Full Names for Huck

Image Credit

Do you guys read the blog Hey Natalie Jean? She has the most adorable son named Huck, and ever since I started reading her blog (back in middle school!) I've loved the name. Her son's full name is Henry, but if that's not your style, there are some other options for getting to this full-of-fun, slightly mischevious nickname.

Charles- If Charles can be Chuck, then why not Huck? Besides, the latter is a lot more contemporary--I think Chuck needs another generation or two before he can be revived.

Henry- Lovable Henry has many nickname options, most of which I just adore. If you love Henry, just not his popularity status (ahem, me), bite the bullet and use a cool nickname--Hal, Hank, Harry, Huck!--to distinguish him from the others.

Huckleberry- On the other hand, why not use Huck to make his full name seem tamer? Huckleberry is a wild choice, but he's certainly usable (Bear Grylls has a son with the name), plus it gives you the added connection of Huckleberry "Huck" Finn (though it's quite debatable whether or not that's a good thing).

Huxley- Huxley is an English surname that people have been loving lately. He's currently at #1346, but looking at his trajectory, I wouldn't be surprised to see him break the top 1000 this year. His spelling lends himself to the nickname Hux, but I personally prefer Huck.

Huxton- Huxton appears to be an invented name--he was only used on 12 baby boys last year--but he mirrors the English surname style quite well. If you're not deterred by his lack of history, Huxton is a perfect full name for Huck.

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.

Celebrity Baby Name Suggestions: Volume 2

Foss Design via Etsy

Celebrity baby naming is unpredictable, but that doesn't stop us from trying! Just as we're shocked when a famous parents chooses something way out of left field for their child (a la Jamie Oliver's Petal Blossom Rainbow or Gwyneth Paltrow's Apple), it's just as surprising to hear them pick a common name (like Michael Buble's Noah or Matt Damon's Isabella). That being said, there are some tricks to celebrity baby name predictions, so let's look into the crystal ball.

Emily Blunt and John Krasinski
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Hazel
Hazel is super sweet and subtly vintage. I think they'll pick another on-trend name with retro roots.
Boy: August, Charlie, Felix, Finn, Julian, Louis, Oscar, Russell, Spencer, Toby, Walter
Girl: Ada, Cora, Fiona, Gemma, Georgia, Helena, Ivy, Phoebe, Poppy, Ruthie, Zara
*Update* Another color-nature name for the Krasinski clan--Violet!

Erica Hanson and Ike Barinholtz
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Foster (g)
The hilarious Ike Barinholtz (Morgan Tookers on The Mindy Project) and his wife Erica went the androgynous surname route for their little girl. I expect they'll choose something similar for baby #2, regardless of gender.
Boy: Coleman, Cormac, Fielding, Gardner, Hart, Holt, Huck, Shepherd, Sumner
Girl: Abbott, Campbell, Connelly, Hadley, Halsey, Hollis, Madden, Sheridan, Sloane
*Update* Another girl--Payton June!

Holly Madison and Pasquele Rotella
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Rainbow Aurora
Holly Madison surprised us all when it turned out she had secretly (and subtly) revealed the first name of her daughter via Twitter. In this article she reveals she likes word names as well as Disney inspired ones. Keeping that in mind, here are my predictions.
Boy: Anthem, Charming, Diesel, Dragon, Echo, Flynn, Hero, Spirit, Temple, Treasure, Valentine
Girl: Ariel, Chrysanthemum, Bliss, Bluebell, Fantasia, Forever, Holiday, Jubilee, Meadow, Pixie
*Update* She does love word names--baby boy is Forest Leonardo Antonio!

Alanis Morisette and Mario Treadway
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Ever Imre (b)
Imre, Alanis Morissette and Mario Treadway's son's middle name, is not one you hear often. It's actually a Hungarian name, which ties back to Morissette's heritage. Might we see another Hungarian choice? Or perhaps something from her French-Irish side of the family? More word names? I guess we'll wait and see.
Boy: Bence, Hawk, Judge. Justice, King, Laszlo, Maverick, Noble, Rogue, True
Girl: Emerald, Fable, Harbor, Haven, Ireland, Lyric, Mika, Rebel, Sailor, Story
*Update*  It's a girl for Alanis Morisette--Onyx Solace!

