From Augusto to Augustina: The Many August Names

As we reach the end of the month of August, let's take a moment to look at the related Aug-/Ag- names that could be used on a person today. Generally, these names all come from the Latin augere meaning "to increase", but other meanings came to include "great" and "venerable". Augustus was a title that Octavian, the first Roman emperor, was given. He was the adopted son of Julius Caesar.

There are many options available for both boys and girls. Some are more popular than others, but these are mostly rather uncommon here in the US.  Are there any that you would use?

By Unknown Till Niermann (Own work)
 [GFDL, CC-BY-SA-3.0  or CC BY-SA 2.5],
via Wikimedia Commons

Agostina  (Italian form of Augustinus - feminine - zero births on record for 2015 in US)

Agostino  (Italian form of Augustinus - masculine - 5 births on record for 2015)

Ágúst (Icelandic form of Augustus - masculine - zero births in 2015)

Agust (Swedish form of August - masculine - zero births in 2015)

Agustin (Spanish form of Augustinus - masculine - 223 births in 2015)

Augustina (Ancient Roman form of Augustinus - feminine - 14 births in 2015)

Augie/Auggie (English diminutive of August - unisex - 7 male births for Augie and 6 for Auggie in 2015. Zero female births on record for either name.)

August (German, Polish, Scandinavian and Catalan form of Augustus - unisex - 2,059 male births in 2015 for a rank of #195. 242 female births for a rank of #1072.)

Augusta (Feminine form of Augustus - 48 births in 2015.)

Auguste (French masculine form of Augustus, and the German feminine form of Augusta - 20 male births in 2015, zero female.)

Augusten (Alternate spelling of Augustin - masculine - 16 births in 2015)

Augustin (French, Czech, Romanian and Croatian form of Augustinus - masculine - 75 births in 2015)

Augustina (Feminine form of Augustinus - 14 births in 2015)

Augustine (Masculine English form of Augustus, and the feminine French form of Augustinus. - 26 female births in 2015, and 273 male births for a rank of #820)

Augusto (Spanish, Italian and Portuguese form of Augustus - masculine - 29 births in 2015)

Augustus (Ancient Roman / Latin - masculine - 643 births in 2015 for a rank of #467)

Augustijn (Dutch form of Augustinus- masculine - zero births on record in US)

Augustyna (Polish of Augustina- feminine - zero births on record in US)

Avgust  (Russian, Slovene, Ukrainian form of August - masculine - zero births on record in US)

Aukusti (Finnish form of Augustus - masculine - zero births on record in US)

Guus (Dutch diminutive of Augustus - masculine - zero births on record in US)

Gus (Short form of Augustus - masculine - 163 male births in 2015)

Then there's Austin, a Medieval contraction of Augustine. Austin is by far the most popular name on the list. It ranked as high as #9 in 1996 and 1997 for boys. Currently it earned 5,767 births for a rank of #69 in 2015. There were also 151 female births.

Austin has some variants such as:

Austen (unisex - 119 male births and 61 female births in 2015)

Austyn (unisex - had more male use in late 1990s to early 2000s, now has more female use. 103 male births and 242 female births in 2015.

Awstin (Welsh form of Austin - zero births on record in the US for either gender in 2015.)

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Now that you've browsed through this list, can you think of any that I may have missed? Otherwise, which is your favorite form? Would you use it?

The Best Names from Horror Movies

It's that time of year again. Nearly every doorstep is currently occupied by pumpkins, cobwebs and skeletons. Halloween is days away! You are no doubt finalizing your costume for the big party on Saturday or to take your little ones trick or treating. What about a horror movie marathon? Are you planning one of those?

There are many great horror films out there so I decided to browse through a few in search of great character names. Whether you would ever use one of these names for a child or not is up to you but surely you can appreciate these monikers and their counterparts.

Girls:
Addison (Saw II)
Blair (Blair Witch Project)
Carrie (Carrie)
Casey (Scream)
Dana (The Cabin in the Woods)
Elvira (Elvira: Mistress of the Dark)
Erin (Texas Chainsaw Massacre)
Gale (Scream)
Iris (30 Days of Night)
Jules (The Cabin in the Woods)
Katie (Paranormal Activity)
Laurie (Halloween)
Lila (Psycho)
Marion (Psycho)
Minnie (Rosemary's Baby)
Regan (The Exorcist)
Ripley (Alien)
Rosemary (Rosemary's Baby)
Samara (The Ring)
Sidney (Scream)
Stella (30 Days of Night)
Tatum (Scream)

Check out last year's list of spooky baby names for even more ideas!

