The Art of Naming

I selected four French boy names and threw them in a poll on the blog. You voted and Olivier was barely the winner with 14 votes, sneaking past front-runner Laurent in the 11th hour. So let's take a look at the French name Olivier as we kick off French-Week! Stay tuned for our World-Wide Wednesday post about French naming customs too, and a girl name on Friday!


Parents are in love with Oliver today. Nameberry describes it as "energetic and good-natured, stylish but not nearly as trendy as twin-sister Olivia, with a meaning symbolizing peace and fruitfulness." The French Olivier may have pronunciation problems in the US along with sister Olivie, however there are also other similar options such as the Spanish Olivero and the Italian Oliviero. Olive is also becoming a favorite for girls.

With the following pronunciations, o-lee-VYAY (French), O-lee-veer (Dutch), Olivier isn't exactly rolling off American tongues the same way Oliver is. Both of these names may come from either the Germanic name Alfher or the Old Norse name Áleifr. They became more popularly influenced by the Latin oliva over time which means "olive tree". According to Behind the Name: "In the Middle Ages the name became well-known in Western Europe because of the French epic 'La Chanson de Roland', in which Olivier was a friend and advisor of the hero Roland.

In England Oliver was a common medieval name, however it became rare after the 17th century because of the military commander Oliver Cromwell, who ruled the country following the civil war. The name was revived in the 19th century, perhaps in part due to the title character in Charles Dickens' novel 'Oliver Twist' (1838), which was about a poor orphan living on the streets of London."

Both of these names clearly have some solid history behind them in Europe since medieval times, and if you take a look at Behind the Name, you'll see a long list of Oliver's popularity around the world! Oliver is ranked pretty high in several countries, but what about their popularity in the US today?

While Oliver is enjoying plenty of usage at #73 in 2012 in the US, the French spelling of Olivier is not very popular.  Olivier ranked in at #2046 which means only 67 boys were given the name. It has only been in regular usage since the 1960s whereas Oliver dates back in the US to 1880 with a bit of a popularity boost around 1920.   Olivier ranks #282 in England/Wales, #348 in France and #43 in the Netherlands.

If you have any French ancestry or a French last name, Olivier is a wonderful choice! However, non-French Americans seem to flock towards Oliver instead. Which do you prefer? Using the American format of a first and middle name, what would you pair with these? Here are some ideas I came up with for each:

Sibling Name Ideas (Olivier):
Sisters: Amelie, Beatrice, Claire, Estelle, Lucille, Rosalie, Sylvie, Vivien
Brothers: Augustin, Benoit, Emile, Felix, Frederic, Luca, Maurice, Sebastien

Middle Name Ideas:
Olivier Fabian
Olivier Gerard
Olivier Noel
Olivier Remi

As a Middle Name:
Claud Olivier
Damien Olivier
Henri Olivier
Mathieu Olivier

--

Sibling Name Ideas (Oliver):
Sisters: Amelia, Charlotte, Eleanor, Lily, Lucy, Rose, Sophie, Violet
Brothers: Alexander, Daniel, Elliot, Henry, Leo, Noah, Samuel, Thomas

Middle Name Ideas:
Oliver Dominic
Oliver James
Oliver Tristan
Oliver Vincent

As a Middle Name:
Gideon Oliver
Julian Oliver
Nathan Oliver
Sebastian Oliver

What do you think? What sibling or middle name ideas would you add?

I have seen the question arise quite often lately: "what is your favorite month name?" I believe this question is driven solely by everyone's sudden interest in the name August.

And as you'll see below, this name has come back to the forefront very quickly after not being seen much since its heyday in 1915. It is also pretty much the only logical boy option and parents are quickly falling in love with it.

The majority of these names are ruled by girls, the most obvious choices being April, May and June. However, you may find it interesting that 11 of the 12 months have been used many times over the years. Read below to see which month gets no love and which months are the most popular:
This first frosty month has been given to baby girls since 1951 in the US. The name was most popular in the late 1970s. It had one big popularity spike in 1978 with 257 births and has fallen out of style since then. There were 26 births in 2012 for a ranking of #5274.

February:
Our shortest month has never had any recorded usage as a name for boys or girls. Parents probably opt to honor St. Valentine instead of the name of the month. Valent- names have had plenty of usage!

March:
March is not currently used as a name but it was used in the past. For boys, It was given to 5 babies in 1900 but wasn't seen again until 1916. It was sporadically given to a handful of babies until usage stopped in 1989.  Girls received the name most often in the 60s and 70s but it hasn't been seen since 1978.

April:
April has been used regularly for girls since 1917. It was even given to boys from 1959 up until 2004. For girls, April had a huge popularity spike in the 70s and 80s. There were at most 11,469 girls given the name in 1980. Today it has fallen to 778 births and a ranking of #396.

May:
The lovely May has been a consistently used name since records began in 1880. It is very nearly a classic name, being used often for girls. In 1963, it fell out of the Top 1000 and hasn't gotten close since then. With 106 births in 2012, it ranks at #1883.  This name has also been given to a handful of boys nearly every year from 1882 to 1996.

June:
This is surprisingly a unisex name, having been given to both genders every year since 1880. However, it is favored overwhelmingly by the girls. 1925 was June's best year with 6,649 feminine births. It has been on a steady decline since then until it began climbing again in the mid 2000s. 2012 had 710 births and ranked at #435.
This hot month has never made for a hot baby name despite its similarity to other Jul- names like Julie. It has been used for girls since 1962 but it has never had more than 23 births in a single year, which happened in 2010 for a ranking of #5855.  For boys, July has been used since 1989 (except for 5 births in 1973) but the most births in a single year was 12 in 2009.
If there ever was a boys' name that followed the 100 year rule, it'd be August. With a grand peak of 709 births in 1915, this name rapidly declined again until modern parents discovered it around 2000. 2012 had the most births ever for the name, 936 for a ranking of #333. I suspect it will only climb higher. Other variations like Augustus (#697) and Augustine (#999) are also doing well.

