These days, word names are in. Here are some of the more interesting and beautiful words that are being used as names for girls today. Which are your favorites?
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Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Wonderful Word Names for Girls
These days, word names are in. Here are some of the more interesting and beautiful words that are being used as names for girls today. Which are your favorites?
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Interesting Word Names for Boys
Have you ever met someone whose name is also a word? I knew a man named Grant who didn't seem to flinch when someone used the word grant in a sentence. It's interesting that there can be such a difference in our minds between hearing the word and hearing the name.
Do you know anyone who has one of the following word names? Can you think of more that weren't listed below?
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Friday, July 17, 2015
Luna
Taken straight from our list of The Very Best L Names for Boys and Girls is the lovely name Luna.
While Luna is usually listed as either Italian, Spanish or both, it originates as a Latin name meaning "the moon". According to the ancient Roman mythology, the goddess Luna was considered the divine embodiment of the moon and was often portrayed as driving a white chariot through the sky. Her Greek counterpart is the goddess Selene.
As a baby name in the US, Luna dates back to the start of our modern records in the year 1880. Luna has been used on and off over the years, encountering a bit of a dry spell in the mid-60s. It was never popular until recently when it joined the Top 1000 names in 2003. It has been steadily rising on the popularity chart since then. 2,314 baby girls were given the name in 2014 for a ranking of #143. At this rate, it should continue to rise in popularity.
Luna is short and sweet. It carries beautiful imagery with it as it evokes peaceful vibes synonymous with the night sky. It works very well on Spanish and Italian girls but it is popular enough now to work on anyone without raising eyebrows.
Since it is relatively short, it best pairs with a longer-looking middle name, even if they might have the same amount of syllables. For more ideas of how to pair this name, view my suggestions for potential sibling names and middle names below:
Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Aurora, Cara, Maia, Molly, Sadie, Stella, Violet
Brothers: Asher, Damian, Jack, Marius, Paul, Ruben, Xavier
Middle Name Ideas:
Luna Charlotte
Luna Delphine
Luna Mirabelle
Luna Penelope
Luna Tamsin
As a Middle Name:
Abigail Luna
Eleanor Luna
Marjorie Luna
Persephone Luna
Rafaela Luna
What do you think of the names I suggested? What would you pair with Luna? My favorite guilty pleasure pairing is Luna Sapphire for the image of a big blue moon.
While Luna is usually listed as either Italian, Spanish or both, it originates as a Latin name meaning "the moon". According to the ancient Roman mythology, the goddess Luna was considered the divine embodiment of the moon and was often portrayed as driving a white chariot through the sky. Her Greek counterpart is the goddess Selene.
As a baby name in the US, Luna dates back to the start of our modern records in the year 1880. Luna has been used on and off over the years, encountering a bit of a dry spell in the mid-60s. It was never popular until recently when it joined the Top 1000 names in 2003. It has been steadily rising on the popularity chart since then. 2,314 baby girls were given the name in 2014 for a ranking of #143. At this rate, it should continue to rise in popularity.
Luna is short and sweet. It carries beautiful imagery with it as it evokes peaceful vibes synonymous with the night sky. It works very well on Spanish and Italian girls but it is popular enough now to work on anyone without raising eyebrows.
Since it is relatively short, it best pairs with a longer-looking middle name, even if they might have the same amount of syllables. For more ideas of how to pair this name, view my suggestions for potential sibling names and middle names below:
Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Aurora, Cara, Maia, Molly, Sadie, Stella, Violet
Brothers: Asher, Damian, Jack, Marius, Paul, Ruben, Xavier
Middle Name Ideas:
Luna Charlotte
Luna Delphine
Luna Mirabelle
Luna Penelope
Luna Tamsin
As a Middle Name:
Abigail Luna
Eleanor Luna
Marjorie Luna
Persephone Luna
Rafaela Luna
What do you think of the names I suggested? What would you pair with Luna? My favorite guilty pleasure pairing is Luna Sapphire for the image of a big blue moon.
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
The Very Best L Names for Boys and Girls
Are you a fan of L? If so, you may just love this list! I have compiled 25 of the very best L names for girls and the 25 for boys!
However, just like all the other articles like this, the names are listed alphabetically. I did not rank them from best to worst or favorite to least favorite.
These are simply 50 of the best L names that I could find that I think would suit a modern American child. While there are plenty of other L names out there, these are the ones that I liked the most.
What are your favorite names on the list below?
<-- The Very Best K Names for Boys and Girls ||| The Very Best M Names for Boys and Girls -->
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
Uncommon Alternatives to the Top 10 Girls' Names
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 girls.
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, Emma ---> Amabel
The rare medieval name Amabel maintains a sound similar to Emma at the start of the name but it also offers the trendy "bel" sound at the end. It does all of this while still being an unusual name and a cool alternative to the popular Emma. I can never believe that this lovely precursor to Annabelle can remain so unused. Amabel was only given to 5 baby girls in 2014 which is as opposite in popularity as you can get compared to the #1 name Emma. Other options: Alma, Jemma, Amelina, Esme
2. Olivia ---> Octavia
These two names can easily be alternatives for each other sound-wise. They both start with O and end with -via. As far as nicknames go, these are also easily swapped: Liv and Tave or Livia and Tavia. If Olivia is too popular for you, try the always rare yet very familiar Octavia. It was only given to 69 baby girls in 2014 which is very low compared to Olivia's nearly 20,000 births. Other options: Olympia, Vianna, Ophelia, Alba
3. Sophia ---> Seraphina
Seraphina is a great alternative to Sophia in terms of sound. Just like Amabel and Octavia above, Seraphina is a name that feels like it should have plenty of usage but it just doesn't. Except for 6 recorded births in 1916, Seraphina has only been around recently. It is gaining a bit of usage but still only received 175 births in 2014. It is pretty and unusual which is a great contrast to the popular Sophia. Other options: Sonya, Sophronia, Delphina, Sapphira
4. Isabella ---> Isadora
Instead of focusing on finding an alternate name that shares the "bella" sound, I thought we'd focus on the beautiful "Isa" sound instead. The best option, of course, is the rare Isadora. Isadora has been around in the US since 1880 with regular usage except for a brief hiatus from 1958-1968. It's gained some momentum since then, receiving 167 births in 2014 but it is still far from ranking in the Top 1000. Other options: Bellamy, Isabeau, Elizabella, Sable
5. Ava ---> Aviva
This interesting Hebrew name means "spring" and feels like a very refreshing alternative to the popular Ava. It maintains the same letters and sounds but adds a syllable which gives it a unique and cool vibe. Aviva has been around since 1935 in the US but it has never been popular. With 94 births in 2014, this rare gem is an excellent choice! Other options: Aveline, Maeva, Evadne, Geneva
6. Mia ---> Pia
There aren't very many names that start or end with -mia. Finding a decent sound-alike name wasn't easy until I dropped the letter M and found rhyming name Pia. It is a Late Roman name that comes from the male name Pius and has actually been around in the US since 1908. In 2014, there were 71 girls given the name. It would be a lovely and unique alternative to Mia. Other options: Melia, Noemia, Mina, Magnolia
7. Emily ---> Romilly
If you're searching for something that sounds like Emily but is the opposite when it comes to popularity, Romilly is the name for you. With the ending of both names being identical, you really only exchange the E for the Ro but you get a very unique name. How unique? Well, Romilly has only been used in the US since 2013 for a total of 12 babies on record ever being given the name. Other options: Kirrily, Milani, Camellia, Amberly
8. Abigail ---> Abilene
Abigail may be popular but it has a unique sound all to itself. There are no other names that offer "gail" that I could find and only a handful of names starting with "Abi-". One solution is to find a less common biblical girls' name, another is to find something that simply sounds similar. In this case, you get a two for one deal with the rare, Hebrew name Abilene. Used briefly in the New Testament, Abilene means "grass" and has only been regularly used in the US since 1987. It was given to 48 girls in 2014. Other options: Gaia, Aberdeen, Fabiana, Esther
If you're a fan of the nickname Maddie, Madison and Madeline aren't the only options. An unusual and interesting option is Madigan. It is very similar in sound to Madison but it isn't nearly as popular. It has been used in the US since 1992 with a high peak of 67 births in 2002. Now in 2014, it was only given to 15 girls. It's a cool, spunky alternative to the popular Madison. Other options: Madelief, Madelena, Maude, Matilde
10. Charlotte ---> Harriet
The regal name Charlotte may rank at number 10 in 2014 but it seems posed to climb even higher, possibly even hitting number one in the coming years. Harriet has been around since 1880 with a real heyday during the '20s and '30s. It left the Top 1000 in 1971 and has been uncommon ever since. In the past two years, 127 girls were given the name Harriet which would be a lovely alternative name to Charlotte. Other options: Arlette, Charlize, Liesel, Lottie
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What do you think of my uncommon alternatives to these popular girl names? Don't forget to check out the alternate names I chose for boys too!
