Daisy

From our previous article listing names ending with the letters "-sy", we find a diamond in the rough. The most popular name on the list is Daisy.  

This pretty name is directly related to the flower. However, it also derives from the Old English word dægeseage meaning "day eye".  Daisies belong to one of the largest families of plants in the world. Often they have a yellow center and come in a variety of colors, with white being perhaps the most common. .

By böhringer friedrich - Own work, CC BY-SA 2.5

Sometimes Daisy is used as a nickname for Margaret. It happened in a round-about way due to the French name Marguerite becoming associated with the daisy in French. Margaret means "pearl" in Greek, and daisies were considered "pearls of the field" or "marguerites".  So Marguerite, and the Spanish Margarita, gained association with Daisy and Daisy became a nickname for Margaret.

In pop-culture, there is the animated Daisy Duck of Disney fame. There was also a character on the 1980s TV show Dukes of Hazzard named Daisy Duke, after whom short denim shorts were named. There was the film Driving Miss Daisy, and the character of Daisy in the book Great Gatsby. Currently, rising actress Daisy Ridley of the newest Star Wars films is helping give the name Daisy more familiarity, which could lead to more usage.

In the US, Daisy has been used as a given name since records began in the 1880s. It was well used around the 1920s before declining to its lowest point in the 1970s. It rose again after that, reaching a popularity peak in 1996 with 2,514 female births for the year and a rank of #124. Now as of 2016, there were 1,717 girls given the name for a rank of #190.

Daisy hasn't reached mega-popularity yet, which still allows it to be a somewhat unexpected choice among all the other options. It is a botanical name which fits in well with Lily, Violet and others in the floral-name club; and it also has some vintage appeal. If you are considering this name, here are some ideas for sibling names and middle names:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Amelia, Cora, Eliza, Hazel, Olivia, Romy, Zoey
Brothers: Colton, Eli, Heath, Maxwell, Nolan, Seth, Zane

Middle Name Ideas:
Daisy Annabelle
Daisy Cailyn
Daisy Genevieve
Daisy Juliana
Daisy Madison
Daisy Tabitha

As a Middle Name:
Ariana Daisy
Harper Daisy
Lydia Daisy
Michaela Daisy
Sophia Daisy
Tallulah Daisy

What would you pair with Daisy?

Jeremy

We took a look at all the names ending with the letters -my in the previous post. Today we'll pull one of those from the list and get to know it better. I chose Jeremy,  which may feel a bit dated to many of you but it still deserves usage today.

Jeremy comes from the name Jeremiah, it is the Medieval English version of it. Jeremiah comes from the Hebrew name יִרְמְיָהוּ (Yirmiyahu) meaning "YAHWEH has uplifted". Jeremy was occasionally the form used in England in place of Jeremiah since the 13th century. It wasn't until the Protestant Reformation that Jeremiah gained more common usage.

Interesting related diminutives include Jez, Jezza, Jem, Jemmy, Jere and Jerry.  Other languages and cultures offer interesting choices such as the Finnish Jorma, Jarkko, and Jarmo; or the Biblical Greek Ieremias, the Biblical Hebrew Yirmiyahu, and the Biblical Latin Hieremias.  The French favor Jérémie and the Spanish use Jeremías.

Jeremy itself works internationally without being "translated". It has ranked at #445 in France recently, #390 in the Netherlands, and #497 in England and Wales. Canada, Australia, Belgium and Switzerland also have the occasional love for Jeremy.

In the US, Jeremy didn't gain usage until 1923, but was nearly always in the Top 1000 after that, starting in the 1940s. It peaked in 1977 in the US, which may make Jeremy feel most associated with the 1970s and 1980s. That's a valid feeling because it was suddenly very popular for only that short amount of time. It only had 641 births in 1968 but received a high of 21,012 by 1977 which labeled it as the 15th most popular name in the country.

Today, it is still finding itself ranked at a respectable #174 as of 2015, which means 2,380 boys were named Jeremy in that year. It is a solid, "alternative classic" name. It is biblical-based and very versatile over multiple languages which means Jeremy will always be around, even though it isn't as popular as it once was.