For girls, August has only been used since 1914 and is not nearly as popular as it is for a boy. It gained regular usage in 1963. The most births in a single year was 130 in 2012 for a ranking of #1635. Augusta has been used much more consistently but only received 30 births in 2012.

September:
September has been regularly used since 1955 for girls. There are no recorded male births. It has never been popular though. It received a peak of 51 births in 1980 which ranked it at #2059. There were 23 baby Septembers born in 2012 though. (#5827)

October:
Despite the cute nickname possibility of Toby for a boy, nobody has ever thought to do so. There are no recorded male births for the name October, however, it has been used for girls now and then since 1969. 2008 was her best year with 72 births and a rank of #2603. Since there aren't many month choices for boys, perhaps it can catch on for boys soon along with August. Or I can dream at least.

November:
Remember, remember the name of November -- which has only been given to baby girls since 1971 and never to a boy. I suppose it is cuter for a girl if she's called Nova or Ember. Not many agree though. It was only given to 33 girls in 2012, (#4432), which is the most the name has ever seen in one year.

December:
The name December has been given to girls since 1960. It'd be interesting to know if it was given most often IN that month in lieu of Christmas-themed choices like Noelle or Natalie or Holly. Either way, December received a record-high of 46 births in 2012. (#3453)


In the end, August seems to be the only logical month name to give to a boy with the exception of March and July and my own wishful thinking for October nn Toby. The rest of the months are very girl-dominated. By far, April was the name with the most popularity, reaching over 11k births for its peak. And poor little February gets no love!

Which is your favorite month name? Would you ever use one of the months ending in -ber? Let me know your thoughts!

Like her Italian sister Cosima, the feminine, Romanian name Cosmina is a form of the names Cosmin and Cosmas which come from the Ancient Greek Κοσμας or Kosmas. That name was further derived from the name κοσμος or kosmos meaning "order, decency". It refers to the order and beauty of the universe.


Cosmo, Cosimo and Cosima are all currently beginning to gain slightly more attention after having a bit of celebrity usage, but until the new US name data for 2013 comes out, they may be limited to conversations rather than actual birth certificates. View the whole Kosmas family tree here.

Interestingly, the name Cosmina has never had any recorded usage in the US. Ever. And sister name Cosima has very little usage. A handful of births in the late 1980s and only a few in the 2000s. It had 8 births in 2012. These names are not popular but I've seen an increase in chatter about them, Cosima specifically, around the baby naming community. Do you think it may catch on eventually or remain in obscurity?

Sofia Coppola recently named her daughter Cosima. There is a Romanian footballer named Cosmina Dușa and also an actress named Cosmina Stratan.  In Romania, there is a Cosmina River as well.

Beyond this information, there is not very much to be said about the rare Cosmina. It is not listed in the databases of big-name sites like Nameberry and BabyNames.  There are a few other sites that do list very basic information. I got my information from BehindTheName.

I think Cosmina deserves some love. The nickname Mina is certainly cute and could also be spun into Minnie. If you're looking for a one-of-a-kind type of name for your daughter, you can be assured that she is not likely to ever meet another girl named Cosmina unless you live in Romania. Cosima is still a more viable option, one I've even considered, if you'd prefer that. Both are very rare and very beautiful!

Don't forget to take a look at the other Romanian-themed posts from earlier this week!

Here are some ideas for sibling and middle names for Cosmina:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Aurelia, Corina, Daciana, Elena, Irina, Lavinia, Magdalena, Ramona
Brothers: Augustin, Caspar, Constantin, Darius, Luca, Marius, Sorin, Theodor

Middle Name Ideas:
Cosmina Elisabeta
Cosmina Isabel
Cosmina Madeline

As a Middle Name:
Adele Cosmina
Lillian Cosmina
Maren Cosmina

Welcome to the week of Romanian-inspired names. On Wednesday you'll see the traditions and customs surrounding birth and baby naming in Romania. On Friday you'll get a featured Romanian girl name, and today you get a boy name!

The male name Constantin ranked in as the #14 name of 2009 in Romania according to this website. I couldn't find much more information beyond that.


Constantin is the Romanian (and French) form of the name Constantinus. Other Romanian variations of this are Cosatche, Costel, Costică, Costin, and Dinu. Of course, the name The English Constantine is probably most used and most familiar outside of Romania. All of these names are derived from the Latin Constantinus which comes from Constans meaning "constant, steadfast".

The first Roman emperor to adopt Christianity was named Constantine the Great (272-337). He's famous for establishing Constantinople which is now known as Istanbul.  Be sure to view the family tree of all these names related to Constans. There are numerous variations in multiple languages.

Both Constantin and Constantine have previously been viewed as too big of a name for a modern boy, but along with the rise of other big Latin names, they are now a bit more acceptable for usage! However, obvious nicknames are still a bit unappealing to today's parents, and that is probably the only reason these names haven't caught on well in the US. Nicknames Con, Connie, Stan or Tino just don't fly too well. But using the whole name is definitely a handsome choice. It seems long, but it is only three syllables. How many other three syllable names do you like in whole? Probably a few!

Constantin is rather rare in the US. It was given to 5 boys in both 1913 and 1917, but was not seen in the records again until 5 more were born in 1963. After that, a handful were named from 1987-1990, and 1999-2001. It has been use regularly since 2005, but the most births in a single year has never topped 15 in 2006. Click here to view popularity stats for Constantin.

Constantine is a bit more popular. That letter E really helps to round out the name. It first appeared in 1885-86 and 1897 before gaining regular usage in 1906. It did well through the 1920s but has remained unpopular. The year with the most baby boy Constantines was 2007 with 107 births for a ranking of #1485. There were 106 born in 2012. (#1503)

What do you think of these names? Do you prefer Constantin, Constantine or one of the other variations?

