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.

DIY Double Barrel Names

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If you're not a name nerd, you've probably only heard of the term "double barrel" being used in terms of surnames. You know, when parents combine their surnames into one hyphenated last name for their baby? It exists for first names too. The Social Security Administration doesn't take the hyphen into account, so unfortunately double barrel names are not recorded in the United States. To see how popular these names are, we have to go to the European data. Double barrel names are a hit in places like the U.K. (as seen in this article from The Telegraph)--Amelia-Rose, Lily-Rose, and Elllie-Mae are some of the most fashionable.

Now's the chance to build your own double barrel name! I've provided some options for the first and second names, but feel free to go off script. Tell me your favorite ones in the comments.

First Name Amy Anna Ava Betty Carol Charlotte Cora Daisy Ella Ellie Eliza Emily Emma Emme Georgia Hannah Katie Laura Leah Lily Lucy Mary Nora Rosa Sarah

Second Name      Alice      Anne      Bella      Belle      Beth      Catherine      Claire      Ella      Eve      Faith      Faye      Frances      Grace      Jane      Jean      June      Kate      Kay      Lane      Lee      Lou      Louise      Lynn      Margaret      Marie      May      Quinn      Rose      Rue      Ruth      Shay      Sue

*I'll be back after Labor Day with Arabic Names for Boys--have a good holiday!*

10 African Names You Never Thought of Using: Girls

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African names are so stunning--gotta love all those long vowels--but are widely underused across America. And what a shame, because look at all these great ones! Here are ten dazzling choices beyond Nia and Zahara.

Behati- Behati is the African version of Beatrice, and most notably, the name of Adam Levine's supermodel fiancee. Could that be enough to propell her into the top 1000? As of right now, it's doubtful.

Eshe- Many of us look for names with beautiful meanings, and Eshe has just that--"life." I didn't include Eshe on this list, but you might consider her for a same meaning sibset. Eshe and Ava, maybe?

Fayola- Faye recently made it into the top 1000--albeit, at #908--and I expect to see a slow and steady rise from her. Fayola makes the perfect full name, and you'd be ahead of the trend.

Kessie- I've said this before, but this time I really mean it. Kessie has the absolute best meaning I have ever heard. Ready? "Chubby baby." Ahhh! Use Kessie as a nickname for Keziah if you find her too nickname-y.

Maisha- Maisha is a name with a couple different pronounciations and origins. The first is the Swahili way, my-EE-shuh. Pronounced MIESH-uh, she's a Bengali name. Both are lovely, though I hear the former much more often. Other, more popular spellings include Myesha and Myisha.

Masika- The only association most people have with this name is Masika Kalysha, model and star of Love & Hip Hop. She seems relatively new to the scene--with a bit more notoriety, I believe her name could become very popular.

Neema- How sweet is Neema? She has a gorgeous sound--one that would be right on trend in this age of Ninas and Mias.

Nemy- Very similar, yet with a whole different feel is Nemy. Contrary to her looks, she does not rhyme Remy, but rather, is pronounced NEE-mee. Nemy could be used as a nickname for Neema, but I enjoy the casual, carefree vibe of using her as the full name.

Safiya- Safiya is an African (and Arabic and Turkish) name that has a history of use in the Muslim community. She sounds like an offshoot of Sophia--and believe me, she would be confused for one--but the two are not related.

Tisa- Tisa is a cute and chirpy name usually reserved for the ninth born child in African families. I'm a fan of bending naming rules--so use her for whatever child you want--but I do think it'd be cute on the ninth born grandchild, or something along those lines.

10 N Names You Never Thought of Using: Girls

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As many of you guys know, N is the first initial of my all time favorite girl name--Nell. Nell is gorgeous, sweet, and lovely, and will not be making an appearance on this list. Instead I've picked some more creative, daring, and unexpected names for you to consider.

Navy- This color name has become more fashionable lately, and it's easy to see why. She shares a -av sound with popular names Ava and Avery, and she's not too long.

Nelia- Nelia is originally a nickname for Cornelia, but she stands nicely all on her own. Possible nicknames include Nell or Lia.

Nemy- A cute, upbeat name that strikes me as more feminine than Remy. She might work better as a nickname though.

Nessa- Nessa could be used as a nickname for Vanessa, Janessa, or even Anastasia, but I'm attracted to her simplicity.

Nettie- She's a spunky, old fashioned nickname with lots of charm. She doesn't need a full name, but if you must, she works for any name ending in -ette.

Nigella- Celebrity chef Nigella Lawson is the most famous bearer of this name, which comes from a spice. I'm not sure many American parents would be brave enough to use Nigella, but you could always call her Ella.

