Destry

Today we will take a look at one of the interesting boy names from our list of "Baby Names Ending With The Letters -ry".  

Destry is the English form of Destrier, a French surname derived from the Anglo-Norman word destrer meaning "warhorse".  The destrier is the best-known war horse of the medieval era. It carried knights in battles, tournaments, and jousts. Sources of its time called it the "Great Horse" due to its significance.

In 1930, "Destry Rides Again" was published by Max Brand. This western novel introduced the name Destry to America, and brought forth films in 1939 and 1954, and a short-lived TV series in 1964.  Interestingly, according to Social Security records in the US, the name Destry was not in use until 1955, the year after that second movie was released.

This name's most popular year coincided with that brief TV series in 1964 when 149 boys (and 5 girls) were named Destry. You could label this year as Destry's peak in popularity; one that has never been matched since. The year 1965 only brought 50 births with the name, and it continued to decline thereafter.  In 2016, only 10 boys were given this name.

In that novel, Destry was used as a surname: Tom Destry was the main character.  This name would fit in well with other surname names such as Parker, Bennett, Callahan, Lincoln, Guthrie, Dawson, Wiley, Flynn and more. Destry also works well as a unisex name like Autry, Emery, Finley, Auden, Reese, Avery, Riley, Quinn, and others.  Based on the popularity of these two trends, surnames and unisex names, I could imagine Destry catching on and gaining a bit more popularity than just 10 births a year. Alternatively, for parents who wanted to name a girl Destry but

What do you think of Destry? Would you help increase its usage? If so, here are some ideas for middle names and sibling names:

Sibling Name Ideas:

Sisters: Audra, Bailey, Harper, Madisyn, Noelle, Piper, Scarlett

Brothers: Aldin, Campbell, Everett, Forrest, Graham, Parrish, Wade

Middle Name Ideas (boys):

Destry Emerson

Destry Hudson

Destry Lance

Destry Mitchell

Destry Vincent

As a Middle Name (boys):

Austin Destry

Calvin Destry

Jacob Destry

Oliver Destry

Samuel Destry

Middle Name Ideas (girls):

Destry Alana

Destry Charlotte

Destry Jeanne

Destry Olivia

Destry Yvette

As a Middle Name (girls):

Amelia Destry

Celia Destry

Madeline Destry

Nora Destry

Sylvia Destry

 

These are just ideas. What other name would you pair with Destry?

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.

Viola

One of The Very Best V Names around is Viola, of course! Taken from our previous article, this name is still a rarity but could potentially gain popularity in the coming years.

The name Viola means "violet" in Latin. If Violet is too popular for you (it ranked #67 in 2014), try Viola. It is very similar in sound but it is ranking well below the Top 1000 chart.

As you may know, the viola is a bowed string instrument. Wikipedia says that "it is slightly larger than a violin in size and has a lower and deeper sound than a violin. Since the 18th century it has been the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello."  This would be a great name choice for musical parents, specifically ones who may actually play this instrument.

The Viola is also a genus of flowering plants within the violet family of Violaceae. The name Viola would please not only musical parents, but those with an appreciation for nature. Additionally, literature lovers would recognize that Viola is the name of the heroine in Shakespeare's play "Twelfth Night" (1602).

On top of all that, Viola can also be considered a vintage name since it was well-used a century ago and has the potential to come back into fashion again in the next few years if it can catch a ride on Violet's coattails.

What's not to love? She's a musical, literary, vintage nature name that happens to still be flying under the radar popularity-wise! Hollywood has an Emmy Award winning actress by the name of Viola Davis who has been helping to increase exposure to the name in the entertainment world recently.

Do you think Viola may start climbing the charts for modern babies soon? Viola has been in use in the US since 1880 when records began. It isn't very popular now but it once peaked even higher than the name Violet did. In 1918, there were 4,331 girls named Viola for a ranking of #59 (while Violet ranked at #83 in the same year.)

Since the 1920s, though, Viola has declined in popularity straight down the charts and out of the Top 1000 by 1973. While Viola remains uncommon, it is starting to inch its way back up. There were 192 girls given this name in 2014 for a rank of #1250.

Here are some sibling and middle name ideas for Viola:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Cecily, Coraline, Grace, Imogen, Lenore, Lucille, Rosalie
Brothers: Ambrose, Barnaby, Curtis, Henry, Leonard, Marcus, Thomas

Middle Name Ideas:
Viola Camille
Viola Genevieve
Viola Hettienne
Viola Maren
Viola Rose

As a Middle Name:
Alice Viola
Belle Viola
Julianne Viola
Louise Viola
Tess Viola

What do you think of the name Viola? Or do you prefer Violet? What about Violetta?

Ulysses

Names that start with the letter U aren't always favored very highly but Ulysses is a great exception that deserves more usage.

The masculine name Ulysses is the Latin form of the excellent Greek mythological name Odysseus. Odysseus is said to be derived from the Greek οδυσσομαι (odyssomai) which means "to hate, wrathful". While that isn't the greatest meaning ever, both of these names are strong and interesting.