What do you think of this name? Do you know any children named Jeremy? If you're considering it, here are some sibling name ideas and middle name ideas:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Amanda, Bethany, Danielle, Lydia, Nicole, Sabrina, Tabitha
Brothers: Aaron, Gerard, Joshua, Mitchell, Ryan, Samuel, Zachary

Middle Name Ideas:
Jeremy Brian
Jeremy Daniel
Jeremy Noah
Jeremy Oliver
Jeremy Tobias
Jeremy Zachariah

As a Middle Name:
Andrew Jeremy
David Jeremy
Ian Jeremy
Matthew Jeremy
Seth Jeremy
William Jeremy

Which  names would you pair with Jeremy? Share your thoughts below!

Happy Name Nerd-oween! The 2016 Baby Name Stats Are Here!

As you may know, the Social Security Administration has released the list of 2016's most popular baby names. It covers the Top 1000 in the site, but more names beyond that are also available for download.

Emma has ranked at #1 four times now. The first time was in 2008, and now she's been ruling the chart for 3 years straight (2014-2016). Will Emma continue her reign again next year? If not, which name will steal the crown? I think Olivia will rise to the top in the next year or three.

As for the boys, Noah replaced the long-running Jacob in 2013. This is Noah's 4th year in a row being #1. How much longer will it remain at the top? If it dips next year, which name would replace it? My bet is on Liam.

What do you think of the top 2? Here's the rest of the Top 20 as well:

Source

Names on the rise include:

One notable thing is that Elijah joined the Top 10 for the first time ever. Other names to watch include Oliver, Charlotte, Amelia and Evelyn.

• Oliver is up 7 ranks, It didn't join the top 100 until 2009 and now it is on the verge of breaking into the Top 10. It ranked at #12 in 2016, so I would guess that it will land at either #9 or #10 next year. (With sister name Olivia taking #1 for the girls). What do you think?
• Charlotte which is up by 2 ranks over 2015 and is definitely on the rise. Charlotte could be a contender for the Top 3 in the next few years.  
• Amelia has been steadily rising since joining the Top 100 in 2004, hitting #11 now in 2016. 
• Evelyn once ranked at #10, but that was way back in 1915. At #12 in 2016, she could make a run for the Top 10 soon.

Names on the decline include:

Boys:

Aiden (down 3 ranks)

Jacob (down 3 ranks)

Alexander (down 3 ranks)

Girls: 

Madison (down 4 ranks)

Beyond the Top 20:

Every year, there are names that suddenly have major popularity boosts from one year to the next. These are fascinating to look at, but they don't always result in becoming "the next big name". However, if you want to avoid following the trends, it's good to know which names are being most-used by the masses. Here are the Top 10 names that climbed the most ranks:

Source

And going the opposite direction, there are also names that lose favor in mass. Here are the Top 10 names that declined the most from 2015 to 2016:

Source

Clearly America has grown tired of the Caitlin/Katelynn crowd. What do you think of those?

What other interesting stats did you see? Share any information that stood out to you the most! 

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.

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!

Rocky

This name comes from our list of names ending with the letters "-ky". If you saw that article, you know that this is a very limited club of names, but there are definitely some cool choices. One of the coolest options from the list is Rocky.

Rocky is given as a full name, but it is also treated as more of a nickname. It could be considered a diminutive of the name Rocco which is a Germanic name from the element hrok which means "rest". Rocco is the patron saint of the sick.

However, as you may know, Rocky is not so much a saint as a famous fictional boxer. The Rocky franchise of movies starring Sylvester Stallone as Rocky began in 1976 and is possibly the most well-known association with this name. Another association comes from the old cartoons "The Bullwinkle Show" and "Rocky and His Friends" both of which aired in the 1960s. These featured a flying squirrel named Rocky and his moose pal experiencing a variety of adventures. Interestingly, Rocky was short for "Rocket", which would definitely be a bold choice for a baby name today.

As a baby name in the US, Rocky appeared on the charts in 1913. In 1942, it entered the Top 1000 chart and had a great year in 1957 with its record-high 911 births for a single year. It had its ups and downs but has mostly remained within the Top 1000 except for the years 1999, 2002, 2004 and 2008-2012. Nowadays, Rocky still lingers in the #900s as a viable option for usage on a modern boy. There have even been a handful of female Rockys, including 6 in 2015, but mostly given between 1949-1984. Do you know anyone named Rocky?

