Full Names for Sam

Corina Nika via Cocorrina

On a boy, he's the quintessential guys' guy name. On a girl, she's the ultimate tomboy name. No matter which gender you prefer it on, there's no denying the appeal of Sam. There are plenty of options beyond Samuel and Samantha--take a look.


Boy

Balsam- I love an unusual name with a common nickname, and Balsam is just that. He's got great nature vibes, and is probably the most unexpected way to get to Sam for a boy.

Samar- I've talked about Samar in the past--he's one of my favorite Arabic names. Samar is actually a unisex name, and means "evening conversation" (isn't that the best?).

Samir- Samir is super similar to Samar (they share the same roots), yet has a slightly different feel. While Samar is gentlemanly and sophisticated, Samir is a bit more casual and playful. He currently ranks at #757 on the US top 1000.

Samson- The Hebrew name Samson is experiencing quite a rise up the charts. In three years, he moved over 200 spaces. Parents are beginning to see him as an alternative to Samuel, due much to the fact that he can be called Sam.

Samuel- Samuel is a classic in every sense of the word. He's never been outside of the top 90, and nowadays hangs around the mid twenties. Samuel is a wonderful name, and one that many parents choose to get the nickname Sam.


Girl

Samantha- Samantha was a hit in the '90s, reaching as high as #3 in 1998. At #33, she's still quite common, but is growing more and more dim. Nevertheless, with so many pop culture namesakes, I'm sure she'll be around for a while.

Samar- Like I previously mentioned, Samar is not just a name for boys. Girls can wear it too! She's just one letter off from Tamar, so I don't foresee it being an issue at all. Your Samar can go by Sam or Sammy, or the more feminine Mara.

Samara- If you like Samar, but aren't a fan of gender confusion, I suggest Samara. She's much more common (she ranks at #631), but like many of the Sam names for girls, is fading in her popularity.

Samaya- Samaya is a variation of the Hebrew Sameh, and is better suited for American use. With Maya being so popular these days, I can definitely see Samaya gaining favor.

Sesame- If you want a truly offbeat quirky name, Sesame should be right up your alley (or should I say street?) Sure, you might get some Elmo comments, but the nickname Sam can neutralize the association.

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.

Sweet Names for Girls

Image Credit

Everyone likes dessert, and many of us love it. Why not carry your passion through to your children's names? I have a list of six sinfully sweet names for baby girls for your perusal--all of them are delightfully delicious.

Carmela- Carmela's meaning may have nothing to do with sugar (it's "garden"), but her delicious sound reminds us all of caramel's sticky sweetness.

Dulcie- On the other hand, Dulcie literally means "sweet." She's used more often in England and Australia than the United States, but she was in our top 1000 until 1905. Other Dulcie-like options include Dulce, Dulciana, Dulcibella, and Dulcine.

Florentine- Florentines are mouth-watering. very thin chocolate cookies, with nuts and preserved fruit on top. Florentine is a French name, a variant of Florence and Florentina. It is a bit of a big name for a tiny baby, but the cookie connection makes it that much sweeter.

Madeleine- Like Florentine, Madeleine is also a French dessert and baby name. The cookie is light, lemony, and cake-like, and the name is a well-used variation of Madeline. If you do go with this French spelling, the dessert could be a cute baby shower/birthday party/any party theme.

Maple- Maple syrup is nature's natural sweetener, so it's no wonder that it immediately comes to mind when the name is heard. Maple is also commonly associated with the tree, and was the title character in a Robert Frost poem. Maple is similar in sound to the increasingly popular Mabel, so that could boost her attractiveness to parents.

Sundae- She's by no means a common choice, but Sundae attracts a small number of users each year. She's considered an alternate spelling of the slightly more common Sunday, albeit, a sweeter one. Sundae is cheeky and cheerful--and not for the timid namer.

Stylish Choices Outside the Top 1000: 2014 Girls

Image Credit

We all know the parents with that one requirement when it comes to names: Nothing inside the top 1000. Who knows, maybe it's you! I'll admit, I can be a bit of a name snob myself--I do prefer my favorites to be practically unique. All the names after the jump are outside the top 1000, in order of most used to least used (Esperanza with 257 uses in 2014, Romilly with 5). What's your favorite? Let me know.

Full Names for Genie

Image Credit

I've been hearing a lot about the name Genie recently. She's a fun, spunky, magical nickname that many parents overlook. So, if you've been crushing on Genie lately, and need a full name to go with it, I have the list for you.

Expected:
Eugenie- A royal name with Genie right inside.
Genevieve- Quintessential Gen- name of today. Using Genie would make her stand out.
Imogene- If Immy and Idgie are too British for you, go with Genie.

Unique:
Genesis- Think Genesis has no modern nicknames? Think again.
Geneva- A lush, ethereal name. She needs no nickname, but use one if you must.
Imogen- Current hipster favorite. More stylish than her sister Imogene, and gets to Genie (almost) as well.

Unheard of:
Bergen- I'm not sure if this one works. Bergen has a hard G, so Genie is not intuitive, but if you are in desperate need of a nickname for Bergen, Genie would be my top choice.
Eugenia- She's so long, a nickname is almost a necessity. Genie would be super cute.
Genova- I personally prefer Geneva, but if you're looking for something slightly more obscure, I'd go with Genova.

Preppy Names Part One: Girls

Image Credit

Preppiness is something I come in contact with a lot. At my high school, it's considered very stylish to be "preppy." It's not my style, but considering that so many young people identify as preppy, I thought I'd come up with a list of baby names to match their look. Check back on Friday for part two.

Abbott
Beacon
Berkeley
Blair
Blake
Brooke
Bryce
Campbell
Hollister
Kimball
Landry
Monroe
Navy
Paige
Prescott
Sheridan
Sloane
Tate
Tuesday
Walker
Wallis
Waverly
Yeardley

Alternatives to Ava

Image Credit

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.

-Ay Names

Many letters of the alphabet (ten to be exact) form names when you put the suffix -ay at the end of them. Most of these names sound dated, and not all are useable, but some of them sound fresh, exciting, and ready for a comeback.

Bay- The most modern of the list. Bay is the right amounts hippie and grounded.
Day- Too wordy for the first spot; she's better suited for the middle.
Fay (Faye, Fae)- A baby Fay would be cute and refreshing.
Gay- Not appropriate for the 21st century, even if it was your grandma's name.
Jay- Jay would sound vintage, fresh, and tough on a baby boy.
Kay (Kaye)- A lovely, underused choice that can honor any K name.
May (Mae)- She's the most popular of the list, but still very sweet.
Nay- She's Persian and means flute. Sounds a bit too negative for English speakers.
Ray (Rae)- This unisex choice would be extra adorable on either gender.
Tay- Better left as a nickname for Taylor

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

Nicknames for Rosalinda

Rosalinda is not a popular name. However, if you want to honor Grandma Linda and Grandma Roz, she is a great option. Even if the full form is not your favorite, your little girl can have an adorable nickname, plucked right from this list.

Indie
Linda
Lindy
Lynn
Rosa
Rosalyn
Rose
Rosie
Roz

Lor- and Laur- Names

The Laur- sound is a dated one. But what are you going to do when you need to honor Grandma Lorraine or Great Aunt Loretta? Have no fear, there are some Laur- names that are ready to be revived; use one and everyone will be happy.

Laura
Lauralee
Laureen
Laurel
Laurella
Lauren
Laurence
Laurie (Lauri, Lori)
Lorelai (Lorelei)
Lorena
Lorenza
Loretta
Lorinda
Lorna
Lorraine