In Greek legend, Odysseus was a hero of the Trojan War. Homer's The Odyssey, follows Odysseus's journey back to his kingdom and his wife Penelope.

As for the name Ulysses, it was used as the title of a book written in 1920 by Irish author James Joyce. This story was loosely based on The Odyssey and was adapted into a movie in 1967.

The most famous man named Ulysses in American history is Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885), the commander of the Union forces during the American Civil War. He later became the 18th President of the United States from 1869-1877. His full name was actually Hiram Ulysses Grant.

This was also the name of George Clooney's character name in the Coen brothers' film O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Other forms of the name include the feminine Ulyssa, the French Ulysse, the Italian Ulisse, the Portuguese Ulisses and the Spanish Ulises.

Ulysses has been used as a name in the US since records began in 1880. It has always ranked within the Top 1000 up until the mid-2000s. It received the most amount of births in a single year in 1999 which was 272. Currently, Ulysses ranks at #1109 in 2014 with 171 births.

If you're considering this handsome, strong name, here are some middle name ideas and sibling name ideas that you may enjoy:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Antonia, Athena, Aurora, Eugenie, Lavinia, Octavia, Xanthia
Brothers: Fabian, Felix, Horatio, Octavian, Percival, Titus, Virgil

Middle Name Ideas:
Ulysses Benedict
Ulysses Clark
Ulysses Matthew
Ulysses Theodore
Ulysses Raphael

As a Middle Name:
Barnaby Ulysses
Dominic Ulysses
Henry Ulysses
Julian Ulysses
Victor Ulysses

What do you think of the name Ulysses? Does it deserve to rejoin the Top 1000? Or should it remain uncommon?

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?

Madelief

The male Dutch name that I featured this week, Diederick, is relatively rare. The female name that I'm about to share is actually ranking pretty well in the Netherlands!

Madelief is the name. It is pronounced mad-uh-LEEF and it's actually rather adorable! I think this could catch on in lieu of the more popular "Maddie" names like Madeline and Madison if more people knew about it. It would fit in well with other unusual Mad- names like Madigan and Madeleva as well as male choices like Maddox and Madden. It also goes hand in hand with botanical names that are gaining popularity today.

The best part is that this adorable name comes from the Dutch word madeliefje which means "daisy". So it's actually an obscure nature name! I say that it is obscure because, well, it is. It may rank at #126 in the Netherlands, but here in the USA, Madelief is non-existent. There have never been at least 5 girls given this name in a single year. Anyone who has this name is definitely one of a kind.

In the 1970s, children's book author Guus Kuijer wrote a beloved series of books featuring a character named Madelief. It was made into a tv series in the 1990s too! However, most of it has never been translated into English. Beyond that, Madelief seems to be a relatively new name even in the Netherlands.

If you're looking for a name that's on trend but completely unique at the same time, this is it! I'd love to see this name get some usage in the US today!

What do you think of this rare name? What middle names would you pair with it? Share your thoughts below! Here are some ideas that I came up with:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Anneke, Esmee, Fenna, Helena, Mila, Sabine, Xandra, Zoe
Brothers: Bram, Constantine, Florian,  Lucas, Oscar, Pieter, Sebastian, Tobias

Middle Name Ideas:
Madelief Anne
Madelief Joelle
Madelief Kate
Madelief Norah
Madelief Tessa

As a Middle Name:
Chloe Madelief
Eva Madelief
Faye Madelief
Noa Madelief
Sophie Madelief

Portia

Our celestial girl name of the week is the underrated Portia. This is the name of one of the moons of Uranus which was named after a Shakespearean character.

The play "The Merchant of Venice" was written by William Shakespeare in 1596 and it involved a woman named Portia who disguised herself as a man so she could defend a man named Antonio in court. There was also another Portia in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar who was based on a historical character, the wife of Brutus. The name Portia is a variant of Porcia which comes from the Roman family name Porcius.

I was a little surprised when I realized the meaning of the name, although it makes total sense based on the root of it. It has always been a somewhat classy and sophisticated name to me. As a member of the Porcius family, Portia does indeed mean "pig" from the Latin porcus. Can you see it now? If you know any other Latin-based languages, it's probably pretty obvious to you.

Nevertheless, Portia is a lovely name despite its meaning, but it has never found solid ground to stand on in the baby naming world. Portia has been used in the US since 1882 but it didn't gain regularity until 1898. It received the most usage in the year 1989 when 259 baby girls were born. The 80s and 90s weren't bad for this name. It ranked in the #700-#900 range for 9 years.  Before that, it fared similarly from 1941-1967.

Today Portia isn't receiving all that much love. Usage has tapered off since around 1995. In 2013, there were only 55 Portias born for a ranking of #3019. However, this isn't necessarily bad news. This means that the name is in the sweet spot between familiar and unusual. People have heard of it but it isn't popular so your daughter would most likely be the only Portia around. Many parents like to find rare gems like this.

