Full Names for Bo

While I prefer Bo on its own (for either gender), many want a name with more substance. Here are some full names for Bo, for both boys and girls.

Girls:
Boheme
Bohemia
Bolivia
Bonita
Bora

Boys:
Boaz
Boden
Bodhi
Bogart
Bohdan
Bolan
Bolivar
Bolton
Boris
Botan
Bowen
Bowie
Boyce
Boyd
Boyer
Bozrah

Names Ending in -ow(e)

Image Credit

-O names have been in style for a while now. As of 2015, it seems like we have a new trend. Names that end in -ow or -owe--while similar to -o names--have a different feel. There's a real unisex quality to them. Most of these names can be used on a girl or boy. More than a few of them have nature ties, which is also appealing to today's parents. I'm excited about this trend. -ow names have real potential, and I suspect quite a few of these will make it into the top 1000 this year.

Arrow- As a symbol, it's a popular hipster motif--and as a word name, well, he's still a little hipster-ish. With names like Fletcher on the rise, I wouldn't be surprised to meet a baby Arrow (in fact, I have!).

Barlow- I included Barlow in my 10 B Names You Never Thought of Using list, which means he's perfect if you want an under-the-radar, trendy name.

Bowe- Bo and Beau (especially) have been on the rise. A lot of times stylish names get quite a few unique spellings, so I'm surprised no one has thought of using Bowe yet. I think this spelling would work great on girls, but I could see it on a boy as well.

Carlow- Carlow is a college name, as well as an excellent baby name. It would be nice on either gender, and makes a nice alternative to Charlie.

Fallow- Fallow is a light brown color, one that is often used to describe the color of deer. Like it on a girl? You can nickname her Doe or Fawn. 

Harlow- Oh Harlow. People are loving her. She currently ranks at #540, but she is making a steep climb up the charts. Maybe that cute pup on Instagram has something to do with it.

Marlowe- Marlowe is rising extremely quickly. Even though she ranks at #1284, she will definitely make it to the top 1000 this year. Use her while you can, this one is about to get real popular.

Meadow- At one time she may have sounded like a 1960s flower child, but today Meadow makes for a lovely nature pick. She has a sweet quality about her, and in the age of flower names, Meadow seems perfect.

Nowe- I have a couple of problems with this name. They mostly consist of the name is pronounced like the word "no," which would be horribly confusing for a toddler. I can really only justify putting this one in the middle.

Rainbow- Rainbow is similar to Meadow, except I don't think she lost her hippie-chick vibe. Try Rain. Or Bo.

Snow- Snow is a delightful, whimsical name for a winter baby girl. There are princess ties, which can be a plus or a minus for some people.

Sparrow- Bird names are so fun, and I adore Sparrow. Nicole Richie and Joel Madden named their son Sparrow (brother to Harlow), but it works on either gender.

Willow- She's the most popular on this list, coming in at #155. Willow is still on the rise, so I'll bet she breaks the top 100 for 2014. Willow is a very ethereal nature name, and it's easy to see why people love her.

Winslow- Currently, Winslow is used for boys 97% of the time. But, since fewer than five children were given the name last year, I think it is absolutely usable for girls.

Share a Coke Names: Summer 2015

Image Credit

Some of my most-viewed posts profile last summer's Share a Coke campaign (part one, part two). This year, Coca Cola is bringing it back, and they've added tons more names. Here I've listed all the names that didn't appear on the U.S. or U.K. lists last year. It's all after the jump.

Celebrity Baby Name Predictions: Volume 27

As 2018 comes to a close, it’s time to reflect on the year in celebrity baby names. It was an exciting time—three (yes, three!) Kardashians babies were born this year, Chicago, Stormi, and True. Chrissy Teigen and John Legend named their son Miles Theodore, Cardi B and Offset gave their daughter the name Kulture Kiari. Other notable celebrity baby names from 2018 include Colette Koala (Macklemore), Marvel Jane (Pete Wentz) and Rani Rose (Kate Hudson).

