Names ending in -ana

The -ana sound is popular. It seems like everywhere I go I meet a Aliana, Giovanna, or Liliana. If you love the sound but need some more ideas, here is a great long list of names ending in -ana.

Expected:
Adriana
Alana
Ana
Briana
Eliana
Gianna
Juliana
Lana
Liliana
Luciana
Shana
Tatiana

Unique:
Audriana
Aviana
Christiana
Emiliana
Georgiana
Giovanna
Jordana
Juana
Liviana
Svetlana
Shoshana
Tiana

Unheard of:
Bibiana
Katiana
Liana
Oceana
Oriana
Sylvana

Share a Coke Names: Part One

I made this here.

I'm sure you guys are familiar with the Share a Coke campaign. It's a great marketing scheme, not only because they get free advertising with every Instagrammed bottle, but because people go crazy for stuff with their names on it. While you can put any name on your coke if you order it online, only certain names are sold in store. Here in America, they chose 250 names to be a part of that group. I recorded them all, so I will list them below, then we will talk about hits and misses. It's all after the jump.

 

Disclaimer: This is not sponsored by the Coca Cola company. I actually don't like soda. At all.

Nicknames for Georgiana

Georgiana is a great name if you're looking for something long and girly, but has cool, tough-girl nicknames. Here's a list of things your little Georgiana could go by.

Ana
George
Georgia
Georgie
Gia
Gianna
Gigi
Gina

Names with "an"

I recently got an email from a reader asking for some naming inspiration.

Fiona writes:

My first 2 children both have a theme of "an" - Marianne and Kassandra. It happened accidentally, but the more we think about future names, the more we seem attracted to this sound. It would be great to have some help and inspiration please! 
Our second child was only born this year, so we are jumping the gun a little but we do plan a 3rd child (hopefully, as obviously thanks to mother nature's blips, having a child is not in our complete control!) and our experience is that it is never too early to start thinking about names.

With many thanks,
Fiona 

Past the page break I have put together an exhaustive list of names with -an in them. I've italicised the ones I think work best with Marianne and Kassandra. Feel free to leave your thoughts or suggestions for Fiona in the comments. If you have a naming question that you would like me to post on the blog, feel free to email me at skihm (at) hotmail (dot) com. 

Celebrity Baby Name Predictions: Volume 14

Names with personal significance are always special, and this month's batch of celebrities loves a good honor name. All of John Carter Cash's children have names from his side of the family, and Daphne Oz has a son who's a junior (which seems rarer nowadays, especially with celebrities).

There are some stars who are having their first child that I would love to see use a name with personal significance. Matthew Morrison's wife Renee is from Hawaii, where many gorgeous names have originated. Nikki Reed and Ian Somerhalder are huge nature lovers, so a nature name would have a lot of meaning to them. Finally, Julia Stiles has some quirky naming traditions in her family that I'm wondering if she'll follow. Whatever direction these celebrities go in, I'm sure they'll choose lovely names, but I'm always crossing my fingers for names with a good story behind them.

Ana Cristina and John Carter Cash
Gender: girl
Siblings: Joseph John, Jack Ezra, Anna Maybelle "AnnaBelle" (previous relationships)
It's very evident that that John Carter Cash loves to use honor names--and he should, with so many great names to choose from! All three of his children have a name plucked from his famous family tree in either the first or middle position (or both, as is the case with Jack Ezra). I'd wager that his upcoming baby girl will have a name with family significance as well.
Girl: Caroline, Clover, Helen, June, Maggie, Margaret, Valerie, Virginia
*Update* Welcome, Grace June!

Tasha McCauley and Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Gender: unknown
Siblings: brother (name not released)
Notoriously private Tasha McCauley and Joseph Gordon-Levitt have never shared the name of their son, and that's unlikely to change with baby number two. However, I have a pretty good idea of the type of name they would choose. Tasha and Joseph are very worldly--she speaks English, Spanish, and Arabic!--so a name with multicultural influence seems to be in order.
She speaks English, Spanish, Arabic
Girl: Alia, Gracie, Isa, Jane, Leila, Lula, Mariam, Ramona, Senna
Boy: Arlo, Daniel, Hugo, Israel, Julian, Milo, Sebastian, Samar

Nikki Reed and Ian Somerhalder
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
Nikki Reed and Ian Somerhalder are a nature and animal-loving couple. They are climate and animal-rights activists, and Nikki has a line of sustainable beauty products. This makes me think they will choose a name from the natural world--whether it be a plant, animal, or simply nature-inspired name--for their first child.
Girl: Harbor, Juniper, Lark, Linden, Prairie, Sage, Swan, Willow, Wren
Boy: Bear, Canyon, Forest, Fox, Moss, Oak, River, Sparrow, Stone, Wolf
*Update* It's a girl--Bodhi Soleil!

