Hipster Baby Name or Hipster City: International Edition

One of my most popular posts is Hipster Baby Name or Hipster City? Now I'm bringing it back, but this time we're going outside of the states. What exactly is a hipster baby name? Hipster baby names seem too quirky, old fashioned, or extreme for yuppie parents. In fact, they're probably names you never would have thought of. The trickier part is identifying a hipster city--I had some trouble with it myself. For the purpose of this post, a hipster city has to be well-known for housing trend-setting twenty-somethings. I know that every city has a hipster neighborhood, but to be a real HC, it has to go beyond that (Tip: the bigger the city, the more likely it is to be a hipster city). Good luck on the quiz, and make sure to come back after the jump to read my justifications.

Powered by Interact

Celebrity Baby Name Predictions: Volume 15

Each family has different traditions and values when it comes to naming their children, and celebrities are no different. Some, like Jessica Alba and Cash Warren, prefer the meanings of their children's names to be packed with significance. Their daughters are named Honor and Haven, which are both quite virtuous. Other stars, like James Corden and Cristiano Ronaldo, place value on family names. Cristiano Ronaldo's oldest son is a junior, which is the utmost way to honor the father in many families. James Corden's daughter is named Carey, for his wife's maiden name.

I'm most interested to see what naming values some first-time celebrity parents will have. Will Nathan Kress choose a name from his side of the family? Would Mindy Kaling pick a name inspired by one of her heroes (like Nora Ephron, perhaps?) I can't wait to find out!

Nicky Hilton and James Rothschild
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Lily Grace Victoria
Nicky Hilton and James Rothschild have a naming style I like to call "accessible royalty." Their daughter's name--Lily Grace Victoria--has a regal sound to it, with the two middles and classic names, but with a modern twist. I think their next child will have a name with a similar feel--rooted in royalty, but appropriate for a baby of 2017.
Girl: Adelaide, Cecilia, Charlotte, Chloe, Elizabeth, Juliette, Madeleine, Ruby
Boy: Charles, Henry, Jack, Jacob, Nathaniel, Oliver, Samuel, Theodore, William
*Update* Another girl--Teddy Marilyn!

Julia Carey and James Corden
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Max, Carey (g)
James Corden and his wife Julia used one of my favorite honor naming techniques--they gave their daughter Julia's maiden name as a first name--Carey. Carey (and its more widely-used form, Carrie) was most popular in the 1970s, while the Corden's son's name, Max, peaked in 2011. I'm hoping James and Julia choose a name that bridges the style gap between the two names, and leads to a cohesive sibset.
Girl: Abigail, Caroline, Emma, Gemma, Gracie, Greta, Laney, Leah, Molly, Phoebe
Boy: Callum, Charlie, Drew, Isaac, Jack, Luke, Miles, Nico, Nolan, Owen, Reid
*Update* A girl—Charlotte!

London Moore and Nathan Kress
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
Model and actress London Elise Moore and actor Nathan Kress are a young couple with strong family-oriented values. I have a feeling they might choose a name from one of their family trees. It turns out Nathan's side of the family has tons of great options, ranging from the classic to the quirky!
Girl: Alice, Anna, Caroline, Charlotte, Hazel, Janie, Katherine, Margaret, Mamie
Boy: Alexander, Charles, Henry, Jacob, James, Lewis, Marshall, Roy, Stone, Truett
*Update* It's a girl--Rosie Carolyn!

Mindy Kaling
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
On her TV show The Mindy Project, Mindy Kaling's character has a son named Leo. Considering she has a role in writing the script, I'd bet Leo is a name that Mindy likes (and maybe even made her list at one point or another). Keeping that in mind, I chose some names that share Leo's essence--short, friendly, and charming.
Girl: Emmy, Eva, Josie, Lila, Maya, Mina, Mira, Nora, Nina, Roxy, Ruby, Veda
Boy: Arlo, Asher, Dashiell, Eli, Emmett, Felix, Henry, Levi, Maxwell, Milo, Theo
*Update* Welcome, Katherine Swati!

Jessica Alba and Cash Warren
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Honor Marie, Haven Garner
Jessica Alba and Cash Warren love names that are rich with meaning, particularly those with a virtuous quality. Honor and Haven are modern virtue names--sweeter and subtler than the virtue names of yesteryear like Patience and Chastity. I'm hoping they stick with that theme for baby number three, although I'm not so sure how I feel about another potential H name. Would it be cute or gimmicky?
Girl: Aurora, Ember, Harbor, Harlow, Hollis, Hope, Ivy, Jade, Nova, Sage, Willow
Boy: Everett, Foster, Harris, Henry, Jasper, Jude, Lawson, Linden, Pax, Sailor, True
*Update* Baby boy is Hayes Alba!

