10 Hawaiian Names You Never Thought of Using: Boys

via Nick Mealey on Dribbble

It's been a couple weeks since our last "10 Names" post, so today we are picking up where we left off--halfway through Hawaiiian names. Today's post is all about the boys. Let me know, which ones are your favorites?

Akoni- Handsome Akoni comes from Anakoni--the Hawaiian version of Anthony. If you're looking for a fresh spin on a classic name, Akoni is a great one to consider. Musician Tariqh Akoni could be a possible namesake.

Holokai- Holokai means "seafarer," making him the perfect name for your beach babe! He's an extremely uncommon name (even in Hawaii), but is the name of multiple boating companies in Oahu. Holokai is wonderful if you want a longer name for Kai, or an unusual alternative to Malachi.

Kahua- Bring on the K names! Kahua is a lovely name, though unfortunately, not much is known about him. He has that quintessential Hawaiian sound, and would be a practically unique choice for a son.

Kainoa- Why choose between two trendy names when you can have them both? Kainoa blends current favorites Noah and Kai into one dazzling (and legitimate!) name. He means "sea of freedom."

Kaleo- You can't go wrong with a name as tailored and suave as Kaleo. The -leo suffix is right on trend (although in this case, it's pronounced as LAY-oh). Kaleo was given to only 52 boys last year, so he's the perfect under-the-radar pick.

Kealoha- The best part about Kealoha is word "aloha" right at the end. You can't get more Hawaiian than that. He means "the loved one," which is just about the sweetest it can be. Plus, he was given to fewer than five babies last year, for those of you who like uncommon names.

Kimo- Kimo is the Hawaiian form of James. His looks perfect on paper--not too long, easy to pronounce, etc--but my only hesitation is that he sounds like "chemo," That might be a deal-breaker for me, but what do you guys think?

Koa- Koa is the most popular name on this list, with 110 uses in 2014. He's the perfect under-the-radar pick for a baby of today, with similar sounding Noah so popular. Koa is also the name of a native Hawaiian tree, and means "warrior."

Lui- Lovable Lui is Hawaii's variation of Louis. He's pronounced like Louie, but his alternate spelling gives him some Polynesian flair. Lui is also sometimes used in Denmark and China, making him quite the multicultural name.

Makeo- At #106 and rising, Mateo is on the verge of being too popular. However, his Hawaiian cousin, Makeo is practically unheard of. He's an ideal substitute. Keo would work nicely as a nickname.

Month Names: January

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Happy New Year everybody! I'm so glad it's finally 2015. It's going to be a good year, I can feel it. If you're having a baby this month, consider sneaking a January-related name in the choice pool. I have a lot of great options for you.

Birthstone: 
Garnet- Garnet is a great gemstone name, and one of the few that works better on boys.

Birth Flower:
Camellia- Camellia is a beautiful name on her own, but you can also call her Cammie.
Carnation- I'm not sure how usable Carnation is as a name. You could call her Carnie?
Plum Blossom- In China, January's flower is the Plum Blossom. You might not want to use them as a set, but Plum or Blossom make fun names on their own.
Snowdrop- Snowdrop doesn't really work as a name, but there are names that are related to snow, like Neve.

Birth Colors: 
Black- Black itself isn't a name, but Ebony, Jet, Noir, and Onyx are.
Dark Blue- We went over dark blue names in November. I stand by my picks of Cobalt, Indigo, and Navy.

Star Sign:
Aquarius- Aquarius means water bearer, so a water name like Bay, Lake, or Oceane would be perfect.
Capricorn- Last month I suggested Caprice as an option. Does it work?

Related to January:
Jan Names- Most of the Jan- names are not in style, but Jane, January, and Janson are in vogue.
Winter- Winter is in full swing, why not name your daughter after her birth season?

10 Portuguese Names You Never Thought of Using: Boys

Nilo Sadi via Dribbble

Portuguese is the third most common language in the world, yet compared to other cultures, they have relatively few uniquely Portuguese names. Many names have roots in both Spain and Portugal, neighboring countries with somewhat similar languages. However, these names are used all around the world, mostly in the countries that speak Portuguese natively. Go to Brazil, Mozambique, or even some parts of India, and these names will not seem so rare. But the U.S. hasn't quite jumped on the Portuguese name bandwagon yet, so I have a few suggestions to get us started.