Boys:
Ashley (The Evil Dead)
Chucky (Child's Play)
Dallas (Alien)
Damien (The Omen)
Eben (30 Days of Night)
Freddy (Nightmare on Elm Street)
Gage (Pet Sematary)
Guy (Rosemary's Baby)
Jack (The Shining)
Jason (Friday the 13th)
Kemper (Texas Chainsaw Massacre)
Krueger (Nightmare on Elm Street)
Marlow (30 Days of Night)
Michael (Halloween)
Morgan (Texas Chainsaw Massacre)
Norman (Psycho)
Radford (Midnight Movie)
Rigg (Saw II)
Torrance (The Shining)
Xavier (Saw II)
Zeke (The Faculty)

What is your favorite horror flick? Which of these names do you like most? Can you think of any I missed?

Blooming Springtime Names for Baby Girls

Today is the first day of spring and what is spring without flowers and sunshine? If you're expecting a baby girl this season, perhaps you are searching for the perfect name to fit the occasion.  Look no further than this list!

There are plenty of applicable nature names that would be beautiful on a spring-born baby girl. Here are some of the lovelier options:

Amaryllis
Azalea
Aya - "bird"
Beryl - A sea-green stone
Birdie
Blossom
Bluebell
Brooke
Calla
Chloe - "Green shoot"
Daffodil
Dahlia
Daisy
Dawn
Deborah - "bee"
Emerald
Fleur
Flora
Hyacinth
Iris
Ivy
Jade - A green stone
Lilac
Lily
Magnolia
Orchid
Peony
Peridot - A green stone
Petunia
Phyllida - "Green bough"
Poppy
Primrose
Rain
Robin
Rose
Spring
Sunny
Sunshine
Tulip
Violet

Here are other ideas relating to spring, newness, and Easter that would apply and make for less-obvious but still lovely springtime names:

Anastasia - "Resurrection" (Greek)
April / Avril - A spring month
Aurora - "Dawn" (Latin)
Aviva - "Spring" (Hebrew)
Florence - "Blooming, Flourishing" (Latin)
Gen - "Spring" (Japanese)
Laverna - "Born in the Spring" (Latin)
May / Mae - A spring month
Midori - "Green" (Japanese)
Nouvel - "New" (French)
Nova - "New" (Latin)
Primavera - "Spring" (Italian)
Verde - "Green" (Spanish)
Verna - "Springtime" (Latin)
Zelenka - "Green" (Czech)

Which of the above names do you like most? Would you use any? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Colorful Springtime Names for Baby Boys

Spring is a time for newness and growth. Everything is blooming and turning green! Nature is full of life! If you're also bringing forth a new life into the world, what better way to celebrate than to give him a handsome, timely name to fit the occasion?

Here are some great baby names that would suit a spring-born boy. Some of these are nature names that also refer to an actual spring or stream of water as well. Which do you like best?:

Atherton - "From the town by a spring"

Attwell - "Lives by the spring"
Aviv - "Spring" (Hebrew)
Berilo - Variant of Beryl - a green stone
Bloom
Bradwell - "From the broad spring"
Bud
Caldwell - "From the cold spring"
Denver - "Green Valley"
Green
Haruki - "Spring child"
Irving - "Green water"
Jarek - "Spring" (Slavic)
Kelby - "Place by the fountain or spring"
Leaf
March
Maxwell - "Mack's stream"
Navin - "New" (Hindi)
Neo - "New" (Latin)
Newland - "New Land" (English)
Pascal - "Easter" (French)
Rain
River
Robin
Vardan - "Rose" (Armenian)
Vasant - "Spring" (Sanskrit)
Verdi - "Green" (Italian)
Weldon - "Hill near a spring"

Here are some colorful names including names of shades of green:

Ash
Auburn
Forest
Garnet
Hunter
Indigo
Jasper
Jet
Kelly
Red
Sage
Slate
Sterling

Which of the above names do you like most? Would you ever use a seasonal name? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Winter Names for Girls

It isn't officially winter yet, but the snow is already starting to fall in many places. There is something so magical about the white snow.

If you're a fan of sipping hot cocoa in front of the fire and gazing out the window as the snowflakes flutter down from the night sky, you may find yourself in love with this list of wintery baby girl names.

