Lor- and Laur- Names

The Laur- sound is a dated one. But what are you going to do when you need to honor Grandma Lorraine or Great Aunt Loretta? Have no fear, there are some Laur- names that are ready to be revived; use one and everyone will be happy.

Laura
Lauralee
Laureen
Laurel
Laurella
Lauren
Laurence
Laurie (Lauri, Lori)
Lorelai (Lorelei)
Lorena
Lorenza
Loretta
Lorinda
Lorna
Lorraine

Celebrity Baby Name Predictions: Volume 19

2017 was a rock-star year for celebrity pregnancies and birth announcements. Mark Zuckerberg, Serena Williams, and Mindy Kaling all welcomed daughters this year. Beyoncé and Amal Clooney each had twins!

We have plenty to look forward to in 2018. Jessica Alba and Hilaria Baldwin are having sons, there are three (yes, three!) Kardashian babies on the way, and, of course, Kate Middleton is currently pregnant with the newest prince or princess.

There are even some amazing announcements that happened in this month alone. Stars like Dwayne Johnson, Seth Meyers, and Lin-Manuel Miranda are all adding to their broods. John Stamos, Kirsten Dunst, and Eva Longoria are all going to become first-time parents in 2018.

So Happy (almost) New Year! If this month is predicative of the year to come, it's going to be a good one--in the world of celebrity baby names, at least.

Alexi Ashe and Seth Meyers
Gender: boy
Siblings: Ashe Olsen
We all remember Seth Meyer's heartwarming explanation of his baby's name--his son Ashe Olsen is named after "the two most important women" in his life--his wife and mother. Obviously family names are valued by Alexi and Seth, so I wouldn't be surprised if their next son has one of the following names, inspired by their family trees:
Boy: Alistair, Beck, Laurence, Lorcan, Owen, Sasha, Thomas

*Update* Welcome, Axel Strahl!

Vanessa Nadal and Lin-Manuel Miranda
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Sebastian
Sebastian is one of those names that translates seamlessly through the English and Spanish-speaking worlds, and is considered stylish within each. It can be hard to capture both these qualities in a name, but I have a feeling that will be a priority for Vanessa and Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Girl: Cecilia, Emilia, Isabella, Juliette, Lucia, Maya, Olivia, Valentina
Boy: August, Benjamin, Caleb, Dominic, Gabriel, Julian, Luca, Oscar
*Update* Hello, Francisco!

Gail Simmons and Jeremy Abrams
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Dahlia Rae
Gail Simmons and husband Jeremy Abrams named their daughter Dahlia Rae back in 2014. Her name has special significance to the couple, as dahlias are Gail's favorite flower, and Rae honors a dear relative. Baby number two's name will likely have a hidden meaning as well, and I can't wait to hear what it is.
Girl: Agatha, Aviva, Bryony, Cordelia, Elodie, Felicity, Fiona, Harlow, Winter
Boy: Callum, Edmund, Emmett, Graham, Harris, Linus, Rafe, Roscoe, Theodore
*Update* Welcome, Kole Jack!

Lauren Hashian and Dwayne Johnson
Gender: girl
Siblings: Simone Alexandra (previous relationship), Jasmine Lia
Even though his daughters have different mothers, Dwayne Johnson has managed to create a very well-coordinated sibset--Simone and Jasmine. Now that the Rock's girlfriend Lauren Hashian is expecting his third girl, I'm anxiously awaiting to see which name they add to the mix. I have high expectations for this little girl's name, and would definitely approve of any of the following:
Girl: Emerald, Gabrielle, Genevieve, India, Jade, Portia, Scarlett, Sienna, Summer
*Update* Baby girl is Tiana Gia!

Kym Johnson and Robert Herjavec
Gender: unknown twins
Siblings: Skye, Caprice, Brendan (previous relationship)
Unlike the Rock, Robert Herjavec took a more eclectic route to his sibset, with children named Skye, Caprice, and Brendan. Now he's expecting his fourth child with new wife Kym Johnson, and it's hard to say what style name is in the cards for their latest arrival. Perhaps they'll find a name that can bridge the style gap within the sibset, or maybe they'll head in a totally new direction!
Girl: Ainsley, Aria, Bree, Harper, Piper, Tamsin, Victoria, Wynne
Boy: Alexander, Cameron, Connor, Jack, Logan, Nicolai, Weston
*Update* Boy/girl twins--Hudson Robert and Haven Mae!

