Boy Name of the Week: Orion

The Boy Name of the Week has both mythical and celestial associations to it.

Orion is the name of a constellation of stars. Most visible to the naked eye is a line of three stars that form Orion's belt. The constellation was named after a legendary Greek hunter who is said to have been killed by a scorpion that was sent by Gaia.  However, here are many different tales about Orion and his origins in mythology.

The name Orion does not have a known meaning, but could be related to the Greek ‘οριον' (horion) which means "boundary" or "limit".

Orion has ranked in the US since 1880 but it was extremely rare and hardly used until it began gaining a bit of momentum in the 70s. It landed on the top 1000 chart for the first time in 1991 at #995 then fell back off for two years.

Starting in 1994, this name has been on an upward trajectory!  In 2012, there were 673 baby boys named Orion which ranked the name at #419. There were also 21 female births in 2012. There has been a handful of girls given this name since 1991 (and 5 random births in 1917) but this is an overwhelmingly male name.

Source

This name is categorized with nature names and celestial names as well as mythological names. I'm featuring it as my favorite name from yesterday's Nature Names post.

I would probably pair Orion with a traditional name like Orion James or Matthew Orion since it is a bold choice. What do you think of this name?

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Athena, Aurora, Cassandra, Iris, Jasmine, Raven, Soleil, Xanthe

Brothers: Anthony, August, Griffin, Jared, Lennon, Oliver, Soren, Talon

Middle Name Ideas:
Orion James
Orion Carter
Orion Lucas
Orion Lee

As a Middle Name:
Matthew Orion
Dominic Orion
Andrew Orion
Blake Orion

Nature Names For Boys and Girls

Snow? Rose? Winter?
Photo taken by me.

I previously featured girl names that are inspired by flowers and trees. I thought I would find even more options for both genders that come from nature.

Included on this list are baby names that are inspired by flowers, trees, fruit, water, weather, the earth and even animals! There is a great variety here and you're sure to find one that you love!

Nature names have increased in popularity lately as parents look for bold, unconventional name options. Which of these cool options is your favorite? Did I miss any?

Amber Apple Aqua Arbor Ash Aspen Avis Azalea Basil Bay Beach Berry Birch Blossom Briar Brook Calla Canyon Cedar Cerise Cherry Citron Clay Clementine Cliff Clover Cobalt Coral Crane Cricket Dahlia Daisy Delta Dove Dune Elm Emerald Falcon Feather Fern Field Fjord

Flint Flora Forest Fox Frost Gardener Garland Garnet Glen Grove Harbor Hawk Huckleberry Iris Isle Ivy Jade Jasmine Jasper Jet Juniper Lake Lark Laurel Lemon Lily Linden Luna Magnolia Mango Maple Marigold Meadow Mercury Mesa Mica Nova Oak Ocean Onyx Opal Oriole Orion

Pearl Pepper Peridot Petunia Pike Pine Plum Poppy Prairie Primrose Quarry Quartz Quill Rain Reed Ridge River Robin Rose Ruby Saffron Sage Sapphire Shale Skye Slate Snow Sparrow Spring Spruce Star Stone Tide Topaz Vale Valley Venus Violet Willow Wolf Wren Yarrow Zinc

Girl Name of the Week: Sybil

In honor of my post featuring "cool girl names," the Girl's Name of the Week is a lovely Greek name that means "prophetess".  With the recent popularity of the TV show Downton Abbey, the name of the Crawley's youngest daughter has been on the minds' of American parents.  Sybil was nearly forgotten until now, but it doesn't appear to be climbing back up the charts just yet.

Sybil was not originally a name, but an ancient Greek word for a woman who claimed the ability to foresee that which most people could not. These prophetesses were thought to have divine knowledge and were revered. Despite its origins as a word, the name itself its uniquely beautiful.

It can also be spelled Sibyl or Cybill, and there are many international variations such as Sibylla or Sybille.  This spelling, Sybil, has been around since the middle ages where it saw common usage among Christians.  It was later taken to England by the Normans but became extremely rare after the Protestant Reformation. It wasn't until Benjamin Disraeli wrote a novel titled "Sybil" in 1845 that the name saw a revival through the Victorian era.

This name peaked in usage in 1921 when 541 baby girls were born. Since then, the name has declined greatly and fell off of the Top 1000 chart in 1967. In 2012, there were only 16 babies given this name, ranking it at #7706.