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Amabel, Cordelia, Ginevra, Imogen, Josephina, Leonora, Sunniva
Brothers: Augustus, Cosmo, Ferdinand, Heathcliff, Sebastian, Thaddeus, Vladimir

Middle Name Ideas:
Constantin August
Constantin Emil
Constantin Lucius
Constantin Max
Constantin Sorin

As a Middle Name:
Axel Constantin
Benedict Constantin
Dominic Constantin
James Constantin
Oliver Constantin

Replace Constantin with Constantine for even better flow and pronunciation in the above suggestions.

Xenia is a cool and fun choice for a girl. It has that bold letter X at the beginning with a lovely and girlish -ia ending. I have seen it pronounced ZEEN-ee-uh and SEN-ya.



Originally, this name comes from the ancient Greek Ξενια. It means "hospitality" in the language. However, as a word, it is more in depth than that. When translated, xenia actually refers to the Greek concept of the generosity and courtesy shown to guests of the household. This may have also included gift giving beyond the basic shelter, protection and food.

It comes from the word xenos which is used in various forms throughout Greek mythology to explain a person who extends this hospitality to a stranger. Zeus was sometimes called Zeus Xenios because of his role as protector of travelers.

Beyond its fellow Greek variant Xene, this name translates into several languages:

• Croatian: Ksenija
• English: Zena
• Finnish: Senja
• Macedonian: Ksenija
• Polish: Ksenia
• Russian: Kseniya, Oksana, Oxana, Aksinya
• Serbian: Ksenija
• Slovene: Ksenija
• Ukrainian: Oksana, Oxana

Xenia was the name of a Roman Saint from the 5th-century. There was also a Greek Saint Xenia who was considered a great-martyr in 318. And also the Saint Blessed Xenia of St. Petersburg in the 1700s, a Russian Saint.  In addition to the saints, there are several other well-known Xenias from around the world that you can read about here.  There are also plenty of things and places given the name.

As a baby name, Xenia has received near-regular usage since 1912, but it first appeared in the US in 1894 for 3 brief years and only a handful of births. This name has never been popular, nor has it even reached the Top 1000 chart. Xenia had 71 births in 1996 for a ranking of #1992. The only year with more births was 2011 with 73 births. Because of the increased variety of names these days, it only ranked in at #2499 that year. 2012 saw 51 births and a rank of #3234 in the US.   It also recently ranked at #85 in Catalonia.  Click here to view the name's popularity history.

Based on this data, this name will most likely never soar to the top in the US but that makes it a great, under-the-radar choice! It has plenty of history to make it familiar so I would recommend this rare gem to modern parents today!

What do you think of Xenia? Here are some sibling and middle name ideas just in case you love it!:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Calliope, Eloise, Liliana, Maia, Odessa, Seraphina, Yvette
Brothers: Adrian, Apollo, Deacon, Demitry, Julius, Maximus, Sebastian

Middle Name Ideas:
Xenia Eleanor
Xenia Madeline
Xenia Ruby
Xenia Violet

As a Middle Name:
Abigail Xenia
Charlotte Xenia
Phoebe Xenia
Sylvie Xenia

The letter X is bold and interesting. While there are attractive names that begin with the letter X, options are somewhat limited. There are, however, quite a few options that contain the letter X within the name. Let's take a look at some names that contain this letter and are not currently ranking within the top 1000 names. If you're looking for a unique and bold name, this list is for you!

Girls:

There are plenty of lovely X names for a girl. Many of these could be described as elegant with just a pinch of bad-ass thrown in. Here are five of my favorite, unranked X-names and a little bit of info about each of them:

This name has been floating around the forums here and there recently. However, many parents seem to prefer Beatrice instead.  Do you like the bold and sassy Beatrix more? She certainly offers the same nickname of Bea, but she'll also give you Trixie which is adorable and playful.  She comes from the name Viatrix which is a feminine form of the Late Latin name Viator meaning "voyager or traveler". This name was later altered due to its association with the Latin beatus which means "blessed".  However, contemporary sources seem to insist that this name means "Bringer of Joy" or "She who brings happiness".  Either way, Beatrix is a playful, adventurous and happy name for a modern girl.

I have always admired Calixta and similar names like it but it seems as though I'm one of a few who do. Calista peaked in 1999 thanks to Ally McBeal's leading lady, but none of the other Cal- names seem to be loved. This includes the masculine Calix, Calixte and Calixto. I think it is a pity that these names haven't caught on. After all, they stem from the Greek Kallistos which means "most beautiful". I'd say that's a very desirable meaning. Some of the variations even belonged to popes and saints.  Calixta is listed as the Spanish and Portuguese form.

Lux is the Latin word for "light". This could be used for both boys and girls but I chose to list it for a girl. This name has only been in use since 2001 in the US despite being rooted in ancient Latin. The Spanish form, Luz, is much more popular than Lux for a girl. I happen to like the quirkiness of the unexpected X in Lux a bit more. This would make for a very cool middle name to balance out a very long and feminine first name. Penelope Lux? Alexandra Lux? It is pronounced like "lucks".

Before you yell at me for offering you a "dated" name, hear me out. I agree. Roxana is old. She dates way back to the ancient Roman and Greek era. She also saw lots of love in the 17th century, even inspiring a novel in 1724. It is the Latin form of Ρωξανη (Roxane), the Greek form of the Persian or Bactrian name روشنک (Roshanak) which meant "bright" or "dawn". I think this name could make a lovely and graceful come back someday. Many parents already love names with Ana- or -ana in them. Throw in the fun and spunky X and this name is even better! Plus it works internationally!