Wednesday, July 1, 2015
Uncommon Alternatives to the Top 10 Boys' Names
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
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What do you think of my choices? Would you choose different alternative names for any of these?
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
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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:
AmaranthCarmine
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:
AmberCoral
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:
GoldieJasmine
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:
EmeraldFern
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:
AmethystIndigo
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!
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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 19, 2015
Kai
Today's featured name comes from the list of The Very Best K Names for Boys and Girls. This one actually happens to be unisex these days but it will be mainly presented for males in this article, (hence the blue below).
The Kai that I'm most familiar with is the Hawaiian name that means "sea". This is the one being featured here. Other possible meanings for this name include "forgiveness" in Japanese, "food" in Maori and "willow tree" in Navajo.
Kai is also considered a diminutive for names like Gerhard, Nicolaas, Cornelis and Gaius/Caius. It is also a feminine variant of Kaja which comes from Katarina.
Internationally, Kai ranks well! It is actually doing better in other countries for boys than it is in the US. However, we're the only country that has a ranking for this name as a feminine one.
This is how Kai ranked in the US:
Boy: 2,387 births (#177)
Girl: 262 births (#1000)
This means the name's unisex ratio is 90% boy / 10% girl based on the births for 2014.
In England/Wales, Kai recently ranked at #64 for boys. Canada (BC) ranked it at #36; it was #69 in Australia, #85 in Ireland, #65 in Northern Ireland, #55 in Scotland, and #121 in the Netherlands. These are the most recent rankings I found so they may vary a bit today.
The name Kaia is a feminine form of Kai that's also ranking well at #551 in the US.
What do you think of the name Kai? It is short and sweet and definitely carries that Hawaiian vibe which gives the name warmth and an exotic feel. It is handsome and cool, bold but not unusual. Are you considering it? If so, here are a few ideas for sibling names and middle names for Kai:
Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Aria, Kamilah, Leilani, Milana, Noa, Sienna, Zoey
Brothers: Arlo, Finnian, Jude, Milo, Orion, River, Silas
Middle Name Ideas:
Kai Elliott
Kai Hawthorn
Kai Julian
Kai Sebastian
Kai Thackeray
Kai Valentine
As a Middle Name:
Evander Kai
Lachlan Kai
Nathaniel Kai
Remington Kai
Samuel Kai
William Kai
The Kai that I'm most familiar with is the Hawaiian name that means "sea". This is the one being featured here. Other possible meanings for this name include "forgiveness" in Japanese, "food" in Maori and "willow tree" in Navajo.
Kai is also considered a diminutive for names like Gerhard, Nicolaas, Cornelis and Gaius/Caius. It is also a feminine variant of Kaja which comes from Katarina.
Internationally, Kai ranks well! It is actually doing better in other countries for boys than it is in the US. However, we're the only country that has a ranking for this name as a feminine one.
This is how Kai ranked in the US:
Boy: 2,387 births (#177)
Girl: 262 births (#1000)
This means the name's unisex ratio is 90% boy / 10% girl based on the births for 2014.
In England/Wales, Kai recently ranked at #64 for boys. Canada (BC) ranked it at #36; it was #69 in Australia, #85 in Ireland, #65 in Northern Ireland, #55 in Scotland, and #121 in the Netherlands. These are the most recent rankings I found so they may vary a bit today.
The name Kaia is a feminine form of Kai that's also ranking well at #551 in the US.
What do you think of the name Kai? It is short and sweet and definitely carries that Hawaiian vibe which gives the name warmth and an exotic feel. It is handsome and cool, bold but not unusual. Are you considering it? If so, here are a few ideas for sibling names and middle names for Kai:
Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Aria, Kamilah, Leilani, Milana, Noa, Sienna, Zoey
Brothers: Arlo, Finnian, Jude, Milo, Orion, River, Silas
Middle Name Ideas:
Kai Elliott
Kai Hawthorn
Kai Julian
Kai Sebastian
Kai Thackeray
Kai Valentine
As a Middle Name:
Evander Kai
Lachlan Kai
Nathaniel Kai
Remington Kai
Samuel Kai
William Kai
Unless you're Hawaiian, it is probably going to be difficult to find a middle name that will share Kai's origin. I wouldn't worry about that. The above names simply sound nice and flow well with Kai. What would you pair with Kai?
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
The Very Best K Names for Boys and Girls
If you weren't a fan of the very best C names for boys and girls, perhaps you'll prefer the very best K names! While similar, the letter K gives a whole different vibe to names than the letter C.
K names are sometimes thought of as trendy alternate spellings of traditional C names.
However, many Greek names, for example, were spelled with a K originally. So when it comes to spelling a name with a C or a K, it's all a matter of taste and opinion.
If you happen to enjoy the letter K, this is your list! Below are 25 of the very best names for girls that start with the letter K, and 25 for boys too!
Be sure to share your favorite K names in the comments whether they're listed below or not!
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Friday, June 12, 2015
Top 10 Unisex Baby Names in 2014
Last month we discovered which names were most favored by America in 2014. As you know, Emma and Noah were ranked at #1. Have you ever wondered which unisex names are the most popular?
The SSA doesn't make a separate list for unisex names. It's up to us to determine which names are used for both boys and girls.
If you saw my previous article regarding the boy-to-girl ratios of every unisex name within the Top 1000, you'll see that some names are used more often for one gender than the other, yet some names are very evenly used.
So how can we determine which unisex names are the most popular based on this information?
Since there are two genders, it's a bit complicated to determine the exact popularity, especially since I was taking into account the boy-to-girl ratios of the names, the number of births for each gender, and the rank assigned to the names by the Social Security Administration..
While determining which unisex names are the most popular across the genders, my dilemma was whether or not to include the barely-unisex names like Logan (94% male) or Harper (97% female). In the end, I did include those.
I ranked the Top 10 Unisex Names of 2014 based on the list of names and their data from my previous article. All data ultimately came straight from the SSA's list.
There was much debate and number crunching, but I chose to simplify things by averaging the sum of boy/girl ranks with the "most popular" names having the smallest numbers. Here's the top 10 that I came up with:
1. Avery
In every data crunching method that I toyed with, Avery was without a doubt the most-used unisex name by both genders. At #13 for girls and #186 for boys, Avery is definitely popular. It comes from a surname that may have been derived from either Alberich or Alfred, both names having a meaning related to elves. Because of that, Avery is generally said to mean "Elf Ruler".
2. Riley
Our second most popular unisex name is Riley which also comes from a surname. It actually has two origins. As an Irish surname, it's a variant of Reilly whose meaning is unknown; and as an English surname, it comes from a place name that refers to a "rye clearing". In 2014, Riley ranked at #47 for girls and #173 for boys.