Looking ahead, 2019 should be a great year as well. Stars like Jessica Simpson, Carrie Underwood, and Snooki are all expecting new babies in the new year. Amy Schumer, Molly Yeh, and Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are going to become parents for the first time in 2019. So what names will they choose for their babies? I’ve made my predictions for some of them below.

Angela and Alfonso Ribeiro

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Sienna (previous relationship), Alfonso Lincoln, Anders Reyn

Angela and Alfonso Ribeiro’s two sons each have A names—Alfonso and Anders. Now that they’re expecting their third, are they going to make this a pattern? Alfonso’s teenage daughter is named Sienna, so it could be fun to find another S name, especially if the baby is a girl. But even if they don’t choose to do an initial theme, there are plenty of great options for the Ribeiro sibset.
Girl: Adeline, Allegra, Arya, Carolina, Emilia, Isabella, Juliet, Maya, Scarlett, Willow

Boy: Alaric, Axel, Benson, Dexter, Julius, Linus, Lucien, Quincy, Vincent, Winston
*Update* Another A—Ava Sue!

Michelle Mulitz and Ben Feldman

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Charlie Milton

In 2017, Ben Feldman and wife Michelle Mulitz gave their son the name Charlie Milton. Milton is an honor name from Michelle’s side of the family, but Charlie was chosen for its cute-factor. The pair of names makes quite the vintage combination. Should Ben and Michelle try and emulate that style for their next child’s name, they should consider the following.

Girl: Clara, Edie, Eliza, Eloise, Flora, Hazel, Ivy, Jane, Lucy, Ruby, Ruth, Violet

Boy: Eli, Emmett, Finn, George, Gus, Henry, Jack, Levi, Liam, Max, Milo, Theo

Molly Yeh and Nick Hagen

Gender: unknown

Siblings: none

Food blogger and TV personality Molly Yeh is pregnant with her first child. She and her husband Nick are interested in using names or variations of names from their family trees. Molly has Chinese and Jewish roots, while Nick’s ancestors come from northern Europe. This gives them quite a large pool to choose from, and I wouldn’t be surprised if their later sibset ended up with an eclectic feel.

Girl: Anouk, Aviva, Dalia, Ilsa, Joanie, Lia, Liora, Marnie, May, Mina, Roux

Boy: Asa, Asher, Bo, Ira, Isaac, Jack, Jacob, Jonah, Kai, Noam, Pim, Samson
*Update* A little girl—Bernadette Rosemary, called Bernie!

Janet Montgomery and Joe Fox

Gender: unknown

Siblings: none

British actress Janet Montgomery and boyfriend Joe Fox share a dog named Guthrie. Guthrie is a Scottish name in origin, but feels decidedly country-western, thanks in part to singer Woody Guthrie. Cowboy and -girl names are actually some of the fastest rising in England and Wales, so I’d wager that the couple will chose something with some country vibes for their son or daughter.

Girl: Hallie, Harlow, Indie, Josie, Mabel, Paisley, Rosalie, Sadie, Savannah, Skylar

Boy: Brody, Carter, Grayson, Hunter, Jax, Jude, Levi, Lincoln, Maddox, Wyatt
*Update* It's a girl—Sunday Juno!

Jess Weixler and Hamish Brocklebank

Gender: unknown

Siblings: none

Jess Weixler hails from the South—Kentucky, to be exact—while her husband Hamish Brocklebank is from the UK. While it might seem like these two regions would have disparate naming styles, there are some names that overlap. I took names that are rising on the UK charts and also have style cred in the American South to come up with a list of possibilities for Jess and Hamish.

Girl: Callie, Daisy, Ellie, Esme, Georgia, Maisie, Molly, Paisley, Scarlett, Willow

Boy: Benjamin, Gabriel, Grayson, Jackson, Jude, Miles, Rowan, Teddy, Toby
*Update* Welcome, Beatrice Danger!

Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi and Jionni LaValle

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Lorenzo Dominic and Giovanna Marie

Snooki Polizzi and Jionni LaValle are going to welcome their third child in 2019. Based on the names of their oldest two children, odds are that he or she will have a lengthy Italian name, which ties back to their ancestral heritage. I’d love to see them use an up-and-coming Italian name like Antonella or Luciano—their celebrity influence could propel these names into the mainstream.

Girl: Antonella, Bianca, Carina, Daniella, Giorgia, Giuliana, Lucia, Sienna, Viviana

Boy: Antonio, Emilio, Leonardo, Luciano, Marcello, Matteo, Maximo, Nicolo, Santino
*Update* Hello, Angelo James!

Carly Matros and Zachery Bryan

Gender: boy

Siblings: Gemma, Taylor (g), Jordana Nicole

Zachery Bryan was a child star of the ‘90s, and it seems like his naming style might be influenced by that decade. Taylor was a top ten pick for girls from 1993-2000 (peaking at Number 6 from ’94-’96). Jordana has never broken through the top 1000, but the very similar Jordan peaked for girls in 1997 at Number 40. Gemma is somewhat of an outlier in the sibset, as it has currently plateaued around Number 250. Now that Carly and Zachery are expecting a boy, are we going to see this same ‘90s style come through in his name?

Boy: Aiden, Brady, Carson, Clayton, Cody, Dylan, Griffin, Kyle, Lucas, Porter, Ryan
*Update* He's here—Pierce Alexander!

Kayla Rae Reid and Ryan Lochte

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Caiden Zane

Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte and his wife Kayla picked the name Caiden Zane for their son in 2016. It’s a name that’s emblematic of the decade, given the popularity of the -aiden names and affection for high-value Scrabble letters like Z. I expect their next child to have a name that is similarly on-trend and representative of the 2010s.

Girl: Addison, Aubree, Blakely, Brielle, Emerson, Everly, Kinsley, Rylee, Zoey

Boy: Axel, Bentley, Bryson, Colton, Jace, Jaxon, Kingston, Logan, Luke, Maverick
*Update* A girl—Liv Rae!

Same Meaning Sibsets: Part Three

Image Credit

Hello everyone! I have some more same meaning sibsets for you today. If you are into meanings of names, this can be a fun way to coordinate sibsets. Take a look.

Bright
Albert + Clara
Electra, Phaedra, + Xavier
Eileen, Robert + Shirley
Yelena + Ziva

Star
Aster, + Seren
Svetlana + Vesper
Esther, Roxanna, + Stella

Noble
Elke + Freja
Alvin, Eugene, + Ethel
Keefe + Oberon
Allison, Grady, + Patrick
Adele, Alice, + Audrey

Faith
Amina, Fidel + Saladin
Minette + Vera

Handsome
Allen + Beale
Kenneth + Kevin
Bo + Irwin
Hassan + Jamal

Fair
Justin + McKinley
Banning, Finley, + Venn

*Note: Some names may appear on lists for different meanings due to multiple meanings or meanings with more than one part.*

Celebrity Baby Name Suggestions: Volume 5

Chloe Ferres via Desktop Mag

This month's set of celebrity naming styles is very eclectic. There's Katherine Heigl and her husband Josh, who loves honor names; Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher, who famously made Wyatt a unisex name; and Mira Pak and Terrence Howard, who create their own names. We'll have to wait and see if they follow the same technique or take a wildly different approach. For now, these are my predictions for the names of eight upcoming celebrity babies.

Savannah Guthrie and Michael Feldman
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Vale Guthrie (g)
Savannah Guthrie's baby's name was big news the first time around--and not just because she's an NBC anchor. She gave her daughter Vale an interesting and unique name that was very stylish. For baby number two, I bet she'll choose something as equally short and snazzy.
Girl: Bay, Brynn, Cleo, Greer, Lane, Navy, Rae, Romy, Sage, Scout, Seren, Wren
Boy: Beck, Bram, Cord, Drew, Gray, Hart, Joss, Jude, Lake, Lev, Reid, Ryne, Tate
*Update* A little boy! Charles Max, called Charley.

Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Wyatt Isabelle
Where do you go after Wyatt? These gender-bending celebrities are throwing me for a loop. The choices below could probably work for either gender Kutcher baby--Wyatt is just as likely to have a brother or a sister named Sawyer, Walker, or Logan.
Girl: Bo, Darby, Evan, James, Logan, Max, Micah, Noa, Reid, Rory, Sawyer, Shane
Boy: Colton, Dempsey, Grady, Levi, Maddox, Owen, Ryder, Tucker, Walker, Weston
*Update* Hello, Dimitri Portwood!

Katherine Heigl and Josh Kelley
Gender: boy
Siblings: Nancy Leigh "Naleigh" Moon and Adalaide Marie Hope
Katherine Heigl and Josh Kelley love family names. All of daughters' names are of significance, so I'm certain that their little boy will have a meaningful name as well. Naleigh and Adalaide's names heavily honor Katherine's side, so I wouldn't be surprised if Josh's family had the most influence on this baby's name.
Boy: Bishop, Charlie, Cooper, George, Henry, Jasper, John, Paul, Sebastian, Theodore
*Update* Joshua Bishop--another honor-filled name!

Dylan Dreyer and Brian Fichera
Gender: boy
Siblings: none
It's a boy for this NBC News couple--Dylan Dreyer is the meteorologist on the Today Show, and her husband Brian Fichera is a cameraman. I wonder if their professions will play a role in his name--a weather-inspired name, perhaps?
Boy: Aidan, Andrew, Caleb, Charlie, Lucas, Owen, Sam, Skylar, Storm, William, Zachary
*Update* Welcome, Calvin Bradley!

Teresa Palmer and Mark Webber
Gender: boy
Siblings: Isaac Love (Webber's previous marriage), Bodhi Rain
Australian actress Teresa Palmer is going to have a houseful of boys! The couple seems to like pairing mainstream names with bold middles. That being said, I think this little boy might have a tranquil, zen name like his brother Bodhi.
Boy: Asher, August, Finn, Holden, Jude, Julian, Kai, Landon, Nolan, Soren
*Update* Baby boy is Forest!

Mira Pak and Terrence Howard
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Heaven, Hunter, Aubrey (all three from a different marriage), Qirin
Qirin, pronounced like Kieran, is a name that Mira Pak and Terrence Howard created. They were inspired by the Qilin--a Chinese mythical creature. If they go that route again, I've got my bases covered. However, I wouldn't be surprised if the went a completely new, yet just as creative route.
Girl: Ariana, Autumn, Bixie, Chimera, Eden, Melody, Nadia, Scarlett
Boy: Axel, Blaze, Dominic, Gannon, Hayden, Kingston, Talon, Yeren
*Update* It's a boy--welcome Hero!

Vanessa and Kobe Bryant
Gender: girl
Siblings: Natalia, Gianna
It's a third girl for the Bryants! I'm excited to hear how they round out their already fantastic sibset. My guess is they'll go for another feminine, classy choice.
Girl: Allegra, Angelina, Camilla, Cecilia, Eliana, Emilia, Francesca, Lucia, Marina, Victoria
*Update* Bianka Bella--perfect for this sibset!

Short Middle Names: Girls

Image Credit

With Americans' fascination of long, extravagent first names for girls, many parents are looking for something much shorter to put in the middle. I've put together a list of 100 single syllable names for girls, any of them are perfect for the middle position. There's something for everyone on this list, whether you prefer classic, quirky, or cutesy names. Tell me in the comments: which ones would you use?

