5 Em- Names And Their Popularity

See that poll above? I asked you what I thought was a very difficult question, but surprisingly, the answer was a very easy choice to make.

The clear-cut favorite Em- name on The Art of Naming is Emmeline. In fact, just turn the poll upside-down to put the names in the correct order! Here are the official results:

Emmeline: 19 votes  (45%)

Emerald: 7 votes (16%)

Emilia:  6 votes (14%)

Emily:  5 votes (11%)

Emma:  5 votes (11%)

This was a Popularity Question. I wanted to know how many people would prefer sticking to something popular like Emma or Emily, and how many people would opt for the bolder, rarer choices like Emerald and Emmeline, with Emilia tucked safely in the middle.

Emmeline is destined to be popular in the coming years and its because of the popularity of Emma and Emily, as well as the popular -line names like Caroline and Madeline. Parents love the Em- but want to be unique, so Emmeline is a great choice!  It is a French name that comes from German elements that mean "work."  It ranked just outside of the US Top 1000 in 2012 at #1078.  For now, it is a rare gem but don't be surprised if it hits the Top 1000 next year and continues climbing upward!  Click here to read even more about this lovely choice.

The name Emerald does indeed come from the word for the green precious stone, which is the birthstone of May. The emerald supposedly imparts love to the bearer, which can only make the name that much more desirable. In 2012, there were 145 baby girls and 6 baby boys born with this name. The girls ranked in at #1518 in the US.

Emilia has been gaining popularity for decades and has finally crossed the 1000 births-per-year milestone with 1,207 girls born in 2012. It ranks in at #268 in the US; both of these statistics are record-highs. Emilia is the feminine form of the Roman Family name Aemilius  which was derived from Latin "aemulus" meaning "rival".

Like Emilia, Emily comes from the same Roman Family name and has the same meaning. It was brought to England in the 18th century. It was thought to come from the German Amelia, since Princess Amelia Sophia (1711-1786) was called Emily, but the two names are unrelated. Emily was always moderately used, but began its ascent to the baby-name throne in the 1970s, hitting the #1 spot in 1996. It was finally usupred by Emma in 2008 and has been sitting comfortably at #6 for the past 4 years.

Emma is not as popular as Emily in modern times. It was only the #1 name in the US for 2008. However, Emma wins the popularity contest around the turn of the century. It ranked in the top 10 from 1880-1897 and had its own baby-boom around 1920. It lost a bit of steam from the 50s to the mid-80s, but definitely gained momentum again by the 90s. The 2000s and the 2010s continue to produce thousands of baby Emmas and I don't see it slowing down anytime soon. I happen to love the name! However, Emma is not related to Emily. It is originally a short form of Germanic names that began with the element "ermen" meaning "whole" or "universal".

Which did you vote for? If popularity was not an issue, which name would you choose based on sound and meaning alone?  Emma is my ultimate favorite, but because of popularity, I would choose Emmeline instead.  Let me know what you think!

Mom-To-Mom: What Would You Name This Child?

Hello Moms and Name-Enthusiasts! Here is another baby-naming dilemma that could use a bit more input!  The mom-to-be is looking for the following:

• Girl name beginning with either W, P or Q. 
• Feminine but does NOT begin or end with a vowel.
• Avoid the Top 100 names.
• Longer first name with a one syllable middle name.
• Middle name cannot start with an A.
• The last name is also one syllable.

Right now, the priority is to find a name that ends with a consonant sound that mom and dad can agree on. Their naming styles seems to differ. He likes common and classic whereas she is a bit more adventurous.  They have two children with somewhat classic names, but she is not concerned at all about finding a name to "match".

Liked names:
Quinn
Gwen
Willow (despite vowel ending)
Pippa  (despite vowel ending)
Whitney

What other names would you suggest? I've sent plenty of options and am waiting for another reply once she has a chance to talk with her husband but I thought I'd open this up to all of you name-lovers and see what ideas we can compile for her!

Thanks!

P.S. If you have a baby naming dilemma too, check out this page.

Fan-Chosen Boy Name of the Week: Kinnon

Our first "Fan of the Week" contest winner was a woman named Kiira who chose two interesting European names! I will feature the girl's name next Thursday.

