Why is Elizabeth Perpetually Popular?

Baby Profile by Vera Kratochvil

When pondering classic and even regal names, there is one that almost always comes to mind: Elizabeth. This perpetually popular name surely has a good reason for remaining as such! But what is that reason? Beyond its elegance and beauty, Elizabeth tends to flow very well with many names. This is one of the reasons that it has remained within the Top 30 every single year since 1880.

But why does it pair so well? Elizabeth is used for both a first and middle name. People love Elizabeth as a first name because of how versatile the nicknames are, ranging from Ellie to Liz to Betsy to Beth, and many many more in between.

In this instance, we shall investigate why Elizabeth works so well as a middle name. Many people clump it in with all the other "filler" or "connector" middle names that simply fill an empty spot between the first and last names, such as Anne, Grace, Marie, Claire, etc. However, many argue that Elizabeth doesn't deserve to be classified as such. Rather, despite its popularity, it is somewhat one-of-a-kind.

1.) It starts with a vowel, which is appealing, but the "L" tends to get most of the sound emphasis which allows Elizabeth to flow with names that end with a vowel.

2.) The overall stress of the full name is put on the second syllable which helps to connect it to the first with a beautiful flow.

3.) The four-syllable length of Elizabeth makes it long-but-not-too-long. In many cases, four syllables is the perfect length to differentiate it from the first name before introducing you to the last name. For example, Clara Elizabeth Miller tends to roll off the tongue slightly better than a shorter middle name like Clara Leigh Miller. One might hear it incorrectly as "Claralee or Claraly." Whereas Elizabeth makes a bold but graceful stance in its own place.

4.) The name ends with a consonant sound that isn't often heard in other names. (How many can you think of that end with -th?)  Most first names used today end with -a, -e, -n, -r or -y, which pair perfectly with the different beginning AND ending of Elizabeth.

Much of Elizabeth's success is undoubtedly due to the reasons listed above. The combination of them makes this name very versatile yet unique.

If you are looking for other options instead of Elizabeth, you'd do well to examine other four-syllable names with the stress on the second syllable. Most of these will also flow very beautifully with almost any first name.Test out your favorite first names with the names below as the middle name, and then try it with Elizabeth. Which do you prefer?

Amelia
Aurelia
Bidelia
Calliope
Camellia
Cecelia
Cordelia
Evangeline
Eulalia
Hermione
Hortensia
Ignacia
Leticia
Magnolia
Natalia
Octavia
Olivia
Ophelia
Penelope
Persephone
Valencia
Veronica
Victoria
Zenobia

If you notice, the majority of these names end with A. If you refer back to my fourth point above, many feminine first names seem to end with A as well. While some parents find the rhyming to be cute, most will agree that Sarah Octavia, for example, is too much A sound. Whereas Sadie Octavia sounds much better. However, because of Elizabeth's different ending, Sarah Elizabeth and Sadie Elizabeth both work.

If you are interested in using one of the names listed above, one way to avoid the repetitious endings (like Sarah Octavia) is to end the first and middle names with different vowel sounds. For example, Stella Calliope or Lily Veronica.

Also, ending the first name with a consonant helps, like Piper Cordelia or Caitlin Amelia.  Or use a middle name that ends in a consonant-sound like Evangeline. Sophia Evangeline or Hadley Evangeline work very well!

It is clearly all up to interpretation and personal taste. Even different accents may throw this theory off. But there has to be a reason why Elizabeth has remained so consistently used over the past 132 recorded years. Elizabeth has never ranked higher than #26, and even then there were upwards of 10,000 babies who bore the name.

Very few other names in history have stats like this.

Do you like the name Elizabeth or would you opt for one of the other options instead?

Name of the Day: Alexandrina

Today's featured name is 11-letters and 5-syllables long. Perhaps that explains why it is rarely used in the US.  Did you know that Alexandrina was the real first name of Queen Victoria who went by her middle name?

While many parents would opt for Alexa or Alexandra, there is something special about Alexandrina. It has a more exotic flair than her sister-names, and would be a beautiful middle name to pair with a short first name. Ivy Alexandrina or Claire Alexandrina are lovely. As a first name, Alexandrina Eve.

As a plus, it is truly a rare name today, but it is so familiar to the ears because of all the other Alex names.

It was first used in 1914, 1915, 1920 and 1921 by a total of 23 girls.  After that, there were 5 born in 1935, 6 in 1961, and then it started getting more regular usage in 1975. However, it only sees an average of 5 births per year. Most recently, there were 9 girls named Alexandrina in 2013, which means this name ranks at #10,965.

That is far from being the #1 name in the country, but many could be drawn to it because of that. According to records, only 246 girls have ever been named Alexandrina. Talk about rare! In fact, the name wasn't used by at least 5 girls for the year from 2014-2016, meaning that it did not rank during that time. Do you know anyone with this name?

Alexandrina is a distinctive choice! It is the Greek variation of Alexandra and also means "Defending Men."  Because of its royal namesake, some people have been speculating it as an option if Prince William and Kate Middleton have a girl. It is also a great alternative to the more common royal names that get used today.

What do you think of this long, beautiful name? Are 5 syllables just too much or would you consider it?

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Emmeline, Francesca, Georgiana, Louisa, Victoria
Brothers: Christopher, Frederick, Leopold, Theodore, William

Middle Name Ideas:
Alexandrina Eve
Alexandrina Ivy
Alexandrina Blythe
Alexandrina Maeve

As a Middle Name:
Isla Alexandrina
Jade Alexandrina
Lily Alexandrina
Zara Alexandrina

Share your thoughts on this name in the comment section below!

