10 V Names You Never Thought of Using: Boys

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V names may be getting trendy for girls, but they're far from popular with the boys. The first one on the top 1000 is Victor--and he's only at #101. You won't find many V boy names in use--which could be perfect if you want an uncommon name. Here are my picks for the 10 best V names outside the top 1000.

Van- He's concise, easy to spell and pronounce, and won't be confused for other names. That makes Van perfect, in my book.

Vardon- Vardon is a French surname that would translate easily to an American baby. For those of you who like nicknameless names, Vardon (or the alternate spelling, Varden) is a good option.

Vasco- If you need a name that would work in the United States and Latin America, Vasco tops my list of suggestions. He's got serious swagger and spunk.

Venn- Venn will always remind me of Venn diagrams (maybe because I'm still in high school), but that's not a bad association at all. He makes a great alternative to Ben--though that could be confusing at times.

Vermont- Hands down, Vermont is one of the most beautiful states in America. He would also make an unusual, yet super rad name for a boy. If you have some sort of connection to Vermont, it might be worth it to consider him for a son.

Vero- If you've been reading this series long enough, you know how much I love a short, ends-in-o name for boys. Vero is no exception. He sounds a lot like the slowly rising Vera, but has a more youthful feel.

Viggo- I can't even begin to tell you how much I adore Viggo. I'm definitely a sucker for Scandinavian names. He is modern and unique, yet people are familiar with the name. Viggo's a winner.

Ving- Ving has pizzaz and vitality. Sure, he's originally a diminutive of Irving, but Ving has potential. At the very least, he'd make a good nickname.

Vito- I don't put much stock into the meaning of names, but it can be an important factor for some parents. Vito means "life," which is one of the best meanings out there. Want to make a "life" meaning sibset? Check out this list. Vito and Liv, maybe?

Vlad- Vlad is kind of a tough sell. He's got some rough associations (to be fair, he has some good ones, too) and is rarely used in America. That being said, he has a nice sound, and would be a lovely choice if you have Russian heritage.

10 Scandinavian Names You Never Thought of Using: Boys

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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.

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*

On Naming a Dog

Recently, my family got a puppy (that puppy). The number one stress inducer was this guy's name. I know, it shouldn't be so hard. I mean, we have a naming expert in the family! Alas, it was decided that all five of us would agree on the name. That's not what you want to here when your calling out names like Viggo and Fritz, while others are shouting Waffle, Brick, and Oscar. To be clear, the only reason why Oscar was a "no" was because it is in the top 50 for dogs. I would not stand for that. Anyways, as you can see everyone has very different naming styles. Some of us wanted a British name (he is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel after all), and others wanted a very masculine name. The short list ended up being:

Nigel
Chester (called Chet, maybe?)
Woody

This dog was about to be named Woody (which I disliked) when all of a sudden yours truly thought of the perfect name for this nugget. Harvey. Once I suggested Harvey, it was done. Everyone liked it (thank goodness) and we get compliments on his name every day. But you know how it goes, and he has many nicknames. I call him Harv or Harvey-man, and my mom is fond of Stinky, Stinkman, or Little Stink.

Naming a dog is different from naming a human, but still very difficult. Here are some suggestions for naming your puppy (or any animal).
1. Agree. It's best if everybody likes the name, so keep that in mind while choosing.
2. Come up with a lot of names. I must have suggested hundreds.
3. Keep trying. I didn't think of Harvey till the very end, so I'm glad I kept going at it.
4. Don't settle. If I had done that, this dog would have been named Woody.
5. Keep it fun (try). The naming process was one of the least enjoyable for me, which is too bad because it should be the most fun. Naming an animal is stressful, but don't get too upset over it. It's more fun if you keep the conversations light.

Celebrity Baby Name Predictions: Volume 12

It's been a trend in recent years for celebrities to delay the release of their baby's name--usually for a few weeks, even months. However, actors Peter Dinklage and Josh Hartnett have never revealed the names of their children, and their daughters are five and two years old, respectively! Now they both have a second child on the way--will we find out the names of those babies, or continue to be left in the dark?

