Movie Names: The Royal Tenenbaums

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The Royal Tenenbaums is my all time favorite movie. As I mentioned earlier this week, I love Wes Anderson, so this should come as no surprise. One of the things I love most about Wes Anderson (though not as much as his quirky characters and whimsical sets) is how he names his characters. In every one of his movies, the names are specially tailored to the characters, or so it seems. If you haven't seen a Wes Anderson movie before, I highly recommend the Royal Tenenbaums as your first one. It's a lovely film, with lovely names.

Boys:
Ari- He's a name often associated with Nice Jewish Boys, but he can work for a boy with any culture or religion.
Chaz- Normally a nickname for Charles. Not quite useable on the birth certificate, but he would make a nice retro nickname.
Dudley- Dudley's name was perfect for his character, because he was dud-ish. That being said, it's not a good connotation for your child.
Eli- Eli is one of the great characters in this film, but if you want to name a baby after him, go with his last name- Cash.
Henry- Sweet and classic.
Mordecai- He's Richie's falcon in the movie, and would be a fun connection for a boy. However, he is a lot of name.
Pagoda- Whimsical and delighting, but maybe for a girl?
Raleigh- Many would consider this a girl name, but Raleigh wore surprisingly well on his character (played by Bill Murray!)
Richie- Chaz's brother's name is also more common as a nickname (this time for Richard), but is used in its own right. Richie holds up better than Chaz.
Royal- Is this one set to come back? Maybe, because names like Duke and Deacon are heading upwards.
Uzi- Ari's brother (surprised?). The gun connotation is a bad one, but that doesn't rule it out.

Girls:
Etheline- A beautiful elaboration of the crotchety sounding Ethel.
Margot- One of the best names in the entire film. Margot is stunning and glamorous, just like her character.
Rachael- She's not a big character in the movie (Ari and Uzi's dead mother), but she has a great name that is falling slightly out of favor.

Stylish Choices Outside the Top 1000: 2014 Boys

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Uninspired by the names in the top 1000? Looking for something particularly unusual? Consider one of the following names for your son--none of them were given to more than 204 boys last year (and some were only given to 5!) It's all after the jump.

25 Days of Christmas: Winter

Today's Christmas baby name is Winter. Winter is a seasonal name, meaning "the season of winter." She was briefly in the top 1000, ranking 1000 in 1978,  then 705 in 1979. After that she abrubtly stopped being used, she hasn't been ranked since.

Right now Winter is incredibly stylish. She has been included in several star-babie's names. Winter was chosen by Nicole Richie for Harlow's middle name. She would make the perfect choice for a baby born around now. When people think of Winter, they think of snow, ice, and the holidays. She'd be lovely on a Christmas baby.

Names Ending in -ow(e)

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-O names have been in style for a while now. As of 2015, it seems like we have a new trend. Names that end in -ow or -owe--while similar to -o names--have a different feel. There's a real unisex quality to them. Most of these names can be used on a girl or boy. More than a few of them have nature ties, which is also appealing to today's parents. I'm excited about this trend. -ow names have real potential, and I suspect quite a few of these will make it into the top 1000 this year.

Arrow- As a symbol, it's a popular hipster motif--and as a word name, well, he's still a little hipster-ish. With names like Fletcher on the rise, I wouldn't be surprised to meet a baby Arrow (in fact, I have!).

Barlow- I included Barlow in my 10 B Names You Never Thought of Using list, which means he's perfect if you want an under-the-radar, trendy name.

Bowe- Bo and Beau (especially) have been on the rise. A lot of times stylish names get quite a few unique spellings, so I'm surprised no one has thought of using Bowe yet. I think this spelling would work great on girls, but I could see it on a boy as well.

Carlow- Carlow is a college name, as well as an excellent baby name. It would be nice on either gender, and makes a nice alternative to Charlie.

Fallow- Fallow is a light brown color, one that is often used to describe the color of deer. Like it on a girl? You can nickname her Doe or Fawn. 

Harlow- Oh Harlow. People are loving her. She currently ranks at #540, but she is making a steep climb up the charts. Maybe that cute pup on Instagram has something to do with it.

Marlowe- Marlowe is rising extremely quickly. Even though she ranks at #1284, she will definitely make it to the top 1000 this year. Use her while you can, this one is about to get real popular.