First published: 6/15/13
Revised: 12/25/14
Revised: 5/13/17

Name of the Day: Desmond

Today's Name of the Day is Desmond, one of my favorite Irish names.

Yes, it is originally an Irish surname, but I can't help but love it for a boy's first name. It is bold but sophisticated. With the possible nicknames Des/Dez or Desi/Dezi, this name is starting to gain popularity in the US.

Desmond first appeared on 8 US birth certificates in 1904. It slowly picked up steam every year after that with its largest naming spike in 1992 when 1,067 boys were born, ranking it at #264 on the Top 1000 chart. As of 2012, there were 920 baby boy Desmonds born, putting the name at a rank of #339.

There have also been a handful of girls named Desmond almost every year since 1975. However, usage began slowing down in the 2000s, ending its female usage in 2007.

Source

Desmond comes from an Irish surname which was derived from Deas-mhumhain meaning "South Munster", originally indicating a person who came from that region in Ireland. Therefore, Desmond means "one from South Munster."

A Few Famous Desmonds:

• Desmond Bishop - American football player
• Desmond Bryant - American football player
• Desmond Dekker - Jamaican musician (The Beatles' song "Ob-la-Di, Ob,La-Da" was said to be written about this Desmond.)
• Desmond Harrington - American actor who plays "Detective Joseph Quinn" on "Dexter"
• Desmond Howard - former American football player
• Desmond Morris - English zoologist
• Desmond Tutu - South African activist
• and many others, including some with the last name Desmond.

My Favorite Desmond's are from Pop Culture:

• Desmond David Hume- character from TV series LOST
• Desmond Miles - Assassin's Creed protagonist

While I personally love this name, what do you think of this name for a baby boy? Let me know in the comments below!

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Adele, Aurelia, Elodie, Hazel, Margot, Madeleine, Rosalie, Vivian
Brothers: Beckett, Callum, Donovan, Ewan, Finnegan, Kellan, Rafferty, Teague

Middle Name Ideas: 
Desmond Grant
Desmond Marcus
Desmond Ellis
Desmond Evander
Desmond Arthur

As a Middle Name:
Asher Desmond
Arlo Desmond
Henry Desmond
Milo Desmond
Quincy Desmond

Name(s) of the Day: Melisande/Millicent

Today, you get a 2-for-1 special for the Name(s) of the Day.

I've recently had a new-found fascination with the name Millicent but it just feels a bit too old-fashioned and stiff for me to personally consider using. I decided to look at variations of it and fell in love with the French Melisande, which I would use in a heartbeat if I could get hubby on-board since he speaks French and I'm learning it.

When I went to look up the popularity stats on these names that I hear quite frequently on naming forums, I was surprised to see how little-used and extremely rare Melisande is in the US.

Check this out! The data pool that I use doesn't record a name for the year if there were not at least 5 births. So perhaps there have been 1-4 births here and there all along, but according to this data, there were 5 girls named Melisande in 2005 (ranked #18226), 6 in 1972, 5 in 1960, 5 in 1947 and that is all! A total of 21 little girls named Melisande in the US EVER! How much more unique could you get?

Yet the name sounds familiar as if you should know a Melisande or two. Millicent, however, has been steadily popular since the SSA began ranking names in 1880. There was a peak of 249 girls named Millicent in 1927 (which is its highest chart ranking of #435) and it has never reached that many since then. In 2012, there were 71 baby Millicents which ranked the name at #2539.

Source

Both names are rarely heard of today and would be refreshing and adorable! Millicent could go by Millie, and Melisande could be Mellie or Sandy or even Lissy or Andy if you go by spelling instead of sound. (Remember, it has a French pronunciation which roughly sounds like "mehl-ee-sahnd.) See the popularity of Melisande in France here.

Both names mean "Strong" or "Industrious". Melisande is French and Millicent is German. Melisande was used by Maurice Maeterlinck in his play 'Pelléas et Mélisande' (1893). The play was later adapted by Claude Debussy into an opera (1902).

What do you think of these non-ranking names? Too old-fashioned, or perfectly unique and beautiful?

Sibling Name Ideas for Melisande:
Sisters: Amandine, Anneliese, Clementine, Genevieve, Lucinda, Romilly
Brothers: Clement, Frances, Marcel, Phineas, Roman, Tobias

Middle Name Ideas:
Melisande Joie
Melisande Colette
Melisande Ramona
Melisande Kate
Melisande Elise

As a Middle Name:
Ivy Melisande
Anna Melisande
Juliet Melisande
Lily Melisande

Sibling Name Ideas for Millicent:
Sisters: Amelia, Elizabeth, Francesca, Lucille, Mabel, Philippa
Brothers: Benjamin, Elliott, Finnegan, Oliver, Robert, William

Middle Name Ideas:
Millicent Claire
Millicent Eve
Millicent Josephine
Millicent Lorraine
Millicent Grace

As a Middle Name:
Eve Millicent
Lucy Millicent
Nora Millicent
Rachel Millicent

Name of the Day: Basil

Today's Name of the Day might raise your eyebrows at first. The Greek boy name Basil means "Regal" or "King" and is a quirky choice!

The most famous bearer of this name is Basil Rathbone who portrayed the very British Sherlock Holmes in 1939. And of course, many of you probably already thought of the basil herb. It is usually pronounced Baz-uhl rather than Bays-uhl like the herb.

