Share a Coke Names: Summer 2015

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Some of my most-viewed posts profile last summer's Share a Coke campaign (part one, part two). This year, Coca Cola is bringing it back, and they've added tons more names. Here I've listed all the names that didn't appear on the U.S. or U.K. lists last year. It's all after the jump.

Catalog Names: Tiny Prints 2014

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The Holidays are officially here, which can only mean one thing: a giant influx of mail. I recently got the Tiny Prints catalog, and I looked at the names on the cards right away. Overall they were pretty run-of-the-mill, but I found a few gems (Maxine and Simone--yes, please!).

Girls
Abby
Alexandra (x2)
Alexis
Amanda
Angela
Anna
Bianca
Caitlin
Chloe
Eleanor
Eliza
Emily
Evelyn
Evie
Grace
Gwenyth
Jane
Jen
Jenna
Julia
Lauren
Lilly
Lizzie
Madeline
Maggie
Margaret
Margot
Mariah
Maryann
Maxine
Melissa (x2)
Nadia
Rachel
Rebecca
Riley
Sandy
Savannah (x2)
Sloan
Simone
Sophie

Boys
Aiden
Anthony
Brent (x2)
Brian
Christopher (x2)
Connor
Edward
Emery
Ethan
Frederick
Jared (x2)
Jayden
Jonathan
Jordan
Josh
Joshua
Liam
Madden
Mason
Matthew
Mike
Miles
Nathan
Oliver
Robert
Reid
Samuel
Scott
Sebastian
Thomas
Tim
Xavier

Famous Surnames

Garrett via Dribbble

Would you ever consider a celebrity surname for your child? It can be a fun way to pay homage to your favorite stars--past and present! Which names would you add?

Alba--Jessica Alba
Aniston--Jennifer Aniston
Baldwin--Alec Baldwin
Bardot--Bridget Bardot
Beckham--David Beckham
Bergen--Candice Bergen
Bowie--David Bowie
Brando--Marlon Brando
Brody--Adrian Brody
Brooks--Garth Brooks
Campbell--Naomi Campbell
Carey--Mariah Carey
Cash--Johnny Cash
Chase--Chevy Chase
Crosby--Bing Crosby
Cruz--Penelope Cruz
Damon--Matt Damon
Fallon--Jimmy Fallon
Farley--Chris Farley
Fox--Megan Fox, Michael J. Fox
Gable--Clark Gable
Garland--Judy Garland
Garner--Jennifer Garner
Griffith--Andy Griffith, Melanie Griffith
Harlow--Jean Harlow
Holliday--Billy Holliday
Hudson--Kate Hudson
Huston--Anjelica Huston
Keaton--Diane Keaton
Jagger--Mick Jagger
Jenner--Caitlyn Jenner
Jolie--Angelina Jolie
Jordan--Michael Jordan
Legend--John Legend
Lennox--Annie Lennox
Lively--Blake Lively
Maguire--Tobey Maguire
Mirren--Helen Mirren
Monroe--Marilyn Monroe
Moss--Kate Moss, Elisabeth Moss
Mulligan--Carey Mulligan
Murray--Bill Murray
Perry--Katy Perry
Presley--Elvis Presley
Renner--Jeremy Renner
Quaid--Dennis Quaid
Rourke--Mickey Rourke
Ryder--Winona Ryder
Urban--Keith Urban
Vaughn--Vince Vaughn
Wilde--Olivia Wilde
Winslet--Kate Winslet

Christmas Crooner Names

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Would you ever consider giving a December-born baby a holiday singer name? I like the idea--it makes a subtle connection between the name and time of year--much less conspicuous than Holiday or Yule (though I'm a fan of both of those). Let me know your favorites, and which names you would add.

Bing- Bing Crosby has one of the most classic Christmas albums of all time--after seventy years it's still on heavy rotation. Bing is a swanky old-fashioned nickname with a lot of potential. Kate Hudson used it as a nickname for her son Bingham.

Carey- Mariah Carey is the modern Christmas song queen, but her first name feels past its peak. Carey, on the other hand, feels unexpectedly fresh--on a boy. Carrie and Cari are girls of the past, but Cary, Carey, and Kerry are ready for revival.

Crosby- If Bing isn't your thing, you might want to try Crosby. He's an lively Irish surname with some serious style. Some people might associate Crosby with the character from Parenthood, but it's more likely they'll think of Bing.

Dean- Dean Martin is credited with popularizing the hit Christmas song "Marshmallow World" over ten years after it's debut. Martin was actually born Dino. As a name, Dean is rising in popularity in the U.S. and was at #221 last year.