Meadow- At one time she may have sounded like a 1960s flower child, but today Meadow makes for a lovely nature pick. She has a sweet quality about her, and in the age of flower names, Meadow seems perfect.

Nowe- I have a couple of problems with this name. They mostly consist of the name is pronounced like the word "no," which would be horribly confusing for a toddler. I can really only justify putting this one in the middle.

Rainbow- Rainbow is similar to Meadow, except I don't think she lost her hippie-chick vibe. Try Rain. Or Bo.

Snow- Snow is a delightful, whimsical name for a winter baby girl. There are princess ties, which can be a plus or a minus for some people.

Sparrow- Bird names are so fun, and I adore Sparrow. Nicole Richie and Joel Madden named their son Sparrow (brother to Harlow), but it works on either gender.

Willow- She's the most popular on this list, coming in at #155. Willow is still on the rise, so I'll bet she breaks the top 100 for 2014. Willow is a very ethereal nature name, and it's easy to see why people love her.

Winslow- Currently, Winslow is used for boys 97% of the time. But, since fewer than five children were given the name last year, I think it is absolutely usable for girls.

If I Could Name 100 Boys

Cedric Guerin via Dribbble

Alright, now it's time for the boys! I have to admit, I found the task of picking 100 of my favorite boys names a bit daunting at first--which is why you didn't see this post last year--but it turned out to be better than I thought. Now it's your turn! I'd love to know--what would you name 100 sons?

Amos
Anders
Ari
Asa
August

Bastien
Beck
Benno
Birch
Bodhi
Bowen

Bram
Chester
Clyde
Conrad
Dewey
Drake

Eames
Enzo
Felix
Ferris
Finn
Fox
Frank
Freddie
Frey

Fritz
Gardner
George
Graham
Gregor
Grover
Gus
Hal
Harry
Hart
Harvey

Henry
Herbert

Huck
Ike

Ira
Ivo
Jack
Jamie

Jay
Jens

Lars
Leland
Lester
Linus
Lloyd

Louis
Magnus
Max
Milo
Moe
Monroe
Ned
Noam
Ogden
Ollie
Omri
Orin
Oslo
Oswald
Otto
Paul
Penn
Pete
Philip
Portland
Ralph
Ramsay
Raymond
Reid
Remy

Rex
Rhodes

Richie
Ridge
Roscoe
Scott
Sid

Soren
Teague
Teddy
Theo
Timo
Toby

Todd
Van
Viggo

Walter

Warren
Weber
Wells
Wes
York
Zen



*I'm taking two weeks off for finals and Spring Break, so I'll see everyone back here in April*

Celebrity Baby Name Predictions: Volume 10

New year, new celebrity pregnancy announcement! And boy did we start off with a bang. Zooey Deschanel, who is often credited with giving us the best baby name of 2015 (Elsie Otter!) is going to be a mom for the second time. Jill Duggar is also pregnant with her second child. With her oldest son named Israel, I can't wait to see what name she chooses next. There also are quite a few first-time moms on this month's list, including actresses Lily Rabe, Laura Prepon, and lifestyle guru Lauren Conrad. So far 2017 is shaping up to be a great year for celebrity pregnancy announcements. Let's keep that momentum going into February!

Zooey Deschanel and Jacob Pechenik
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Elsie Otter
Elsie Otter was one of the cutest celebrity baby names of 2015, so I have high hopes for Zooey Deschanel's next baby. I think it would be so sweet if he or she also had an unexpected animal name for the middle, but that's a whole other set of predictions (maybe something like Lynx or Fawn?)
Girl: Clementine, Josie, Lottie, Minnie, Pearl, Phoebe, Ruthie, Sylvie, Tess, Tilly
Boy: Amos, Gus, Frankie, Fritz, Henry, Ira, Lester, Louie, Otto, Richie, Theo
*Update* I was right about their naming formula--welcome, Charlie Wolf!

Lake Bell and Scott Campbell
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Nova
Nova is a strong word name with a connection to the stars. I have a feeling Lake Bell and Scott Campbell are not going to go with a night sky themed sibsets, but I included some subtle options that fit the bill just in case.
Girl: Alpha, Echo, Electra, Lark, Lotus, Maxima, Vesper, Winter, Wren
Boy: Alistair, Axel, Flynn, Lex, Loyal, Marvel, Oz, Rio, Sky, Zephyr
*Update* Welcome, Ozgood, "Ozzy"!