 Lady Sybil from Downton Abbey had the middle name Cora after her mother.  Sybil Coraline? Sybil Caroline? Her sisters are named Mary and Edith.

Do you think Sybil has the potential to regain some popularity? Or do you think its strong meaning makes parents shy of using it? Do you like the name?  Let me know in the comments section below!

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Alessia, Cora, Delaney, Edith, Imogen, Pearl, Rebecca
Brothers: Alfred, Clive, Isaiah, Joshua, Marcus, Peter, Warren

Middle Name Ideas:
Sybil Alessandra
Sybil Caroline
Sybil Ophelia
Sybil Minerva
Sybil Coraline

As a Middle Name:
Alexandra Sybil
Catherine Sybil
Josephine Sybil
Rosalie Sybil
Victoria Sybil

Cool Names for Girls

Finding the perfect name can be a struggle. After all, you want to find something that is pleasing to the ear. Perhaps what you need is to find a "cool name" that would impress your friends and give your child that unique edge.

This is a list of "cool names for girls."  Of course, everyone's opinion differs, but you may just find what you're looking for here:

Maisie? Sabra?

Albany Amabel Ambrosia Annora Anouk Asia Augustina Austen Branwen Caia Celestia Cerys Cicely Clementina Clio Corinne Cornelia Delaney Domenica Electra Eleonora Elspeth Federica Finola Fleur Guinivere Henrietta Honora Ione Isadora Isolde Jacinta Katerina

Lark Lenore Leonie Lilou Lola Lucienne Lux Mabel Maisie Mireille November Olive Olympia Ondine Paz Philomena Phoebe Pippa Rafaella Sabra Saffron Sasha Saskia Snow Sybil Tansy Tempest Trudy True Valentine Willa Xaviere Zandra

Do you like any of these? Can you think of any to add? Click Here to view the Cool Boy Names List!

Boy Name of the Week: Felix

The Boy's Name of the Week is the bold and playful Felix.  Beyond "Felix the Cat," this is a Latin name that means "happy and fortunate".

Felix has been the name of four popes and a whopping 67 saints! A biblical Felix was the governor of Judea who imprisoned Saint Paul.  In Ancient Roman times, General Sulla adopted the name Felix because he felt as though the gods blessed him with luck and fortune.

Felix has been all over various literature and films, too many to list. There are also many modern day examples and a couple celebrity babies.

If you zoom out and look internationally, the name Felix is very diverse! It works well in Spanish, German, Austrian, Russian and Polish. It is also quite popular in England/Wales, Denmark, France, The Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. Here in the U.S., it is definitely picking up steam!

It ranked at #316 in 2012 when 1,025 boys were born. There were even 15 female births, but Felix comes across as an all-boy name to me, despite it occasionally being used on girls since 1917.

Felix peaked in 1918, declined in usage, and then was moderately used through the 50s and 60s.  Usage increased again around 1990 and Felix hit its modern peak in 2011.   Since 1880, it has been above #394 on the Top 1000 chart, but yet it feels so very under-the-radar still.

Source

I think this name has potential to continue climbing the charts. It is a simple name with one possible spelling and it is unique but antique enough to be familiar. The fact that it is Latin and has such a wonderful meaning will boost the name in parents' eyes, and that X on the end gives it a stylish vibe.

What do you think of the name Felix? Is it on your list?

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Audrey, Beatrice, Fiona, Ivy, Lorelei, Ramona, Sophia
Brothers: Dexter, Elliott, Jasper, Julian, Maxwell, Oliver, Xavier

Middle Name Ideas:
Felix Alexander
Felix John
Felix Nathaniel
Felix Oliver

As a Middle Name:
Milo Felix
Oscar Felix
Charles Felix
Brody Felix
Henry Felix

Cool Names for Boys

If you are in need of a baby name and you don't really know how to narrow down your style and choose something, perhaps what you need is to find a "cool name" that would impress your friends and give your child that unique edge.

