Showing posts with label unusual names. Show all posts
Showing posts with label unusual names. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

10 Names That Are Super Fun To Write In Cursive


Kids today have so much technology at their disposal that most of them probably don't write nearly as often as us older folks did. I don't know about you but when I grew up, cursive was still very much a thing. I remember having to practice each letter over and over again until I got them right.

My favorite letters, of course, were the loopiest ones like f, g, l,  p, and y. I remember doodling all over my binders wishing that my name had loopier letters in it. When my name didn't satisfy, I began writing the names of my friends, my classmates, my family members and my crushes instead.

These days, everything is so digital that I can't remember the last time I actually pulled out a pen and paper and got my loop on. Since I was thinking about it, I started to wonder which names would be the most fun to write.

I'm sure there are tons of great options out there but I picked my 10 favorite names to write:


1. 

This interesting and rare boy name has so much going for it in the way of cursiveness. The ll, the g-to-h, the b and the y... I'm dying to write this down right now! Aren't you?  Willoughby was sometimes used a century ago for males but it's very rare now. This spelling had 6 births for boys and 7 for girls in 2014.



2.

This nature name looks beautiful in cursive. You really can't beat going from a drop-down-loop to an upper loop like this y to double-l transition. And there's something adorable about a lowercase S. Amaryllis has never been popular but it has been used since 1926 in the US. There were 49 births for girls in 2014. 

3. 

My favorite cursive letter of all is the capital L! There are so many loops in Loulabelle that it's impossible to not want to write it a dozen times! Plus it sounds beautiful too! This spelling of Loulabelle has no usage on record in the US as a name.

4 .

Honestly, the longer the name, the better! With four syllables and eleven letters, Cadwallader offers so much in the way of cursive writing. Even just eyeballing it made me dizzy! Cadwallader has no usage as a name in the US but it would be a quirky choice. 

5 . 

I may have added an extra L to this beautiful guilty pleasure name but Tigerlilly really is a pleasure to write! I mean, check out that capital T!  According to records, this spelling of Tigerlilly has only been used for 5 girls in 2001 and 5 girls in 2010.

6 .

It would be a shame to exclude the marvelous lowercase letters Z and Q.  Plus, capital E's are so curvy and fun to write!  Used since 1912, Ezequiel has ranked in the Top 1000 since the early 1980s and had 485 births for boys in 2014.

7. 

Don't forget about those loopy F's! Rafferty excellently displays plenty of fun letters that you'll love to doodle absentmindedly. Cross that T with style! As a name, Rafferty is rare. Used in the US since 1989, it only had 11 births for boys in 2014.

8.  

Another satisfying letter is the capital D. This lovely name will take you on a roller coaster ride of cursive goodness! Plus, it's rare and lovely as a name! It has been around since 1902 but it has never gained steam. There were only 8 girls named Delphina in 2014.

9.  

Gorgeous Gwendolyn also has an amazing capital letter along with some lowercase loopiness and an l-to-y combo. What's not to love? This name had a popularity peak in 1953, declined after that but is starting to climb the charts again. There were 756 girls given this name in 2014 for a rank of #420.

10. 

Last but not least, Jumpin' Jehoshaphat may not be used at all as an actual name in the US, but it's definitely full of excellent cursive loopiness. Look at that capital J! It even has three H's! I dare you not to doodle this one throughout your next class or business meeting. 


What do you think of my collection of cursive-friendly names? I know there are way more names out there that would inspire anyone to pull out a pen and paper. Can you think of any?

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Whimsical Names for Baby Girls

When something is "whimsical" it is defined as "playfully quaint or fanciful, especially in an appealing and amusing way."

When applied to names, I would consider these to be names that are a bit out of the ordinary. Something that you don't quite hear everyday but when you do hear it, you can't help but feel drawn to it.

Many of these might only make it as far as your "guilty pleasure" list but you may find yourself falling for one enough to at least sneak it in the middle name spot.

If you happen to be a bold namer, you're sure to love this list! Which of these do you like the most?