3. Peyton
Between Peyton and Payton, this name is getting a lot of usage for girls. However, the boys still like it too. Peyton in particular is 71% girl but when you average both ranks, it becomes our #3 unisex name. It came in at #56 for girls and #210 for boys which are respectable ranks! Peyton comes from an English surname which came from a place name meaning "Paega's town".
4. Jordan
Both Jordan and Jordyn have usage as unisex names within the Top 1000. While Jordyn is 91% girl, Jordan is 84% boy. Since we are only considering Jordan here as our #4 unisex name, it's interesting to note that it ranked at #55 for boys and #247 for girls. This name is generally based on the Jordan River near Israel.
5. Parker
This one surprised me a bit. It feels very masculine but it is being given to girls with increased frequency now. 20% of all Parkers born in 2014 were female, which is up from 17% in 2013. It ranked at #73 for boys and #235 for girls last year! Parker is an English occupational surname that refers to a "keeper of the park".
6. Hayden
From an English surname, Hayden is derived from place names meaning "hay valley" or "hay hill". This name has a decent split of 63% boy and 37% girl. It ranks at #142 for boys and #199 for girls which makes them both reasonably popular. That's why this name is our #6 unisex name for 2014!
7. Angel
Following closely behind Hayden in terms of the rank averages, Angel is well used for both genders primarily in the Hispanic community. It's more popular for a boy with 84% of all Angels being male. It ranks at #67 for boys and #275 for girls in 2014. The name is based on the heavenly creatures and means "messenger" in Greek.
8. Alexis
From a Greek name meaning "defender", Alexis is our 8th most popular unisex name in 2014. It ranks higher for girls at #64 but the boys hold their own at #302. The boys actually gained 2% from 2013 in the boy-to-girl ratio of usage.
9. Logan
This name is predominantly used by boys and ranked at #13 in 2014 with over 13 thousand births. However, it also ranked at #391 for girls which is actually quite high despite there being only 828 female births. Logan is unisex even though it has a 94/6 boy-to-girl ratio. It is a surname meaning "little hollow" which relates to a place in Scotland.
10. Dylan
Similar to Logan, this name has a 93/7 boy-to-girl ratio. Dylan came in at #29 for boys in 2014 while it ranked #394 for girls. In the end, there were over 10 thousand male Dylans and just over 800 females. This Welsh name meaning "great tide" ranks at #10 on this list!
What do you think of my top 10 list? Would you have crunched the numbers differently? If so, share your methods in the comments below!
If you saw my previous article regarding the boy-to-girl ratios of every unisex name within the Top 1000, you'll see that some names are used more often for one gender than the other, yet some names are very evenly used.
So how can we determine which unisex names are the most popular based on this information?
Since there are two genders, it's a bit complicated to determine the exact popularity, especially since I was taking into account the boy-to-girl ratios of the names, the number of births for each gender, and the rank assigned to the names by the Social Security Administration..
While determining which unisex names are the most popular across the genders, my dilemma was whether or not to include the barely-unisex names like Logan (94% male) or Harper (97% female). In the end, I did include those.
I ranked the Top 10 Unisex Names of 2014 based on the list of names and their data from my previous article. All data ultimately came straight from the SSA's list.
There was much debate and number crunching, but I chose to simplify things by averaging the sum of boy/girl ranks with the "most popular" names having the smallest numbers. Here's the top 10 that I came up with:
1. Avery
In every data crunching method that I toyed with, Avery was without a doubt the most-used unisex name by both genders. At #13 for girls and #186 for boys, Avery is definitely popular. It comes from a surname that may have been derived from either Alberich or Alfred, both names having a meaning related to elves. Because of that, Avery is generally said to mean "Elf Ruler".
2. Riley
Our second most popular unisex name is Riley which also comes from a surname. It actually has two origins. As an Irish surname, it's a variant of Reilly whose meaning is unknown; and as an English surname, it comes from a place name that refers to a "rye clearing". In 2014, Riley ranked at #47 for girls and #173 for boys.
3. Peyton
Between Peyton and Payton, this name is getting a lot of usage for girls. However, the boys still like it too. Peyton in particular is 71% girl but when you average both ranks, it becomes our #3 unisex name. It came in at #56 for girls and #210 for boys which are respectable ranks! Peyton comes from an English surname which came from a place name meaning "Paega's town".
4. Jordan
Both Jordan and Jordyn have usage as unisex names within the Top 1000. While Jordyn is 91% girl, Jordan is 84% boy. Since we are only considering Jordan here as our #4 unisex name, it's interesting to note that it ranked at #55 for boys and #247 for girls. This name is generally based on the Jordan River near Israel.
5. Parker
This one surprised me a bit. It feels very masculine but it is being given to girls with increased frequency now. 20% of all Parkers born in 2014 were female, which is up from 17% in 2013. It ranked at #73 for boys and #235 for girls last year! Parker is an English occupational surname that refers to a "keeper of the park".
6. Hayden
From an English surname, Hayden is derived from place names meaning "hay valley" or "hay hill". This name has a decent split of 63% boy and 37% girl. It ranks at #142 for boys and #199 for girls which makes them both reasonably popular. That's why this name is our #6 unisex name for 2014!
7. Angel
Following closely behind Hayden in terms of the rank averages, Angel is well used for both genders primarily in the Hispanic community. It's more popular for a boy with 84% of all Angels being male. It ranks at #67 for boys and #275 for girls in 2014. The name is based on the heavenly creatures and means "messenger" in Greek.
8. Alexis
From a Greek name meaning "defender", Alexis is our 8th most popular unisex name in 2014. It ranks higher for girls at #64 but the boys hold their own at #302. The boys actually gained 2% from 2013 in the boy-to-girl ratio of usage.
9. Logan
This name is predominantly used by boys and ranked at #13 in 2014 with over 13 thousand births. However, it also ranked at #391 for girls which is actually quite high despite there being only 828 female births. Logan is unisex even though it has a 94/6 boy-to-girl ratio. It is a surname meaning "little hollow" which relates to a place in Scotland.
10. Dylan
Similar to Logan, this name has a 93/7 boy-to-girl ratio. Dylan came in at #29 for boys in 2014 while it ranked #394 for girls. In the end, there were over 10 thousand male Dylans and just over 800 females. This Welsh name meaning "great tide" ranks at #10 on this list!
What do you think of my top 10 list? Would you have crunched the numbers differently? If so, share your methods in the comments below!
Tuesday, June 9, 2015
Your Ultimate Guide to Unisex Names: Boy-to-Girl Ratios in 2014
Welcome to our annual list of unisex names. This is where we analyze the gender ratios of each name. Some of these may not truly classify as a true "unisex name" because they will swing very heavily to one side or the other.
I chose to include some names like that because it is worth mentioning, especially if it ranked at 3% last year and now ranks at 5%. That means the name is beginning to gain more popularity for the minority gender.
Over time, it could continue to change and become more of a 20/80 thing and perhaps later a 40/60 thing. Wouldn't you like to be able to guess these things in advance if its a name you're pondering for a future child?
There have been many cases where a name was traditionally male and it was then slowly taken over by the girls. Some of those formerly male names are now considered completely female. Names evolve. If we can catch them in the act, well, I think it would be exciting.
I'm only mentioning all of this because last year I got comments regarding my monitoring of names like Ryan that were only given to 3% of girls. Yes, that does not mean that Ryan is a unisex name through and through. BUT it means that Ryan could potentially gain more usage for females over time and end up becoming a true unisex name.
Take a look at the current trend in Hollywood. It seems like every other week we're hearing about a new celebrity baby girl being given a masculine name. While it may or may not catch on with mainstream parents right now, it could happen eventually. Things seem to be moving that way already and you never know what the future of naming might bring!
