Shakespearean Names

Ben Didier via Dribbble

There's a reason everyone likes Shakespearean names--they signify class, romanticism, and intelligence, (most) without sounding too pompous or proper. If you're looking for one of these names for your son or daughter, I've compiled this list of the ones I deem most usable.

Girls
Adriana
Aemilia
Alice
Aliena
Angelica
Anne
Audrey
Beatrice
Bianca
Blanche
Calphurnia
Cassandra
Celia
Cleopatra
Constance
Cordelia
Cressida
Desdemona
Diana
Dionyza
Doll
Dorcas
Eleanor
Elizabeth
Emilia
Francisca
Gertrude
Helen
Helena
Hermia
Hermione
Hero
Imogen
Iris
Isabella
Jane
Jessica
Joan
Julia
Juliet
Juno
Kate
Katharine
Katherine
Lavinia
Leonine
Luce
Lucetta
Luciana
Margaret
Maria
Marianna
Marina
Meg
Miranda
Nan
Nell
Nerissa
Octavia
Olivia
Ophelia
Patience
Paulina
Perdita
Phebe
Portia
Regan
Rosalind
Rosaline
Silvia
Tamora
Thaisa
Thisbe
Timandra
Titania
Valeria
Viola
Virgilia
Volumnia

Boys
Aaron
Abraham
Adam
Adrian
Andrew
Ajax
Alexander
Alexas
Alonso
Angelo
Angus
Anthony
Antonio
Ariel
Arthur
Balthasar
Barnardo
Benedick
Benvolio
Berkeley
Bertram
Brandon
Caesar
Caius
Camillo
Cassio
Cassius
Cato
Charles
Christopher
Cicero
Cinna
Clarence
Claudio
Claudius
Cleomines
Cleon
Clifford
Clitus
Cloten
Corin
Cornelius
Curan
Curio
Curtis
Cymbeline
Davy
Demetrius
Denny
Dick
Dion
Duncan
Edgar
Edmund
Edward
Egeon
Emmanuel
Fabian
Fenton
Ferdinand
Flavius
Ford
Francis
Francisco
Frederick
Gardiner
George
Gerald
Gregory
Grey
Griffith
Harry
Hector
Henry
Horatio
Hubert
Hugh
Humphrey
Iago
Isidore
Jachimo
Jack
Jaques
James
Jamy
John
Joseph
Jourdain
Julius
Junius
Jupiter
Lennox
Leonardo
Leonato
Leonatus
Leontes
Lewis
Lorenzo
Louis
Lovell
Lucentio
Lucilius
Lucio
Lucius
Lysander
Macmorris
Malcolm
Marcellus
Marcus
Mark
Martius
Matthew
Mercutio
Michael
Montano
Morgan
Mortimer
Morton
Nathaniel
Ned
Nicholas
Nick
Nym
Oberon
Octavius
Oliver
Orlando
Orsino
Osrick
Oswald
Othello
Owen
Paris
Pedro
Percy
Peter
Peto
Philip
Philario
Philo
Polonius
Puck
Quince
Quintus
Reynaldo
Richard
Robert
Robin
Roderigo
Romeo
Ross
Sampson
Sebastian
Silvius
Simon
Smith
Stanley
Stephano
Taurus
Thomas
Timon
Timothy
Titus
Toby
Tom
Tranio
Travers
Troy
Valentine
Valerius
Varro
Vernon
Vincentio
Walter
Will
Williams
Willoughby

Nickname Proof Names: Girls

Brandon Beeks via Dribbble

On Monday we talked about nickname proof names for boys, so now it's the girls turn. Again, I've got over 100 names for you to look at--there's something for everyone in the world of nickname-less names. Check it out after the jump.

If I Could Name 100 Girls

Image Credit

One of my very first posts was called "If I Could Name 100 Girls." A lot has changed for me since 2012, and my taste has definitely shifted. I thought I'd bring it back today to show the evolution of my favorite names.

Aine
Aldine
Alouette
Amelie
Anais
Annika
Anouk
Audrey
Avis
Bay
Birdie
Bonnie
Celestine
Circe
Citron
Clea
Clementine
Coco
Darcy
Dot
Edie
Elke
Elsa
Emmeline
Esme
Evie
Flora
Frances
Frieda
Gemma
Georgia
Greer
Greta
Helena
Hero
Holliday
Imogen
Ida
Ireland
Isabeau
Ivy
Jane
Kit
Lark
Leonie
Liddy
Lillias
Lilo
Lilou
Lotte
Louisa
Lucinda
Marais
Margot
Martha
Minna
Nancy
Nell
Nona
North
Oceane
Olive
Orla
Ottilie
Paloma
Peridot
Phoebe
Pimm
Pippa
Plum
Poet
Pomeline
Poppy
Posy
Quebec
Quilla
Reverie
Romilly
Romy
Ruth
Scout
Season
Silvie
Simone
Sloane
Solange
Soleil
Sosie
Suki
Susanna
Tate
Tess
Tilda
Vienna
Viola
Willa
Xanthe
Zadie
Zanna

10 A Names You Never Thought of Using: Girls

Image Credit

It seems like everyone and their best friend has a daughter named Ava. Or Audrey, Amelia, or Addie. There are so many great A names out there, but why choose one that's popular? There's a wealth of A names you haven't even thought of, and they're just as good (or better) than the ones in the top 1000.


