evander, Lucas, Orion, Reuben, Theodore

Middle Name Ideas: 
Penelope Catherine
Penelope Hazel
Penelope Kate
Penelope Joy
Penelope Sybil

As a Middle Name:
Anna Penelope
Diana Penelope
Iris Penelope
Thea Penelope
Zoe Penelope

What middle name would you pair with Penelope? Share your thoughts on this name in the comments below.

Gorgeous Greek Names for Girls

Last week we took a look at boy names that are either diminutives of ancient Greek names, or have had their spellings more Latinized or modernized over the years.  Now it's time to look at the feminine name choices. Many of these have been in use for a long time whether or not the wearers realize their Greek origins. Greek names tend to be very versatile. They easily cross bridges into several cultures and languages, allowing nearly anyone to use them in one form or another.

Here are some of the best Greek names I could find that would work beautifully on modern girls. Which of these do you like best?

Althea
Anastasia
Ariadne
Calista
Calliope
Cassandra
Catherine
Chloe
Cleo
Daphne
Delphina
Diana
Dorothy
Elaina
Ellen
Esmeralda
Eugenia
Eulalia
Evadne
Helen
Helena
Hermione
Iris
Isadora
Kyra
Lydia
Lysandra
Melanie
Melissa
Oceana
Odessa
Olympia
Ophelia
Penelope
Persephone
Phaedra
Philippa
Phoebe
Selene
Sophia
Sybil
Thalia
Thea
Theodora
Theresa
Veronica
Xanthe
Xenia
Zandra
Zoe

Can you think of any other names that would fit this category? Share your favorites!

Damian

One of my favorite Greek names is Damian, which comes from the Greek name Δαμιανος (Damianos).  This name was listed on the Great Greek Names for Modern Boys list posted earlier this week.

Damian is ultimately derived from the  Greek δαμαζω (damazo) meaning "to tame".  There was a saint by this name from the 4th century who was martyred with his twin brother Cosmo in Syria. There was also an 11th-century saint named Peter Damian who was a cardinal and theologian from Italy.

In the US, Damian was first used on boys in 1912. It also gained a minimal amount of use for girls in 1968. For boys, this name gained momentum in the 1970s, peaking in 1977 before dipping a bit again. By the 1990s, it began an upward trajectory of usage. It actually cracked the Top 100 in 2012-2013 at #98 both years. Even though it has dropped again to #116 in 2015, Damian is a solid name with great usage.

There's also a few spelling variations associated with different languages and cultures. The French Damien is also doing well in the US at #254 in 2015. Other spellings include Damon (#427), Damion, Damiaan, Damiano, Damianus, Damyan, Damijan and Damjan.

If you are thinking about using this name, here are some middle name ideas and some sibling name ideas that work well with the name Damian:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Alyssa, Diana, Helena, Juliet, Lucia, Sophia, Veronica
Brothers: Andrew, Dominic, Elias, Lucas, Raphael, Theodore, Xander

Middle Name Ideas:
Damian Benedict
Damian Christopher
Damian Lysander
Damian Phillip
Damian Timothy

As a Middle Name:
Atlas Damian
Evander Damian
George Damian
Nicholas Damian
Silas Damian

What do you think of this name? Which middle names would you pair with it?

Great Greek Names for Modern Boys

Greek names are fascinating, however, many of them are too wrapped up in archaic spellings to be considered usable today. But over the centuries, some of those names developed diminutives or were passed through a process of modernization to make them easier on our ears today. 

Here are some of the most usable Greek boy names around! Which do you enjoy most?

Alexander
Andrew
Apollo
Atlas
Calix
Christopher
Damian
Demetrius
Erasmus
Evander
Flavian
George
Gregory
Hector
Isidore
Jason
Jericho
Leander
Leonidas
Lucas
Lysander
Maximos
Memphis
Nicholas
Odysseus
Orion
Peter
Phillip
Phoenix
Sebastian
Stephen
Thaddeus
Theodore
Theon
Thomas
Timothy
Titus
Troy
Xander
Zacchaeus
Zander
Zephyr

Are there any other traditionally Greek names that you could consider using on a modern boy?

Molly

This featured name is pulled from the list of names that end with the letters "-ly". This list is one of the longest ones in this series so far. It was full of great options, but I decided to highlight Molly.

Not many people will realize that Molly comes from the name Mary. It developed as a diminutive based on Malle and Molle over time. Polly is in the same boat.

Now, Mary ultimately comes from the Greek Mariam and Maria, which were from the Hebrew Miryam. The meaning of Mary has never been absolutely certain, but meanings such as "sea of bitterness," "rebelliousness," and "wished for child" have been thrown about as possibilities. It's also likely that Mary was originally an Egyptian name derived from mry meaning "beloved". So by association, Molly and all of Mary's other forms, variants and translations, mean the same thing.