If not, perhaps it would be an appealing choice for your child. If so, here are some ideas for middle names and sibling names for Rocky if you were to use it:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Ada, Dolly, Frankie, Laurel, Minnie, Robin, Vona
Brothers: Daryl, Jack, Jett, Lou, Mickey, Russell, Val

Middle Name Ideas:
Rocky Allen
Rocky Carter
Rocky James
Rocky Lucas
Rocky Oliver
Rocky William

As a Middle Name:
Alvin Rocky
Donald Rocky
George Rocky
Laurence Rocky
Max Rocky
Vince Rocky

These may be a bit unconventional and over-the-top, but they work if you strictly remain in the same tough, nicknamey vein as Rocky. What would YOU pair with Rocky?

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?

Harley

Today's featured name comes from our list of names that end with the letters "-ey". There were many to choose from but Harley was the winner.

Harley comes from a surname which was derived from an Old English place name meaning "hare clearing", taken from hara meaning "hare" and leah meaning "clearing, meadow". If you name your child Harley, you could definitely get away with rabbit decor. 

This is a unisex name. In the US, it ranks higher for females. In England and Wales, it ranks highly for males. In Australia and New Zealand, it is only male. 

If we look closer at the popularity statistics in the US, we'll find that Harley has been on record for boys since records began in 1880. It has consistently kept up as the population grew, still ranking within the Top 1000 all these years. In 2015, there were 386 boys named Harley which ranks the name as the 663rd most popular name in the country.

Girls, on the other hand, have only been named Harley consistently since 1968. There were a handful of births between 1916 and 1953, but they were minimal. In 1991, this name debuted on the charts at #678 and kept rising thereafter. As of 2015, the name ranks at a high of #281 for girls with 1,123 births for the year.

So which gender is this name better on? Which do you prefer? I have always thought of it as a male name, which is why the photo above is blue. However, it is more commonly given to girls in America.

If you are considering naming your child Harley, here are some ideas for middle names and sibling names:

Sibling Name Ideas:

Sisters: Addison, Kennedy, Madison, Payton, Piper, Scarlett, Taylor

Brothers: Ashton, Carson, Colton, Fletcher, Jagger, Quentin, Tyler

Middle Name Ideas (boy):

Harley Alexander

Harley Elliott

Harley James

Harley Lincoln

Harley Theron

Harley Wyatt

As A Middle Name (boy):

Adam Harley

Donovan Harley

Logan Harley

Maxwell Harley

Owen Harley

William Harley

Middle Name Ideas (girl):

Harley Annabelle

Harley Grace

Harley Kate

Harley Olivia

Harley Rose

Harley Vivian

As A Middle Name (girl):

Amelia Harley

Caroline Harley

Elizabeth Harley

Juliana Harley

Madeline Harley

Victoria Harley

What would you pair with the name Harley?

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?

Robert or Bobby? - Full Given Names or Nicknames on the Birth Certificate?

Here in America, we tend to like putting the long, proper form of the name on the birth certificate even if we end up calling them by something else as a nickname. Other countries sometimes cut to the chase more often and just name them the short form to start with.

However, it isn't unheard of here in the US. The #2 boys' name of 2015, Liam, is essentially the second half of the name William. It's considered the Irish form, but it still ranks higher than its longer companion.

I thought it would be fun to browse the Top 1000 and find some names that are typically thought of as nicknames (or diminutives or short forms) more often than given names. Most of these are considered nicknames for something longer and many have probably stood alone for years. You may be surprised at how well some of these more abrupt names actually rank on their own:

Liam #2

Luke #28
Jack #40
Eli #53
Jace #75
Leo #91
Max #118
Jayce #132
Alex #134
Jase #182
Mark #196
Jake #205
Xander #207
Jax #214
Zander #249
Johnny #310
Andy #323
Enzo #330
Thiago #333
Drew #363
Jay #394
Theo #408
Danny #426
Alec #455
Nico #464
Ty #484
Jaime #485
Jerry #491
Tony #504
Chris #507  
Hank #534
Sam #554
Larry #556
Randy #570
Jimmy #575
Ricky #584
Joe #596
Niko #636
Mack #661
Terry #664
Eddie #668
Marc #673
Toby #689
Zeke #704
Tommy #705
Ray #713
Clay #718
Jon #737
Bobby #738
Ben #740
Joey #758
Ronnie #771
Willie #775
Maxim #779
Harry #781
Trace #801
Billy #8009
Jamie #821
Van #826
Will #834
Rudy ##868
Jordy #874
Franco #878
Kenny #890
Rey #903
Jessie #918
Rocky #927
Louie #967
Freddy #990
Frankie #992

Would you ever use any of these names alone or would you opt for Edward with the nickname Eddie or Kenneth with the nickname Kenny instead?  Can you think of any other names like these that you would consider?

What Were The Top Baby Names in 2015?

If you had a baby in the year 2015, you essentially cast your vote for the most popular names in the country.  And since another year has come and gone, we now get to dive into the latest baby name data!

As you may know, the Social Security Administration rounds up the applications submitted for the year and they tally up how many names received how many births. It may not always be completely accurate, but it is very telling. It allows us to analyze which names are trending throughout the country.

This is important for many parents who do not want their kids to be one of five Liams in a classroom. Some people try their best to avoid any name ranking within the Top 10, or Top 100 or even the Top 1000. Statistics are important, people.

So which names were used the most in 2015?

You can view the full Top 1000 names on this list here.  Do you have any favorites in the Top 10?

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!

Soren

Taken from the list of The Very Best S Names for Boys and Girls is the interesting masculine name Soren. Let's learn more about it.

Soren is a Scandinavian name that's starting to catch on with American parents today. There are three different ways to spell Soren. First, there's just the anglicized Soren which is typically pronounced Sorr-en.

If you venture into Scandinavia, there's also the Danish and Norwegian form the name spelled Søren and pronounced more like SUU-ren. Derived from that is the form that the Swedes and Germans tend to prefer: Sören, also pronounced SUU-ren or ZUU-ren.

No matter how it is accented, the name originally comes from Severinus which is a Roman family name derived from Severus meaning "stern" in Latin.

This name has been well-used in Denmark. Just take a look at the long list of mostly Danish famous people on Nameberry.  What about its popularity in America?

Soren first appeared on record in the US in 1912 but it wasn't more regularly used until the 1950s. It remained obscure until it entered into the Top 1000 names in 2003 at #958. It has been inching its way up the charts, ranking at #640 in 2014 with 408 male births.

There were also 20 female births in 2014. Soren gained usage for girls in 1994. While it is still far from being considered truly unisex, which gender do you prefer it on?

If Soren is a name that you're considering, here are some middle name ideas and sibling name ideas:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Annika, Britta, Dagny, Elsa, Freya, Kiersten, Malina, Theodora
Brothers: Anders, Erik, Gunnar, Jensen, Leif, Magnus, Oscar, Viggo

Middle Name Ideas:
Soren Alexander
Soren Christopher
Soren Frey
Soren James
Soren Ragnar

As a Middle Name:
Axel Soren
David Soren
Henry Soren
Oliver Soren
Quincy Soren

What do you think of the name Soren? What middle names would you pair with it?

Ruby

Based on this week's list of The Very Best R Names for Boys and Girls, I've chosen the vintage, gem name Ruby.

Ruby is derived from the Latin word ruber which means "red". As you might know, it is the name of a precious stone with a red hue that serves as the birthstone of the month of July. Along with other gem names, Ruby was first used as a name in the Victorian Era.

As a baby name, Ruby gained usage in the 19th century. It has been in use since name records were first kept in the US in 1880. Ruby was particularly well-used in the early 1900s, peaking from 1918-1924 with over eight thousand births each year.

Vintage names like Ruby that were popular around 1920, declined in usage and then began climbing the charts again in recent years are fashionable now. There are many that follow this same pattern that's sometimes called the 100 Year Rule which basically states that once-popular names tend to come back in style after about 100 years have passed.