Bento- Ask any American what they think of when they hear the word "bento" and they will respond with "bento box." While this Japanese style of lunch might inspire a few Bentos (though, it's more commonly heard on pets), chances are, if you meet a Bento, his name is the Portuguese variation of Ben.

Breno- Breno is the Portuguese form of Brennus, a Celtic name that insinuates royalty. He's a little less foodie than Bento, but more exotic than Ben. Breno Borges is a Portuguese footballer, and probably the namesake for many a Breno.

Carmo- In Portugal, Carmo is a unisex name, although it does come from the female name Carmel. The -o ending makes it read masculine to me, so I would choose to use Carmo on a boy. The original name, Carmel, means "garden" in Hebrew, and has ties to the Virgin Mary.

Isdro- Is- names are heating up for boys (possibly the next mini-trend?) and Isdro is a great one to add to that list. He's a more contemporary-sounding variation of Isidore, a name that hasn't been in the top 1000 since the 1920s. You could call your Isdro by the unisex nickname Izzy, but I also like the sound of Dro.

Leandro- Most American readers will want to pronounce Leandro the Spanish way--lee-ANN-droh. The Portuguese version varies only slightly--lee-AHN-droo--like adding an extra syllable to Andrew. He currently ranks at #784. I'll be curious to see if that number goes up this Spring.

Matteus- Matthew is one of those names that has a variant everywhere you go, and Portugal is no exception. Matteus is one of my favorite ones. He's short, easy to say, and a global pick--that's right, he also has roots in Norway and Sweden.

Nilo- Bored by the dated and frankly overused nicknames for Daniel? Use Nilo instead. He's a Spanish/Portuguese (and possibly Finnish?) diminutive, and the perfect length for a nickname. So there's no confusion, he does not rhyme with Milo, he sounds like NEE-low.

Rui- Speaking of global names, how about Rui? Surprisingly enough, he's used in Portugal, Japan, and China. However, he's most popular in Portugal, where he's ranked #52 (but falling). The Portuguese version is a variation of Roderick, which means "famous ruler."

Sansao- Sansao is my favorite name of today's list. He's uniquely Portuguese--their version of Samson--and I think he'd make a great American import. With Samson rising in popularity, I can definitely see Sansao becoming a more mainstream choice--if only he can get on peoples' radar screens.

Urbano- The name Urban would be so appealing, but I fear it's one of those word names that will never catch on, simply because he's too "wordy." But I can picture Urbano being a hit. He has an exotic yet familiar sound, and the wordiness of Urban is cut by the extra syllable. Two thumbs up for Urbano.

10 Vietnamese Names You Never Thought of Using: Boys

Brian C. Allen via Dribbble

This is one of my favorite series on the blog. I love introducing you guys to names from cultures you never would have considered for naming inspiration. Like I said last week, I think Vietnamese names are perfect for American use. There are so many of them out there, but I picked ten of my favorites that I would love to hear on a little boy.

An- An is both a Chinese and a Vietnamese name. He's simple (though possibly too breif for some parents) but more than usable in the US. An means "peace."

Bao- Bao is a Vietnamese name meaning "protection" or "security." In China, Bao is mostly a feminine name, though sometimes used on boys as well. One possible downside: the word bao means "bun," and is heard in many a restaurant.

Binh- Like An, Binh means "peace." Binh is one of my favorites on this list--he sounds so sweet and lovely. If you don't love short first names, he'd make a great middle.

Lanh- I don't put much stock into name meanings, so I think of it as a bonus when a nice name has a meaning to match. Lanh is just that type of name. He means "happy, good, and gentle"--you can't get much better than that.

Minh- Speaking of names with good meanings, take a look at Minh! He means "bright and intelligent"--a brother name for Sophia perhaps?

Nguyen- Americans love surname names, so why not use the most common Vietnamese surname as a first? Many people will object to his pronunciation (and it varies by location), but the most common are "new-wen" or simply "wen."

