Showing posts sorted by relevance for query Leaf. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query Leaf. Sort by date Show all posts

Monday, July 25, 2016

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!

Friday, February 28, 2014

Camera Names

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I've always thought Leica was a super-rad name for a girl. She's a celebrity baby name, as well as the name of a camera brand. Inspired by this, I thought I'd take a look at other camera brand names, and see what I could come up with for the photography-inclined.

Girls:
Ebony- A very beautiful name, but doesn't have the photography vibe.
Leica- One of my guilty-pleasure names.
Mamiya- A pretty way to get to Mamie.
Sigma- So long as she's not named after your sorority.

Boys:
Canon- If Cannon works, why not Canon?
Leaf- The Leif spelling is better, but this makes a nice nature and photography name.
Olympus- Olympic sounding, akin to Olympia and Olympiada.
Ricoh- Like Rico, but for the child of photographers.

Either:
Casio- I'm going back and forth on this one for gender. The "O" makes me think boy, but the Cas- makes me think girl. Count this one as unisex.
Kodak- Another nature-photography combo.
Nikon- Probably too associated with the brand, but Nike is a name, so why not Nikon?
Sinar- A unique choice that works for girl or boy.

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

10 Dutch Names You Never Thought of Using: Girls

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Next up is Dutch Names! I've got a whole bunch of gorgeous choices for you all today. Let me know your favorites, and any names you might add.

Anouk- Ooh, the lovely Anouk! She's one of my favorites. She is the French and Dutch form of Anna, and would be wonderful for honoring anyone with an Ann- name. Anouk's second syllable typically rhymes with "nook," though some people say it like "fluke."

Daffodil- Yes, Daffodil is Dutch. She's an extremely uncommon flower name, and would cause much more of a stir than your average Lily or Rose. However, she makes for a very fun and whimsical choice--just don't let anyone call her Daffy.

Jetje- Jetje (said YET-yuh or YET-chya) is the Dutch variation of Henrietta. Even though the pronunciation isn't there, Jet or Jette would still work as a nickname. Jetje is cheerful and spunky--she's not quite an easy import, but it would be manageable.

Lissa- Lissa is a pan-European pick, with use in England, Greece, France, and the Netherlands. She's short for Melissa, but is much more modern than Missy. She could be used as a nickname for such names as Amaryllis, Elizabeth, Felicity, Melissa, Phyllis, and Wallis, or stand on her own.

Madelief- Those of you who know Abby have undoubtedly heard the name Madelief before. She's really only used in the Netherlands, where she ranks #122. Madelief is pronounced as she looks, MAD-el-eef, though if you're not a fan of the "leaf" sound, you could slightly alter it to say MAD-el-eeve.

Mariel- Mariel is a French and Dutch diminutive of Mary, who took cues from the once popular Muriel. She's most well known as the name of Mariel Hemingway, an actress from the famous family, though it's also the name of a town in Cuba. Mariel can also be spelled Marielle.

Rika- Like Jetje, Rika also comes from Henrietta (the Swedish form of which is Henrika, and the Dutch, Heintje). Unsurprisingly, she's used in both Sweden and the Netherlands, and is commonly used as a nickname for all sorts of -rika names, like Fredrika and Enrika.

Sanne- Sanne is a Danish and Dutch nickname for Susanna (which would be spelled Susanne there). She's pronounced SAH-na, and means "lily." She's perfect for honoring a Susan or Lily in your life.

Saskia- Saskia comes from the word "Saxon," a German tribe that took it's name from their word meaning "knife." That's not an entirely pleasant association, but odds are, not many people will know that. Saskia is both German and Dutch in origin, but is more popular in the Netherlands. She's most common in England, where she peaked at #125 in 1999--slightly dated over there, but very fresh for an American.

Verandia- Verandia is a unusual name--you won't find much information about her out there. She's the Dutch form of Verena, and lends herself to the nickname Randi. Her similarity to the word "veranda" is not necessarily a downside, but something I'd consider before choosing Verandia as "the one."

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

10 L Names You Never Thought of Using: Boys

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Will Liam make it to the number one spot? My prediction is yes, but we might not see it happen for another year or two. I find Liam incredibly sweet, but wouldn't ever use him myself. He's just too popular. Maybe you agree with me, maybe you don't, but it's hard to deny that there are other great L names out there. I have a great list with ten of them today. And the best part is, they aren't even in the top 1000.

Laird- A tailored and professional name that could easily work on a child as well. Laird is definitely one to put on the list.

Lander- Landon is ranked at 39. Anderson and Anders are both found in the top 1000. Lander is just as stylish as his more popular brothers, but you won't find another one in town.

Lars- I've always had a soft spot for Lars. I think he works even if you're not Scandinavian, but if you won't use him as a first name, he's great in the middle.

Lazlo- Lazlo is such a fun name. He's so happy sounding. He could also be spelled Laszlo, but I prefer this simplified spelling.

Leif- A widely overlooked name that would work so well in America. Spelled Leaf, he'd be perfect for your nature loving Fall baby.

Lester- When I was six, I named one of my baby dolls Lester. I have no idea where I heard the name, but I still like it. He's very old man cool.

Linus- Speaking of old man cool; Linus! He's mainly associated with the Peanuts character, but I don't think that's a bad thing. Besides, it gives you the perfect nursery theme.

Lloyd- He may sound like a curmudgeonly old fellow, but Lloyd is ripe for revival (almost). I really like him, but I know most people don't, so we should give him another decade or two. Just don't put him on the Gone Forever list, because I know he will come back someday.

Locke- Preppy and sophisticated. He would make a great middle name, but Locke also has first name potential.

Lodge- How cool is Lodge? He's very woodsy and rugged; perfect for all those hipster parents.