Nika- Have you noticed how many N names are diminutives? Nika is no exception. She comes from Veronika, and sounds much more modern.

Ninon- Ninon is a French nickname for Anne or Nina, and she should probably stay that way. I can't imagine her as a full name, but how adorable would a Nina-called-Ninon be?

Nona- Before you ask, yes, I know that Nona is a popular term for grandma. That may be a deal breaker for you, but she actually means "nine." I think she's pretty darling, especially if you were having your ninth (!) child.

Nuala- Nuala is a pretty Irish name that fits right in with today's most popular. She's got long vowel sounds and the coveted L, making her a perfect pick. I know two Nualas (well, one is a dog), and I can say that the name wears very well.

Movie Names: Amelie

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Have you guys seen the movie Amelie? It's one of my favorites, the story and characters are all so whimsical and charming. One of the perks of watching a French movie is hearing all the characters names. Some of them fit right in with today's top American picks, while others are a bit more out there. Let me know what you think.

Girls:
Amandine- Incredibly French. A great pick if you're looking for a name that honors an Amanda while reflecting your culture.
Amelie- She's becoming an increasingly popular alternative to Amelia, but how can you resist her charm?
Eva- Parents love Eva for her similarity to Ava, but if you want something a little less popular, try Eve, who ranks at 490.
Georgette- It's not very hard to picture a little Georgette called Georgie, even in America.
Gina- Gina sounds a little dated on her own, but the nickname Gigi is oh so cute and trendy.
Madeleine- The French spelling is lovely, but I'd say the Maddie names are overused.
Philomene- Does Philomena remind you too much of the 2013 Oscars? Philomene is just as pretty.
Suzanne- I know I've said it before, but the nickname Susie is ready for a comeback. Suzanne is a great way to get there.

Boys:
Dominique- Dominique is one of the only truly unisex names out there, yet I've only heard it on girls. What's your take on Dom for a boy?
Joseph- An American classic.
Lucien- Lucian ranks 631 on the Top 1000 list, but the French spelling doesn't make it.
Nino- Ever since I saw this movie for the first time, I fell in love with Nino. I can't picture him on an American man (too cutesy?), but I love the idea of a baby Nino.
Raphael- Sleek and glamorous.  
Raymond- One of these days a celebrity is going to use Raymond, and then he will be all over the place. Until then, he is ranked at 264, so use him before he gets hot.

10 A Names You Never Thought of Using: Boys

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Last week we talked about unusual A names for girls, and now it's time for the boys. The boys names in this series will be slightly different than the girls. Due to the lack of variety of boys names, some of the ones listed are in the top 1000. However, they are all below 500. Take a look, and tell me if you'd consider any of them for your own child.


Alaric- Alaric sounds cool, calm, and collected, traits you might want to give to a son.

Alban- Has that popular -an ending. Spell it Alben, and he's another way to get to Ben.

Ansel- I was inspired by my ACT passage on Ansel Adams to put this one on the list. It sounds slightly feminine, but there's an obvious connection, so he wouldn't get confused for a girl.

Anton- Joanna Goddard's baby is named Anton, and it wears very well. I wasn't too keen on it before, but seeing it on an actual baby made me see how useable Anton is.

Argo- Yeah, there's the movie, but Argo would make a fun name for a son. I would wait a few years, until people forget about the movie's catchphrase though.

Arlo- Arlo is Argo's softer, safer cousin. Plus, he fits in with rising names like Marlowe and Harlow.

Asa- Actor Asa Butterfield brought his name back into the spotlight. Even so, some people will think it's a girl name, a la Ava and Ana.

Axton- There's Paxton, Maxton, Braxton, and Jaxton, why not Axton? He's not my favorite name in the world, but he's a good option for parents looking for a name that's unique with trendy sounds.

Aza- Spices up Asa.

Azriel- This Hebrew name is a cool alternative to the overused Gabriel.

10 A Names You Never Thought of Using: Girls

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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.

Alternatives to Ava

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I have a couple new series coming up for you guys. First up is The Alternatives Series, focusing on alternatives to some of the most common names, filed under similarity to sight, sound, and style. The sight section is for people attracted to the look of the name, the sound section is for people who like how the name sounds, and the style section focuses on good sister or brother names that have similar aesthetic to the name. First name up is Ava. She's currently in the fifth position, and many parents are looking for similar names to use instead. Here are my suggestions.

Sight:
Avis- I love Avis. I know it's a rental car company, but her sound is the perfect mix of current and vintage. More people should be using her.
Avalyn- I hesitate to suggest Avalyn. It's technically a form of Evelyn, but looks like a smush between Ava and the popular Lyn suffix. If your moved by sight though, go with this one.
Eva- Eva is considerably less popular at 86, but expect her to be moving on up in the coming years.

