Ends with "X"

The latest trendy ending is "X." What's not to love? "X" is a cool letter, and gives off a tough girl/guy vibe. If you love the "X" ending, but want something beyond Max, here are some great names to look at.

Girls:

Expected:
Beatrix- If you want something wilder than Beatrice, or the nickname Trixie.
Margaux- The French spelling of Margot.

Unique:
Bellatrix- The associations with Harry Potter are strong, but she's a nice name.
Bex- Best left as a nickname for Rebecca.

Unheard of:
Leatrix- If Beatrix is too tame for you, try Leatrix.
Lux- Perfect for the middle spot, Lux means light.


Boys:

Expected:
Felix- A lovely name meaning happy.
Hendrix- A la Jimi.
Jax- Very trendy right now, there are more Jax's out there than you think.
Maddox- A great name, if you don't mind the Jolie-Pitt association.
Max- A fun name that many young boys answer to.

Unique:
Dax- Cool, unique, and nicknameless.
Dex- Whether he's short for Dexter or on his own, Dex makes a great name.
Fox- Popular hipster baby name.
Knox- Another Jolie-Pitt baby name.
Pax- And another.
Rex- Still too dog-ish? I think it could work.

Unheard of:
Ajax- Not unless you love bleach.
Bronx- Masculine and unexpected.
Calix- Has the cowboy-ish nickname Cal.
Fairfax- He has a surname-y feel, and he'll be the only one in his class.


Either:

Expected:
Alex- Works on its own or as a nickname.

Unique:
Lennox- This cool name works on either gender.
Lex- Makes a great middle or nickname for Alexander or Alexandra.
Phoenix- Gaining popularity, but still a good choice.

Unheard of:
Onyx- Dark, mysterious, color name.

Bell and Bella Names

Nowadays it seems there a Bella in every classroom. Most of these stem from choices like Gabriella or Isabella. If you want to be more creative, here are choices that start or end with the -bel sound.

Expected:
Annabelle
Annabella
Isabel
Isabella

Unique:
Adabella
Arabella
Bellamy
Bellatrix
Campbell
Jezebel
Maybelle
Mirabelle
Sabella

Unheard of:
Bellachay
Bellezza
Bellona
Zabel

Belle's Full Names

Belle and Bella seem to be the nicknames of the year. It's no surprise either, with Isabella ranking number two last year, and one the year before. She's more popular than ever, and so are the nicknames that come with her. Needless to say, if you love Belle or Bella, there's no reason to skip straight to Isabella. They have some much more unexpected full names.

Annabella: With all the rage of Annabelle, you'd think Annabella would not be far behind. Think again, because she ranks at a modest 328. She's a bit of a mouthful, but if you're planning on using Belle or Bella, she would make a nice choice for the birth certificate.

Annabelle: She's the quintessential American girl. Annabelle conjures up images of apple pie and pure sweetness. It's no wonder parents love her. She comes in at 111, with her alternate spellings (Annabel, Annabell, Anabelle, Anabell, and Anabel) all making the list as well.

Belia: Meaning beautiful, Belia is the Spanish version of Bella. Perfect for honoring your family's history, though she's so pretty that she might not need a nickname.

Bellamy: Quite possibly my favorite of this list. She doesn't rank in the top 1000, but she's been getting some attention lately. Bellamy just made Nameberry's list of Unusual Girls' Names Destined for Stardom. The name of a Novogratz daughter (twin to Tallulah by the way), Bellamy is appealing to many parents for obvious reasons. She's may be tomboy, but she has America's sweetest nicknames.

Bellatrix: Honestly, I don't suggest you use Bellatrix. Unless you're a celebrity or a major Harry Potter fan, she seems a little- over the top. She has very strong ties with the literary franchise, but if you're planning on calling your little one Bella or Belle, she would make for an interesting choice. Especially if she was born on Halloween (is it just me, or does she seem a bit spooky?).

Gabriella: She's more popular than you think, with a ranking of 34. Gabriella is princessy, elegant, and very regal sounding, and Bella or Belle seems like fitting nicknames.

Gabrielle: Not quite as long, or as popular as Gabriella, she ranks at 119. Simpler, but by no means simple. You don't need four syllables to sound like a princess.

Isabelle: She comes in at 114, with sister Isabel not far behind at 128. She's a beautiful choice, but far from uncommon. My favorite spelling however, is the far from trendy Isobel.