You're in luck! This is a list of "cool names for boys."  Of course, everyone's opinion differs, but you may just find what you're looking for here:

He's definitely an Ace or Cruz

Ace August Ash Axel Bay Beau Beckett Blaze Booker Boone Breccan Calix Calloway Cashel Chance Chase Cliff Colt Cormac Crispin Cruz Damian Dash Dashiell Decimus Denim Diesel Donovan Draven Felix Fergus Finn Gunner Gus Guthrie Harley Homer Hudson Humphrey

Hunter Inigo Ivo Jackson Jagger Jax Jett Justice King Knute Leonidas Lorcan Maddox Matteo Maximus Neo Nico Orion Ozias Pierce Pilot Ranger Ransom Rowan Ryder Ryker Sargent Sayer Steele Stone Storm Taj Talon West Wilder Wolf Wyatt Zane Zebulon

Which of these is your favorite? Can you think of any to add? Click Here for the Cool Girls Names list!

Predicting Trends: The 100 Year Rule

They say that it takes 100 years for names to come back into fashion. They aren't wrong.

When you think about all of the names that are currently at the top of the charts (or rising quickly) how many of them were previously considered "Grandma" names?

Perhaps these names are now being used to honor those grandparents. Or maybe those names now belong to the great-grandparents of current baby-namers and aren't well-known or thought of as old. Just like fashion trends, names have a way of coming back around and seeming fresh again. The 100 year rule is real!

To prove that, here are some names that saw popularity spikes in the 1915-1925 range. These same names have begun gaining popularity since 2010 (and sometimes earlier because of those parents ahead of the trend.)

We can only assume that these names will continue to climb our modern day charts and hit their peaks around the 100-years-later mark and then decline again.

Name: (Year with most births) #ranking in 2012

Names that spiked around 1920 that are also spiking in popularity today:
Adeline (1918) #239
Clara (1918)  #136
Eleanor (1920)  #135
Genevieve (1918) #228
Hazel (1918)  #175
Josephine (1918) #160
Lillian (1920) #25
Lola (1919) #231
Ruby (1920) #106
Sophie (1917) #52
Violet (1920) #89
Vivian (1920)  #141

Keep in mind that these names have not had any popularity spikes between then and now.

Here are some names that also had their spike around 1920 but haven't yet spiked today. These names are slowly inching upward per the 100 year rule. If you use one of these now, you'll be ahead of any possible spikes in the near future and I think they're coming.

Name: (Year with most births) #ranking in 2012

Names that spiked around 1920 and are climbing the charts today:
Adele (1918)  #536
Beatrice (1921)  #691
Edith (1918)  #762
Elsie (1918) #397
Estelle (1915)  #950
June (1925) #435
Leona  (1918)  #914
Lucille (1919)  #394
Mabel (1915) #1051
Mae (1918)  #750
Viola (1918)  #1408

What do you think of these two lists? Would you use any of these names and be part of the trend? Or does this information make you immediately avoid these names so that your daughter doesn't have a popular name in the coming years?  Let me know!

Girl Name of the Week: Antonia

The Girl's Name of the Week is a beautiful choice that often gets overlooked: Antonia.

Antonia is the feminine form of the Roman family name "Antonius" from which the male names Antony, Anthony, Antonio, etc also come. All of these names unfortunately do not have a known meaning.

In the 17th century, names like this were confused for having origins from the Greek word "Anthos" which means "flower" and resulted in the letter "h" being adding to names like Anthony.

Some websites will claim meanings for these names, but none have been proven to be true. I have seen meanings listed for Antonia such as "priceless," "beautiful," or "praiseworthy." If you wish to use one of these meanings for your daughter, that is fine with me, just remember they haven't been proven as the true meaning based on the root name Antonius, which has an unknown meaning.

Antonia and its variant forms such as Antoinette and Antonella, among others, have strong roots in history. A popular example was the Queen of France Marie Antoinette (born Maria Antonia.) There were also many women in Roman Antiquity named Antonia.

In 2007, Antonia took a nose-dive off the US Top 1000 chart. It had a strong popularity spike in 1996 with 669 babies born and then it immediately declined in usage afterward. There were only 219 baby girl Antonias born in 2012. Confusingly, there were also 6 males given this name.

Antonia historically saw decent usage in the 1920's and again in the 1950's before its big spike in 1996. If you are looking for a solid name with plenty of history without a ton of current popularity, Antonia is a great option! It ranked at #1122 in 2012.

Revision: As of 2016, Antonia ranks at #993 with 264 births for the year.

What do you think of this name? Do you prefer one of the variants instead?

