The Art of Naming

Last month we discovered which names were most favored by America in 2014. As you know, Emma and Noah were ranked at #1.  Have you ever wondered which unisex names are the most popular?

The SSA doesn't make a separate list for unisex names. It's up to us to determine which names are used for both boys and girls.

If you saw my previous article regarding the boy-to-girl ratios of every unisex name within the Top 1000, you'll see that some names are used more often for one gender than the other, yet some names are very evenly used.

So how can we determine which unisex names are the most popular based on this information?

Since there are two genders, it's a bit complicated to determine the exact popularity, especially since I was taking into account the boy-to-girl ratios of the names, the number of births for each gender, and the rank assigned to the names by the Social Security Administration..

While determining which unisex names are the most popular across the genders, my dilemma was whether or not to include the barely-unisex names like Logan (94% male) or Harper (97% female). In the end, I did include those.

I ranked the Top 10 Unisex Names of 2014 based on the list of names and their data from my previous article. All data ultimately came straight from the SSA's list.

There was much debate and number crunching, but I chose to simplify things by averaging the sum of boy/girl ranks with the "most popular" names having the smallest numbers. Here's the top 10 that I came up with:

1. Avery
In every data crunching method that I toyed with, Avery was without a doubt the most-used unisex name by both genders. At #13 for girls and #186 for boys, Avery is definitely popular. It comes from a surname that may have been derived from either Alberich or Alfred, both names having a meaning related to elves. Because of that, Avery is generally said to mean "Elf Ruler".

2. Riley
Our second most popular unisex name is Riley which also comes from a surname. It actually has two origins. As an Irish surname, it's a variant of Reilly whose meaning is unknown; and as an English surname, it comes from a place name that refers to a "rye clearing". In 2014, Riley ranked at #47 for girls and #173 for boys.

3. Peyton
Between Peyton and Payton, this name is getting a lot of usage for girls. However, the boys still like it too. Peyton in particular is 71% girl but when you average both ranks, it becomes our #3 unisex name.  It came in at #56 for girls and #210 for boys which are respectable ranks! Peyton comes from an English surname which came from a place name meaning "Paega's town".

4. Jordan
Both Jordan and Jordyn have usage as unisex names within the Top 1000. While Jordyn is 91% girl, Jordan is 84% boy. Since we are only considering Jordan here as our #4 unisex name, it's interesting to note that it ranked at #55 for boys and #247 for girls. This name is generally based on the Jordan River near Israel.

5. Parker
This one surprised me a bit. It feels very masculine but it is being given to girls with increased frequency now. 20% of all Parkers born in 2014 were female, which is up from 17% in 2013. It ranked at #73 for boys and #235 for girls last year!  Parker is an English occupational surname that refers to a "keeper of the park".

6. Hayden
From an English surname, Hayden is derived from place names meaning "hay valley" or "hay hill". This name has a decent split of 63% boy and 37% girl. It ranks at #142 for boys and #199 for girls which makes them both reasonably popular. That's why this name is our #6 unisex name for 2014!

7. Angel
Following closely behind Hayden in terms of the rank averages, Angel is well used for both genders primarily in the Hispanic community.  It's more popular for a boy with 84% of all Angels being male. It ranks at #67 for boys and #275 for girls in 2014. The name is based on the heavenly creatures and means "messenger" in Greek.

8. Alexis
From a Greek name meaning "defender", Alexis is our 8th most popular unisex name in 2014. It ranks higher for girls at #64 but the boys hold their own at #302. The boys actually gained 2% from 2013 in the boy-to-girl ratio of usage.

9. Logan
This name is predominantly used by boys and ranked at #13 in 2014 with over 13 thousand births. However, it also ranked at #391 for girls which is actually quite high despite there being only 828 female births. Logan is unisex even though it has a 94/6 boy-to-girl ratio.  It is a surname meaning "little hollow" which relates to a place in Scotland.