Anne
Bay
Bee
Belle
Bess
Beth
Bette
Bex
Biet
Bird
Blair
Blake
Blythe
Bo
Bree
Bren
Britt
Brooke
Brynn
Cass
Cat
Claire
Clove
Dell
Dot
Dru
Elle
Em
Eve
Faye
Fleur
France
Gem
Grace
Greer
Gwen
Harp
Hayes
Hope
Jade
Jane
Jean
Jen
Jess
Jette
Jewel
Jill
Jo
Joan
Joss
June
Kate
Kath
Kay
Kit
Lane
Lark
Lee
Lex
Lise
Liv
Lotte
Lou
Lune
Lux
Luz
Lynn
Maeve
Mai
Maude
May
Meg
Mel
Nan
Nell
Noor
Paige
Pearl
Pimm
Plum
Poe
Pomme
Prune
Quinn
Rae
Rose
Roux
Ruth
Scout
Shae
Sloane
Sol
Sue
Tate
Tess
Val
Vale
Viv
Wynne

10 R Names You Never Thought of Using: Girls

Image Credit

This list was one of the most fun to put together. I touched on a lot of different styles, so I hope you find something you like. Enjoy!

Raizel- Raizel is the Yiddish word for Rose, and makes quite a beautiful alternative. With Hazel becoming so popular, I wonder if Raizel will climb the charts.

Reid- Reid is well-used for boys (#258), but only 3% of Reids are female. I think Reid makes a great, preppy choice for a daugher (she was on my list for a long time). I wouldn't be surprised if it became a more unisex choice.

Reverie- Chances are, if you've heard of the name Reverie, you've heard of Girls Gone Child. One of Rebecca's twins is Reverie, called Revi (and the other, Boheme, called Bo). She's a lovely word name with a fantastic meaning--I'm jealous I didn't think of it myself.

Rhonwen- She's a gorgeous Welsh name that would work well in America. Rhonwen is perfect for parents looking for a name that's feminine, but not too "girly."

Ripley- Ripley is an andro-girly name that is rising quickly. She is well-below the top 1000, but in the next couple of years she could make a breakthrough. Ripley is one to watch.

Roma- Roman and Romeo are red hot, so why isn't Roma? She makes for a very romantic choice.

Romilly- Romilly is fairly well-known in the baby name community, but rarely anyone else has ever heard of her. She fits in with many naming styles, making her an excellent choice for a first-born.

Romy- She's originally a diminutive of Rosemary, but I also like Romy as a nickname for Romilly. If you prefer her as is, she would make a great sister name for your daughter Reid.

Rooney- This Irish surname was brought into the spotlight by the lovely actress Rooney Mara. She made her name an accessible choice for girls, and a stylish one at that.

Roxy- Although her fuller forms are not currently in style, Roxy hits all the trends. She's a vintage, tough-yet-feminine nickname with a lot of spunk.

10 B Names You Never Thought of Using: Girls

Image Credit

Time for the latest installment of this Wednesday series. Today we are looking at B names for girls. The most popular ones are Brooklyn, Bella, Bailey, and Brianna, which I consider overused. There are so many great options out there, so lets take a look.

Beah- She sounds like Leah with a B, and makes a great nickname for Beatrice or Beatrix.

Bergen- Many consider this a boy name, but the Bergen I know is a girl, and she wears it well.

Beryl- I fell in love with Beryl after reading A Taxonomy of Barnacles (I know it doesn't sound like it, but it's a novel). Slightly old-fashioned, but full of charm.

Bijou- One of the best water related names, along with Bay.

Bird- Super fun. Use it as the first name and call her Birdie, or stick it in the middle to make a more popular name spunky.

Blanca- She would make a great sister to Sofia.

Boheme- Girls Gone Child's Rebecca Woolf gave this name to one of her twins. She goes by Bo, which is super cute on a girl.

Bonita- Bonita means pretty in Spanish. She's a great choice if you want a girly name with a tomboyish nickname.

Britta- Bridget feels slightly dated, but Britta would be perfect for a baby.

Bronte- A gorgeous literary name, she would sound wonderful as a first or middle.

10 Czech Names You Never Thought of Using: Boys

Marcus Szabo via Dribbble

Most people you meet will not be able to give you an example of a Czech name. To be honest, before I wrote this post, I couldn't either! Smaller countries like the Czech Republic are often overlooked when it comes to name nationalities, but that shouldn't be the case. So many Czech names could (and should) be embraced by the general population, and I've got ten of them here to tell you about. Take a look.