Boys:

The boys' names were a bit more difficult to narrow down. There are certainly some interesting choices as well as some "re-spellings" of other names such as Jaxon for Jackson. I didn't want to feature those. I wanted to find some unusual but cool choices that you may have never considered before. Here are five interesting, unranked names for boys with the letter X in them:

I thought it would be nice to see what the top 10 names are for every letter. Perhaps you know that you want a name that starts with the letter C for all of your children but you don't want to choose the three most popular C-names. Now you can see exactly how popular each name is per letter as well as overall in ranking according to the US Top 1000 chart (ranking in parenthesis).

Soon we will be able to see the top names for 2013! The following names were for 2012. Let me know if you'd be interested in a similar post (or series of Facebook posts) like this for the next year!  For now, enjoy these:

Top 10 A-Names for Girls in 2012:
1. Ava (#5)
2. Abigail (#7)
3. Avery (#13)
4. Addison (#14)
5. Aubrey (#15)
6. Amelia (#23)
7. Anna (#35)
8. Aaliyah (#36)
9. Allison (#38)
10. Alexis (#40)

Top 10 B-Names for Girls in 2012:
1. Brooklyn (#29)
2. Brianna (#51)
3. Bella (#54)
4. Bailey (#79)
5. Brooke (#102)
6. Brielle (#111)
7. Brooklynn (#137)
8. Brynn (#189)
9. Briana (#297)
10. Bianca (#312)

Top 10 C-Names for Girls in 2012:
1. Chloe (#11)
2. Charlotte (#19)
3. Claire (#45)
4. Camila (#48)
5. Caroline (#80)
6. Clara (#136)
7. Cora (#155)
8. Catherine (#167)
9. Cecilia (#216)
10. Callie (#221)

For those of you that follow The Art of Naming on Facebook, you've probably seen me post lists like this before. I thought it would be nice to see what the top 10 names are for every letter. Perhaps you know that you want a name that starts with the letter A but you don't want to choose one that is overly popular. Now you can see exactly how popular each name is per letter as well as overall in ranking according the the US Top 1000 chart (ranking in parenthesis).

I started posting these on Facebook around June or July of 2013 and finally got through the entire alphabet for the year 2012. Now it is nearly time to discover the top names of 2013!   If you like this sort of information and wish for it to be compiled again for the next year, let me know in the comments! Enjoy!

Top 10 A-Names for Boys in 2012:
1. Alexander (#9)
2. Aiden (#10)
3. Anthony (#15)
4. Andrew (#18)
5. Aaron (#51)
6. Angel (#57)
7. Austin (#58)
8. Adrian (#60)
9. Ayden (#69)
10. Adam (#82)

Top 10 B-Names for Boys in 2012:
1. Benjamin (#16)
2. Brayden (#39)
3. Brandon (#56)
4. Blake (#71)
5. Bentley (#75)
6. Brody (#91)
7. Bryson (94)
8. Bryce (#117)
9. Bryan (#121)
10. Braxton (#125)

Top 10 C-Names for Boys in 2012:
1. Christopher (#23)
2. Caleb (#32)
3. Christian (#33)
4. Carter (#36)
5. Cameron (#54)
6. Connor (#59)
7. Charles (#62)
8. Colton (#65)
9. Chase (#77)
10. Cooper (#83)

Althea is a feminine, Greek Mythological name. It comes from the Greek name Αλθαια (Althaia) and might also be related to the Greek αλθος (althos) which means "healing". Most baby naming sites say that this name means "with healing power" or that it refers to the Althaea genus of perennial herbs including the marshmallow plant which is noted for its healing powers.



In Greek legends, Althea was the mother of Meleager. Behind the Name says "soon after her son was born she was told that he would die as soon as a piece of wood that was burning on her fire was fully consumed. She immediately extinguished the piece of wood and sealed it in a chest, but in a fit of rage many years later she took it out and set it alight, thereby killing her son." Clearly this name has some tragedy behind it but it is still interesting and lovely in sound.

In the 17th century, a poet named Richard Lovelace used the name Althea as a poetic pseudonym for his beloved in the poem "To Althea, from Prison". In modern times, this name is most commonly associated with the great tennis player, Althea Gibson, who was the first African-American to win at Wimbleton.

As far as nicknames go, modern parents would probably opt for Thea. I also like the idea of Allie for a small child.


This name has been in regular usage since 1880 in the US. It has had two dramatic popularity boosts in the past. One around 1920 and the other in the late 1950s even though this name has never seen more than 400 births in a single year. Althea has had steady usage since the 1970s in the 40-80 births per year range. It has not seen the Top 1000 since 1972. In 2013, there were 99 baby girls named Althea for a ranking of #1964.

Revision:  As of 2016, Althea rose to #1674 for a total of 127 births for the year. The name is due for another popularity boost.

What do you think of this ancient name? Do you feel as though it could be relevant again today?

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Bronwyn, Calliope, Daphne, Hyacinth, Juno, Olympia
Brothers: Atlas, Evander, Jasper, Oscar, Sebastian, Tarquin

Middle Name Ideas:
Althea Camille
Althea Iris
Althea Penelope
Althea Rose
Althea Willow

As a Middle Name:
Chloe Althea
Daisy Althea
Genevieve Althea
Madeleine Althea
Olive Althea

Share your thoughts on this name in the comments below.

First published: 2/7/14
Revised: 12/25/14
Revised: 5/13/17

The name Evander has two possible backgrounds. The first comes from the Latin Evandrus which comes from the Greek Ευανδρος (Euandros). This means "good man".  This background is the most widely accepted on baby naming sites.

The second possible origin says that Evander is the anglicized form of Iomhar which is the Scottish from of Ivor. Ivor comes from the Old Norse name Ívarr meaning "bow warrior". Ivor was carried into Great Britain by Scandinavians in the Middle Ages.


According to Behind the Name, in Roman mythology, Evander was an Arcadian hero who founded the city of Pallantium where Rome would later be built. He was responsible for bringing the Greek pantheon, laws and alphabet to Italy. This Evander also appeared in Virgil's Aeneid, a Latin epic poem written between 29 and 19 BC.