Caitlin McHugh and John Stamos
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
John Stamos and fiancee Caitlin McHugh are major Disney fans--so much so that they recently got engaged at Disneyland. This makes me think a Disney-inspired name might be in order for their baby on the way. Nothing too obvious--we're not talking about Mickey or Minnie here--but maybe a name with a bit more subtlety, like Bianca or Flynn.
Girl: Anastasia, Aurora, Belle, Bianca, Daisy, Ella, Jane, Marie, Penny, Ruby
Boy: Flynn, Max, Michael, Oliver, Peter, Percy, Phillip, Samson, Sebastian
*Update* It's a boy--Billy, named after John's father

Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons are set to welcome their first child in 2018. Germany is an important country to Kirsten--she has German heritage on her father's side and is a German citizen. Might her love for Germany extend to German baby names? There are so many great options, so I'd love to see her and Jesse use a German name for their little babe.
Girl: Alice, Clarissa, Frieda, Greta, Ida, Ilse, Romy, Tilly, Zelda
Boy: Axel, Conrad, Fritz, Otto, Raymond, Rudy, Walter, Wolf
*Update* A little boy--Ennis Howard!

Eva Longoria and José Baston
Gender: boy
Siblings: Natalia, Mariana, José Antonio, Sebastian (previous relationship)
Eva Longoria is pregnant with her first child--a boy!--who will be José Baston's fifth. He's already got an excellent sibset set up with his current children, so hopefully Eva and José will choose a complementary Spanish name for their newest son.
Boy: Alvaro, Bruno, Camilo, Emilio, Fernando, Hugo, Mateo, Marcos, Rafael
*Update* He's here--Santiago Enrique!

10 Scandinavian Names You Never Thought of Using: Boys

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Last week I told you all about my love for the slim, trim Scandinavian name. That's exactly what you'll find here--no name is over two syllables long. If you are a fan of short names, the Scandinavians have got you covered. Take a look.

Espen- Espen--with his similarities to the name Aspen and favorite sports network ESPN--strikes me as the perfect name for a Scandi-American child. Even better if there are Osborns in your family--he comes from Asbjorn, from which Osborn derived.

Folke- It's no secret that hipsters love anything "folk." Folk music, folk dancing, folk festivals--you name it. So why not use it as a name for their son? Folke (with that extra "E") is an old Scandinavian name. Plus, he means "people's guardian."

Frey- When novel names become suddenly trendy, people tend to tire of them quickly. That's what happened to me and Gray/Grey. Years ago when parents first started bestowing their children with the name, I thought, "what a wonderful idea!," "how cute!," and "so creative!" Now it bores me to tears. Frey is a spectacular alternative. He's fresher, edgier, and practically unheard of. Use him instead of Grey, please.

Jens- The Jennifers of the world have exited their child-bearing years, meaning, in the next ten years or so, they will start becoming grandmothers. Jens would be spunky way to honor Grandma Jennifer--but even if you don't know any Jennifers, Jennys, or Jenns (I would be shocked), Jens still makes a fantastic name for a son.

Lars- Sweet sweet Lars is one of my all time favorites. He sounds so kind and gentle (though maybe Ryan Gosling's character in Lars and the Real Girl is coloring my perception). If you prefer him as a nickname, he works as a short form of Laurence or Larson/Larsen.

Oslo- Oslo is the capital of Norway, and a great candidate for the name of your baby boy! Some people argue that he's not "name-y" enough, but Oslo shares a likeness to Oswald, Otto, and Lazlo, so I beg to differ.

Per- Per is the Scandinavian form of Peter. He's pronounced exactly as he looks--though if you're seeking the PEER pronunciation, Peer is another option. Pelle--even though it is longer--is the original nickname for Per, though he is actually more popular in his own right.

