Atlas

As we look at celestial names this week, there's no better name to look at than Atlas.

Atlas was the titan of astronomy and navigation in Greek mythology. After the Titans were defeated in war with the Olympians, Zeus condemned him to the western edge of Gaia, or the Earth, where he was then forced to hold the celestial spheres on his shoulders. There are many depictions of Atlas "carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders". There's plenty of history that can be learned about Atlas, but we're here to talk about the name itself. You can read more about the mythological figure here.

A golden statue of Atlas

As a name, some of the etymology is uncertain, however, the ancient Roman poet named Virgil was the one who defined Atlas. He regularly translated etymologies of Greek names and combined them with appropriate adjectives. In the case of Atlas, he was given the adjective durus which means "hard, enduring". Therefore, the name Atlas has come to mean "to endure", however Behind the Name says that it has a Greek negative prefix α combined with τλαω (tlao) "to endure" that suggests a meaning of "not enduring". It makes more sense to me that it would mean "to endure" though, since Atlas must endure the weight of the sky. Other sources say that it means "to uphold, support" or simply say that it means "a titan". Take from all of that what you will.

This name has been considered too powerful of a name in the past, but I've seen it floating around the baby naming community quite a lot recently. It seems to have become a viable option along with many other strong Greek and Roman names. It even has a little bit of star-power behind it from Hollywood. Anne Heche and James Tupper named their son Atlas Heche Tupper in 2009.

Atlas has had quite a boost of popularity in the past few years! It was first used in 1883 but it wasn't until 1913 that it gained a bit of regularity, albeit very sporadic and in small numbers per year. Once the mid 2000s came around, births per year increased. 2010 saw 100 births, and by 2013, Atlas took a big leap onto the US Top 1000 chart, debuting at #789 with 282 births. It has been one of the fastest-rising names of 2013 and I'm sure it is still on its way up this year.

What do you think of the name Atlas? If you're looking for a strong, unique name with plenty of history, this is it! When I think about what other names to pair with it for middle names and sibling names, I can't help but want to stay in the realm of Greek and/or god and goddess names. Here are some ideas:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Athena, Aurora, Cosima, Gaia, Luna, Nova, Phoebe, Thisbe
Brothers: Achilles, Evander, Hermes, Jupiter, Leander, Orion, Perseus, Sirius

Middle Name Ideas:
Atlas Christopher
Atlas Indigo
Atlas Percival
Atlas Sebastian
Atlas Theodore

As a Middle Name:
Damon Atlas
George Atlas
Jason Atlas
Phillip Atlas
Tristan Atlas

So what would you pair with Atlas? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below or on Facebook!

Celestial Boy Names

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

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

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

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

Copelynn Eleanor - (Birth Announcements!)

These real baby names were taken from birth announcements listed on the website of a small California hospital from earlier this year! I found this compilation to be quite diverse; from the more proper names like Abigail Virginia and Ronald Richard to the more fun and creative names like Tymberlyn and Bodee.  What do you think of this list? Which is your favorite?

Girls: 

Abigail Virginia
Addyson Marie
Allison Cena
Angelic Grace Milagros
Aspen Lynn
Arielle Alicia
Aubrey Skylar
Braelynn Rene'
Brynn Rose
Chloe Lane
Copelynn Eleanor
Eden Beverly
Ella Marie
Emelia Ava
Emmalynne MacKensie
Evangeline Marie
Harper Joan
Heidi Rose
Isabella Adelina
Jewell Janet Kathlynn
Katelynn Michelle Ann
Kelcie Louise
Makayla Lynn
Maryann Josephine
Paylin Rae
Saige Kimberlee
Sophie Ann Elyse
Tymberlyn Ellie Jean

Boys:
Aeden Ivan
Anthony Rolla
Arturo Joseph
Austin Paul David
Bodee Wilson
Braydon Charles
Caeden Izaak
Chance Williams-Ray
Chester Landon Lee
David Justus
Dillon Thomas
Hunter Aiden
Hunter Ryan
Ian Martin
Isaac William
Kade Scott
Jace Wayne
John Mathew
Mason Lee
Matthew Isaac
Micah James
Oliver Kayden
Porter James
Riley Scott
Ronald Richard
Rowland Edward Daniel
Samuel Anthony
Victor Alejandro
William Lee

Carys

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

World-Wide Wednesday: Welsh Baby Names

Beaumaris Castle Anglesey Wales United Kingdom

Welsh baby names are very interesting. Traditional names have their own rules that may make the names complicated to pronounce for those who are not familiar with them.

I've found a website that studies Welsh names from medieval times and breaks down specific elements within the names. It was actually a bit over my head but I definitely want to share those links if you're interested in more of the etymology:  Link #1 | Link #2  | Link #3

Let's start with a bit of information about surnames in Wales. From the 15th century onward, families adopted a fixed family name. Before that, they used a patronymic naming system in which a "surname" was derived from the child's father's name. This kind of naming was especially telling for the male line throughout the generations. Typically, a person's baptismal name would be linked to their father's baptismal name by the letters ap or ab (son of) for a boy, and ferch (daughter of) for a girl. As an example, Evan son of Thomas would be known as Evan ap Thomas.

This naming method gave rise to boys whose surnames could be extremely long to incorporate the names of their fathers and grandfathers for several generations. For example, it was common to have a name that looked like this: Llewelyn ap Dafydd ab Ieuan ap Griffith ap Meredith. This was in place by Welsh law so that it was obvious to see how people descended from which ancestors. Later, these laws were abolished in the Middle Ages and replaced by a fixed family surname system that was easier to keep track of. However, there was still an element of patronymic names being used in varous forms until the early 19th century and especially in rural areas. Areas with strong English influence and wealth were the first the drop the patronymics system.