The most well-known modern-day association with the name Evander belongs to boxing champ Evander Holyfield. There is also a Canadian hockey player named Evander Kane.

Beyond myths, literature and athletes, there are actual babies given this name. In the US, Evander first appeared in 1888 with 5 births but was rarely used until it gained a more regular momentum in 1911. The number of births per year remained near single-digits until the late 1980s.


Evander got as many as 75 births in 1991 for a ranking of #1297 but the numbers declined again after that until hitting a record-high of 80 births in 2012 for a ranking of #1823. It is still very far off from the Top 1000 which makes it a rare but familiar gem.

Evander would fit right in with Xander and could potentially be called Evan for short. If you're not a fan, try the similar sounding Leander instead!

What do you think of this rarely-used name? What would you pair with it? Here are some suggestions:

Sibling Name Ideas: 
Sisters: Athena, Cassia, Delphine, Minerva, Persephone, Rowena, Viviana
Brothers: Amadeus, Cyrus, Ignatius, Leopold, Malcolm, Orion, Xavier

Middle Name Ideas:
Evander Alistair
Evander Calix
Evander Gregory
Evander Lewis
Evander Marius
Evander Romulus
Evander Theodore

As a Middle Name:
August Evander
Charles Evander
Henry Evander
Linus Evander
Julius Evander
Ronan Evander
Silas Evander

The name Ramsey was originally a surname. It comes from a place name meaning "wild-garlic island" in Old English. I came across this name as the name of a town on the Isle of Man. This month's World Wide Wednesday will focus on Manx names. Ramsey is also spelled as Rhumsaa in Manx.


According to Behind the Name, Ramsay is a variant of Ramsey. It is used mostly in Scotland as a surname. According to Nameberry, Ramsay is English and means "low-lying land" but Babynames.com says that Ramsay refers to Raven's Island. Clearly there are some meaning discrepancies around the internet, but despite these two names being so similar, it does appear as though they have different meanings.

The Baby Name Wizard says that Ramsay is a variant of Ramsey and that they are both Scottish surnames that originate from several different place-names. I already mentioned the town of Ramsey on the Isle of Man, but it is also said to come from either Hræm's Island, Ram's Island or Ramm's Island. If anyone has more specific information, do share!

The name Ramsey first appeared for American baby boys in 1894 with 7 births. It actually ranked at #933. It wasn't seen again until 1910 with 5 births and it became regularly used after that. Ramsey popped up on the girl's side in 1965 with 5 births and is still in use now with 55 births in 2012 for a ranking of #3059.

Boy Ramsey began gaining more popularity in the 1970s with its high point being in 1997 with 134 births and a ranking of #976. In 2012, Ramsey was given to 101 baby boys and it ranked at #1557.  It is very nearly a 2:1 boy:girl ratio. I never realized how unisex it is because I've always viewed it as a masculine name. I think Ramsey looks better for a boy and Ramsay would be cute on a girl, however there have only been 29 females named Ramsay in US history, and Ramsay is much less popular for boys than Ramsey. Just compare the two!

Which spelling do you prefer? What would you pair with this name?

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Catriona, Elspeth, Fiona, Isla, Mackenzie, Moira, Paisley, Sophie
Brothers: Angus, Calder, Duncan, Finley, Keith, Lachlan, Malcolm, Ross

Middle Name Ideas:
Ramsey Alistair
Ramsey Callum
Ramsey Douglas
Ramsey Frasier

As a Middle Name:
Ewan Ramsey
Hamish Ramsey
Kenneth Ramsey
Stuart Ramsey

Leonora is the Italian short form of the name Eleonora or Eleanor. It comes from the Occitan name Aliénor which comes from the Ancient Germanic name Aenor. Its meaning is unknown. Check out the family tree to see which other names are related!


With boys names like Leo, Leonard, Leonardo and Leonidas starting to gain more and more popularity, could this feminine "leo" name follow suit? She is not related to these leonine names but she does start with the same three letters. Even if Leo is more of a boy thing, Leonora could go by Leo if she's tomboyish. It could also be spelled Leanora to get the Lea nickname instead. But the adorable nickname Nora is always a great option! With Eleanor making strides, I don't see why Leonora couldn't follow!

In line with this week's post about operatic baby names, Leonora is a distinctive choice. She has appeared in three major operas! She was a heroine in both Beethoven's Fidelio and Verdi's Il Trovatore. There was also an opera titled Leonora by William Henry Fry, and a ballad by Gottfried August Burger called Lenore which is another form of Leonora.  Along with a few novels with this name as the title and a few characters in film, Leonora is a great historical and cultured name.

Source

This name ranked in the Top 1000 US Names from 1880-1943 but has since lost its luster. As of 2012, there were only 29 girls given this name which ranks it at #4880. Leonora would be a beautiful and unique choice for a modern baby girl!

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Antonia, Dorothea, Francesca, Gabriella, Josephina, Raphaela, Veronica
Brothers: Alessandro, Donovan, Florian, Giovanni, Maximilian, Richard, William

Middle Name Ideas: 
Leonora Camille
Leonora Celeste
Leonora Estelle
Leonora June
Leonora Sibyl

As a Middle Name:
Beatrice Leonora
Grace Leonora
Juno Leonora
Neve Leonora
Sylvie Leonora

What would you pair with this elegant name?

The girl name Cordelia is a lovely, elegant and unique option! With nickname possibilities like Cora, Della and Lia, it is both cute for a baby and beautiful for a woman.


The name Cordelia comes from Cordeilla which is a Celtic name with unknown meaning. However, the name is often associated with the Latin word cor or cordis which means "heart". Some sites also say that it means "Daughter of the Sea". So I suppose you can take your pick of meanings!