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Eva, Gloria, Louisa, Margaret, Michaela, Sophia
Brothers: Andrew, David, Joseph, Manuel, Rafael, Simon

Middle Name Ideas:
Antonia Elise
Antonia Kate
Antonia Jane
Antonia Guadalupe
Antonia Margarita
Antonia Penelope

As a Middle Name:
Evelyn Antonia
Maria Antonia
Willow Antonia
Josephine Antonia
Sara Antonia

What would you pair with Antonia?

Original post: 7/26/13
Revised: 5/14/17

Ancient Names for Girls

Like the Ancient Boy Name post, here are some lovely and unique ancient name options for girls! Many of them are Latin but there is a mixture of origins and eras in this list. Which of these do you think deserve to be used for a modern girl?

Abelia                         Aeliana Albia Aliana Amabel Amica Annia Antonia Aphra Aquilia Aries Argentia Arria Atarah Athalia Aurelia Avita Basilia Beata Bellatrix Caesarea Calvina Campana Candida Cassia Cecilia Claudia Clemencia Columba Constantina Cornelia Crispina Cyra Dahlia Damaris Damiane Decima Delicia Dominica Donata Drusilla Dulcina Elizabella Elysia Fabia Fannia Fausta Faustina Felicia Fidella Flavia Florentina Fortunata Francesca Gaia Galla Gaynor Gwenore Hilaria Honoria Horatia Imogene Isolde Jennet Jonet

Jovia Julia Junia Juno Justina Laelia Laurentia Lavinia Ligeia Livia Lucia Lucilla Lucretia Mahala Marciana Marilla Mattea Maxima Melisent Meriall Mila Minerva Mucia Nerilla Nicasia Nova Octavia Paccia Palantina Perpetua Persis Phillida Pisces Placidia Prima Prisca Priscilla Quintia Regina Rosalba Rufina Sabina Septima Sergia Seraphina Severina Sibyl Sidonia Silvia Tanaquil Tauria Tertia Titiana Tullia Turia Urbana Ursa Valentina Valeria Varinia Venecia Verina Viviana Zelina

The Prince of Cambridge Has A Name!

The name of the Prince of Cambridge, the third in line to the throne of England, has finally been announced!

What do you think of this Royal Baby Name? Is it fitting for a future King?  I think it is extremely strong and handsome. Perfect for this little Prince.  George was pretty much a sure thing and everyone was betting on it. Alexander is my own son's middle name and one of my very favorites. It wasn't on anyone's radar as an option. Louis is one of Prince William's middle names!

Here's the breakdown of what each of the names mean and who else has worn these names in the Royal Family:

George is a Greek name meaning "Farmer." The fact that they chose it is probably meant to reflect the humbleness of a farmer so that the Prince can always be down-to-earth and a more compassionate ruler. It is a strong name that is both royal and saintly. It was worn by the King of Britain for 116 years straight!  Most notably, George directly honors the most recent King George VI who was Queen Elizabeth's father. His full name was Albert "Bertie" Frederick Arthur George and he died in 1952. George is also one of the middle names of Grandpa Charles, the Prince of Wales.

Alexander is a Greek name meaning "Defender of Man" and puts a huge responsibility on this little prince already. In addition to giving him the humility and meekness of a farmer, he is meant to defend those around him with honor. This may be a nod to Queen Victoria whose real first name was Alexandrina.  And of course, the baby's Great-Grandmother, HRH Queen Elizabeth's middle name is Alexandra. There haven't been any King Alexanders in England.

Louis is a German and French name meaning "Renowned Warrior" which is another big meaning for a little prince. He is meant to be strong and brave and, combined with the other two meanings, protect his people. There was one King Louis who lived from 1187-1226 and had 13 children! Otherwise, this name is more frequently used in the middle name spot.  Prince William has this as a middle name and so does his uncle Prince Edward.

George Alexander Louis in his mother's arms.
Via The British Monarchy's Facebook

What do you think of this royal name for our new little prince? Did you guess correctly? Do you like it?

Boy Name of the Week: Benedict

The Boy Name of the Week is the strong and bold Benedict. I prefer this choice over the more-common Benjamin and Bennett.

Benedict is a Latin name meaning "blessed." It is also the name of Saint Benedict, an Italian Monk who formed the Benedictine Order in the 6th century. Additionally, a whopping sixteen popes have worn the name. Benedict hit England in the 12th century and became insanely popular.

The alternate spelling, Benedick, probably won't fly for a modern baby but it was used for a character in the Shakespeare piece Much Ado About Nothing.