Aerith                        
Alaska
Allifair
Allure
Alouette
Amethyst
Amity
Anais
Apolline
Arianwen
Astoria
Atalanta
Athalia
Ayelet
Belladonna
Bliss
Boheme
Briar
Bronwyn
Calantha
Calixta
Celandine
Ceridwen
Charis
Chrysanthemum
Clemence
Clover
Corisande
Cressida
Daenerys
December
Éire
Eirwen
Elendra
Ellowen
Elula                      
Evienne
Fable
Fawn
Ferelith
Galaxy
Galilea
Gwynne
Hypatia
Illyria
Indica
Iridessa
Ismay
Jemima
Jovia
Junia
Juniper
Juno
Karenina
Kismet
Lavender
Loire
Lolita
Lothira
Lotus
Lumina
Luneth
Maebry
Maisie
Medea
Miette
Mireille
Nymeria
Orchid
Oriane
Ottoline
Peridot
Persis
Petal
Pommeline
Posy
Prairie
Quintessa
Reverie
Rogue
Sabine
Sable
Sailor
Salome
Sansa
Satine
Selah
Sincerity
Sparrow
Sybil
Tamsin
Theodosia
Thisbe
Thora
Tigerlily
Topanga
Valeska
Valkyrie
Vella
Verona
Vianne
Waverly
Whisper
Winsome
Zosia
How many names could you add to this list? Share your favorite whimsical names in the comments below!  You may also enjoy our similar list of Unusual and Quirky Middle Names for Girls.

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Whimsical Names for Baby Boys

When something is "whimsical" it is defined as "playfully quaint or fanciful, especially in an appealing and amusing way."

When applied to names, I would consider these to be names that are a bit out of the ordinary. Something that you don't quite hear everyday but when you do hear it, you can't help but feel drawn to it.

Many of these might only make it as far as your "guilty pleasure" list but you may find yourself falling for one enough to at least sneak it in the middle name spot.

Or perhaps you're a bold namer and you're already adding many of these to your first names list.

Whatever the case may be, surely you'll enjoy browsing this list:

Adler                      
Alchemy
Alfric
Ambrose
Atlas
Atreyu
Auberon
Bane
Barclay
Basil
Beau
Bingham
Bravery
Breccan
Bromley
Cadwallader
Caius
Caldwell
Caspian
Cassius
Castor
Cato
Chauncey
Cobalt
Creed
Crosby
Cuthbert
Dempsey
Digby
Draco
Dresden
Duvall
Eben
Emery
Éos
Euan                    
Everest
Fabian
Feivel
Fielding
Finch
Fischer
Frost
Gable
Hayes
Hemlock
Huckleberry
Icarus
Idris
Indigo
Isidore
Kit
Lachlan
Loki
Lórien
Lysander
Madden
Mahogany
Merrick
Merritt
Midnight
Napoleon
Noble
Orchard
Orrin
Payson
Percival
Peregrine
Pippin
Psyche
Quade
Quill
Rafe
Rafferty
Ragnar
Ransom
Rigby
Rohan
Rudyard
Rumor
Sayer
Seven
Socrates
Soren
Spiro
Sterling
Sutton
Tennyson
Thackeray
Thane
Theodoric
Thor
Thorin
Timber
Tolliver
Tomlin
Toulouse
Valentine
Viggo
Whistler
Wilder
Wiley
Willoughby
Wolfram
Zeus
Which do you like most? Can you think of any others that could be added?
You may also enjoy our similar list of Unusual and Quirky Middle Names for Boys.

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Uncommon Alternatives to the Top 10 Boys' Names

As you may know, here in the US the Social Security Administration tallies up the names of all the babies born within a year and reveals which names were most popular. While there are clearly thousands of parents who are happy using popular names, there are also parents who would rather avoid them.

For those parents who may secretly like the sound of the top names but hate their popularity, I've created a list of alternative options to the Top 10 names for boys. The names may be similar in sound, syllables, initial letter, meaning, origin or a combination of those. None of the alternate names below rank on the SSA's Top 1000 most popular names chart in 2014.

