The Art of Naming

There are many parents who search high and low to find the perfect name. Sometimes it is a matter of "I'll know it when I see it" and other times they have very specific guidelines they wish to follow. For example, perhaps these parents have a long last name to bestow upon a child and want to find a short first name to balance things out. They end up looking for 3 or 4 letter names and fall in love with a list like this one. Thus, little Ian Christensen is named! Many of these may also be a short-form or nickname of a longer name. For instance, Gus could be short for the much longer Augustus; and while Max can certainly stand alone, it may inspire you to choose Maximilian as a formal name and simply call him Max. Whatever your reasons are for browsing a list like this, be assured that these are some of the very best 3-letter names available to you! Which are your favorites? Abe           Ace Ade Åke Ala Alf Ali Apu Ara Ari Art Asa As...

I thought it would be nice to see what the top 10 names are for every letter. Perhaps you know that you want a name that starts with the letter C for all of your children but you don't want to choose the three most popular C-names. Now you can see exactly how popular each name is per letter as well as overall in ranking according to the US Top 1000 chart (ranking in parenthesis). Soon we will be able to see the top names for 2013! The following names were for 2012. Let me know if you'd be interested in a similar post (or series of Facebook posts) like this for the next year!  For now, enjoy these: Top 10 A-Names for Girls in 2012: 1. Ava (#5) 2. Abigail (#7) 3. Avery (#13) 4. Addison (#14) 5. Aubrey (#15) 6. Amelia (#23) 7. Anna (#35) 8. Aaliyah (#36) 9. Allison (#38) 10. Alexis (#40) Top 10 B-Names for Girls in 2012: 1. Brooklyn (#29) 2. Brianna (#51) 3. Bella (#54) 4. Bailey (#79) 5. Brooke (#102) 6. Brielle (#111) 7. Brooklynn (#137) 8. Brynn (#189)...

For those of you that follow The Art of Naming on Facebook, you've probably seen me post lists like this before. I thought it would be nice to see what the top 10 names are for every letter. Perhaps you know that you want a name that starts with the letter A but you don't want to choose one that is overly popular. Now you can see exactly how popular each name is per letter as well as overall in ranking according the the US Top 1000 chart (ranking in parenthesis). I started posting these on Facebook around June or July of 2013 and finally got through the entire alphabet for the year 2012. Now it is nearly time to discover the top names of 2013!   If you like this sort of information and wish for it to be compiled again for the next year, let me know in the comments! Enjoy! Top 10 A-Names for Boys in 2012: 1. Alexander (#9) 2. Aiden (#10) 3. Anthony (#15) 4. Andrew (#18) 5. Aaron (#51) 6. Angel (#57) 7. Austin (#58) 8. Adrian (#60) 9. Ayden (#69) 10. Adam (#82) ...

Audrey Hepburn is a film and fashion icon. Born in 1929 as  Audrey Kathleen Ruston , this beloved actress had a great career during Hollywood's Golden Age and she continues to inspire people today through the legacy she left behind. She acted from 1951 until 1989 before sadly passing away in 1993 from cancer. Toward the end of her life, she was well known for her work with UNICEF as a Goodwill Ambassador.  She was a truly beautiful person! In fact, she is considered by many to be the most naturally beautiful woman of all time. Even her name is lovely! What about all of the names that she has portrayed in film? Let's take a look at the name character names of Audrey Hepburn. Frieda Chiquita Celia Eve Melissa Nora Ann Linda Sabrina Natasha Marie Jo Ariane Rima Gabrielle Rachel Holly Karen Regina Gabrielle Eliza Nicole Joanna Susy Marian Elizabeth Angela Caroline Which of these names is your favorite? I really like Sabrina.  I also rea...

Vivian is a vintage name that is currently popular for girls again. Since the middle ages, Vivian has also been used for males. Especially in modern times (or at least since 1880 in the US), this name is predominantly female despite the name still being given to boys here and there. The name Vivian comes from the Latin name Vivianus which was taken from the Latin word vivus which means "alive". However, as a feminine name, Vivian is also said to be an Anglicized form of the name B é binn   which means "fair lady" in Irish Gaelic. This form has been used by several women in Irish mythology including the goddess of childbirth. The spelling Vivien was first used by Alfred Lord Tennyson in his epic Idylls of the King in 1859. It is said that he either based it on Vivienne, (which is the French form of Viviana which comes from Vivian), or it could have been a misreading of Ninian. However, the theory that Ninian leads to Vivian is uncertain. Click here to vi...

Old Hollywood was such a glamorous time! The female celebrities from "the golden era" are still admired for their beauty, grace, elegance, and poise. Even after all these years have gone by, somehow these celebrities still remain relevant and interesting in everything from their fashion sense to the classic films they starred in to their lovely names that continue to inspire parents to this very day! There were so many beautiful celebrities with amazing names that I just listed the first one I came across with that first name, even though I know there are many more that may have also had that name. I hope I did not forget anyone but if I did, please let me know in the comments below! Which of these Old Hollywood names are your favorites? Would you ever use one of them for a daughter? Have you already? Do share! These are listed by first (and last) name. AGNES  (Moorehead)                         ANNE  (...

The late Hollywood film actor Cary Grant was actually born as Archibald Alexander Leach in 1904. He was best known for his dashing good looks and his transatlantic accent. As one of classic Hollywood's leading men, he had many roles over his 34 year acting career. It is worth noting that since his career spanned from 1932 to 1966, many of these names are rather traditional to the era but they are fun to browse nonetheless! First and last names will be listed but occasionally they could make for nice first and middle name combos! Which of the following character names is your favorite? STEPHEN Mathewson                           CHARLIE Baxter NICK Townsend ROMER Sheffield JEFFREY Baxter HENRY  Cocker ACE Corbin JACK Clayton MALCOLM  Trevor PORTER Madison III MAURICE  Lamar JULIAN  De Lussac GERALD  Fitzgerald KEN  Gordon MICHAEL  Andrews ANDRE Charvi...