Andel- Andel might be the Czech form of Angel, but in the US, he'd definitely be considered one of the many And- names. Even though he does sound a bit exotic, the popularity of those aforementioned And- names will help a little Andel fit right in.

Artis- Have people gotten on board with the nickname Art yet? He's very distinguished and poised, but has that fun old-man-chic feel for a little boy. Even if Arthur's not you're style, I think Art is a nickname to consider. The Czech name Artis makes the perfect full name. It's also the real first name of popular rapper Coolio.

Bohdan- Bohdan is a Czech and Ukranian name that may be related to Donald. In the Ukraine, he's pronounced bo-DAHN, but most Americans will put the stress on the first syllable, thanks to similar trendy names like Bodhi and Boden. Whatever way you choose to pronounce him, Bohdan makes a lovely import into the American name pool.

Jiri- The previous names might be great at blending in, but Jiri feels decidedly more Czech. This sweet, upbeat name is a variation of George. Much like Jory, I think Jiri works well on his own as well as a nickname for the more classic George.

Kafka- No matter which way you slice it, Kafka is most certainly a namesake name. Franz Kafka, the most notable wearer, authored such 20th century classic as The Metamorphoses. However, Japanese author Haruki Murakami moved Kafka into first-name territory when he gave the name to the main character of his (fittingly named) book Kafka on the Shore.

Leos- Altough Leos peaked in the '60s in the Czech Republic, he feels very current for an American baby. That's probably due to the fact that the Leo- names are super stylish right now. From Leonardo to Leopold, Americans are loving all variations of Leo. Leos seems like another one of the boys. Possible element of confusion: in most of Europe, he's pronounced LAY-os.

Ludek- Ludek is a Czech variation of Louis, but he strikes me as a great alternative to the ever-popular Luke. He has all the same sounds (and then some), and can even go by Lou. Ludek is easy to say and spell, yet still has an exotic feel. What more could you want?

Otokar- Otokar is Czech name that comes from the ancient German name Odovacar. The historical Odovacar was a Gothic ruler who became the King of Italy. Otokar is a much more wearable name, and he's an easy way to get to Otto.

Radko- Radko is a very fun name that means "happy." I love the fact that he has the word "rad" inside him (that'd make a cool nickname), and I can definitely see him catching on in the US. For those of you worried about Rocco's current rise, Radko could be an alternate option.

Vit- Vit is a perennial Czech favorite, having ranked in the top 40 for almost 40 years. He traditionally comes from the name Vitus, but the Czechs have since abandoned that for simply Vit. He might be a little short for American standards, so I urge you to consider Vit as a nickname for Victor.

Best Unisex Names for Boys

Buy the print here, via Ebay

This list surprised me in many ways. The first is by some of the names. I never would have guessed that names like Dominique, Kimball, and Wynn are all more popular for boys (to be fair, they're all pretty close in terms of boy/girl usage). Second, this list is quite a bit longer than Monday's. I would have thought that there are more unisex names that are considered "for girls" rather than the other way around. Granted, I couldn't have thought of every unisex name, so there still could be more "girlish" ones, I suppose. Let me know what you think--are all of these better suited for the boys?

Abbott
Adrian
Aiden
Alex
Anchor
Angel
Ari
Ash
Ashton
Birch
Bo
Brady
Brighton
Cameron
Carlton
Casey
Cedar
Charlie
Chris
Christian
Cove
Dallas
Daryl
Devin
Dominique
Doran
Drew
Dylan
Elliot
Ellis
Evan
Gardner
Garland
Glenn
Gray
Finn
Flynn
Hart
Hayden
Jazz
Jordan
Jory
Joss
Justus
Keegan
Kimball
Kyle
Lake
Lane
Lincoln
Logan
Linden
Maguire
Mercer
Micah
Nico
Noel
North
Oak
Oakley
Parker
Paxton
Phoenix
Quincy
Ray
Reece
Reid
Ren
Rio
River
Rory
Rowan
Ryan
Sacha
Sam
Samar
Sawyer
Sean
Storm
Tate
Terry
Toby
Tony
True
Tyler
Wynn

