Names from Arrested Development

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To celebrate Arrested Development coming back to television, I thought I'd do a post on the names of the characters and actors.

Alia- Alia Shawkat plays Maeby Funke. Alia is currently ranked at 763, and is considered a variation of Aaliyah.
Buster- Buster Bluth's name is more popular for pets than it is human. He is currently not in the top 1000, but peaked in 1909 at 238.
Byron- Buster's full name is Byron Bluth. Byron is currently at the lowest point he's ever been in the top 1000, coming in at 540. He was consistently popular until the 1990s.
David- David Cross plays Tobias Funke. His name has always been extremely popular, and currently sits at 18.
George- George Bluth, the patriarch of the show is played by Jeffrey Tambor. His name has been in a slow decline since the 1940s, and is at its lowest point in history, number 165.
George Michael- Michael Bluth's son goes by both his father and grandfather's names. This double-barrel name has never been in the top 1000, but is probably a pretty popular combination for men of all ages.
Gob- The character Gob got his name from his initials (George Oscar Bluth). Neither this spelling, nor the more popular, biblical Job have ever been in the top 1000.
Jason- Jason Bateman plays main character Michael Bluth. His name was a staple in the 1980s, and currently is ranked at 71.
Jeffrey- The name Jeffrey made an incredible climb in the 1930s and 40s. He jumped more than 900 spots in five years. He's not unheard of today, sitting at 238.
Jessica- Jessica Walter plays Lucille Bluth. Her name was very popular in the 70s and 80s, and currently is at 120.
Lindsay- The self-centered Lindsay Bluth Funke is played by Portia de Rossi. Lindsay was popular throughout the ages, but has had a steady decline, leaving her at 524.
Lucille- Lucille is currently on her way up, coming in at 394. She's a great update on the popular Lucy.
Maeby- The name Maeby was made up by the show's creator. She has never been in the top 1000, but was given to six baby girls in 2006, and eight baby girls in 2011. All years in between there were less than five.
Michael- Michael Bluth is the main character in Arrested Development. His name has been popular forever, and currently is at number 6.
Oscar- Oscar Bluth is George's twin brother, also played by Jeffery Tambor. His name is going down in popularity, and is ranked at 177.
Portia- Portia dropped of the top 1000 in 1991, and hasn't been back since. She's a beautiful Shakespearean name, but Lindsay actress Portia de Rossi was born Amanda and called Mandy.
Tobias- Tobias Funke is arguably the strangest character on Arrested Development. His name is currently going up in popularity, coming in at 516.
Tony- Tony Hale plays Byron "Buster" Bluth. His name is a nickname for Anthony, and stand-alone it is way down in popularity, at 409.
Will- Will Arnett plays biggest brother Gob Bluth. His name is commonly seen as a nickname for William, but by itself it has been declining, ranked at 666.

Full Names for Pia

Tolga Gezginis via Behance

Pia is a true multi-cultural name. She's heard in cultures all over the world, from Asia to South America, and in almost every European country. Pia is such a well-liked, easily translatable name--it's high time America took a page from the global handbook. However, I fear Americans think she's too short to stand on her own, so I came up with a list of possible full name options.

Olympia- Quite possibly the most obvious way to get to Pia. Olympia is gorgeous--stylish and modern with an Ancient Greek feel.

Olympiada- Olympia's even more extravagant sister. The nickname Pia is a good counterpart.

Pacifica- Reminiscent of the soothing ocean--in fact, she means "tranquil."

Pamelia- The Spanish version of Pamela, but much more contemporary thanks to the "Amelia" hidden inside. In today's world, Pia is a more fashionable nickname than Pam.

Pascasia- A lovely feminization of Pascale, Pia and Cassie are nickname options

Patricia- A name that definitely feels dated, but using the nickname Pia negates that.

Paulina- Possibly coming back into style thanks to star power. A Paulina called Pia would be charming.

Philippa- Pippa is usually Philippa's nickname of choice, but Pia works just as well.

Piala- This aged Celtic names perfectly lends herself to the nickname Pia.

Piritta- There are probably quite a few Pirittas called Pia--Piritta is a Finnish name, and you'll find many Pias in Scandinavia.

Portia- Portia doesn't have any obvious short forms, but Pia works as a contraction nickname for her.

Sepia- As colorful as Sienna, but with the added bonus of the nickname Pia.

Shakespearean Names

Ben Didier via Dribbble

There's a reason everyone likes Shakespearean names--they signify class, romanticism, and intelligence, (most) without sounding too pompous or proper. If you're looking for one of these names for your son or daughter, I've compiled this list of the ones I deem most usable.

