10 Q Names You Never Thought of Using: Girls

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Did you think I would skip Q? No way, we're doing them all. Every single letter. By itself. None of that "XYZ" nonsense. And Q wasn't even that hard. People should embrace it more. Q is not a scary letter--there are plenty of great Q names out there. I'll show you.

Quarry- A quarry is a place from where rock has been taken, which makes her a nature name of sorts. She has a beautiful sound, why not consider her?

Quassia- Another nature name, Quassia is a type of small tree (also known as Bitterwood, but that's beside the point). She fits in well with some of the more obscure plant names. Quassia and Amaryllis?

Quay- Looks can be deceiving--she's actually pronounced KEY. This short beauty makes a great middle name, as demonstrated by Sarah Rhodes's (of Arrow & Apple and A Beautiful Mess) daughter Imogen Quay.

Quebec- I'm a sucker for a good place name. Quebec is darling. I've been to Quebec before (it's truly lovely), so I might be biased. It would make a great honor name if you are of French-Canadian descent.

Quenby- A fabulous unisex name that works as a nice alternative to the so-darn-popular Quinn.

Querida- She means *darling* in Spanish. If that's not a powerful reason to use a name, I don't know what is. You can't get a much better meaning than that.

Quilla- I debated over what my favorite name of this list is (Quilla? Quay? Quebec?) Ultimately, I had to choose Quilla. Her sound is right on trend, but rarely anyone knows she exists. Perfect.

Quincy- When I was ten years old, I loved the name Quincy on a girl. I have no idea where I heard it, but I named a lot of dolls Quincy. Tragically, I am no longer in love with the name, but that doesn't mean she isn't great for you. She's much preferable to Quinn.

Quinta- Add an extra syllable to Quinn, and you've changed the game. No longer is she a preppy princess--she's a fierce beauty.

Quintessa- What a glamorous name. Perfect for a movie star--and your baby daughter. Her nickname possibilities are endless. Tess, Tessa--and yes, even Quinn.

Food Names: Herbs and Spices

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Happy Thanksgiving-week! In honor of the holiday we are going to talk about food names all week. Back in October I covered fruits and veggies, so today is all about herbs and spices. There are so many options here, and I adore almost all these names. Let me know what you think! Would you name your baby after a spice? (I totally would).

Expected:
Basil- Though as a name, he's mostly pronounce BAH-zull.
Bay- Lovely, especially for a girl, I think.
Dill- He works as a nickname for Dillon, but not so much on his own.
Ginger- A name more people should be using.
Jasmine- Jasmine is beautiful, and was popular in the past.
Juniper- Up and coming, she also comes with nicknames June, Junie, and Juno.
Pepper- Spicy and fun.
Rosemary- So sweet, the nickname Romy seals the deal.
Sage- Another name that is truly unisex. Sage has been used by a few celebrities.
Willow- Will- names have been popular lately, perhaps because of the Smith family?

Unique:
Angelica- A little outdated, but usable.
Anise- Don't confuse her with Anais, this one's pronounced ANN-iss.
Carraway- Too similar to carried away? I think she still works.
Cassia- Feminine choice brought into the light by the YA Matched series.
Cicely- She would often get confused with Cecily, but still is a lovely pick.
Lavender- One of the most girly nature names out there.
Rue- She should be gaining popularity soon, thanks to The Hunger Games books and movies.
Saffron- Fun choice, especially for a chef.
Tarragon- It works for either gender, but it's similarity to Tara makes me read girl on this one.

Unheard of:

Artemisia- An elaboration of Artemis. Does she need elaboration though?
Clary- Another name from a YA Dystopian novel. Cute nickname for Clare or Clara names.
Clove- What's with it with YA Dystopian books and spice names? Another one from The Hunger Games, Clove is a simple yet strong name for a girl.
Myrtle- She's so far gone, she might never come back.
Nigella- So closely associated with Nigella Lawson, but a pretty pick nonetheless.
Olida- A great choice for the underused letter "O".
Perilla- She sounds very name-y, I'm surprised she hasn't been used yet.
Quassia- The world could use more "Q" names. This is a great one.
Ramsons- A little close to Ransom, but hey, that's a name too.
Sorrel- This herb is a great pick for a baby boy.
Verbena- The -ena ending make her name-worthy. But the strong -rb- sound gives me pause.

Middle Name Round-Up

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It's the last day of August, and sadly, the last day of our Middle Name Month. As I've shown you this month, almost any name makes a great middle name. In fact, many of us consider names for the middle position that we would never dream of using as first names. I've compiled a list of lists--all past posts of mine that include wonderful middle name options for boys and girls. Happy naming!

Nature Names
Nature names are widely appealing, and they make up some of the most popular middle names. These lists offer many more options beyond Rose, and they might even take you in an unexpected direction (fruit and veggie names, anyone?)

Fruit and Vegetable Names:
My favorite middles: Fig, Huckleberry, and Plum
Herbs and Spice Names
My favorite middles: Artemisia, Nigella, and Quassia
Squash and Pumpkin Names
My favorite middles: Cocozelle, Kuri, and Valenciano
Tree Names
My favorite middles: Ash, Birch, and Hickory
Unexpected Flower Names
My favorite middles: Anemone, Larkspur, and Petunia

Out-of-the-Box Names
If you're a more cautious namer, there's no better place for an out-of-the-box name than the middle. Out-of-the-Box Names are free-spirited and whimsical, and--in my opinion--make the cutest middle names.

Camera Names
My favorite middles: Kodak, Leica, and Olympus
Car Inspired Names
My favorite middles: Alfa, Lotus, and Tesla
Fashion Trends as Names
My favorite middles: Chevron, Dot, and Peplum
Holiday Names
My favorite middles: Holiday, Season, and Yule
Pattern Names
My favorite middles: Gingham, Grain, and Tartan
Royalty Inspired Names
My favorite middles: Baron, Noble, and Royal
Sports Names
My favorite middles: Cricket, Derby, and League

Virtue Names
Perhaps the most enduring middle name trend is virtue names. Nowadays we see plenty of girls with Grace in the middle, though in the past picks like Joy, Faith, and Hope were also popular. These lists offer some more modern choices.

Modern Virtue Names for Girls
My favorite middles: Divinity, Hero, and Virtue
Modern Virtue Names for Boys
My favorite middles: Candor, Reason, and Zeal

Word Names
Like out-of-the-box names, word names can be very playful when used in the middle. They range from conservative to offbeat, but all of them are delightful.

Beachy Names
My favorite middles: Dune, Marine, and Oceane
Calendar Names
My favorite middles: Season, Tuesday, and Winter
Day Names
My favorite middles: Asa, Dia, and Early
Nautical Names
My favorite middles: Beacon, Sailor, and Sea
Night Names
My favorite middles: Dream, Moon, and Story
State Capital Names
My favorite middles: Augusta, Helena, and Honolulu