There's also plenty of holiday-related choices for you as well if you're expecting a winter or Christmas baby!  Which of these are your favorite?

Adair                                         Alaska Amaryllis Angelica Aspen Belle Berry Bianca Camellia Carol Christabel Christmas Chrysanthemum Clara Coco Crimson Crystal Dancer December Demi Dorothea Eira Eirwen Eliora Epiphany Estelle Eve February Finola Fire Freesia Frostine Gabrielle Garnet Holiday

Holly Hope Icelyn Imani Ivy January Jenara Josephine Joy Lucia Lumi Lux Mary Merry Marcissa Natalie Neva Neve Nevada Nia Noelle Noor Olwen Persephone Primrose Scarlett Seren Snow Snowflake Solstice Stella Valentina Virginia Winter Wren

Can you think of any other winter or holiday names that should be included on the list? Don't forget to check out last week's post regarding Winter Boy Names too!

Winter Names for Boys

Even if the first day of Winter doesn't officially arrive until December 21st, you're surely feeling a cold breeze or two by now. This magical, snowy time of year puts people in a rather festive mood. If you're expecting a baby this winter, you're sure to find this list useful for a timely name.

If you're expecting a baby boy towards the end of December, well, you'll probably really love this list for its holiday-related ideas!  Whether you like the chill in the air or the roaring heat of a fire, these baby names sure are wonderful.

Angel

Aster
Aubin
Balthasar
Blaze
Branch
Chill
Christian
Colden
Coldin
Cole
Crispin
Darke
Demitri
Douglas
Emmanuel
Felix
Frost
Gabriel
Glover
Hail
Jack
Joseph
March
Melchior
Nicholas
Noel
North
Oakley
Pax
Pine
Phelan
Quilo
Ralph
Robin
Rollo
Rory
Rudolph
Rufus
Snowden
Storm
Theodore
Valentine
Whittaker
Winterhawk
Yule
Zev
Zohar

Which of these are your favorites? Can you think of any more names relating to winter or the holidays?

Autumn Names for Baby Girls

With crisp air, colorful leaves, bonfires and pumpkins in your mind, look no further than this list for some unique fall-inspired baby name ideas! Even though the first day of Autumn is still a couple weeks away on September 23rd, I thought we'd start pondering it as cooler weather approaches.

If you're due with an Autumn baby in the next couple months and find yourself in need of the perfect name, perhaps you'll "fall" for one of these ideas!

Amber                                               Anise Annona Apple Aster Aurelia Autumn Baize Berry Carmine Celeste Ceres Charde Cinnamon Crysanthemum Coral Crimson Crisanta Emerald Eve Fira Gaia Ginger Goldie Hazel Ivy Jade Jora Juniper Keziah Laurel Lavender Libra Lily

Maize Maple Marigold Mauve Moon November Octavia Olive Opal Orla Paisley Persephone Rain Raven Rhea Roux Rowan Ruby Saffron Sage Sapphire Scarlet September Sienna Sorrel Sparrow Tabitha Tawny Topaz Velvet Willow Windy Xanthe Zarina

Which of these names do you like best? What would you pair with it? Leave your thoughts in the comment section!

Autumn Names for Baby Boys

The first day of Autumn doesn't officially begin until September 23rd in the Northern Hemisphere this year, but I thought we'd start pondering it as cooler weather approaches. Perhaps you're due with an Autumn baby in the next couple months and find yourself in need of the perfect name.

With crisp air, colorful leaves, bonfires and pumpkins in your mind, look no further than this list for some unique fall-inspired baby name ideas!

Adam                                         Ash Asher Auburn Azure Bacchus Barley Blaze Birch Branch Bronze Browning Bruno Cedar Chard Chestnut Copper Cormac Crispin Demeter Dionysus Farmer Finley Finn Flint Forrest Frost Garner Garnet Gerald Gold Harkin

Harvest Hawke Hay Hue Hunter Jasper Jet Kale Leaf Linden Mica Mountain Oak Octavius October Oliver Radley Red Reed Rory Roux Rowan Russet Rusty Rye Sawyer Scorpio Septimus Sorrel Storm Wheatley Woody

Which of these do you like the best? Do you have any to add? Let me know in the comment section below!