Girls
Adriana
Aemilia
Alice
Aliena
Angelica
Anne
Audrey
Beatrice
Bianca
Blanche
Calphurnia
Cassandra
Celia
Cleopatra
Constance
Cordelia
Cressida
Desdemona
Diana
Dionyza
Doll
Dorcas
Eleanor
Elizabeth
Emilia
Francisca
Gertrude
Helen
Helena
Hermia
Hermione
Hero
Imogen
Iris
Isabella
Jane
Jessica
Joan
Julia
Juliet
Juno
Kate
Katharine
Katherine
Lavinia
Leonine
Luce
Lucetta
Luciana
Margaret
Maria
Marianna
Marina
Meg
Miranda
Nan
Nell
Nerissa
Octavia
Olivia
Ophelia
Patience
Paulina
Perdita
Phebe
Portia
Regan
Rosalind
Rosaline
Silvia
Tamora
Thaisa
Thisbe
Timandra
Titania
Valeria
Viola
Virgilia
Volumnia

Boys
Aaron
Abraham
Adam
Adrian
Andrew
Ajax
Alexander
Alexas
Alonso
Angelo
Angus
Anthony
Antonio
Ariel
Arthur
Balthasar
Barnardo
Benedick
Benvolio
Berkeley
Bertram
Brandon
Caesar
Caius
Camillo
Cassio
Cassius
Cato
Charles
Christopher
Cicero
Cinna
Clarence
Claudio
Claudius
Cleomines
Cleon
Clifford
Clitus
Cloten
Corin
Cornelius
Curan
Curio
Curtis
Cymbeline
Davy
Demetrius
Denny
Dick
Dion
Duncan
Edgar
Edmund
Edward
Egeon
Emmanuel
Fabian
Fenton
Ferdinand
Flavius
Ford
Francis
Francisco
Frederick
Gardiner
George
Gerald
Gregory
Grey
Griffith
Harry
Hector
Henry
Horatio
Hubert
Hugh
Humphrey
Iago
Isidore
Jachimo
Jack
Jaques
James
Jamy
John
Joseph
Jourdain
Julius
Junius
Jupiter
Lennox
Leonardo
Leonato
Leonatus
Leontes
Lewis
Lorenzo
Louis
Lovell
Lucentio
Lucilius
Lucio
Lucius
Lysander
Macmorris
Malcolm
Marcellus
Marcus
Mark
Martius
Matthew
Mercutio
Michael
Montano
Morgan
Mortimer
Morton
Nathaniel
Ned
Nicholas
Nick
Nym
Oberon
Octavius
Oliver
Orlando
Orsino
Osrick
Oswald
Othello
Owen
Paris
Pedro
Percy
Peter
Peto
Philip
Philario
Philo
Polonius
Puck
Quince
Quintus
Reynaldo
Richard
Robert
Robin
Roderigo
Romeo
Ross
Sampson
Sebastian
Silvius
Simon
Smith
Stanley
Stephano
Taurus
Thomas
Timon
Timothy
Titus
Toby
Tom
Tranio
Travers
Troy
Valentine
Valerius
Varro
Vernon
Vincentio
Walter
Will
Williams
Willoughby

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!

Contraction Nicknames

What is a contraction nickname you ask? Just like contractions in English, a contraction nickname takes the first part of a name and the last part of the name to form a shorter nickname, sans middle. There are so many great options if you like contraction nicknames--take a look and let me know your favorites!

Ada: Adalia, Adamina, Adara, Adelina, Adina, Adriana
Adele: Adelaide, Adeline
Alexa: Alexandra, Alexandria, Alexandrina, Alexandrita, Alexia
Ana: Anahita, Anala, Anastasia, Andrea, Andromeda, Angela, Angelica, Angelina, Anita, Annabella, Annika, Annissa, Annora, Antonella
Aria: Arcadia, Arcelia, Arianna, Ariella, Arizona, Artemisia
Aura: Aurelia, Aurelina, Aurora
Bay: Bailey
Bea: Beata, Becca, Beeja, Begonia, Belinda, Bellona, Bertha
Bex: Beatrix
Bria: Brianna, Brietta, Brigitta, Britta
Cara: Carlotta, Carolina, Carissa, Carmela, Cassandra
Clara: Claribella, Clarinda, Clarissa
Clea: Clementina, Cleopatra
Corie: Coralie
Dana: Danica, Daniela, Danita
Elsa: Elisa, Eloisa
Emme: Emmanuelle, Emmeline
Eva: Evangelina, Evanthia, Evelina
Fae: Fable, Faustine
Fia: Felicia, Fidelia, Fiona, Fiorella
Gala: Gabriella, Galatea, Galena
Gia: Gardenia. Georgia, Giada, Gianna, Gilda, Giordana, Giovanna, Gisella
Ina: India, Indiana, Indra
Isa: Isabella, Isabetta, Isadora, Isauara, Isla
Jette: Jeanette, Juliette
Jessa: Janessa, Jessamina, Jessica
June: Julianne, Juline, Junelle, Junette, Junine
Lena: Leanna, Leona, Levina
Lia: Lavinia, Lelia, Leocadia, Lilia, Lilianna, Linnea, Liviana
Lola: Lolita, Louella
Lora: Lorena, Lorenza, Lorinda
Lula: Ludmila, Luella
Luna: Luciana
Mia: Maria, Melania, Milada, Milagra, Milena, Miranda, Mireya, Mischa
Mila: Michaela, Milada, Milagra, Milania
Mina: Marina, Martina, Milena, Minerva
Mira: Milagra, Mirabella
Nia: Nabila, Nadia, Nahlia, Natalia, Nelia, Nicasia, Nicola, Nicolina, Nigella, Nina, Nisha
Noa: Nola, Nona, Nora, Nordica, Norma, Novella
Ola: Olida, Olina, Olivia, Olympia
Pia: Pamelia, Pascasia, Patricia, Petunia, Pippa, Piritta, Portia
Pippa: Philippa
Ren: Reagan. Reign
Roma: Romana, Romola
Rory: Rosemary
Rosa: Rosalia, Rosalinda, Rosanna, Rosetta. Rosita
Sara: Sahara, Samara, Samira, Sandra, Sapphira, Sarika
Sia: Sienna, Sierra, Silvana, Simona, Sistina, Sophia, Sophronia, Stephania, Sylvia
Tara: Takara, Tamara
Thea: Theodora, Theodosia, Theresa
Thora: Theodora
Zara: Zahara