Let's try to see it from a different perspective than the above:

From the Greek name Βασιλειος (Basileios) which was derived from βασιλευς (basileus) meaning "king".  There were many Byzantine Empire rulers named Basil, as well as some Eastern Orthodox saints. Saint Basil the Great was a 4th century bishop who helped to found the early Christian church. Basil is rich in history.

Despite its past-bearers, this name is definitely unique today. It has been used very steadily since 1880. It was most popular from 1912-1969. It fell off the Top 1000 chart in 1970 and hasn't ranked since! However, in 2012, it ranked at #2709 with 44 boys named Basil, and 20 girls! (Although there have only been a total of 69 girls EVER named Basil. It saw usage starting in 2006, with the exception of 12 named in the early 1900s.)

Today, Basil has been classified as a very fun name because of the manic Basil Fawlty from the British TV comedy classic "Fawlty Towers." There is also a Disney movie called "Basil of Baker Street" which stars "the Sherlock Holmes of the Mouse World."

If you still aren't sold, that's fine. I think this is an interesting name. It is on my guilty pleasures list so I can't blame any of you for not immediately using it for a son. However, there are other variations of the name that are interesting like the Russian Vassily or Vaska, the Ancient Greek Basilius, the French Basile, the Italian Basillo or the Polish Bazyli.

What do you think of Basil? Do you get the same unique and quirky, yet old-fashioned vibe that I get? Do you think it will ever be popular again, or is it too fusty?

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Beatrix, Celeste, Daphne, Eleanor, Lilac, Octavia, Sabina
Brothers: Dexter, Edward, Gideon, Luca, Otto, Rafferty, Tobias

Middle Name Ideas:
Basil Sebastian
Basil Edmund
Basil Augustus
Basil Hayes
Basil Owen

As a Middle Name:
Phillip Basil
William Basil
Leonard Basil
Ethan Basil
Samuel Basil

Softer-Sounding Boy Names

Another new naming trend that is gaining popularity this year is softer-sounding boys names. Many of these names contain the "sh" sound.

Here are some of our favorites:
Asher
Bishop
Cashel
Cassius
Dashiell
Elisha
Fisher
Hamish
Joshua
Marshall
Misha
Nash
Parish
Sasha
Shawn
Shai
Shane
Shepherd
Sheridan
Sherwood
Shiloh
Tavish

We particularly like the short but handsome nicknames/names such as Ash, Cash, Dash and Nash.  What is your favorite full name for the nickname Cash? Cashel, Cassius, Cassian, or just plain Cash?

Can you think of any other names that might fit this trend? Do you like the trend? Let me know below!

Name of the Day: Isadora

Today's Name of the Day sounds like it should be popular but it actually is not.  For those parents who love the name Isabella but hate its popularity, have you ever considered the name Isadora?

This name has always been around but it hasn't been on the Top 1000 chart since 1900 when it ranked in at #992.  The highest rank Isadora has ever received is #654 in 1882, however that only accounted for a total of 9 births.

Last year, 2012, there were 148 little Isadora's born. The name just fell shy of ranking, coming in at #1497 which is the highest it has ranked since 1915.  In fact, Isadora wasn't used at all from 1958-1968.

Source

So why does this name hardly get any attention when cousin-name Isabella is mega-popular? Perhaps parents just prefer the "Bella" nickname to that of a possible little "Dora." Or perhaps pop-culture influence really is strong, (i.e. Bella Swan vs Dora the Explorer.) Putting that aside, Isadora is a beautiful and unique name that sounds like it should be popular even though it isn't. (Win/Win?)

But, like Isabella who didn't rank at all on the Top 1000 chart from 1948-1990, Isadora has major potential to become something huge if parents are interested in "different but familiar." Isadora is Latin, meaning "gift of Isis" and has international appeal. It has been used in many languages such as Serbian, Macedonian, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Italian, English and Ancient Greek.

Isis was the Egyptian goddess of fertility and birth. The rest of the name comes from the Greek word δωρον (doron) meaning "gift." Male counterpart Isidore was historically popular with Jews who used it as an Americanized version of names like Isaac, Israel and Isaiah.

A famous bearer was the American dancer Isadora Duncan (1877-1927).

With more and more babies being named Isadora, do you think it will gain popularity? Would you use it as an alternative to Isabella? And do you like possible nicknames Issy, Isa or Dora?

Let me know the answers to these burning questions!

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Arabella, Calliope, Delphina, Evangeline, Junia, Magnolia, Seraphina
Brothers: Amadeus, Benjamin, Felix, Jasper, Leopold, Phillip, Vincent

Middle Name Ideas:
Isadora Violet
Isadora Claire
Isadora Ruth
Isadora Colette
Isadora Jane

As a Middle Name:
Katherine Isadora
Maeve Isadora
Sloane Isadora
Lark Isadora
Hadley Isadora

Name of the Day: Asher

Today's Name of the Day is a soft, handsome boy name from the Old Testament: Asher.

This name is a Biblical Hebrew name meaning "happy" or "blessed." Asher was the son of Jacob and Zilpah, (Leah's handmaid), and he was also the ancestor of one of the twelve tribes of Israel.

This name is definitely a favorite with today's parents! It has been climbing up the charts quickly! A very rare name at the end of the 19th century (only 42 boys received this name between 1880 and 1895.) It wasn't heard from again until 1910 and it remained rarely used.