As this surname transition occurred, the new fixed surnames were morphed from the old system. For example, the surname Powell came from ap Hywel and Bowen came from ab Owen. Price comes from ap Rhys and Pritchard comes from ap Richard. The ap and ab were eventually dropped altogether in favor of simply adding an S to the end of a name like Jones, Roberts or Edwards. This was influenced by the English. It is also common that people with the same surname in an area are completely unrelated, having simply chosen the same surname. Jones, Williams and Thomas are among the most prevalent surnames. A survey estimated that about 9/10ths of the Welsh population have a total of just one hundred surnames.  Source.

As for Welsh first names, they are on their own level. If you were to look up Welsh names and browse a list of them, you'll noticed that most of then end with -yn, -on, -en, or -in. There are many that have Y's and W's in them as well.  Here are some examples of traditional Welsh boy names that may be unfamiliar to the non-Welsh:

Boys:                                                       Alwyn Arwel Bedwyr Bleddyn Braith Brynmor Cadfael Cadoc Cadwalader Caerwyn Caradoc Cledwyn Dafydd (David) Deiniol Delwyn Drystan Einion Eirian Emlyn Emrys (Ambrose) Ffransis Gawain Gethin Glyndwr Gruffudd Gwillym (William) Gwythyr (Victor)

Heddwyn Heulog Hywel Iago (Jacob) Idris Ieuan (John) Islwyn Llewellyn Macsen (Maximus) Madog Maredudd (Meredith) Meurig (Maurice) Neifion (Neptune) Owain (Eugene) Padrig (Patrick) Pedr (Peter) Rheinallt (Reynold) Rhisiart (Richard) Rhydderch Sawyl (Samuel) Siarl (Charles) Sieffre (Geoffrey) Siorus (George) Talfryn Tomos (Thomas) Urien Wynfor Yorath

And here are some examples of girl names with a Welsh origin:

Aderyn                                                   Aeronwen Afanen Alis (Alice) Anwen Bethan (Elizabeth) Betrys (Beatrice) Blodeuwedd Briallen Bronwen Carys Catrin (Katherine) Ceridwen Crystin (Christine) Deryn Disgleirio Efa (Eva) Eilwen Eirlys Elin (Helen) Enfys Esyllt (Isolde) Ffraid (Bridget) Gladys Glynis Gwen Gwendolen Gwyneth

Hefina Heulwen Hyledd Lleucu (Lucia) Llewella Lowri (Laura) Mair (Mary) Marged (Margaret) Megan Meinwen Morgan Morwen Myfanwy Nesta (Agnes) Nia (Niamh) Olwen Paderau Rhiannon Rhonwen Rhosyn Seren Sian (Jeanne) Sioned (Janet) Siwan (Joan) Tegan Tiwlip (Tulip) Winifred Wynne

What do you think of these Welsh names? Have you ever known someone with a name like this? Source. 

Of course, in modern day Wales, the most popular baby names tend to match up more with English tastes than with old tradition. In fact, most of the time, England/Wales are categorized together just like that. This means that most of the names being given to Welsh babies are English favorites like Harry and Amelia. 

Let me know what your thoughts are about Welsh baby names! If you're from Wales, feel free to offer some insight or more information regarding names. Note: I am not Welsh nor have I ever been to Wales, so if any of the above information is incorrect or lacking, please let me know!  Thanks for reading!

Rhys

In this month's World-Wide Wednesday, we'll be visiting Wales and examining their baby naming traditions! To kick things off, let's take a look at a Welsh boy name: Rhys.

Rhys is pronounced like Reese and is the name that Reese and Reece spring from. Many girls are given these variations but it is originally a masculine name. In fact, there have been several Welsh rulers named Rhys.

In Welsh, the name is said to mean "enthusiasm" or "ardor" which is a great, positive meaning to have in a name! In Wales, the name has quite a bit of history as well as modern usage. It ranks in the Top 100 in England/Wales, Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland making it a popular choice for boys!

However, in the US, Rhys isn't quite as popular. It has definitely been gaining some attention though. Rhys was first used in 1929, then 1941. It wasn't until 1946 that it gained some more regular usage. Very slowly it began to gain favor with parents. In 2004, Rhys made its debut appearance on the US Top 1000 chart at #940. Now it has inched its way upward to #489 in 2013 which accounts for 555 male births.  There were also 26 female births for a ranking of #5245.

This new popularity that Rhys has been experiencing could have been partially influenced by three actors, one named Jonathan Rhys Meyers, another named John Rhys-Davies, as well as a Welsh-born actor named Rhys Ifans. The name has also been used on a celebrity baby in 2009: Rhys Edward, son of Joey McIntyre of New Kids on the Block.

I think Rhys is a name that will continue to gain popularity with this spelling for boys. The Reese spelling is massively more popular for girls, ranking at #156 and only ranking at #602 for boys. I think the genders can share this same sound but use their own spellings. That would make it kind of unisex and kind of not and I think that's cool!

What do you think of Rhys? Or do you prefer Reese/Reece?  Here are some ideas that I came up with for potential siblings for Rhys as well as some middle name ideas:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Avalon, Brynn, Eleri, Gwyneth, Megan, Seren, Tegan
Brothers: Dylan, Evan, Gareth, Keane, Morgan, Owen, Trevor

Middle Name Ideas:
Rhys Broderick
Rhys Donovan
Rhys Finlay
Rhys Kennedy

As a Middle Name:
Caden Rhys
Finnegan Rhys
Griffith Rhys
Sullivan Rhys

What might you pair with Rhys?

Baby Naming Challenge - Unisex Edition

This game will follow a "name bank" format. You will be given a set of names to choose from. Create a first and middle name combination for three children. These children will all have a unisex first name based on the list of unisex names that I posted earlier this week!

