Showing posts sorted by relevance for query Thor. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query Thor. Sort by date Show all posts

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

10 Scandinavian Names You Never Thought of Using: Boys

Image Credit
Last week I told you all about my love for the slim, trim Scandinavian name. That's exactly what you'll find here--no name is over two syllables long. If you are a fan of short names, the Scandinavians have got you covered. Take a look.

Espen- Espen--with his similarities to the name Aspen and favorite sports network ESPN--strikes me as the perfect name for a Scandi-American child. Even better if there are Osborns in your family--he comes from Asbjorn, from which Osborn derived.

Folke- It's no secret that hipsters love anything "folk." Folk music, folk dancing, folk festivals--you name it. So why not use it as a name for their son? Folke (with that extra "E") is an old Scandinavian name. Plus, he means "people's guardian."

Frey- When novel names become suddenly trendy, people tend to tire of them quickly. That's what happened to me and Gray/Grey. Years ago when parents first started bestowing their children with the name, I thought, "what a wonderful idea!," "how cute!," and "so creative!" Now it bores me to tears. Frey is a spectacular alternative. He's fresher, edgier, and practically unheard of. Use him instead of Grey, please.

Jens- The Jennifers of the world have exited their child-bearing years, meaning, in the next ten years or so, they will start becoming grandmothers. Jens would be spunky way to honor Grandma Jennifer--but even if you don't know any Jennifers, Jennys, or Jenns (I would be shocked), Jens still makes a fantastic name for a son.

Lars- Sweet sweet Lars is one of my all time favorites. He sounds so kind and gentle (though maybe Ryan Gosling's character in Lars and the Real Girl is coloring my perception). If you prefer him as a nickname, he works as a short form of Laurence or Larson/Larsen.

Oslo- Oslo is the capital of Norway, and a great candidate for the name of your baby boy! Some people argue that he's not "name-y" enough, but Oslo shares a likeness to Oswald, Otto, and Lazlo, so I beg to differ.

Per- Per is the Scandinavian form of Peter. He's pronounced exactly as he looks--though if you're seeking the PEER pronunciation, Peer is another option. Pelle--even though it is longer--is the original nickname for Per, though he is actually more popular in his own right.

Timo- I've been LOVING Timo lately. He's familiar yet unusual, easy to pronounce, and an all-around lovely name. You could use him as a nickname for Timothy, but I much prefer him on his own. Timo would make a nice honor name, though.

Thoren- Thoren is an elaboration on the Scandinavian god name Thor, and also a surname. People who like Thor and Tor but want a longer name to fall back on should strongly consider Thoren.

Viggo- Viggo is a cool, strong name that would be easy to use in America. He's currently most popular in Sweden, where he ranks #45, though his popularity peaked in 2009 at #26. Funnily enough, he doesn't even rank in Norway, his country of origin.

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Dog Names for Babies?

Brent Schoepf via Dribbble
I've been thinking non-stop about dog names since we just got a puppy a week ago. When coming up with a name for the little guy, I was adament about giving him a name that didn't sound too "dog like," (aka, not Fido or Rover). I wanted him to have a real name. A person name. We ended up calling him Fisher, and it's really the perfect name for him. It's not too dog like, and it's not too common among animals or people (it ranked #799 last year). However, this whole situation got me wondering: if we like people names for pets, what about pet names for people? Are they off-limits or fair game?

Beau- Beau was the quintessential dog name for a while, but ever since the early 2000s, he's been climbing up the charts for baby boys. Alternate spelling Bo is also on the rise (and is the name of the Obama's dog). Beau definitely works for both dogs and babies.

Boomer- I was hesitant to include Boomer on this list, because--much like Fido and Rover--I thought he had absolutely no potential as a baby name. But Michael Phelps gave the name to his son a couple weeks ago, which changes things. My brother has been telling me forever to expect a nephew named Boomer in a dozen years or so (Beau also makes his list). I've always thought it was to annoy me with its non-nameness, but who knows, maybe he sees the future of baby names. Do you think Boomer could be a hit in 2028?