Renee Puente and Matthew Morrison
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
Renee Puente and Matthew Morrison love Hawaii. Renee grew up on the islands, and the couple held their wedding there. Since Hawaii has played such a large role in their lives, I expect Matthew and Renee's child to have a name with some Hawaiian flavor.
Girl: Alohi, Ani, Emalia, Iva, Lilia, Leilani, Luana, Meilani, Poema
Boy: Hiro, Kai, Kanoa, Kauri, Kimo, Liko, Luka, Niko, Oli, Rai, Tao
*Update* They did use a Hawaiian name--in the middle! Welcome Revel James Makai!

Jaime Pressly and Hamzi Hijazi
Gender: boy/boy twins!
Siblings: Dezi James (previous relationship)
Actress Jaime Pressly is expecting twin boys--brothers to her son Dezi James. Dezi is one of those great names that is stylish and uncommon, yet familiar. Should Jaime and Hamzi choose names in a similar vein for their sons (that also have Dezi's casual vibes) I think they might some of the following.
Boy: Bodhi, Eli, Nev, Nial, Odie, Rafe, Ren, Roy, Shae, Shan, Teague
*Update* They're here--Leo and Lenon!

Daphne Oz and John Jovanovic
Gender: girl
Siblings: Philomena Bijou and Jovan Jr.
Although Daphne Oz's children have fairly extravagant names, she often calls them by the more accessible nicknames Philo and JJ. For her next daughter, I bet she is looking for a name along the same line--long and romantic, but with a fun nickname. Isabeau called Izzy or Beau, or Minerva called Minnie would be especially sweet.
Girl: Agatha, Clementine, Eugenie, Isabeau, Liora, Minerva, Winifred, Zelda
*Update* Welcome, Domenica Celine!

Roselyn Sanchez and Eric Winter
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Sebella Rose "Sebi"
Sebella Rose is the perfect name for Roselyn Sanchez and Eric Winter's daughter. Sebella has Spanish roots, which nods to Roselyn's Puerto Rican heritage, but it's not obscure, thanks to Isabella's popularity in the US. Using that formula, I picked out some more cross-cultural names that could be contenders for Sebi's little brother or sister.
Girl: Camila, Esme, Luisa, Marisol, Paloma, Seraphina, Valentina, Viviana
Boy: Augustin, Benjamin, Emilio, Leo, Mateo, Milo, Nathaniel, Santiago
*Update* A boy--Dylan Gabriel!

Julia Stiles and Preston J. Cook
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
Julia Stiles has an interesting story behind her name. Both her parents and her siblings have first names that start with J, and her middle name is O'Hara--her father's surname. Stiles is her mother's surname, and I would love to see Julia use it as a first name if her baby is a boy. Stiles is an overlooked option that should appeal to parents searching for something tailored with a preppy feel.
Girl: Celia, Dorothy, Emmeline, Estelle, Lilia, Lyra, Mina, Simone, Sylvie
Boy: Callum, Flynn, Harris, O'Hara, Otis, Ray, Shepherd, Stiles, Thatcher

*Update* Hello, Strummer Newcomb!

Splittable Names for Twins

Abby and Gail
Ame and Lia
Angel and Lina
Anna and Belle
Arri and Anna
Alex and Xander or Alex and Ander
Brooke and Lynn
Chris and Tina
Eliza and Beth
Eva and Lynn or Eve and Lynn
Henry and Etta
Jill and Ian or Gill and Ian
Kate and Lynn
Lily and Ana
Mac and Kenzie
Maddie and Lynn
Mary and Lynn
Rose and Mary
Will and Liam

Contraction Nicknames

What is a contraction nickname you ask? Just like contractions in English, a contraction nickname takes the first part of a name and the last part of the name to form a shorter nickname, sans middle. There are so many great options if you like contraction nicknames--take a look and let me know your favorites!