Georgina Rodriguez and Cristiano Ronaldo
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Cristiano Jr., Eva Maria, Mateo (previous relationship)
Spanish soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo and his girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez are expecting his fourth child--a brother or sister for the impeccably named Cristiano Jr., Eva Maria, and Mateo. His youngest two children have names that are quite fashionable in Spain, so my bet is that baby number four will have a trendy and stylish name as well.
Girl: Alba, Carolina, Elena, Helena, Isabel, Lola, Lucia, Luna, Marina, Sofia
Boy: Bruno, Gabriel, Iker, Leo, Luis, Marco, Martin, Niko, Oscar, Sebastian
*Update* A little girl--Alana Martina dos Santos Aveiro

Ashley Hinshaw and Topher Grace
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
Actors Ashley Hinshaw and Topher Grace are huge Harry Potter fans. Knowing how influential the series has been when it comes to baby name trends, I would not be surprised if the Graces chose a name of one of the minor characters. Not necessarily a name that's super out there, like Severus or Artemisia, but something with familiarity--perhaps Phineas or Emmeline.
Girl: Aurora, Emmeline, Honoria, Isla, Maisie, Millicent, Mirabella, Penelope
Boy: Connolly, Dexter, Gideon, Humphrey, Magnus, Otto, Phineas, Zacharias
*Update* Hello, Mabel Jane!

Brooklyn Decker and Andy Roddick
Gender: girl
Siblings: Hank
Hank is one of those old-school, every-man nicknames of the 20th century that is just beginning to have that "adorkable" status among parents. Now that Brooklyn Decker and Andy Roddick are expecting a daughter, I'm curious to hear what they pair with Hank. I'm clearly hoping for another sassy retro name!
Girl: Annie, Edie, Francie, Georgia, Louise, Lucille, Minnie, Nellie, Tess
*Update* Welcome, Stevie!

Tree Names

Image Credit

Arbor Day greetings! Nature is a wonderful source of baby name inspiration--trees are especially great. I've noticed more and more tree names on babies lately--has anyone else? Let me know your favorites in the comments (I'm rather partial to Birch).

Acacia- Acacia is a stunningly beautiful name. At only #2257, I'm surprised she isn't more popular.

Ash- Has Ash officially gone to the boys? I definitely prefer him for a son, but I'm not sure everyone agrees with me. If you do like him for a boy, here's a list of full names.

Aspen- Nine times out of ten, people will first associate Aspen with the ski town. So if you want people to know you chose it for the nature connotations, I suggest having a nature (or even tree) themed sibset. I like Aspen, Linden, and Juniper.

Birch- Birch trees are some of my favorites, which might be why I love Birch as a name so much. It would be perfect for a middle name.

Cedar- Arguably the best part about nature names is that almost all of them are unisex. You can use the majority of these names on either a boy or girl, Cedar included.

Cypress- Cypress is the second of two place/tree names on this list. It is actually slightly more popular for girls, which surprised me. I thought it would lean boy because of the similarity to Cyrus.

Elm- Elmo may be off the table, but Elm makes a fantastic alternative. It also makes a great way to honor any Elmers in your life.

Hickory- I've never met a baby named Hickory. Or even heard of one, for that matter. However, it's not an uncommon dog name, and if you've ever looked at pet name data, you know that pet name trends tend to be a step ahead of baby name trends. Does that convince you to use Hickory?

Juniper- Juniper is on fire. She has only been in the top 1000 three years, but has skyrocketed all the way up to #648. That's a 227 place jump from the year before. Who knows where she'll be at in the 2014 data. Top 400, maybe?

Linden- Gender-wise, Linden is very apathetic. It's currently 55% female and 45% male. Spelled Lyndon (like LBJ), it's 89% male. Linden is a nice substitute for the oh-so-popular London.

Magnolia- Magnolia trees are gorgeous around this time--they have the prettiest pink flowers. She's also a lovely name, and has a lot of nickname options.

Maple- Maple and sound-alike sister Mabel are both on the rise here in the U.S. The former is much less trendy, at only #3284. Maple would make a great name for anyone's baby, but especially for syrup-lovers, Canadians, and tree-enthusiasts.

Oak- I never gave Oak much thought as a name until the beautiful LaTonya Staubs gave it to her son (a brother to River!). His full name is Oak Tullier (too-YAY), which is a perfect combo.

Olive- Olive was on my list for a long long time, until I began hearing too much of her (what should that be called--name fatigue?). I still think she's a very sweet, but at #290, she may be at risk of losing her hipster charm and becoming mainstream.

Pine- Strong, concise names for boys are having a moment. If you're a fan of this trend (like me), put Pine on your list. He's unique, on-trend, and a nature name.