It finally hit the Top 1000 chart in 1983 at #934. In 2000, it ranked at #579 and has shot up since then. In 2012, Asher ranked at #108 with a total of 3,514 baby boys receiving the name (and 44 girl!)

Source

What do you think of this handsome, biblical name? It falls into the new trend of giving boys "softer-sounding" names.  Asher is possibly the favorite of the bunch that contain the "sh" sound. And of course, the nickname Ash is appealing! Let me know your thoughts on this name!

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Ella, Hannah, Isla, Olivia, Ruby
Brothers: Caleb, Ethan, Jonah, Milo, Owen

Middle Name Ideas:
Asher Maxwell
Asher Thomas
Asher Samuel
Asher Levi

As a Middle Name:
Nathan Asher
Daniel Asher
Brendan Asher
Michael Asher

Name of the Day: Clementine

Today's featured name is Clementine. It originates as the French feminine form of the male name Clement, which is derived from the Late Latin name Clemens or Clementius, meaning "merciful," "gentle" or "mild."

If the "Oh my Darlin'" association is too strong for you, try pronouncing it as Cle-mahn-teen instead as the French do. Alternatively, try Clementina. This spelling originates with Italian, Late Roman, Portuguese and Spanish.  The Polish Klementyna is neat too if you have Polish roots!

Personally, I think Clementine would make a lovely middle name. (i.e.  Amelia Clementine or Ivy Clementine). It has the beautiful, French flair and is still rather unique!

Clementine was a darling on the charts in the 1920s-1950s. 1921 was Clementine's best year for number of births. There were 160 girls born which ranked the name at #567 at the time. It went up and down on the charts for a while and actually had a few years in the 70s and 80s where the name wasn't used at all, but it is on an upswing again. 221 girls were named Clementine in 2013 for a ranking of #1100.

Source

In France, though, the name Clementine is ranked just outside of the Top 100!  What do you think of this name?  Would you ever use it? Here are some sibling and middle name ideas:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Amelia, Josephine, Mabel, Scarlett, Tallulah
Brothers: Alastair, Benedict, Nathaniel, Sullivan, Theodore

Middle Name Ideas: 
Clementine Ivy
Clementine Eve
Clementine Louise
Clementine Estella

As a Middle Name:
Isla Clementine
Reese Clementine
Lily Clementine
Piper Clementine

Share your thoughts on this name in the comments below!

Name of the Day: Augustus

Today's Name of the Day is the Latin boy's name Augustus. For years, this name was considered somewhat fusty, or even pretentious. Today, parents are seeing it differently.

Like my own son's name, Maximus, Augustus was originally a title meaning "Great," "Magnificent" or "Venerable." It was given to the first Roman Emperor, Octavius, who was the adopted son of Julius Caesar. He kept Augustus as his name.  The month of August was also named in honor of him.

The number of babies given this name has gone down, up, down and way back up again over the years, starting in 1880 until now.

As far as chart ranking goes, it hit as high as #175 in 1880 (a total of 74 babies).  In 2012, it ranked at #697 with a total of 337 little boys named Augustus.  It remained steadily in the Top 1000 from 1880-1968 when it fell off the chart. It jumped back on in 1991 at #874.

(Remember that the charts vary because of the population differences and the vast number of different names being considered today. The "number of babies given this name" charts give a better understanding of its usage. See below.)

Source

What do you think of the name Augustus? I would love to use it myself but my husband is not a fan of "Gus" or that strong G sound. Also, we wouldn't want to have a Maximus and an Augustus, it's too much "-us" and we'd be trapped in a naming theme (Octavius, Tiberius, Septimus, where does it end?!)

I think this name is very handsome and I would recommend it to parents who want something masculine and strong for their little guy. In fact, most of these Latin "-us" type names are starting to catch on a bit with modern parents.

Would you ever consider this name? First name or middle name spot? Let me know your thoughts below!

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Athena, Eleanor, Isadora, Octavia, Penelope
Brothers: Alexander, Benedict, Maximilian, Sebastian, Theodore

Middle Name Ideas:
Augustus Leopold
Augustus Clark
Augustus Hadrian
Augustus Miles
Augustus Quentin

As a Middle Name:
Sayer Augustus
Bennett Augustus
Cato Augustus
Leo Augustus

Boy Names on a Girl?

We have all heard of names that were originally masculine but slowly became taken over by the girls.  Classic examples are Shannon, Kelly, Tracy, Stacy, Leslie, Ashley, Aubrey, Meredith, Dana, Caroll, Shirley, Shelby and so on.

One of today's naming trends that I personally dislike is "boy names on girls" but I realize that this is not a new thing. Girls have been stealing names for decades! It is a wonder there are any legitimate boy names left!


While there is nothing necessarily wrong with bending the gender rules, I think it only leads to confusion for children. Possible identity issues, and having to correct people who assume the wrong gender based on the written name, etc. I mean no disrespect to those of you who enjoy this phenomenon, but I personally like gender-specific names more than the gender-neutral names.

That being said, I thought I would list some more modern examples of names that switched sides or can be considered a "gender-bender" in which both sexes use them equally.

Boy Names that are now seen mostly, if not exclusively, on girls today:

Madison
Addison
McKenzie
Aubrey
Lynn
Courtney
Lane
Brooke
Vivian
Evelyn
Clair
Emory

Newly-Appointed "Uni-sex" names (Names that Girls are trying to steal but Boys still primarily use):

Blake
Jordan
Taylor
Quinn
Harley
Camden
London
Bailey
Sawyer
Emerson
Elliott
Morgan
Austin
Tyler
Dylan
Ryan (?!)
James (?!)