Of course there will always be that link to the infamous traitor Benedict Arnold, but he died in 1801 so I'm willing to look past that now, are you?

To switch gears, a modern day Benedict is a new rising star. The British stage, film and TV actor named Benedict Cumberbatch is gaining popularity in the States now.

Let's look at the popularity stats of Benedict. It recently ranked at #420 in England/Wales, but the US has not flocked to this name yet. Its highest naming spike occurred in 1918 when 163 boys were given the name. It leveled out with minimal usage until another spike occurred in 2005 with 157 births which coincides with Pope Benedict taking over. However, usage has once again declined with a mere 86 baby Benedicts born in 2012 for a ranking of #1736.

Source

But you know what? I would say this is a gem of a name! It is familiar yet rarely used. It has "Ben" as a great, simple nickname for those wanting to tone down the in-your-face strength of Benedict.  It is clearly very handsome too! I'd recommend this name for parents who are a bit bold and want to find something unique without resorting to odd spellings. Benny or Benno are cute alternates to the nickname Ben. You might even be able to get away with Ned since it's in the spelling and even Eddy. ;)

I'd pair Benedict with something short, sweet and traditional like James, John or Lucas. The only possible issue with the name is the teasing potential of "you've been a dick" or anything along those lines. If that bothers you and you still love the name, something like James Benedict would be so insanely handsome and it would tuck Benedict safely into the middle name spot to avoid complications.  What do you think of this moniker?

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Alexandra, Clementine, Katharine, Josephine, Magnolia, Ophelia, Seraphina
Brothers: Alexander, Augustus, Julius, Leopold, Maximus, Nathaniel, Octavius

Middle Name Ideas:
Benedict James
Benedict Lucas
Benedict Constantine
Benedict August
Benedict Joseph

As a Middle Name:
James Benedict
Xavier Benedict
Leo Benedict
Henry Benedict
Max Benedict

The Prince Has Left The Building!

We got our first glimpse of the Prince of Cambridge! The proud parents Prince William and his wife Catherine briefly spoke with reporters today when they left the hospital.

They said that the baby is quite heavy and definitely has a strong pair of lungs on him. William changed the baby's first nappy and this whole experience has been very emotional for them. He also said that they are just now having a chance to be with him and get to know him so they haven't been able to pin down the perfect name yet.

Having a child of my own, I can relate to the whirlwind of events that come with childbirth. However, when you add in all of the media surrounding the hospital, the fact that you are royal, and the pressure of being charged with naming the future King of England, I cannot blame them for wanting to take a bit more time deciding on the name. After all, naming any child is a huge responsibility that should be taken very seriously. When you're naming royalty, it is that much more important.

Congratulations again to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. We had just a brief glimpse at the small child but he looked adorable already. William joked that the baby has all of his mother's looks to which Catherine sweetly disagreed with a laugh.

Hopefully we will soon be able to see a few baby photos and learn what name they've chosen! All in good time!

Ancient Names for Boys

I have an interest in ancient names. Here are some interesting choices for a boy. Most of them are of Latin origin and some are older than others but it will give you plenty of choices for naming inspiration! Many of them are very big names and would do better in a middle name spot. But for the bolder parents, they do make for a strong and handsome first name! I have a Maximus, myself!  Which of these is your favorite?

Aeneas                         Amadeus Andreas Antonius Antony Apollo Atticus Augustus Aurelius Benedict Brutus Caesar Caius Cassius Cato Celestine Cicero Claudius Constantine Cornelius Cosmo Cyrus Dante Decimus Demetrius Dominic Eliseo Felix Flavius Gaius Hadrian Helladius Hercules Horace Horatio Hyroniemus Ibis Ignatius Jarlath Jerome Josephus Julius Junius

Juno Jupiter Justus Lazarus Leonitus Leopold Lucius Magnus Marcellus Marcus Marius Maximus Mercury Miles Nero Octavian Octavius Paul Peregrine Philo Primus Quentin Quintus Remus Romanus Romulus Rufus Seneca Septimus Severus Silas Solaris Stephanus Tarquin Tertius Thelonius Theon Thor Tiberius Titus Ulysses Urban Vitalis

The Royal Baby is Finally Here!

This was as clear as the image could get.

Have you heard? We have a new future King of England! The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have just welcomed a son into the world!