In the US, Molly has always fared well as a stand-alone name. Since 1880, it has consistently remained within the top half the Top 1000. Even with all the history, Molly's high-point for most usage in a year came rather recently in 1991 with 4,651 births and a rank of #74. Molly has spent a lot of time in the Top 100 in the past 30 years. However, she's slightly on the decline now as of 2015's data which listed her as the 144th most popular name in the country based on 2,235 births for the year.

This decline in usage could be a result of the drug "ecstasy" being nicknamed molly. Not as many parents are willing to commit to the name, but there's clearly many that still do, whether they are familiar with the association or not. Despite that, there have been many famous Mollys over time and the name is regularly heard throughout pop culture. One of the first associations came from James Joyce's 1920 novel "Ulysses" in which the wife of the main character was called Molly Bloom. 

There's also the American Titanic survivor Margaret Brown who was nicknamed Molly. Additionally, the Irish community have a folk heroine called Molly Malone; and there's a song titled "Good Golly, Miss Molly" by Little Richard. These are just a few references among dozens of other Mollys out there. Do you have a favorite Molly?

What do you think of this name? Is it on your list? If so, here are a few ideas for middle names and sibling names for Molly:

Sibling Name Ideas: 
Sisters: Amelia, Charlotte, Elise, Lucy, Olivia, Sadie, Tessa
Brothers: Arthur, Evan, Henry, Liam, Nathan, Raymond, Warren

Middle Name Ideas:
Molly Abigail
Molly Evelyn
Molly Caroline
Molly Harper
Molly Rae
Molly Vivienne

As a Middle Name:
Alexandra Molly
Christina Molly
Eleanor Molly
Julianne Molly
Sabrina Molly
Viola Molly

What would you pair with the name Molly? Share your thoughts below!

Dorothy

Taken from our article about names ending with the letters "-hy", we found the name Dorothy.

Dorothy is a form of Dorothea which comes from the Late Greek name Δωροθεος (Dorotheos) meaning "gift of God".  Dorotheos is pulled from the Greek words δωρον (doron) meaning "gift" and θεος (theos) meaning "god".

Interestingly, the names Theodora and Theodore (and their variants) also come from theos and doron, but their direct Greek origin name (Theodoros) is a little different: Θεοδωρος. However, all of these names do share a meaning.

Perhaps the most well-known Dorothy comes from literature and film. In 1900, an author by the name of L. Frank Baum published a little fantasy novel called "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" featuring a young girl named Dorothy as the main character. Portrayed by actress Judy Garland in the 1939 film, Dorothy has become a classic and iconic character in pop culture.

You don't meet all that many "young Dorothys" these days. However, that could be changing in the next decade or two since this name is starting to trend upward. That would make this name a vintage choice that would fit in with the 100 year rule.

Dorothy was huge in the 1920s. She climbed the charts quickly back then, joining the Top 100 in 1890, the Top 10 in 1904 and ranking at #2 from 1920-1927. Just as quickly, though, she left the Top 10 by 1940 and the Top 100 by 1962. She didn't rank within the Top 1000 for most of the 2000s, but the tide is turning in her favor now. She's back on the charts at #714 as of 2015 with 395 births.

Since it has almost been 100 years since her first heyday, do you think Dorothy will regain popularity as a "fresh-sounding" name again through the 2020s-2030s?

Use it now and you'll be ahead of the trend! If this is a name you're considering for a daughter, here are some ideas for middle names and sibling names:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Abigail, Beverly, Ellen, Marjorie, Nancy, Ruth, Sylvia, Violet
Brothers: Arnold, Franklin, Henry, Howard, Leonard, Russell, Warren

Middle Name Ideas:
Dorothy Arlene
Dorothy Christine
Dorothy Hazel
Dorothy Mavis
Dorothy Valentina

As a Middle Name:
Amelia Dorothy
Faye Dorothy
Miriam Dorothy
Susannah Dorothy
Tessa Dorothy

I kept the styles similar to Dorothy, but there are plenty of more modern names that could also work. What would you pair with Dorothy?  Do you know anyone with this name? If so, how old are they?

Melody

Taken straight from our list of names that end with the letters -dy, is the lovely Melody.

This name is also an English word with which you're no doubt already familiar. Melody is derived from the Greek melos meaning "song" and combined with aeido meaning "to sing", which forms the name Melodia. Via Late Latin and Old French, you get the name Mélodie. After that, it winds up as the English word and name Melody.  Google defines it as "mel·o·dy -ˈmelədē. noun: a sequence of single notes that is musically satisfying."

This musical name has been around in the US on record since 1914, but it wasn't until 1942 that the name arrived on the scene. It joined the Top 1000 in that year and continued to climb in popularity until it peaked in 1960 at #153 with 2,757 births. Its numbers declined a bit through the 1980s and 1990s, but since the start of the aughts, Melody has started climbing up the charts again.  In 2015, there were 2,168 girls given that name for a popularity ranking of #148.