Short Middle Names: Boys

Image Credit

Happy August! After writing my post on Middle Name Statistics, I became obsessed over middle names. So, I've designated August as Middle Name Month. All month long we will be talking about middle names (with the exception of Wednesdays--our series will continue). Let's start off with 100 single syllable names for boys.

Ash
Bas
Beck
Blaine
Blake
Bo
Bram
Brooks
Cal
Charles
Clay
Cliff
Clyde
Dash
Dex
Drake
Eames
Ed
Finn
Fitz
Fritz
Fox
Gabe
George
Gray
Gus
Hal
Hall
Hank
Hart
Hayes
Heath
Huck
Hugh
Jack
James
Jay
Jed
Jem
Jet
Joe
John
Joss
Jude
Jules
Kai
Keats
King
Knox
Lane
Lars
Lee
Leif
Lex
Link
Lou
Mack
Max
Mead
Mo
Nash
Nat
Ned
Neil
Pax
Penn
Pierce
Pip
Quinn
Rafe
Ray
Reid
Rex
Rhodes
Rhys
Ridge
Rome
Royce
Sal
Sam
Shaw
Teague
Thane
Thijs
Todd
Tor
True
Van
Venn
Walt
Webb
Wes
Wolf
Xan
Yale
Yann
York
Zed
Zeus

If I Could Name 100 Girls...

They would be named... (in no particular order)

1. Nell
2. North
3. Clementine
4. Elsa
5. Frances
6. Nancy
7. Vivian
8. Bay
9. Hazel
10. Orla
11. Carys
12. Joanna
13. Amelie
14. Eloise
15. Effie
16. Harriet
17. Lilith
18. Nona
19. Olive
20. Paloma
21. Quincy
22. Reagan
23. Sloane
24. Solange
25. Sidney
26. Tillie
27. Tait
28. Walker
29. Andromeda
30. Bo
31. Flora
32. Fiona
33. Lucy
34. Louise
35. Blythe
36. Blake
37. Blair
38. Clara
39. Imogen
40. Hayes
41. Pimm
42. Romilly
43. Ingrid
44. Meryl
45. Gianna
46. Lane
47. Betty
48. April
49. Grey
50. Edith
51. Reid
52. Felicity
53. Adele
54. Adelaide
55. Georgia
56. Pippa
57. Poppy
58. Violet
59. Eliza
60. Lola
61. Simone
62. Audrey
63. Cornelia
64. Phoebe
65. Chevron
66. Rue
67. Holland
68. Vienna
69. Cicily
70. Sephora
71. Gemma
72. Birdie
73. Sadie
74. Reverie
75. Peony
76. Coral
77. Summer
78. Ruth
79. Mabel
80. Fawn
81. Beatrice
82. Alice
83. Marina
84. Flair
85. June
86. March
87. Helena
88. Miriam
89. Pearl
90. Clover
91. Clio
92. Evie
93. Stella
94. Anja
95. Irene
96. Leonie
97. Kit
98. Zoey
99. Anabel
100. Paige

Hidden Names

Image Credit

It's always fun to think of clever ways to name twins (or siblings, for that matter). One possible way to do it is to give one child a long name, and the other child a short name that fits inside. I call this "Hidden Names." To qualify as a Hidden Name, the short name must fit entirely inside the longer one, with at least one letter at either end. There are obviously a lot of Hidden Name sets out there, so I chose the one that make the best sibsets. Take a look, and tell me if you think of any more.

