10 Names Jools and Jamie Oliver Should Consider for Baby #5

Mark Caneso via Dribbble

If there ever was a celebrity baby name Hall of Fame, Jools and Jamie Oliver would be in it. They have four children named Poppy Honey Rosie, Daisy Boo Pamela, Petal Blossom Rainbow, and Buddy Bear Maurice. And with their oldest child aged 14, it's safe to say they were using obscure nature names and two middles before it was cool.

Obviously, everyone is very interested to hear what the Olivers will name their fifth (and sadly, last) child. I'm here to give out my top five picks for each gender. Anyone taking bets?

Clover- Clover would be perfect for a fourth daughter, since a fourth leaf makes the sprout extra lucky. Clover is a name that's waiting to take off. If Jamie and Jools choose it for baby number five, I suspect American and English parents alike will follow suit.

Daffodil- Daffodil has a spunky British feel that definitely fits in with the others. Even though many parents avoid Daffodil because of the nickname Daffy, I could see the Olivers embracing it. Another name for a daffodil, Jonquil, could also be a contender, but that feels slightly formal compared to the other childrens' names.

Lilac- Lovely Lilac screams "Oliver baby name" to me. Like Poppy, Daisy, and Petal, it's sweet, youthful, and floral. Lilac is an elusive "on trend, but not trendy" name. The popularity of Lila and Lily give it major style points, but it's not even in the top 1000. That makes Lilac a spotless choice.

Posey- Each of the Oliver daughters have a P name somewhere in the lineup, so Posey seems like the natural choice for one of baby number five's names. With the floral tie, I'd say she's a strong contender for the first name.

Tulip- Tulip is my favorite choice for the Olivers. It's spunky and unexpected, yet cohesive with the sibling names. Tulip would be a fantastic name to complete the Oliver sibset--go out with a bang!


Basil- Can you get any more British than Basil? It originally came from Greece, but has unshakable English associations. Along with the herb connection and the fact that he would share a first initial with his brother, Basil seems ideal for the fifth Oliver baby.

Huckleberry- Admittedly, Huckleberry seems a bit out of place compared to the other Oliver childrens' names. It's a whopping four syllables long, while the rest of them are only two. However, stylistically, Huckleberry is a perfect match. Plus, the nickname Huck feels just right for this sibset.

Robin- It seems like Robin might be coming back into fashion with the boys, so now would be a perfect time for Olivers to use it--before it becomes mainstream. The nickname Robbie is adorable, and practically the perfect brother name for Buddy.

Sage- Although Sage is used more often for girls (at least in the US), it strikes me as the perfect name for an Oliver boy. Jamie and Jools prefer feminine and casual names for their daughters, and hippie-ish Sage feels more masculine compared to Poppy, Daisy, and Petal. With a link to Jamie's profession, and Jools' love of nature names, Sage could be one to watch.

Wolf- After using Bear in the middle for their son Buddy, I wouldn't be surprised to see Wolf on the birth announcement. It may sound a little harsher than Poppy, Daisy, Petal, and Buddy, but calling him Wolfie is instantly softening. And you have to admit, Wolfie sounds pretty cute in that sibset.

*Update* Jamie and Jools have welcomed a son--River Rocket Blue!

Flower Meanings

via 100 Layer Cake-let

We all know the person who gave their daughter a flower name because of it's beauty, but have you ever considered basing the decision off of a flower's meaning? Back in the day, people used to send each other flowers to convey a message. Each flower has its own secret meaning. I chose some of the most name-worthy flowers and did some research on their symbolization.

Amaryllis--dramatic
Anemone--fragile
Aster--contentment
Azalea--abundance
Begonia--deep thoughts
Calla Lily--regal
Camellia--graciousness
Chrysanthemum--excitement, truth
Cosmo--peaceful
Daffodil--chivalry
Daisy--innocence
Freesia--spirited
Gardenia--joy
Ginger--proud
Heather--solitude
Holly--domestic happiness
Hyacinth--sincerity
Iris--inspiration
Ivy--fidelity
Jasmine--grace, elegance
Larkspur--beautiful spirit
Lavender--distrust
Lilac--first love
Magnolia--dignity
Marigold--desire for wealth
Peony--healing
Poppy--consolation
Rose--admiration, love, unity, purity, friendship
Violet--faithfulness
Wisteria--steadfast
Yarrow--good health
Zinnia--thoughts of friends


*all meanings taken from aboutflowers.com*
Note: these meanings are somewhat subjective and vary from site to site.