10. Dylan
Similar to Logan, this name has a 93/7 boy-to-girl ratio. Dylan came in at #29 for boys in 2014 while it ranked #394 for girls. In the end, there were over 10 thousand male Dylans and just over 800 females.  This Welsh name meaning "great tide" ranks at #10 on this list!

What do you think of my top 10 list? Would you have crunched the numbers differently? If so, share your methods in the comments below! 

Welcome to our annual list of unisex names. This is where we analyze the gender ratios of each name. Some of these may not truly classify as a true "unisex name" because they will swing very heavily to one side or the other.

I chose to include some names like that because it is worth mentioning, especially if it ranked at 3% last year and now ranks at 5%. That means the name is beginning to gain more popularity for the minority gender.

Over time, it could continue to change and become more of a 20/80 thing and perhaps later a 40/60 thing. Wouldn't you like to be able to guess these things in advance if its a name you're pondering for a future child?

There have been many cases where a name was traditionally male and it was then slowly taken over by the girls. Some of those formerly male names are now considered completely female. Names evolve. If we can catch them in the act, well, I think it would be exciting.

I'm only mentioning all of this because last year I got comments regarding my monitoring of names like Ryan that were only given to 3% of girls. Yes, that does not mean that Ryan is a unisex name through and through. BUT it means that Ryan could potentially gain more usage for females over time and end up becoming a true unisex name.

Take a look at the current trend in Hollywood.  It seems like every other week we're hearing about a new celebrity baby girl being given a masculine name. While it may or may not catch on with mainstream parents right now, it could happen eventually. Things seem to be moving that way already and you never know what the future of naming might bring!

Here are some more examples of celebrity baby girls who were given traditionally masculine names:

Wyatt (Mila Kunis & Ashton Kutcher)
Lincoln (Kristin Bell & Dax Shepherd)
James (Blake Lively & Ryan Reynolds)
Ryan (Haylie Duff)
Maxwell (Jessica Simpson)
Hunter (Kevin Rahm)
Casper (Jason Lee)
Mason & Spencer (Kelsey Grammer)

There are likely many more examples of these. Now we are going to take a look at all of the potentially unisex names in the Top 1000.

Mostly Female Usage:

First, the following are the names that swing more toward the female side, meaning they have 60% or more usage for girls with 40% or less for boys.

Harper: 3% boy / 97% girl                   Boy: 327 births (#728) Girl: 9,564 births (#11) Avery: 19% boy / 81% girl Boy: 2,269 births (#186) Girl: 9,517 births (#13) Riley: 34% boy / 66% girl Boy: 2,429 births (#173) Girl: 4,761 births (#47) Skylar: 8% boy / 92% girl Boy: 409 births (#637) Girl: 4,732  births (#48) Peyton: 29% boy / 71% girl Boy: 1,828 births (#210) Girl: 4,426 births (#56) Alexis: 22% boy / 78% girl Boy: 1,172 births (#302) Girl: 4,188 births (#64) Taylor: 15% boy / 85% girl Boy: 691 births (#435) Girl: 3,782 births (#77) London: 12% boy / 88% girl Boy: 433 births (#611) Girl: 3,264 births (#93) Morgan: 12% boy / 88% girl Boy: 402 births (#650) Girl: 2,984 births (#101) Reagan: 7% boy / 93% girl Boy: 205 births (#999) Girl: 2,882 births (#106) Rylee: 8% boy / 92% girl Boy: 247 births (#877) Girl: 2,753 births (#113) Quinn: 25% boy / 75% girl Boy: 868 births (#363) Girl: 2,539 births (#126) Jordyn: 9% boy / 91% girl Boy: 239 births (#895) Girl: 2,533 births (#127) Kendall: 11% boy / 89% girl Boy: 310 births (#754) Girl: 2,432 births (#131) Ariel: 12% boy / 88% girl Boy: 319 births (#738) Girl: 2,419 births (#133) Payton: 14% boy / 86% girl Boy: 406 births (#644) Girl: 2,397 births (#134)