The most well-known namesake today is actress Portia de Rossi, the wife of Ellen DeGeneres. She was actually born as Amanda Lee Rogers but is now legally named Portia Lee James DeGeneres despite maintaining her stage name.  There is also a fictional character in The Hunger Games trilogy known as Portia.

Remember, the name Portia is not the same as the car Porsche even if they sound the same: POR-shuh. They are not related. That could be part of the reason that Portia isn't more popular since parents may not want their daughter to be associated with the posh brand. However, there are plenty of children with names of other cars like Bentley and Lexus so that may not be a valid assumption.

What do you think of the name Portia? Does the meaning of the name ruin it for you? Does the Shakespeare association make it more appealing or less?  Here are some sibling and middle name ideas:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Alexis, Bianca, Cecily, Lilah, Michaela, Rosalind, Simone
Brothers: Austin, Jackson, Lorenzo, Nathaniel, Orlando, Sebastian, Xavier

Middle Name Ideas:
Portia Clementine
Portia Grace
Portia Juliet
Portia Maren
Portia Violet

As a Middle Name:
Adeline Portia
Elizabeth Portia
Evelyn Portia
Julianne Portia
Rosamund Portia

That was a bit tricky! What would you pair with Portia?

Aurora

The feminine name Aurora is the Latin word for "dawn" so naturally Aurora was the Roman goddess of the morning. She has two siblings, a brother (Sol, the sun) and a sister (Luna, the moon). It is said that she would renew herself in the morning and fly across the sky to announce the rising of the sun.  In Astronomy, the northern lights are also known as the Aurora Borealis. It is a natural light display in the sky mostly seen in high latitudes.  They named this celestial phenomenon after the goddess.

Beyond astronomy and mythology, though, Aurora has one of the longest Wikipedia pages that I've ever seen for a name. Aurora has so many associations across a variety of subjects like colleges, all sorts of entertainment from films to novels to song titles, fictional characters like the Disney princess from Sleeping Beauty, geographical locations all around the world, sports and forms of transportation. If you're considering this name for a daughter, I would recommend browsing through this list of namesakes.

As a baby name, Aurora is definitely gaining popularity. Parents find the appeal of a goddess and a princess to be the most attractive and of course the beautiful northern lights come into play as well. This name has an elegance about it unlike any other name. Radiance and sunlight and morning dew come to mind which can all feel romantic, mystical and poetic. However, if your little princess turns out to be more of a tom-boy, the spunky nickname Rory definitely has that covered which makes this name feel rather versatile for modern parents.

Aurora has been in use since the Renaissance. It has been around within the US since records began in 1880. It received a brief popularity bump from about 1920 to the mid-1930s which resulted in a high-rank of #349 in 1929. Since then, the name remained in the lower half of the Top 1000. By the year 2000, Aurora climbed past the #500s for the first time in 50 years! In 2006, the number of births per year hit the 1,000 mark for the first time. And 2012 saw 1,890 births for a record-high ranking of #166. I predict this name to continue climbing and eventually be a staple of the Top 100.

Revision:  My prediction was accurate. Aurora continued to climb and, as of 2016, ranks at #66! That is 3,963 births for the year. I think she still has a bit more room to grow, too! What do you think?

There's also the French version Aurore but it is nearly nonexistent in the US with less than 20 births since the 1940s. It did have a bit of usage from 1884-1938 though. I think this would be adorable as a middle name to a long, elegant first name.

What do you think of the name Aurora? Would you use it? If you have, what middle names and sibling names do you think best fit with it? Here are some ideas:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Athena, Cecilia, Iris, Minerva, Scarlett, Valentina
Brothers: Atticus, Conrad, Julian, Leander, Miles, Tristan

Middle Name Ideas:
Aurora Charis
Aurora Ivy
Aurora Katherine
Aurora Sable

As a Middle Name:
Daphne Aurora
Lily Aurora
Madeline Aurora
Xanthe Aurora

Throw some more ideas at me!

Original Post: 2/21/14
Revision: 5/14/17

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?

Fletcher

Fletcher is originally a surname that refers to a person who fletches arrows as their occupation. It is a Middle English name meaning "arrow maker" which comes from the Old French flechier. It is a surname but it has a tough, masculine feel to it with a bit of unique quirkiness added in.

Following this week's post about names inspired by poetry, there was a poet named Thomas Fletcher (1666-1713) who was also a priest of the Church of England.  John Fletcher was a Jacobean playwright (1579-1625) who took over Shakespeare's role as the house playwright for the King's Men. Click here to view many more famous namesakes including several fictional characters named Fletcher.

This name has been in regular use since 1880 in the US. It had a boost in popularity in 1914 that lasted through the early 1950s before it declined again. However it was in the top 1000 names from 1880-1971, and 1985-1986. The year 1998 saw another boost, catapulting the name back into the Top 1000 in 2003 at #991.  In 2012, Fletcher saw 283 births which put the name at a ranking of #791.