Currently, Ruby is on its way back up the charts. In 2014 there were 3,383 girls given the name for a rank of #90. It will no doubt keep inching upward and could very well get over eight thousand births in a year once again within the next 5-10 years. If this happens, Ruby will be an excellent example of a vintage name that follows the 100 Year Rule.

Ruby is beautiful, spunky, and interesting. While it worked so well for the older generation, it does work once again for modern girls.

If you'd like to contribute to Ruby's cause for gaining popularity, here are some ideas for middle names and sibling names:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Amelia, Eleanor, Hazel, Lila, June, Olive, Stella
Brothers: Benjamin, Dean, Hugh, Jack, Nolan, Samuel, Travis

Middle Name Ideas:
Ruby Abigail
Ruby Madeline
Ruby Ophelia
Ruby Susannah
Ruby Victoria

As a Middle Name:
Caroline Ruby
Elizabeth Ruby
Helena Ruby
Martina Ruby
Tessa Ruby

What do you think of the name Ruby? What middle name would you pair with it?

Quincy

Quincy was hand-chosen from our article that featured The Very Best Q Names for Boys and Girls. We'll take a closer look at it now.

Quincy is a surname that came from the place name Cuinchy which is a village in France. Cuinchy was originally derived from the Ancient Roman praenomen, or given name, Quintus which means "fifth" in Latin. Typically, Quintus was only given to the fifth born son but this isn't a necessary requirement for a modern boy named Quincy.

Perhaps the most famous bearer of this name is the sixth president of the United States, John Quincy Adams, who happened to be born in the town Quincy, Massachusetts which was named after his mother's grandfather Colonel John Quincy.

This interesting, quirky name has been in regular usage since name records were first kept in 1880 in the US. It was never all that popular until the mid 1970s. At its peak, Quincy ranked at #273 in 1977 with a total of 717 male births. Usage has now fallen to a steady 400-500 births per year. In 2014, 422 boys were named Quincy for a popularity rank of #622.

While I am featuring this name for boys, it has also been regularly used for girls since about 1913. Quincy has never ranked within the Top 1000 for girls, but it is up to #1468 in 2014 with 152 female births. It is gaining more and more usage for girls and could potentially be considered unisex and then surpass the boys, especially with the popularity of the similar name Quinn for girls these days.

Since we're focusing on the male Quincy for now, here are some ideas for sibling names and middle names:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Charlotte, Darby, Fallon, Meghan, Olivia, Piper, Riley
Brothers: Dashiell, Finnegan, Kelvin, Neil, Owen, Sawyer, Tobias

Middle Name Ideas:
Quincy Eamon
Quincy Donovan
Quincy Jude
Quincy Logan
Quincy Samuel

As a Middle Name:
Eli Quincy
Isaac Quincy
Levi Quincy
Malcolm Quincy
Sean Quincy

What do you think of Quincy? What middle name would you pair with it?

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! 

Nova

Inspired by our list of The Very Best N Names for Boys and Girls, I present the name Nova.

Nova comes from the Latin word novus which means "new". A nova is also a space term for when there is a cataclysmic nuclear explosion on a white dwarf planet. It causes a sudden brightening of the star. A nova is slightly different than a supernova which is a stellar explosion that briefly outshines an entire galaxy with as much energy as the sun before fading.

As a name, Nova has been in use for girls since 1885 in the US but it was never popular until it exploded within the past 5 years. It ranked below the Top 1000 at #1133 in 2010. By 2013 it was up to #529. As of 2014 Nova ranked way up at #287 with 1,121 births for the year. It also ranks well in the Netherlands and Sweden.

Nova has recently spiked for boys, too. It has always been given to males here in the US but not regularly until 1996. In 2014 there were 102 boys named Nova for a rank of #1553. Do you like this name more for a boy or a girl?

Nova is an interesting celestial name that's gaining more popularity today than ever before. It's short and sweet with a vivid letter V. It's quirky and cool for a modern girl. If you're considering using Nova, here are a few ideas for sibling names and middle names:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters:  Amara, Celeste, Estelle, Lila, Sidonie, Vella, Zoey
Brothers: Evander, Griffin, Hale,  Jules, Merritt, Orion, Xander

Middle Name Ideas:
Nova Beatrice
Nova Helene
Nova Juliet
Nova Leonie
Nova Scarlett

As a Middle Name:
Charlotte Nova
Elizabeth Nova
Josephine Nova
Margaret Nova
Penelope Nova

What middle names would you pair with Nova for a boy?