Summer Names for Girls

Summer is officially in full swing! That means it's the time of shorts and sunscreen, swimming pools and barbecues, sunshine and tan lines.  If you also happen to be baring a baby belly instead of a bikini, you may be in need of a wonderful summertime name!  I've composed a list of timely names that will suit any baby girl born in the summer heat! I'll be using one of these myself next month! Which of these names could you see yourself using for your little sunshine?

Alexandrite

America
Augusta
Berry
Breezy
Brooklyn
Coral
Daisy
Julia
Juliet
July
June
Junia
Lake
Leonie
Leonora
Liberty
Lillia
Lily
Marina
Marisol
Meadow
Morwenna
Nerida
Nixie
Oceana
Oceane
Peach
Pearl
Pelagia
Peridot
Plum
Rae
River
Ruby
Sailor
Sandy
Shelly
Sky
Suma
Summer
Sunny
Sunshine
Thalassa
Waverly

If you can think of more lovely summer names to add, let me know in the comment section below! Don't forget to also check out the list of Summer Names for Boys!   There's also a list for Autumn Girl Names and Autumn Boy Names too!  Winter and Spring coming soon!

River

When you think of warm weather and outdoor activities, perhaps a body of water comes to mind. Whether you enjoy the pool or the ocean, water is a huge part of summertime. Since we're discussing summer names this week and next, I thought I'd feature the name River for my boy name choice even though I'm aware of how unisex it is.

Of course, River comes from the English word that refers to a flowing body of water. Many people enjoy rafting down a river during the summer or camping near one. Ultimately, the word river is derived from the Latin ripa meaning "riverbank". As a name, River was considered masculine first but the girls staked their claim on it fairly quickly. It is still more popular for boys though.

As a nature name, River offers a great tranquil vibe, but also one of adventure. Pluralizing it as Rivers is also an option but it doesn't receive as many births per year as the singular River. There have been a few celebrities who have used this name for their children in recent years. There's also pop-culture ties to the late River Phoenix; and Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo.  For the females, there was a character on Doctor Who named River Song; and singer Kelly Clarkson recently gave her daughter the name River Rose.

River first appeared on the baby name record in 1971. It wasn't used regularly each year until 1986 for boys. It increased in usage around 1994 and has slowly been climbing upward since then. There were 815 males named River in 2013 for a ranking of #372.

The girls jumped on the bandwagon in 1988 but didn't have as much of an increase in births per year as the boys. They began catching up around 2006. As of 2013, there were 480 females named River, ranking the name at #588 on the girl side of the US Top 1000 chart.

What sort of name would you pair with River? Would you stick to the nature path? Would you find another 5 letter name? Perhaps another name with a V in it? Maybe something else entirely! Here's a few ideas that I came up with to help you out:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Aurora, Brooke, Hazel, Ivy, Lotus, Olivia, Summer, Willow
Brothers: Archer, Forest, Hunter, Jasper, Miles, Sawyer, Talon, Tyler

Boy Middle Name Ideas:
River Campbell
River James
River Sinclair
River William

As a Middle Name:
Florian River
Paxton River
Sebastian River
Vincent River

Girl Middle Name Ideas:
River Clementine
River Emilia
River Katherine
River Sophia

As a Middle Name:
Audrey River
Hannah River
Penelope River
Stella River

Do you like River more for a boy or a girl? What names would you choose to pair it with? Share your thoughts in the comment section or on Facebook!

Summer Names for Boys

Summertime officially began at the end of June! Next, we'll get to watch the fireworks light up the summer sky! After that, it's time to start pondering more about that baby name you're looking for. Your summer baby will be arriving soon! If you're having trouble narrowing down the right name for your little guy, perhaps one of these timely choices will best suit him! Take some of that warmth and sunshine and happiness associated with summer and apply it directly to naming and you'll have yourself the perfect moniker! Check out this list for ideas:

August

Augustine
Augustus
Azul
Bay
Beach
Birch
Bodhi
Brody
Cain
Calder
Dax
Dune
Dylan
Field
Finn
Julian
Julio
Julius
July
Junius
Junot
Kai
Lake
Leaf
Leo
Marlin
Marino
Murphy
Ocean
Pacifico
Ray
Rip
River
Sandy
Shade
Sheldon
Somerset
Storm
Sumner
Sunny
Tanner
Theros
Thunder
Tide
Tripp

Which of these names could you see yourself using for your baby boy? Don't forget to take a look at the list of Summer Names for Girls too! Also, Autumn Names for Boys and Autumn Names for Girls.