The media has been abuzz about them since they announced their pregnancy months ago! And in the past few weeks, speculation on the gender and the name of the baby has skyrocketed. There were even bookies in England taking bets on what name would ultimately be chosen. (I wonder who scored big and who lost!)

I watched on a live news stream as the official correspondent left the hospital, entered the gates at Buckingham Palace and placed the official birth announcement on a golden easel.  The document said:

"Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge was safely delivered of a son at 4.24pm."

The baby is already being hailed as the Prince of Cambridge. He was born today, July 22nd in the  St. Mary's Hospital in Paddington, London. He weighed in at 8 lbs and 6 oz. A healthy start for new royalty! I'm sure all of England is rejoicing!

Media is swarming!

The Duke of Cambridge was present for the birth and the mother and child are doing well! She will remain in the hospital overnight but they should be announcing the baby's name very soon!

The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Harry and other family members have indeed been informed and are delighted with the news.

A royal announcement was made by an official in a red uniform with a scroll. He started by saying "Hear ye Hear ye" and revealed that it is indeed a son and ended with "Long live the Queen!" It was all very official and exciting. The media outside the palace cheered!

Later, the doctor left the building and shouted "It is a beautiful baby boy!" as he passed by.

I will update you again when the name is revealed!

Girl Name of the Week: Magnolia

Since I posted a list of tree and flower names for girls, I thought I would pick my favorite from the bunch for the Girl Name of the Week! I chose the lovely Magnolia.

This is a Latin flower name that gained a sweet, "Southern Belle" image from a character in the iconic novel and musical Showboat by Edna Ferber. If you've never heard of it, don't feel bad. The novel was written in 1926 and the musical was on Broadway in 1927. However there were three films produced since then.

The Magnolia flower was originally named in 1703 after a French botanist named Pierre Magnol who lived from 1638-1715 and contributed much to the way flowers are classified today.

Isn't she lovely?

In modern times, Magnolia as a name has come along on the latest wave of botanical names for girls. She began gaining more popularity around 2006. However, Magnolia has not cracked the Top 1000 chart since 1940. In 2012, Magnolia ranked in at #1123 with 218 births which is a fair amount considering she ranked at #493 in 1905 with just 47 births. (Oh how times have changed in the naming world!)

The highest popularity peak, besides 2012, occurred in 1921 when there were 150 baby girls named Magnolia. Random fact: apparently the only year that there weren't at least 5 births since 1880 was my birth year, 1987. Strange! I should have been named Magnolia just to possibly add to the stats! And also because it is beautiful and I love it!

Source

The first time I heard this name on someone was when I was watching the show Hart of Dixie and saw a blonde, southern belle teen named Magnolia Breeland. Because of this, I'm inclined to want to pair Magnolia with Breanne or Brielle or Brynn. (Also, her sister's name is Lemon!)

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Caroline, Daphne, Georgia, Jessica, Michaela, Seraphina
Brothers: Alexander, Benjamin, Jonathan, Maxwell, Theodore, Xavier

Middle Name Ideas:
Magnolia Claire
Magnolia Eve
Magnolia Vivienne

As a Middle Name:
Katherine Magnolia
Jane Magnolia
Alice Magnolia

I'd avoid other flower names like Rose or Lily for a sister or as a middle name. Cute nicknames include Maggie, Noa, Nollie, Nola and Lia.

What would you pair it with? What do you think of this lovely botanical name? Do you prefer another? Let me know!

Flower and Tree Names for Girls

There is nothing more beautiful than mother nature. Where names are concerned, flowers and trees are specifically wonderful for little girls.

Drawing inspiration from the beauty around us, I've compiled this list of flower and tree names that would be darling on a modern girl. They bring to mind such lovely images of petals and leaves.

If you're looking for a beautiful name, look no further! There are some classics in here such as Rose and Holly but there's also plenty of unusual and unique choices that you're sure to love! Which of these do you like best?