1A. Your first child is a boy. Choose from one of the following unisex names for his first name:

Alexis, Armani, Carter, Dakota, Drew, Elliot, Ellison, Finley, Haven, Jamie, Jordan, Kendall, Lyric, Morgan, Payton, Quinn, Remy, Rory, Sage, Skyler, Taylor

1B. Choose from the following vintage names for his middle name:

Arthur, Barnaby, Chester, Edmund, Franklin, George, Howard, Irving, Jasper, Louis, Milton, Oscar, Percy, Raymond, Samuel, Theodore, Virgil, Walter

And baby boy number one's name is.....?

2A. Your second child is a boy. Choose from one of the following unisex names for his first name:

Amari, Avery, Casey, Dallas, Dylan, Elliott, Emerson, Harley, Hayden, Jaylin, Justice, Lennon, Marley, Oakley, Peyton, Reagan, Riley, Rowan, Sawyer, Spencer, Teagan

2B. Choose from the following occupational names for his middle name:

Archer, Brenner, Clark, Dexter, Foster, Gage, Hayward, Jagger, Kiefer, Marshall, Parker, Reeve, Ryder, Steele, Shepherd, Thatcher, Tolliver, Wayne

And baby boy number two's name is.....?

3A. Your third child is a girl. Choose from one of the following unisex names for her first name: 

Angel, Cameron, Charlie, Devon, Eden, Ellis, Emery, Harper, Hunter, Jessie, Kai, London, Milan, Parker, Phoenix, Reese, River, Ryan, Skylar, Tatum, Zion

3B. Choose from the following quirky and unusual names for her middle name:

Avalon, Bluebell, Coraline, Dove, Eulalie, Fable, Hypatia, Isis, Juniper, Kismet, Lilac, Meadow, Plum, Raven, Sable, Temperance, Velvet, Wintress

And baby girl number one's name is....?

Here are the names that I chose:

Finley Theodore

Lennon Tolliver

Reese Coraline 

Well, which names did you choose?  Share them here in the comment section or on Facebook! 

Lennon

I came up with a short list of unisex names to potentially feature and it was hard for me to decide between them, so I took the question to the wonderful people on Instagram! The first poll narrowed the list to three names, but the voting was very close on the final three. It came down to Finley, Lennon or Phoenix. In the end, I tallied all of the votes from both polls together and Lennon was the winner!

Upon hearing the name Lennon, the first thought that may come to many peoples' minds is that of the late John Lennon of super rock group The Beatles. Beyond the musical connection, which is probably a huge reason parents choose the name, Lennon actually comes from an Irish surname. It has been anglicized from Ó Leannáin which is basically a patronymic name meaning "descendant of Leannán". Leannán itself is said to mean "lover" in Gaelic.

Lennon is now considered a unisex name. Originally, it was only given to boys from 1913 to 1980 in the US. Girls were slowly given the name starting in 1981 and it has quickly caught up to the same ranks as the boys. In 2013, there were 273 girls named Lennon and 289 boys which makes this name nearly even for both genders because of its 51/49 split.

It has only gained this boost of popularity for girls in the past year. The birth split for 2012 was 33% girl and 67% boy. Before that, the difference was even greater.  If you're wondering, as of 2013, the boy Lennon ranks at #769 and the girl Lennon ranks at #923, joining the Top 1000 for the first time ever. It will be interesting to see if this iconic surname of a male rock star will eventually be turned into a name that's favored by females.

As a baby name choice, like I mentioned, Lennon is a musical honor name. It joins the ranks of others such as Hendrix, Jagger, Marley and Presley. As far as nicknames go, the most obvious would be Len or Lenny. However, nicknames aren't very necessary when the name's only 2 syllables long.

What do you think of the name Lennon? What sort of middle names or sibling names would you pair with it? Names of other celebrities? Other surnames? Other unisex names? There's plenty of routes to take. Here are a few ideas I came up with:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Auden, Hadley, Lucy, Marlow, Monroe, Rowan, Tatum
Brothers: Arlo, Harrison, Jude, Madden, Parker, Rowan, Sawyer

Male Middle Name Ideas:
Lennon Alexander
Lennon James
Lennon Oliver
Lennon Theodore

As a Middle Name:
Charles Lennon
Michael Lennon
Seth Lennon
Zachary Lennon

Female Middle Name Ideas:
Lennon Charlotte
Lennon Isabella
Lennon Kate
Lennon Victoria

As a Middle Name:
Audrey Lennon
Ivy Lennon
Maisie Lennon
Tabitha Lennon

Share your name pairing ideas in the comment section below or on Facebook!

Boy to Girl Ratios of Unisex Names in 2013

I went through the US Top 1000 baby names for 2013 and pulled out as many unisex names as I could. At least one name had to be in the Top 1000, but most of the names are on the list for both a boy and a girl. If you can think of any names that I missed --and I'm sure there are a few-- let me know so that I can include them.

Seeing information like this is helpful for those who are considering a unisex name but are unsure of how popular it really is for each gender. For example, Harper has really skyrocketed up the charts for girls lately. If you have always pictured it on a boy, it may be handy to know that only 4% of all Harpers are boys. Perhaps that matters to you, perhaps it doesn't. Either way, that kind of information can be found here.  You may even come across a name or two that you had no idea was somewhat unisex.