Gender-Benders (Frequently used for both genders. These are the names that may cause confusion and lead to " Is that a boy or a girl?" questions.)

Rowan
Riley
Avery
Finley
Spencer
Skylar
Jayden/Jaidyn
Sidney/Sydney
Peyton
Reese
Hayden
Cameron
Devon
Micah
Rory
Parker
Sascha

Click here for even more unisex names and see their boy-to-girl ratios!

Perhaps certain sounds are just more acceptable on a girl. Vowels like A and E as well as soft letters like L, and names ending in -ie or -y usually seem more feminine.  Yet the opposite hardly ever happens, where a boy is given a name that is primarily associated with females.

What do you think of this trend? Would you name your daughter Hunter or Levi? Would you name your son Vivian or Evelyn?   Do any of the names above need to be switched to a different category? Let me know!

Name of the Day: Emmeline

Today's Name of the Day is my new favorite girl's name: Emmeline. As a big fan of Emma (but not of her popularity), Emmeline appeals to me in a big way! Unfortunately, I think many other baby-namers who feel the same way will help to make this name popular soon. It fits in with mega-popular Emma and Emily, as well as all the Madelines, Adelines and Carolines.  It's a wonder this name hasn't caught on already!

In the real world, actor Christian Bale has a daughter named Emmeline; a famous English suffragette was named Emmeline Pankhurst; and there is an American journalist known as Emmeline Wells. In the fictional world, Emmeline Vance was a character in Harry Potter.  There are a couple other examples, such as Brooke Shields' character in "The Blue Lagoon" (1980).

Emmeline is currently sitting just outside of the Top 1000 chart at #1078 in 2012. She has never broken onto the chart, but I think her time is coming soon!  She is ranked just slightly higher today than she was in 1904 (#1296). Emmeline massively lost popularity through the 1940's and 1950's before beginning to spike upward again in the 70's. Take a look at this dramatic chart!

Source

Emmeline is an Old French form of the Germanic name Amelina, which is a diminutive of other Germanic names that begin with "amal" which means "work". Having a little "hardworker" is adorable! The Normans introduced this name to England. It has always been around, but it has been very under-the-radar for years!

What do you think of this lovely name? Would you pronounce it Emme-line or Emme-leen? I go back and forth on that. There is a big debate about which is accurate but it may just come down to personal preference. I lean toward the -leen sound. Would you name your daughter Emmeline?

Sibling Name Ideas: 
Sisters: Adelaide, Imogen, Genevieve, Magnolia, Violet
Brothers: Atticus, Elijah, Jasper, Oliver, William

Middle Name Ideas:
Emmeline Clara
Emmeline Scarlett
Emmeline Paige
Emmeline Vivienne

As a Middle Name:
Julia Emmeline
Sarah Emmeline
Lily Emmeline
Sophia Emmeline

Stand-Alone Nickname-Names Vs. Proper Given Names

Baby Under The Towel by Vera Kratochvil

Many parents today choose long, proper names for the birth certificate but they call their little ones by a nickname. For girls, nicknames that end with -ie have always been popular.

For example, perhaps you love the idea of having a little Maggie but you aren't comfortable with Maggie as a given name. What do you do? Name her Margaret.   Now, some parents are skipping the proper name and using the nickname on its own.

While Maggie is a nickname for a specific name, some "nicknamey-names" could be short for any number of names.  What if you wrote Sadie or Callie directly on the birth certificate? And what about names that seem nicknamey but don't have an obvious long-form like Bonnie?

In the 1880's, Minnie, Annie, Bessie and Nellie ranked in the Top 20 as a whole name. So it begs the question, which of these nicknames can stand alone today, and which require a proper given name? 

Of course, there is no right or wrong answer but I will list some of the nicknamey-names that could possibly stand on their own for a modern girl.  I will break it down into three categories and put their possible long-forms in parenthesis, if applicable. 

Probably So:

Abbie (Abigail)

Allie (Alexandra, Alice, Allison)

Annie  (Ann, Anne, Anna, Annabelle, etc)

Bonnie 

Callie (Caroline, Charlotte, Calista, Calliope)

Cassie (Cassandra, Cassidy)

Edie (Edith)

Ellie (Eleanor, Elizabeth, Eliana, Estelle, etc)

Elsie (Elizabeth/Elspeth)

Evie (Evangeline, Evelyn)

Josie (Josephine, Josette, Joslyn)

Macie
Maisie (Margaret, Mary, Melissa, Marissa)

Millie (Mildred, Millicent, Camille)

Sadie  (Sarah)

Tessie (Tessa, Theresa)

Maybe:

Hattie (Harriet, Henrietta)

Lettie (Letitia)

Lottie (Charlotte) 

Mamie (Margaret, Mary)

Minnie (Wilhelmina, Minerva)

Nellie (Helen, Ellen, Eleanor, Penelope)

Tillie (Matilda)

Trudie (Gertrude)

Possibly Not: 

Bessie (Elizabeth)

Birdie

Dixie

Effie (Euphemia)

Lizzie (Elizabeth)

Trixie (Beatrix)

Vinnie (Lavinia)

There are also names that are legitimate French names or variations of names that end with -ie. These are considered full/real names as opposed to a nickname. Some of those include:

Aimee

Elodie

Jolie

Julie

Leonie

Lucie

Maelie

Marie

Sophie

Sylvie

Valerie

Of course there are probably many other examples that I missed. What do you think of the nicknamey-names?  Would you use any of these as a stand-alone or do you believe in a proper given name?