We also have some stars this month expecting Irish twins--two siblings born less than a year apart. Supermodel Bar Refaeli is pregnant for the second time, only months after giving birth to her daughter Liv. Lauren Gregory and Thomas Rhett were in the process of adopting a baby from Africa when they found out they were pregnant with a little girl. Now they have two babies on the way that should arrive around the same time. How will these celebrities go about naming their Irish twins? I have my predictions, but we'll have to wait and see.

Erica Schmidt and Peter Dinklage
Gender: unknown
Siblings: sister (name not released)
Peter Dinklage has managed to keep his daughter's name a secret for over five years, but rumors abound that her name is Zelig. According to Peter, this is not true, although it seems like a fitting name for the couple. Both of their surnames are of Germanic origin, and Zelig is a Yiddish derivation of the German name Selig. Keeping that in mind, I chose some similarly strong and quirky names for their next child.
Girl: Agnes, Editha, Elza, Francie. Frieda, Hettie, Hilda, Ilsa, Meret, Tresa
Boy: Alric, Anton, Bruno, Jannick, Kaiser, Rainier, Raymond, Roderick, Rollo

Tamsin Egerton and Josh Hartnett
Gender: unknown
Siblings: sister (name not released)
Like the Dinklages, Tamsin Egerton and Josh Hartnett have never released the name of their daughter. However, given Tamsin's British heritage, I'd wager that their little girl (and her upcoming sibling) has a name with some serious English style.
Girl: Edie, Elena, Eloise, Felicity, Iris, Libby, Lydia, Millie, Orla, Poppy
Boy: Arlo, Dashiell, Elias, Finlay, Harry, Jasper, Luca, Rory, Tobias, Theo

Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg
Gender: girl
Siblings: Maxima "Max"
Facebook mogul Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan chose the clunky-cool name Maxima for their daughter in 2015, but call her by the tomboyish nickname Max. Now they're expecting their second daughter--will we see another long Latin name with a sassy nickname?
Girl: Aurelia, Avalon, Cecily, Livia, Lucia, Minerva, Noa, Romilly, Rosette
*Update* Hello, August!

Xosha Roquemore and Lakeith Stanfield
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
Xosha Roquemore was named after the Xhosa people--a tribe originally from South Africa. Her father got the idea after researching South African tribes for a play he directing, and Xosha herself went on to study abroad in Ghana during her college years. It's clear that African culture is important to Xosha and her family, which makes me think her baby will have a name with some African influence.
Girl: Amara, Kaia, Kessie, Lissa, Marjani, Nia, Nyala, Sekai, Shona, Zella
Boy: Ayo, Kayin, Kofi, Kwame, Lekan, Massai, Obi, Odion, Taye, Zaire

Casey Wilson and David Caspe
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Max Red
Comedian Casey Wilson and her producer husband David Caspe may have played it safe (by celebrity standards) with the first name Max for their son, but kicked it up a notch with the very bold Red for his middle name. I have a feeling they'll follow a similar pattern for their next son or daughter, so I chose some well-liked, somewhat trendy names for the baby's first name.
Girl: Clare, Daisy, Evie, Frankie, Ivy, Kate, Kit, Phoebe, Piper, Sadie, Tess
Boy: Charlie, Finn, Gray, Henry, Jack, Jude, Liam, Luke, Nate, Owen, Rhys
*Update* Welcome, Henry Bear!

Elvira Lind and Oscar Isaac
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
Oscar Isaac is Guatemalan-American, while his girlfriend Elvira Lind is Danish. It may come as a surprise considering Denmark and Guatemala are halfway across the world from each other, but there are actually quite a few names that are used in both countries. I've listed some of them here, along with names I think have the potential to cross over.
Girl: Alba, Amada, Camila, Elena, Isla, Liv, Luna, Maya, Nessa, Signe, Sofia
Boy: Arlo, Bastien, Casper, Hugo, Jonathan, Marco, Otto, Soren, Teo, Viggo
*Update* Baby boy is Eugene, after Oscar's mother, Eugenia!