Abbott- She lends herself to the nickname Abby, but why call her that, when she has the coolest name in the world.

Adair- She fits in with the Blair Claire crowd, but has the added bonus of being vintage.

Albany- One of my favorite place names.

Aldine- Pronounced ALL-dean she's a lovely name that guaranteed to sound fresh but not too out there.

Alouette- The most fabulous way to get to Lulu.

Amabel- Too many Annabels? Amabel is cuter, and comes with the nicknames Maeby and Mabel.

Anouk- German beauty with that stylish -oo sound.

Arcellia- A more innovative way to sound princessy than Seraphina.

Ardith- Worried about the popularity of Edith and Edie? Try Ardith.

Avis- The best Av- name out there (in my opinion). Plus, she means bird, which means you could call her Birdie as a nickname. Double awesome.

Catalog Names: Shutterfly, Holiday 2013

Holiday cards are one of my favorite things about the holidays. I usually shop for them online, but you can imagine my excitement when I found Shutterfly and TinyPrints catalogs sitting on the kitchen table. Not only do I get to browse wonderful holiday cards, but names as well! Here is an interesting assortment for you to browse.

Girls:
Abby
Abigail
Adrienne
Alison
Alma
Amanda
Anna
Aria
Ariel
Audrey
Ava
Avery
Bella
Brenda
Carlie
Casey
Cate
Cathleen
Cathy
Charlotte
Chloe
Christina
Claire
Clara
Cynthia
Diane
Eliza
Elizabeth
Ellie
Emily
Emma
Emmy
Eva
Gemma
Hillary
Holly
Isabella
Jane
Janel
Jen
Jennifer
Jenny
Josie
Julia
June
Katie
Kaylie
Kelly
Kira
Kylie
Lee Ella
Linda
Lisa
Liz
Lucy
Lyla
Maddison
Madison
Marcella
Maria
Marissa
Maryellen
Maya
Megan
Melissa
Mia
Michelle
Mollie
Natalie
Nora
Olivia
Phoebe
Rachel
Rebecca
Renee
Rose
Ruby
Sandra
Sarah
Sheila
Sophia
Tessa
Viv
Zoe

Boys:
Alex
Andrew
Andy
Anthony
Ben
Bill
Blaine
Brandt
Brayden
Charles
Chris
Connor
Dan
Daniel
Davis
Douglas
Drew
Dustin
Dylan
Eli
Enrique
Ethan
Garrett
Hamilton
Ian
Jack
Jackson
Jake
James
Jason
Jeff
Jerry
Joe
John
Jonathan
Joseph
Justin
Keith
Kevin
Kyle
Lance
Landon
Liam
Mark
Max
Michael
Mike
Nate
Noah
Oliver
Owen
Parker
Patrick
Paul
Peter
Robert
Ryan
Seth
Steve
Timmy
Timothy
Tyler

Catalog Names: Boden Autumn 2013

Boden, as well as their counterparts Johnnie B. and Mini Boden are notorious for having the best named models. Boden's latest catalog has some great named merchandise too. Here are some lovely, impeccably British names culled from the catalog.

Girls:
Aimee
Alexa
Alice
Amelie
Anouk
Audrey
Autumn
Ava
Camille
Cara
Cecily
Chelsea
Colette
Crista
Daisy
Edie
Elise
Emma
Evie
Hannah
Hayley
Inguna
Isabel
Isobel
Laura
Libby
Lois
Lydia
Marilyn
Mia
Michaela
Ruby
Skye
Sophie
Tati
Vanessa
Zoe

Boys:
Eden
Harry
Mac
Peter

25 Days of Christmas: Holiday

Happy Sunday! Our Christmas baby name of the day is Holiday. Holiday has never been ranked in the U.S. top 1000. She means "holiday" and is obviously a word name.  Other spellings include Holliday, Holidae, Holidaye, and Holaday.

The only real nickname for Holiday would be Holly. That is the nickname of Holiday's most famous wearer, Holiday Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's. Holiday is played by Audrey Hepburn.

Holiday is one of my personal favorite Christmastime names. She's fun, unique, and an overall lovely choice. She works for other holidays too, but seems especially relevant at Christmas.