British Nicknames Ready for Import

Cheryl M Photography via 100 Layer Cakelet

It's no secret that I fall into the "name them what you call them" camp. If you're never going to use your child's full name, then just skip it! The Brits are true followers of this philosophy--much of their top 500 consists of nickname names. I compiled the ones I think Americans should also embrace as full names right here. After all, if you only plan on calling her Pixie, you're better off discarding Patricia.

Girls
Beau
Betty
Billie
Bonnie
Cleo
Connie
Dolly
Edie
Effie
Elsie
Emmie
Evie
Georgie
Gracie
Hallie
Hattie
Holly
Indie
Josie
Kitty
Maisie
Marnie
Millie
Minnie
Lacie
Lexi
Libby
Lottie
Penny
Pippa
Pixie
Polly
Poppy
Rosie
Sylvie
Tilly

Boys
Albie
Alfie
Ali
Archie
Beau
Bertie
Billy
Bobby
Buddy
Danny
Eddie
Frankie
Freddie
Georgie
Harry
Hugh
Jamie
Jan
Jay
Joe
Joey
Johnny
Junior
Kit
Lee
Lenny
Louie
Monty
Nico
Ollie
Rafe
Reggie
Remy
Rex
Rio
Ronnie
Rory
Rudy
Shay
Sonny
Ted
Teddy
Toby
Tommy
Vinnie
Woody
Zac

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!

Halloween Candy Names

Having a Halloween baby? Why not name them after your favorite candy? Here are some useable options.

Expected:

Henry

Jane

Joy

Kat

Mary

Mike

Reese

Ruth 

Unique:

Heath

Ike

Kit

York

 

Unheard of:

Charleston

Honey

Pixie

Tootsie

Halloween Candy Names (Updated)

Image Credit

Happy Halloween, everybody! I updated my Halloween candy post from last year, enjoy.

Expected:

Henry- People probably won't get the connection unless you hand out Oh Henrys.

Joy- Slightly dated, but a lovely name nonetheless.

Kat- Stick with Kit.

Mary Jane- A nasty candy, but sweet name.

Mike- He's definitely a dad name, but I have met some young kids named Mike recently.

Reese- A great name, and who doesn't love Reese's Peanut Butter Cups?

Ruth- Baby Ruths are delicious, and would be a great first Halloween costume for your baby.

Unique:

Heath- A classy name and a classy candy. It's a perfect match.

Ike- I love the nickname Ike, especially for Isaac. More people should consider him an option.

Kit- My favorite nickname for Katherine. She's simple and modern.

York- Ultra preppy. And the peppermint patties are solid.

Unheard of:

Charleston- An extravagant way to get to Charlie.

Honey- I don't think anyone gives out Bit O' Honeys on Halloween, so maybe the name should retire along with the candy.

Pixie- Strictly nickname only, and even that's a little much.

Tootsie- I happen to enjoy Tootsie Rolls, but using her as a name is a little too Dustin Hoffman.

Celebrity Baby Name Predictions: Volume 20

New year, new crop of celebrity pregnancy announcements. We're starting 2018 off right with some great ones! Hugh Grant as well as Fixer Upper stars Chip and Joanna Gaines will all be adding baby number five to their households this year. America Ferrera is expecting her first child later in 2018, and Pete Wentz is tasked with naming a sister to Bronx Mowgli and Saint Lazslo (what will he choose?)

By the looks of it, 2018 is not going to disappoint when it comes to celebrity baby names. I've made some predictions for what those names might be below--how do they compare with yours?

Jamie Lynn Spears and Jamie Watson

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Maddie Briann (previous relationship)

Jamie Lynn Spears (sister of Britney) chose the name Maddie Briann for her daughter back in 2008. That name is relatively restrained for celebrity standards, so I'm not expecting to see anything crazy from Jamie and Jamie for this next baby. If it's a girl, I think a well-liked, feminine name is in order. For a boy, something nickname-y or a modern classic.

Girl: Bella, Chloe, Elle, Grace, Isla, Lily, Nora, Ruby, Scarlett, Sienna

Boy: Charlie, Grant, Jack, Jude, Liam, Logan, Luke, Noah, Wyatt, Zeke
*Update* It's a girl--Ivey Joan!