Alexis: 20% boy / 80% girl

Boy:  1,182 births (#294)

Girl: 4,741 births (#46)

Amari: 62% boy / 38% girl

Boy: 951 births (#337)

Girl: 576 births (#512)

Angel: 84% boy / 16% girl

Boy: 6,320 births (#67)

Girl: 1,204 births (#266)

Armani: 58% boy / 42% girl

Boy: 559 births (#486)

Girl: 409 births (#683)

Ashton: 93% boy / 7% girl
Boy: 2,597 births  (#152)
Girl: 188 births (#1252)

Avery: 18% boy / 82% girl

Boy: 2,036 births (#196)

Girl: 9,121 birth (#12)

Cameron: 93% boy / 7% girl

Boy: 6,809 births (#59)

Girl: 508 births (#566)

Carter: 97% boy / 3% girl

Boy: 9,512 births (#32)

Girl: 298 births (#859)

Casey: 60% boy / 40% girl

Boy: 553 births (#490)

Girl: 373 births (#726)

Charlie: 54% boy / 46% girl

Boy: 1,551 births (#233)

Girl: 1,315 births (#240)

Dakota: 45% boy / 55% girl

Boy: 890 births (#353)

Girl: 1,074 births (#293)

Dallas: 72% boy / 28% girl

Boy: 1,149 births (#302)

Girl: 454 births (#610)

Devon: 88% boy / 12% girl

Boy: 635 births (#446)

Girl: 83 births (#2226)

Drew: 84% boy / 16% girl

Boy: 1,170 births (#297)

Girl: 223 births (#1092)

Dylan: 94% boy / 6% girl

Boy: 10,058 births (#28)

Girl: 610 births (#489)

Eden: 16% boy / 84% girl

Boy: 377 births (#643)

Girl: 2,022 births (#158)

Elliot: 83% boy / 17% girl

Boy: 1,486 births (#241)

Girl: 308 births (#842)

Pearl

The last post in our Summer Names segment is this lovely girl name. Pearl is considered a rather old-fashioned name but it is coming back into style today!

I chose this name because it is the birthstone for June, a summer month. Historically, pearls were a favorite gem during the Roman Empire. Tudor England was even nicknamed "the pearl age" during the 1500s. They were probably so popular because they are said to give wisdom and bring wealth, protection and luck. They symbolize purity, generosity, integrity and loyalty as well. That's quite a lot for a baby girl to live up to if she's named Pearl!

Pearls are also unique in that they're the only gems that come from living sea creatures. This means that they have a natural beauty that is not made or altered by man or machine. However, cultured pearls dominate the market in place of natural pearls and have since the 1920s.

As a baby name, the English word pearl refers to the concretions formed in mollusk shells, like I mentioned, but it ultimately comes from the Late Latin word perla. It has been used as a name since the 19th century because of its lasting popularity as a gemstone. Today, many celebrities have already used Pearl for their daughters' firsts and middle names.

At first thought, Pearl may seem like the name of someone's great-grandmother and you wouldn't be incorrect in that association. Pearl was very popular from 1880 to around 1940. Pearl peaked in popularity in 1918 with 4,521 births and a ranking of #56.

Slowly, Pearl lost her fashionability. She dropped out of the Top 1000 in 1977-1978, from 1987-2006, and 2008. However, she's climbing back up the charts now and is ranking higher than she has in years! In 2013, 416 baby girls were named Pearl for a ranking of #677. She has a long way to go to hit the kind of numbers she saw in 1918 but it could happen again, especially since she fits the 100 year rule.

What do you think of the sweet, vintage Pearl? Do you think she'll make a bit of a comeback in the next 5-10 years? Also, what names would you pair with it? Here are some ideas I came up with:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Alice, Clementine, Daisy, Hazel, Iris, June, Lucy, Opal, Ruby, Sadie, Violet
Brothers: Conrad, Emmett, Graham, Henry, Jude, Oliver, Roman, William

Middle Name Ideas:
Pearl Adelaide
Pearl Eleanora
Pearl Josephine
Pearl Serenity

As a Middle Name:
Beatrice Pearl
Clara Pearl
Juliana Pearl
Rosalind Pearl

Summer Names for Girls

Summer is officially in full swing! That means it's the time of shorts and sunscreen, swimming pools and barbecues, sunshine and tan lines.  If you also happen to be baring a baby belly instead of a bikini, you may be in need of a wonderful summertime name!  I've composed a list of timely names that will suit any baby girl born in the summer heat! I'll be using one of these myself next month! Which of these names could you see yourself using for your little sunshine?

Alexandrite

America
Augusta
Berry
Breezy
Brooklyn
Coral
Daisy
Julia
Juliet
July
June
Junia
Lake
Leonie
Leonora
Liberty
Lillia
Lily
Marina
Marisol
Meadow
Morwenna
Nerida
Nixie
Oceana
Oceane
Peach
Pearl
Pelagia
Peridot
Plum
Rae
River
Ruby
Sailor
Sandy
Shelly
Sky
Suma
Summer
Sunny
Sunshine
Thalassa
Waverly

If you can think of more lovely summer names to add, let me know in the comment section below! Don't forget to also check out the list of Summer Names for Boys!   There's also a list for Autumn Girl Names and Autumn Boy Names too!  Winter and Spring coming soon!

River

When you think of warm weather and outdoor activities, perhaps a body of water comes to mind. Whether you enjoy the pool or the ocean, water is a huge part of summertime. Since we're discussing summer names this week and next, I thought I'd feature the name River for my boy name choice even though I'm aware of how unisex it is.

Of course, River comes from the English word that refers to a flowing body of water. Many people enjoy rafting down a river during the summer or camping near one. Ultimately, the word river is derived from the Latin ripa meaning "riverbank". As a name, River was considered masculine first but the girls staked their claim on it fairly quickly. It is still more popular for boys though.

As a nature name, River offers a great tranquil vibe, but also one of adventure. Pluralizing it as Rivers is also an option but it doesn't receive as many births per year as the singular River. There have been a few celebrities who have used this name for their children in recent years. There's also pop-culture ties to the late River Phoenix; and Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo.  For the females, there was a character on Doctor Who named River Song; and singer Kelly Clarkson recently gave her daughter the name River Rose.

River first appeared on the baby name record in 1971. It wasn't used regularly each year until 1986 for boys. It increased in usage around 1994 and has slowly been climbing upward since then. There were 815 males named River in 2013 for a ranking of #372.

The girls jumped on the bandwagon in 1988 but didn't have as much of an increase in births per year as the boys. They began catching up around 2006. As of 2013, there were 480 females named River, ranking the name at #588 on the girl side of the US Top 1000 chart.