1. Noah ---> Nahum
Nahum is the best alternative to Noah because it is also a biblical Hebrew name and it has a similar meaning. Noah means "rest, comfort" and Nahum means "comforter". It starts with the same letter, has the same number of syllables and they're both very vowel heavy. While Noah ranked at #1, Nahum sits nicely at #2076. Perfectly suitable to take Noah's place!  Other options: Noam, Enoch, Jonah, Nolan

2. Liam ---> Calum
Calum is a fun choice because it has the same ending sound as Liam and they both have Celtic roots with Liam being Irish and Calum being Scottish. Calum is a form of Columba, a Latin, saintly name meaning "dove". While Calum ranks down at #2452 last year, it does have a slightly more popular brother, Callum, that ranks at #729. Both are still much less popular than Liam at #2!  Other options: Alec, Leeland, Noam, Willem

3. Mason ---> Pierson
Mason is an occupational surname that refers to a stoneworker. What better alternative than a surname name referring to a rock? Pierson comes from the medieval name Piers which is a variant of Peter. Both of these names end with -son and they both come from Old French roots. It's cool and unusual and the perfect uncommon alternative since it ranked way down at #1301 in 2014. Other options: Cason, Colson, Stetson, Thatcher

4. Jacob ---> Javan
Jacob was the #1 name for many years only to begin its descent in 2013 when Noah took over. Javan has never even cracked the Top 1000, receiving only 52 births in 2014. Both 5-letter J-names are Hebrew but clearly have opposite popularities which makes Javan an interesting alternative to Jacob. Other options: Coby, Israel, Jaime, Séamus

5. William ---> Bertram
This was a tough choice. In the end, Bertram has similar, appealing qualities to William. Both names are derived from Germanic elements and both end with -am. While William has Will, Bertram has Bert. While Bert isn't as fashionable as Will at the moment, there's potential for it to come back and rank as well as it did in the 1920s. With barely 7 births last year, I find Bertram a handsome and truly rare alternative. Other options: Alaric, Edmund, Luther, Wilson

6. Ethan ---> Japheth
These two names take us from a popular biblical name to a rare one. Ethan may rank at #6 now but it wasn't always popular. It wasn't even regularly used in the US until 1911. Ethan gradually increased in usage through the 1970s until it exploded onto the scene in 1989 and zoomed up the charts, ranking as high as #2 in 2009 and 2010. Japheth was unheard of until 1970 and has slowly gained a handful of usage today with 43 births in 2014. Could it follow Ethan's pattern and someday be discovered in a big way?  Other options: Eben, Lathan, Ephraim, Irah

7. Michael ---> Micaiah
These two biblical names sound similar enough to swap and still keep everyone happy. Michael has been hugely popular for a very long time. There are Mikes everywhere. However, Micaiah  is relatively obscure. It has only been in use in the US since 1973. 2014 was its best year yet with 133 male births and a rank of #1311. There were also 41 female births.  Other options: Melchoir, Mischa, Mitchell, Malcolm

8. Alexander --->  Lysander
Alexander is a big, strong Greek name that has been used very well all around the world. Lysander is also a Greek name but it has a more tame and whimsical feel to it. Both end with "ander" which makes the rare Lysander a good alternative to the popular Alexander. It only had 43 male births in 2014 for a low, low ranking of #2764. Are you sold yet? Other options: Evander, Ferdinand, Constantine, Augustus

9. James ---> Ramsey
Without featuring a variant of James or a translation in another language, I wanted to find something uncommon that sounded similar. This one was very tough, especially since we also featured James' twin brother Jacob earlier. I settled on Ramsey. They have a similar sound  because of the "am" and "s" that should satisfy that quota, and they also have a potentially cool, bad boy vibe in common. Ramsey only had 93 births in 2014 for a ranking of #1649.  Other options: Hayes, Ellis, Hamish, Thiago

10. Daniel ---> Dashiell
These two names sound very similar to each other. Dashiell would work very well as an alternative choice for those who love Daniel but cannot use it. Daniel has always ranked well in the US but Dashiell has only been used in the US since 1979. It has never ranked in the Top 1000 and had only 123 births in 2014.  If you're looking for unusual, Dashiell is it! Other options: Adriel, Uriel, Dane, Niall

--
What do you think of my choices? Would you choose different alternative names for any of these?