Here are some more examples of celebrity baby girls who were given traditionally masculine names:
Wyatt (Mila Kunis & Ashton Kutcher)
Lincoln (Kristin Bell & Dax Shepherd)
James (Blake Lively & Ryan Reynolds)
Ryan (Haylie Duff)
Maxwell (Jessica Simpson)
Hunter (Kevin Rahm)
Casper (Jason Lee)
Mason & Spencer (Kelsey Grammer)
There are likely many more examples of these. Now we are going to take a look at all of the potentially unisex names in the Top 1000.
The most popular unisex name, meaning the name with the most usage across both genders, is Avery with over 9 thousand births for girls and 2 thousand for boys. This means they both rank well at #13 and #186 respectively. Both Skylar and Skyler are gaining for the girls whereas Tatum, Finley, Alexis Kendall, and Morgan have shifted toward the boys' side.
I chose to include some names like that because it is worth mentioning, especially if it ranked at 3% last year and now ranks at 5%. That means the name is beginning to gain more popularity for the minority gender.
Over time, it could continue to change and become more of a 20/80 thing and perhaps later a 40/60 thing. Wouldn't you like to be able to guess these things in advance if its a name you're pondering for a future child?
There have been many cases where a name was traditionally male and it was then slowly taken over by the girls. Some of those formerly male names are now considered completely female. Names evolve. If we can catch them in the act, well, I think it would be exciting.
I'm only mentioning all of this because last year I got comments regarding my monitoring of names like Ryan that were only given to 3% of girls. Yes, that does not mean that Ryan is a unisex name through and through. BUT it means that Ryan could potentially gain more usage for females over time and end up becoming a true unisex name.
Take a look at the current trend in Hollywood. It seems like every other week we're hearing about a new celebrity baby girl being given a masculine name. While it may or may not catch on with mainstream parents right now, it could happen eventually. Things seem to be moving that way already and you never know what the future of naming might bring!
Here are some more examples of celebrity baby girls who were given traditionally masculine names:
Wyatt (Mila Kunis & Ashton Kutcher)
Lincoln (Kristin Bell & Dax Shepherd)
James (Blake Lively & Ryan Reynolds)
Ryan (Haylie Duff)
Maxwell (Jessica Simpson)
Hunter (Kevin Rahm)
Casper (Jason Lee)
Mason & Spencer (Kelsey Grammer)
There are likely many more examples of these. Now we are going to take a look at all of the potentially unisex names in the Top 1000.
Mostly Female Usage:
First, the following are the names that swing more toward the female side, meaning they have 60% or more usage for girls with 40% or less for boys.
Harper: 3% boy / 97% girl
Boy: 327 births (#728)
Girl: 9,564 births (#11)
Avery: 19% boy / 81% girl
Boy: 2,269 births (#186)
Girl: 9,517 births (#13)
Riley: 34% boy / 66% girl
Boy: 2,429 births (#173)
Girl: 4,761 births (#47)
Skylar: 8% boy / 92% girl
Boy: 409 births (#637)
Girl: 4,732 births (#48)
Peyton: 29% boy / 71% girl
Boy: 1,828 births (#210)
Girl: 4,426 births (#56)
Alexis: 22% boy / 78% girl
Boy: 1,172 births (#302)
Girl: 4,188 births (#64)
Taylor: 15% boy / 85% girl
Boy: 691 births (#435)
Girl: 3,782 births (#77)
London: 12% boy / 88% girl
Boy: 433 births (#611)
Girl: 3,264 births (#93)
Morgan: 12% boy / 88% girl
Boy: 402 births (#650)
Girl: 2,984 births (#101)
Reagan: 7% boy / 93% girl
Boy: 205 births (#999)
Girl: 2,882 births (#106)
Rylee: 8% boy / 92% girl
Boy: 247 births (#877)
Girl: 2,753 births (#113)
Quinn: 25% boy / 75% girl
Boy: 868 births (#363)
Girl: 2,539 births (#126)
Jordyn: 9% boy / 91% girl
Boy: 239 births (#895)
Girl: 2,533 births (#127)
Kendall: 11% boy / 89% girl
Boy: 310 births (#754)
Girl: 2,432 births (#131)
Ariel: 12% boy / 88% girl
Boy: 319 births (#738)
Girl: 2,419 births (#133)
Payton: 14% boy / 86% girl
Boy: 406 births (#644)
Girl: 2,397 births (#134)
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Eden: 17% boy / 83% girl
Boy: 447 births (#601)
Girl: 2,117 births (#151)
Emery: 15% boy / 85% girl
Boy: 361 births (#687)
Girl: 2,026 births (#161)
Reese: 17% boy / 83% girl
Boy: 403 births (#648)
Girl: 1,960 births (#165)
Emerson: 39% boy / 61% girl
Boy: 1,048 births (#324)
Girl: 1,670 births (#196)
Marley: 14% boy / 86% girl
Boy: 273 births (#821)
Girl: 1,643 births (#202)
Finley: 36% boy / 64% girl
Boy: 829 births (#374)
Girl: 1,498 births (#223)
Teagan: 14% boy / 86% girl
Boy: 212 births (#979)
Girl: 1,272 births (#253)
Lyric: 17% boy / 83% girl
Boy: 255 births (#860)
Girl: 1,210 births (#271)
Harley: 30% boy / 70% girl
Boy: 407 births (#641)
Girl: 940 births (#349)
Kamryn: 20% boy / 80% girl
Boy: 216 births (#967)
Girl: 850 births (#380)
Sage: 32% boy / 68% girl
Boy: 399 births (#654)
Girl: 834 births (#388)
Tatum: 36% boy / 64% girl
Boy: 462 births (#592)
Girl: 828 births (#392)
Jamie: 32% boy / 68% girl
Boy: 292 births (#786)
Girl: 633 births (#489)
Leighton: 30% boy / 70% girl
Boy: 240 births (#893)
Girl: 568 births (#540)
Jessie: 36% boy / 64% girl
Boy: 280 births (#809)
Girl: 504 births (#587)
Emory: 40% boy / 60% girl Boy: 252 births (#868) Girl: 373 births (#743) |
If you would like to make more comparisons from 2013 to 2014, take a look at our previous article featuring the Boy-to-Girl Ratios of Unisex Names in 2013.
Most Evenly Used for Both Genders:
Now let's look at the names that are very evenly matched for boys and girls. These names are the ones that come the closest to being truly gender neutral. The names on this list range from a 50/50 split to a 59/41 or 41/59 split. In other words, these have the tightest ratios:
| Charlie: 54% boy / 46% girl Boy: 1,670 births (#225) Girl: 1,432 births (#229) Dakota: 43% boy / 57% girl Boy: 876 births (#360) Girl: 1,136 births (#285) Skyler: 46% boy / 54% girl Boy: 911 births (#352) Girl: 1,070 births (#302) Justice: 41% boy / 59% girl Boy: 518 births (#531) Girl: 756 births (#421) Phoenix: 59% boy / 41% girl Boy: 901 births (#355) Girl: 629 births (#494) | Armani: 57% boy / 43% girl Boy: 570 births (#489) Girl: 422 births (#671) Lennon: 47% boy / 53% girl Boy: 358 births (#691) Girl: 399 births (#699) Oakley: 52% boy / 48% girl Boy: 394 births (#657) Girl: 362 births (#768) Landry: 50% boy / 50% girl Boy: 270 births (#829) Girl: 269 births (#981) Azariah: 49% boy / 51% girl Boy: 264 births (#838) Girl: 278 births (#954) |
The name that is officially most unisex for the year 2014 is Landry. There was only a difference of one birth between the genders which makes it a [rounded up] 50/50 split! It's the closest I've ever seen two names come to being equally used for both genders!