For a longer list of names ending in -ie, take a look at this article: Trendy Girl Names From 1900. This style of names was actually high-fashion at the time and they were all given names as opposed to nicknames! 

Name of the Day: Larkin

Today's Name of the Day is Larkin. It is Irish in origin and means "rough or fierce."  While "Lark" is a bird name that is generally used for a girl, "Larkin" is considered a masculine surname name.

Just over 1900 boys have been named Larkin since 1880, which is an average of 15 baby boys every year. It has steadily been used, but it has never been popular. Even though it was technically in the Top 1000 in the late 1800's, very few boys were given the name. 

The early data and ranks aren't comparable to today's data. For example, in 1880, Larkin was ranked at #454 with 16 boys carrying the name. In 2012, 20 boys were given the name Larkin and it ranked in at #4757. While the charts vary over the years, the amount of babies given this name is very steady.

Starting in the 1970's, parents began regularly giving this name to baby girls. Just over 1000 girls have ever been named Larkin, or an average of 25 girls every year. This rare name is classified as unisex. While more boys have been named Larkin overall, the name is vastly more popular for a girl, (55 girls to 20 boys in 2012).

But enough with the numbers and stats! Larkin is defined as Irish today, but it seems to also have Medieval English roots. One site says that it is a diminutive of Laurence. Most associate it as a relative of Lorcan, which is Irish and also means "fierce."

Either way, this is a steadily used but rare name that may appeal to baby-namers today! It can fall into the "nature" category because of "Lark", but also into the "surname" category. It would make a great sibling to both Daisy and Cooper.

What do you think of this name? It was suggested to me by a baby-namer on Facebook named Stephani. (Let me know if you have any names that you'd like to see featured for the Name of the Day.)

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Dagny, Daisy, Harper, Kylie, Piper
Brothers: Cooper, Jasper, Parker, Titan,

Middle Name Ideas:
Girl:
Larkin Hesper
Larkin Marina
Larkin Bellamy
Larkin Willow

Boy:
Larkin Isaiah
Larkin Justus
Larkin Maris
Larkin James

As a Middle Name:
Girl:
Hadley Larkin
Eloise Larkin
Ava Larkin
Molly Larkin

Boy:
Philip Larkin
Max Larkin
Jeremy Larkin
Evan Larkin

Would you use Larkin for a boy or for a girl?

Quintuplets Born in Czech - What would you name 5 babies?

Alexandra Kinova

STANISLAV ZBYNEK/CTK/AP

This past Sunday, a Czech woman, Alexandra Kinova, 23, gave birth to quintuplets! This is the first recorded quint birth in the country!

They were conceived naturally and were born at 31 weeks without any complications. Their weights ranged from 2.3 lbs to 3 lbs. She delivered them by Cesarean section. The mother was originally told that she was expecting twins. She did wind up having identical twin boys, as well as a girl and two more boys.

They have chosen the following names:
Tereza
Michael and Deniel (Twins)
Alex
Martin

Their father, Antonin Kroscen, 26, told reporters that he is very happy to welcome these five little ones into the world. "I was crying all the way since I feared I would not manage it," he said. He was held up by a late train but made it on-time to be present for the birth of his children! The couple already had a young son together as well.

 We want to congratulate these new parents and wish them all the best in the years to come! What do you think of the names they chose?

If you were expecting quintuplets, what would you name them? Play our "Name the quints" game in the forums!

Name of the Day: Amabel

A name that was very common in the 12th and 13th centuries, Amabel is a rarity today. It was revived during the 19th century when a medieval fad swept through England.  Amabel is the feminization of the Late Latin male name "Amabilis" who was a Saint in the 5th century in France.

Amabel is a much older name than the popular Annabel. However, its shortened form Mabel has had much more popularity in recent times.  Amabel (and Mabel) mean "Loveable" in Latin which may appeal to parents who have high regard for name meanings.

This distinctive name would be adorable on a modern day baby girl. It fits right in with other old-fashioned names that are seeing a strong revival, as well as the popular -bel/-belle names. However, Amabel is much more unique (even though it feels familiar) because it has never once ranked on the US Top 1000.  As of 2013, there has been a total of 98 girls named Amabel on record since 1880. There were only 10 girls named Amabel in 2013 for a ranking of #10,209 which is very far from being the most popular name in the country.

Revision:  A few more girls were named Amabel since the previous stats were recent. There were 9 births in 2016 putting our grand total at 120.

If Amabel is too different for your tastes, Mabel is an adorable alternative to consider. A huge hit in the late 1800's and early 1900's, Mabel hit its highest ranking of #15 in 1891. It remained in the double-digits until it steadily declined starting in the 1920's. As of 2013, Mabel has jumped back onto the Top 1000 chart for the first time since 1964.  Now considered vintage-chic, Mabel ranked at #707 in 2013.  Revision:  Mabel was #513 in 2016, which means it is gaining more popularity.