America Ferrera and Ryan Piers Williams

Gender: unknown

Siblings: none

Sometimes when someone has an "extreme" name (either extremely popular or extremely unusual), they give their child a name that is completely different from their own. Such might be the case with America Ferrera. She recently told Stephen Colbert that she wouldn't be naming her baby after a "land mass or an idea." That makes me think she is looking at more well-known, perhaps even ordinary name for her son or daughter.

Girl: Celeste, Eleanor, Esme, Isabel, Lucy, Luna, Maya, Mila, Tessa, Viola

Boy: Arlo, George, Jasper, Jonas, Leo, Nico, Sebastian, Theodore, Wesley
*Update* Hello, Sebastian Piers!

Meagan Camper and Pete Wentz

Gender: girl

Siblings: Bronx Mowgli (previous relationship), Saint Lazslo

Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz is known for giving his children out-there names. He and his partner Meagan Camper are expecting their first daughter, and the possibilities for her name are endless. My guess is that they'll go with another word name for her--possibly one of the following:

Girl: Coco, Marvel, Navy, Olympia, Pixie, Roux, Sparrow, Spring, Velvet
*Update* Wow, I called this one--baby girl is Marvel Jane!

Joanna and Chip Gaines

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Drake, Ella Rose, Duke, Emmie Kay

HGTV power-couple Chip and Joanna Gaines are expecting baby number five, but they have a pretty limited name pool for him or her. Each of their daughters has a two syllable E name with a single-syllable middle name, and each of their sons has a single-syllable D name with a "K" sound at the end. Can Chip and Joanna find another name within these tight parameters, or is something going to give?

Girl: Eddie, Eden, Edie, Effie, Elin, Esme, Estelle, Eva, Evangeline, Evie

Boy: Dakota, Dallas, Dane, Dash, Dax, Dean, Decker, Drew, Dustin, Dylan
*Update* Not another D name--welcome Crew!

Zara and Mike Tindall

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Mia

Zara Tindall is pregnant with her second child—so what is a name fit for the Queen of England's great-grandchild? They went with Mia the first time around—a short and sweet name that feels right at home in Great Britain. I'm expecting something similar for their next baby—something trim and polished, but with plenty of style.

Girl: Ada, Anna, Eliza, Ella, Emma, Grace, Hallie, Iris, Marnie, Nora, Sadie

Boy: Arthur, Eli, Finn, Hugo, Jude, Lenny, Max, Miles, Ralph, Rex, Teddy
*Update* Another girl--Lena Elizabeth!

Haylie Duff and Matt Rosenberg

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Ryan Ava Erhard

Haylie Duff and Matt Rosenberg paired the masculine Ryan with the ultra-feminine, vintage Ava for their first-born daughter. Will we see a similar pattern with their second baby—two names that fall on opposite ends of the spectrum, yet work surprisingly well together? I suspect we might.

Girl: Addison, Blake, Eden, Greer, Kennedy, Logan, Piper, Quinn, Reese

Boy: Brady, Carter, Gray, Kieran, Kingston, Luca, Maddox, Royce, Walker
*Update* Welcome, Lulu Gray!

Jinger Duggar and Jeremy Vuolo

Gender: unknown

Siblings: none

Jinger Duggar is known as the most stylish sister among the Duggar family, so I'm hoping that translates into baby names as well. Lately her sisters have been choosing more traditional names for their sons (Henry and Samuel), but maybe we'll see something a bit more daring—but still Biblical—from Jinger and Jeremy.

Girl: Abra, Atara, Chloe, Keturah, Mary, Phoebe, Priscilla, Rebekah, Salome

Boy: Abner, Asa, Charles, Daniel, Jude, Lazarus, Malachi, Phineas, Tobiah
*Update* A virtue name--Felicity Nicole!

Anna Eberstein and Hugh Grant

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Tabitha Xaio Xi, Felix Chang Hong (previous relationship), John Mungo, Daughter (name not released)

Even though Hugh Grant hasn't publicly revealed the name of his youngest child, I am holding out hope that we get to hear the name of his fifth baby! Based on the names of his children that we do know, I'd wager that this baby will have a fashionable, vintage-inspired name that possibly honors a relative of Hugh or Anna.