Eden: 17% boy / 83% girl Boy: 447 births (#601) Girl: 2,117 births (#151) Emery: 15% boy / 85% girl Boy: 361 births (#687) Girl: 2,026 births (#161) Reese: 17% boy / 83% girl Boy: 403 births (#648) Girl: 1,960 births (#165) Emerson: 39% boy / 61% girl Boy: 1,048 births (#324) Girl: 1,670 births (#196) Marley: 14% boy / 86% girl Boy: 273 births (#821) Girl: 1,643 births (#202) Finley: 36% boy / 64% girl Boy: 829 births (#374) Girl: 1,498 births (#223) Teagan: 14% boy / 86% girl Boy: 212 births (#979) Girl: 1,272 births (#253) Lyric: 17% boy / 83% girl Boy: 255 births (#860) Girl: 1,210 births (#271) Harley: 30% boy / 70% girl Boy: 407 births (#641) Girl: 940 births (#349) Kamryn: 20% boy / 80% girl Boy: 216 births (#967) Girl: 850 births (#380) Sage: 32% boy / 68% girl Boy: 399 births (#654) Girl: 834 births (#388) Tatum: 36% boy / 64% girl Boy: 462 births (#592) Girl: 828 births (#392) Jamie: 32% boy / 68% girl Boy: 292 births (#786) Girl: 633 births (#489) Leighton: 30% boy / 70% girl Boy: 240 births (#893) Girl: 568 births (#540) Jessie: 36% boy / 64% girl Boy: 280 births (#809) Girl: 504 births (#587) Emory: 40% boy / 60% girl Boy: 252 births (#868) Girl: 373 births (#743)

The most popular unisex name, meaning the name with the most usage across both genders, is Avery with over 9 thousand births for girls and 2 thousand for boys. This means they both rank well at #13 and #186 respectively.  Both Skylar and Skyler are gaining for the girls whereas Tatum, Finley, Alexis  Kendall, and Morgan have shifted toward the boys' side.

The brand new Social Security Administration list of the most popular baby names in 2014 is here! For the first time since 2008, Emma has reclaimed the throne, surpassing both Sophia and Olivia! On the boy's side, Noah has held onto his popularity another year even though many were speculating that #2 Liam would take it.

Here are the new Top 10 for each gender!


I thought Sophia would have continued her streak at #1 again this year, only possibly being unseated by Olivia. I was right about Olivia surpassing Sophia, but I didn't see Emma coming to claim the throne again after only being #1 once in 2008.  Charlotte made her way into the Top 10 by knocking Elizabeth out of the ring. With the birth of the new princess, Charlotte will probably continue to rise, potentially being #1 within the next 5 years! Any thoughts?


My guess was that Liam would take #1 but Noah holds on to the throne another year! Mason surpasses Jacob, and James takes Jayden's place! The names this year are all rather classic and traditional. These are solid names. I've seen some people complaining that they're all a bit boring. For example, Elijah was #11 again, so close to cracking the Top 10 for the first time and mixing things up. Maybe next year!

Today's featured name comes straight from our list of The Very Best G Names for Boys and Girls. It is a handsome choice that feels somewhat under-the-radar but is certainly climbing up the charts.



Graham is a Scottish surname which was derived from the English place name Grantham. This name is likely to  mean "gravelly homestead" in Old English.  There is a bit of a debate surrounding the pronunciation of this name but this mostly differs based on accents. Americans tend to say "gram" whereas those in the UK and elsewhere might say "gray-um". Both are correct, it just depends on where you live and what you prefer. How do you say it?

Graham first appeared as a surname in Scotland in the 12th century. It was worn by Baron William de Graham of Norway. Another famous Graham was Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922) who is credited with inventing the telephone.

While the name Graham has been in use since name statistics were first recorded in the US, it has really caught on with modern parents. Graham's first uphill climb on the popularity charts occurred around 1980. 2008 saw another boost in usage. Now in 2013, there were 1,876 boys named Graham for a ranking of #203. It may just break into the #100s in 2014.