What sort of name would you pair with River? Would you stick to the nature path? Would you find another 5 letter name? Perhaps another name with a V in it? Maybe something else entirely! Here's a few ideas that I came up with to help you out:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Aurora, Brooke, Hazel, Ivy, Lotus, Olivia, Summer, Willow
Brothers: Archer, Forest, Hunter, Jasper, Miles, Sawyer, Talon, Tyler

Boy Middle Name Ideas:
River Campbell
River James
River Sinclair
River William

As a Middle Name:
Florian River
Paxton River
Sebastian River
Vincent River

Girl Middle Name Ideas:
River Clementine
River Emilia
River Katherine
River Sophia

As a Middle Name:
Audrey River
Hannah River
Penelope River
Stella River

Do you like River more for a boy or a girl? What names would you choose to pair it with? Share your thoughts in the comment section or on Facebook!

Summer Names for Boys

Summertime officially began at the end of June! Next, we'll get to watch the fireworks light up the summer sky! After that, it's time to start pondering more about that baby name you're looking for. Your summer baby will be arriving soon! If you're having trouble narrowing down the right name for your little guy, perhaps one of these timely choices will best suit him! Take some of that warmth and sunshine and happiness associated with summer and apply it directly to naming and you'll have yourself the perfect moniker! Check out this list for ideas:

August

Augustine
Augustus
Azul
Bay
Beach
Birch
Bodhi
Brody
Cain
Calder
Dax
Dune
Dylan
Field
Finn
Julian
Julio
Julius
July
Junius
Junot
Kai
Lake
Leaf
Leo
Marlin
Marino
Murphy
Ocean
Pacifico
Ray
Rip
River
Sandy
Shade
Sheldon
Somerset
Storm
Sumner
Sunny
Tanner
Theros
Thunder
Tide
Tripp

Which of these names could you see yourself using for your baby boy? Don't forget to take a look at the list of Summer Names for Girls too! Also, Autumn Names for Boys and Autumn Names for Girls.

Sullivan Rhys - (Birth Announcements!)

These baby names were pulled from birth announcements at a hospital in Oregon since the start of the year, (January-April 2014). I picked out the ones that I liked or thought were interesting. Which of these do you like best?

Girls: 

Amiyah Rose
Ariana Renee
Aspen Jolee
Aubrielle Kinzie
Audrianna Taylor
Ava Penelope
Avery Gabriella
Beatrice Aveah-Dawn
Callie Elizabeth
Cecelia Opal
Charlotte Marie
Delilah Jane
Elayna Jade
Ellanie Rose
Evia Shay
Francesca Vail
Hallee Christine Roseann
Hannah Rogue
Harmony Clair
Ily Mae-Joan
Ivy Sophia Ann
Isabella Faith
Jasmine Faye
Jessica Lynn
Jinevieve Nicole
Julia Carmen Annalise
Julianna Lynn
Khloe Elise Lisa
Khloe Sophia Alexandria
Kylea Nicole
Layla Josephine
Leila Mae
Lilly Marie
Lola Anne Marie
Maddilyn Dawn
McKinley Nichole
Melony Angel
Nola James
Peyton June
Remington Lane
Ruby Jean
Savannah Rose Lynn
Stella Jo
Sylvie Kate
Temprence Gail Francis
Trinity Joy


Boys:
Aleczander Lawrence
Andrew Paul
Apolo Leonardo
Atreyu Ainsley
Bentlee Lucas
Braden James
Bryson Boyd
Caden Eugene
Camden Timothy
Cole Lewis
Connor Vaughn
Corbin Wayne
Dimitri James
Donovan Clark
Easton Anthony
Elias Malcolm
Emmett Brannick
Emerson George
Fabian Thanos Von
Gabriel Alexander
Gabriel Tyler
Grant Christopher
Hunter Jack
Hunter Patrick James
Ian Thomas
Ivan Alexander
Jeramiah Arthur William
Kale Matthew
Liam Edward
Logan Bradley James
Micah Everett
Orion James
Paul Wesley
Riggs Matthew
Rowan Gerard
Ryder Gage
Ryland Thomas
Stark Richard
Sullivan Rhys
Titan Daniel
Tristan Bobby
Tyrion James Freddie
Wesley Ray
William Roy
Wyatt Louis
Zane Forrest

Twins:
Emberley Quinn & Lakin Avery (girls)
Bryson Luke & Dillon John (boys)
Adam Isaiah & Conner James (boys)

Lorelei

To complete our week of analyzing German baby naming traditions and names, I present to you the lovely name Lorelei.

It actually comes from German mythology. According to legend, a beautiful seductress lived on a rock headland on the Rhine River. The rock itself is located near St. Goarshausen, Germany and is named the Lorelei even today. It is said that the maiden, or "water spirit", lures fishermen to their death with her haunting voice and beautiful song. For this reason, Lorelei means "luring rock" or "alluring temptress/enchantress".   It is sometimes spelled Loreley as well.

The image of this deadly siren has been a part of the name Lorelei for ages. Some may view that with a negative connotation, and others may enjoy the mythic beauty of a singing mermaid seductress despite the fact that she caused many deaths. It is just a legend, after all, so it is up to you whether the association is an issue or not.

Another strong association that has been around for a while is that of a gold digger in the film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. She was portrayed by the late Marilyn Monroe.

However, the most recent association around today comes straight from pop-culture. In fact, many people will think of these two Loreleis first upon hearing the name. On the TV show The Gilmore Girls (2000-2007), a young mom named Lorelei decided that her daughter would be a junior and named her Lorelei as well, but she went by Rory. They spelled it Lorelai but pronounced it the same: LORE-uh-lie. Their middle names were Victoria and Leigh.

Other nicknames beyond Rory may include Lori, Lora, Lorel, Lore, and possibly even Lola, Lila or Lolly if you stretch it.