Coco- Coco is a name I have my eye on. I've seen a couple of bloggers and other tastemakers use the name recently, and I think it wears really well. They are often ahead of the curve by many years though, so I suspect we'll see a big Coco rise in around 3-5 years.

Duke- Duke still feels decidedly doggish to me, but I'm curious to hear what you all think. He came back into the top 1000 in 2013, and is on the rise, along with many other royal names. Giuliana and Bill Rancic have a son named Duke, which may be inspriring many parents to go for it with their baby as opposed to their dog.

Huck- Huck is a sweet nickname-y name whose most obvious full form is Huckleberry. It makes sense that parents would want to skip over that, and just give the name to their pet instead. However, I'm more of a fan when it's used on a baby. There are plenty of full name options besides Huckleberry, as illustrated here.

Murphy- Fun loving, Irish surname Murphy has always been common among pets, but dropped out of the top 1000 for baby boys in 1956. These days I can see Murphy working for a baby boy or girl, especially in this era of last-names-first.

Rex- Rex may seem like the classic dog name, but he's actually not too popular among pooches or people. I am a big champion of using Rex on babies--he's the perfect alternative to Max! Plus, he's actually fallen lately in popularity. Rex is currently at #682, down from a peak of #617 in 2011.

Roscoe- Hipster favorite Roscoe is currently a hit for dogs, and I suspect the number of children and pets with the name will only go up. He really is a fun and sweet name--I wouldn't be surprised to see him break the top 1000 in the next few years.

Roxy- Roxy (or Roxie, if you're a Broadway fan) is not used as often on babies as she is on pets, most likely because her most obvious full name is the outdated Roxanne. However, she'd work just as well as a nickname for any of the Rose names, or even names like Aurora and Veronica.

Scout- All the buzz about To Kill a Mockingbird and Go Set a Watchman led to increased interest in the name Scout, but I can't tell if it's going to stick or not. For a long time, Scout sounded too wordy to bestow on a child (i.e.: perfect for the dog), but I think she's a totally viable choice nowadays.

Thor- People love to give their dogs slightly comical names, which is why you meet many a small dog named Thor. This is one of the few that I would not give to child--I think it's best for the family pet. Try the variation Tor instead.


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As you may have noticed, I'm taking a lighter summer schedule. Regular posting should resume in October, when I go back to school.

Friday, February 19, 2016

140th Westminster Call Names

Craig Jamieson via Dribbble This year's winner was a German Shorthaired Pointer named CJ
When we hear about show dog names, we most often are mentioning the outrageous, over-the-top, nonsensical monikers the dogs are referred to formally. Even though I get a kick out of these, I'm always more interested in the call names of the dogs, i.e., what they respond to outside the show ring. Hundreds of dogs participated in the 140th Westminster Dog Show this year, and I recording their names to list here (here's last year's post, if you're interested). This isn't a very large sample size, but it can give us some insight into how people name their dogs, and how it's so similar, yet vastly different from naming children.

Classic Dog Names
Bella
Charlie
Chloe
Gus
Henry
Hunter
Izzy
Louie
Lucy x2
Marley
Molly
Parker x2
Pepper
Sophie
Thor

Colorful Canines
Azul
Blue x2
Cadet
Mr. Blue
Sky

Cultural Choices
Blitx--"lightning" in Swedish
Devlin (g)
Gomez
Gretel
Hoja
Leandro
Mano
Ovidius
Pepe
Ronan
Saxon
Schilling
Sunito
Tuco

Currently Trending
Annabelle
Anouk
Beckett
Cyrus
Eli x2
Finn
Gia
Gideon
Juliet
Kit (b)
Leo
Olivia
Piper
Walker

Distinguished Gentlemen
Adrian
Alan
Andrew
Angus
Anton
Bradley
Casey
Chauncey
Falco
Griffin
Hank
Hector
Humphrey
Jango
Jason
Joshua
Lucas
Moses
Mr. Jones
Ned
Nelson
Preston
Remy
Richard
Stuart
Vito
Watson
Xavier

Food and Drink
Bacon
Brie
Kahlua
Monte Cristo
PatrĂ³n

Lovely Ladies
Clara
Creeda
Fiona
Gail
Grace
Etta
Kate
Lucia
Paola
Primrose
Summer x2
Vanessa
Vera
Victoria
Zora