It fits right in with other occupational surnames like Carter (#36), Hunter (#45), Tyler (#50), Parker (#80) and Cooper (#82).  Fletcher currently ranks at #220 in England/Wales.

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Audrey, Charlotte, Macy, Piper, Sophia, Willow
Brothers: Bennett, Holden, Jack, Nathan, Oliver, Tobiah

Middle Name Ideas:
Fletcher Augustus
Fletcher Benjamin
Fletcher Daniel
Fletcher Miles
Fletcher Reid

As a Middle Name:
Adam Fletcher
Ethan Fletcher
Gabriel Fletcher
Owen Fletcher
Vincent Fletcher

Baby Names from Poetry

Source

There is something about the surname of poets that just happens to be, well, poetic. Not only do they have a way with words, but these poets have also left us some amazing baby name options to choose from!  Whether you studied poetry in school or just secretly love it, these names might just be what you're looking for!  There are also a few words included that are related to poetry.

Below this list, I have chosen my Top 5 favorites that I'd love to see on a modern baby and listed out potential sibling names and middle names. If you'd like to share what your favorite names are (or if I've missed any that should be included) please do so in the comment section!

Angelou Auden Baird Blake Bly Bogan Bronte Byron Campbell Carew Chaucer Corso Crane Cullen Dante Dickinson              Dove Dryden Dylan Eliot Emerson Fletcher Frost Giovanni Hardy Herrick Hugo Jarrell Keats Kenyon Kipling Landor Larkin Lorca Lowell

Lyric Macaulay Marlowe Marvell Merrill Merwin Millay Milton Mistral Morely Moore Morrison Muse Nash Neruda Oliver Owen Paz Poe Poet Quarles Riley Rumi Ruskin Shelley Spenser Sonnet Tennyson Thoreau Vaughan Verlaine Whitman Whittier Wyatt Yeats

My Top 5 Favorites:

1. Auden (Boy or Girl)

Sibling Name Ideas:

Sisters: Ada, Ella, Emory, Harper, Lennon, Maren, Rumor, Summer

Brothers: Asher, Emerson, Holden, Marek, Nolan, Reese, Sutton, Vance

Middle Name Ideas:

Auden Clark

Auden James

Auden Theodore

Auden Elizabeth

Auden Grace

Auden Scarlett

2. Dante

Sibling Name Ideas:

Sisters: Alena, Carys, Daphne, Gianna, Lilith, Ophelia, Stella, Vera

Brothers: Alec, Damian, Luca, Maxwell, Ronan, Sebastian, Vincent, Xavier

Middle Name Ideas:

Dante Alexander

Dante Merrick

Dante Oliver

Dante Theodore

Dante Vincent

3. Hugo

Sibling Name Ideas:

Sisters: Audrey, Cecilia, Estella, Imogen, Jasmine, Phoebe, Sabrina, Tabitha

Brothers: Andre, Felix, Hector, Ivan, Julian, Max, Oliver, Samuel

Middle Name Ideas:

Hugo Augustus

Hugo Conrad

Hugo Eames

Hugo Roderick

Hugo Wilder

4. Nash 

Sibling Name Ideas:

Sisters: Amara, Cora, Eliza, Fiona, Jade, Mabel, Riley, Tessa

Brothers: Beau, Cole, Drake, Ethan, Gavin, Joel, Maverick, Wyatt

Middle Name Ideas:

Nash Benjamin

Nash Carter

Nash Elliott

Nash Jameson

Nash Roland

5. Sonnet (Girl)

Sibling Name Ideas;

Sisters: Autumn, Bluebell, Felicity, Hope, Karys, Lyric, Soleil, Willow

Brothers: Bridger, Christian, Flynn, Jett, Keller, Mason, Parker, Stone

Middle Name Ideas:

Sonnet Alexandra

Sonnet Caroline

Sonnet Elizabeth

Sonnet Magnolia

Sonnet Olivia

What are your favorite Poetry Names?

Girls Names from Literature

Source

The term "literature" covers a grand spectrum of novels. Most of these names come from the classic masterpieces that have touched the hearts of readers for decades. While I cannot possibly list every name of every character in every book ever written, this is definitely a pretty good list to start with if you're in need of a literary moniker.

Below this list, I have handpicked my favorites that I think would be darling for a modern day girl. Then I went one step further and paired them with a couple middle name ideas and listed a few potential sibling name ideas to help you decide if you'd truly want to consider adding said names to your short-list. After all, that's the whole point of a list like this: to help you find the perfect name for your child!

If you'd like to join in the fun, please feel free to choose your favorite names from the list and share a few middle name options that would make you fall in love with the name as a whole. And do tell if you already have any of these on your shortlist!