Lorelei was first used as a baby name in the US in 1916. It gained more regularity in 1925 with a small spike in 1938 of 121 births. It did well in the 1950s and early 60s but tapered off again until it got a boost in 2002.  It has been trending upward since then, climbing to a peak of 594 births in 2013 which ranks it at #501.

Interestingly, the spelling Lorelai, used in Gilmore Girls, was not used at all until 2001, coinciding with the show.  It has also climbed up the charts and had 336 births in 2013 for a ranking of #800.

Which spelling do you like better? Lorelei or Lorelai? Perhaps something else?  Here are some ideas for sibling and middle names if you're considering using this name for your child!

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Adelaide, Alexis, Amelia, Daphne, Elodie, Minerva, Rebecca, Scarlett
Brothers: Alaric, Elliott, Garrett, Gideon, Liam, Matthew, Theodore, Warren

Middle Name Ideas:
Lorelei Adele
Lorelei Charlotte
Lorelei Geneva
Lorelei Johanna

As a Middle Name: 
Ava Lorelei
Elsa Lorelei
Katrina Lorelei
Minna Lorelei

What do you think of the name Lorelei. Does the German myth bother you? What middle name might you pair with Lorelei? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below or on Facebook!

World-Wide Wednesday: German Baby Names

Moritzburg Castle, Germany
Featured German Names:
Alaric & Lorelei

This month's World-Wide Wednesday features baby naming customs from Germany.

Prior to the late 19th century, Germany was a vast territory that saw major differences in the way baby names were given across the land and in different time periods. Traditionally, most boys in central and southern Germany in the 1700s were named Johann or Johannes. (Hans was big in the 1600s). Sometimes they would go by a middle name to differentiate between them. Similarly, girls tended to be named Maria or Anna.

In the north and northeast, children in the mid-1800s received anywhere from three to five given names. This was a sign of nobility. The more names a person had, the more important they would appear. In records, ministers would often underline the preferred name, and sometimes marriage licenses would have the names in a slightly different order than what was on the birth record. They may have even been simplified or spelled differently.  Surnames weren't regularly used until the 1500s.

Up near Denmark in a place called Schelswig and a place called the duchy of Holstein, it was popular tradition to use patronymic names through to the 18th century. This means that most children were named for their fathers or grandfathers. For example, if a father was named Peter, his sons and daugthers would use the surname Petersen (and occasionally girls who were very near Denmark would follow those traditions and use Petersdatter as a surname instead). It wasn't until 1771 that this got to be rather confusing and a law was passed that required children to take a set surname, usually the same one their father had instead of basing a new one on his first name.

In Ostfriesland, which is in the northwestern corner of modern Germany, people followed a patronymic pattern that was very similar to that of their Dutch neighbors to the west. Instead of adding -sen or -datter to their father's name, boys and girls would simply add an -s. The confusing part about this tradition is that back in Schleswig most wives would take their husband's name and add -s to it. Depending on where you lived, your name would indicate whether you were the wife of Peter (in Schleswig and Denmark) or the daughter of Peter (in Ostfriesland).

As you can see, different areas had different customs that drew great influence from neighboring countries. Another example is that of the people of Westfalen which borders Hannover, Rheinland. Since medieval times, they had an entirely different naming method.  Surnames were called Hofname or "farm-names". The family living on that particular farm would take that particular surname. If a daughter inherited the farm and married, her husband would change his name to that of her farm. His old name would be listed with his new surname with a phrase such as genannt, vulgo, modo, sive, or alias listed between them meaning he had one surname but was called by another.

Today, there are still some faint remnants of these patronymic systems but they don't tend to form a child's official name. Names consist of one or several usually gender-specific given names and a set surname. Women traditionally adopt their husband's surname and hyphenate it with their own.

Most first names in the past were very traditionally Germanic, or they were biblical. Examples include:

Boys:                                       Carl Karl Wilhelm Otto Heinrich Friedrich Paul Hans Gustav Max Walter Walther Hermann Ernst Werner Heinz Curt Kurt Günter Günther Herbert Gerhard Helmuth Peter Claus Klaus Uwe Jürgen Dieter Horst Manfred Wolfgang Bernd Andreas Frank Stefan Jörg Torsten

Girls: Anna Martha Frieda Bertha Emma Maria Margarethe Erna Elsa Gertrud Hertha Käthe Elisabeth Hildegard Ilse Irmgard Gerda Lieselotte Elfriede Ursula Edith Helga Gisela Inge Ingrid Ingeborg Karin Renate Elke Monika Brigitte Angelika Sabine Martina Ute Keike Petra Birgit Anja

It is only since the 1970s or so that Germans have adopted more Westernized names such as:

Boys:                                       Thomas Michael Marcus Christian Oliver Matthias Sebastian Daniel Martin Dennis Alexander Tobias Patrick Marcel Philipp Lucas Ben Finn Jonas Maximilian Felix Leon Louis

Girls: Nicole Claudia Stephanie Andrea Susanne Julia Melanie Sandra Nadine Christina Sabrina Sarah Jennifer Lisa Katharina Jessica Laura Leah Hannah Michelle Lara Lena Mia Sophia Leonie

There was a bit of a pattern that many parents followed in order to properly honor saints and relatives in their children's names. Take a look at this chart for an example:

Source

If there were duplicate names in the pattern, they'd usually skip to the next name in the pattern. If a child were to die in infancy, their name would be reused for the next child of the same gender.

When the children were baptized, they were most often given one first name that was a spiritual name honoring that special saint or relative, and they'd receive a middle name or a "call name." They would go by this call name most often. Often, children were all given the same first name such as the very popular Johann. Three brothers might have the following names:

Johann Heinrich Schmidt
Johann Wilhelm Schmidt
Johann Gustav Schmidt

They would be known as Heinrich, Wilhelm and Gustav. Girls would have a similar situation but most commonly with the first name Anna or Maria. This occurrence did not always happen though. It did depend on the family and when and where they lived.