Bar Refaeli and Adi Ezra
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Liv
Just seven months after the birth of her daughter Liv, Bar Refaeli has announced that she's pregnant again! Bar and her husband Adi are Israeli, and even though Liv is a Scandinavian name, it works well with many Hebrew names. I'm guessing we'll see another short name (maybe also containing the "it" letter V) for Liv's Irish twin.
Girl: Alma, Alva, Avia, Evie, Maya, Mika, Naomi, Niva, Tali, Zadie
Boy: Ash, Bram, Eli, Micah, Nevo, Omri, Oren, Rom. Shai, Tal, Uri
*Update* Another girl--Elle!

Lauren Gregory and Thomas Rhett Akins
Gender: girl and unknown
Siblings: none
Country singer Thomas Rhett and his wife Lauren are expecting a baby girl, and meanwhile are adopting a baby (of unknown gender) from Africa. The couple has said they want to use family names, and are open to feminizations of male names for their daughter. Thomas is a junior himself, so if the adopted baby is a boy, could there be a Thomas Rhett Akins III?
Girl: Grace, Gracen, Greta, Kasey, Leah, Macy, Paige, Retta, Tamsin
Boy: Everett, Grayson, Gregor, Gregory, Lawrence, Lee, Rhett, Thomas
*Update* The Akins' adopted baby girl is Willa Gray!
*Second Update* Baby girl number two is Ada James!

Celebrity Baby Name Predictions: Volume 25

I'm not in the business of predicting middle names, but I find them as equally fascinating as the first names I am in charge of prognosticating. Some parents choose middle names to honor loved ones, some use it as a place to go bold, and others are most concerned with the how the middle name adds to the flow of the full name.

Carrie Underwood and Mike Fisher fall into the first category, giving their son the name Isaiah Michael—his middle being Dad's full first name. Robin Thicke's children have the daring middle names of Fuego and Love, and Nev Schulman's daughter has James in the middle (which I argue is a product of her 2016 birthday). Eddie Murphy's children have middle names including Mitchell, Ivy, and Oona, and Taylor Hanson's kids middles range from the expected to the out-there, with names like Anne, Ezra, and Moriah.

So even though I've only given my predictions for the first names, I'm very excited to see what this group of celebrities decides to go with for their children's middle names as well. Check out my musings, and leave a comment about potential middle name options!

Carrie Underwood and Mike Fisher
Gender: girl
Siblings: Isaiah Michael
It's going to be a girl for Carrie Underwood and hockey player husband Mike Fisher. Three years ago they welcomed a son named Isaiah, a name that's understated (by celebrity standards) but speaks to their religious convictions. For their daughter I expect they'll go a similar route—a name that is on-trend, but with spiritual significance.
Girl: Abigail, Eden, Everly, Felicity, Grace, Haven, Layla, Madeline, Olivia
*Update* It's a boy—Jacob Bryan!

Troian Bellisario and Patrick J. Adams
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
Actress Troian Bellisario is known for having an unconventional name. Troian (pronounced TROY-en) is actually a family surname. Might they use a different family surname for their baby? (Marsh and Pratt are attractive options). It's a possibility, but I could also see them using something more established, perhaps like one of the following:
Girl: Anais, Astrid, Celeste, Colette, Dahlia, Esme, Fiona, Linnea, Sylvie, Wren
Boy: Alastair, Bastian, Bodhi, Clark, Cyrus, Harlan, Otto, Marsh, Pratt, Ronan

Laura Perlongo and Nev Schulman
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Cleo James
Cleo James Schulman was born in 2016, and her name definitely reflects that. After Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds named their daughter James in December of 2015, we saw a bunch of celebrities put it in the middle spot for their baby girls the following year. The trend has died down now (it's still happening, but not with the same frequency). In trying to come up with a 2018 equivalent, I couldn't think of any names that have made that same kind of impact. So I'm very curious to see what this baby's middle name will be, especially if it's a girl. Although for his or her first name, I feel like I have a better grasp on the possibilities.
Girl: Agnes, Della, Effie, Esme, Ivy, Nessa, Phoebe, Pippa, Romy, Tess, Zelda
Boy: Abe, Alistair, Bram, Felix, Hank, Harvey, Jasper, Joah, Noam, Otto, Rex
*Update* Welcome, Beau Bobby Bruce!