Either of these two lovely names would be a refreshing choice today!  I think Amabel deserves some usage! What do you think? Would you use Amabel or Mabel?  Here are some sibling and middle name ideas:

Sibling Name Ideas: 
Sisters: Beatrice, Caroline, Estella, Lavinia, Pomeline, Rebecca
Brothers: Augustus, Benedict, Dominic, Marcus, Peregrine, Theodore

Middle Name Ideas:
Amabel Celeste
Amabel Corinne
Amabel Frances
Amabel Grace
Amabel Josephine

Middle Name Ideas:
Mabel Aveline
Mabel Christine
Mabel Elizabeth
Mabel Joy
Mabel Tabitha

Share your thoughts on this name in the comments below!

First Published: 6/4/13
Revised: 12/25/14
Revised: 5/14/17

Name of the Day: Arlo

I'm a fan of names that are somewhat under the radar but still have a solid history. I like names that were popular in the 1880's-1920's and never heard from again until modern times. I have been focusing on these for my "Name of the Day" report, and am doing so again today with the name Arlo.

Primarily a boy's name, Arlo is short, sweet and full of character. Two celebrities recently named their sons Arlo, (Natasha Kaplinsky in 2008, and Toni Collette in 2011). Johnny Knoxville named his daughter Arlo in 2011, which suddenly throws this name into the "possibly unisex" category. (Popular girls names Harlow and Marlowe are similar, which may be the reason for Arlo going female.) It will always be a boy name in my mind since it has never ranked for a girl.

It ranked in the 600-1000 range on the US Top 1000 chart between 1910 and 1944.  It did not rank again until 2011 when it hit #916, and jumped 98 spots to #818 in 2012. If you read my previous post about trending boy names that end with the letter -o, you'll notice that Arlo was one of my "Names to Watch".  I really think this one is going to boom up the charts in the next few years.

Of Spanish origin, Arlo means "barberry tree", so it also puts it into the "nature name" category, which can sometimes be tricky for boys. Along those lines, Arlo would be a fascinating sibling for Jasper and Dahlia.

If you are looking to honor a relative, Arlo has also been known to be a variation of the following names: Harlow/Harley, Carlos/Charles, Arlene.  It could also be spelled Arlow, Arlowe, or Arrlo.  Because of this, the meaning of Arlo may be more relative to these other names. But as its own name, Arlo is indeed Spanish for Barberry tree.

What do you think of this unique moniker? Would you use it for your son? Or do you see it better suited for a girl?

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Claire, Dahlia, Lily, Olive, Sabrina
Brothers: Henry, Finley, Jasper, Luca, Miles

Middle Name Ideas:
Arlo Maxwell
Arlo Sebastian
Arlo James
Arlo Thomas

As a Middle Name:

James Arlo

Dean Arlo

Benjamin Arlo

Ryan Arlo

New Trend?: Boy Names Ending with the Letter O

I keep hearing talk about a new trend in boys names and I wanted to do some research to see if this is a real thing yet or not. Apparently the new favorite thing is boys names that end with the letter -o. Some examples that I keep hearing about are Hugo, Arlo, Milo, and Leo.

Now, when I went through the Top 500 names of 2012, I found so many more names ending in -o than I imagined that I would. However, the Top 100 was very absent of a single -o name. It wasn't until I hit #110 that I found my first, Diego. In all, there were 37 names between #110-500.

As a woman of Hispanic heritage, I have to imagine that most of these -o names are legitimately used by Spanish and Italian families. It leaves me wondering how many of these are truly gaining popularity across the race spectrum, and how many have always lingered around their respective ranks.

I have no way of looking up the race of the parents, but I had to dig deeper to see which of these are climbing the charts and which are reliably stable.

Names ending with the letter -o ranking in the US Top 500 in 2012:

Diego: #110
Antonio: #118
Santiago: #122
Leo: #134
Mateo: #138
Alejandro: #148
Leonardo: #150
Francisco: #225
Ricardo: #226
Fernando: #243
Mario: #253
Marco: #269
Sergio: #283
Emilio: #297
Emiliano: #302
Lorenzo: #307
Roberto: #308
Angelo: #310
Pedro: #317
Maximiliano: #320
Romeo: #323
Milo: #330
Armando: #366
Pablo: #367
Gerardo: #371
Julio: #383
Gustavo: #408
Matteo: #412
Rocco: #415
Enzo: #417
Rodrigo: #431
Hugo: #436
Alberto: #446
Arturo: #459
Orlando: #461
Mauricio: #472
Alfredo: #492

Most of these climbed or dropped an average of 10 spots. I can't mention all of them individually (and still keep your attention) but I will show you the following:

Biggest climbers from 2011 to 2012:

1. Romeo (#323): Climbed 38 spots!
2. Leo (#134) and Mateo (#138) tied for 2nd. Both jumped 33 spots!
3. Milo (#330) Shot up 30 spots!
4. Gustavo (#408) Climbed a surprising 29 spots!
5. Orlando (#461) Jumped up 21 spots! (Haven't heard this in a while!)

Biggest Fallers from 2011-2012:

1. Fernando (#243) Fell 34 spots!
2. Mario (#253) and Maximiliano (#320) Both dropped 30 spots!
3. Mauricio (#472)  Fell 28 spots!
4. Matteo (#412) and Arturo (#459) Both fell 27 spots!
5. Alberto (#446) Dropped 26 spots

Of the names that I hear about most often this year, I will predict that these names will continue to move up the ranks of the 2013 chart:

1. Arlo (#818 in 2012)
2. Leo  (#134 in 2012)
3. Mateo (#138 in 2012)
4. Thiago (#862 in 2012)
5. Hugo (#436 in 2012)

Absent in 2010, Arlo placed at #916 in 2011 before jumping a whopping 98 ranks to settle at #818 in 2012. This is one to watch!  Leo and Mateo seem to be gaining popularity. Both climbed 33 spots last year, but I think they'll continue to climb the ranks and quiet possible break into the top 100 in the next couple years.