There is no official statistics for baby names in Germany but Knud Bielefeld (publisher of firstnamesgermany.com) has analysed approximately 182,300 German birth notifications and compiled a list of the most popular baby names in 2013. Borrowing graciously from him, here are the Top 10:

1. Ben                                         2. Luca / Luka 3. Paul 4. Jonas 5. Finn / Fynn 6. Leon 7. Luis / Louis 8. Lukas / Lucas 9. Maximilian 10. Felix

1. Mia 2. Emma 3. Hannah / Hanna 4. Sofia / Sophia 5. Anna 6. Lea / Leah 7. Emilia 8. Marie 9. Lena 10. Leonie

What do you think of the baby naming customs of Germany? Do you have any German relatives with names like these? Which traditionally German name is your favorite? Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences in the comment section below or on our Facebook page!

Source | Source | Source | Source

[Note: I do have German blood but I've never been to Germany and don't speak German. If any of this information seems incorrect, please let me know so I can fix it!]

Alaric

The awesome baby name lovers on Instagram and Tumblr have spoken! When polled about which German name I should feature for my World-Wide Wednesday segment, Alaric was the clear winner for the boys! The girl name is coming on Friday!

Alaric is an Ancient Germanic name meaning "Ruler of All" or "All-Powerful Ruler".  It comes from the Gothic name Alareiks and is derived from the Germanic elements ala "all" and ric "ruler, power".

In history, Alaric was the name of the king of the Visigoths who sacked Rome in the 5th century. Because of this king, the name has a very ancient and regal feel to it, but it still has the potential to be a cool, quirky and modern choice for a baby boy today.

This name is still flying under the radar in terms of popularity. I've seen it discussed many times on forums but as far as actual usage goes, it is rare!

It first appeared in the US in 1949 and it took another ten years to catch on regularly. Alaric is just now coming into its prime! It hasn't had much love until recently with 88 births in 2012 and a record-high 116 births in 2013 for a ranking of #1414. I think Alaric could potentially break into the Top 1000 in the next decade. It seems to be a growing favorite!

Alaric is a bold and strong name on its own, but it also has the nickname possibilities of Al, Ric, Ricky, Lars, Alec, Alar and Aric. It is typically pronounced AL-er-ic, just like it looks, but this name is used on the TV show The Vampire Diaries and is pronounced as uh-LAR-ik.  I definitely prefer the typical pronunciation.

What do you think of this name? What sort of middle names and sibling names would you pair with it? Here are some ideas that I came up with:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Adelaide, Elsie, Ingrid,  Lorelei, Mathilda, Wilhelmina
Brothers: Caspar, Edsel, Jaegar, Kiefer, Otto, Warren

Middle Name Ideas:
Alaric Charles
Alaric Ferdinand
Alaric Johan
Alaric Leonardo
Alaric Theodore

As a Middle Name:
Diesel Alaric
Henry Alaric
Joseph Alaric
Lucas Alaric
Matthew Alaric

I tried not to only pair other German names with it, but it was a bit tricky to get decent flow. What do you think? Which names would you use?

How Much Does Popularity Matter? + My Confession

Ever since I began The Art of Naming, I've had a pretty firm stance against using popular names. My objective was to help parents find obscure and unusual names to use instead of going with the most common choices that everyone else is using.  While I still completely love unique names, I have a big confession to make.

As many of you may know, my husband and I are expecting a daughter in August. We have chosen three names for her, a first and two middles. The kicker is, despite all of my pro-unusual name posts, two of my chosen names are within the Top 50.  [Cue the collective gasp].

We were originally planning on using a first name that ranked in the mid-200s but now we've bumped it to the middle name.  We will be using one of the more popular names as her first name because it *feels right*.  If any of you have had a child, I'm sure you can relate to the feeling of a name just being "the one". I realized it when I saw her little face in an ultrasound picture.  You can't hate me too much for falling in love with a popular name, right? You still love me?

All of this has got me thinking about popularity. How important is it? Really?

I began obsessing over baby names when I was 17. I was more on the clueless side of things and only looked at the name based on how it sounded. Over time I began to appreciate meanings and history and eventually popularity. Today I feel as though I've been so darn picky about everything in recent years that I've finally had to give in to what names I really love and relax on the technicalities behind them.  The names I've chosen are more popular than I thought I would have ever chosen but they're also full of great meanings and some family honor. This triumphs over popularity for me.

I have done my research and know how popular my choices are. I'm to the point where it finally doesn't bother me. However, a year ago, I would have never actually gone through with using a Top 50 name as the first name just on principle alone. Perhaps I'm experiencing character development? That, or I've taken comfort in the fact that popular names of today just aren't as popular as they once were in the past.

Take for example the most popular girl's name ever: Mary.  She peaked in 1921 with (are you ready for this?) 73,983 births. Can you wrap your brain around that figure for a moment? And then remember that she lingered around those types of figures for years!  She was the #1 or #2 name every year from 1880-1965 and still remained in the Top 50 until 2001. Today she's fallen to #121 but still received over 2,600 births for the year. If that isn't popular, nothing is.

Compare Mary's stats to those of the other #1 baby girl names since 1880. It took me a while but I did all the math for you. Notice how the numbers in the 3rd column get progressively smaller as time goes by. With all of the variety in spelling and the pool of acceptable names rapidly growing, the top names are actually being used by fewer babies per year. This is why I like to share the number of births when I feature names rather than the rank. Rank means very little when the number of births for the year varies as drastically as Linda and Sophia's stats do.  Take a look:

What do these stats tell us? The true popularity of a name is deceiving. There are people every year who now combine all of the various spellings together to find out what the "True Top Names" are. And I was only comparing the #1 names in the above image. When you climb down the chart a bit and realize that the names in the #30-#40 range (where my daughter's name sits) only get about 5,000-6,000 births per year, it suddenly doesn't seem that bad. Think about how huge this country is and how many babies are born every year. Sure, she may know a couple other girls in her school with the name, but I'm currently not worried about it.