Based on the legendary Queen Cordeilla, she was a character in Shakespeare's play King Lear written in 1606. He altered the spelling from the original Cordeilla to the modern Cordelia. In the play, she was the youngest of King Lear's three daughters and the only one that remained loyal to him.

Another literary reference to the name comes from the heroine of Anne of Green Gables who said "I would love to be called Cordelia. It's such a perfectly elegant name."

This name has been in regular usage since 1880 in the US. It received a small boost in popularity from 1915-1927 before slowing down a bit through the rest of the century. Right around 2002, the name once again gained a slight boost. In 2012 there were 204 baby girls given the name which puts it at a ranking of #1196.  The name has not been in the Top 1000 since 1950.

Source

So while this name is familiar, it is still in unranked territory which makes it delightfully underused. Your child would be unique among her peers but also have plenty of history behind her name. I would call this name adorably elegant.

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Annabel, Beatrice, Cecily, Eleanor, Juliet, Matilda, Sabrina, Violet
Brothers: Alistair, August, Charles, Elijah, James, Jasper, Sebastian, Vincent

Middle Name Ideas:
Cordelia Eve
Cordelia Jane
Cordelia Maeve
Cordelia Pearl
Cordelia Ruth

As a Middle Name:
Alice Cordelia
Mabel Cordelia
Phoebe Cordelia
Scarlett Cordelia
Zoey Cordelia

As a name, Caspian is relatively new. It is most notably the name of a sea between Europe and Asia that is considered the largest enclosed inland body of water on Earth. It is said that it was this body of water that inspired the name of the other notable Caspian: Prince Caspian of the children's book series The Chronicles of Narnia written by C.S. Lewis in the 1950's. Prince Caspian first appeared in the fourth book of the popular series as the rightful King of Narnia.


The Caspian Sea has a complicated name history itself including a number of different names and spellings in a variety of languages in the surrounding countries. But it is said to have been named for the city of Qazvin which was named for the ancient Cas tribe, or the Caspian people.

The origin of the name comes in direct relation to the Sea which is situated between Iran and Russia. Caspian is mostly just considered a place name with an unknown meaning and origin since it borders so many countries. However, the Romans referred to the people from which the name originally came as the Caspii so perhaps it could fall in the Latin category?

It is also said that the Caspii originated from a region of the Caucasus and that their name may mean "white". However there is also an association with the biblical name Cush which is an Ethiopian word meaning "dark-faced" or "swarthy". Since this is not yet fully established as a baby name, none of this type of information is clear and accurate. Take from it what you will.

Beyond these two namesakes, the romantic and cutting-edge Caspian does not have a lot of experience as a baby name. Actress Neve Campbell used it for her son in 2012 along with 54 other parents which ranks it at #2312, but this name has only been in use in the US since 1998. Right now it is at its highest popularity point ever but I expect it to continue climbing the charts.

Caspian is cool, unique, familiar and romantic! I've seen it floating around the baby naming community lately. It has even graced my own shortlist. It is similar to Casper without the ghostly reference and falls in line with all the other -ian names, like Cassian, that are gaining popularity. What do you think of it?

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Aria, Bronwen, Celeste, Emmeline, Junia, Lavinia, Seraphina, Xanthe
Brothers: Atticus, Cosmo, Evander, Hadrian, Lucian, Orion, Tristram, Zephan

Middle Name Ideas:
Caspian August
Caspian James
Caspian Oberon
Caspian Vincent

As a Middle Name:
Alistair Caspian
Henry Caspian
Julius Caspian
Timothy Caspian

The four-letter name of the week is one that is being revived for both boys and girls. It has a modern feel to it and is certainly attractive on both genders, however I prefer it for a boy.

Rémy is a French name that comes from the Latin name Remigius which was derived from the Latin remigis meaning "oarsman".  It was also the name of a fifth century saint.


This name, when said in its French form, is pronounced ray-MEE. However you can get by with just REM-ee in the US, especially without the accent mark over the e. Another variant is Rémi or Remi. The Italians, Portuguese and Spanish prefer the name Remigio.

The name appears on French alcoholic beverages: Rémy Cointreau is the company and they have a brandy called Rémy Martin.

In pop culture, there is a band called Remy Zero; and the main character in the film Ratatouille is named Remy. There are also a few geographical locations with this name. As for famous namesakes who have Remy as a first name or a surname, the list is far too long for this blog. Take a look here if you want to view it.

Statistically, the name breaks down like this for the year 2012:
Remy (Boy): #891 with 233 births
Remy (Girl): #1237 with 195 births
Remi (Boy): #2074 with 66 births
Remi (Girl): #1036 with 242 births

So according to this data, it is fair to say that the Remy spelling is more commonly used for boys, while Remi is a bit more feminine. However, it is clearly very unisex overall.

Boy Remy and Boy Remi were used in the US well before either girl spelling.  Remy was first used on 6 boys in 1914 and Remi followed the next year with 8 births. Females began receiving these names much later. Remi appeared on the record for girls in 1963 with 5 births and Remy followed the next year, also with 5 births. At least these names seem to travel together!

It wasn't until the late 70s and early 80s that these 4 names were regularly used every year, and it is only in the past decade that they've gained a boost in usage. Despite this, none of the spellings have ever been in the Top 1000 except for Boy Remy who cracked the barrier in 2009. Girl Remi may be next!

I favor Remy for a boy over all of these. While I love the French spelling and pronunciation, I can't help but like the Americanized REM-ee a little bit more.  However, for Francophones, I definitely recommend Rémy paired with a French middle name.  Which spelling do you prefer for which gender and which pronunciation do you like best?


Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Amelie, Benoite, Claire, Eloise, Helene, Jovie, Lydia, Nadine, Odette, Sophie, Vivienne
Brothers: Armand, Bastien, Dashiell, Eben, Finn, Jasper, Lucien, Pascal, Rupert, Soren, Thierry

Middle Name Ideas (Boy):
Remy Alexandre
Remy Benoit
Remy Gervais
Remy Laurent
Remy Olivier
Remy Sebastien

Middle Name Ideas (Girl):
Remy Alaina
Remy Beatrice
Remy Diane
Remy Isabelle
Remy Nicolette
Remy Simone

The Girl's Name of the Week also comes from my Australian research. The name is currently ranked at #130 in Australia and gaining popularity! The lovely name is Freya.


Freya is a Nordic name meaning "a noble woman". The Norse goddess of love, beauty and fertility was named Freya.  However, this is not the usual spelling in Sweden and Denmark. In those countries, it is spelled Freja and in Norway it is Frøja, but Freya is the common spelling of the goddess's name in English.

This moniker has been rather popular in the UK for quite a while! It ranks at #16 in Scotland, #19 in England and Wales, #53 in Northern Ireland and #61 in the Republic of Ireland. In Victoria, Australia, Freya is currently ranked at #130.

As for the United States, this name was first seen in 1931 on 5 baby girls.  It wasn't until 1939 that it saw more regular usage, however many years had single digit births or none at all. Finally in 2007 the name hit the triple digit mark with 109 babies born. Freya's high-peak was 205 births in 2011 for a ranking of #1175. Last year, the name declined slightly with 180 births and a ranking of #1301.



Clearly the States have not caught on to the beauty of this name like the UK and Australia have. While I would like to see it gain a bit more popularity, I do like to keep some names obscure as well. I feel like this name is in the sweet-spot between obscurity and familiarity.

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Astrid, Carys, Dagny, Elsa, Imogen, Ingrid, Jeneve, Kirsi, Maren, Sigrid, Thora
Brothers: Axel, Connor, Eric, Gunnar, Harry, Jacob, Knute, Leif, Ragnar, Soren, Thurston

Middle Name Ideas:
Freya Josephine
Freya Elise
Freya Scarlett
Freya Brigit
Freya Dagmar
Freya Elin
Freya Hanne
Freya Maren

As a Middle Name:
Halle Freya
Kiersten Freya
Signe Freya
Catherine Freya
Annabelle Freya
Natalie Freya

What do you think of this lovely name and what would you pair with it? Let me know!

Today I'm featuring my favorite boy name that I took from my upcoming World-Wide Wednesday post that features names from Australia!  This name is also used in other English-speaking nations but it is extremely rare in the US! The name is Rafferty.



I can't help but love it. I think it is adorable, and yet, it really doesn't have your typical "American" feel. I love that Australians like it though! Over there, it is ranked at #292 with a total of 17 births for the year in Victoria. It is actually an Irish surname that originates from Ó Raifeartaigh which came from  O’Raithbheartaigh. It means "Abundance" or "Prosperity Wielder".

It is still very much used as a surname today. Thanks to the rough sound of Rafferty, it works better on a boy than on a girl as a first name. Some surnames could go either way, but this one has a boyish vibe to it. In fact, the term "Raffish" means "unconventional and slightly disreputable, especially in an attractive manner."  It makes me think of a badboy with shades and motorcycle that all the girls are crazy about; or a rough-and-tumble toddler playing in the mud. It has a certain charm to it as well.

However, despite the meaning of raffish and the fact that it might make you think of riff raff, Rafferty does have a great meaning. I would say it is rather upbeat and edgy, a cool option for a boy. However, most of America has not fallen in love with this name yet. Jude Law's son was born in 1996 which gives this name a bit of star power.

The name first appeared on records in 1989, 1990 and 1992. Not again until 1998 and then 2002, all with 5 births per year. By 2004, the name gained some regular usage. There was a record-high of 13 births in 2005, 2006 and 2008.  AS of 2016, there were only 10 boys given the name Rafferty in the US, so if you happen to know one, he's very unique!

There were 2 born in Scotland in 2012, ranking it at #1106.  There were 106 born in England and Wales in 2011, ranking it at #378; and in 2016, there were 181 male births for a rank of #280.

 In Australia, I already mentioned that the name is ranked at #292 but I'm told by Australian Baby-Name Expert, Anna Otto, that names starting with Raf- are "currently quite big" in Australia. Rafferty in particular  honors iconic Australian screen legend “Chips” Rafferty. Because of his fame, the name Rafferty has become a favorite celebrity baby name.

I think something short and sweet would be great in the middle name spot, especially if it also has an Irish background. Raff or Rafe are both great nicknames, or even RJ if you used a J middle name!  What would you pair it with? What do you think of it?  Let me know!

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Ashling, Bridgit, Ciara, Freya, Genevieve, Iris, Keeva, Maeve, Saoirse, Willow
Brothers: Atticus, Cashel, Digby, Emory, Flynn, Gilroy, Jarvis, Ossian, Pruitt, Sebastian

Middle Name Ideas:
Rafferty Aiden
Rafferty Cormac
Rafferty Hayes
Rafferty Malone
Rafferty Quade
Rafferty Sullivan

As a Middle Name:
Brennan Rafferty
Donnel Rafferty
Keegan Rafferty
Logan Rafferty
Tavis Rafferty
Seamus Rafferty

What would YOU pair with Rafferty?

Original: 11/18/13
Updated: 5/17/18

This week's name theme is food-inspired. I have previously featured two of the names that are on the list: Basil and Clementine. I thought I would choose one that is less obviously food-related and more wearable as a name: Amandine.

Did you know that Amandine is a culinary term that refers to almonds that are used as garnish? It is sometimes misspelled as almondine in cookbooks in the US.  Did you also know that Amandine is the French form of the feminine name Amanda? Makes sense, right?


This lovely French diminutive means "much-loved" and is a wonderfully unique twist on the previously-popular and somewhat-dated name Amanda. On that note, it would also do well to honor a relative named Amanda but still give the child a modern and unique choice.