Since this name has different possible pronunciations, it would also have different numbers of syllables. This would then have an affect on which middle names you might pair with it.  Gram or Gray-um? One syllable or two? What would flow best with each? Here are some ideas:

Gram:
Middle Name Ideas:
Graham Douglas
Graham Everett
Graham Riley
Graham Thomas
Graham Wesley

As a Middle Name:
Austin Graham
Jonathan Graham
Lincoln Graham
Oliver Graham
Vincent Graham

Gray-um:
Middle Name Ideas:
Graham Alexander
Graham Bennett
Graham Jasper
Graham Ross
Graham Theodore

As a Middle Name:
Eli Graham
Henry Graham
Noah Graham
Simon Graham
Robert Graham

Sibling Name Ideas for Either:
Sisters: Aria, Camilla, Elsie, Fiona, Lucy, Nora, Olivia, Vivian
Brothers: Asher, Duncan, Kenneth, Lachlan, Patrick, Reid, Trevor, Vaughn

What do you think of the name Graham? Is it on your list?

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



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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Since tomorrow is Valentine's Day, I chose to feature the lovely name Valentina today! What else would have been more appropriate?


This feminine name comes from the Roman Valentinus or Valens meaning "strong, vigorous, healthy" in Latin. Already this name has a great meaning! What about namesakes?

The masculine Valentine was a 3rd century saint and martyr whose feast day corresponded with a fertility festival, thus forever linking Valentine's day with love. A modern day bearer of the name Valentina is that of Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova. You may know her as the first woman to ever visit outer space in 1963. There is also Valentina Cortese, an Oscar-nominated actress, and a few celebrity children with the name.

In the US, Valentina is doing very well in the popularity department. It first appeared on record in 1897 but it wasn't regularly used until about 1910. It wasn't until 1994 that it entered the Top 1000. Now in 2013, there were 2,542 girls named Valentina with a ranking of #129.

If you map out the popularity of this name based on the number of births per year, you'll see the line go straight up starting in the 1990s. Something tells me that this name will continue climbing upwards and could possibly join the US Top 100 soon.

This name has usage in Italian, Spanish, Russian, Romanian and more which means that it has ranked fairly well around the world in recent years including #4 in Chile, #11 in Austria, #40 in Spain, #202 in the Netherlands and #340 in England/Wales among others.

What do you think of this name? Would you use Valentina for a girl or do you like Valentine more? What about Valentino for a boy? What would you pair with it? Here are a few ideas regarding siblings for Valentina and some middle name options:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Anastasia, Camilla, Emmeline, Lucia, Milana, Sabrina, Tatiana
Brothers: Augustus, Benedict, Dominic, Maximilian, Roman, Sebastian, Vincent

Middle Name Ideas:
Valentina Claire
Valentina Faye
Valentina Grace
Valentina Pearl

As a Middle Name:
Audrey Valentina
Hazel Valentina
Lily Valentina
Scarlett Valentina

Don't forget to vote for your favorite and share your thoughts in the comments below!

Original post: 2/6/15
Revision: 5/14/17

The latest article featuring The Very Best B Names for Boys and Girls had such a great collection that it was difficult to choose just one. In the end, today's featured name is Bridget.


Anglicized from the Irish name Brighid, Bridget means "exalted one".  It has also been suggested that Brighid could be derived from the Irish brigh meaning "strength".

Other spellings include Brigid, Bridgette, Brigit, and Bedelia. Variations in other languages include the Danish Britta, the Dutch Brigitta, the Finnish Riitta, the French Brigitte, the Italian Brigida, the Manx Breeshey, the Polish Brygida, and the Welsh Ffraid among many others.  Were you aware that Bridget was so internationally used?

In Irish mythology, there was a goddess of fire, poetry and wisdom named Bridget or Brigid. It was also the name of Saint Brigid in the 5th century, a patron saint of Ireland.  This saint was so esteemed in Ireland that the name was viewed as sacred and was not used for children. It wasn't until the 17th century that it gained usage, and when it did, it was insanely popular, so much so that its short form Biddy became the generic name for an Irish any-woman. The Scandinavian version Birgitta became common because of the 14th century saint of Sweden by that name.