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

From Amaranth to Violet: A Look at Names of the Rainbow


Colors are everywhere: some vibrant, some pastel. Things would be dreary if we suddenly removed color from our lives. Some might even go the extra step to ensure that their surroundings are always colorful and lively by painting the walls in their home or dressing in only the hottest pinks or brightest yellows. Plenty of parents already opt for nature names so why not extend your love for colors to baby naming, too?

I've previously posted a list of color names on The Art of Naming, but they were not broken down according to the major base colors. I decided to take a look at the rainbow and categorize some of the more interesting name possibilities under the closest related parent color. The following list was the result:

Red:

Amaranth
Carmine
Cerise
Crimson
Magenta
Red
Rose
Ruby
Scarlet

The last three on the red list are probably the most popular with Rose leading the pack, however Scarlett is more popular than Scarlet. Would you use one of the more unusual reds like Amaranth or Carmine?

Orange:

Amber
Coral
Peach
Rusty
Sienna
Tawny

While Rusty and Tawny are rarely used, Amber was huge in the '80s and Sienna peaked in 2007. Peach doesn't have any recorded usage.

Yellow:

Goldie
Jasmine
Jonquil
Lemon
Maize
Marigold
Mikado
Saffron

Many of these are rather unusual. The most popular by far is Jasmine which ranks at #100 in 2014!

Green:

Emerald
Fern
Forest
Hunter
Jade
Kelly
Laurel
Myrtle
Olive
Pine

Green names are fun, especially the more playful ones like Kelly which only came about because of the Irish surname's association with Ireland and the color green. And then there's Hunter green which was the color of choice for hunters back in the 19th century. The others are very nature related.

Blue:

Aqua
Azure
Blue
Cobalt
Cyan
Navy
Sapphire
Sky
Zaffre

Most of these blues are pretty obscure as names. Sky (g) is most popular at #740 in 2014.  If you’re looking for something related to a shade of blue that is a little more “namey” and a little less unusual, try Alice, Carolina, Celeste, Maya and Tiffany.  

Indigo & Violet:

Amethyst
Indigo
Iris
Lavender
Mauve
Orchid
Plum
Thistle
Violet
Wisteria

Violet is a true vintage name and has come back in style after being popular in 1920. (Check out the 100 year rule!) Iris is also ranking well these days! The others would make beautiful and quirky middle names!
-

What's your favorite color? Do your favorite baby names correspond to your favorite color? Would you choose one of the names above and if so, which do you like best? Can you think of any I missed? Share your colorful thoughts in the comments below!  [Source]

Friday, June 5, 2015

Juno

While everyone will have differing opinions about which are The Very Best J Names for Boys and Girls, I'm sure many can agree that Juno is an interesting and unique choice!


The feminine name Juno is very mythological. The ancient Roman goddess was a daughter of Saturn, the wife (and sister!) of the Jupiter and the mother of Mars and Vulcan. She was the goddess of marriage and childbirth and often looked after the women of Rome. Juno was also the Queen of the Gods, known as "Regina" which means Queen. Her Greek equivalent is the goddess Hera.


The meaning of the name Juno is generally thought to be unknown but some speculate that it is related to an Indo-European root word that means "youth".  Juno is a variation of the Roman name Iuno. Other related names are Iunius, Junius, Iunia, and Junia.

As a name, Juno isn't very used in the US. It randomly charted way back in 1919 with 6 births and it wasn't heard from again until 1996.

This name really wasn't on anyone's radar until the popular Indie film Juno came out in 2007. There were only 7 girls with this name in 2006, but because of the film, 11 girls were given the name Juno in 2007 and 33 in 2008.

It has continued to slowly inch up the charts after that with a peak of 61 births in 2011. As of 2014, though, the name Juno has declined a bit to only 49 births for the year.

Interestingly, this name is also being used for boys despite the strong association with the goddess. It actually had more births in 2007 for a boy than for a girl but it didn't get a usage boost after that. It wasn't given to boys at all in 2010 but the year 2014 had 15 boys named Juno.