Girl: Alice, Clarissa, Cornelia, Eliza, Helena, Juliet, Lydia, Rose, Susanna

Boy: Anton, Benedict, Charles, Finn, Graham, Henry, James, Miles, Oliver

Apple Names

Image Credit

Happy (almost) Halloween guys! I wanted to do a post about apples before Fall ended, and I figured this would be the ideal time, right in the middle of apple season. All the following names come from apple varieties--perfect for an Autumn baby!

Abbey
Adam
Albany
Albert
Alexander
Alford
Allen
Ambrosia
Anna
Annie
April
Ariane
Arthur
Bailey
Baldwin
Barry
Beacon
Bella
Ben
Bess
Beverly
Billy
Bonnie
Bridget
Brock
Cameo
Carlos
Caroll
Charles
Christmas
Clark
Clay
Cole
Connell
Crispin
Cybele
D'arcy
Davey
David
Dawn
Dayton
Derby
Earl
Early
Eddie
Edmund
Edward
Elise
Elizabeth
Ellison
Elton
Emneth
Erwin
Evelina
Everard
Fearn
Filippa
Florina
Foster
Franklin
Fuji
Gala
Garland
Gavin
George
Gibson
Gilbert
Ginger
Grove
Harrison
Harvey
Henry
Hokuto
Holiday
Holland
Holly
Hudson
Ida
Ingrid
Jackson
James
Jazz
Jersey
Johnny
Jonathan
Jordan
Jubilee
July
June
Jupiter
Kalei
Karen
Katy
Katya
Kent
Kerry
King
Kingston
Kinsei
Lane
Liberty
Lilibet
Luscious
Mac
Maclean
Maigold
Malinda
Marie
Marisa
Melba
Meridian
Miller
Milo
Milton
Mollie
Moore
Morgan
Morley
Newton
Niagara
Noble
Oliver
Opal
Orin
Palmer
Park
Paula
Pax
Pearl
Perry
Pine
Pippin
Pixie
Pomme
Porter
Prairie
Princess
Priscilla
Quebec
Quince
Rajka
Rome
Rose
Rosemary
Rosette
Ross
Rosy
Royal
Russet
Rusty
Sam
Santana
Scarlet
Scarlett
September
Sharon
Shay
Sierra
Smith
Snow
Sonya
Spencer
Stirling
Summer
Sundance
Sutton
Taylor
Tom
Topaz
Turner
Upton
Victoria
Virginia
Walter
Wayne
William
Winston
Winter
Wolf
Yates
York
Zari


I'm taking next week off to do some blog maitenance--regular posting will resume November 9th.

Word Names

Image Credit

Word names make great middle names. We see it all the time with celebrities--Charlie Ballerina, Sparrow James Midnight, Buddy Bear, etc. But you don't need to be a celebrity to go big in the middle. The best part about middle name is that they are just that: in the middle! They aren't used on a regular basis, so have fun with it. I've got 150 options here, ranging from the safe and easy to the truly outrageous. It's all after the jump.

Celebrity Baby Name Predictions: Volume 6

via Marion WD Tumblr

This month’s predictions features two exciting firsts for me: my first twin prediction, and my first Duggar prediction! I’ve been crossing my fingers for a Duggar pregnancy announcement since I started this series six months ago, and now here it is. But that’s not all the good news this month. Mick Jagger is going to be a dad again, as is Sam Worthington. Plus, Jenna Jameson is having her third baby. This means we’ve got a lot of stylish, alliterative, and probably zany birth announcements coming up. I’ve taken a stab at predicting them below.

Melanie Hamrick and Mick Jagger

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Georgia, James, Jade, Elizabeth, Lucas, Karis, Gabriel (all from previous relationships)

Even though the names of Mick Jagger’s children seem all over the place in terms of sibset cohesion, there’s one thing they all have in common: undeniably British style. I have a feeling baby number eight’s name will fit right in.

Girl: Bryony, Cressida, Gemma, Imogen, Isadora, Ivy, Poppy, Tabitha, Tallulah

Boy: Charlie, Lewis, Milo, Nico, Oliver, Sebastian, Simon, Spencer, Richie, Rex
*Update* Yep, they went British--baby boy is Devereaux Octavian Basil!

