Ferelith

Today I want to take a closer name at a very rare and fantastical-esque name. I recently had the opportunity to recommend it to someone who had never heard of it before. They instantly fell in love with it and decided it might just be THE name they have been searching for. Perhaps you will enjoy it too!

It is a rare feminine name of Scottish and English origin. It comes from the Medieval Gaelic name Forbflaith which means "overlord, ruler, or sovereign". There was an heiress in 13th-century Scotland who was named Ferelith. Aside from that, this name is very rare.

According to the US record, there has never been at least 5 babies given this name in a single year. That means that the chances of you running into someone with this name are slim to none.  If you are looking for a beautiful, rare name, this would make your child truly one-of-a-kind! With its Medieval origins, it has a Renaissance vibe, and also feels fantastical.

There are some other names that have a similar feel to them such as:  Aerith, Allifair, Caisséne and more.  If you're a fan of Ferelith, here are a variety of middle name ideas:

Ferelith Maeve
Ivy Ferelith
Ferelith Rose
Nola Ferelith
Ferelith Riley
Tieve Ferelith
Ferelith Rhiannon
Kathleen Ferelith

What would you pair with Ferelith? I do like mainstream Irish names like Maeve to go with it. Is this a name you might add to your list?

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?

Milo

Our featured boy name is Milo. It comes to us from our previous article that featured The Very Best M Names for Boys and Girls.

The origin of the name Milo is not fully known. Milo has been listed as being both Latin and Old Germanic. Sometimes it is said that it is a form of Miles, but it seems more likely that Milo came first.

According to Behind the Name, it's possible that Milo came from the Medieval Slavic name Milu from which names like Milan, Milena, Ludmila, and Miloslav come. It makes sense that Milo would be related to these names but apparently it isn't certain.

What we do know is that the name Miles came from the Germanic name Milo which was introduced to England by the Normans. The confusing part is that Milo is listed as the "Old Germanic form of Miles as well as the Latinized form." So according to Behind the Name, Milo gave rise to Miles which gave rise to Milo.

Either way, this name dates back to the Middle Ages where it was found being used in official documents. If it does indeed come from the Slavic name Milu, then it would mean "gracious". If it is associated with the Latin word "miles" then Milo would mean "soldier".

These days, Milo is a favorite among celebrities and the Nameberry community. It ranked as the 11th most popular name according to Nameberry's list they generate based on their pageviews.

In the US, though, Milo isn't quite that popular yet. Milo has been in consistent usage since records were first kept in 1880. It had a popularity boost from roughly 1913 thru the mid-1930s before it declined a bit.

Only recently has it started rocketing up the charts, joining the Top 1000 names in 2001. Now by 2014, Milo ranks at #311 with 1,109 male births. There were even 10 females births.

If you're interested in using this name, here are some sibling name ideas and middle name ideas for you:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Adele, Emily, Lily, Matilda, Rosalie, Sadie, Zoey
Brothers: August, Ezra, Henry, Julian, Lucas, Oliver, Zane

Middle Name Ideas:
Milo Alexander
Milo Carter
Milo James
Milo Nathaniel
Milo Sebastian
Milo Vaughn

As a Middle Name:
Barnaby Milo
Dominic Milo
Jasper Milo
Robert Milo
Thaddeus Milo
Vincent Milo

What are your favorite name pairings with Milo?

Magnus

Welcome to Scandinavian Week! You may have seen the polls that I made on the sidebar of the blog and maybe you even voted for your favorite Scandinavian names for each gender. After a tie-breaker, the winning male name was Magnus.

Magnus is a Late Latin name meaning "Great" but it is heavily used by Scandinavians, particularly those from Sweden, Norway and Denmark.  It became popular in those countries because of the 11th century King Magnus I of Norway.

It was said that King Magnus I may have been named after another ruler, Charlemagne, who was also known as Carolus Magnus, or Charles the Great.  Others who bore the name Magnus include a 7th century saint, 6 more kings of Norway, and 3 kings of Sweden.

In the middle ages, the name Magnus gained usage in Scotland and Ireland. Manus is an Irish variant of the name. There's also the Finnish variants Manu, Mauno and Maunu, and the Danish Mogens.

Interestingly, from Magnus sprang forth the Medieval English name Mack which then led to the name Maxwell, which is a Scottish place name then surname.

In the US, Magnus was used sporadically from 1890 until 1981 when it gained yearly regularity. However, it has always been rare. 2013 is the first year that the name has ever been in the Top 1000. With 206 births, Magnus ranked at #958.

In Iceland, Magnús (pronounced MAHG-noose) ranked at #7 for the year 2007. In recent years, Magnus has also ranked at #4 in Norway, #8 in Denmark, #180 in Scotland and #300 in British Columbia, Canada.