While I've seen this name get thrown around the baby naming community quite a bit, it has yet to catch on with mainstream America. However, that's probably a good thing because Juno can continue to remain a rare gem for the time being. If you are interested in using this unranked and unusual name, your child will be one of a kind in their school.

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

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Aurora, Diana, Iris, Maren, Portia, Viola
Brothers: Antony, Damon, Fabian, Lucian, Marcus, Theon

Middle Name Ideas:
Juno Cecily
Juno Cordelia
Juno Eleanor
Juno Harper
Juno Violet

As a Middle Name:
Amelia Juno
Evelyn Juno
Liliana Juno
Michaela Juno
Victoria Juno

What do you think of Juno as a name? Would you use it for a boy? What middle name would you pair with it? Share your thoughts in the comments! 

Photo credit: "Juno sospita pushkin" by shakko - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Friday, March 20, 2015

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!

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

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!

Friday, December 19, 2014

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!

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

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?

Friday, October 31, 2014

Casper

I chose to feature the name Casper this week because of its well-known association with "the friendly ghost" who is an animated character that's actually been around since 1939. It felt appropriate since today is Halloween and ghosts are a spooky staple of the holiday.


Beyond the ghostly association, though, resides a really fabulous family of names.  Casper is the Dutch and Scandinavian form of the name Jasper which comes from the ancient Hebrew word Gizbar meaning "Treasurer". Gaspar was traditionally the name of one of the wise men who were said to have visited the newborn Jesus Christ.  Other related names include Caspar, Kasper, Jesper, Gaspard, Gaspare, and Gazsi.

Casper is not an unfamiliar name to the ear in the US. However, it isn't being used all that often. It has been consistently used since records began in 1880, but it has never been popular. It was once ranking in the bottom half of the Top 1000 chart, but it fell off of it in 1933. That means it hasn't been high on parents' radars in at least 80 years!

There were 89 baby boys named Casper in 2013 for a ranking of #1665. There were only 15 given the hardly-used spelling of Caspar. Jasper, on the other hand, has had quite a bit of popularity lately, ranking at #248 in 2013 with 1,443 births for the year.

Casper is rather popular overseas, though! It has recently ranked #49 in Sweden, #87 in Norway, #90 in the Netherlands and #346 in England/Wales. I think if old-man Jasper can be stylish again in the US, the cool Casper can be relevant too now that the ghostly image is beginning to fade with time.

What do you think of Casper? Do you like one of the variations better? What middle names would you pair with Casper? Here are a few random ideas that I came up with:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Alice, Delilah, Iris, Lucy, Pearl, Sabrina, Zelda
Brothers: Atlas, Chauncey, Dempsey, Emmett, Linus, Porter, Watson

Middle Name Ideas:
Casper Blaine
Casper Edmund
Casper Louis
Casper Owen

As a Middle Name:
Ellis Casper
James Casper
Milo Casper
Nicholas Casper

Is the "friendly ghost" association too much still? Share your thoughts on this name in the comment section below!

Friday, October 17, 2014

Madelief

The male Dutch name that I featured this week, Diederick, is relatively rare. The female name that I'm about to share is actually ranking pretty well in the Netherlands!

Madelief is the name. It is pronounced mad-uh-LEEF and it's actually rather adorable! I think this could catch on in lieu of the more popular "Maddie" names like Madeline and Madison if more people knew about it. It would fit in well with other unusual Mad- names like Madigan and Madeleva as well as male choices like Maddox and Madden. It also goes hand in hand with botanical names that are gaining popularity today.


The best part is that this adorable name comes from the Dutch word madeliefje which means "daisy". So it's actually an obscure nature name! I say that it is obscure because, well, it is. It may rank at #126 in the Netherlands, but here in the USA, Madelief is non-existent. There have never been at least 5 girls given this name in a single year. Anyone who has this name is definitely one of a kind.

In the 1970s, children's book author Guus Kuijer wrote a beloved series of books featuring a character named Madelief. It was made into a tv series in the 1990s too! However, most of it has never been translated into English. Beyond that, Madelief seems to be a relatively new name even in the Netherlands.

