Dexter

Dexter is one of the many occupational surnames to have a popularity boost lately. This name means "one who dyes" in Old English. It is also related to the Latin word dexter which refers to right-handedness, or one who is skilled with their right hand.

Nameberry gives a very good rundown of famous Dexters here. They say: "Over the years, it's been attached to a number of diverse real and fictional personalities--C. K. Dexter Haven, the witty Cary Grant character in The Philadelphia Story, Dexter Green, the protagonist of the Scott Fitzgerald story Winter Dreams, great jazz tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon and--oops--the current TV Dexter, who just happens to be a genial but sociopathic serial killer."  As far as that last one goes, the TV show has now ended and most viewers were disappointed with the last couple seasons and hated the ending which means that it is quickly fading from their memories. It will be a strong association for a while but it shouldn't deter parents from using the name since he was rather likable despite his "profession".

As a baby name, Dexter has had its ups and downs in popularity. It has been in regular usage since records began in 1880. It started gaining steam in 1940 and slowly climbed upward. Its first peak was in 1968 when 761 boys were born. It promptly declined in usage again after that, falling to a mere 220 births in 1982. Then just as suddenly as it fell, it shot right back up to 688 births in 1989. And then, you guessed it, Dexter's usage declined again.

Around the turn of the century, this name was once again seeing the 200 births range. Something happened right around 2006-2007, though, that caused Dexter to have another spike in popularity.  It climbed nearly vertically and reached a record-high of 834 births in 2012. This put it at a ranking of #362.  Coincidentally or not, Dexter the TV show began in 2006.  Take from that what you will.

I chose to feature this name this week because of its bold letter X. Partly because of the cartoon, Dexter's Laboratory, this name has had a bit of a "nerdy" vibe to it. However, I feel like it is really coming into its own now. Nameberry describes it as "the jazzy, ultra-cool Dexter, like most names with Xs, has a lot of energy and sex appeal." So maybe the "nerdy" angle was just in my head. Either way, Dexter is definitely cool today. When shorted to Dex, he fits right in with other boys with the popular X-ending like Alex, Max, Jax, Felix, Knox, Maddox, etc.

What do you think of the name Dexter? Does the serial killer association ruin it for you? To me, it appears as though the show helped to boost the name. If it helps any, Dexter Morgan from the show Dexter only killed other murderers and those that he felt "deserved it" because of their own ugly crimes. He stuck to his code.  If that is still too much for you, perhaps you'd like names like Baxter or Braxton instead.  Let me know what your thoughts are!

If this is the name for you, here are some ideas for siblings and middle names:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Alexa, Beatrix, Chloe, Emma, Evie, Matilda, Ruby, Scarlett, Violet, Zoey
Brothers: Asher, August, Cooper, Emmett, Felix, Henry, Jasper, Maxwell, Stellan

Middle Name Ideas:
Dexter Ambrose
Dexter Elijah
Dexter George
Dexter Reid
Dexter William
(Avoid using Dexter Morgan)

As a Middle Name:
Charles Dexter
Gideon Dexter
Milo Dexter
Noah Dexter
Samuel Dexter

Xcellent Names for Boys

There is no denying that the letter X is a hot one. As part of a trend that I myself fell prey to with my Maximus Alexander, many parents are finding themselves in love with the X. There is something bold and strong about it but there's also a limited amount of names that contain this letter so it has become somewhat of a sought after gem.

If these kinds of names are up your alley, perhaps you'll enjoy this post!  Here are the very best boy names that contain the coveted letter X. Which is your favorite?