Acacia Alyssum Amaryllis Amarantha Apple Ash Aspen Aster Aven Azalea Blossom Bluebell Bryony Calla                                   Calantha Camellia Chrysantha Chrysanthemum Clematis Clover Daffodil Dahlia Daisy Delphine Eirlys Fern Fleur Flora Forsythia Gardenia Garland Hazel Heather Holly Hyacinth Ianthe Ilara Iolanthe Iris

Ivy Jacinta Jasmine Jonquil Juniper Kamilah Kennedia Laurel Lavender Leilani Lemon Lilac Lily Linnea Lotus Magnolia Marguerite Marigold Marjoram Myrtle Olive Orchid Pansy Peony Petal Petunia Poppy Posey Primrose Rose Saffron Senna Tulip Veronica Violet Willow Wisteria Zahara Zinnia

For even more baby name ideas, take a look at this list of Nature Names for both boys and girls!

Boy Name of the Week: Chandler

The Boy Name of the Week is one of my favorite occupational names and I chose it in honor of yesterday's name list. It is derived from an Old French name that took form as a Middle English occupational name meaning "candlestick maker" or "candle seller."  Have you guessed? Yes, its Chandler. A chandler was the head of the chandlery in medieval households, responsible for wax, candles, and soap.

There are some parents who will give this name to their daughter but it is more popular for boys. The most popular example in recent memory is funny-man Chandler Bing on the TV show Friends which aired from 1994-2004. However, despite fitting right in with the "-er" trend and the occupational name trend, Chandler has lost its popularity since 2004. In fact, the most usage this name has seen was indeed during the airing of that show. It more than doubled between 1994 and 1995, (from 704 births to 1,856). Its highest peak occurred in 1999 with 2,394 births and a ranking of #151.

But lets back up a bit. Chandler first appeared on American baby boys in 1900 with 5 births. It took 62 years for the name to hit the girl market with 10 female births in 1962. Yet, before Friends even aired, the girl-Chandlers increased from 90 births in 1991 to 437 births in 1992 with its highest peak of 744 births occurring in 1995.

The name has declined in usage for boys over the past decade, but it has actually increased for girls. In 2016, male Chandlers ranked at #466 with 650 births, whereas the females made a leap onto the Top 1000 chart, returning for the first time since 2002 for a rank of #995 and 264 births. It is almost time for this name to be fresh again.

What do you think of this name and do you prefer it on a boy or a girl?  Here are some ideas for sibling names and middle names:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Avery, Delaney, Jessica, Matilda, Savannah, Willow
Brothers: Carter, Ethan, Harrison, Landon, Lincoln, Taylor,

Middle Name Ideas (Boy): 
Chandler Michael
Chandler Ellis
Chandler Adrian
Chandler Scott

Middle Name Ideas (Girl):
Chandler Isabelle
Chandler Lillian
Chandler Elise
Chandler Sophia

Which gender do you prefer for the name Chandler? What middle name would you pair with it?

Revised: 5/18/17

Occupational Names

Knight's Helmet by George Hodan
Perhaps Knight is your favorite name?

Long ago, people were known by their occupations. You'd have Joe the Blacksmith or Mary the Tailor. After a while, these job titles became their surnames and you'd have Joe Smith and Mary Taylor.

In modern times, these "occupational names" that were sometimes initially a surname have become a trend and are used as first names. Most of these are better on boys, but there are a few that can be used on a girl or on both genders equally.

I'll list them out and let you choose which gender you'd prefer:

Abbott             Anchor Archer Bacchus Bailey Baird Baker Bandit Banner Barber Barker Baxter Bekker Bender Berger Bishop Booker Bowman Brenner Brewer Brewster Butler Cantrell Carbry Carpenter Carrin Carter Carver Cater Century Chafer Chaffer Challender Chamberlain Chambers Chandler Chaplin Chapman Chaucer Cherrier Clark Coldren Coleman Collier Conner Cooper Cotter Currier Dancer Deacon Dexter Draper Dyer Drummer

Falconer           Falkner Farmer Fearson Fifer Fisher Fiske Fletcher Forester Foster Fowler Fuller Gage Gardener Glover Granger Harper Hayward Hooper Hunter Jagger Jeter Kantor Kellogg Kiefer King Knight Lander Lanier Lister Lorimer Marshall Mason Mercer Miller Miner Nader Naylor Page Paget Paige Painter Palmer Parker Parson Pilot Piper Plummer Poet Porter Potter Proctor Provost Purcell

Ranger Redman Reeve Rocker Roper Ryder Sadler Sargent Sailor Sawyer Sayer Scully Sexton Shepherd Shields Singer Skinner Slater Skipper Smith Snyder Spencer Stonier Steele Stewart Tabor Tanner Taverner Taylor Thatcher Tiller Tillman Todd Toller Tolliver Trapp Travers Trinder Trotter Tucker Turner Tyler Voss Walker Waller Ward Warner Wayne Weaver Webb Webster Wheeler Whistler Woodward Wright

While some of these are nice and are regularly used, some of these are a bit too out there and aren't recommended. But alas, I provide the options! It is up to you!