If you're looking for a name that's on trend but completely unique at the same time, this is it! I'd love to see this name get some usage in the US today!

What do you think of this rare name? What middle names would you pair with it? Share your thoughts below! Here are some ideas that I came up with:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Anneke, Esmee, Fenna, Helena, Mila, Sabine, Xandra, Zoe
Brothers: Bram, Constantine, Florian,  Lucas, Oscar, Pieter, Sebastian, Tobias

Middle Name Ideas:
Madelief Anne
Madelief Joelle
Madelief Kate
Madelief Norah
Madelief Tessa

As a Middle Name:
Chloe Madelief
Eva Madelief
Faye Madelief
Noa Madelief
Sophie Madelief

Monday, October 13, 2014

Diederick

The male name Diederick is the Dutch form of the Germanic name Theodoric. Both mean "ruler of the people". Theodoric is completely different than the similar sounding Greek name Theodore which means "gift of God".



There was a Theodoric the Great in the 6th-century who became the ruler of Italy. He was also called Theodoricus but the original Gothic version of the name may have been Þiudreiks which is where Diederick comes from.

Pronounced DEE-də-rik, this cool and unusual Dutch name has some equally cool counterparts in other languages like Theoderich, Derek, Derrick, Dirk, Thierry, Tiede, Dierk, Dietrich, Thilo, Tielo and Tudor.

However, as a baby name in the USA, Diederick is unexplored territory. There are zero births on record since records were first kept in 1880. Since the Social Security Administration does not report births for a name unless there was at least 5 in one year, it's possible that there have been a few boys named Diederick born in the US at some point, but they weren't recorded officially. This means that if you were to use this name, your son would nearly be one of a kind!

In the Netherlands, I could not find an official ranking for the popularity of Diederick there, but I did find out that it didn't rank within the Top 500 or so names in 2013. Today's Dutch parents highly favor short names. Diederick is rather long is it may be rather rare and unusual everywhere which makes it all the more fun, especially with a nickname like Dee, Derick, Rick or Ricky.

What do you think of the name Diederick? Is it cool that it's so rare or do you think it deserves to remain in obscurity? Share your thoughts in the comments below!  Also, what would you pair with it? Here are some ideas:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Anneke, Caroline, Fenna, Leonie, Madelief, Sanne, Thera
Brothers: Constantine, Lieven, Milan, Nicolas, Pieter, Sem, Willem

Middle Name Ideas:
Diederick Finn
Diederick Lucas
Diederick Pim
Diederick Ruben

As a Middle Name:
Bram Diederick
Jesse Diederick
Levi Diederick
Noah Diederick

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

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!

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

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!

Monday, August 11, 2014

Celestial Girl Names

Last week we saw a great selection of celestial names for baby boys. Now it is the girls' turn!  If you're looking for the perfect name for the little star in your life, perhaps you'll find it on this list! Included in the list are names of stars, constellations, planets, moons, satellites and more! It covers all things space-related. So if you're a fan of astronomy or astrology or you simply find yourself gazing up into the cosmos often, I think you'll love this list!

If you're unfamiliar with any of these names, I suggest doing some research before committing to it, as with any baby name.  Which of these lovely choices do you like best? What would you pair with it?


Adara                                        
Adhara
Adrastea
Agena
Alula
Alya
Andromeda
Aquila
Alhena
Amalthea
Ara
Ariel
Aries
Aster
Asterope
Astra
Atria
Auriga
Aurora
Austrina
Auva
Belinda
Bellatrix
Betria
Bianca
Callirrhoe
Callisto
Calypso
Capella
Carina
Cassiopeia
Catalina
Celeste
Chara
Columba
Cordelia
Corona
Cressida
Cyllene
Delphin
Desdemona
Despina
Dione
Eartha
Elara
Electra
Eris
Eugenia
Europa
Euanthe
Evanthe

Faye
Galatea
Gemini
Gemma
Halley
Helene
Helia
Ida
Io
Juliet
Lacerta
Larissa
Leda
Libra
Luna
Lynx
Lyra
Maia
Margaret
Meissa
Mensa
Merope
Metis
Mimosa
Mira
Miranda
Nebula
Norma
Nova
Ophelia
Pandora
Perdita
Phoebe
Phoenix
Portia
Rhea
Rosalind
Sadira
Shaula
Sidra
Sylvia
Talitha
Tania
Thalassa
Thebe
Titania
Vega
Vela
Venus
Zaniah
Zosma

Friday, August 8, 2014

Atlas

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!