Lisa Ling and Paul Song
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Jett Ling (g)
Wow, we have a lot of word name-loving celebs this month! Lisa Ling named her daughter Jett back in 2013, and I'm curious to see if she chooses another unisex word name for baby number two.
Boy: Archer, Canyon, Cove, Dashiell, Dax, Fletcher, Fox, Kit, Park, Rex, Rocco
Girl: Bird, Domino, Grey, Indie, Liv, Max, Monroe, Poet, Scout, Sea, Sutton
*Update* It's a girl--Ray Ling Song!

Alexi Ashe and Seth Meyers
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
Late Night host Seth Meyers' wife Alexi are pregnant with their first. It's hard to make predictions about name choice without an older sibling's name to look to (they do have a dog named Frisbee, not that that helps), but I have a feeling this couple isn't going to choose anything wild and crazy.
Boy: Bennett, Conrad, Eli, Emmett, Ford, Graham, Henry, Jay, Judson, Lawson, Reid
Girl: Amelie, Cecilia, Eleanor, Eve, Fiona, Ivy, Lily, Madeleine, Nadia, Nina, Rosie
*Update* It's a boy, and his name is Ashe Olson--the maiden names of Alexi and Seth's mother. How sweet!

Paige Mitchell and Eddie Murphy
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Eric, Christian, Bria, Myles, Shayne, Zola, Bella, and Angel (g)
It's baby number nine for Eddie Murphy! With this many kids, it's hard to keep sibsets super cohesive. But taking inspiration from his youngest ones, I would expect the baby to be named...
Boy: Ace, Cash, Chaz, Jax, Jayce, Lynx, Phoenix, Xander, Zaire, Zack
Girl: Asha, Asia, Faith, Jade, Jasmine, Jolie, Journey, Liberty, Nala, Skyla
*Update* Hello, Izzy Oona!

Soleil Moon Frye and Jason Goldberg
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Poet Sienna Rose, Jagger Joseph Blue (g), and Lyric Sonny Roads (b)
After three babies, I think we have a pretty good handle on Soleil Moon Frye's naming style--artistic word names. She's a fan of gender-bending though, so I might as well have left off the boy and girl labels.
Boy: Crescent, Drummer, Freedom, Jazz, Journey, Ocean, Mystery, Rhapsody
Girl: Dancer, Dreamer, Fable, Galaxy, Pastel, Silhouette, Swan, Velvet, Whimsy
*Update* Soleil has welcomed a little boy named Story!

Nicky Hilton and James Rothschild
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
Coming from such a high-profile family, the pressure's on Nicky Hilton Rothschild to choose a marvelous name for her son or daughter. Something tells me it's going to be a little bit dramatic and extravagant, but still wearable.
Boy: Alastair, Augustine, Bennington, Charleston, Maximilian, Reginald, Whittaker
Girl: Angeline, Aurelia, Calixta, Clarissa, Emmeline, Simone, Valentina, Veronique
*Update* Welcome Lily Grace Victoria!

Liv Tyler and David Gardner
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Milo and Sailor Gene
When both of Liv Tyler's sons were born, their names were on the cusp of cool. I suspect she will make a similar choice when it comes to her third child.
Boy: Asa, Cyrus, Dashiell, Finn, Jude, Nico, Otto, Phoenix, Reid, Royce
Girl: Carys, Delilah, Elodie, Ivy, Luna, Marnie, Matilda, Pearl, Tallulah
*Update* I was close with Luna and Tallulah--baby girl is Lula Rose!