Abrax                       Abraxas Ajax Alex Alexander Alexandre Alexandreus Alexandro Alexandros Alexandru Alexavier Alexei Alexi Alexian Alexios Alexis Alexius Alexzander Alixander Anaxander Anaxandrias Anaxandros Anxo Axel Axton Bax Baxley Baxter Beauxregard Bix Bixby Blixa Braxton Brexton Bronx Buxton Calexto Calix Calixto Calixte Cilix Croix Dax Daxon Daxton Daxter Daxx Delacroix Devereaux Dex Dexter Dixon Drexel Eryx Essex Evreux Exequiel Exton Fairfax                 Felix Felixiano Fenix

Fox                       Foxworth Halifax Helix Hendrix Hixon Huxley Ixidor Jalex Jax Jaxen Jaxon Jaxsen Jaxson Jaxton Jennex Jinx Kalix Kalixto Kendrix Knox Lennox Lex Lexington Lexon Lexus Linux Lynx   Maddox Maddux Mannix Marx Mattox Max Maxavier Maxden Maxen Maxence Maxfield Maxim Maxime Maximilian Maximiliano Maximilien Maximillian Maximino Maximo Maximus Maxon Maxson Maxton Maxwell Nixon Onyx Oxford Oxley Pax Paxtin Paxton Phoenix Plaxico Plaxido

Poindexter Pollux Praxedes Quix Quixley Quixote Raxton Rex Rexford Rixley Roux Roxas Roxbury Roxby Salix Saxon Saxony Saxton Seanix Sextus Sixten Sixto Sixtus Tex Texas Thaxter Theroux Troix Xabat Xabi Xabier Xachary Xadrian Xaime Xalvador Xander Xane Xanthos Xanthus Xarles Xaver Xavi Xavian Xavier Xavion Xayden Xayver Xenon Xenophilius Xenos Xerxes Xiaobo Ximen Ximenez Ximon Xyan Xyler Xylon Xymenes Xzander Xzavier Zaxon

Have you used a name that contains the letter X? Do you have a favorite on your list?  If X isn't your thing, do you have a favorite letter or sound within a name that you're a sucker for? Share your thoughts below!  And don't forget to check out the most Xcellent Names for Girls too!

Ivy

The lovely name Ivy comes from the English word for the climbing plant with the same name. It ultimately comes from the Old English word ifig. This plant is known for its clinging vines and its small yellow flowers. Ivy actually symbolizes faithfulness and fidelity and was traditionally presented in the form of a wreath to newlyweds in ancient Greece.

However, there is of course the association with the "poison ivy" plant that can causes rashes and skin irritations upon contact. Based on the nature of this plant comes the fictional character who uses these toxins for criminal activity. The DC Comics supervillainess, who is aptly named Poison Ivy, has been an enemy of Batman since her creation in 1966. She is essentially an eco-terrorist who is obsessed with botany and uses it to her advantage.  Modern little girls named Ivy will either think she is super cool or they will resent the association, so think carefully on this topic before committing to the name Ivy.

There are also plenty of other Ivys in pop-culture, though. The most recent one that is probably still on everyone's' minds is that of Beyoncé and Jay Z's daughter Blue Ivy. I read somewhere that they chose Ivy because of the Roman numerals IV which has significance for them as a couple. It is up to you whether you like this celebrity association or would rather avoid the name Ivy because of it.

As a baby name and despite the "poison ivy" associations, modern parents are falling in love with this quirky, botanical name. This name contains the coveted letter V which is a huge trend for girl names these days. It is short and sweet with only three letters, but it does have two syllables so it doesn't feel quite as short. Overall, Ivy is a lovely and strong choice. It fits in with the other -v names as well as the other fast-rising botanical and nature names.

Ivy is more popular now than it ever has been in the US. It has been in regular usage since records were first kept in 1880. Along with many other vintage favorites, Ivy enjoyed a small popularity boost from 1912-1927 or so with the most amount of births being 188 in 1916. It wasn't until the late 1940s and early 1950s that this name gained a more permanent upward tick in popularity.

With only a few ups and downs, Ivy has been on an upward trajectory. In 2005, the name passed the 1000-births-per-year mark and is currently sitting happily with 1,677 births for the year 2012. That puts the name at a record-high ranking of #187. This is rather impressive because the name jumped a whopping 80 ranks between 2011 and 2012! Not very many names will have such a dramatic change from one year to the next. I think this name will only continue to rise in the coming years.

This name ranks well in other countries, too! #168 in England/Wales, #153 in the Netherlands, #65 in Canada (BC) and #21 in Australia (NSW).