Alabama Alhambra Alia Alma Amaryllis Amoret Arabella Aravis Ariadne Atalanta Aurora Bathsheba Bella Bennington                   Blue Brett Briana Briony Calixta Calliope Catalina Catriona Charity Charmian Clarice Clarissa Clea Clelia Cordelia Cosette Cressida Dahlia Daisy Denver Desdemona Domenica Ellis Eloise Emma Esme Evangeline Fancy Faunia Feather Fig Fleur Ginevra Guinevere Hana Haydée Hermione Hester Honora Honoria Hyacinth Isadora Isolde Jacy Jadine Juliet Juniper

Juno Kiki Kinsey Lavinia Lolita Lucinda Lux Maisie Malta Mamie Marigold Marin Matilda Melanctha Mercy Narcissa Nenna Nerissa Ninetta Niobe Octavia Orleanna Pansy Pecola Petal Peyton Pilar Pleasant Portia Prairie Precious Rain Ramona Remarkable Romola Rosamond Sai Scarlett Scout Serafina Sethe Sheba Sidda Snow Flower Sugar Sula Sweeney Sylvie Tamora Tamsin Temple Thea Thisbe Undine Velvet Verena Vida Viola Viviette Zenobia Zora Zuleika

As a side-note, I'm not very well-read so I wouldn't know if any of these names belong to dastardly and despicable characters or not. Please do your own research before fully committing to a name. It is always a good idea to know who your child's main "namesakes" are and what the general opinion is of said characters.  If I had a bit more time in my daily life I would love to research these thoroughly but that may lead to hours and hours of Wikipedia page hopping. You know how it is. It would end up being faster to read each novel individually. ;)  At the moment, I am simply choosing these names because I think they are beautiful in sound.

Don't forget to check out the list of Boy Names from Literature too!

My Top Ten Favorites:

Atticus

The name Atticus may have been one of the very first Roman names to begin making mainstream waves. It has that ancient feel to it but because of the fatherly fictional character Atticus Finch in Harper Lee's 1960 novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus also feels very noble and heroic. In fact, Atticus Finch was voted in 2003 as the "Greatest Hero of American film" by the American Film Institute. Finch was iconically played by actor Gregory Peck in the 1962 film adaptation of the novel.

The name Atticus is Latin meaning "Man of Attica" or "From Attica". Attica is the region that surrounds Athens in Greece. While it describes a Greek area, the name was adopted by one particular Roman man who spent much of his life studying in Athens. He loved the culture so much that he gave himself the nickname Atticus since he considered himself a man from Attica. His name was Titus Pomponius Atticus (112/109 BC – 35/32 BC). He was an ancient Roman littérateur, philosopher and correspondent with Cicero.

There was also a philosopher named Atticus (c. 175), an Archbishop Atticus of Constantinople (406-425), a Greek rhetorician named Herodes Atticus (c. 101-177) and a Christian martyr named Atticus who died in the year 310.  More recently, there is an English musican named Atticus Ross, an American actor named Atticus Shaffer, and an alternative rock back called Atticus.

This name has really skyrocketed in popularity in the past couple decades. The name was first used in pop-culture in 1960 and 1962 as mentioned above and yet, surprisingly, it did not influence any births! Aside from 5 births in 1881, and 5 more in 1912, the name Atticus was not used in the US until 1969 with 7 births.

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It gained regular usage in the late 1980s but it wasn't until the early 2000s that it gained momentum. It cracked into the Top 1000 in 2004 which coincides with the "Greatest Hero" award of 2003 for Atticus Finch. Since then the name has steadily gained popularity. As of 2012 it ranks at #410 with 703 births! I suspect that it will only continue climbing higher up the charts!

If you are considering this name for your son, I would encourage you to use it! Its most popular association was considered to be a very noble man, even a hero!  The name sounds classy, intelligent, strong, determined and confident.  It is known but not yet overly popular. It's a winner!

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Athena, Cassandra, Clementine, Harper, Hazel, Imogen, Matilda, Sabrina
Brothers: August, Ezra, Finnegan, Jasper, Maxwell, Oliver, Sebastian, Silas

Middle Name Ideas:
Atticus Dean
Atticus Gage
Atticus Isaiah
Atticus Joel
Atticus Jude
Atticus Rex
Atticus Xavier

As a Middle Name:
George Atticus
James Atticus
Liam Atticus
Miles Atticus
Victor Atticus
William Atticus

Boys Names from Literature

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I have seen many parents on baby name forums who have a great appreciation for classic literature, so much so that they are determined to use the names of their favorite characters in their child's name.  I admire their devotion and envy their knowledge of these characters.

Of course, the term "literature" covers a grand spectrum of novels. Most of these names come from the classic masterpieces that have touched the hearts of readers for decades. While I cannot possibly list every name of every character in every book ever written, this is definitely a pretty good list to start with if you're in need of a literary moniker.

Below this list, I have handpicked my favorites that I think would be very handsome for a modern day boy. Then I went one step further and paired them with a couple middle name ideas and listed a few potential sibling name ideas to help you decide if you'd truly want to consider adding said names to your short-list. After all, that's the whole point of a list like this: to help you find the perfect name for your child!