Willow- Could Willow break the top 100 this year? She's at #155, and still rising, so there's a chance. If you're looking for a cool nickname for Willow, I suggest Loie or Billie.

Olympic Venue Names

Image Credit

I know every name nerd is excited about the names of this year's Olympic athletes, but why not take inspiration elsewhere? Today we are going to look at names of previous Olympic venues.

Expected:
London
Paris
Sydney

Unique:
Atlanta
Berlin
(St.) Louis
Rome

Unheard of:
Athens
Barcelona
Oslo
Seoul

Finally, this year's Olympic city, Sochi, would make a great baby name. She could be an update to the ever-popular Sophie, and would be perfect for parents with Russian heritage.

Best Unisex Names for Girls

Buy the print here, via Rifle Paper Co.

Don't let the title fool you--this post is not about the definitive "best" unisex names for girls. Rather, I've listed unisex names that are used more often for girls than they are for boys. All of them work for either gender, in fact, many of these names have extremely similar usage among both genders. Check back on Friday for the boys list!

Addison
Ariel
Ashby
Ashley
Aspen
Avery
Bailey
Blue
Campbell
Dakota
Dana
Day
December
Eden
Ellison
Emerson
Emery
Fallon
Finley
Harbor
Harley
Harper
Indiana
Izzy
Jess
Jules
Justice
Kendall
Kennedy
Kimber
Larkin
London
Mackenzie
Marlowe
Meridian
Merritt
Monroe
Morgan
Palmer
Paris
Peyton
Presley
Quinn
Rain
Reagan
Reese
Riley
Romy
Sage
Sailor
Sasha
Scout
Sheridan
Sky
Skylar
Sloane
Sparrow
Sutton
Taylor
Teagan
Tierney
Valentine
Yuki

Nickname Proof Names: Girls

Brandon Beeks via Dribbble

On Monday we talked about nickname proof names for boys, so now it's the girls turn. Again, I've got over 100 names for you to look at--there's something for everyone in the world of nickname-less names. Check it out after the jump.

Catalog Names: Mini Boden, Winter 2013

When your my age, you aren't looking at the Mini Boden catalog for the clothes (though those are super cute, and I do enjoy looking at them). You look at the Mini Boden catalog for the names. Hands down the best catalog for name perusal is Mini Boden, and you can see why.

Girls:
Amaury
Amelie
Cai
Daisy
Eleanor
Emily
Felicity
Hattie
Ivy
Jessika
Julia
London
Lotte
Martha
Olivia
Sophie
Tiana
Willow
Yasmin
Ynez

Boys:
Alexander
Arthur
Caleb
Cameron
Charlie
Cody
Laik
Oliver
Rafferty
Sol
Tye

Unisex Names: The Ones I Prefer for Girls

Unisex names I prefer for girls: Harper, Riley, Allison, Morgan, Reese, Devin, Terry, Kit, Reid, Alexis, Avery, Ryan, Casey, Dakota, Dana, Dominique, Drew, Dylan, Emerson, Evan, Hayden, Jess, Kennedy, Kyle, Lane, London, Paris, Peyton, Reagan, Rilo, Sasha, Skylar, Teagan, Taylor, Sidney, Cassidy.
As you can probably tell, I like a lot more unisex names for girls than for boys. I even like names more associated with boys better for girls ex: Ryan, Reid, Evan. That's just my style, I'd be interested to see what you guys think!

Celebrity Baby Name Predictions: Volume 31

I’ve been the Name Guru to the Stars for a while now—long enough that I’m predicting the names for siblings of the babies I once made predictions for.

Months ago, I forecasted the names of Michael Phelps, Alanis Morissette, Lauren Conrad, Miranda Kerr, and Daphne Oz’s children (none were exactly right, but many were close!). Now all five of them have announced that they are expanding their families, and I get to make predictions for them all over again.

We have some new (to me) faces this month as well. Chance the Rapper will welcome his second daughter this Fall, Christina and Ant Anstead are expecting their first child together, and Tamron Hall is pregnant with her first child.

This group of celebrities has a wide range of styles, from shared initials to fancifully feminine girl names to word names. I can’t wait to hear what they all pick! While we wait, take a look at my choices, and tell me yours in the comments.