Quyen- Quyen might be the most import friendly name on this list. Sure, his spelling looks daunting, but he's actually pronounced very much like Quinn. So if you're worried about Quinn going girl, I suggest you take a look at Quyen, who's stricly masculine.

Trai- Trai is a Vietnamese name meaning "oyster" (how fun!). Nameberry lists him as a variation of Trey, which was originally used for sons with a third generation name. Either way, I think he'd be charming on an American boy.

Tuan- The Vietnamese masculine name Tuan made it into the top 1000 back in 1982 and 1983. This was a time when many Vietnamese immigrants were coming to the United States, so this isn't too surprising. However, not many other Vietnamese names were on the list, so he must be a popular choice.

Van- Van is most well known as a Dutch name, but there's a Vietnamese version as well. Depending on the accent mark above the A, he either means "cloud," or "knowledge and literature." Apparently he's quite a popular middle name choice for Vietnamese boys, but I think he'd make a great first name too.

10 Hawaiian Names You Never Thought of Using: Girls

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Mele Kalikimaka friends! Our last Wednesday post of 2015 is all about Hawaiian names for girls. Enjoy!

Ailani- Sweet, lyrical Ailani makes a lovely name for a baby girl--Hawaiian or not. She means "cheif," which is a strong and empowering sentiment.

Ekika- Ekika is the chirpy Hawaiian form of Edith. She's a fun and unusual way to get to Kiki, but still fits in with the three-syllable-ends-in-"A" name trend. Ekika is a downright cheerful choice--I'd love to see her used on a baby.

Huali- Huali may sound like she means "hula," but her real denotation is "pure, bright, polished, and gleaming." Either way, she's bound to conjure up images of the beautiful dance for some people. Huali is the name of an electric van company in China, but if you live anywhere else, she's more than usable.

Inoa- All you name nerds, are you looking for a name that sums up your obsession? Inoa could be your girl--she means "name" or "name chant." Noa is currently becoming more popular among girls--Inoa is a great way to use that name while distinguishing her from all the male Noahs.

Iolani- Unlike many other Io- names, Iolani's first syllable is pronounced like an "E," ee-oh-LAHN-ee. Her meaning is somewhat debated. Nameberry (my go-to for reputable information) says she means "hawk of royalty," while other sites claim "bird of heaven" or "to fly like a hawk" as her meaning. No matter what the case, Iolani definitely counts as a bird name, and a mighty one at that.

Kalea- Kalea is Hawaii's answer to Claire, though unlike her "light" sister, is said to mean "joy" or "happiness." She's a simply gorgeous name--one of my favorites back in the day. Kalea would wear well back on the mainland. I can see many parents embracing her--much like they have with Leilani.

Kilikina- I love a name that's fun to say, and Kilikina is just that! She's the Hawaiian variation of Christina, but feels like a more contemporary choice. Kiki or Kina would make cute nicknames.

Moanna- Moanna is a beautiful, beachy name meaning "ocean." She's quite similar to the Maori name Moana--meaning "sea"--which is also used in Hawaii. Moana is also the name of a princess in an upcoming animated movie.

Noelani- It wouldn't be a Hawaiian name post without three names that end in -lani. Noelani, though she means "heavenly mist" is an especially appropriate name for a baby born around this time of year. The easy-to-spot "Noel" makes her a Christmas name of sorts.

Silivia- Silivia seems like a made-up mash-up of Silvia and Olivia, but she's authentically Hawaiian. She is the Hawaiian form of Sylvia, and is said to mean "woman of the woods." Silivia is a unique and appealing name--I wonder if she'll ever catch on in the U.S.

Country Names for Babies

86era via Dribbble

It's the last week of the Olympics, which has me thinking all about names. Not only the names of the athletes (which is my favorite part), but also the names of the countries. Many country names can double as baby names, like the ones I have listed here. Which ones are your favorites?

Girls
Andorra
Bolivia
China
Columbia
Dominica
France
Georgia
Holland
India
Ireland
Italy
Jamaica
Jordan
Kenya
Libya
Mali
Malta

Boys
Benin
Chad
Cuba
Cyprus
Egypt
Israel
Jordan
Monaco
Morocco
Oman