Please feel free to join in on the fun and choose your favorite names from the list! You can share them in the comments below! Let me know which middle name options you would pair with your favorites! Also, if there are any names that are not on this list that you think deserve to be, list them in the comments and I'll surely add them in!  Enjoy!

Ahab Amory Aramis Archer Ashley Athos Atticus Auric Axel Barley Barnaby Beale Benvolio Brick Brom Buck Caliban Caspar Cato Chance Cleon Cody Colin Corin Crow Cullen Darcy D'Artagnan Darl David Don Dorian Dunstan Edward Edmund Falmouth Fenno Fitzwilliam George Gogol Guitar Gulliver Heathcliff Henry Hieronymous Holden Huckleberry Ichabod Ishmael Japhy Jarvis Jasper Jay

Jean Jolyon Jude Jupiter Kaddish Kafka Laird Lemuel Lennie Loch Macon Magnus Marius Melchior Milo Mingus Misha Odysseus Orlando Orno Oskar Phineas Praxis Porthos Quebec Quillen Quintus Rhett Riley Robert Rodion Romeo Rufus Samson Santiago Sawyer Sebastian Seneca Septimus Sherlock Silas Taft Telemachus Tristan Tristram Utah Valentino Victor Vivaldo Watson Wolf Yancey Zooey

Keep in mind that since I'm not incredibly well-read, I do not know how dastardly, devious and despicable some of these characters could be. Always do your own research on a name before you commit to it, even if it isn't linked to literature. Make sure that all popular namesakes are those that you can live with. You and your child might be asked if the name came from this book or that TV show or whatever for the rest of your child's life. It isn't necessarily a bad thing, just something to consider!

Don't forget to check out the list of Girl Names from Literature too!

My Top 10 Favorites:

1. Archer

Sibling Name Ideas:

Sisters: Amelia, Avalon, Fable, Ivy, Lyric, Marion, Sonnet, Willow

Brothers: August, Beckett, Fletcher, Griffin, Harrison, Kellan, Mason, Parker

Middle Name Ideas:

Archer Declan

Archer James

Archer Reilly

Archer Sebastian

Archer William

2. Barnaby

Sibling Name Ideas: 

Sisters: Audrey, Caroline, Elizabeth, Hannah, Jemima, Josephine, Matilda, Winifred

Brothers: Atticus, Chester, Edward, Frederick, Matthew, Oliver, Tobias, William

Middle Name Ideas:

Barnaby August

Barnaby Damian

Barnaby James

Barnaby Michael

Barnaby Theodore

3. Corin

Sibling Name Ideas:

Sisters: Alice, Claire, Edith, Lilah, Molly, Olivia, Piper, Violet

Brothers: Asher, Ethan, Gavin, Holden, Liam, Noah, Owen, Wyatt

Middle Name Ideas:

Corin Alexander

Corin James

Corin Nathaniel

Corin Robert

Corin Wesley

4. Heathcliff

Sibling Name Ideas: 

Sisters: Adelaide, Beatrice, (Avoid Catherine), Cordelia, Harriet, Josephine, Lorraine, Michaela, Ramona

Brothers: Alistair, Barnaby, Caldwell, Hendrick, Jameson, Nathaniel, Theodore, Wiloughby

Middle Name Ideas:

Heathcliff Andrew

Heathcliff Charles

Heathcliff Elliot

Heathcliff Orion

Heathcliff Thomas

5. Jarvis

Sibling Name Ideas:

Sisters: Alma, Delaney, Elaina, Leila, Matilda, Olive, Sadie, Thea

Brothers: Alaric, Damian, Felix, Giles, Leo, Miles, Sebastian, Xavier

Middle Name Ideas:

Jarvis Anthony

Jarvis Haythem

Jarvis Indigo

Jarvis Oliver

Jarvis Theron

6. Marius

Sibling Name Ideas:

Sisters: Athena, Cassia, Freya, Katharine, Lucinda, Romilly, Sophia, Theodora 

Brothers: Antony, Cassius, David, George, Lucian, Magnus, Soren, Tybalt

Middle Name Ideas:

Marius Achilles

Marius Anthony

Marius Elliott

Marius Orion

Marius Xavier

7. Phineas 

Sibling Name Ideas:

Sisters: Althea, Eden, Esther, Hazel, Madeleine, Phoebe, Simone, Xaviere

Brothers: Atticus, Elijah, Gideon, Malachai, Nathaniel, Oliver, Quincy, Thaddeus

Middle Name Ideas:

Phineas Alexander

Phineas Isaiah

Phineas Logan

Phineas Rafferty

Phineas Vincent

8. Rhett 

Sibling Name Ideas:

Sisters: Aveline, Caroline, Daphne, Fiona, Grace, Leila, Philippa, Rowan, (Avoid Scarlett)