Chelsea Clinton and Marc Mezvinsky

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Charlotte

A new Clinton baby will be arriving in the midst of a busy summer for it's presidental candidate grandma, Hillary. First daughter Chelsea and her husband Marc chose the name Charlotte for their first child--ranked at #10 the year she was born. Charlotte is a soft, vintage-inspired name that feels very current right now. My guess is her sibling will have a similar name. 

Boy: Andrew, Graham, James, Jasper, Julian, Harrison, Levi, Paul, Spencer, Thomas, William

Girl: Alice, Annabel, Audrey, Eleanor, Elizabeth, Evelyn, Genevieve, Lucy, Madeleine, Nora
*Update* Welcome Aidan Clinton Mezvinsky!

Stylish Choices Outside the Top 1000: 2014 Boys

Image Credit

Uninspired by the names in the top 1000? Looking for something particularly unusual? Consider one of the following names for your son--none of them were given to more than 204 boys last year (and some were only given to 5!) It's all after the jump.

10 Names Jools and Jamie Oliver Should Consider for Baby #5

Mark Caneso via Dribbble

If there ever was a celebrity baby name Hall of Fame, Jools and Jamie Oliver would be in it. They have four children named Poppy Honey Rosie, Daisy Boo Pamela, Petal Blossom Rainbow, and Buddy Bear Maurice. And with their oldest child aged 14, it's safe to say they were using obscure nature names and two middles before it was cool.

Obviously, everyone is very interested to hear what the Olivers will name their fifth (and sadly, last) child. I'm here to give out my top five picks for each gender. Anyone taking bets?

Clover- Clover would be perfect for a fourth daughter, since a fourth leaf makes the sprout extra lucky. Clover is a name that's waiting to take off. If Jamie and Jools choose it for baby number five, I suspect American and English parents alike will follow suit.

Daffodil- Daffodil has a spunky British feel that definitely fits in with the others. Even though many parents avoid Daffodil because of the nickname Daffy, I could see the Olivers embracing it. Another name for a daffodil, Jonquil, could also be a contender, but that feels slightly formal compared to the other childrens' names.

Lilac- Lovely Lilac screams "Oliver baby name" to me. Like Poppy, Daisy, and Petal, it's sweet, youthful, and floral. Lilac is an elusive "on trend, but not trendy" name. The popularity of Lila and Lily give it major style points, but it's not even in the top 1000. That makes Lilac a spotless choice.

Posey- Each of the Oliver daughters have a P name somewhere in the lineup, so Posey seems like the natural choice for one of baby number five's names. With the floral tie, I'd say she's a strong contender for the first name.

Tulip- Tulip is my favorite choice for the Olivers. It's spunky and unexpected, yet cohesive with the sibling names. Tulip would be a fantastic name to complete the Oliver sibset--go out with a bang!


Basil- Can you get any more British than Basil? It originally came from Greece, but has unshakable English associations. Along with the herb connection and the fact that he would share a first initial with his brother, Basil seems ideal for the fifth Oliver baby.

Huckleberry- Admittedly, Huckleberry seems a bit out of place compared to the other Oliver childrens' names. It's a whopping four syllables long, while the rest of them are only two. However, stylistically, Huckleberry is a perfect match. Plus, the nickname Huck feels just right for this sibset.

Robin- It seems like Robin might be coming back into fashion with the boys, so now would be a perfect time for Olivers to use it--before it becomes mainstream. The nickname Robbie is adorable, and practically the perfect brother name for Buddy.

Sage- Although Sage is used more often for girls (at least in the US), it strikes me as the perfect name for an Oliver boy. Jamie and Jools prefer feminine and casual names for their daughters, and hippie-ish Sage feels more masculine compared to Poppy, Daisy, and Petal. With a link to Jamie's profession, and Jools' love of nature names, Sage could be one to watch.

Wolf- After using Bear in the middle for their son Buddy, I wouldn't be surprised to see Wolf on the birth announcement. It may sound a little harsher than Poppy, Daisy, Petal, and Buddy, but calling him Wolfie is instantly softening. And you have to admit, Wolfie sounds pretty cute in that sibset.