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Celestial Boy Names

From stars, moons and planets to comets, satellites and even the names of iconic scientists, here is a wonderful list of all things celestial. If you're into astronomy or astrology or you're simply a fan of the night sky, you're sure to find inspiration from this dazzling list of baby names.

However, I don't have the space to define each of these. If you're unfamiliar with one of the names, be sure to research it before writing it on a birth certificate. :)  Which of these names do you like best for a boy?


Acamar                            
Aegir
Aquila
Altair
Apus
Ariel
Atlas
Beid
Brooks
Caliban
Cassini
Castor
Caelum
Celestin
Cepheus
Cetus
Copernicus
Corvus
Crux
Daniel
Donati
Dorado
Draco
Fenrir
Ferdinand
Finlay
Fornax
Francisco
Galileo
Hercules
Herschel
Holmes
Hubble
Indus
Jupiter

Keid
Kepler
Leo
Lupus
Mars
Mercury
Miram
Montani
Naos
Nash
Neptune
Newton
Oberon
Orion
Pavo
Perseus
Phoenix
Pluto
Pollux
Prospero
Rigel
Rossi
Russell
Saiph
Sagan
Saturn
Sirius
Stephano
Suhail
Taurus
Triton
Tucan
West
Wolf
Zuben

Friday, July 25, 2014

Carys

The last piece in this week's World-Wide Wednesday segment on Welsh names is the lovely girl name Carys.

The Art of Naming - welsh names for females


Pronounced ka-RISS or KAH-ris in Wales and sometimes CARE-iss in the US, it comes from the Welsh word caru which means "love". In the stream of time as far as names go, Carys is actually somewhat modern. It has only been in use since the middle of the 20th century in Wales. The most recent stats I can find rank the name at #239 in England/Wales.

Carys has only been used in the US since 1991. It never received more than 16 births in a year until it suddenly got a boost in 2003 with 106 births. The cause of this increase is most likely because of Welsh-born actress Catherine Zeta-Jones and her husband Michael Douglas choosing the name for their daughter in 2003.

Since 2003, the name has consistently continued to receive at least a hundred births per year but it hasn't had more than 200. In 2013, there were 122 girls given the name for a ranking of #1695. This name could also be spelled Cerys but that spelling is even less used, only on record since 1998 and never receiving more than 13 births in one year.

It has probably not gained more popularity in the US since it is a Welsh name with a not-so-common pronunciation. It will probably remain under the radar and dance in the #1000-#1500 range unless something else happens to boost it again. That means its a great, unusual choice if you're looking for something different.

Revision:  Carys ranked at #2788 in the US for a total of 61 births for 2016. Which means my prediction above was off. The name actually declined even more from 2013 to 2016. This still makes it a great option for parents who want a rare name.

What do you think of Carys? Here are some naming pairing ideas I came up with:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Anwen, Bronwyn, Imogen, Lydia, Rhiannon, Saoirse, Tegan
Brothers: Dylan, Flynn, Gareth, Graeme, Owen, Rhett, Vaughn

Middle Name Ideas:
Carys Amelia
Carys Elizabeth
Carys Gwendolen
Carys Juniper
Carys Philippa

As a Middle Name:
Alexandra Carys
Evangeline Carys
Genevieve Carys
Madeline Carys
Tabitha Carys

Original post: 7/25/14
Revision: 5/15/17

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

123 Potential Baby-Names Used on Cars

Here is a list of names (and potential name ideas) that have been used by automakers and car companies. Are there any that you would love to use as a name but feel as if it is too closely associated with the car? I think Ford and Lexus are cool but they are very obvious.  Have any of these been ruined for you or would you still use them anyway? There sure are a lot of little Bentleys being born lately!