What do you think of the great Magnus as a baby name? It is a strong, bold choice that will stand out! Do you think it is too bold or would you use it? What's a good middle name?  Here are some middle name ideas and sibling name ideas;

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Astrid, Caroline, Elowen, Fiona, Freya, Ingrid, Liv, Maren, Onnika, Sorena, Thora
Brothers: Caspar, Erik, Felix, Henrik, Hugo, Lucius, Odin, Rex, Sebastian, Soren, Viggo

Middle Name Ideas:
Magnus Christopher
Magnus Gunnar
Magnus James
Magnus Thurston
Magnus Yorrick

As a Middle Name:
Axel Magnus
Dane Magnus
Henry Magnus
Levi Magnus
Samuel Magnus

Share your thoughts on the name in the comments below!

Girl Name of the Week: Sybil

In honor of my post featuring "cool girl names," the Girl's Name of the Week is a lovely Greek name that means "prophetess".  With the recent popularity of the TV show Downton Abbey, the name of the Crawley's youngest daughter has been on the minds' of American parents.  Sybil was nearly forgotten until now, but it doesn't appear to be climbing back up the charts just yet.

Sybil was not originally a name, but an ancient Greek word for a woman who claimed the ability to foresee that which most people could not. These prophetesses were thought to have divine knowledge and were revered. Despite its origins as a word, the name itself its uniquely beautiful.

It can also be spelled Sibyl or Cybill, and there are many international variations such as Sibylla or Sybille.  This spelling, Sybil, has been around since the middle ages where it saw common usage among Christians.  It was later taken to England by the Normans but became extremely rare after the Protestant Reformation. It wasn't until Benjamin Disraeli wrote a novel titled "Sybil" in 1845 that the name saw a revival through the Victorian era.

This name peaked in usage in 1921 when 541 baby girls were born. Since then, the name has declined greatly and fell off of the Top 1000 chart in 1967. In 2012, there were only 16 babies given this name, ranking it at #7706.

 Lady Sybil from Downton Abbey had the middle name Cora after her mother.  Sybil Coraline? Sybil Caroline? Her sisters are named Mary and Edith.

Do you think Sybil has the potential to regain some popularity? Or do you think its strong meaning makes parents shy of using it? Do you like the name?  Let me know in the comments section below!

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Alessia, Cora, Delaney, Edith, Imogen, Pearl, Rebecca
Brothers: Alfred, Clive, Isaiah, Joshua, Marcus, Peter, Warren

Middle Name Ideas:
Sybil Alessandra
Sybil Caroline
Sybil Ophelia
Sybil Minerva
Sybil Coraline

As a Middle Name:
Alexandra Sybil
Catherine Sybil
Josephine Sybil
Rosalie Sybil
Victoria Sybil

Boy Name of the Week: Chandler

The Boy Name of the Week is one of my favorite occupational names and I chose it in honor of yesterday's name list. It is derived from an Old French name that took form as a Middle English occupational name meaning "candlestick maker" or "candle seller."  Have you guessed? Yes, its Chandler. A chandler was the head of the chandlery in medieval households, responsible for wax, candles, and soap.

There are some parents who will give this name to their daughter but it is more popular for boys. The most popular example in recent memory is funny-man Chandler Bing on the TV show Friends which aired from 1994-2004. However, despite fitting right in with the "-er" trend and the occupational name trend, Chandler has lost its popularity since 2004. In fact, the most usage this name has seen was indeed during the airing of that show. It more than doubled between 1994 and 1995, (from 704 births to 1,856). Its highest peak occurred in 1999 with 2,394 births and a ranking of #151.

But lets back up a bit. Chandler first appeared on American baby boys in 1900 with 5 births. It took 62 years for the name to hit the girl market with 10 female births in 1962. Yet, before Friends even aired, the girl-Chandlers increased from 90 births in 1991 to 437 births in 1992 with its highest peak of 744 births occurring in 1995.

The name has declined in usage for boys over the past decade, but it has actually increased for girls. In 2016, male Chandlers ranked at #466 with 650 births, whereas the females made a leap onto the Top 1000 chart, returning for the first time since 2002 for a rank of #995 and 264 births. It is almost time for this name to be fresh again.

What do you think of this name and do you prefer it on a boy or a girl?  Here are some ideas for sibling names and middle names:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Avery, Delaney, Jessica, Matilda, Savannah, Willow
Brothers: Carter, Ethan, Harrison, Landon, Lincoln, Taylor,

Middle Name Ideas (Boy): 
Chandler Michael
Chandler Ellis
Chandler Adrian
Chandler Scott

Middle Name Ideas (Girl):
Chandler Isabelle
Chandler Lillian
Chandler Elise
Chandler Sophia

Which gender do you prefer for the name Chandler? What middle name would you pair with it?