These days in America, Bridget has been in constant use since before 1880. It began gaining an increase in usage in the late 1940s and climbed even higher up the charts in the 1960s. Bridget peaked in 1973 when the name was given to 2,763 baby girls for a ranking of #112.

Since then, the name has declined in popularity. Bridget ranked at #523 in 2013 with only 564 births for the year. This isn't a bad thing though. If you love the name Bridget, you'll be glad to know that it is growing more and more unique every year and that your daughter would be less likely to have another girl with the same name in her class.

Revision: As of 2016, Bridget ranks at #594 for a total of 506 births.  That is a decrease from the previously mentioned statistics above.

Bridget is a spunky and cute name for a modern girl. Since it is less popular and was never truly overly used in a past decade, it isn't considered "dated". It would still be lovely and refreshing to hear it on the playground today.

Nicknames could include Bee, Biddy, Britt, Bridie, Bridey, Jet, Jetty, Bridgie, Birdie or Bree.  What would you name a sibling for Bridget? Or what middle name would you give her? Here are some ideas for you if you're considering this name:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Claire, Erin, Jessica, Katherine, Megan, Molly, Sarah, Vanessa
Brothers: Brendan, Christopher, Daniel, Jacob, Kevin, Michael, Patrick, Shawn

Middle Name Ideas:
Bridget Alaina
Bridget Genevieve
Bridget Juliana
Bridget Maeve
Bridget McKenzie
Bridget Riley

As a Middle Name:
Amelia Bridget
Caitlyn Bridget
Emma Bridget
Isla Bridget
Lillian Bridget
Shayla Bridget

What do you think of the name Bridget? Or do you prefer a different spelling or variation? Don't forget to vote for one below!

Let's take a look at the past! The year 1950 was smack dab in the middle of the century. Babies born that year will celebrate their 65th birthday this year. Many of them are grandparents now and may even be lending their own names to their grandchildren.

The most popular boy names in 1950 were James, Robert, John, Michael and David. How did these names rank 63 years later in 2013? Well, most of them are classics that don't fade very far down the charts. In fact, James, Michael and David are still in the Top 20 today. Here's how the 1950's Top 25 names rank in 2013:

Boys:          James Robert John Michael David William Richard Thomas Charles Gary Larry Ronald Joseph Donald Kenneth Steven Dennis Paul Stephen George Daniel Edward Mark Jerry Gregory

1950:     1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

2013:               13 62 27 7 18 5 140 61 57 578 477 403 20 415 187 136 455 198 252 157 10 145 184 450 299

As you can see, all of the boy names that were in the Top 25 in 1950 are still within the Top 600 in 2013!  I found it interesting that even though some of these seem very dated, they're still hanging around and being used. Specifically, I was a little surprised to see Gary, Larry, Ronald, Donald, Dennis and Jerry still ranking as high as they do. Do you know any babies with these names? I'd wager that many of them are named after a relative but perhaps not all of them!

Next, I went through the Top 1000 names of 1950 and chose a single favorite per 100 names. These are names that are either fashionable and climbing the charts today, or names that I'd like to see get more usage! If you'd like to play along, browse the chart at the SSA website and in the comment section below, post your favorite names, one per every 100 names!

#99 - Theodore
The nickname Theo seems to be a big draw lately. This name ranked #99 in 1950 but has declined in usage since then. In the past decade, though, it has started regaining some popularity, ranking at #170 in 2013. This is one of my favorite classic names but I tend to love it more in the middle name spot!

#165 - Wesley
My grandfather's middle name is Wesley so I always thought of it as an old man name. Now that I'm older, I see the charm it has. I'd like to see this one used a bit more today. It ranked at #165 in 1950 and is actually doing even better than that today, ranking at #139 in 2013.