Thiago is an interesting one. Its counterpart Santiago moved up 9 spots to sit at #122 in 2012; however Thiago has just burst onto the scene for the very first time, landing at #862 in 2012. I'd like to keep an eye on this one.  Lastly, Hugo gets thrown around the baby name forums regularly so it may seem more popular than it actually is, but I'll include it on the list despite only climbing 3 spots from 2011 to 2012. Hugo rests at #436 for now.

I'd like to also throw in a couple "noteworthy mentions." The name Milo is definitely gaining popularity and is regularly suggested on forums. After shooting up 30 ranks in 2012, I will be starring this one on my list as a major popularity gainer for 2013.  A name that surprised me was Gustavo. It climbed 29 places on the chart. Then I thought perhaps its increase in popularity comes from creepy-cool bad-guy Gustavo "Gus" Fring from AMC's hit TV show "Breaking Bad." I expect this one to begin dropping back down over the next year. No spoilers for those who haven't watched.  ;)

That is my assessment of the -o name trend for boys. This is one trend that I can get behind, especially considering how tiring the -n names are becoming.

What do you think of my list? What is your favorite boy name ending with -o?  Let me know in the comments below!

Name of the Day: Calliope

Today's featured name is a lovely and truly rare gem in the US: Calliope (Cuh-LIE-oh-pee). The nickname Callie is adorable for this big, strong name.  The meaning of this name is "Beautiful Voice."

Straight out of the Greek Myths, Calliope was the name of one of the nine muses, inspiring epic poetry.

Since this name is so bold and creative, it would be recommended for artistic parents who enjoy literature, poetry and music. Hopefully your daughter will also enjoy these things and be able to live up to the image that this name portrays, namely, a beautiful artistic muse.

In the real world, there is an American actress who wears the name, Calliope "Callie" Thorne.  In the TV world, there's a Dr. Calliope "Callie" Torres on Grey's Anatomy.

The original form of this name is actually spelled Kalliope. The meaning "Beautiful Voice" comes directly from the root of the name:  from Greek καλλος (kallos) "beauty" and οψ (ops) "voice".

This name is a unique and lovely find! Calliope has never ranked on the US Top 1000 chart at any time between 1880-2013, so your daughter would truly be one of a kind in her school! Although, I have seen the name tossed around baby name forums more and more frequently and the name is on a very slight increase.

In 2000, there were only 9 girls named Calliope in the US. By 2013, the number has climbed to 186 births, ranking the name at a record-high #1264. It is gaining a bit more usage every year, but don't expect it to become "popular" anytime soon.  If you're looking for an unusual, rarely-used name, Calliope is still a safe bet for the time being.

What do you think of the name Calliope? If you're interested, here are some sibling and middle name ideas:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Beatrix, Demetra, Helena,  Isadora, Sybil
Brothers: Christopher, Damian, Hadrian, Leander, Sebastian

Middle Name Ideas:
Calliope Reese
Calliope Eve
Calliope Jane
Calliope Harper
Calliope Grace

As a Middle Name:
Aria Calliope
June Calliope
Mia Calliope
Wren Calliope

Would you consider using it for your child? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

First published: 6/2/13
Revised: 12/25/14

Name of the Day: Gideon

The Name of the Day for June 1, 2013 is Gideon, a boy name taken straight from the pages of the Old Testament.

Biblical Gideon was known as a modest and humble young man of the tribe of Manasseh. With the help of an angel, he was divinely called upon to save the Israelites from Midianite oppression. Before he could do this, he had to be tested to prove himself worthy for battle. God asked Gideon to destroy his father's alter to Baal and to cut down the sacred pole that stood with it.

For this reason, the name Gideon means "Destroyer" or "Feller [of trees]" or even "One who cuts down".  It may also mean "Hewer" or "Great Warrior", depending on where you look.

Many parents opt for biblical names for their sons, but for those who are tiring of the traditional Benjamin, James or Jacob, Gideon offers a fresh approach to naming. This name has began climbing the charts in recent years. It was always rather popular among the Puritans of the 16th-18th centuries who preferred Old Testament names.

You may hear the name Gideon and think of the Gideon Bibles in every hotel room across the country, but this isn't necessarily a bad association. They were named because Gideon symbolizes great work done by few people. He famously led very few men against a larger army and won.

Take a look at this popularity chart. Gideon has been used since the US began keeping baby name records in 1880. However, there were several years that had single-digit births per year or none at all. It wasn't until 1912 that the name received regular usage and it finally hit triple-digit births in 1993. Gideon received a spike in popularity starting around 2000, and it currently sits at #390 on the US Top 1000 chart in 2012.

Source

Perhaps Gideon is a name that you'd consider for your son. It certainly has a strong history and a positive, biblical association!   What do you think of it?

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Annika, Esther, Olivia, Simone, Violet
Brothers: Aaron, Caleb, Ezra, Isaac, Silas

Middle Name Ideas:
Gideon Oliver
Gideon James
Gideon Andrew
Gideon Alexander
Gideon Blake

As a Middle Name:
Henry Gideon
Theodore Gideon
Nathaniel Gideon
Zane Gideon