What do you think of the name Ivy? Do you agree that it will continue to gain popularity or will people start to write it off because Beyoncé used it?

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Anna, Chloe, Emma, Hazel, Johanna, Leah, Nadia, Violet
Brothers: Alec, Clayton, Emmett, Liam, Miles, Reid, Thomas, Wesley

Middle Name Ideas:
Ivy Caroline
Ivy June
Ivy Lucille
Ivy Margaret
Ivy Sabrina

As a Middle Name:
Charlotte Ivy
Francesca Ivy
Rebecca Ivy
Susannah Ivy
Valentina Ivy

These are just ideas! What would you pair with Ivy?

Cool 3-Letter Names for Girls

Finding the perfect name is no easy task. While it may come relatively quickly for some parents, it can take months for others to narrow down their options. Sometimes it is a matter of feelings. A mom knows if the name is right or not based on holding that new baby in her arms for the first time. Other parents go more on facts and how the name looks and sounds than how it feels. Either method is fine!

Sometimes parents wind up limiting their choices on purpose to make the process a bit easier. For example, they'll set guidelines they wish to follow. Perhaps these parents have a long last name that demands a short first name for balance. They end up looking for one-syllable names or 3 or 4 letter names and fall in love with a list like this one. Thus, little Ada Montgomery is named!

Some of the names on this list could also be a short-form or nickname of a longer name. For instance, perhaps you fell in love with the name Ana. Ana can stand alone but perhaps you wish for a longer formal name for her so you can simply nickname her Ana. You may be inspired to consider a name like Anastasia or Analiese instead. 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?

Abi             Ada Adi Aja Ali Ama Ami Amy Ana Ane Ani Ann Aoi Ara Åsa Åse Aud Ava Ave Avy Aya Ayn Bao Bay Bea Bev Bia Bly Cai Cat Cho Day Dea Deb Dee Dia Dot Dru Dua Eda Eir Ela Eli Ema Emi Emy Ena

Eos             Era Eva Eve Evy Ewa Fae Fay Fia Flo Gia Gya Haf Hue Icy Ida Iga Ila Ily Ima Ina Ine Ino Ira Iro Isa Iva Ivy Jan Jia Joe Joi Joy Kai Kat Kay Kea Kia Kim Kit Kya Lai Lea Lee Leo Lia Lif

Lil             Lin Liv Liz Lou Lua Lue Lux Luz Lyn Mae Mai Mar Max May Mea Meg Mei Mia Mie Min Miu Moa Mya Nan Nao Nea Nia Noa Noe Nur Nya Nyx Oda Ola Oma Ona Ora Osa Ova Pam Pat Paz Peg Pia Pip Pru

Rae Ray Rei Ría Rie Rin Rio Rue Rut Rya Ryn Sam Sea Sia Sif Siv Sky Sol Sue Sun Tai Tal Tea Tia Toi Toy Tru Tui Ula Uma Ume Una Unn Val Via Viv Xia Xoe Yma Yue Yui Zee Zel Zia Zoa Zoe Zoi

If it is a short name that you seek, allow me to direct you to this Four-Letter Girl Name list as well as this One-Syllable Girl Name list! Don't forget to check out the Cool 3-Letter Names for Boys list too!

 If you could use a second opinion about your options or if you need help finding a name you love, feel free to ask The Art of Naming Community a question! We'd love to help you!

Asa

I just could not decide which 3-letter boys' name to highlight this week so I picked a few that I liked and took the question public! I put up a poll and 53 of you voted for the next featured name! The winner was Asa with 13 votes. So let's learn a little more about the boys' name Asa, pronounced AY-suh.

According to BehindTheName, Asa is a Hebrew name meaning "doctor". However, Nameberry says the meaning of Asa is "born in the morning". BabyNames agrees with both meanings, listing Asa's meaning as "physician" and including a note that in Japanese, Asa means "Born at Dawn". This led me to look a bit further. According to Wikipedia, there are several different meanings for this name in different cultures around the world so take your pick!:

• Hebrew: Healer and/or physician
• Yoruba Nigerian: Hawk or little hawk
• Igbo Nigerian: Beautiful
• Japanese: Morning
• Indonesian: Hope
• Portuguese: Wing

Biblically, it was worn by the third King of Judah who reigned for forty years in the Old Testament. The name gained popularity with the Puritans in the 17th century since they were big on Biblical names. A more modern association was that of patriarch Asa Buchanan on the soap opera One Life to Live. This was the first place I ever heard the name Asa. He was a big character on daytime TV from 1979-2008.  There is also a young British actor quickly rising to fame who goes by the name Asa Butterfield.