After looking at all of the 4+ syllable boy names available, I wanted to pick one that was legitimately 4 syllables on its own as opposed to a name that earned 4 syllables by adding an -o to the end of a name that is usually 3-syllables. With this criteria, it was actually rather tough to find a good one that hasn't already been featured. I settled on the biblical Jeremiah.


Jeremiah comes from the Hebrew name יִרְמְיָהוּ (Yirmiyahu) meaning "Yahweh has uplifted". In the bible, he was one of the major prophets in the Old Testament who wrote the Book of Jeremiah as well as the Book of Lamentations. He lived in the 6th century BC during the time of the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem.

In England, the Protestant Reformation brought about the usage of a lot of names that were later carried to Colonial America with the pilgrims. Jeremiah was one of those names. However, the shorter variation Jeremy was sometimes used since the 13th century in England.

Overall, Jeremy has had much more usage in the US than Jeremiah, but currently, their roles have swapped. Jeremiah has climbed the charts to #58 in 2013 while Jeremy's popularity of the 1970s-1980s has declined. Jeremy ranked at #159 in 2013 whereas it once ranked as high as #14 in 1976.

Jeremiah had a small peak of popularity in the late 70s during Jeremy's heyday but it is currently seeing its highest numbers ever, even though it has been in solid usage since 1880.  Possible nicknames could include Jere/Jer, Jerry, Jem, Jeremy, Miah.

What do you think of Jeremiah? Or would you prefer Jeremy? If you're in the market for some sibling or middle name ideas, here's some I came up with:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Elizabeth, Hadassah, Leah, Michaela, Ruth, Simone
Brothers: Benjamin, Ezra, Isaac, Jonathan, Malachi, Noah

Middle Name Ideas:
Jeremiah Blake
Jeremiah Carter
Jeremiah James
Jeremiah Parker
Jeremiah Robert

As a Middle Name:
Colton Jeremiah
Henry Jeremiah
Lucas Jeremiah
Tyler Jeremiah
Wesley Jeremiah

What middle names would you pair with Jeremiah? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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

Today's featured name is a strong, handsome Irish name that I hand-picked from this week's blog about boy names that contain the letter V!


The masculine name Donovan comes from an Irish surname which ultimately came from the Irish Ó Donndubháin which means "descendent of Donndubhán". That name is basically Gaelic for "dark brown".

Donovan has been in use in the US since 1900 and it has nearly always been in the Top 1000, save a few years early on. It peaked in 2003 with 2,210 births and a ranking of #176. Now in 2013, it has fallen to a respectable #281 with 1,224 births.  It also ranks at #380 in France.

Since this name is on the decline, it'll only become more and more unique. There probably isn't a danger of it sounding dated since it has been solidly established since 1900. It also wasn't incredibly popular. If it had peaked in the Top 50 and then immediately declined, it would be a different story. As it sits, it's still receiving good usage without being unusual or overly popular.

As far as namesakes go, there is a Scottish singer songwriter named Donovan who was most popular in the 1960s. There are many famous people with Donovan as a surname and a handful with it as a first name. Take a look at the full list here.

Nicknames may include Don, Donny, Dono and Van. What middle names might you pair with Donovan? What would you name his brother or sister? If you know anyone with this name, what are their siblings called? Share your thoughts in the comments below! Here are a few ideas:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Alanna, Bethany, Delaney, Emily, Fiona, Keely, Maeve, Olivia, Tierney
Brothers: Aidan, Colin, Declan, Desmond, Logan, Oliver, Patrick, Rafferty, Vincent

Middle Name Ideas:
Donovan Finley
Donovan Murphy
Donovan Reid
Donovan Riley

As a Middle Name:
Garrett Donovan
Levi Donovan
Michael Donovan
Neil Donovan

To round out Italian Week, let's take a look at a lovely Italian girl name: Luciana.


This name not only has Italian usage, but also Spanish, Portuguese and Ancient Roman.  It is the feminine form of the Latin Lucianus which is a Roman family name. It is derived from Lucius which comes from the Latin word lux meaning "light".

