Full Names for Evie

I was going through my archives the other day, and was shocked to find out that I hadn't done a post on Evie yet (!) Evie is one of my favorite cutesy nicknames for girls, and she has so many options for full names. If you're not a fan of any of the following, just use Evie on her own (that's how I prefer it).

Eva--At #88, Eva's rapid revival is plateauing. However, she will remain popular for years to come, and is a classy, sophisticated name for a daughter.

Evangeline--There's a plethora of nickname options for Evangeline, but Evie is by far the sweetest, most contemporary option. Evangeline means "good news," making her an adorable name for any baby girl.

Eve--Eve and Eva are so similar, yet there is such disparity in their popularity. Eva stands tall at #88, while Eve remains overlooked at just #490. The style gap has always been there. Eva peaked in 1900 at #33, and Eve was the most popular in 1907 at #414. Does this surprise anyone else? They are both beautiful names but the bottom line is if you prefer uncommon names, go with Eve.

Evelina--Want a princess-y sounding name? Just choose one ending in -ina. No other suffix for girls feels more fantastical. Evelina is not yet in the top 1000, but parents are noticing her charm--she is quickly rising up the charts.

Evelyn--This elegant, vintage beauty is our most popular of the list--#20 in 2013. If there are other Evelyns in your neighborhood, the nickname Evie could set yours apart.

Evening--I talked about Evening on Friday in my Night Names post. -ing names are not common choices for American parents, but the Eve- prefix (and accessibility to Evie) make Evening very usable.

Geneva--Ooh, I would love to meet a baby named Geneva. She's a unique yet known name, which is a combination many parents are looking for.

Genevieve--Genevieve ranks at #219, but I wouldn't be surprised to see her in the top 150 next month. That would be a long way to jump, so if it doesn't happen this year, expect Genevieve to break 150 in 2015. As far as nicknames go, Evie is much more modern than Gen.

Guinevere--Finally, we have Guinevere. She's seen as somewhat nicknameless, but Evie works perfectly. I also know a Guinevere who goes by Guinnie, if that's more your style.

Full Names for Gwen

I couldn't find a cool picture of Gwen, so I made one myself (A Beautiful Mess App).

I've been digging Gwen lately. And Gwyn. I like both spellings. Gwen peaked in 1959, but seems like a great choice for a baby of today (maybe it's because of Spiderman's Gwen Stacy?). To me, Gwen seems perfect all on her own, especially for a modern girl, but others (many) feel differently. I've come up with a list of full names for a little Gwen (and Gwyn), but be prepared--a lot of them are very (very) Welsh.

Expected:
Guinevere- The spelling's not exactly there, but the sound is. Guinevere is a lovely name from Arthurian legend. Gwen would make a great nickname, but my favorite one is Guinnie.
Gwendolen/Gwendolyn- The most popular of the list, and perhaps the most basic. She's a great name, nonetheless. (and Gwendolen is the original).
Gwyneth- A beautiful name, and my favorite of the list, but she's so closely tied to Gwyneth Paltrow. If you absolutely love it, it's worth it.

Unique:
Gwenda- I'm not so sure about this one. She seems like a mash-up of Glenda and Gwen. Though, I assure you, she's totally legit.
Gwendoline- There's Carolyn/Caroline, and now Gwendolyn/Gwendoline. I like it! Very cute.
Gwennan- Ooh, this one is very appealing. Slightly masculine, yet still very useable on a girl, and the nickname Gwen! Undiscovered gem.
Gwylan- This one's a little harder to get to Gwyn from, but she still works. Gwylan gives me the same feeling as Gwennan, but I don't think she's quite as nice.

Unheard of:
Gwenaelle- What a mouthful. But, if one parent likes Gwen, and the other Ellie, this could be a good compromise.
Gweneira- Sweet and girly. I can't see this one catching on, but she makes a lovely choice.
Gwenllian- If you put Gwen and Gillian together you would get Gwenllian. Fun fact: Gwenllian was a popular name for medieval Welsh royals --Behind the Name dot com.
Gwynedd- A Welsh unisex name (just so you know, in Wales, Gwyn is male, Gwen is female). Probably better on a boy with the Ned ending, but it works for a girl, too.