The boy's name is Kinnon. It is a Scottish name that originated as a Gaelic surname. It comes from the name Mac Fhionghuin which means "son of the descendant of the well born".  The source was a bit confusing, but I believe it was first recorded in 728 a.d. as Mac Fhionghuin.

Over time, the name has had many different spellings. One of the first recorded spellings of this family name was on a man named Lachlann Makfingane in 1409. After that came Fingonivs, and it evolved to M'Fynwyn around 1490, Makfingoun in 1560, and then Kynnane in 1587. The spelling McKynnoun was around in 1621, McKinin came in 1680, and by 1781 it was typically spelled MacKinnon. Other variations include McKinnon, MacKinning, MacInnon, MacKinnen and MacFingon.

As a baby name, it is said to mean "fair born". Interestingly, there was only one baby born in Scotland in 2012 with the name Kinnon.

In the US, Kinnon is virtually unheard of! There have only been 7 babies on record who were given the name and they were all born in 1996. Keep in mind that the record covers 1880-2012.

If you are looking for a truly unique name, try Kinnon! It works well as an alternative to similar-sounding names like Keenan or Keegan (although those two are Irish and Kinnon is Scottish.)

What do you think of this rare name? I love that its not only rare in the US but it's rare in Scotland where it originates!  Thanks again, Kiira, for suggesting the name!

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Ailsa, Caitir, Elspeth, Finlay, Fiona, Isla, Lorna, Mackenzie, Moira, Paisley, Rhona, Sheena
Brothers: Alistair, Brody, Calder, Callum, Duncan, Ewan, Finley, Kenneth, Lachlan, Macaulay, Malcolm, Ramsey, Stuart

Middle Name Ideas:
Kinnon Ross
Kinnon Alasdair
Kinnon Eideard
Kinnon Fionnlagh
Kinnon Ellis

As a Middle Name:
Frasier Kinnon
Douglas Kinnon
James Kinnon
Taggart Kinnon
Roy Kinnon

Name of the Week: Rowan

In honor of Monday's post about names that are considered unisex, I thought I'd choose my favorite of the bunch. I'm not personally a fan of unisex names, I prefer to keep things gender-specific and obvious, however, I do like Rowan and cannot decide which gender I like it better for. What do you think?

The name Rowan comes from an Irish surname. It is an Anglicized form of Ó Ruadháin which means"descendent of Ruadhán".  Sometimes this name is associated with the rowan tree which has red berries. It is also said to mean "little redhead".  This name is said to have been used for both genders since the middle ages, most commonly in Scotland and Ireland.

In 2012, this name ranked #301 for boys with 1,138 births. On the girl side, there were 678 births which ranks the name at #455 in 2012. It isn't quite a 50-50 split, but it is more evenly distributed than some of the other names that are considered unisex.  Additionally, there were 234 baby boys who spell it Rowen instead of Rowan, and the 97 female Rowens.

Source

Overall, Rowan first appeared in the states as a male name. It dates back to 1916 for boys, and it wasn't used for girls until 7 births in 1942 and then more regularly in 1975 after that.

The most famous Rowan is Mr. Atkinson who is well-known for his persona Mr. Bean. There is also Brooke Shields' daughter who is named Rowan.

I would pair Rowan with very gender-specific middle names like:  Rowan Isabelle or Rowan Alexander.  Which gender do you prefer this name on? Do you know any little Rowans?

Sibling Name Ideas:
Unisex: Alexis, Avery, Charlie, Dakota, Emerson, Finley, Hayden, Marlowe, Riley, River, Sawyer, Skyler, Taylor
Sisters: Caitlin, Fiona, Matilda, Laurel, Olivia, Sarah, Willow
Brothers: Aiden, Ethan, Dylan, Lucas, Mason, Nolan, Xavier

Middle Name Ideas (Boys): 
Rowan Alexander
Rowan Isaiah
Rowan Nicholas
Rowan Matthew
Rowan Oliver

Middle Name Ideas (Girls):
Rowan Isabelle
Rowan Grace
Rowan Elizabeth
Rowan Alexandra
Rowan Sophia

As a Middle Name (Boys):
Daniel Rowan
Anthony Rowan
Chase Rowan
Elliott Rowan
Thomas Rowan

As a Middle Name (Girls):
Scarlett Rowan
Violet Rowan
Juliet Rowan
Cassandra Rowan
Michaela Rowan

World-Wide Wednesday: Japanese Names

Inochi (Life)

Once a month, I will venture into international waters and find "exotic" and "foreign" names that are common in that particular native land.  For this first installment of "World-Wide Wednesday" where I find interesting name choices from around the world, I thought I'd focus on Japanese names.

