Tallulah

Inspired by our list of The Very Best T Names for Boys and Girls is the beautiful and unique name Tallulah.

Tallulah is a Native American name but there is a bit of discrepancy about its true origin and meaning. It is typically said to mean "leaping waters" in the Choctaw language but some argue that it actually means "town" in the Creek language. Perhaps both of them are accurate. This name is pronounced tə-LOO-lə.

The alternative spelling Talulla is actually a different name. Talulla is Irish and comes from the Gaelic name Tailelaith. It is derived from the Irish elements tuile meaning "abundance" and flaith meaning "princess". There are two early Irish saints by the name Talulla.

Neither name is popular or even common. The Irish Talulla has only been given to 10 girls total according to the SSA's records: 5 births in 2011 and 5 in 2013 in the US.

As for Tallulah, the name has been on record since 1917 in the US but it was only occasionally used until 1956 when it took a hiatus. It regained usage in 1979 but it was still spotty until 1995.

Now the name is gaining a following and climbing the charts. It has yet to rank within the Top 1000 names but with 139 female births in 2014, it is getting close. It also ranked recently at #265 in England and Wales.

As for famous namesakes, there was an American actress by the name of Tallulah Bankhead (1902-1968) who was named after her grandmother. Her grandmother may have been named after the beautiful waterfall at Tallulah Falls in Georgia.

Tallulah strikes an interesting chord as a name. Its Native American roots give it an earthy yet whimsical vibe, but it also seems sweet, sassy and elegant in other lights. This name seems rather versatile and definitely unique. If you're considering it, you could go many different directions when it comes to finding middle names and sibling names that would pair well. Here are a few ideas I came up with:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Augusta, Delilah, Francesca, Jemima, Lorelei, Ophelia, Penelope, Theodora
Brothers: Ambrose, Benedict, Heathcliff, Horatio, Matthias, Maximilian, Stellan, Tristan

Middle Name Ideas:
Tallulah Belle
Tallulah Jane
Tallulah Noelle
Tallulah Scarlett
Tallulah Vivienne

As a Middle Name:
Audrey Tallulah
Emme Tallulah
Ivy Tallulah
Margaret Tallulah
Sophie Tallulah

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

Savannah

To complement Tuesday's post regarding the best V names for girls, and last week's post about the best V names for boys, I chose to feature the feminine name Savannah which contains the letter V.

Savannah isn't just a city in the state of Georgia, USA. It comes from an English word that indicates a large, grassy plain. Originally, Savannah comes from a Taino (Native American) word zabana. Variants of the name include Zavanna and Savanna. It's a place name and a nature name.

Savannah gained usage as a baby name in the 19th century. It has also been on record in the US every year since 1880 but its usage was very minimal until it suddenly boomed in the 1980s. This increase in births-per-year is most likely a result of the 1982 movie "Savannah Smiles".

There were only 43 births in 1981, 118 in 1982 and in 1983, there were 434 Savannahs born. That means the name went from ranking in the 1100s to being #466 in just one year. The year 2000 had a record-high amount of Savannahs born. There was 7,097 of them for a ranking of #37!

Since then, the name has declined a bit in popularity. As of 2013, it still ranks at #37 but that only accounts for 5,192 births.

This name is very cute yet classy. It has a elegant vibe to it but it is also a nature name that gives you the image of a grassy plain. It is both sweet and strong and great for a baby, a teen and a woman.

Right now, Savannah feels as though it is a bit underrated. It isn't high on the popularity radar in the active online baby naming community even though it ranks #37 in the country. It ranks down at #207 on Nameberry, which is based on pageviews on their site. It is being used well but at the same time, it isn't being overly talked about which makes it ideal. Even though Savannah is technically popular, it would still be refreshing to hear on a baby today.

What do you think of this name and its cute nicknames like Savy, Sanna, Van, and Vanna? What middle names would you pair with it? What would you name her siblings? Here are a few ideas:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Brooke, Gabrielle, Heather, Lucy, Madison, Mckenzie, Sydney
Brothers: Arlo, Dallas, Jacob, Levi, Oliver, Seth, Travis

Middle Name Ideas:
Savannah Alexis
Savannah Isobel
Savannah Jade
Savannah Lorraine
Savannah Paige

As a Middle Name:
Bailey Savannah
Chloe Savannah
Harper Savannah
Morgan Savannah
Riley Savannah