Kirsten and Jon Heder

Gender: girl

Siblings: Evan Jane(g), Philip, Timothy

Even though Jon Heder is known for playing a character named Napoleon, his personal naming style is much tamer. His sons have very traditional names, while his daughter has an uncommon, but on-trend unisex name—Evan. Using that as my guide, I made picks for the Heders that would be perfect for their sibset. 
Girl: Anna, Brenna, Claire, Grace, Harper, Kate, Leah, Maggie, Nora, Paige, Piper

Grace Gail and Adam Rodriguez

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Frankie Elle(g)

Frankie is definitely having a moment right now. It’s cute and not-so-serious, and makes a great nickname for some terrific longer names. Frankie Rodriguez is just Frankie though, so I have a hunch Grace and Adam might choose another nickname-y name for baby number two. 
Girl: Clara, Etta, Evie, Georgia, Ivy, Josie, Lena, Libby, Liza, Lucy, Nellie, Rosie

Boy: Arlo, Ben, Gus, Jamie, Jonathan, Julian, Leo, Louie, Milo, Nico, Rudy, Sammy

Molly Sims and Scott Stuber

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Brooks Alan, Scarlett May

The Stuber sibset is preppy as can be, with a healthy dose of Southern charm. If they stick with that theme, I bet their third child will have one of the following names.

Girl: Adelaide, Audrey, Evelyn, Harlow, Laurel, Sadie, Savannah, Stella, Vivienne

Boy: Beau, Clayton, Dean, Hayes, Preston, Reid, Spencer, Tate, Tucker, Waylon
*Update* A boy--Grey Douglas!

Danneel Harris and Jensen Ackles

Gender: boy girl twins!

Siblings: Justice Jay "JJ" (g)

Double trouble--a boy and a girl are on the way for the Ackles family. Twins can be tricky to name. You want the pair to be cohesive on its own, but also fit in with the larger sibset. I’m excited to hear Jensen and Danneel’s choices, especially since their daughter has such a fun name.

Girl: Alexis, Brynn, Eden, Grace, Harper, Quinn, Payton, Rain, Rowan, Skye

Boy: Alex, Beckett, Brave, Hayden, Jude, Phoenix, Rocky, Sawyer, Tristan, Zion
*Update* The twins are here! Baby girl is Arrow Rhodes, and baby boy is Zeppelin Bram. 

Jenna Jameson and Lior Britton

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Jesse Jameson, Journey Jette (both from a previous relationship)

Something tells me this baby is going to have another double J name. Jenna Jameson’s twin sons’ names aren’t a complete match stylistically, so it’s a total toss up in terms of her approach for baby number three. Will she go with a more traditional and well-liked name a la Jesse? Or choose a trendy unisex name like Journey?

Girl: Jacy, Jade, Jasmine, Jayla, Jersey, Jewel, Jezebel, Jolie, Jubilee, Jules, Juliette

Boy: Jace, Jack, Jagger, Jamie, Jaxon, Jayden, Jenson, Jethro, Jude, Judson, Justice
*Update* Not a J name--a girl named Batel Lu!

Lara Bingle and Sam Worthington

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Rocket Zot

Rocket Zot is the craziest celebrity baby name you've never heard of. This Australian couple gave their son a very unique combination of names, and I have no doubt that they’re going to do it again. The only question is, what combo will it be this time?

Girl: Ember, Fable, Moxie, Mystery, Pixie, Rebel, Rumor, Story, Spirit

Boy: Blaze, Breaker, Diesel, Dragon, Legend, Neon, Noble, Storm
*Update* Welcome Racer!

Jessa and Ben Seewald

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Spurgeon Elliot

The Duggars are known for their baby name choices, but Jessa and Ben have promised not to do a letter theme. Instead, it seems as if they are naming their babies after famous Christians. The Seewalds are not afraid to go bold with baby names, so I didn’t hold back when making my predictions. I wouldn’t hold it past them to name a daughter Pink (which I’m secretly rooting for)!

Girl: Annie, Carey, Hedley, Isobel, Lottie, Piper, Pink, Ryle, Susanna, Teresa

Boy: Baxter, Benjamin, Lawson, Leland, Luther, Owen, Paul, Tozer, Washer, Wells

*Update* It's a boy—Henry Wilberforce!