The next closest name is Azariah with a 49/51 split which is very close! Justice gained 4 percentage points for the girls over 2013. One name was a big mover in particular this year: Skyler jumped 10 points in favor of the girls in 2014.
Mostly Male Usage:
The following names lean more toward the male side but are still used for females too. These have a range of 60% or more for boys with 40% or less for girls.
| Logan: 94% boy / 6% girl Boy: 13,579 births (#13) Girl: 828 births (#391) Jayden: 96% boy / 4% girl Boy: 12,878 births (#15) Girl: 569 births (#539) Carter: 97% boy / 3% girl Boy: 10,599 births (#27) Girl: 355 births (#785) Dylan: 93% boy / 7% girl Boy: 10,350 births (#29) Girl: 822 births (#394) Ryan: 94% boy / 6% girl Boy: 9,026 births (#37) Girl: 603 births (#510) Hunter: 96% boy / 4% girl Boy: 8,759 births (#40) Girl: 362 births (#766) Cameron: 93% boy / 7% girl Boy: 7,013 births (#53) Girl: 524 births (#578) Jordan: 84% boy / 16% girl Boy: 6,810 births (#55) Girl: 1,300 births (#247) Angel: 84% boy / 16% girl Boy: 6,255 births (#67) Girl: 1,179 births (#275) Parker: 80% boy / 20% girl Boy: 5,677 births (#73) Girl: 1,386 births (#235) Blake: 89% boy / 11% girl Boy: 4,913 births (#84) Girl: 589 births (#499) Kayden: 92% boy / 8% girl Boy: 4,691 births (#90) Girl: 391 births (#712) Micah: 93% boy / 7% girl Boy: 3,612 births (#109) Girl: 264 births (#994) Sawyer: 79% boy / 21% girl Boy: 3,571 births (#110) Girl: 955 births (#344) Hayden: 63% boy / 37% girl Boy: 2,851 births (#142) Girl: 1,656 births (#199) | Kai: 90% boy / 10% girl Boy: 2,387 births (#177) Girl: 262 births (#1000) Karter: 89% boy / 11% girl Boy: 2,103 births (#194) Girl: 273 births (#968) Elliot: 83% boy / 17% girl Boy: 1,750 births (#217) Girl: 367 births (#756) Rylan: 84% boy / 16% girl Boy: 1,726 births (#219) Girl: 339 births (#812) Elliott: 83% boy / 17% girl Boy: 1,574 births (#233) Girl: 329 births (#833) Rowan: 67% boy / 33% girl Boy: 1,531 births (#239) Girl: 770 births (#412) Zion: 83% boy / 17% girl Boy: 1,471 births (#255) Girl: 295 births (#911) Dallas: 72% boy / 28% girl Boy: 1,359 births (#268) Girl: 522 births (#580) River: 64% boy / 36% girl Boy: 1,223 births (#287) Girl: 703 births (#453) Remington: 73% boy / 27% girl Boy: 1,101 births (#313) Girl: 410 births (#685) Amari: 62% boy / 38% girl Boy: 970 births (#340) Girl: 585 births (#524) Milan: 64% boy / 36% girl Boy: 748 births (#411) Girl: 424 births (#670) Rory: 69% boy / 31% girl Boy: 741 births (#416) Girl: 326 births (#840) Casey: 60% boy / 40% girl Boy: 519 births (#530) Girl: 352 births (#792) Remy: 60% boy / 40% girl Boy: 424 births (#621) Girl: 278 births (#956) |
There are several names in the 90th percentile range that most people today would generally consider to just be boy names, but since they do get a handful of feminine usage, it's wise to keep an eye on the changes from year to year.
For instance, a few of those names that ranked very-masculine (in the 90s) have had some changes from 2013 to 2014. Logan gained more female births and lost some male births. It was 95% boy in 2013 and is now 94%. Ryan had more female births in 2014 which made the males lose 2%. Similarly, Hunter also had more female usage resulting in a lost of 1% for the boys.
Interestingly, spelling makes a difference. Out of all the Carters born in 2014, only 3% of them were female, however, 11% of all Karters were female. Ryan is mostly masculine since only 6% of them were girls, but add the ever-popular letter L to the mix and suddenly 16% of all Rylans are female.
If you would like to make more comparisons from 2013 to 2014, take a look at our previous article featuring the Boy-to-Girl Ratios of Unisex Names in 2013.
What do you think of these stats? Can you point out anything interesting that I missed? What are your favorite unisex names?
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
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.
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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
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
The Very Best J Names for Boys and Girls
Throughout this alphabetical name series, have you come across a letter that gave you a hard time narrowing down the names to just 25 for girls and 25 for boys?
The opposite can be true, too, if a letter doesn't have nearly enough lovely choices to fill up the list. What are your problem letters?
I hope you'll enjoy this compilation of the very best names that start with the letter J. Do you agree with the ones that I chose? If not, which would you remove and what would you replace them with?
<-- The Very Best I Names for Boys and Girls ||| The Very Best K Names for Boys and Girls -->
Saturday, May 30, 2015
Two Whole Years at The Art Of Naming!
I have had a wonderful time researching and writing about names to share with you! I can assure you that I have plenty more to write about and I hope you will continue to come visit me here on my little blog and share your comments and thoughts with me when you can!
For those of you kind enough to follow me on my social media accounts as well (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, Google Plus...) I want to give you a huge thank you!
It is the more interactive moments that I love the most! When you share your thoughts or your favorite names with me on my various posts, it brightens my day and gives me more motivation to continue researching and writing!
If you ever have a request, a suggestion, a question or even a complaint, feel free to reach out to me either on one of the above platforms or by email. If you just feel like chatting about names with me, I'm always here to make a new name-nerd friend!
Thanks for the good times! I look forward to the year to come!
-Kara @ The Art Of Naming
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
To Honor or Not to Honor: 7 Instances When You Should NOT Use a Family Name
Times have changed a bit but even modern parents find themselves considering whether or not they'll honor a relative.
There are times when the honoree is a wonderful role model for the child and passing down their name is natural for the parents. The child gets the chance to feel a connection to their family's past and no doubt that honored relative is thrilled!
However, there are other instances when honoring someone just doesn't feel right. How do you know when you should and when you shouldn't honor a relative? It isn't easy when familial pressure sets in, especially when there are traditions in place that you're expected to follow like if your husband is the fourth, do you have to make your son the fifth or could you break tradition?
I previously described how you could honor a relative even if you hate their name, but this article will help you figure out if you should even bother trying to honor someone at all.
Here are a few reasons why you should NOT use a family name for your child:
Because... it's just... ugly...
You've tried to find a way to twist your relative's terrible name around to become something beautiful but no matter what you try, you still cannot find something that you love that would still honor that person. Now what?
Well, there are some names that are just too odd, unattractive or out-of-fashion to consider. It isn't a bad thing to dislike them. Some names may end up being burdensome on a modern child. It is okay to avoid those ones even if it means that you won't be honoring anyone.
If you were to really discuss this with your relatives, you may be surprised to find that they may agree with your decision to skip using Grandma Bertha's name. Don't fret!
Because they don't even like it...
Imagine that you've decided to name your daughter after your mother. When you tell her about it, you're surprised at her negative reaction and she urges you not to do that because she has always hated her own name. You try to explain your reasons but she stands firmly against having a namesake.
Ouch. What can you do? Since you clearly don't have her blessing on using her name, it may be best to respect her wishes and find another name. Perhaps mom has a few good ideas and you can involve her in the naming process another way.
Because you only like the one...
You've always loved your grandmother Alice's name and for as long as you can remember you've planned on naming a daughter after her. However, your other grandmother's name is Eunice and your husband's grandmothers are Alberta and Gladys. You love these women just as much as Grandma Alice but you don't quite love their names as much.