Girl Name of the Week: Liesel

In honor of the post from yesterday regarding your favorite classic girl's name, I thought I'd choose a variant of the poll winner, Elizabeth.

If you are familiar with this name, you'll know that it has so many variants, diminutives and foreign versions, even whole names like Isabella and Lillian come from Elizabeth.  I searched high and low for an interesting choice and came up with Liesel.

Liesel is a German Diminutive of Elisabeth (which is obviously an alternate spelling of Elizabeth.) Pronounced LEE-zel.  It is also spelled Liesl.  Elizabeth is a Hebrew name meaning "Pledged to God." For Liesel, I only seemed to find the meanings "God is my Oath" or "My God is a Vow." You get the idea.

I saw Liesel appear all over baby name forums a couple years ago and it has seemed to completely fall off the radar once again. If you don't like it as a given name, it would make for a spunky nickname for Elizabeth that is probably not used very often.

As a given name, Liesel first hit the charts in 1954 with only 5 births. It wasn't heard from again until 1963, but it has been regularly used since then. However, the most births in a single year was in 2008 with just 33 baby girls born.  You know you have a unique name when only 32 other girls in the country also have it in your birth year.

In 2012, only 19 babies received this name, proving that it is indeed very obscure. It ranked at #6713.  Liesel might even do well to honor grandma Lisa by offering a more updated sound. Lisa also comes from Elisabeth.

Source

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Annabel, Gretel, Heidi, Lauren, Millicent, Renee

Brothers: Archer, Brenton, Calvin, Grant, Lance, Wilson

Middle Name Ideas:
Liesel Ramona
Liesel Evangeline
Liesel Grace
Liesel Minerva

As a Middle Name:
Catherine Liesel
Harriet Liesel
Penelope Liesel
Sabrina Liesel

It seems to flow better as a first name.  But whether you're looking for a rare given name or a spunky nickname for one of the most-used names in history, Liesel is it!  What do you think?

Result of "Favorite Classic Girls Name" Poll

If you've seen the polls on the right side of my blog, you may have noticed that two of them have closed. I'd like to report the results of one of the polls now!

This poll asked the question: "What is your favorite classic girls name?"  I provided the following options:

Elizabeth - 14 votes (34%)
Alexandra -  8 votes (19%)
Anna      -  8 votes (19%)
Katherine -  6 votes (14%)
Victoria -   5 votes (12%)

Elizabeth was the clear winner of the poll! I wrote a blog article about the name Elizabeth asking why it has been a perpetually popular name since 1880. It appears to still have the winning-edge over its contemporaries!  Elizabeth has a rich history, a timeless style and a multitude of nickname options! It is a Hebrew name meaning "pledged to God," and is ranked at #10 on the US Top 1000 names chart.

Alexandra and Anna tied for 2nd place.  Alexandra is my favorite of the bunch. It is a strong but elegant Greek name meaning "Defender of the People."  With many nickname possibilities, this name remains popular at #76.

The name Anna is short and sweet. On its own, it is a Hebrew name meaning "Grace," but it is also considered a Greek or Latin version of the name Hannah. Anna has an exotic appeal that works internationally. It is currently ranked at #35.

Katherine placed next on the poll rankings and is one of the oldest and most diverse names! It is equally powerful and feminine with a royal and saintly edge. Katherine has many spellings, short forms and nicknames which makes it very adaptable to the name bearer. It is Greek meaning "pure," and is currently ranked at #64. This name is my second favorite on the list.

Lastly, Victoria! Queen Victoria's name was responsible for classifying an entire era that epitomizes gentility and refinement. It is Latin meaning "victory," and is currently ranked at #28. I would personally like this name better if I didn't dislike the nickname "Vicky" so much. Perhaps that is one reason this classic name ranked last on the poll.

Which did you vote for? What are your favorite nicknames for each name?  Let me know in the comments below and check out the results of the Classic Boy Name poll from Monday's post!  Stay tuned for tomorrow's Girl Name of the Week! I'll be using a diminutive of one of the names above!