Authentic Japanese names can be so wonderful! Its a shame that some Japanese immigrants to the US feel the need to "Americanize" their name, or choose a boring, English name like Jerry or Lee.  However, there are many that keep the name their parents gave them.

I read that it is traditional to have a big celebratory feast for the infant on its "Oshichiya" or its seventh day of life. They hang on the wall a very special "Shodo," or name plaque, that has the child's name inscribed in Japanese characters on very special paper.

Clearly, they take baby-naming very seriously! How many of us even had a celebratory feast when we were born, or when our children were born?

Meaning in names is very important. The Japanese use kanji characters that will mean things like "to soar," "great," and "big" for boys; and girls will receive characters meaning "beauty," "love," and "flower" among others.

In the past, it was very common and traditional for girls to have the kanji character "ko" meaning "a child" on the end of their names. Some of Japan's recent female royals were named Michiko, Kiko and Masako. However, this naming trend is almost completely gone now.

Many baby girls are receiving names that end with "ka" or "na" now instead of "ko".  Names like Haruka, Hina, Honoka, Ayaka, Yuuna, Momoka and Haruna. Western-sounding names have been trendy too, as well as shorter names like Hina, Yui and Miyu.

Another trend for girl names is to use Hiragana characters instead of kanji because it is softer and offers popular names like Sakura, Kokoro, Hikari and Hinata. There is a greater naming diversity in Japan today.

For boys, many of them receive endings like -to, -ki, and -ta. Popular names include Haruto, Yuuki, Souta, Kaito and Haruki.

Japanese names can be so diverse because you could ultimately choose from thousands of kanji characters and mix and match them to create a name.

Here are the 50 most popular Japanese boy's names in 2012:

1. Haruto
2. Yuto
3. Sota
4. Yuki
5. Hayato
6. Haruki
7. Ryusei
8. Koki
9. Sora
10. Sosuke, Riku
12. Soma
13. Ryota, Rui
14. Kaito, Haru
17. Kota, Yusei
19. Yuito
20. Yuma, Ren
22. Takumi, Minato
24. Eita, Shota
26. Daiki, Hiroto
28. Kosei, Takeru, Hinata
31. Toma, Manato, Ryuki, Rikuto
35. Aoto, Ibuki, Tatsuki, Haruma, Yamato, Ryuto
41. Taisei, Yuta
43. Itsuki, Soshi, Taiga
46. Kosuke, Shoma, Yushin, Ryuga, Ryo, Rento


And these are the 50 most popular Japanese girl's names in 2012:

1. Yui
2. Rio
3. Yuna
4. Hina
5. Koharu, Hinata
7. Mei
8. Mio
9. Saki
10. Miyu
11. Kokona
12. Haruka
13. Rin
14. Akari, Yuna
16. Honoka, Momoka
18. Aoi, Ichika, Sakura
21. Himari, Yume
23. Airi, Sara, Nanami
26. Ayaka, Yuka
28. Riko
29. Noa, Mao, Yua
32. Ayane, Hiyori, Misaki, Yuzuki, Rina
37. Sana, Ria, Ruka
40. Kanon, Kaho, Hana
43. Karin, Risa
45. Shiori, Fuka, Rino
48. Anna, Natsuki, Nana, Reina

Click here for a longer list of names that are popular in Japan for both genders.

Whether you have any Japanese blood or not, which of these names do you like best?

Note: If I have gotten any information wrong, please let me  know. I did some research, but I'm not Japanese, nor have I ever been to Japan. No offense intended. Just naming fascination! Thank you.