Car Inspired Names

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Car names are having a bit of a moment. It is evident in many a celebrity baby name. Reign Aston Disick, Lincoln Bell Shepard, and Ford Wilson are just a few examples. Not all of these babies were named after cars (though it seems like Reign and Lincoln might be), but nevertheless, parents are inspired by them. Take a look.

Alfa- The Alfa Romeo (that's ro-MAY-oh) is a beautiful and expensive car. She's pure luxury--and a ravishing girl name.

Aston- As a name, he's a modern version of Austin. If he follows the trend of Kourtney Kardashian's other kids' names, we should be hearing a lot more of Aston in the coming years. As far as cars go, Aston Martins are fit for a king.

Bentley- My first association with Bentley used to be the car--but then Teen Mom happened. After the show premiered, the name went from being essentially unused to the top 100.

Dodge- Dodge may be the most obscure name on this list, but he definitely works. Now, I'm not suggesting you name your child after your minivan or Dodge Charger--instead, think of him as a word name. Dodge fits in with all the hyper-masculine names. Use him as a brother for Gunnar, Ryder, or Colt.

Ford- Short, powerful, and slightly preppy. It's easy to see the appeal of Ford. Henry Ford and the Model T are excellent historical namesakes.

Kia- She's not the first car name that comes to mind, but Kia is lovely underused name. I talked about her here a few months ago. The only major turnoff is the Kia gerbils (are they gerbils? Hamsters?), but that advertisement hasn't been played in a while.

Lexus- Lexus is a variant of Alexis--the spelling probably inspired by the car company. She peaked in 1996 at #449, around the same time as Alexis (although she made it up to #3). The spelling is a little too commercial for me, but she has a great sound.

Lincoln- Like many of the names on this list, Lincoln has a lot of different associations, and the first one is not necessarily a car. Lincoln is rising for both genders, and recently made the top 100 for boys. Car-wise, Lincolns are the cars used to make limousines. Not too shabby.

Lotus- Lotus is a gorgeous name and an incredibly fancy car. Along with being a car name, she's one of my favorite unexpected flower names.

Mercedes- Mercedes-Benz is a popular brand of German cars, and Mercedes is a popular '90s baby name. She is starting to sound a little dated, but the nickname Sadie freshens her up.

Porsche- Porsches may be extravagant cars, but the name Porsche is a pretty gaudy. I much prefer Portia--the beautiful Shakespearean name.

Royce- Royce has never been too popular--he peaked in 1935 at 284. He's been rising lately, but is still no where near his peak. If you like Rolls Royces, this could be a perfect pick for you.

Tesla- These new electric cars are named after the famous inventor Nikola Tesla, and are some of the hottest cars on the market. I've talked about Tesla as a nickname for Tess, and I still love the idea.


I'm taking off Monday for Presidents Day, so I'll see you all on Wednesday for S names for boys.

Stylish Choices Outside the Top 1000: 2014 Girls

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We all know the parents with that one requirement when it comes to names: Nothing inside the top 1000. Who knows, maybe it's you! I'll admit, I can be a bit of a name snob myself--I do prefer my favorites to be practically unique. All the names after the jump are outside the top 1000, in order of most used to least used (Esperanza with 257 uses in 2014, Romilly with 5). What's your favorite? Let me know.

Celestial Names: Moons

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Today's installment of Celestial Names is all about Moons. I love how each planet has a theme for the names of its moons. Uranus's Shakespeare themed moon-set is lovely!

Jupiter
Adrastea
Aitne
Amalthea
Ananke
Callirrhoe
Callisto
Carme
Elara
Euanthe
Europa
Europie
Himalia
Io
Iocaste
Isonoe
Kale
Kalyke
Leda
Lysithea
Thebe

Neptune
Despina
Galatea
Larissa
Naiad
Nereid
Thalassa

Saturn
Atlas
Calypso
Dione
Helene
Janus
Pan
Pandora
Pheobe
Rhea
Skadi
Titan
Ymir

Uranus
Ariel
Belinda
Bianca
Cordelia
Cressida
Desdemona
Juliet
Miranda
Oberon
Ophelia
Portia
Puck
Rosalind
Titania
Umbriel