Brothers: Arlo, Crosby, Finnegan, Heath, Jack, Noah, Tristan, Vincent

Middle Name Ideas:

Rhett Donnelly

Rhett Julian

Rhett Leopold

Rhett Peregrine

Rhett Wilder

9. Silas 

Sibling Name Ideas: 

Sisters: Aria, Eve, Gisele, Helena, Jessica, Mila, Piper, Ruth

Brothers: Abram, Conrad, Daniel, Gideon, Jasper, Levi, Philip, Wesley

Middle Name Ideas:

Silas Archibald

Silas Damian

Silas Everett

Silas Jonathan

Silas Octavian

10. Tristram

Sibling Name Ideas:

Sisters: Astrid, Cressida, Elisabet, Imogen, Lavinia, Milena, Seraphina, Vivienne 

Brothers: Adler, Conrad, Julius, Leopold, Marius, Quillan, Rasmus, Viggo

Middle Name Ideas:

Tristram August

Tristram Benedict

Tristram Eamon

Tristram Henley

Tristram Wilder

That's my Top 10!! Which names are your favorites?

Girl Name of the Week: Zola

The Girl Name of the Week is an African Name keeping in tradition of the past two blog posts. The name is Zola.

First of all, this name is also a Literary Surname, taken by famous French-Italian writer Emile Zola (1840-1902). This form of Zola tends to be feminine despite being a surname originally. However, it is said that this form of Zola does not have a known meaning as it may have been invented as a surname. Emile Zola's father's surname was actually Zolla.  Either way, it has been used occasionally in English-speaking countries since the 19th century.

The version of the name that I'm featuring today is typically female when it is used as a first name, but it is sometimes used on African males as well. It is of Southern African or Zulu origin and it means "quiet or tranquil" in Zulu.

 The name is on record for having been used in the US since 1880. Zola's biggest year was 1924 when 184 baby girls were born. Usage declined after the 20's but it has always been in regular use. In 2012, there were 92 baby girls named Zola, ranking the name at #2075. The name gained some popularity from 2011's 57 births, and the 44 Zola's born in 2010.

It is impossible to know if parents who used the name Zola for a daughter were inspired by the writer or by the Zulu name, or possibly neither! I'd like to know how many of them were inspired by Zola, the adopted African daughter of Derek Shepherd and Meredith Grey on the TV show Grey's Anatomy. She first appeared on TV screens in May 2011, but saw more screen time in fall 2011/spring 2012. Perhaps she helped to boost the usage in 2012! Who knows!

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As for boys named Zola, there have only been 21 boys named Zola in recorded US history. 11 from 1916-1917, and 10 from 1922-1923.  I do not have statistics for the number of boys who are given this name in Africa but I saw a few comments from different people saying that they know of men with this name.

Click here for a list of famous people who either have the surname Zola, or their first name is Zola. Among them is Eddie Murphy and Nicole Mitchell's daughter named Zola Ivy Murphy.

If I wanted to choose a traditionally African name to pair with Zola, I would use Zola Dumisani (which means "give praise" in Zulu) or Zola Mbali (which means "flower" in Zulu).

However, for those of us who like the name but are not African, here are some cute Americanized combos with a French influence:

Zola Camille
Zola Genevieve
Zola Isabelle
Zola Juliette
Zola Madeleine
Zola Simone

What do you think of the name Zola? Would you ever use it? What would you pair with it?

Boy Name of the Week: Benedict

The Boy Name of the Week is the strong and bold Benedict. I prefer this choice over the more-common Benjamin and Bennett.

Benedict is a Latin name meaning "blessed." It is also the name of Saint Benedict, an Italian Monk who formed the Benedictine Order in the 6th century. Additionally, a whopping sixteen popes have worn the name. Benedict hit England in the 12th century and became insanely popular.

The alternate spelling, Benedick, probably won't fly for a modern baby but it was used for a character in the Shakespeare piece Much Ado About Nothing.

Of course there will always be that link to the infamous traitor Benedict Arnold, but he died in 1801 so I'm willing to look past that now, are you?

To switch gears, a modern day Benedict is a new rising star. The British stage, film and TV actor named Benedict Cumberbatch is gaining popularity in the States now.

Let's look at the popularity stats of Benedict. It recently ranked at #420 in England/Wales, but the US has not flocked to this name yet. Its highest naming spike occurred in 1918 when 163 boys were given the name. It leveled out with minimal usage until another spike occurred in 2005 with 157 births which coincides with Pope Benedict taking over. However, usage has once again declined with a mere 86 baby Benedicts born in 2012 for a ranking of #1736.