For girls, names like Lucia, Lucilla, Lucetta, Lucinda, Lucienne and Lucy are all related to Luciana. Male variations include Luciano, Lucianus, Lucius, Lucio and Lucian.  Of these, Lucia is hot in Spain.

Luciana has a couple different pronunciations. The Italians say loo-CHAH-nah and the Spanish will say loo-THYAH-nah or loo-SYAH-nah. You'll probably hear the last one most in the US.

In the US, Luciana has occasionally been used since 1897. It was very sporadic and with only a handful of births per year until there was a sudden boost from 1974-1977.  1976 was the biggest year with 317 births and a ranking of #546.

Luciana has only ranked in the Top 1000 from 1974-1976 and from 2006 -2013.  Most recently, there were 572 births in 2013 for a ranking of #515. This is the most the name has ever been used!  With Lucy being an appealing nickname, Lucia (#241) and Luciana will probably continue to gain usage in the near future.

What do you think of the lovely Luciana? Do you prefer Lucia or just Lucy instead?  What would you name her siblings? What middle names might you give her? Here are a few ideas:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Alessandra, Bianca, Constance, Graciela, Magdalena, Noelle, Serena
Brothers: Antonio, Constantine, Leonardo, Matteo, Raul, Teodoro, Victor

Middle Name Ideas:
Luciana Claire
Luciana Pearl
Luciana Rose
Luciana Violet

As a Middle Name:
Ada Luciana
Emma Luciana
Maren Luciana
Vivian Luciana

Welcome to Italian week! On Wednesday, we'll look at Italian baby naming traditions, and Friday will bring a lovely girls name. Today, we're looking at the Italian boy name Lorenzo.


Lorenzo is actually both the Italian and Spanish form of the Latin Laurentius or Laurence. This name means "from Laurentum" which is a city in ancient Italy probably derived the Latin word laurus meaning "laurel".  

In history, Lorenzo de Medici was the ruler of Florence during the Renaissance. He was known as the Magnificent and was a patron of the arts. He actually employed great artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Botticelli and others. Click here to view other namesakes in history.

Lorenzo currently ranks #4 in Italy and short-form Enzo ranks at #4 in France.  Renzo is another nickname option or even Leo.

This name has always done fairly well in the US too! It is one of those exotic but not too exotic choices that parents love. Since 1880, Lorenzo has consistently ranked in the 200-400 range. As of 2013, it ranked at #237 representing 1,498 total male births.

What do you think of Lorenzo? Which nicknames would you use? What middle name might you pair with it? What would his siblings be named?  Here are a few ideas that I came up with:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Cristina, Emilia, Isabella, Juliana, Marina, Sophia, Viviana
Brothers: Antonio, Dominic, Francisco, Julian, Luca, Reuben, Vincent

Middle Name Ideas:
Lorenzo Daniel
Lorenzo Elliott
Lorenzo Marcus
Lorenzo Raphael

As a Middle Name:
Felix Lorenzo
Nathan Lorenzo
Peter Lorenzo
Victor Lorenzo

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


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

A golden statue of Atlas

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In this month's World-Wide Wednesday, we'll be visiting Wales and examining their baby naming traditions! To kick things off, let's take a look at a Welsh boy name: Rhys.


Rhys is pronounced like Reese and is the name that Reese and Reece spring from. Many girls are given these variations but it is originally a masculine name. In fact, there have been several Welsh rulers named Rhys.

In Welsh, the name is said to mean "enthusiasm" or "ardor" which is a great, positive meaning to have in a name! In Wales, the name has quite a bit of history as well as modern usage. It ranks in the Top 100 in England/Wales, Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland making it a popular choice for boys!

However, in the US, Rhys isn't quite as popular. It has definitely been gaining some attention though. Rhys was first used in 1929, then 1941. It wasn't until 1946 that it gained some more regular usage. Very slowly it began to gain favor with parents. In 2004, Rhys made its debut appearance on the US Top 1000 chart at #940. Now it has inched its way upward to #489 in 2013 which accounts for 555 male births.  There were also 26 female births for a ranking of #5245.