Could this name continue to linger within the Top 200 or could it eventually break into the Top 100 for the first time? What do you think of Melody?

If this is a name you are pondering for a daughter, here are some middle name ideas and sibling name ideas that all go nicely together:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Adriana, Danielle, Hazel, Laurel, Olivia, Sienna, Tabitha, Violet
Brothers: Blake, Casey, Everett, Gavin, Jackson, Owen, Ryan, Teagan

Middle Name Ideas:
Melody Charlotte
Melody Grace
Melody Katherine
Melody Rose
Melody Victoria
Melody Wren

As a Middle Name:
Alice Melody
Joanna Melody
Lila Melody
Nora Melody
Rebecca Melody
Sophia Melody

Melody is a bit difficult to pair with. Which names would you choose?

Zoey

Our final featured name for this alphabetical name series is the female name Zoey. Did you get a chance to view the final list of The Very Best Z Names for Boys and Girls earlier this week?

The name Zoey is actually a variant of Zoe. Interestingly, while Zoe has been in use in the US since before 1880, Zoey has only been around since 1967. Despite that, Zoey is the more popular spelling today. Both names are currently ranking within the Top 40 though.

Zoey joined the Top 1000 chart in 1995 and entered the Top 100 in 2008. Now, as of 2014, Zoey is the 22nd most popular name in the country with over 7,300 female births.

Zoe peaked quicker, entering the Top 1000 in 1983. By 2000, Zoe was the 82nd most popular girl name. Even though Zoey has surpassed Zoe, Zoe still ranks at #32 in 2014 with over 5,800 births.

After breaking down those American popularity statistics, which name do you prefer?

If you're not sure, let's take a closer look at the names. Zoe is a Greek name that means "life". According to Behind the Name, Zoe was historically considered a translation of the name Eve by Hellenized Jews.

There are two early Christian saints named Zoe, both were martyred in their day. In the Byzantine Empire, Zoe was actually a commonly used name for women including an empress in the 11th century.

There are plenty of variations of Zoe, including the one we are featuring today, Zoey. There's also Zoie and Zowie. The Dutch like the spelling Zoë, the French use Zoé, the Polish go with Zoja, while Russians and Ukrainians prefer Zoya.

Then of course there's the spelling Zooey which is popularized in Hollywood by actress/singer Zooey Deschanel. While she pronounces her name the same as Zoey or Zoe, the name Zooey is better known as a masculine nickname for Zachary or Zechariah. Author J.D. Salinger used the name Zooey for a male character in his book "Franny and Zooey". Deschanel was named after that character.

Believe it or not, the name Zoe has broad international appeal. In recent years, it has ranked within the Top 100 in at least 17 countries around the world including The Netherlands (#7), Hungary (#9), and France (#11). Click here to view a complete list of recent popularity rankings.

Are you considering using the name Zoe or Zoey? Here's some suggestions for middle names and sibling names:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Alyssa, Esme, Keira, Lila, Mara, Olivia, Tessa, Violet
Brothers: Damian, Finn, Gavin, Isaac, Levi, Max, Tyler, Zachary

Middle Name Ideas: 
Zoey Abigail
Zoey Colette
Zoey Harper
Zoey Madeline
Zoey Roxana
Zoey Taylor

As A Middle Name:
Amelia Zoey
Catherine Zoey
Evelyn Zoey
Lorelei Zoey
Magnolia Zoey
September Zoey

Thanks for following this series for the past year! Tell me in the comments which name you prefer and what middle name you'd pair with it!

Xanthe

The name Xanthe is brought to you today in honor of a previous article featuring The Very Best X Names for Boys and Girls.

This name is Greek and is derived from ξανθος (xanthos) meaning "golden, yellow" or "fair hair".

While this is a very beautiful name, there can be some annoying pronunciation issues that go along with it. Fortunately, the overwhelming consensus that I've found among typical English speakers is that they pronounce it ZAN-thee. ZAN-tha is another possibility. Some claim that it is pronounced more like ZAN-they or KSAN-thee. If you'd like to read a discussion about it, click here.

For the purposes of this article, I will be assuming the pronunciation ZAN-thee.

Xanthe is a name used twice on the planet Mars. Once for the Xanthe Montes which is a mountain range, and once for a region referred to as Xanthe Terra. Additionally, there is an asteroid called 411 Xanthe. There were also a few minor mythological characters with this name.

Xanthe has only been in use in the US since 1964 however, it is far from common. It has never ranked anywhere close to the US Top 1000.

There have been many years that did not have at least 5 births on record for this name. There's also never been more than 12 females given the name Xanthe in a single year; this happened only once in 2001. As of 2014, there were only 5 girls given this name. It is very uncommon. Even rarer is the name Xanthia which has hardly had any use.