Timo- I've been LOVING Timo lately. He's familiar yet unusual, easy to pronounce, and an all-around lovely name. You could use him as a nickname for Timothy, but I much prefer him on his own. Timo would make a nice honor name, though.

Thoren- Thoren is an elaboration on the Scandinavian god name Thor, and also a surname. People who like Thor and Tor but want a longer name to fall back on should strongly consider Thoren.

Viggo- Viggo is a cool, strong name that would be easy to use in America. He's currently most popular in Sweden, where he ranks #45, though his popularity peaked in 2009 at #26. Funnily enough, he doesn't even rank in Norway, his country of origin.

10 Irish Names You Never Thought of Using: Boys

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Need an interesting Irish name for your little lad? These choices hit the sweet spot between unusual and familiar.

Caledon- Most people only recognize Caledon as the name of a supporting character in the Titanic movie, but he's originally a place name of sorts. Caledonia, from which he derived, is the Latin word for Scotland. So makes Caledon the perfect name for an Irish-Scottish baby boy. Bonus points for the cowboy-cool nickname Cal.

Colm- Malcolm may be stuck in the nineties, but Colm is lovely for a 2015 baby. He isn't pronounced quite the same--it's more like "column," but he is related to Malcolm, as well as up and comer Callum.

Corrigan- Corrigan is a striking Irish surname with a lot of potential. He's ideal if you're looking for an updated version of 20th century favorite Cory, especially if you need to honor one. One possible downside: Cory is his only obvious nickname, so if you're not a fan, Corrigan might not be the name for you.

Fallon- The hit TV show Dynasty made Fallon a possibility for girls in the eighties and nineties, but now that late night host Jimmy is on the scene, this unisex name could very well go to the boys. If you like his sound, but not the television connections, try spelling him Faolan, Felan, or Phelan.

Fintan- Finn is one of the hottest, most likeable names for boys right now. Many people use him in his own right, but others see Finn more as a nickname. If you want a longer name for Finn, but something less feminine than Finley, and more unique than Griffan, Fintan might be the best option. He's fun, easy to pronounce, and has two cool possible nicknames, "white bull" or "white fire."

Larkin- Simple, stylish Lark is a hit for the ladies right now, but Larkin--which comes from Laurence, so he and Lark are unrelated--feels entirely right for a guy. Like many trendy names right now, he is originally a surname, but unlike those, he's not currently trendy. Larkin dropped out of the top 1000 in 1909, making his re-entrance about six years overdue.

Malone- Malone is particularly popular as a last name, but never quite made it as a first. His syllable pattern lends him well to the middle position, but if you like nicknameless names, Malone would be prime as a first name. But enough talk about where to place him--Malone has some serious swagger, and deserves more notoriety.

Oran- It can be hard to find a fashionable name that seamlessly blends two cultures together. But if you need a name for a Jewish-Irish fellow, Oran does just that. He ranks at #100 in Ireland, but surprisingly doesn't make the charts in the U.S. For a name that's so easy to like, I hope that changes soon.

Roark- Roark is a strong surname with a fantastic meaning--"illustrious and mighty." He has a plethora of spellings--Roarke, Rorke, Rourke, or Ruark--so take your pick. Unfortunately the one I've cited here has an unfortunate connection to an Ayn Rand book, so Roarke (or Rourke, if you're a fan of Mickey) might be a better option.

Tadhg- And finally, the one that might confuse people. No, Tadhg is not intuitive in his pronunciation (it's TYEG, as in tiger)--he does not rhyme with the equally charming Teague. However, for you poetry fans, Tadhg means "poet," and he's featured in Irish mythology as Finn McCool's grandfather.

Share a Coke Names: Part Two

Might as well go with Nell ;) Make one here.

Okay, back for more. To do this post, I looked at all the names they sold in stores in the UK. Turns out it's a lot more. Like, almost five times as more. It took a long time to get all this data, but I've got some interesting observations for you guys. I'm going to list all 1,146 (!) names after the jump, then we can talk about them.

My hand hurt after writing seven pages of this.