Revised: 5/18/17

10 Ancient Names that Deserve Usage Today

Minerva

Many vintage names are coming back into style today but there are also plenty of ancient gems out there that very few people are considering. It begs the question, what makes certain names desirable and others not?  Here are 10 perfectly viable names with history and beauty that are being virtually ignored for modern babies:

Aveline
This name originated as a French surname that was introduced by the Norman French to the British. It became very rare after the Middle Ages. I found it listed as a surname for some famous people dating back as early as 1656. Unlike most surnames, this one is actually very feminine and would be beautiful on a girl. It follows the popular Ava trend and is similar to all the other -line names.  It has very rare usage in the US (the first record being in 1923) and it ranked at #3678 in 2013 with 41 births. Unlike some of the other Av- names, this is not associate with birds. Aveline is said to come from "Avila," a town in Spain, which means "desired." Another source says it comes from the Ancient Roman place "Avella" which means "Hazelnut." Perhaps in this case, you can choose which meaning you like better since neither are marked as the official meaning.

Isolde
A name that frequently gets tossed around naming forums but is rarely used in the US. There were only 9 births in 2013 which ranks the name at #11264; this is down from 22 births in 2012. A romantic and tragic name, Isolde brings to mind the Arthurian legends of the Irish Princess and her lover Knight Tristan. This story made the name very popular during the Middle Ages (also spelled Iseult.) It regained some popularity from Richard Wagner's opera "Tristan und Isolde" in 1865. However there are no US births on record until 1971, then not again until 1997. Its been used regularly but rarely since 2006.

Junia
With the spunky Juno being tossed around (but still rarely used) and the lovely June coming back, I'd like to explore another rare option: Junia. Ranking at #4655 with 30 births in 2013, this Ancient Roman name could be hot again! With a Biblical twist, Junia is also debated to possibly be a female apostle who was complimented by Paul in the 1st century (some argue the name was used for a man.)  The name Junia first ranked at #981 in 1883 (with 5 births) and has been used sporadically  over the years with a vintage peak of 16 births in 1922. It took a hiatus through the 60s and 70s and has seen a slight increase in usage since 2004.

Lavinia

I've featured this name before and it remains one of my favorites. It has been used every year since 1880 but it averages only 20-40 births a year with a peak of 93 births in both 1920 and 1921. Perhaps parents aren't loving it because of its unknown meaning. However, she was a Shakespearean character in Titus Andronicus. Lavinia was also the wife of the Trojan hero Aeneas and was considered to be the mother of the Roman people according to Roman legends. The town of Lavinium, Italy was named after her. For those of you that like a name with history or a name that comes from ancient legends, this is a very ancient name that sounds beautiful and classy. It was also the middle name of the beloved Old Hollywood starlet Ava Gardner. There were only 70 girls born with this name in 2013, with a ranking of #2534.

Minerva
This is another Ancient Latin name that has long been neglected. It means"intellect." This name's most notable namesake is the Roman Goddess of wisdom, invention and war. She is said to be the equivalent of the Greek Goddess Athena. Minerva is also associated with arts, music, poetry, medicine and crafts which would be an excellent choice for artistic, adventurous parents. This name has been used since the Renaissance. It peaked in popularity around 1915-1920 and again around 1955-1960 so it is due for a spike in modern usage. It only ranked at #3417 with 46 births in 2013.

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Amadeus
This Latin boy's name is most famously known as the middle name of the classical composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. "Amadeus" was also the title of a Peter Shaffer play which became an award-winning film in 1984. The name Amadeus means "Lover of God" and is a unique but familiar pick. It has only been used as a recorded first-name since 1985, probably as a response to the film. Its peak usage occurred last year in 2013 with only 53 babies born. That ranks the name at #2351. Amadeus definitely deserves some love!

Constantine
Another Latin name that could use more usage! With the similar girl name Constance having such success, its a wonder why Constantine is rarely heard! A derivative of Constans, meaning "steadfast" or "constant", a famous bearer of the name was Constantine the Great (272-337) who was the first Roman emperor to adopt Christianity. He famously moved the capital of the empire from Rome to Byzantium and renamed it Constantinople after himself. It is now Istanbul in modern times. Perhaps the long length of Constantine and the lack of good nicknames (Connie? Stan? Tino?) is enough to keep the name from gaining popularity. However, it was given to 95 babies in 2013 for a rank of #1602. It's been regularly used since 1906, with its first US appearances in 1885. I happen to love this name in the middle name spot!