*Update* Jamie and Jools have welcomed a son--River Rocket Blue!

If I Could Name 100 Boys

Cedric Guerin via Dribbble

Alright, now it's time for the boys! I have to admit, I found the task of picking 100 of my favorite boys names a bit daunting at first--which is why you didn't see this post last year--but it turned out to be better than I thought. Now it's your turn! I'd love to know--what would you name 100 sons?

Amos
Anders
Ari
Asa
August

Bastien
Beck
Benno
Birch
Bodhi
Bowen

Bram
Chester
Clyde
Conrad
Dewey
Drake

Eames
Enzo
Felix
Ferris
Finn
Fox
Frank
Freddie
Frey

Fritz
Gardner
George
Graham
Gregor
Grover
Gus
Hal
Harry
Hart
Harvey

Henry
Herbert

Huck
Ike

Ira
Ivo
Jack
Jamie

Jay
Jens

Lars
Leland
Lester
Linus
Lloyd

Louis
Magnus
Max
Milo
Moe
Monroe
Ned
Noam
Ogden
Ollie
Omri
Orin
Oslo
Oswald
Otto
Paul
Penn
Pete
Philip
Portland
Ralph
Ramsay
Raymond
Reid
Remy

Rex
Rhodes

Richie
Ridge
Roscoe
Scott
Sid

Soren
Teague
Teddy
Theo
Timo
Toby

Todd
Van
Viggo

Walter

Warren
Weber
Wells
Wes
York
Zen



*I'm taking two weeks off for finals and Spring Break, so I'll see everyone back here in April*

Food Names: Fruits and Veggies

Image Credit

Food offers a lot of inspiration when it comes to baby names. There are a lot of fun choices, like Plum and Fig, but there are also more standard ones, like Olive. So however adventurous you are with your baby names, you can be influenced by fruits and veggies.

Expected:
Cherry- Sounds like an old-fashioned nickname.
Clementine- One of my faves. So spunky.
Ginger- Super cute, and makes a great nickname for Virginia.
Kale- Better spelled Cael.
Nori- Kimye's nickname for baby North, and also seaweed.
Olive- A favorite among hipster parents and celebrities.
Peach- Southern and old.
Plum- I adore Plum. More people should be using her.

Unique:
Canna- Interesting alternative to Hannah.
Carola- Reminds me a little too much of Crayola, but workable.
Chaya- Very pretty and feminine.
Huckleberry- The name of one of Bear Grylls's sons. Nickname Huck is adorable.
Nance- Better left as a nickname for Nancy.
Pearl- Inspired by Pearl Onions, Pearl is a vintage name ready to comeback.
Pepper- Quirky-cool, reminiscent of Annie's fellow orphan.

Unheard of:
Apple- Too Gwyneth Paltrow? Maybe.
Beet- She's better spelled Biet, a la NYC blogger Belle's daughter.
Ceriman- Interesting choice for either gender.
Citron- Just enough sour spunk to make this French choice totally rad.
Currant- It shares likeness with Curran, but is a little wordy.
Fig- A daring pick, probably best reserved for the middle.
Quince- A Shakespearian name starting with the overlooked letter Q.
Sorrel- A leafy green, Sorrel makes a nice, unique choice for a son.

Nicknames for Henry

Henry is a true every-boy. It's easy to imagine him with any style or personality, probably because there are so many Henrys around. If you adore Henry, but want him to stand out from the crowd, consider some of these nicknames.

Expected:
Hank
Harry

Unique:
Hal
Henny

Unheard of:
Enzo
Huck

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

Stylish Choices Outside the Top 1000: 2015 Boys

via Studio MPLS

It can feel almost impossible to find a unique, uncommon name for a boy. But trust me, not everyone gives their son a name in the top 20, and there are some wonderful options out there if you want a name on the less popular side. I've culled the beyond the top 1000 list (so you don't have to) and picked out some of the best underused names, with between 202 and 5 uses. Last year's list is here--click over the jump to view this year's.

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!