The French word for almond is amande. If you pronounce Amandine the way the French do, it would be a-mawn-DEEN. This name recently ranked at #87 in France and is occasionally used in Belgium. However, it is exceedingly rare in the US.

Actor John Malkovich named his daughter Amandine in 1990 which may have caused the very first record of the name being used in the US: there were 6 births in 1991. After that, there were 6 girls born with the name in 1996, 5 in 1999, 34 between 2002 and 2008. There were 5 born in 2013 with this name for a ranking of #16,594. (Of course the records require at least 5 births for the year so there could have been a few more Amandines born in between then that were not recorded.)

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Alessia, Beatrice, Camille, Eugenie, Juliette, Melisande, Nicolette, Rafaella, Vivienne
Brothers: Alexandre, Basil, Bastien, Florian, Jourdain, Lawrence, Mathieu, Olivier, Percival

Middle Name Ideas:
Amandine Belle
Amandine Colette
Amandine Elise
Amandine Faye
Amandine Giselle
Amandine Matilde
Amandine Noelle

Middle Name to Avoid:
Amandine Joie (essentially Almond Joy, a candy bar.)

As a Middle Name:
Claire Amandine
Isabelle Amandine
Natalie Amandine
Sophie Amandine

What middle name would you pair with Amandine? Do you have any more suggestions for a good sibling name? Let me know in the comment section!

After compiling a list of color names that could potentially be used as baby names, the color Cordovan caught my eye. After searching in various baby name databases, I've found that this has never been used as a name in the U.S. I was struck by Cordovan because of its similarities to names like Sullivan and Donovan and Cor- names like Cordell, Corbeau, Cormac or Corbett. Cordovan sounds like it should be a trendy, modern name.


Cordovan is a Spanish name meaning "native of Cordova" which refers to a city in Spain called Cordoba. It was there that seventh century Visigoths began production of "shell cordovan leather." In this case, cordovan describes the color of the leather. It was first used as the name of a color in 1925 in English.  As a color, Cordovan is a rich burgundy color, or a dark shade of wine. If you'd like to see what color it is, the Hex number is #893F45.

As for popularity, it has never been used on a child in the US since it began keeping record in 1880. I managed to find Cordovan used as a surname in many death indexes and marriage records after a simple search. I also found one woman named Cordovan Denise R. from North Carolina. I wasn't able to track down any birth records in other countries.

Since Cordovan has a strong association with leather, it has a masculine image behind it. Cute nicknames could include Cory, Cord, Cordy, Cordo or Van. What would you pair with this fantastic color name? What do you think of it?

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Brielle, Capri, Claret, Esme, Finlay, Hazel, Olive, Raven, Saffron, Scarlett, Wisteria
Brothers: Adler, Beckett, Cashel, Fletcher, Griffin, Jasper, MacAllister, Roan, Sterling, Zaffre

Middle Name Ideas:
Cordovan Blake
Cordovan James
Cordovan Lee
Cordovan Tate

As a Middle Name:
Andrew Cordovan
David Cordovan
James Cordovan
Parker Cordovan

Purple Primroses

I got this week's featured name from the list of Colonial names that I posted on Tuesday! It was apparently used back then but it sure is rare now!

There are many "Rose" names out there. Beyond just Rose, there are Rosa, Rosalie, Rosamund, Roseanne, Roselyn, Rosemary, Rosetta, Rosemarie, etc. I have never been a huge fan of any of these. And then I found Primrose. 

It switches the "rose" to the end of the name and is an entirely different flower altogether than a rose, which I like! I'm one of those odd girls that do not like roses just because everyone else does. The primrose is very lovely, though, and comes in many colors!  (Don't let the name fool you! The Primrose flower comes from the family Primulaceae and is not closely related to the rose family Rosaceae.)


This name was originally used as a Scottish surname but it ultimately derives from the Latin "prima rosa" which means "first rose". And as its name indicates, it has the word "prim" in it which lends to the saying "prim and proper." Many people view this name as somewhat uppity but I think it is uniquely cool.

Primrose has been used in several British novels and TV series so it does have a British air about it that may not work as well in America. But despite the general vibe that it gives, it is definitely a bold and attractive choice! It is a great alternative to other popular flower names like Lily and Daisy and Rose itself!

The most recent Primrose that may be familiar today is the character Primrose "Prim" Everdeen in the Hunger Games trilogy, who is of course the younger sister of Katniss.  I think that it was that exact character that influenced the 16 births of girls named Primrose in 2012.

Before 2012, there were no girls being given this name for 30 years! There were 5 born in 1982, 6 in 1973, 5 in 1960, 7 in 1940 and a total of 66 Primroses born between 1914 and 1932. Basically, this name is a rare gem! If you are looking for something pretty and unique, this is it! It has the beautiful image of flowers to back it up and she can still be called Rose or Rosie as a nickname. Win win!

I would pair this name with something somewhat classic or traditional since it is a very unique choice. Something short and sweet!  What do you think of this name? What would you pair with it?

[Sidenote: I had to choose Primrose after I chose Peregrine last week. They are my two favorite P-names and they just sort of "go together" in my mind. I would love to meet boy/girl twins named Peregrine and Primrose! Both super unique and rare and nature related! Pip and Prim or Perry and Rosie.  Just my thoughts!]  :)

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Amity, Cordelia, Everly, Honora, Junia, Lavinia, Magnolia, Octavia, Pearl, Verity
Brothers: Amadeus, Declan, Emmett, Faustus, Hawthorne, Merritt, Peregrine, Theodore, Ulysses, Vincent

Middle Name Ideas:
Primrose Eve
Primrose Hope
Primrose Kate
Primrose Lucille
Primrose Susanna

As a Middle Name:
Anna Primrose
Claire Primrose
Hester Primrose
Lydia Primrose
Tabitha Primrose