10 Dutch Names You Never Thought of Using: Boys

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We're talking about Dutch names for boys today--this list is full of short and sweet choices perfect for nicknames or own their own. Let me know your favorites in the comments.

Arjan- Arjan (pronounced AHR-yahn) is the attractive Dutch form of Adrian. Speaking of Adrian, he's at an all time high right now at #59, so Arjan makes a nice alternative if you want something less popular. Arje is a sweet nickname possibility.

Bas- Bas is quite trendy in the Netherlands, both on his own, and as a nickname for such names as Sebastiaan and Bastiaan--the Dutch variations of Sebastian and Bastian. Another, much more American spelling is Baz, which you might recognize as the name of esteemed director Baz Luhrmann.

Bram- Bram is a lovely choice--one of my very favorites. He's the Netherlands' answer to Abraham, and feels decidedly more modern. The Dutch can't get enough of Bram--he ranks #2 over there. Bram makes for an incredibly easy import into the United States. With names like Graham starting to make their way up the charts, I wouldn't be surprised to see Bram crack the top 1000 sooner or later. So grab him while he's fresh!

Mies- Calling all you nature mamas and papas: Mies means "son of the earth"--perfect for the child of planet-loving parents. He's originally short for Bartholomeus, meaning he could work as a nickname for Bartholomew, assuming you're not a fan of Bart.

Pim- It's no secret I love Pimm--for a girl. Well, the masculine form, Pim is a Dutch nickname for Willem and just almost as cute. If you're not feeling Will, Billy, or even Liam as a nickname for William, Pim is an intriguing and very unexpected option.

Rem- Unlike the Dutch, most American parents won't consider a name as short as Rem stand-alone. Fortunately, he can act as a nickname for Jeremy, Remington, and the like. Rem is a bit more masculine than the unisex Remy, if you are searching for an alternative.

Roel- Roel is the Dutch form of Roland--pronounced like "rule" in the Netherlands, but more likely "role" in America. He's a classy way to honor a Joel, Roland, Rudolph, or Orlando in your life.

Rutger- Rutger comes from Roger, and could be used as a contemporary update for him. Rutger could also be a fun way to honor your alma mater, provided you went to Rutgers University. The University in New Jersey was named after Colonel Henry Rutgers, who fought in the Revolutionary War.

Sander- Sander is the Dutch and Scandinavian nickname for Alexander, although he is considered a name in his own right as well. Sander, or even more so, Sanders would make an extremely topical choice right now, considering the impending presidential election, and Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders.

Thijs- Thijs (pronounced like "twice" without the "W") is another Dutch favorite, ranking at #15. He comes from Matthijs, the Netherlands' variation of Matthew. News anchor Matt Lauer subtly honored himself by naming his son Thijs--something only a name enthusiast would notice.


Happy Thanksgiving to all my American readers! I'm taking Friday off for the holiday weekend--see you next week!

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. 

10 S Names You Never Thought of Using: Boys

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What's your favorite S name for boys? I've been loving Soren lately. At #652, he's a smidge too popular to put on this list, and I'd say he's fairly well known. Instead, I have 10 names that don't appear in the top 1000 at all, and maybe even a few names you've never heard of. Tell me what you think.

Salinger- What better way to pay tribute to your favorite author than by giving your child their name? Salinger is one of my favorite literary heroes, and with names like Sullivan and Sebastian so popular, he seems to fit.

Sander- Alexander is a great name, but do you really want your son to be another Alex? Sander is the perfect nickname (and your son won't be Sander H. in the classroom). If you're not a big fan of Alexander, you can use Sander on his own, or as a nickname for Lysander.

Sanford- Looking for a cool way to get to Ford? Take a look at Sanford. He ranks at #5247, and has never made it above the top 400. Sanford is pretty close to Stanford though, so be prepared for some confusion.

Sasha- The boys are taking Sasha back. He's been used by many a celebrity (the most recent one being Shakira). Sasha has been falling for girls, but I expect to see an even sharper decline now that we've seen him on so many boys.

Satchel- I think Satchel is adorable. He's technically a word name--I believe it's a type of backpack in Europe (?)--but most Americans won't have that association.

Shaw- All those '80s babies named Sean are starting families. It can be fun to honor yourself with your child's name, but Shawna isn't really your style. The best way to honor Dad (or Mom, possibly) is Shaw. He's a simple, modern, and unique pick for a son.

Shepherd- Occupation names are all the rage, but Shepherd hasn't garnered much attention. He has a very sweet sound (and how cute would a sheep themed nursery be?). You can also spell it Shepard, but Shepherd is the original occupation spelling.

Simeon- Sure, Simon is cute, but depending on where you live there are three on every block. Simeon is a similar Hebrew name that is only at #1064.

Sorrel- Are you worried about Soren becoming insanely popular overnight, too? Welcome to the club. I don't love Sorrel quite as much as Soren, but he is my favorite of the list.

Stellan- I talked about Stellan in one of my first posts (apologies for the bad spelling/grammar). He's a fantastic name, especially if you love Stella, but not her popularity.

Nicknames for Alexander

Alexander is one of the most popular boys names in the country. He has so many nickname possibilities, yet most kids will go by Alex or Xander. Here are some more creative choices.

Alec
Alex
Anders
Lex
Sander
Sandy
Sasha
Xander
Zan

Useable Anagram Names for Twins

These days, a lot of people want their twins names to have some sort of connection. Anagram names are a good way to do that. Not every anagram set is a good one though. Heaven and Nevaeh are too matchy, but Blair and Libra aren't the same style. Or you love Nora, but hate the spelling Aron. I have compiled a list of the best anagram names for twins, based mostly off of style. Are there any others you like?

Abe and Bea
Adeline and Delanie
Adelina and Daniela
Aileen and Elaine
Alice and Celia
Alan and Lana
Allen and Nella
Allie and Leila
Ally and Lyla
Anders and Sander
Anja and Jana
Ari and Ira
Arlo and Lora
Arlo and Orla
Arnold and Ronald
Axel and Lexa
Bellamy and Maybell
Blake and Kaleb
Byron and Robyn
Carlie and Claire
Carmela and Marcela
Caroline and Cornelia
Chaz and Zach
Clay and Lacy
Dean and Edna
Diana and Nadia
Dianne and Nadine
Dolly and Lloyd
Dot and Tod
Elin and Leni
Eliott and Lottie
Ellen and Nelle
Elmer and Merle
Elodia and Odelia
Erika and Kiera
Ernie and Irene
Forest and Foster
Hale and Leah
Iris and Siri
Jonas and Sonja
Liam and Mila
Lileas and Sallie
Lissa and Silas
Leonie and Noelie
Lorna and Rolan
Marisa and Samira
Maxine and Ximena
Orlando and Ronaldo