Is it better to skip using Alice in order to avoid feeling obligated to consider the names of the other grandmothers? After all, you only love that one name and you don't want to hurt anyone's feelings by seemingly choosing favorites.
Think about how your family would react. If they wouldn't mind that you only use the one name, great! If aunts and uncles start casting in votes for their own names too, perhaps it's time to reconsider.
Because you don't... get along...
Typically when you decide to use a family name, it is because you love and respect that relative and want to honor them in this special way. Unfortunately, some families just don't get along due to private issues like dysfunction or various painful circumstances.
It stands to reason that if you've never been very close to your family, you probably wouldn't consider naming a child after them. If this is the case, it's probably best to avoid using an honor name and choose something that would instead bring love and happiness to your new little family.
Because it's hard to be fair...
You crave symmetry and fairness. If you use a name from your side, you feel obligated to use a name from your partner's side for the next child. You've had your heart set on naming your first son after your grandfather but when you began to ponder names for a future baby #2, you realized that your partner's side of the family doesn't have any decent options that aren't already taken.
The only name you could see yourself settling for belongs to a relative that really gets on your nerves and you don't want your child named after them. You've searched through middle names, nicknames, maiden names and still you're coming up short. At this point, it might be better to avoid family names altogether so there are no hurt feelings on either side and you won't end up settling.
Because you want to choose what you want to choose...
There comes a point when relatives begin to offer their ideas about what the baby should be called. There may be old family traditions in place that you're expected to follow and these are never easy to sidestep. It doesn't help that your sister already gave in and named her daughter after your grandmother. Now all eyes are on you.
You wrestle with the idea but you really don't want to follow suit. This is your baby and you want to name it whatever you want! It may be hard to take a stand against tradition and familial expectations but you'll regret it more if you don't.
Because it just doesn't feel right...
You've somehow ended up agreeing on making your son a junior after your husband. At the time, you were happy that your husband was happy but now you're not so sure. Something about it just doesn't feel right. You feel like you're just clicking copy and paste rather than actually giving a name to your child.
Now is the time to speak up. If the name that has been chosen doesn't settle right with you, you can absolutely say something and work toward a compromise that will make you and your partner happy. It is your child! You deserve to love the name you choose!
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Have you encountered any issues during your own naming processes? Were you expected to honor a relative? Why did you decide against it? Share your experiences in the comments below!
Friday, May 22, 2015
Ignatius
The list of The Very Best I Names for Boys and Girls offered plenty of interesting choices. This week is the boys turn for a featured name and the options were hard to choose from. In the end, Ignatius was the victor.
The name Ignatius comes from the Roman family name Egnatius. Originally, Egnatius had an unknown meaning from the ancient Etruscan origin. As time went on, the spelling was altered so it would be similar to the Latin word ignis which means "fire". Because of this, the Etruscan Egnatius became the Latin Ignatius and inherited itself a meaning.
There were several saints named Ignatius. The most well-known St. Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556) was the founder of the Jesuits. Interestingly, his birth name was Íñigo which is sometimes regarded as a form of Ignatius, but it is probably just because of its association with this saint. (Inigo was also one of our featured I names that I nearly chose. It is Spanish but comes from the name Eneko which is derived from Basque elements. It doesn't seem to actually relate to Ignatius.) Inigo is a great alternative, though, if you like Ignatius but think it is a bit too big of a name for your tastes.
Now that Ignatius means fire, it is certainly a red-hot choice for bold namers. It has several variants in other languages including the Spanish Ignacio, the Italian Ignazio, the German Ignatz, the Portuguese Inácio, the Dutch Ignaas, the Russian Ignatiy and more. Iggy, Nate or Natius (nay-shus) seem to be popular nicknames for Ignatius while the Spanish Ignacios can sometimes be called Nacio or Nacho for short. There's also Ignacia for a girl who could potentially go by Nancy.
How does this international name rank in the US? Ignatius has been steadily in use since 1885. It had the most usage in terms of births per year in 1920 when the name was given to 97 boys. It declined in usage after that, not even ranking in 1980 at all.
However, Ignatius is slowly climbing back up the charts, possibly receiving a tiny revival along with other more popular Latin -us names like Atticus or Maximus. Ignatius was given to 40 boys in 2014 for a ranking of #2896. So it isn't in the Top 1000 names but it is being used. It would be a unique choice for a modern boy!
What do you think of this name? Do you like Ignatius or one of the variants better? If you're considering this name, here are some ideas for siblings and middle names:
Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Aurelia, Clementina, Juliana, Olympia, Serena, Sybil, Valentina
Brothers: Augustus, Casimir, Dominic, Florian, Octavian, Roman, Virgil
Middle Name Ideas:
Ignatius Benedict
Ignatius Joseph
Ignatius Matthew
Ignatius Vincent
As a Middle Name:
Arlo Ignatius
Henry Ignatius
Jonathan Ignatius
Robert Ignatius
This name is a bit difficult to pair up but it seems to work best as a middle name with a 2 syllable more-traditional first name. Henry Ignatius and Robert Ignatius are my favorites. However I couldn't resist going with Ignatius Benedict despite how very saint/pope it is. What would you pair Ignatius with? Share your thoughts below!
The name Ignatius comes from the Roman family name Egnatius. Originally, Egnatius had an unknown meaning from the ancient Etruscan origin. As time went on, the spelling was altered so it would be similar to the Latin word ignis which means "fire". Because of this, the Etruscan Egnatius became the Latin Ignatius and inherited itself a meaning.
There were several saints named Ignatius. The most well-known St. Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556) was the founder of the Jesuits. Interestingly, his birth name was Íñigo which is sometimes regarded as a form of Ignatius, but it is probably just because of its association with this saint. (Inigo was also one of our featured I names that I nearly chose. It is Spanish but comes from the name Eneko which is derived from Basque elements. It doesn't seem to actually relate to Ignatius.) Inigo is a great alternative, though, if you like Ignatius but think it is a bit too big of a name for your tastes.
Now that Ignatius means fire, it is certainly a red-hot choice for bold namers. It has several variants in other languages including the Spanish Ignacio, the Italian Ignazio, the German Ignatz, the Portuguese Inácio, the Dutch Ignaas, the Russian Ignatiy and more. Iggy, Nate or Natius (nay-shus) seem to be popular nicknames for Ignatius while the Spanish Ignacios can sometimes be called Nacio or Nacho for short. There's also Ignacia for a girl who could potentially go by Nancy.
How does this international name rank in the US? Ignatius has been steadily in use since 1885. It had the most usage in terms of births per year in 1920 when the name was given to 97 boys. It declined in usage after that, not even ranking in 1980 at all.
However, Ignatius is slowly climbing back up the charts, possibly receiving a tiny revival along with other more popular Latin -us names like Atticus or Maximus. Ignatius was given to 40 boys in 2014 for a ranking of #2896. So it isn't in the Top 1000 names but it is being used. It would be a unique choice for a modern boy!
What do you think of this name? Do you like Ignatius or one of the variants better? If you're considering this name, here are some ideas for siblings and middle names:
Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Aurelia, Clementina, Juliana, Olympia, Serena, Sybil, Valentina
Brothers: Augustus, Casimir, Dominic, Florian, Octavian, Roman, Virgil
Middle Name Ideas:
Ignatius Benedict
Ignatius Joseph
Ignatius Matthew
Ignatius Vincent
As a Middle Name:
Arlo Ignatius
Henry Ignatius
Jonathan Ignatius
Robert Ignatius
This name is a bit difficult to pair up but it seems to work best as a middle name with a 2 syllable more-traditional first name. Henry Ignatius and Robert Ignatius are my favorites. However I couldn't resist going with Ignatius Benedict despite how very saint/pope it is. What would you pair Ignatius with? Share your thoughts below!
