Word Names

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Word names make great middle names. We see it all the time with celebrities--Charlie Ballerina, Sparrow James Midnight, Buddy Bear, etc. But you don't need to be a celebrity to go big in the middle. The best part about middle name is that they are just that: in the middle! They aren't used on a regular basis, so have fun with it. I've got 150 options here, ranging from the safe and easy to the truly outrageous. It's all after the jump.

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.

25 Days of Christmas: North

Today's Christmas Baby Name is truly unisex- I'm talking about North. North is a word name that means "the direction North." While I prefer it for a girl, North is more on trend with the boys. It has a tough girl/boy vibe, and goes along well with names like Arrow or Fawn.

North is very up-and-coming. It is a pretty new name, inspired by its trendy brothers Weston and Easton. There are no famous Norths yet, but we'll probably see a celebrity use this one in the next few years.

North is an unusual appellation that conjures up pictures of snow and ice, perfect for a winter or holiday baby. North makes my own list (for girls, not boys) and I would love to see somebody use it. It's a great name that is suitable for either gender.