Boy/Boy:
Abbott and Bo
Benedict and Ned

Girl/Girl:
Amaryllis and Mary
Belinda and Elin
Charlotte and Harlo
Eloise and Lois
Gardenia and Arden
Genevieve and Evie
Guinevere and Neve
Isabella and Sabel
Lainey and Aine
Madelena and Adele
Reverie and Eve

Girl/Boy:
Aidan and Ida
Carlotta and Arlo
Eleonora and Leo
Faustina and Austin
Florence and Oren
Lelia and Eli
Michaela and Chae
Mirabel and Ira
Nicolina and Colin
Sabella and Abel
Everard and Vera

Dog Names for Babies?

Brent Schoepf via Dribbble

I've been thinking non-stop about dog names since we just got a puppy a week ago. When coming up with a name for the little guy, I was adament about giving him a name that didn't sound too "dog like," (aka, not Fido or Rover). I wanted him to have a real name. A person name. We ended up calling him Fisher, and it's really the perfect name for him. It's not too dog like, and it's not too common among animals or people (it ranked #799 last year). However, this whole situation got me wondering: if we like people names for pets, what about pet names for people? Are they off-limits or fair game?

Beau- Beau was the quintessential dog name for a while, but ever since the early 2000s, he's been climbing up the charts for baby boys. Alternate spelling Bo is also on the rise (and is the name of the Obama's dog). Beau definitely works for both dogs and babies.

Boomer- I was hesitant to include Boomer on this list, because--much like Fido and Rover--I thought he had absolutely no potential as a baby name. But Michael Phelps gave the name to his son a couple weeks ago, which changes things. My brother has been telling me forever to expect a nephew named Boomer in a dozen years or so (Beau also makes his list). I've always thought it was to annoy me with its non-nameness, but who knows, maybe he sees the future of baby names. Do you think Boomer could be a hit in 2028?

Coco- Coco is a name I have my eye on. I've seen a couple of bloggers and other tastemakers use the name recently, and I think it wears really well. They are often ahead of the curve by many years though, so I suspect we'll see a big Coco rise in around 3-5 years.

Duke- Duke still feels decidedly doggish to me, but I'm curious to hear what you all think. He came back into the top 1000 in 2013, and is on the rise, along with many other royal names. Giuliana and Bill Rancic have a son named Duke, which may be inspriring many parents to go for it with their baby as opposed to their dog.

Huck- Huck is a sweet nickname-y name whose most obvious full form is Huckleberry. It makes sense that parents would want to skip over that, and just give the name to their pet instead. However, I'm more of a fan when it's used on a baby. There are plenty of full name options besides Huckleberry, as illustrated here.

Murphy- Fun loving, Irish surname Murphy has always been common among pets, but dropped out of the top 1000 for baby boys in 1956. These days I can see Murphy working for a baby boy or girl, especially in this era of last-names-first.

Rex- Rex may seem like the classic dog name, but he's actually not too popular among pooches or people. I am a big champion of using Rex on babies--he's the perfect alternative to Max! Plus, he's actually fallen lately in popularity. Rex is currently at #682, down from a peak of #617 in 2011.

Roscoe- Hipster favorite Roscoe is currently a hit for dogs, and I suspect the number of children and pets with the name will only go up. He really is a fun and sweet name--I wouldn't be surprised to see him break the top 1000 in the next few years.

Roxy- Roxy (or Roxie, if you're a Broadway fan) is not used as often on babies as she is on pets, most likely because her most obvious full name is the outdated Roxanne. However, she'd work just as well as a nickname for any of the Rose names, or even names like Aurora and Veronica.

Scout- All the buzz about To Kill a Mockingbird and Go Set a Watchman led to increased interest in the name Scout, but I can't tell if it's going to stick or not. For a long time, Scout sounded too wordy to bestow on a child (i.e.: perfect for the dog), but I think she's a totally viable choice nowadays.

Thor- People love to give their dogs slightly comical names, which is why you meet many a small dog named Thor. This is one of the few that I would not give to child--I think it's best for the family pet. Try the variation Tor instead.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As you may have noticed, I'm taking a lighter summer schedule. Regular posting should resume in October, when I go back to school.