Place Names
Cayman
Dixie
Fenway
Mexico
Orlando
Tennessee

Nicknames
Allie
Augie
Cal
CJ
CR
Danny
Duffy
Frankie (g)
Gabby
Gabe
Gedi
Gibbs
Jenny
Lumi (b)
Mack
Manny
Obie x2
Odgie
Ollie
Pandy (b)
Ricky x2
Robbie
Rocky
Rondo
Sally
Tilly
Toodles
Tubbs
Vinny
Zak

Notable Namesakes
Astaire
Fergi
Jackson--after Michael Jackson
Julia--after Julia Louis-Dreyfuss
Mick--after Mick Jagger
Peyton--after Peyton Manning
Robert Redford
Santana--after Carlos Santana
Windsor

Pop Culture Picks
Bond
Burberry
Indy (b)
Jedi
Leonard--after the Big Bang Theory
Neo
Peter Parker
Steelers--after the Pittsburgh Steelers
Wesley--after The Princess Bride

Word Names
Banner
Bingo
Bogey
Brazen
Chance
Cubit
Dart
Dynamite
Exquisite "Quizzy"
Flash x2
Frosty
General
Journey
Judge
Panda x2
Paparazzi
Pilot
Precious
Rain
Riot
Rocketman
Rumble
Rumor
Slick
Star
Striker
Tank
Toot
Trader
Vanity

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

10 T Names You Never Thought of Using: Boys

Image Credit
You guys ready for T names for boys? Let's get right to it.

Tabor- Tabor is a common Hungarian name that would work well on an American baby. He would also make a nice middle name.

Talbot- He may sound a little posh for your liking, but the nickname Tal balances him out.

Taurus- If your baby is born under the sign of Taurus, it might be fun to consider his astrological sign as a name. With names like Justus and Magnus, Taurus fits right in.

Teague- I love Teague. He's simple and concise, but holds his own. Use Teague if you want a short, nicknameless name.

Teal- Color names aren't too common for boys, but Teal is one to consider. Similar option: Zeal.

Thane- Thane is one of those names that you'd think would be popular, but hasn't caught on yet. We love Shane and Zane, so Thane seems like the next logical step.

Theron- Theron peaked in 1910, so he's overdue for a revival. If he gets used by a celebrity, that would send him back into the top 1000.

Thijs- The pronunciation is less confusing than it looks--(TICE). He's a great Dutch boy name, and with a bit more use, he could be an easier pick for an American baby.

Tobin- Toby is an adorable nickname, but Tobias isn't everyones cup of tea. Tobin is a bit more contemporary, but still has some history.

Tor- Thor is pretty intense for a baby--or any man, for that matter. Tor is a softer pick, with the same Scandinavian roots.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Alternitaves to the Most Popular Names

Alternitaves to the most popular names:

Girls:
Isabella- Isobel, Belinda, Isa, Isis, Belle
Sophia- Stella, Fiona, Thea
Emma- Ember, Emerald, Emmy
Olivia- Olive, Liviana, Livi, Livia
Ava- Evelyn, Eva, Eve, Avalyn
Emily, Amelie, Amelia, Amy
Abigail- Allison, Adelaide, Adeline, Addie, Adele
Madison- Madeleine, Addison, Addie
Chloe- Nicole, Zoe, Clover, Claire, Cleo
Mia- Amelia, Leah, Thea, Maia, Maura, Moira

Boys:

Jacob- Jacobson, Cody, Cole
Ethan- Arthur, Heath, Xander
Michael- Mitchel, Micah, Miles
Jayden- Jace, Jay, Jackson, Javan, Jared, Jad
William- Liam, Lee, Leland, Willis, Wiley, Warren
Alexander- Lex, Alexis, Lester, Eric
Noah- Nolan, Neil, Nowe, Norton
Daniel- Dane, Donald, Samuel, Darius
Aiden- Ace, Asher, Ardon, Amos, Ames
Anthony- Andrew, Andy, Terry, Thor