If you are looking for a big, bold, rare name for a girl, Xanthe is a great choice. The trendy X makes this name interesting while the rest of the name offers a unique sound. This name is sure to turn heads. If you're considering it, here are ideas for sibling and middle names:

Sibling Name Ideas: 

Sisters:   Aurelia, Ariadne, Cassia, Clio, Eulalia, Freya, Iris, Octavia, Sybil

Brothers: Augustus, Damian, Everett, Ignatius, Lucian, Tavish, Theron, Vance

Middle Name Ideas:

Xanthe Adeline
Xanthe Elena

Xanthe June
Xanthe Lenore
Xanthe Pearl

Xanthe Viola

As a Middle Name:
Caroline Xanthe
Helena Xanthe
Lydia Xanthe
Olivia Xanthe
Philippa Xanthe
Sophia Xanthe

I played it a bit safe with these pairings since Xanthe is the bolder option. What would you pick as a middle name for Xanthe?

Phoebe

Today's featured girls' name, Phoebe, is brought to you by our previous article, The Very Best P Names for Boys and Girls.

Phoebe was Latinized from the Greek name Phoibe (Φοιβη) which means "radiant or bright". It is pronounced FEE-bee. There was a Titan named Phoibe in Greek mythology who was associated with the moon. One of Saturn's moons is named Phoebe after this Titan whose granddaughter was the moon goddess Artemis. Occasionally, Phoebe is considered as a synonym for Artemis.

Biblically, the name Phoebe appears in the New Testament and refers to a female minister from Cenchrea, mentioned by the Apostle Paul in the book of Romans. Spelled Phebe, there was a shepherdess by this name in Shakespeare's As You Like It, published in 1623. The name Phoebe gained usage in England after the Protestant Reformation which ended in 1648.

In the US, the name Phoebe has been in use since records began in 1880. It has very slowly gained more and more usage. It has regularly ranked within the US Top 1000 chart since 1989.

The name Phoebe had its ups and downs through the 1990s and early 2000s so it's hard to tell whether the character from the popular TV show Friends had any affect on the usage of the name. It has generally been climbing the charts overall even before the  show first aired in 1994.

It is currently more popular than ever before with 1,086 female births in the year 2014 and a rank of #298. It will probably continue slowly inching up the charts.

If you are considering this baby name, take a look at the following ideas for sibling names and middle names for Phoebe.

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Athena, Eleanor, Georgia, Hazel, Lydia, Rowena, Willa
Brothers: Adrian, Cyrus, Jonas, Lucian, Maxwell, Thomas, Weston

Middle Name Ideas:
Phoebe Amelia
Phoebe Isobel
Phoebe Madeline
Phoebe Sophia
Phoebe Violet

As a Middle Name:
Annalise Phoebe
Cordelia Phoebe
Ella Phoebe
Octavia Phoebe
Sabrina Phoebe

What would you pair with Phoebe? Share your thoughts on this name in the comments below! 

Daphne

Inspired by this week's article featuring The Very Best D Names for Boys and Girls, we will be taking a closer look at the name Daphne, pronounced DAFF-nee. 

This lovely Greek name means "laurel" which is a flower. Laurels are often used in circular wreaths, one of which was worn on top of the head of Apollo in Greek mythology. According to the legend, a beautiful female nymph named Daphne gained the unwanted attention of Apollo and was turned into a laurel tree by her father in order to escape Apollo's advances. Apollo is associated with laurels because of his desire for Daphne.

As a baby name, Daphne has been in use in the US since 1886. While it has never been popular, it had one large spike in usage in 1962. In that year, 1,131 girls were given the name which ranked it at #266. 

Usage declined through the 1980s but suddenly climbed again in 2001. As of 2013, Daphne is on the rise with 770 births and a ranking of #397. This is the best the name has done since the 1970s. 

Beyond the mythology mentioned above, the name Daphne has been well-used in various pop-culture works and worn by many famous people. Despite this, it has managed to remain mostly under the mainstream naming radar which makes Daphne a familiar but underused name. It would be a refreshing choice in the US today. 

What do you think of Daphne? If you are considering it, here are a few sibling and middle name ideas:

Sibling Name Ideas:

Sisters: Audrey, Camilla, Heather, Lorelei, Matilda, Penelope, Violet

Brothers: Anthony, Dante, Forrest, Graham, Lincoln, Oliver, Vaughn

Middle Name Ideas:

Daphne Amelia

Daphne Claire

Daphne Eleanor

Daphne Rosalind

Daphne Seraphina

As a Middle Name:

Ella Daphne

Hazel Daphne

Lydia Daphne

Rebecca Daphne

Veronica Daphne

What would you think of sisters named Daphne and Laurel? Do you think it would be cute or is it just too much? I kind of like it! Share your thoughts in the comments below! 