Sound:
Avalon- Avalon is so similar to Ava, yet she doesn't make the top 1000.
Evelyn- A beautiful choice, but unfortunately she's not far behind Ava at 26.
Ever- You often see this as a pick for boys (short for Everett), but Ever makes a great word name for a daughter as well.

Style:
Lucy- Lucy would be a perfect sister for Ava. She's not quite as popular, but is still in the top 100.
Mina- Mina has the old-fashioned charm that Ava has, but is all the way down in the 800s. A great pick for parents looking for something less popular.
Ruby- Ruby is sweet and girly like Ava, but still has the retro spunk. She might break into the top 100 this year.

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

Av- Names

Names that start with Av- are trendier than ever now. If you love that sound, but not the popularity of Ava, here are some other Av- names.

Ava
Avalon
Avery
Averill
Aviana
Avis
Aviva
Avril

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: Eve

Our Christmas baby name of the day is Eve. Eve is a Hebrew name meaning "life." She's never been too popular. Currently she stands at #546; her peak was in 1907, when she reached #414. Eve has never fallen out of the top 1000, but she came close in 1984, when she fell to #998.

Eve is very similar to her more popular sound-alikes, including Eva, Ava, and Evie. Her special connection to Christmas Eve makes her better for a holiday baby. Eve would be a great name for a baby girl born on December 24. Check back tomorrow for our final installment of the 25 Days of Christmas series. Happy Christmas Eve!

Unique Alternatives to the Top Ten Names: 2012 Edition

We could all name our kids Sophia and Jacob, but there are so many more unique options. Listed here are my favorite lesser-used alternatives to the top ten of each gender.

Girls:

Sophia: Fiona, Philippa (nn Pippa?), Philomina, Seraphina
Isabella: Bellamy, Esmeralda, Isabeau, Isadora
Emma: Amelie, Emmeline, Lila
Olivia: Bolivia, Livia, Olive, Vivian
Ava: Ada, Avalon, Eva, Eve, Ever
Emily: Amelie, Melody, Millie, Romilly, Tillie
Abigail: Abear, Adelaide, Adelia, Gail
Madison: Ellison, Madeleine, Magdalena
Mia: Leia, Milla, Thea
Chloe: Celeste, Clara, Clio

Boys:

Jacob: Corbin, Jacobi, Jay
Mason: Carson, Edison, Logan
William: Leander, Logan, Warren, Willis
Jayden: Gray, Hayden, Jay
Noah: Isaac, Nathan, Nolan, Owen
Michael: Mack, Matthias, Maxwell
Ethan: Egan, Eli, Logan
Alexander, Alexei, Alvin, Anders, Anderson
Aiden: Adair, Adeon, Dennis
Daniel: Damian, Danner, Dashiell, Dennis

Palindrome Names

Ada
Aja
Aleela
Ana
Anina
Anna
Anona
Ara
Asa
Ava
Aviva
Aza
Ede
Elle
Emme
Eve
Hannah
Otto
Oro

Do any of you have a palindrome name?

Books I Ordered!

Today, I ordered three of the best baby naming books out there. Yes, I'm talking about The Baby Name Bible, Cool Names for Babies, and Beyond Ava and Aiden, all by Linda Rosenkrantz and Pamela Redmond Satran the baby naming gurus. They are scheduled to come at the end of the week. I'm so excited! I'll tell you guys when they come.

Alternitaves to the Most Popular Names: Opposite Gender

Alternatives to the most popular names for the alternate gender.

Girls to Boys:

Isabella- Isodore, Isaac, Abel, Ozzie
Sophia- Theodore, Soren, Finley
Emma- Edward, Edmund, Emerson
Olivia- Octavio, Otto, Oswald
Ava- Asa, Avery, Ivan, Avan
Emily- Emilio, Emerson, Eddison
Abigail- Abraham, Abe, Gaines
Madison- Magnus, Malichi, Dyson
Chloe- Cory, Cody, Bowie, Bowen
Mia- Miles, Max, Milo

Boys to Girls:

Jacob- Jackie, Jamie, Colby, Jane
Ethan- Ethel, Esther, Edith, Estelle, Enid
Michael- Michaela, Kayla, Kaylee
Jayden- Hayden, Jada, Jade, Jane
William- Wilhelmina, Winifred, Leah
Alexander- Alexandra, Alexandria, Alexia, Alexis, Alexa, Lexi, Lexis, Lexa
Noah- Nora, Nola, Nona
Daniel- Danielle, Darnella, Danica, Dana
Aiden- Audrey, Ada, Adele, Addie, Adelaide, Adeline
Anthony- Toni, Tori, Anastasia, Angelina

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