Ada: Adalia, Adamina, Adara, Adelina, Adina, Adriana
Adele: Adelaide, Adeline
Alexa: Alexandra, Alexandria, Alexandrina, Alexandrita, Alexia
Ana: Anahita, Anala, Anastasia, Andrea, Andromeda, Angela, Angelica, Angelina, Anita, Annabella, Annika, Annissa, Annora, Antonella
Aria: Arcadia, Arcelia, Arianna, Ariella, Arizona, Artemisia
Aura: Aurelia, Aurelina, Aurora
Bay: Bailey
Bea: Beata, Becca, Beeja, Begonia, Belinda, Bellona, Bertha
Bex: Beatrix
Bria: Brianna, Brietta, Brigitta, Britta
Cara: Carlotta, Carolina, Carissa, Carmela, Cassandra
Clara: Claribella, Clarinda, Clarissa
Clea: Clementina, Cleopatra
Corie: Coralie
Dana: Danica, Daniela, Danita
Elsa: Elisa, Eloisa
Emme: Emmanuelle, Emmeline
Eva: Evangelina, Evanthia, Evelina
Fae: Fable, Faustine
Fia: Felicia, Fidelia, Fiona, Fiorella
Gala: Gabriella, Galatea, Galena
Gia: Gardenia. Georgia, Giada, Gianna, Gilda, Giordana, Giovanna, Gisella
Ina: India, Indiana, Indra
Isa: Isabella, Isabetta, Isadora, Isauara, Isla
Jette: Jeanette, Juliette
Jessa: Janessa, Jessamina, Jessica
June: Julianne, Juline, Junelle, Junette, Junine
Lena: Leanna, Leona, Levina
Lia: Lavinia, Lelia, Leocadia, Lilia, Lilianna, Linnea, Liviana
Lola: Lolita, Louella
Lora: Lorena, Lorenza, Lorinda
Lula: Ludmila, Luella
Luna: Luciana
Mia: Maria, Melania, Milada, Milagra, Milena, Miranda, Mireya, Mischa
Mila: Michaela, Milada, Milagra, Milania
Mina: Marina, Martina, Milena, Minerva
Mira: Milagra, Mirabella
Nia: Nabila, Nadia, Nahlia, Natalia, Nelia, Nicasia, Nicola, Nicolina, Nigella, Nina, Nisha
Noa: Nola, Nona, Nora, Nordica, Norma, Novella
Ola: Olida, Olina, Olivia, Olympia
Pia: Pamelia, Pascasia, Patricia, Petunia, Pippa, Piritta, Portia
Pippa: Philippa
Ren: Reagan. Reign
Roma: Romana, Romola
Rory: Rosemary
Rosa: Rosalia, Rosalinda, Rosanna, Rosetta. Rosita
Sara: Sahara, Samara, Samira, Sandra, Sapphira, Sarika
Sia: Sienna, Sierra, Silvana, Simona, Sistina, Sophia, Sophronia, Stephania, Sylvia
Tara: Takara, Tamara
Thea: Theodora, Theodosia, Theresa
Thora: Theodora
Zara: Zahara

10 X Names You Never Thought of Using: Girls

Image Credit

X is a neglected letter for the beginning of names. Sure we love it in the middle or at the end, but X hasn't caught on for starting any names. Hopefully this list will change your mind--I found some great X names.

Xana- The -ana ending may seem boring and overused to some, but beginning with the electric letter X makes Xana exciting and unique.

Xandria- She's a shortening of Alexandria that is usable in her own right. She's perfect for people who love the ending of Alexandria, just not the five syllables.

Xanthe- Xanthe is one of my favorite names. I've loved her for a long time, but she doesn't mesh well with my other top choices. She comes from the Greek word meaning "yellow," and is pronounced (ZAN-thee).

Xanthippe- Most of you probably heard Xanthippe for the first time on Netflix's The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. She goes by Xan on the show, a nickname that makes Xanthippe much more accessible. Would any of you use her?

Xaverie- At first glance, Xaverie looks like a made-up mix of Xavier and Avery, but that's not the case. She's a French and Czech form of Xavier, and a variation of Xaviera. She'd make a great import to America--I could see Xaverie catching on.

Xenobia- Xenobia is another beautiful Greek X name. She's an alternate spelling of the more familiar Zenobia--the middle name of one of Tina Fey's daughters. I can't decide which spelling I prefer, what about you all?

Xia- Add Xia to the list of three letter -ia names for girls. With the popularity of Mia and Lia (and Fia and Pia catching on), Xia is one of the more usable names on this list.