Lily Aldridge and Caleb Followill
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Dixie Pearl
Caleb Followill is a Southern boy, born and raised in Tennessee. It's no surprise then that he and wife Lily Aldridge gave their daughter the country-cute name Dixie in 2012. I'm expecting they might follow suit for baby number two's name—something similarly short, sweet, and oozing with Southern charm.
Girl: Birdie, Charlie, Delta, Emmie, Faye, Polly, Ruby, Sadie, Scarlett, Stella
Boy: August, Beau, Duke, Gage, Hudson, Jack, Jay, Kit, Lane, Sailor, Warren
*Update* Hello, Winston Roy!

April Love Geary and Robin Thicke
Gender: girl
Siblings: Julian Fuego (previous relationship), Mia Love
Robin Thicke's older two children's names follow one of my favorite patterns—a well-used (dare I say ordinary?) first name, paired with an unconventional middle. I don't know what April and Robin will use for baby girl's middle name—maybe something like True, Poet, or Winter—but here are my picks for her first name:
Girl: Allegra, Celia, Clara, Elena, Lea, Livia, Lola, Luna, Stella, Vera, Zoey
*Update* I got it—Lola Alain!

Paige O'Brien and Josh Peck
Gender: unknown
Siblings: none
Josh Peck and his wife Paige O'Brien are young, fun, and a little bit goofy. So how will this translate into their baby's name? Well, I think we'll see something modern and lighthearted from this couple. Nothing too classic, long, or fussy. I could see Josh and Paige going with any of my picks, but who knows? Maybe they'll surprise us.
Girl: Ella, Hazel, Isla, Josie, Lila, Maya, Mina, Nora, Poppy, Tessa, Vivienne
Boy: Callum, Dylan, Elliot, Grady, Griffin, Leo, Liam, Miles, Nolan, Owen
*Update* Close one—Milo Max!

Paige Butcher and Eddie Murphy
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Eric, Bria, Christian, Miles Mitchell, Shaye Audra, Bella Zahra, Zola Ivy, Angel Iris (previous relationships), Izzy Oona
It's baby number ten (yep, ten) for Eddie Murphy. For having so many siblings ranging in ages from 2 to 29, this baby is entering into a surprisingly cohesive sibset. That being said, his or her name will probably be most similar to Izzy's, considering they will be the closest in age and share the same mother.
Girl: Ariel, Aviva, Cece, Dove, Enya, Jem, Lacey, Lux, Mia, Raya, True, Vivi, Willow
Boy: Axel, Cato, Dashiell, Fletcher, Flynn, Jack, Jude, Logan, Max, Nash, Sonny, Theo
*Update* Yep, baby boy is Max Charles!

Natalie and Taylor Hanson
Gender: unknown
Siblings: Jordan Ezra, Penelope "Penny" Anne, River Samuel, Viggo Moriah, Wilhelmina "Willa" Jane
Musician Taylor Hanson and wife Natalie have five (soon to be six) kids, and their names seem to be getting more adventurous as they go along. Their sons all have two-syllable first names and Biblical middles, while their daughters have long first names--but go by shorter nicknames--with conventional middles. Will they keep up this pattern for their next son or daughter?
Girl: Beatrice, Dorothea, Emmeline, Evangeline, Harriet, Henrietta, Josephine, Matilda
Boy: Declan, Gideon, Harmon, Magnus, Miles, Orin, Phineas, Rafferty, Tobin, Wolf
*Update* It's a boy—Claude Indiana Emmanuel!