Ella- Ella is one of those name that are so popular, most associations are just a wash. However, many a parent (and celebrity) have cited Ella Fitzgerald as the inspiration for their daughter's name. Her Christmas album is one of my very favorites--I play it all season long.

Fitzgerald- Ella's last name is much more distinctive--how often do you meet a baby with the first name Fitzgerald? Fitz is a cute nickname, though Fritz, Gerry, and Gerald are also options.

Frank- Frank Sinatra is about as classic as it gets. It's no surprise that his Christmas songs are still heard on radio stations all over the country (and he even has a spot on my eclectic holiday playlist). His first name, Frank, has the same sophisticated vintage feel to it--yet he's been falling in popularity for as long as the data's been kept.

Garland- Garland is a rare double-Christmas-connection name. Not only is it what we drape around Christmas trees and fireplace mantels, it's also the surname of Christmas singer extraordinaire, Judy Garland. Her most famous holiday song is "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."

Gene- Gene Autry sang many of today's favorite Christmas songs, and even penned a couple himself. He's responsible for "Here Comes Santa Claus," and  popularized his versions of such favorites as "Frosty the Snowman," and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." That makes the clunky-cool Gene a Christmas hero name of sorts.

McCartney- Lennon and Harrison are fair game, so how about McCartney? Irish surnames are certainly popular right now, so I don't think it'd be a crazy choice, especially because of Paul. The Beatle wrote "Wonderful Christmastime" in 1979, and it's been a favorite ever since.

Nat- Nat King Cole's Christmas songs are a cherished tradition in many households. His most famous one is "The Christmas Song." All three of his names are worthy for a 2015-born child, but Nat is the simplest and most unexpected. Plus, like Garland, it has the extra Christmas connection of meaning "born on Christmas Day."

Presley- Who could forget Elvis Presley's wonderful collection of Christmas tunes? It's not the Holidays without "Blue Christmas" (or in my house--"Santa Bring My Baby Back to Me"). His first name is too strongly tied to the singer, but America has embraced Presley--especially for a girl.

10 German Names You Never Thought of Using: Girls

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As you will be able to tell from today's post, I love German names. Some of my very favorites are on this list, as well as some real wild choices. Let me know your favorites in the comments.

Anke- If you're looking for a slimmer, more exotic version of Annika, Anke is your girl. She's pronounced much the same--AHN-ka--though is actually the German form of Agnes.

Ida- Sweet sweet Ida is due for a comeback. Americans love short vowel names ending in -a--Eva, Ava, Ella, etc.--so Ida seems like the next step. Ida is delightfully vintage--let's hope she can shake off the dust.

Isa- Isa is Ida's more stylish cousin. She sounds very modern, thanks to full forms Isabel and Isabella being so trendy. She doesn't have quite the same pronounciation as those two--it's EE-sah. Isa is a cross cultural choice, with roots in German, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, and Arabic (where it's a male name).

Lotte- A helpful hint with the German pronounciations: names ending in -e are said as if it is an -a. Therefore, the gorgeous Lotte is pronounced like Lotta (which is the Swedish form). She's originally a nickname for names like Charlotte, Liselotte, and Carol, but I think Lotte is wonderful on her own.

Mareike- Mareike is pronounced mah-RYE-kah--sort of a cross between Mariah and Micah. Infact, Meike (said like Micah) is one of her nicknames. Mareike has a beautiful sound, but are her spelling and pronounciation too hard for English speakers to handle?

Minna- Minna is one of my all time faves. I'm always suggesting her to people--I'm astonished she isn't more popular! She came about as a nickname for Wilhelmina, though nowadays she's better off on her own.

Romy- How lovely is Romy? By origin she's a nickname for Rosemary, though many a baby namer will suggest Romilly for a more contemporary full form. As I always say, I think Romy would be just as dashing in her own right.

Tilda- I know I've told you guys how much I love so many of the names on this list, but Tilda really is my favorite. She's currently one of my tops--she's just so darn cute! The -da sound isn't all that trendy right now, but with Matilda as a possible full name, and Tilda Swinton glamorizing her name, Tilda wouldn't be an outrageous choice for a daughter.

Zelma- Speaking of sounds that aren't very stylish right now, how about the -elma names? Abby's a big champion of Thelma (which I'm still on the fence about), and Nelma, Selma, and Velma just aren't doing it for me. Zelma, however, is a name I can get behind. The zippy Z beginning adds a faux modern touch to a very old-fashioned name.

Ziska- Ziska comes from Franziska--a German form of Frances. While Franziska might be a little much for an American girl to wear, Ziska has just the right amount of quirkiness.