Theodore

Today's featured name comes from this week's list of Presidential Baby Names.  It is one of the greatest names that belonged to one of the greatest presidents: Theodore.

The name Theodore comes from the Greek name Θεοδωρος (Theodoros) meaning "gift of god".

In the past, this name has belonged to several saints. There was Theodore of Amasea, a soldier from 4th-century Greece; Theodore of Tarsus, the 7th century archbishop of Canterbury; and a 9th century Byzantine monk named Theodore the Studite. There have also been three Tsars of Russia known as Fyodor, the Russian form of Theodore; and of course our American President Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919).

As a name, Theodore was quite common in Greece because of the aforementioned saints. Christians in particular have been drawn to Theodore because of the name's appealing meaning. However, it was very rare in Britain before the 19th century.  In recent years, it's ranked in England/Wales at #97.

Here in the US, Theodore has always ranked on the Top 1000 chart. In fact, it was in the Top 100 names every year from 1880-1944. It has since then remained in or around the Top 300, currently ranking at #170 for 2013.  Theodore was also given to girls from 1901-1988.

Other international forms of Theodore include Theodoros, Theodorus, Teodor, Todor, Tudor, Toshe, Teo, Theo, Feodor, Fedor and Fedir.  Common nicknames include Theo, Ted and Teddy.

What do you think of Theodore? Which nickname is your favorite?  Here are some ideas for sibling names and middle names:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Alexandra, Eleanor, Elizabeth, Josephine, Lillian, Natalie, Olivia
Brothers: Alexander, Benjamin, Henry, Nathaniel, Oliver, Sebastian, William

Middle Name Ideas:
Theodore Adam
Theodore Grant
Theodore Hayes
Theodore Rowan
Theodore Zachary

As a Middle Name:
Asa Theodore
Dominic Theodore
Elliot Theodore
Henry Theodore
Silas Theodore

Know someone with this name? Share your thoughts about Theodore in the comments below!

Atlas

As we look at celestial names this week, there's no better name to look at than Atlas.

Atlas was the titan of astronomy and navigation in Greek mythology. After the Titans were defeated in war with the Olympians, Zeus condemned him to the western edge of Gaia, or the Earth, where he was then forced to hold the celestial spheres on his shoulders. There are many depictions of Atlas "carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders". There's plenty of history that can be learned about Atlas, but we're here to talk about the name itself. You can read more about the mythological figure here.

A golden statue of Atlas

As a name, some of the etymology is uncertain, however, the ancient Roman poet named Virgil was the one who defined Atlas. He regularly translated etymologies of Greek names and combined them with appropriate adjectives. In the case of Atlas, he was given the adjective durus which means "hard, enduring". Therefore, the name Atlas has come to mean "to endure", however Behind the Name says that it has a Greek negative prefix α combined with τλαω (tlao) "to endure" that suggests a meaning of "not enduring". It makes more sense to me that it would mean "to endure" though, since Atlas must endure the weight of the sky. Other sources say that it means "to uphold, support" or simply say that it means "a titan". Take from all of that what you will.

This name has been considered too powerful of a name in the past, but I've seen it floating around the baby naming community quite a lot recently. It seems to have become a viable option along with many other strong Greek and Roman names. It even has a little bit of star-power behind it from Hollywood. Anne Heche and James Tupper named their son Atlas Heche Tupper in 2009.

Atlas has had quite a boost of popularity in the past few years! It was first used in 1883 but it wasn't until 1913 that it gained a bit of regularity, albeit very sporadic and in small numbers per year. Once the mid 2000s came around, births per year increased. 2010 saw 100 births, and by 2013, Atlas took a big leap onto the US Top 1000 chart, debuting at #789 with 282 births. It has been one of the fastest-rising names of 2013 and I'm sure it is still on its way up this year.

What do you think of the name Atlas? If you're looking for a strong, unique name with plenty of history, this is it! When I think about what other names to pair with it for middle names and sibling names, I can't help but want to stay in the realm of Greek and/or god and goddess names. Here are some ideas:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Athena, Aurora, Cosima, Gaia, Luna, Nova, Phoebe, Thisbe
Brothers: Achilles, Evander, Hermes, Jupiter, Leander, Orion, Perseus, Sirius

Middle Name Ideas:
Atlas Christopher
Atlas Indigo
Atlas Percival
Atlas Sebastian
Atlas Theodore

As a Middle Name:
Damon Atlas
George Atlas
Jason Atlas
Phillip Atlas
Tristan Atlas

So what would you pair with Atlas? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below or on Facebook!