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But you know what? I would say this is a gem of a name! It is familiar yet rarely used. It has "Ben" as a great, simple nickname for those wanting to tone down the in-your-face strength of Benedict.  It is clearly very handsome too! I'd recommend this name for parents who are a bit bold and want to find something unique without resorting to odd spellings. Benny or Benno are cute alternates to the nickname Ben. You might even be able to get away with Ned since it's in the spelling and even Eddy. ;)

I'd pair Benedict with something short, sweet and traditional like James, John or Lucas. The only possible issue with the name is the teasing potential of "you've been a dick" or anything along those lines. If that bothers you and you still love the name, something like James Benedict would be so insanely handsome and it would tuck Benedict safely into the middle name spot to avoid complications.  What do you think of this moniker?

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Alexandra, Clementine, Katharine, Josephine, Magnolia, Ophelia, Seraphina
Brothers: Alexander, Augustus, Julius, Leopold, Maximus, Nathaniel, Octavius

Middle Name Ideas:
Benedict James
Benedict Lucas
Benedict Constantine
Benedict August
Benedict Joseph

As a Middle Name:
James Benedict
Xavier Benedict
Leo Benedict
Henry Benedict
Max Benedict

Boy Name of the Week: Edmund

The Boy Name of the Week is Edmund! It was recently featured on my list of old-fashioned, vintage boy names. Edmund is a cool and classic choice that would be handsome on a little guy today.

It is a sophisticated English name meaning "fortunate protector." I like the spelling Edmund more, but there is also the French form Edmond. I do like the Irish variation Eamon as well.

Not very many names have a popular, historical quote written about them, but Edmund does. In Jane Austen's book "Mansfield Park," the character Fanny says "There is nobleness in the name of Edmund. It is a name of heroism and renown; of kings, princes, and knights; and seems to breathe the spirit of chivalry and warm affections."  And the poet John Keats once said, "Had my name been Edmund, I would have been more fortunate." I would say that is a mighty fine testament to the name!

If you're considering naming your little prince Edmund, you may want to know more about its statistics! As far as ranking goes, this name was ranked the highest in 1914 at #130 on the US Top 1000 chart. In that year, 792 babies were born with the name. However, there are several years that have more births but a lower ranking.

I like to gage popularity more by the number of births than the rank. From 1916 to 1926, Edmund was at its  peak! It averaged just over 1000 births each year.

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Since then, Edmund was steadily used for 500-600 babies per year until usage declined in the late 1960s. Since the 70s, there has been a steady average of 120-250 births per year or so. Aside from decent numbers in the 1920s, this name has never been all that popular. In 2012, there were only 133 Edmunds born, ranking the name at #1295.  It hasn't been in the Top 1000 since it ranked #924 in 1997.

Do you think this is a name that deserves to be revived or is it just too old-fashioned? With the recent popularity of similar-name Edward, I would like to see more little Eddies on the playground.  What do you think?

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Abigail, Celia, Lucy, Margaret, Sophia, Violet
Brothers: Bennett, David, Joseph, Maximilian, Nicholas, Zachary

Middle Name Ideas:
Edmund Wilder
Edmund Clark
Edmund Ray
Edmund Vincent
Edmund Quinn

As a Middle Name:
Ryan Edmund
Tyler Edmund
Cole Edmund
Daniel Edmund
Blake Edmund

Name of the Day: Helena

Today's Name of the Day is Helena. This name is the Latin form of the name Helen, which has a ton of history. Most notably, there is Helen of Troy who was the daughter of Zeus and Leda in Greek mythology. She was kidnapped by Paris and was the cause of the great Trojan War. And a more modern example was Helen Keller who overcame being blind and deaf.

While Helen is a strong name, I prefer the girlier Helena. I like to pronounce it Hel-AY-na as opposed to Hel-EN-ah, but both are pretty!

This Latin name means "bright, shining one" which is a lovely meaning. Helena was used for two characters in Shakespeare's works, one in "All's Well That Ends Well" and one in "A Midsummer's Night Dream."  Another Helena was a 4th-century saint who was the mother of the Roman emperor Constantine.

The name Helena translates well around the world. In 2012, it ranked at #560 in the US, #328 in England/Wales, #194 in France and #243 in the Netherlands. It is even more popular in Austria (#30), Croatia (#35) Poland (#45) and Belgium (#55).

As for Helena's history in the US, it has always been in the Top 1000, except for 1992 when it dipped down to #1008. It has been a fairly consistent name. It's largest popularity spikes occurred in 1918 with 488 babies born, and 2006 with 595 babies born.

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Still, if you consider the 200-500 or so babies born every year named Helena, this name is not very popular when compared to names that spike up to 10,000+ births a year.

I would say this is is a very lovely, classic choice that is both familiar but not overly used. What do you think of Helena? How do you pronounce it? Do you prefer Helen or Ellen instead?  Let me know below!

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Catherine, Esther, Freya, Isabella, Lucille, Sophia
Brothers: Arthur, Daniel, Edward, James, Michael, Thomas

Middle Name Ideas:
Helena Simone
Helena Juliet
Helena Eve
Helena Mabel
Helena Jane

As a Middle Name:
Natalie Helena
Lucy Helena
Violet Helena
June Helena
Alice Helena