Xiamara- Need a good full name for Xia? Xiamara is a wonderful option. She means "joyful deer" (how cute!), and could always go by the less exotic Mara.

Ximenia- Ximena is the most popular X name for girls at #162 in the top 1000. The one-letter-different  Ximenia doesn't even place. She's a nature name in Spanish--the Ximenia plant produces limes.

Xois- Historically, Xois is the capital of an Egyptian dynasty, but to American ears she just sounds like Lois with an X. She's definitely an unusual appellation, but I like that she comes with the nickname Xoie.

10 A Names You Never Thought of Using: Boys

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Last week we talked about unusual A names for girls, and now it's time for the boys. The boys names in this series will be slightly different than the girls. Due to the lack of variety of boys names, some of the ones listed are in the top 1000. However, they are all below 500. Take a look, and tell me if you'd consider any of them for your own child.


Alaric- Alaric sounds cool, calm, and collected, traits you might want to give to a son.

Alban- Has that popular -an ending. Spell it Alben, and he's another way to get to Ben.

Ansel- I was inspired by my ACT passage on Ansel Adams to put this one on the list. It sounds slightly feminine, but there's an obvious connection, so he wouldn't get confused for a girl.

Anton- Joanna Goddard's baby is named Anton, and it wears very well. I wasn't too keen on it before, but seeing it on an actual baby made me see how useable Anton is.

Argo- Yeah, there's the movie, but Argo would make a fun name for a son. I would wait a few years, until people forget about the movie's catchphrase though.

Arlo- Arlo is Argo's softer, safer cousin. Plus, he fits in with rising names like Marlowe and Harlow.

Asa- Actor Asa Butterfield brought his name back into the spotlight. Even so, some people will think it's a girl name, a la Ava and Ana.

Axton- There's Paxton, Maxton, Braxton, and Jaxton, why not Axton? He's not my favorite name in the world, but he's a good option for parents looking for a name that's unique with trendy sounds.

Aza- Spices up Asa.

Azriel- This Hebrew name is a cool alternative to the overused Gabriel.

Palindrome Names

Ada
Aja
Aleela
Ana
Anina
Anna
Anona
Ara
Asa
Ava
Aviva
Aza
Ede
Elle
Emme
Eve
Hannah
Otto
Oro

Do any of you have a palindrome name?

Share a Coke Names: Part Two

Might as well go with Nell ;) Make one here.

Okay, back for more. To do this post, I looked at all the names they sold in stores in the UK. Turns out it's a lot more. Like, almost five times as more. It took a long time to get all this data, but I've got some interesting observations for you guys. I'm going to list all 1,146 (!) names after the jump, then we can talk about them.

My hand hurt after writing seven pages of this.

Names that end in -anna

Like Name that end in -ana, there are a lot of common names that end in -anna sound. However, these ones are a little less trendy, with the exception of Savannah.

Expected:
Anna
Brianna
Joanna
Hannah
Savannah
Susanna(h)
Julianna

Unique:
Danna
Deanna
Johanna
Leanna

Unheard of:
Indiana
Louisiana
Vanna
Zanna

Names for a Fourth Born

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Hooray! Yesterday, S, My Name is Sophie turned four! To celebrate, we are going to look at names that mean four--perfect for a fourth born child.

Anana- Anana is an African name meaning "fourth born." Ana or Annie would be sweet nicknames.

Chatura- If you are looking for a lovely Indian name for your fourth born daughter, Chatura is the one for you. In my opinion, she could easily be worn on an American baby.

Cuarto- Cuarto means "fourth" in Spanish, and would make a fun middle name for a boy or a girl. If you're brave enough, Cuarto could even be a first name.

Delta- Delta is the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet, and a recent celebrity baby name. All that makes her a subtle and fashionable choice for your fourth born.

Quade- Quade is the Latin word for four, and always on my list of suggestions for Q names. In fact, I talked more about him here.

Quartilla- This Latin beauty is ultra-feminine--ideal for a little princess. If all the frills aren't your thing, you could always use Quade for a girl.

Reba- Reba is definitely the most familiar name on this list, but I bet most of you didn't know that she means "fourth born." The Hebrew name is definitely dated--but she peaked in 1915, so she's due to come back sometime soon.

Shiro- Shiro is a sweet Japanese name meaning "fourth son." Like Chatura, Shiro would definitely work on an American boy.