The name Asa is very old and has been in [recorded] use in the US since the 1880s. Parents might consider this name as a formal way to get the nickname Ace, or even as an alternative to the fast-rising Asher. It fits in well with other soft boys names that end in the A-sound like Noah. Despite ranking at #562 on the US Top 1000 in 2012, this name has never been popular.

Asa had the tiniest of popularity spikes around 1915 which lasted through the 20s. It wasn't until the late 70s and early 80s that this name slowly climbed upward on the chart again. With ups and downs over the past 40 years, Asa is now ranking the highest it has ever ranked. However, the number of births per year is still shy of 500. Asa is perfect for those who are looking for something known and familiar but still flying under the radar. It will surely continue to slowly rise in popularity but I don't see it becoming "the next big thing" anytime soon. That's good news!

There is also a handful of girls who receive this name every year but it is all boy to me!

What do you think of the name Asa? Would you use it or do other biblical names catch your eye instead? If it is in consideration, perhaps you'd benefit from the following name ideas:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Abigail, Calista, Evelyn, Hannah, Mira, Rebecca
Brothers: Cyrus, Ezekiel, Jonah, Levi, Malachi, Silas

Middle Name Ideas:
Asa Lemuel
Asa Miles
Asa Nathaniel
Asa Porter
Asa Theodore

As a Middle Name: 
Benjamin Asa
Caleb Asa
David Asa
Henry Asa
Reuben Asa

Similar Alternatives:
Abel, Adam, Amos, Asher, Eli, Ezra, Ian

These are just suggestions that I came up with. What would you pair with Asa?

Cool 3-Letter Names for Boys

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 Ash Avi Ayo Bas Baz Ben Bix Bob Boq Bud Cab Cai Cal Cam Che Cid Coy Dag Dan Dax Dee Del Dev Dex Doc Don Dov Dow Ean Ebb Edd Edo Eli Ely Fox Foy

Gil Gio Gus Guy Hal Han Huw Ian Ike Ime Ion Ira Irl Isa Ivo Jad Jai           Jan Jax Jay Jed Jem Jet Jim Job Joe Jon Jye Kai Kal Kay Ken Kim Kip Kit Koa Kye Kyo Law Lee Len Leo Les Lev Lew Lex Lir Lon

Lot Lou Loy Luc Lyn Mac Max Mel Mic Mio Moe Nam Nat Ned Neo Noe Nym Oda Odo Ole Olu Ora Ori Ove Pål Pat Pau Pax Per Pio Pip Poe             Rab Rae Raj Ram Ray Raz Rei Ren Rex Rey Rio Rob Rod Ron Roy Rui

Rye Ryo Ryu Sal Sam Sem Sid Sim Sky Sly Sol Tab Tad Tag Taj Tal Tam Tao Taz Ted Teo Tex Tim Tod Tom Tor Tre Tye Tyr Udo Ugo Uri Uzi Val Van Vin Von Wes Wim Wyn Yul Zac Zak Zeb Zed Zen Zev Ziv

If you're looking for a short name, be sure to also view this list of 4-Letter Boy Names and One-Syllable Boy Names for further inspiration!  For a girl, try the Cool, 3-Letter Names for Girls list too!

Top 10 Girls Names Per Letter in 2012

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)
9. Briana (#297)
10. Bianca (#312)

Top 10 C-Names for Girls in 2012:
1. Chloe (#11)
2. Charlotte (#19)
3. Claire (#45)
4. Camila (#48)
5. Caroline (#80)
6. Clara (#136)
7. Cora (#155)
8. Catherine (#167)
9. Cecilia (#216)
10. Callie (#221)