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?

Luna

Taken straight from our list of The Very Best L Names for Boys and Girls is the lovely name Luna.

While Luna is usually listed as either Italian, Spanish or both, it originates as a Latin name meaning "the moon". According to the ancient Roman mythology, the goddess Luna was considered the divine embodiment of the moon and was often portrayed as driving a white chariot through the sky. Her Greek counterpart is the goddess Selene.

As a baby name in the US, Luna dates back to the start of our modern records in the year 1880. Luna has been used on and off over the years, encountering a bit of a dry spell in the mid-60s. It was never popular until recently when it joined the Top 1000 names in 2003. It has been steadily rising on the popularity chart since then. 2,314 baby girls were given the name in 2014 for a ranking of #143. At this rate, it should continue to rise in popularity.

Luna is short and sweet. It carries beautiful imagery with it as it evokes peaceful vibes synonymous with the night sky. It works very well on Spanish and Italian girls but it is popular enough now to work on anyone without raising eyebrows.

Since it is relatively short, it best pairs with a longer-looking middle name, even if they might have the same amount of syllables. For more ideas of how to pair this name, view my suggestions for potential sibling names and middle names below:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Aurora, Cara, Maia, Molly, Sadie, Stella, Violet
Brothers: Asher, Damian, Jack, Marius, Paul, Ruben, Xavier

Middle Name Ideas:
Luna Charlotte
Luna Delphine
Luna Mirabelle
Luna Penelope
Luna Tamsin

As a Middle Name:
Abigail Luna
Eleanor Luna
Marjorie Luna
Persephone Luna
Rafaela Luna

What do you think of the names I suggested? What would you pair with Luna? My favorite guilty pleasure pairing is Luna Sapphire for the image of a big blue moon.

Kai

Today's featured name comes from the list of The Very Best K Names for Boys and Girls. This one actually happens to be unisex these days but it will be mainly presented for males in this article, (hence the blue below).

The Kai that I'm most familiar with is the Hawaiian name that means "sea". This is the one being featured here.  Other possible meanings for this name include "forgiveness" in Japanese, "food" in Maori and "willow tree" in Navajo.

Kai is also considered a diminutive for names like Gerhard, Nicolaas, Cornelis and Gaius/Caius. It is also a feminine variant of Kaja which comes from Katarina.

Internationally, Kai ranks well! It is actually doing better in other countries for boys than it is in the US. However, we're the only country that has a ranking for this name as a feminine one.

This is how Kai ranked in the US:
Boy: 2,387 births (#177)
Girl: 262 births (#1000)

This means the name's unisex ratio is 90% boy / 10% girl based on the births for 2014.

In England/Wales, Kai recently ranked at #64 for boys. Canada (BC) ranked it at #36; it was #69 in Australia, #85 in Ireland, #65 in Northern Ireland, #55 in Scotland, and #121 in the Netherlands. These are the most recent rankings I found so they may vary a bit today.

The name Kaia is a feminine form of Kai that's also ranking well at #551 in the US.

What do you think of the name Kai? It is short and sweet and definitely carries that Hawaiian vibe which gives the name warmth and an exotic feel. It is handsome and cool, bold but not unusual. Are you considering it?  If so, here are a few ideas for sibling names and middle names for Kai:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Aria, Kamilah, Leilani, Milana, Noa, Sienna, Zoey
Brothers: Arlo, Finnian, Jude, Milo, Orion, River, Silas

Middle Name Ideas:
Kai Elliott
Kai Hawthorn
Kai Julian
Kai Sebastian
Kai Thackeray
Kai Valentine

As a Middle Name:
Evander Kai
Lachlan Kai
Nathaniel Kai
Remington Kai
Samuel Kai
William Kai

Unless you're Hawaiian, it is probably going to be difficult to find a middle name that will share Kai's origin. I wouldn't worry about that. The above names simply sound nice and flow well with Kai. What would you pair with Kai?