Jill Duggar and Derrick Dillard
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Israel David
Rumor has it that if the Dillard's first-born was a girl, he would have been named Selah. That makes Selah my number one guess for a daughter--but who knows? As long as it's biblical, anything goes.
Girl: Aviva, Dania, Dinah, Elyse, Eve, Galilee, Lilah, Raya, Selah, Shalom, Talia
Boy: Asa, Elijah, Ezra, Gideon, Hosea, Judah, Samson, Simeon, Solomon, Tobias
*Update* It's another boy--Samuel Scott!

Lauren Conrad and William Tell
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
Celebrity lifestyle blogger Lauren Conrad hinted at some of her favorite baby names earlier this month, but something tells me that she wouldn't reveal her baby's name that soon. It did provide plenty of inspiration though--traditional modern names seem to strike her fancy.
Girl: Blair, Cecilia, Elsie, Evangeline, Juliette, Luna, Ruby, Scarlett, Sloane, Violet
Boy: Camden, Charles, Eli, Everett, Harrison, Jameson, Nathan, Owen, Reid, Walker
*Update* Hello, Liam James!

Emilie Livingston and Jeff Goldblum
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Charlie Ocean (b)
The name Charlie has a friendly, casual vibe--even more so when paired with a calming middle like Ocean. I expect the Goldblums to choose another unfussy name with great style for their newest son or daughter. If they use a subtle nature theme, that's even better.
Girl: Amelia, Hazel, Ivy, Lena, Lily, Lydia, Nora, Romy, Sadie Stella, Zoey
Boy: Archie, Ben, Calvin, Felix, Henry, Jack, Jude, Luke, Max, Milo, Rudy
*Update* Another water-themed name--River Joe!

Lily Rabe and Hamish Linklater
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Lucinda Rose (half sibling)
It's hard to imagine a name more romantic that Lucinda Rose. It has a sweet vintage spirit and sophisticated elegance that I sought to replicate in my top picks for their latest arrival.
Girl: Amelie, Antonia, Beatrice, Cornelia, Isadora, Magnolia, Sabina, Valerie
Boy: Adrian, Anton, Benjamin, Edmund, Hugh, Jasper, Marcel, Oliver, Samuel

Laura Prepon and Ben Foster
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
Laura Prepon is expecting her first child with Ben Foster. I have a hunch they'll either go with a tailored, modern name, or something with personal significance. Time will tell.
Girl: Aurora, Arbor, Celia, Jersey, Liv, Maren, Nora, Penelope, Vivian
Boy: Bram, Clay, Colin, Finn, Fletcher, Ford, Gabriel, Jacob, Jett, Michael
*Update* It's a girl--Ella!

Dana Vollmer and Andy Grant
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Arlen Jackson
Olympic swimmer Dana Vollmer and her husband Andy Grant gave their son the unusual-but-not-unheard-of name Arlen. It's an English surname that feels preppy, but still quite modern. I chose names along the same lines for my predictions for their second child's name.
Girl: Darby, Harper, Marlowe, Payton, Piper, Quinn, Reagan, Riley, Teagan
Boy: Connor, Gardner, Gavin, Jude, Liam, Nolan, Rhys, Rory, Rowan, Tate
*Update* It's a boy--Ryker Alexander!

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!

Stylish Choices Outside the Top 1000: 2015 Boys

via Studio MPLS

It can feel almost impossible to find a unique, uncommon name for a boy. But trust me, not everyone gives their son a name in the top 20, and there are some wonderful options out there if you want a name on the less popular side. I've culled the beyond the top 1000 list (so you don't have to) and picked out some of the best underused names, with between 202 and 5 uses. Last year's list is here--click over the jump to view this year's.

Share a Coke Names: Part Two

Might as well go with Nell ;) Make one here.

Okay, back for more. To do this post, I looked at all the names they sold in stores in the UK. Turns out it's a lot more. Like, almost five times as more. It took a long time to get all this data, but I've got some interesting observations for you guys. I'm going to list all 1,146 (!) names after the jump, then we can talk about them.

My hand hurt after writing seven pages of this.