Cosmina

Like her Italian sister Cosima, the feminine, Romanian name Cosmina is a form of the names Cosmin and Cosmas which come from the Ancient Greek Κοσμας or Kosmas. That name was further derived from the name κοσμος or kosmos meaning "order, decency". It refers to the order and beauty of the universe.

Cosmo, Cosimo and Cosima are all currently beginning to gain slightly more attention after having a bit of celebrity usage, but until the new US name data for 2013 comes out, they may be limited to conversations rather than actual birth certificates. View the whole Kosmas family tree here.

Interestingly, the name Cosmina has never had any recorded usage in the US. Ever. And sister name Cosima has very little usage. A handful of births in the late 1980s and only a few in the 2000s. It had 8 births in 2012. These names are not popular but I've seen an increase in chatter about them, Cosima specifically, around the baby naming community. Do you think it may catch on eventually or remain in obscurity?

Sofia Coppola recently named her daughter Cosima. There is a Romanian footballer named Cosmina Dușa and also an actress named Cosmina Stratan.  In Romania, there is a Cosmina River as well.

Beyond this information, there is not very much to be said about the rare Cosmina. It is not listed in the databases of big-name sites like Nameberry and BabyNames.  There are a few other sites that do list very basic information. I got my information from BehindTheName.

I think Cosmina deserves some love. The nickname Mina is certainly cute and could also be spun into Minnie. If you're looking for a one-of-a-kind type of name for your daughter, you can be assured that she is not likely to ever meet another girl named Cosmina unless you live in Romania. Cosima is still a more viable option, one I've even considered, if you'd prefer that. Both are very rare and very beautiful!

Don't forget to take a look at the other Romanian-themed posts from earlier this week!

Here are some ideas for sibling and middle names for Cosmina:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Aurelia, Corina, Daciana, Elena, Irina, Lavinia, Magdalena, Ramona
Brothers: Augustin, Caspar, Constantin, Darius, Luca, Marius, Sorin, Theodor

Middle Name Ideas:
Cosmina Elisabeta
Cosmina Isabel
Cosmina Madeline

As a Middle Name:
Adele Cosmina
Lillian Cosmina
Maren Cosmina

Xenia

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, Aksinya
• Serbian: Ksenija
• Slovene: Ksenija
• Ukrainian: Oksana, Oxana

Xenia was the name of a Roman Saint from the 5th-century. There was also a Greek Saint Xenia who was considered a great-martyr in 318. And also the Saint Blessed Xenia of St. Petersburg in the 1700s, a Russian Saint.  In addition to the saints, there are several other well-known Xenias from around the world that you can read about here.  There are also plenty of things and places given the name.

As a baby name, Xenia has received near-regular usage since 1912, but it first appeared in the US in 1894 for 3 brief years and only a handful of births. This name has never been popular, nor has it even reached the Top 1000 chart. Xenia had 71 births in 1996 for a ranking of #1992. The only year with more births was 2011 with 73 births. Because of the increased variety of names these days, it only ranked in at #2499 that year. 2012 saw 51 births and a rank of #3234 in the US.   It also recently ranked at #85 in Catalonia.  Click here to view the name's popularity history.

Based on this data, this name will most likely never soar to the top in the US but that makes it a great, under-the-radar choice! It has plenty of history to make it familiar so I would recommend this rare gem to modern parents today!

What do you think of Xenia? Here are some sibling and middle name ideas just in case you love it!:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Calliope, Eloise, Liliana, Maia, Odessa, Seraphina, Yvette
Brothers: Adrian, Apollo, Deacon, Demitry, Julius, Maximus, Sebastian

Middle Name Ideas:
Xenia Eleanor
Xenia Madeline
Xenia Ruby
Xenia Violet

As a Middle Name:
Abigail Xenia
Charlotte Xenia
Phoebe Xenia
Sylvie Xenia

Sebastian

The name Sebastian comes from the Latin name Sebastianus meaning "from Sebaste" which is the name of a town in Asia Minor. In turn, Sebaste is derived from the Greek σεβαστος or sebastos which means "venerable" which is the Greek translation of the Latin title for Roman emperors, Augustus. It is further said that the Greek sebastos comes from σέβας (sebas) which also means "awe, reverence, dread".

Sebastian is an ancient name. In particular, it belonged to a Roman soldier from the 3rd-century who was martyred by arrows when he was outed as a Christian.  He later became one of the most popular saints causing the name Sebastian to be used throughout medieval Europe, particularly in France and Spain.  In the 16th-century, the King of Portugal bore this name. He was killed in a crusade against Morocco.

On a more creative note, there were characters named Sebastian in two of Shakespeare's plays, (Twelfth Night, and The Tempest) as well as the 1945 novel Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh. And of course, more recently, there is Sebastian the crab in Disney's The Little Mermaid.  There are plenty of other people, characters and places relating to the name Sebastian!