Kirsten Bennett and Chance the Rapper

Gender: girl

Siblings: Kensli

Kensli is a modern name—an invention based off of Kinsley—that feels very appropriate on a baby girl born in this decade. It’s the name Chance the Rapper and his wife Kirsten gave their now three-year-old daughter. They’re expecting another girl this September and I think her name will be something similarly on-trend and evocative of 2019 style. Perhaps one of the following:
Girl: Adalynn, Arielle, Avia, Brielle, Hadley, Hayven, Kaya, London, Peyton, Sierra

Nicole and Michael Phelps

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Boomer Robert, Beckett Richard

Two siblings with a shared first initial is sometimes (but not always) indicative of a third. In this case, Nicole and Michael Phelps’s sons shared the same first and middle initials, which makes me think this is a pattern. If it’s a boy, I’d wager we’re going to see another baby B.R. As for a girl, I’m less certain, but I gave plenty of B options should her name match her brothers’.
Girl: Billie, Blake, Blue, Bree, Brielle, Brynn, Everly, Finley, Harlow, Rowan

Boy: Beau, Blaise, Bodhi, Bowie, Breaker, Brody, Brogan, Dashiell, Flynn, Sawyer

Alanis Morissette and Mario Treadway

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Ever Imre (b), Onyx Solace (g)

Alanis Morissette loves cool word names, so I’m excited to hear what she chooses for her third baby. Names like Poet, Story, and True have been popular among celebrities lately, but I could also see she and husband Mario Treadway going with something a bit more obscure—Secret, Tarot, or Thorn, maybe.
Girl: Dove, Echo, Essex, Hero, Moon, Poet, Sable, Secret, Story, Winter

Boy: Haze, Jet, Loyal, Mars, Noble, Quill, Tarot, Thorn, True, Zephyr

Lauren Conrad and William Tell

Gender: unknown

Siblings: William “Liam” James

Lifestyle maven and former actress Lauren Conrad named her son after his father, although Liam is not a junior. His middle name, James, comes from Lauren’s side of the family. Lauren and William’s second child will likely have a name with honorific significance as well. If it’s a girl, I’d bet Katherine will show up in either the first or middle spot—it’s Lauren’s middle name and her mother’s first name.

Girl: Alice, Cecilia, Eloise, Emma, Evelyn, Genevieve, Katherine, Nora, Violet, Vivian

Boy: Carter, Cole, Eli, Grant, Henry, Jude, Nolan, Oliver, Owen, Theo

Miranda Kerr and Evan Spiegel

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Flynn, Hart

With sons named Flynn and Hart, odds are we’re going to see a modern, tailored name for Miranda Kerr’s third child. I could see she and Evan Spiegel going for something a bit softer and more feminine for a girl, while still sticking to names two syllables or under. If their baby is a boy, my favorite options for Flynn and Hart’s brother are Bram or Soren.
Girl: Ada, Arden, Etta, Faye, Ivy, Maeve, Maude, Pearl, Willa, Wren

Boy: Bram, Crane, Fox, Grey, Jude, Kit, Levon, Miles, Rhys, Soren

Daphne Oz and John Jovanovic

Gender: girl

Siblings: Philomena Bijou, Jovan Jr., Domenica Celine

Daphne Oz and John Jovanovic love long, romantic names for girls, so I was very excited to hear they’re expecting another daughter. There are so many names that would be great with this sibset, but I narrowed my list down to ten. I’m hoping Daphne and John choose something on the fringes (how fun would a baby Sophronia or Clemencia be?) but even a more mainstream name like Augustina or Olympia would be lovely with Philomena and Domenica.
Girl: Antonina, Augustina, Clemencia, Cressida, Delphine, Fabiana, Isabeau, Olympia, Sophronia, Theodosia

Christina and Ant Anstead

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Amelie, Archer, Taylor Reese, Brayden James (previous relationships)

Television personalities Christina (formerly El Moussa) and Ant Anstead are expecting their first child together. They each have children from previous marriages—Ant’s are preteens, while Christina’s are much younger. Their names are quite different as well. Ant’s children Amelie and Archer have names that fit with their British roots. Christina’s son and daughter Brayden and Taylor have names that are decidedly American. Considering Christina’s children are younger and the rising popularity of “American” style names in England, I think Ant and Christina’s child will have names that feel more like Taylor and Brayden.

Girl: Addison, Charlie, Emerson, Kinsley, Kendall, Paisley, Peyton, Piper, Skyler, Sydney

Boy: Dawson, Drew, Easton, Jameson, Jax, Kyler, Landon, Logan, Reed, Rylan

Tamron Hall and Steven Greener

Gender: unknown

Siblings: none

Tamron Hall and Steve Greener will be welcoming their first child any day now. The couple are older and lead very private lives—two factors which lead me to believe they will give their son or daughter a more subdued name with broad appeal. We will find out soon enough! Until then, take a look at my top picks for Tamron and Steven:
Girl: Clara, Eliza, Ella, Josie, Lila, Madelyn, Maya, Olivia, Sadie, Tessa

Boy: Charlie, Elliott, Henry, Holden, Isaac, Levi, Miles, Theodore, Wesley, William
*Update* It's a boy—Moses!