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
The Very Best I Names for Boys and Girls
Sure there's the popular Isabella which has graced the #1 spot in years past, and there's the constant and traditional Isaac and Isaiah, but many of the names below are rather unheard of and rarely used.
Do you agree with my assessment or do you feel that many of these names are more commonplace than I gave them credit for? How many people do you know that have names starting with I?
Let me know your thoughts in the comments below... but for now, here are 25 of the best names for girls and 25 of the best names for boys that start with the letter I!
Which of the above I names do you like most? Did I leave any of your favorites off the list? Don't forget to check out the other articles in this series by clicking the links below!
<-- The Very Best H Names for Boys and Girls ||| The Very Best J Names for Boys and Girls -->
<-- The Very Best H Names for Boys and Girls ||| The Very Best J Names for Boys and Girls -->
Friday, May 15, 2015
Wyatt Arthur - (Birth Announcements!)
Birth announcements are a great way to discover what names other parents are using. You can use this knowledge for your own baby naming efforts and let yourself be inspired! Whether you view these as names that you'd never use or names that you'd love to use, lists like these can be helpful in the naming process.
If you were expecting a baby today and had to choose a name from this list, which would it be? Tell me your one favorite girl name and one favorite boy name from the following list. Share your picks in the comment section below! My choices are at the bottom of the page!
Girls:
Ada June
Adalyn Ruth
Ansley Michelle
Ashlyn Olivia
Ava Chelsea
Aviana Rose
Cassidy Olivia
Ciara Elizabeth
Emma Grace
Evelyn Fae
Jessica Ann
Juliana Deborah
Kaitlyn Sophia
Kelly Lee
Khloe Marianne
Lauren Elizabeth
Lauryn Elaine
Lolah Marie
Luz Isabella
Morgan Serenity
Norah Eve
Olivia Faith
Paige Marie
Paislee Margaret Rose
Riley Marie
Serena Marie
Sophia Lynn
Violet Evelyn
Boys:
Aiden Scott
Andrew William
Anthony Frank
Avery James
Bentley Michael
Bryan Rodrigo
Bryce William
Carter Bryce
Chase Charles
Christopher David
Coen James
Eli Nigel
Evan Jameson
Gage William
Jeffrey Cornelius James
Jeter Patrick
Jordan James
Josiah Levi
King Fredrick
Levi Edison
Logan Christopher
Michael Anthony
Noah Fiore
Parker Lee
Paul David
Roman Frederick James
Titus Timothy
Vince James
Wyatt Arthur
Zayne Charles
My top two picks from the above lists are:
Kaitlyn Sophia & Wyatt Arthur
What would you choose?
If you were expecting a baby today and had to choose a name from this list, which would it be? Tell me your one favorite girl name and one favorite boy name from the following list. Share your picks in the comment section below! My choices are at the bottom of the page!
Girls:
Ada June
Adalyn Ruth
Amira Renee
Annelise ElizabethAnsley Michelle
Ashlyn Olivia
Ava Chelsea
Aviana Rose
Cassidy Olivia
Ciara Elizabeth
Emma Grace
Evelyn Fae
Jessica Ann
Juliana Deborah
Kaitlyn Sophia
Kelly Lee
Khloe Marianne
Lauren Elizabeth
Lauryn Elaine
Lolah Marie
Luz Isabella
Morgan Serenity
Norah Eve
Olivia Faith
Paige Marie
Paislee Margaret Rose
Riley Marie
Serena Marie
Sophia Lynn
Violet Evelyn
Boys:
Aiden Scott
Andrew William
Anthony Frank
Avery James
Bentley Michael
Bryan Rodrigo
Bryce William
Carter Bryce
Chase Charles
Christopher David
Coen James
Eli Nigel
Evan Jameson
Gage William
Jeffrey Cornelius James
Jeter Patrick
Jordan James
Josiah Levi
King Fredrick
Levi Edison
Logan Christopher
Michael Anthony
Noah Fiore
Parker Lee
Paul David
Roman Frederick James
Titus Timothy
Vince James
Wyatt Arthur
Zayne Charles
My top two picks from the above lists are:
Kaitlyn Sophia & Wyatt Arthur
What would you choose?
Friday, May 8, 2015
Noah & Emma: The Top Names of 2014
The brand new Social Security Administration list of the most popular baby names in 2014 is here! For the first time since 2008, Emma has reclaimed the throne, surpassing both Sophia and Olivia! On the boy's side, Noah has held onto his popularity another year even though many were speculating that #2 Liam would take it.
Here are the new Top 10 for each gender!
I thought Sophia would have continued her streak at #1 again this year, only possibly being unseated by Olivia. I was right about Olivia surpassing Sophia, but I didn't see Emma coming to claim the throne again after only being #1 once in 2008. Charlotte made her way into the Top 10 by knocking Elizabeth out of the ring. With the birth of the new princess, Charlotte will probably continue to rise, potentially being #1 within the next 5 years! Any thoughts?
My guess was that Liam would take #1 but Noah holds on to the throne another year! Mason surpasses Jacob, and James takes Jayden's place! The names this year are all rather classic and traditional. These are solid names. I've seen some people complaining that they're all a bit boring. For example, Elijah was #11 again, so close to cracking the Top 10 for the first time and mixing things up. Maybe next year!
Here is the official list for the Top 100 Names in 2014 and their Number of Births:
Here are the new Top 10 for each gender!
I thought Sophia would have continued her streak at #1 again this year, only possibly being unseated by Olivia. I was right about Olivia surpassing Sophia, but I didn't see Emma coming to claim the throne again after only being #1 once in 2008. Charlotte made her way into the Top 10 by knocking Elizabeth out of the ring. With the birth of the new princess, Charlotte will probably continue to rise, potentially being #1 within the next 5 years! Any thoughts?
My guess was that Liam would take #1 but Noah holds on to the throne another year! Mason surpasses Jacob, and James takes Jayden's place! The names this year are all rather classic and traditional. These are solid names. I've seen some people complaining that they're all a bit boring. For example, Elijah was #11 again, so close to cracking the Top 10 for the first time and mixing things up. Maybe next year!