This new popularity that Rhys has been experiencing could have been partially influenced by three actors, one named Jonathan Rhys Meyers, another named John Rhys-Davies, as well as a Welsh-born actor named Rhys Ifans. The name has also been used on a celebrity baby in 2009: Rhys Edward, son of Joey McIntyre of New Kids on the Block.

I think Rhys is a name that will continue to gain popularity with this spelling for boys. The Reese spelling is massively more popular for girls, ranking at #156 and only ranking at #602 for boys. I think the genders can share this same sound but use their own spellings. That would make it kind of unisex and kind of not and I think that's cool!

What do you think of Rhys? Or do you prefer Reese/Reece?  Here are some ideas that I came up with for potential siblings for Rhys as well as some middle name ideas:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Avalon, Brynn, Eleri, Gwyneth, Megan, Seren, Tegan
Brothers: Dylan, Evan, Gareth, Keane, Morgan, Owen, Trevor

Middle Name Ideas:
Rhys Broderick
Rhys Donovan
Rhys Finlay
Rhys Kennedy

As a Middle Name:
Caden Rhys
Finnegan Rhys
Griffith Rhys
Sullivan Rhys

What might you pair with Rhys?

I came up with a short list of unisex names to potentially feature and it was hard for me to decide between them, so I took the question to the wonderful people on Instagram! The first poll narrowed the list to three names, but the voting was very close on the final three. It came down to Finley, Lennon or Phoenix. In the end, I tallied all of the votes from both polls together and Lennon was the winner!


Upon hearing the name Lennon, the first thought that may come to many peoples' minds is that of the late John Lennon of super rock group The Beatles. Beyond the musical connection, which is probably a huge reason parents choose the name, Lennon actually comes from an Irish surname. It has been anglicized from Ó Leannáin which is basically a patronymic name meaning "descendant of Leannán". Leannán itself is said to mean "lover" in Gaelic.

Lennon is now considered a unisex name. Originally, it was only given to boys from 1913 to 1980 in the US. Girls were slowly given the name starting in 1981 and it has quickly caught up to the same ranks as the boys. In 2013, there were 273 girls named Lennon and 289 boys which makes this name nearly even for both genders because of its 51/49 split.

It has only gained this boost of popularity for girls in the past year. The birth split for 2012 was 33% girl and 67% boy. Before that, the difference was even greater.  If you're wondering, as of 2013, the boy Lennon ranks at #769 and the girl Lennon ranks at #923, joining the Top 1000 for the first time ever. It will be interesting to see if this iconic surname of a male rock star will eventually be turned into a name that's favored by females.

As a baby name choice, like I mentioned, Lennon is a musical honor name. It joins the ranks of others such as Hendrix, Jagger, Marley and Presley. As far as nicknames go, the most obvious would be Len or Lenny. However, nicknames aren't very necessary when the name's only 2 syllables long.

What do you think of the name Lennon? What sort of middle names or sibling names would you pair with it? Names of other celebrities? Other surnames? Other unisex names? There's plenty of routes to take. Here are a few ideas I came up with:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Auden, Hadley, Lucy, Marlow, Monroe, Rowan, Tatum
Brothers: Arlo, Harrison, Jude, Madden, Parker, Rowan, Sawyer

Male Middle Name Ideas:
Lennon Alexander
Lennon James
Lennon Oliver
Lennon Theodore

As a Middle Name:
Charles Lennon
Michael Lennon
Seth Lennon
Zachary Lennon

Female Middle Name Ideas:
Lennon Charlotte
Lennon Isabella
Lennon Kate
Lennon Victoria

As a Middle Name:
Audrey Lennon
Ivy Lennon
Maisie Lennon
Tabitha Lennon

Share your name pairing ideas in the comment section below or on Facebook!