Source | Source | Source | Source

Unisex Names and Their Boy/Girl Ratios

Here is a list of names that are considered unisex today. I am only including those that have a good amount of births for both genders.  There are some names that have a couple hundred births for a boy and several thousand births for a girl (or vice versa). That's pretty much a landslide so I'm not including them. To be included, the names have to have at least a 90/10 split.

Name:  Percentage of use per gender (Boy/Girl) in 2012. (Example: 77% of all babies named Alexis in 2012 are female.)

Alexis (23/77)
Angel  (83/16)
Avery (19/81)
Casey  (61/39)
Charlie (59/41)
Dakota (48/52)
Devon (89/11)
Drew (84/16)
Elliott (84/16)
Ellis (65/35)
Emerson (39/61)
Emery (20/80)
Finley (34/66)
Harley (33/67)
Haven (18/82)
Hayden (69/31)
Jordan (85/15)
Jules (49/51)
Justice (46/54)
Kai  (87/13)
Kendall (12/88)
London (87/13)
Marlowe  (12/88)
Morgan (89/11)
Parker (84/16)
Payton (17/83)
Peyton (32/68)
Phoenix (61/39)
Quinn (32/68)
Reese (16/84)
Remy (54/46)
Riley (37/63)
Rio (66/34)
River (64/36)
Rory (69/31)
Rowan (63/37)
Sage (34/66)
Sawyer (83/17)
Scout (33/67)
Sky (24/76)
Skyler (41/59)
Skylar (12/88)
Taylor (15/85)
Teagan (20/80)
Toby  (79/21)
Valentine (47/53)
Zion (81/19)

These names were for the year 2012. For an updated list, take a look at this article:

Boy to Girl Ratios of Unisex Names in 2013

Can you think of any other names that might fall in this category?

I was surprised to see that there were more-females-than-males named Justice, Finley, Harley, and Taylor. In fact, only 15% of all Taylors are boys now. I thought it was a bit more even.  I was also a bit surprised that Charlie was 59/41. I figured most would be named Charlotte (or the like) and be nicknamed Charlie; I didn't expect so many females with Charlie as a given name.

Did any of these ratios surprise you?  Might you change your mind about using any of these names now that you see the ratio? Let me know in the comment section below!

5 Rarely Used Greek Boy Names!

Once again, a couple of the polls on the side of the blog have ended and the results are in!

Apollo 17 votes (34%)

Calix 15 votes (30%)

Isidore 7 votes (14%)

Achilles 6 votes (12%

Erasmus 4 votes (8%)

You voted! The winner of the poll was Apollo!

Apollo is a Greek mythology name. He was the son of Zeus and the god of medicine, music and poetry. Modern associations include NASA's Apollo program that landed humans on the moon; the historic Apollo Theatre in New York that launched the careers of many famous musicians.  Apollo ranked within the Top 1000 for the very first time at #993 in 2012! This name has only ranked in the US since 1965.

Calix is a handsome and rare choice. Some think of it as the male form of Calixta/Calista. It is a Greek name meaning "Very Handsome" but some associate it with a Chalice in Latin. It has only been used in the US since 2002. There were 46 boys given the name in 2012, but it only ranks at #2619.

Isidore was a common name in ancient Greece and is held by several saints. The name means "Gift of Isis" and was readily used by Jews in Spain. St. Isidore of Seville worked as an encyclopedist and helped to pass down much of our knowledge about medieval times. This name was most popular from 1912-1924. Since then, usage has nearly stopped. Only 5 boys bore this name in 2012.

Achilles was a great warrior in Greek legend and one of the stars of Homer's Illiad which featured the Greek war against the Trojans. He was famously killed by an arrow to the heel, (now called the Achilles tendon) as it was his only weak spot. Because of this, the name possibly means "pain" but the true meaning is unclear. Achilles is used more in Europe than in the states. It's been used ocassionally since 1912, and had a small boost in 2005. There were 146 boys born in 2012 with this name, ranking at #1209.