Here is the official list for the Top 100 Names in 2014 and their Number of Births:
| 1 | Noah | 19,144 | Emma | 20,799 |
| 2 | Liam | 18,342 | Olivia | 19,674 |
| 3 | Mason | 17,092 | Sophia | 18,490 |
| 4 | Jacob | 16,712 | Isabella | 16,950 |
| 5 | William | 16,687 | Ava | 15,586 |
| 6 | Ethan | 15,619 | Mia | 13,442 |
| 7 | Michael | 15,323 | Emily | 12,562 |
| 8 | Alexander | 15,293 | Abigail | 11,985 |
| 9 | James | 14,301 | Madison | 10,247 |
| 10 | Daniel | 13,829 | Charlotte | 10,048 |
| 11 | Elijah | 13,694 | Harper | 9,564 |
| 12 | Benjamin | 13,687 | Sofia | 9,542 |
| 13 | Logan | 13,579 | Avery | 9,517 |
| 14 | Aiden | 13,296 | Elizabeth | 9,492 |
| 15 | Jayden | 12,878 | Amelia | 8,727 |
| 16 | Matthew | 12,809 | Evelyn | 8,692 |
| 17 | Jackson | 12,121 | Ella | 8,489 |
| 18 | David | 12,078 | Chloe | 8,469 |
| 19 | Lucas | 12,078 | Victoria | 7,955 |
| 20 | Joseph | 11,995 | Aubrey | 7,589 |
| 21 | Anthony | 11,490 | Grace | 7,554 |
| 22 | Andrew | 11,069 | Zoey | 7,358 |
| 23 | Samuel | 10,859 | Natalie | 7,061 |
| 24 | Gabriel | 10,826 | Addison | 6,950 |
| 25 | Joshua | 10,764 | Lillian | 6,869 |
| 26 | John | 10,600 | Brooklyn | 6,767 |
| 27 | Carter | 10,599 | Lily | 6,727 |
| 28 | Luke | 10,431 | Hannah | 6,512 |
| 29 | Dylan | 10,350 | Layla | 6,428 |
| 30 | Christopher | 10,278 | Scarlett | 5,965 |
| 31 | Isaac | 9,868 | Aria | 5,893 |
| 32 | Oliver | 9,365 | Zoe | 5,828 |
| 33 | Henry | 9,350 | Samantha | 5,680 |
| 34 | Sebastian | 9,237 | Anna | 5,639 |
| 35 | Caleb | 9,143 | Leah | 5,563 |
| 36 | Owen | 9,100 | Audrey | 5,531 |
| 37 | Ryan | 9,026 | Ariana | 5,461 |
| 38 | Nathan | 8,902 | Allison | 5,440 |
| 39 | Wyatt | 8,812 | Savannah | 5,433 |
| 40 | Hunter | 8,759 | Arianna | 5,240 |
| 41 | Jack | 8,685 | Camila | 5,194 |
| 42 | Christian | 8,388 | Penelope | 5,062 |
| 43 | Landon | 8,180 | Gabriella | 5,051 |
| 44 | Jonathan | 8,035 | Claire | 4,991 |
| 45 | Levi | 7,958 | Aaliyah | 4,850 |
| 46 | Jaxon | 7,635 | Sadie | 4,823 |
| 47 | Julian | 7,611 | Riley | 4,761 |
| 48 | Isaiah | 7,530 | Skylar | 4,732 |
| 49 | Eli | 7,428 | Nora | 4,708 |
| 50 | Aaron | 7,334 | Sarah | 4,647 |
| 51 | Charles | 7,269 | Hailey | 4,595 |
| 52 | Connor | 7,195 | Kaylee | 4,513 |
| 53 | Cameron | 7,013 | Paisley | 4,473 |
| 54 | Thomas | 6,972 | Kennedy | 4,459 |
| 55 | Jordan | 6,810 | Ellie | 4,442 |
| 56 | Jeremiah | 6,780 | Peyton | 4,426 |
| 57 | Nicholas | 6,713 | Annabelle | 4,324 |
| 58 | Evan | 6,667 | Caroline | 4,307 |
| 59 | Adrian | 6,659 | Madelyn | 4,289 |
| 60 | Gavin | 6,582 | Serenity | 4,284 |
| 61 | Robert | 6,572 | Aubree | 4,258 |
| 62 | Brayden | 6,539 | Lucy | 4,257 |
| 63 | Grayson | 6,532 | Alexa | 4,227 |
| 64 | Josiah | 6,376 | Alexis | 4,188 |
| 65 | Colton | 6,339 | Nevaeh | 4,188 |
| 66 | Austin | 6,263 | Stella | 4,165 |
| 67 | Angel | 6,255 | Violet | 4,156 |
| 68 | Jace | 6,254 | Genesis | 4,144 |
| 69 | Dominic | 6,205 | Mackenzie | 4,122 |
| 70 | Kevin | 5,859 | Bella | 4,050 |
| 71 | Brandon | 5,804 | Autumn | 4,034 |
| 72 | Tyler | 5,785 | Mila | 4,033 |
| 73 | Parker | 5,677 | Kylie | 3,928 |
| 74 | Ayden | 5,586 | Maya | 3,904 |
| 75 | Jason | 5,510 | Piper | 3,840 |
| 76 | Jose | 5,442 | Alyssa | 3,798 |
| 77 | Ian | 5,422 | Taylor | 3,782 |
| 78 | Chase | 5,322 | Eleanor | 3,704 |
| 79 | Adam | 5,293 | Melanie | 3,681 |
| 80 | Hudson | 5,199 | Naomi | 3,677 |
| 81 | Nolan | 5,181 | Faith | 3,664 |
| 82 | Zachary | 5,137 | Eva | 3,651 |
| 83 | Easton | 4,961 | Katherine | 3,651 |
| 84 | Blake | 4,913 | Lydia | 3,609 |
| 85 | Jaxson | 4,900 | Brianna | 3,582 |
| 86 | Cooper | 4,803 | Julia | 3,578 |
| 87 | Lincoln | 4,785 | Ashley | 3,539 |
| 88 | Xavier | 4,726 | Khloe | 3,518 |
| 89 | Bentley | 4,722 | Madeline | 3,409 |
| 90 | Kayden | 4,691 | Ruby | 3,383 |
| 91 | Carson | 4,580 | Sophie | 3,364 |
| 92 | Brody | 4,297 | Alexandra | 3,288 |
| 93 | Asher | 4,279 | London | 3,264 |
| 94 | Nathaniel | 4,257 | Lauren | 3,072 |
| 95 | Ryder | 4,073 | Gianna | 3,061 |
| 96 | Justin | 3,991 | Isabelle | 3,044 |
| 97 | Leo | 3,936 | Alice | 3,042 |
| 98 | Juan | 3,887 | Vivian | 3,040 |
| 99 | Luis | 3,879 | Hadley | 2,992 |
| 100 | Camden | 3,872 | Jasmine | 2,988 |
What are your thoughts on this year's list? Are you surprised by the popularity of any of these names? Be sure to check out the Social Security Administration's full list of the Top 1000 names!
As for the whole of the Top 1000, there's a lot of names there but here are some observations I made:
Noteworthy girl names new to the top 1000 this year:
Emmeline (#1026 to 907)
Antonia (#1030 to 975)
Clementine (#1100 to 943)
Magdalena (#1138 to 976)
Maisie (#1124 to 658!!)
Cordelia (#1194 to 993)
Ariadne (#1224 to 801)
Maisie has really climbed up the charts in a big way! Emmeline has been close to joining the Top 1000 for a while now and since Emma is #1, it makes sense. I'm happy to see Antonia and Clementine have more usage! Magdalena, Cordelia and Ariadne are pleasant surprises!
Noteworthy boy names new to the top 1000 this year:
Leif (#1006 to 998)
Agustin (#1008 to 879)
Eliseo (#1013 to 952)
Anton (#1021 to 897)
Dimitri (#1028 to 882)
Leighton (#1045 to 893)
Ford (#1050 to 883)
None of these boy names made huge strides but they did join the Top 1000 after not ranking in it for 2013. They're all unique options that are gaining more familiarity! Would you use any of these?
Any thoughts on names in the Top 1000?
As for the whole of the Top 1000, there's a lot of names there but here are some observations I made:
Noteworthy girl names new to the top 1000 this year:
Emmeline (#1026 to 907)
Antonia (#1030 to 975)
Clementine (#1100 to 943)
Magdalena (#1138 to 976)
Maisie (#1124 to 658!!)
Cordelia (#1194 to 993)
Ariadne (#1224 to 801)
Maisie has really climbed up the charts in a big way! Emmeline has been close to joining the Top 1000 for a while now and since Emma is #1, it makes sense. I'm happy to see Antonia and Clementine have more usage! Magdalena, Cordelia and Ariadne are pleasant surprises!
Leif (#1006 to 998)
Agustin (#1008 to 879)
Eliseo (#1013 to 952)
Anton (#1021 to 897)
Dimitri (#1028 to 882)
Leighton (#1045 to 893)
Ford (#1050 to 883)
None of these boy names made huge strides but they did join the Top 1000 after not ranking in it for 2013. They're all unique options that are gaining more familiarity! Would you use any of these?
Any thoughts on names in the Top 1000?
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