10 Dutch Names You Never Thought of Using: Girls

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Next up is Dutch Names! I've got a whole bunch of gorgeous choices for you all today. Let me know your favorites, and any names you might add.

Anouk- Ooh, the lovely Anouk! She's one of my favorites. She is the French and Dutch form of Anna, and would be wonderful for honoring anyone with an Ann- name. Anouk's second syllable typically rhymes with "nook," though some people say it like "fluke."

Daffodil- Yes, Daffodil is Dutch. She's an extremely uncommon flower name, and would cause much more of a stir than your average Lily or Rose. However, she makes for a very fun and whimsical choice--just don't let anyone call her Daffy.

Jetje- Jetje (said YET-yuh or YET-chya) is the Dutch variation of Henrietta. Even though the pronunciation isn't there, Jet or Jette would still work as a nickname. Jetje is cheerful and spunky--she's not quite an easy import, but it would be manageable.

Lissa- Lissa is a pan-European pick, with use in England, Greece, France, and the Netherlands. She's short for Melissa, but is much more modern than Missy. She could be used as a nickname for such names as Amaryllis, Elizabeth, Felicity, Melissa, Phyllis, and Wallis, or stand on her own.

Madelief- Those of you who know Abby have undoubtedly heard the name Madelief before. She's really only used in the Netherlands, where she ranks #122. Madelief is pronounced as she looks, MAD-el-eef, though if you're not a fan of the "leaf" sound, you could slightly alter it to say MAD-el-eeve.

Mariel- Mariel is a French and Dutch diminutive of Mary, who took cues from the once popular Muriel. She's most well known as the name of Mariel Hemingway, an actress from the famous family, though it's also the name of a town in Cuba. Mariel can also be spelled Marielle.

Rika- Like Jetje, Rika also comes from Henrietta (the Swedish form of which is Henrika, and the Dutch, Heintje). Unsurprisingly, she's used in both Sweden and the Netherlands, and is commonly used as a nickname for all sorts of -rika names, like Fredrika and Enrika.

Sanne- Sanne is a Danish and Dutch nickname for Susanna (which would be spelled Susanne there). She's pronounced SAH-na, and means "lily." She's perfect for honoring a Susan or Lily in your life.

Saskia- Saskia comes from the word "Saxon," a German tribe that took it's name from their word meaning "knife." That's not an entirely pleasant association, but odds are, not many people will know that. Saskia is both German and Dutch in origin, but is more popular in the Netherlands. She's most common in England, where she peaked at #125 in 1999--slightly dated over there, but very fresh for an American.

Verandia- Verandia is a unusual name--you won't find much information about her out there. She's the Dutch form of Verena, and lends herself to the nickname Randi. Her similarity to the word "veranda" is not necessarily a downside, but something I'd consider before choosing Verandia as "the one."

Month Names: March

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Happy (almost) March! March is a usually a gross month in Chicago--it's not quite Spring, and we still have a ton of snow. But, we are getting closer to those warmer months. I've come up with a list of names suitable for a March baby, let me know what you think.

Birthstone:
Aquamarine- Marina, Marine, or Aqua would all work to honor this gorgeous gemstone. Aquamarine symbolizes courage, so Brave would work as well.

Birth Flower:
Daffodil- Daffodil is an eccentric flower name, but don't let that stop you from using her.
Jonquil- However, Jonquil is the other name for Daffodils, and works nicely on a boy.

Birth Colors:
White- Some good white-inspired names are Snow, Ivory, and Lacy, though Snow seems a little out of place on a March baby.

Star Sign:
Pisces- The Pisces symbol is a fish, so oceanic names like Pike, Roe, or Fisher would work nicely.
Aries- Aries itself works as a name, but if you want something a little more subtle, try Ariel or Ari.

Related to March:
Leo Names- March comes in like a lion, so why not use a Leo name? My favorites are Leo, Leopold, Leonie, and Leonardo.
March- March is a great month name, and one of the few that works better on boys.
Spring Names- March is the first month of Spring (hooray!), so any flower name would be perfect. Also consider Primavera, the Spanish word for Spring.
St. Patrick's Day- March 17th is St. Patrick's Day. Check out this list for ideas.

Flower Names

Common Flower Names: Lily, Rose, Daisy, Susan (Black-Eyed), Iris, Poppy
Uncommon Flower Names: Petunia, Tulip, Daffodil, Gladiola, Cosmo, Pansy, Orchid, Lotus
Other Flowery Names: Flora