Leopold
This name tends to get associated with the "Leo" names meaning "Lion" like Leon and Leonardo, but Leopold does not come from the same meaning. It is derived from the Germanic elements "leud" meaning "people" and "bald" meaning "bold." Some sites say that it means "Brave People." Bold or Brave, this aristocratic name was used by Queen Victoria to honor her favorite uncle King Leopold of Belgium. This name was common among German royalty as well. Leopold was also a 12th-century Saint in Austria, who is now considered the patron of that country. In literature, Leopold Bloom is the main character in James Joyce's novel "Ulysses" (1920). Leopold has been steadily used every year since 1880 but for few babies per year. It hit a peak of 79 births in 1916. In 2013, only 64 little Leopolds were born, ranking the name at #2090. I prefer the nickname "Leo" to come from Leopold.

Marcellus
This is a Roman family name that originates from the more popular "Marcus." All these Mar- variations stem from the name of the Roman god "Mars" who was the god of war, equivalent to the Greek Ares. Marcellus is a Latin name meaning "Young Warrior" and has been used by two popes along with the famous Marcus Claudius Marcellus. With other ancient Roman names like Maximus, Augustus, Julius and Titus gaining popularity, I could see Marcellus fitting right in with the nickname Marc. The name has had very little usage per year, but has been on the record since 1880. Its first usage peak was in 1971 when 121 babies were born. Next, the 90's saw elevated numbers like 107 and 117 and 109 births. Marcellus has stayed in the 90-110 range, falling to just 80 births in 2013. That ranks the name at #1792.

Romulus

I would love to see a little Romulus with the nickname Romy. Like Marcellus, this name would fit right in with all the other Latin "-us" names that are gaining popularity. While I love the sound of this name, I do have to warn parents about its most obvious namesake. Romulus was one of the original Romans. His name means "citizen of Rome" in Latin. He and his twin brother, Remus, founded Rome. However, according to legend, Romulus killed his brother and created the city in his own image. His name is later changed to Quinnius.  Another notable namesake is found in the Star Trek series as the home planet of the Romulan race. Despite the legendary Romulus, a few parents have found this name appealing over the years. It was first recorded as being used in the US in 1922 with just 6 births. There have only been a total of 225 boys named Romulus in the US. In 2013, only 7 boys received this strong, bold choice. 

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What do you think of these rare names? Do you think it is the strong associations that they have in history that keeps parents from using them? Or have they simply not caught on as a popular choice yet? Yes, they are not in the normal rotation of names, but I don't see why they should remain obscure and unloved.  

Tell me: why do you think some names are overused and some remain forever obscure? Is our society just not ready for the more unusual but historic choices? Which one is your favorite?

This article also appears on Nameberry.

Name of the Day: Everett

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

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

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

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

Source

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

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

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

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

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

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

Name of the Day: Amabel

A name that was very common in the 12th and 13th centuries, Amabel is a rarity today. It was revived during the 19th century when a medieval fad swept through England.  Amabel is the feminization of the Late Latin male name "Amabilis" who was a Saint in the 5th century in France.

Amabel is a much older name than the popular Annabel. However, its shortened form Mabel has had much more popularity in recent times.  Amabel (and Mabel) mean "Loveable" in Latin which may appeal to parents who have high regard for name meanings.

This distinctive name would be adorable on a modern day baby girl. It fits right in with other old-fashioned names that are seeing a strong revival, as well as the popular -bel/-belle names. However, Amabel is much more unique (even though it feels familiar) because it has never once ranked on the US Top 1000.  As of 2013, there has been a total of 98 girls named Amabel on record since 1880. There were only 10 girls named Amabel in 2013 for a ranking of #10,209 which is very far from being the most popular name in the country.

Revision:  A few more girls were named Amabel since the previous stats were recent. There were 9 births in 2016 putting our grand total at 120.

If Amabel is too different for your tastes, Mabel is an adorable alternative to consider. A huge hit in the late 1800's and early 1900's, Mabel hit its highest ranking of #15 in 1891. It remained in the double-digits until it steadily declined starting in the 1920's. As of 2013, Mabel has jumped back onto the Top 1000 chart for the first time since 1964.  Now considered vintage-chic, Mabel ranked at #707 in 2013.  Revision:  Mabel was #513 in 2016, which means it is gaining more popularity.

Either of these two lovely names would be a refreshing choice today!  I think Amabel deserves some usage! What do you think? Would you use Amabel or Mabel?  Here are some sibling and middle name ideas:

Sibling Name Ideas: 
Sisters: Beatrice, Caroline, Estella, Lavinia, Pomeline, Rebecca
Brothers: Augustus, Benedict, Dominic, Marcus, Peregrine, Theodore

Middle Name Ideas:
Amabel Celeste
Amabel Corinne
Amabel Frances
Amabel Grace
Amabel Josephine

Middle Name Ideas:
Mabel Aveline
Mabel Christine
Mabel Elizabeth
Mabel Joy
Mabel Tabitha

Share your thoughts on this name in the comments below!

First Published: 6/4/13
Revised: 12/25/14
Revised: 5/14/17