This sophisticated name is starting to see more and more usage these days! Since the 1990s, this name has shot straight up the charts.  It isn't often that a name will have such a dramatic climb! Sebastian has been in use in the US since 1881 but it was used sporadically. It wasn't until 1901 that it gained regular usage. The number of births per year climbed into the 100's by 1915 but declined again to the 50 range by the mid-1930s.

The number of births per year was back into the 100s in 1961, climbing steadily with each passing year. The number of babies named Sebastian suddenly jumped to the thousands in 1991.  By 2000, there were over 5,000 baby boys named Sebastian putting the name in the top 100 for the first time.  And it would only increase from there! Most recently in 2012, there were 6,685 births for a ranking of #64 on the Top 1000 chart.  I would bet that it has climbed even higher in 2013.

Common nicknames include Seb, Sebbie, Bas, Bash, Bastian or Baz and possibly Ian. According to Behind The Name, pronunciations vary around the world: ze-BAHS-tee-ahn (German), sə-BAS-chən (English), se-BAHS-tyahn (Polish). They also list many variations and diminutives of the name around the world and the popularity of the name in different countries if you're interested.  It ranks as high as #5 in Chile and #9 in Austria!  What do you think of this name?

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Anastasia, Charlotte, Elizabeth, Philippa, Sabrina, Valentina
Brothers: Alexander, Benedict, Dominic, Leonardo, Maximilian, Thaddeus

Middle Name Ideas:
Sebastian Alexander
Sebastian Lucas
Sebastian Miles
Sebastian Theodore

As a Middle Name: 
Anthony Sebastian
Edmund Sebastian
Remy Sebastian
William Sebastian

Let me know what you think of this name! Also, what middle name ideas would you suggest? Do you know any little Sebastians? If so, what are their siblings' names?

Althea

Althea is a feminine, Greek Mythological name. It comes from the Greek name Αλθαια (Althaia) and might also be related to the Greek αλθος (althos) which means "healing". Most baby naming sites say that this name means "with healing power" or that it refers to the Althaea genus of perennial herbs including the marshmallow plant which is noted for its healing powers.

In Greek legends, Althea was the mother of Meleager. Behind the Name says "soon after her son was born she was told that he would die as soon as a piece of wood that was burning on her fire was fully consumed. She immediately extinguished the piece of wood and sealed it in a chest, but in a fit of rage many years later she took it out and set it alight, thereby killing her son." Clearly this name has some tragedy behind it but it is still interesting and lovely in sound.

In the 17th century, a poet named Richard Lovelace used the name Althea as a poetic pseudonym for his beloved in the poem "To Althea, from Prison". In modern times, this name is most commonly associated with the great tennis player, Althea Gibson, who was the first African-American to win at Wimbleton.

As far as nicknames go, modern parents would probably opt for Thea. I also like the idea of Allie for a small child.

This name has been in regular usage since 1880 in the US. It has had two dramatic popularity boosts in the past. One around 1920 and the other in the late 1950s even though this name has never seen more than 400 births in a single year. Althea has had steady usage since the 1970s in the 40-80 births per year range. It has not seen the Top 1000 since 1972. In 2013, there were 99 baby girls named Althea for a ranking of #1964.

Revision:  As of 2016, Althea rose to #1674 for a total of 127 births for the year. The name is due for another popularity boost.

What do you think of this ancient name? Do you feel as though it could be relevant again today?

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Bronwyn, Calliope, Daphne, Hyacinth, Juno, Olympia
Brothers: Atlas, Evander, Jasper, Oscar, Sebastian, Tarquin

Middle Name Ideas:
Althea Camille
Althea Iris
Althea Penelope
Althea Rose
Althea Willow

As a Middle Name:
Chloe Althea
Daisy Althea
Genevieve Althea
Madeleine Althea
Olive Althea

Share your thoughts on this name in the comments below.

First published: 2/7/14
Revised: 12/25/14
Revised: 5/13/17

Mythological Names for Girls

The thing about mythological names is that they are flush full of history. Whether past namesakes were a part of a tragedy or a utopian rulership, these names are bound to offer an abundance of strength. This list mostly contains Greek and Roman deities and legends, but there are mythological figures from various other origins as well.

These names may have a beauty and a unique freshness to them in today's society but be sure to research these names before committing to one. Make sure that you like the namesake!  Let me know which of these names you like the most! Would you ever consider using it?

Acantha Althea Andromeda           Antheia Aphrodite Ariadne Artemis Astra Atalanta Athena Aurora Brigid Brunhild Calliope Calypso Camilla Cassandra Cerelia Ceres Chandra Clio Cybele Cynthia Daphne Delia Demeter Diana Echo Enid Eos Etain

Fauna Flora Fortuna Freya Gaia Grainne Halcyon Hebe Hera Hermione           Hero Hestia Ianthe Indira Irene Iris Isis Isolde Jana Jaya Juno Kora Lakshmi Leda Lilith Lorelei Lucina Luna Lyssa Maeve Maia

Melea Minerva Morgan Neith Nephele Nessa Niamh Nike Niobe Nyx Padma Pallas Pandora Pax Penelope Persephone Phaedra Phoebe Phyllis Priya Rhea Selene Signy Tanith Tara Thalassa Uma Venus Vesta Xanthe Ziva

Don't miss the list of Mythological Boy Names too!