If you have a very common last name and give your child a very common first name, chances are they'll run into an issue at some point in their life with having the same exact name as someone else they are near, so popularity may be a priority for you and that's great! Choose something odd! However, many parents worry about their child being 1 of 4 in a classroom with the same name. If you're one of those, I'd suggest searching for something more obscure if it really bothers you.

There are so many names out there, thoroughly search for the right one. With the stats we see today, names are nowhere near as popular as they have been in the past. (Did you see how many Marys there have been?) If the name you choose ends up being popular, ask any Jen, Jenny or Jennifer of the 1970s how they dealt with it. If they could handle it, I'm sure your child will survive too. :)

So what do you think? Does popularity really matter? Does your child have a common name? How has it worked for them? Was your name popular in school? How did you deal? Let me know in the comments below or on Facebook! 

...What? You wanted me to tell you my daughter's name?... How about I make you work for it? In the year 1920, they ranked as such: #103, #744, #280. The third is after my husband's sister. :)

Baby Naming Challenge - Car Edition

For your challenge today, you will be naming three hypothetical siblings! This past Tuesday, we saw a list of baby names stolen by big car companies and we learned all about the name Ford a couple days ago. In honor of "car week," I want you to think about your vehicle history when choosing the names for the challenge. If that sounds crazy, just bear with me a moment.

As a visual aid, here's a short breakdown of vehicle makes and models just in case you're not sure:

Make = Name of Company (Ford, GMC, Toyota, Nissan, Dodge etc)
Model = The "brand" of the car. Sometimes this is just a letter or number, or a word or name.

If you've never owned your own car, use that of your parents or partner.  Okay, here we go:

Baby #1 

• If the make of your first car starts with A-L, you're having a boy! If it starts with M-Z it's a girl! 
• Take the first letter of the make of your car and use it for the first name of the baby.
• If the model of your car is a number/letter sequence, choose a vowel for the middle name. If the model is a name or a word, choose from B, D, F, K, T and W for the middle name.

Baby # 2

• If your current car is blue, green, red or black, you're having a boy! If your current car is any other color, it is a girl! 
• If your current car is 2-door, the first name starts with either A, L, O, P or R.  If your car is a 4-door, the first name starts with C, E, J, M or S.
• If your car has tinted windows, the middle name must be 2 syllables long. If not, go with a 4 syllable name.

Baby # 3

• If you currently have a big vehicle, (truck, SUV, crossover or van) it is a boy. If it is a smaller vehicle (coupe, wagon, sedan, luxury, hybrid) then you're having a girl! 
• If you drive an automatic, choose a first name that begins with a consonant. If you drive a manual, choose a first name that begins with a vowel.
• If your current car was made in 2005 or earlier, the middle name is 1 syllable long.  If your car is a 2006 or newer, the middle name is 3 syllables long.

Great job! Feel free to share your answers in the comments below or on Facebook!  Here are my answers:

Boy: Frederick Theodore

Girl: Cecily Winter

Girl: Sabrina Pearl

Ford

Since this is "car week", we'll look at the boy name Ford. The Ford Motor Company has been around since 1903 and was founded by Henry Ford. Clearly, the name comes from a surname but it was originally derived from a place name meaning "ford" in Old English. Nameberry says that it means "dweller at the ford". A ford is defined as "a shallow place in a river or stream allowing one to walk or drive across." That makes Ford a nature place name and a surname.

Famous namesakes include the aforementioned Henry Ford, former U.S. President Gerald Ford, popular actor Harrison Ford, writer Ford Madox Ford, Pre-Raphaelite painter Ford Madox Brown and sportswriter Ford Frick. Actor Owen Wilson named his baby boy Robert Ford.

In pop-culture, there's James "Sawyer" Ford from the TV show Lost, and Nathan Ford on the TV show Leverage. There's a character in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy named Ford Prefect.  This name seems to be used most often as a surname as opposed to a first name.

In fact, the history of popularity for this name contains very small numbers. The question is, are parents ignoring this name because of the motor company? There are plenty of surnames that have had popularity for boys over the years. Nameberry believes that "the long association to the Ford Motor Company doesn't stand in the way of this being a strong, independent, single-syllable name."  Perhaps Ford just hasn't caught on yet.

It has been given to boys since 1880 but only in handfuls. 1915 was a good year for Ford with 133 births and a ranking of #483. 1923 was also good with 115 births. Since then, the name has hung around in the 30-50 births a year range until it dropped even more in the 70s. It slightly increased again around 2000 and by 2013, the name Ford received 179 births for a ranking of #1050. It has now surpassed its original early peaks and could be poised to finally land within the Top 1000 again for the first time since 1951.

Ford as a given name for boys is still a rare gem that modern parents should take advantage of! Otherwise, there are a few names that contain "Ford" within the name that could be used with Ford as a nickname:

Alford                      Bedford Bluford Bradford Buford Clifford Crawford Forden Gifford Kalford Lanford Milford

Oxford Rayford Redford Rexford Rutherford Sanford Stafford Stanford Talford Telford Wilford Winford

As far as using Ford itself as a given name, here are a few suggestions that I came up with for sibling and middle names to go with it:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Audra, Brooklyn, Cora, Harper, Lena, Presley, Tessa
Brothers: Arlo, Bridger, Clive, Franklin, Gage, Owen, Parker

Middle Name Ideas:
Ford Everett
Ford Jonathan
Ford Oliver
Ford Sebastian

As a Middle Name:
Andrew Ford
Ethan Ford
Tristan Ford
Vincent Ford

What would you pair with Ford? What do you think of it as a baby name? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below or on Facebook!