Geography Names: State Names

We did State Capital Names, but what about the states themselves? These are a perfect way to honor your heritage.

Expected:
Carolina- A nice, fresher take on Caroline.
Dakota- Literally the most unisex name out there- split 50/50.
Georgia- My favorite of this list, she's so sweet and lovely.
Indiana- It works for either gender, if you consider Indiana Jones. Indy/Indie is a cute nickname.
Rhode(s)- You probably have to tack an "S" on the end to make it work, but Rhodes sounds simple and clean.
Virginia- Due for a comeback, and ripe with nicknames.

Unique:
Alaska- Made usable by John Green's popular book- Looking for Alaska
California-Also wearable on both genders, call them Cal or Cali/Callie.
Florida- Better than you think, and comes with the nickname Flora.
Louisiana- A mouthful, but an interesting option for Lulu.
Maine- Crisp and clean. Makes a wonderful middle name for a son.
Tennessee- New celebrity baby name, but still outlandish.
York- Preppy and cool.

Unheard of:
Alabama- Only if you're from Alabama, please.
Arizona- Does the nickname Ari make this one usable?
Colorado- Conjures up images of ski slopes, but I prefer Aspen.
Hampshire- Very cool choice. Only downfall (or plus side)- no nicknames.
Montana- Unexpected, but not too out-there.
Nevada- Better than Vegas, but still a little tacky.
Washington- He might be too much for a little boy to handle. Stick him in the middle.

10 Native American Names You Never Thought of Using: Boys

Julia Kuo via Dribbble

Did you all catch the girls list a couple weeks back? I know you've been eagerly awaiting the boys installment, and now I finally have it for you. Like I said before, one of the best parts about Native American names are their meanings, which are oftentimes related to nature. Those of you who like subtle nature names, one from a Native American tribe could be perfect for your little one.

Alo- Alo comes from the Hopi tribe, which are native to Southwestern America. He means "spirit guide" in the Hopi language. Alo is also an Estonian nickname for Alexander, if you prefer a longer name.

Ashkii- With the easy-access nickname Ash, Ashkii would be a great name for a 2016 baby. He's a Navajo name that means simply "boy." Ashkii is upbeat and very stylish--I'd love to see more people embrace him.

Ciye- Ciye is an Apache name, which, like the Hopi, come from the Southwest. He's pronounced like Cy, and means "my son."

Dzemi- Are silent D names the latest sub-trend? While not everyone is doing it, I have been seeing more and more of them pop up. Dzemi might be my new favorite. He's got a modern sound and an enticing look.

Kenai- Striking Kenai is a unisex name from the Dena'ina language. I think it could work well on either gender, but the strong sound (it's pronounced KEY-nai) and nickname option Kai makes it lean slightly masculine in my opinion. Kenai also has a nature connection: the Kenai Fjords are located in Alaska.

Lautaro- Lautaro is from the Mapuche tribe, which originated in southern Chile and Argentina. It was the name of a famous Mapuche military leader who died honorably defending his tribe against Spanish colonizers. Lautaro is an incredibly handsome name, and one I can picture on a man of any age.

Manteo- Does Matteo's ever increasing popularity have you reconsidering? Why not use Manteo instead? He's virtually unused, but is very similar in terms of looks and sound. The only potential downside is that he would indeed get confused for Matteo at times.

Miko- Most people know Miko as a Japanese unisex name, but it also has roots in the Chickasaw language. In this southeastern tribe, Miko is a strictly male name, and means "cheif."

Nahuel- Like Lautaro, Nahuel is a Mapuche name with an animal meaning. Lautaro means "swift hawk" and Nahuel means "jaguar." How's that for a cohesive sibset?

Zolin- Zolin may sound like a modern invention, but he's actually an Aztec name from the Nahuatl language. Like many Native American names, he has an animal meaning--"quail."

Chicago Names: City Streets

I'm all about subtle honor names--names that honor someone in a way that isn't obvious or flashy. Using the name of the street such honoree grew up on definitely fits into the "subtle honor" category. In fact, I have the name of the street I was born on on my short list for potential middles. Today I'm featuring Chicago street name--this is the city I live in, after all. I would love to make this a series to compare street names of cities around the country. Let me know which city you'd like to be featured next!

Food Names: Desserts

Did you all have a good Thanksgiving? To finish up our mini-series, we are going to profile names of the final course- dessert. What better than to name your baby after your favorite treat? Here's some inspiration.

Expected:
Angel- For Angel Food Cake. Better on a boy.
Ginger- Gingersnaps and Gingerbread. Second time this week that we've talked about Ginger. She's darling.
Honey- Save this one for a nickname.
Madeleine- Classic, but sounding trendy because of all the Mad- and Add- names.

Unique:
Ambrosia- A little over the top.
Boston- After Boston Cream Pie. Love it on a boy, very unique.
Cookie- I wouldn't.
Suzette- For Crepes Suzette. A little dated, but Suzie makes her cooler.

Unheard of:
Alaska- Very cool and under the radar.
Blondie- Reserved for '80s pop singers only.
Éclair- A "sweet" way to get to Clair or Clary.
Tiramisu- If you are very brave, this could be an option. Susie is a cute nickname.

Long Middle Names: Girls

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Long middle names can sound quite fantastical on girls, especially when paired with a long first name. But even if the first name is relatively short, the long middle name always does a nice job of balancing it out. I have 100 three syllable names that make lovely middle names for you to look at today. Of course, there are many more that did not make this list, so tell me--on this list or otherwise--what's your favorite long middle name for a girl?

Abigail
Alaska
Alouette
Alyssa
Amandine
Amelie
Anais
Annabel
Anneliese
Ariel
Augusta
Aurora
Beatrice
Bonita
Cameo
Carissa
Carmela
Cassandra
Cecilia
Celestine
Clarissa
Claudia
Clementine
Coralie
Dahlia
Dominique
Elena
Eloise
Emily
Eulalie
Francesca
Gabrielle
Geneva
Genevieve
Gloria
Helena
Hollister
Imogen
Isabeau
Joanna
Josephine
Jubilee
Juliette
Juniper
Kerensa
Keziah
Lavender
Leona
Liatris
Lilia
Linnea
Lolita
Louisa
Lucinda
Madigan
Margaret
Maria
Marigold
Marina
Marisol
Melody
Meredith
Mignonette
Mirabel
Naomi
Nigella
Ottilie
Paloma
Peridot
Pomeline
Querida
Quintessa
Reverie
Romilly
Rosalie
Rosemary
Salome
Santana
Saskia
Sienna
Sierra
Simona
Sophia
Umbria
Verity
Veronique
Vienna
Viola
Violet
Virginia
Vivian
Ximena
Zahara
Zinnia