Erasmus is a very rare name but it shouldn't be. It is Greek for "beloved, desired" which is very attractive! Perhaps its the two S's in the name that makes it difficult to say. Saint Erasmus was also known as Saint Elmo. And Charles Darwin's grandfather was named Erasmus. This name briefly ranked in the US from 1880-1882. It wasn't used again until 1913-1926, 1942, 1970, 1972, 2000, and 2010-2011. There have only been 105 Erasmus' born in the US since 1880.

I'd like to see Erasmus and Isidore have more usage for modern boys. Which do you like?

Girl Name of the Week: Vienna

In honor of yesterday's post about "place names," I've chosen to feature Vienna for the Girl Name of the Week.

Of course, Vienna is the capital of Austria, and it is also its largest city with 2.4 million people within the metropolitan area.  The city is known as "The City of Music" because there have been more famous composers living there than anywhere else. It has also been called "The City of Dreams" because it was the home of Sigmund Freud, a famous psycho-analyst.

The Italian name Vienna comes from the German name "Wien" which is thought to be derived from the Roman "vindobona" which comes from the Celtic word "windo-" meaning "white or fair."
Some claim that it comes from "Vedunia" which means "forest stream." As you can see, the exact origin and meaning is a bit hazy.

Every source I looked at seemed to have its own meaning and origin for Vienna, for instance, one site says that it is "Latin" meaning "from wine country".

Vienna was used in the US in 1882 for 5 baby girls, and it wasn't heard from again until 1899. Its usage remained in the single and double digits until 2007 when there were 107 births for the year.  Now, in 2012 there were 214 births which puts Vienna at #1141.

Source

No, Vienna has never cracked the top 1000, but she is rising slowly. Perhaps parents are using Vienna as an alternative to the more-popular, similar-sounding Sienna.

Do you think Vienna will appear on the top 1000 chart some time soon or do you think it will remain somewhat obscure?  I could see it being more popular if it weren't for "Vienna sausages" tainting the beauty of this place name. What do you think?

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Adelaide, Bethany, Geneva, Mila, Savannah, Sierra, Victoria
Brothers: Austin, Daniel, Henry, Kellan, Lincoln, Scott, William

Middle Name Ideas:
Vienna Grace
Vienna Penelope
Vienna Sage
Vienna Louise
Vienna Meredith

As a Middle Name:
Elizabeth Vienna
Harper Vienna
Madison Vienna
Lily Vienna
Pearl Vienna

Place Names for Boys and Girls

This awesome photo was borrowed from this awesome blog.

I do not normally recommend place names unless you've personally been to that place and it holds sentimental value for you, or your family hails from there.

That being said, here is a long list of places around the world that could work as a first name. Boy and Girl options are mixed together.

Please keep in mind that some places are nicer than others and some places have strong history associated with it.

Do your research carefully before you commit to using any of these names.

Abilene Adelaide Africa Alabama Alamo Albany Andorra Aquitaine Arabia Aragon Argentina Aspen Asia Assisi Atlanta Austin Austria Avalon Baja Berlin Bimini Bolivia Boston Brasilia Brazil Bristol Brooklyn Bronx Cairo Calais Caledonia Camden Carolina Caspian Catalina Cathay Cayman Ceylon Charleston Charlotte Chelsea Cheyenne China Cluny Colombia Corsica Cuba Cyprus Dakota Dallas Danube

Delphi Denver Devon Dominica Dover Dublin Eden Elba England Everest Florence France Galway Geneva Genoa Georgia Glasgow Guernsey Harlem Havana Holland Houston Hudson Iberia India Indiana Indio Ireland Israel Italia Jakarta Jamaica Java Jersey Jordan Kenya Kingston Kyoto London Louisiana Lourdes Madison Majorca Malta Manila Montana Marbella Memphis Miami Morocco Nairobi

Nevis Nile Odessa Olympia Oslo Palermo Palma Panama Paris Persia Peru Philippine Portland Quebec Quintana Quito Raleigh Reno Rio Roma Romany Russia Sahara Salem Samara Samoa Santiago Savannah Senegal Sevilla Sicily Siena Sierra Sonoma Sonora Sydney Tahiti Tangier Trenton Trinidad Umbria Valencia Venezia Venice Verona Vienna Virginia York Zealand

Which name is your favorite? Are there any I should add?

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