Makes:
  • Acura
  • Alfa Romeo
  • Ariel [Atom]
  • Aston Martin
  • Audi
  • Austin Healey
  • Bentley
  • Ford
  • Kia
  • Lexus
  • Lincoln
  • Mercedes
  • [Rolls-]Royce
  • Shelby
  • Tesla
Models:
  • Acadia  (GMC)
  • Allante (Cadillac)
  • Alero (Oldsmobile)
  • Altima (Nissan)
  • Amanti (Kia)
  • Apollo  (Buick)
  • Aspen (Chrysler)
  • Astra (Saturn)
  • Aura (Saturn)
  • Aurora (Oldsmobile)
  • Avalon (Toyota)
  • Aveo  (Chevrolet)
  • Azera (Hyundai)
  • Azure (Bentley)
  • Beretta (Chevrolet)
  • Cadenza (Kia)
  • Camaro (Chevrolet)
  • Camry (Toyota)
  • Capri (Ford / Mercury)
  • Caprice (Chevrolet)
  • Carina (Toyota)
  • Carrera (Porsche)
  • Catera (Cadillac)
  • Cavalier (Chevrolet)
  • Cayenne (Porsche)
  • Caymen (Porsche)
  • Celica (Toyota)
  • Chevelle (Chevrolet)
  • Cobalt (Chevrolet)
  • Colt (Dodge/Mitsubishi/Plymouth)
  • Cordia (Mitsubishi)
  • Corsica (Chevrolet)
  • Cosmo (Mazda)
  • Cooper  (mini)
  • Cressida (Toyota)
  • Cruze (Chevrolet)
  • Daytona (Dodge)
  • Diamante (Mitsubishi)
  • Diesel (Volvo)
  • Echo (Toyota)
  • Elan (Lotus)
  • Elantra (Hyundai)
  • Electra  (Buick)
  • Elise (Lotus)
  • Enzo (Ferrari)
  • Evora (Lotus)
  • Fiero (Pontiac)
  • Forester (Subaru)
  • Genesis (Hyundai)
  • Giulia  (Alfa Romeo)
  • Giulietta  (Alfa Romeo)
  • Herald (Triumph)
  • Holden Monaro (Pontiac)
  • Hunter (Land Rover)
  • Integra  (Acura)
  • Jetta (Volkswagen)
  • Jimny (Suzuki)
  • Lancer (Mitsubishi)
  • Liberty (Jeep)
  • Lucerne  (Buick)
  • Lumina (Chevrolet)
  • Magnum (Dodge)
  • Mark (Isuzu / Toyota)
  • [Grand] Marquis (Mercury)
  • Maxima (Nissan)
  • Miata (Mazda)
  • Milan (Mercury)
  • Milano (Alfa Romeo)
  • Millenia (Mazda)
  • Monaco (Dodge)
  • Monte Carlo (Chevrolet)
  • Murano (Nissan)
  • Optima (Kia)
  • Orlando (Chevrolet)
  • Pantera (DeTomaso)
  • Rio (Kia)
  • Riviera (Buick)
  • Sable  (Mercury)
  • Sedona (Kia)
  • Sentra (Nissan)
  • Sephia (Kia)
  • Sequoia (Toyota)
  • Seville (Cadillac)
  • Shelby (Dodge)
  • Sierra (GMC)
  • Sienna (Toyota)
  • Sky (Saturn)
  • Sonata (Hyundai)
  • Sonoma (GMC)
  • Sorento (Kia)
  • Tacoma (Toyota)
  • Talon (Eagle)
  • Tiburon (Hyundai)
  • Tucson (Hyundai)
  • Vega (Chevrolet)
  • Verona (Suzuki)
  • [Crown] Victoria (Ford)
  • Zephyr (Lincoln / Mercury) 
Whether you are inspired by one of these names or they make you think twice about your favorite, what do you think of the list?  My favorites are Apollo, Aurora, Cadenca, Carina, Cavalier, Cressida, Elise, Jimny, Lumina, Maxima, Milan, Sable, Sephia, and Verona.  What about you?

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