Don't forget to check out this fabulous, longer list of mythological names courtesy of Behind the Name. Here are my Top 5 favorites from the above list. I'll list them with potential sibling and middle name ideas just in case you also love these names too!

1. Athena

Sisters: Ariadne, Aurora, Evadne, Helena, Lydia, Penelope
Brothers: Ambrose, Apollo, Damian, Lysander, Orion, Philip

Middle Name Ideas:
Athena Catherine
Athena Hyacinth
Athena Persephone
Athena Sybil

As a Middle Name:
Cleo Athena
Daphne Athena
Iris Athena
Phoebe Athena

2. Diana

Sisters: Celeste, Flora, Jane, Margaret, Sophia, Victoria
Brothers: Andrew, Elliot, Henry, Michael, Thomas, William

Middle Name Ideas:
Diana Christine
Diana Hermione
Diana Katherine
Diana Simone

As a Middle Name:
Chloe Diana
Ivy Diana
Lucy Diana
Selene Diana

3. Iris

Sisters:  Audrey, Cassia, Hazel, June, Ophelia, Violet
Brothers: Atlas, Everett, Jason, Nicholas, Oliver, Wyatt

Middle Name Ideas:
Iris Cassandra
Iris Evangeline
Iris Matilda
Iris Victoria

As a Middle Name:
Althea Iris
Calista Iris
Eugenia Iris
Phillipa Iris

4. Minerva

Sisters: Andromeda, Cordelia, Isolde, Luna, Octavia, Rowena
Brothers: Auberon, Evander, Inigo, Leander, Matthias, Sebastian

Middle Name Ideas:
Minerva Amaryllis
Minerva Calliope
Minerva Eloise
Minerva Sybil

As a Middle Name:
Catherine Minerva
Eleni Minerva
Helen Minerva
Thisbe Minerva

5. Xanthe

Sisters: Agatha, Charis, Eleni, Lotus, Phoebe, Thalia
Brothers: Achilles, Damon, Erasmus, Hector, Linus, Plato

Middle Name Ideas:
Xanthe Acacia
Xanthe Corinna
Xanthe Eulalia
Xanthe Odessa

As a Middle Name:
Alyssa Xanthe
Calla Xanthe
Elena Xanthe
Isadora Xanthe

Evander

The name Evander has two possible backgrounds. The first comes from the Latin Evandrus which comes from the Greek Ευανδρος (Euandros). This means "good man".  This background is the most widely accepted on baby naming sites.

The second possible origin says that Evander is the anglicized form of Iomhar which is the Scottish from of Ivor. Ivor comes from the Old Norse name Ívarr meaning "bow warrior". Ivor was carried into Great Britain by Scandinavians in the Middle Ages.

According to Behind the Name, in Roman mythology, Evander was an Arcadian hero who founded the city of Pallantium where Rome would later be built. He was responsible for bringing the Greek pantheon, laws and alphabet to Italy. This Evander also appeared in Virgil's Aeneid, a Latin epic poem written between 29 and 19 BC.

The most well-known modern-day association with the name Evander belongs to boxing champ Evander Holyfield. There is also a Canadian hockey player named Evander Kane.

Beyond myths, literature and athletes, there are actual babies given this name. In the US, Evander first appeared in 1888 with 5 births but was rarely used until it gained a more regular momentum in 1911. The number of births per year remained near single-digits until the late 1980s.

Evander got as many as 75 births in 1991 for a ranking of #1297 but the numbers declined again after that until hitting a record-high of 80 births in 2012 for a ranking of #1823. It is still very far off from the Top 1000 which makes it a rare but familiar gem.

Evander would fit right in with Xander and could potentially be called Evan for short. If you're not a fan, try the similar sounding Leander instead!

What do you think of this rarely-used name? What would you pair with it? Here are some suggestions:

Sibling Name Ideas: 
Sisters: Athena, Cassia, Delphine, Minerva, Persephone, Rowena, Viviana
Brothers: Amadeus, Cyrus, Ignatius, Leopold, Malcolm, Orion, Xavier

Middle Name Ideas:
Evander Alistair
Evander Calix
Evander Gregory
Evander Lewis
Evander Marius
Evander Romulus
Evander Theodore

As a Middle Name:
August Evander
Charles Evander
Henry Evander
Linus Evander
Julius Evander
Ronan Evander
Silas Evander