Full Names for Loie

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What do you guys think of the name Loie? She's not popular at all, but I do know a few girls with the name. Loie can be used on her own, but she's mostly a nickname. There are so many full names she can be a nickname for, and I've listed the best ones right here.

Bellona- This sweet Italian girls name can be nicknamed Bell or Loie.

Carlotta- The more trendy nickname would be Charlie, but I prefer the unexpected Loie.

Clover- One of the sweetest nature names. Loie is a great nickname if you don't like Clove.

Elodie- Loie is a much less popular nickname than Ella or Elle.

Eloise- I love the idea of an Eloise called Loie.

Harlow- She probably doesn't need a nickname, but Loie is a good option if you want one.

Lois- Lois may sound a little grandma-ish to you, but with a nickname like Loie, she's a fresh and viable option.

Lola- A lovely yet popular name. Loie makes her stand out.

Lolita- The stigma surrounding Lolita is unfortunate--she's a gorgeous name. She is definitely usable with a nickname like Loie.

Lotus- Lotus is an exquisite floral name. Loie might be her only nickname option.

Malone- Malone has a masculine, tomboy feel, so Loie is perfect for when you want a softer sound.

Marlowe- Marley and Loie both work as nicknames for the fast rising Marlowe.

Paloma- Paloma is one of the prettiest names. Loie makes a wonderful nickname.

Penelope- There are so many nickname options for Penelope, but Loie is one of the most unexpected.

Sloane- Do you love Sloane, but not her lack of nicknames? Loie works perfectly.

Willow- Loie is a great nickname for the beautiful Willow.

Names Ending in -ow(e)

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-O names have been in style for a while now. As of 2015, it seems like we have a new trend. Names that end in -ow or -owe--while similar to -o names--have a different feel. There's a real unisex quality to them. Most of these names can be used on a girl or boy. More than a few of them have nature ties, which is also appealing to today's parents. I'm excited about this trend. -ow names have real potential, and I suspect quite a few of these will make it into the top 1000 this year.

Arrow- As a symbol, it's a popular hipster motif--and as a word name, well, he's still a little hipster-ish. With names like Fletcher on the rise, I wouldn't be surprised to meet a baby Arrow (in fact, I have!).

Barlow- I included Barlow in my 10 B Names You Never Thought of Using list, which means he's perfect if you want an under-the-radar, trendy name.

Bowe- Bo and Beau (especially) have been on the rise. A lot of times stylish names get quite a few unique spellings, so I'm surprised no one has thought of using Bowe yet. I think this spelling would work great on girls, but I could see it on a boy as well.

Carlow- Carlow is a college name, as well as an excellent baby name. It would be nice on either gender, and makes a nice alternative to Charlie.

Fallow- Fallow is a light brown color, one that is often used to describe the color of deer. Like it on a girl? You can nickname her Doe or Fawn. 

Harlow- Oh Harlow. People are loving her. She currently ranks at #540, but she is making a steep climb up the charts. Maybe that cute pup on Instagram has something to do with it.

Marlowe- Marlowe is rising extremely quickly. Even though she ranks at #1284, she will definitely make it to the top 1000 this year. Use her while you can, this one is about to get real popular.

Meadow- At one time she may have sounded like a 1960s flower child, but today Meadow makes for a lovely nature pick. She has a sweet quality about her, and in the age of flower names, Meadow seems perfect.

Nowe- I have a couple of problems with this name. They mostly consist of the name is pronounced like the word "no," which would be horribly confusing for a toddler. I can really only justify putting this one in the middle.

Rainbow- Rainbow is similar to Meadow, except I don't think she lost her hippie-chick vibe. Try Rain. Or Bo.

Snow- Snow is a delightful, whimsical name for a winter baby girl. There are princess ties, which can be a plus or a minus for some people.

Sparrow- Bird names are so fun, and I adore Sparrow. Nicole Richie and Joel Madden named their son Sparrow (brother to Harlow), but it works on either gender.

Willow- She's the most popular on this list, coming in at #155. Willow is still on the rise, so I'll bet she breaks the top 100 for 2014. Willow is a very ethereal nature name, and it's easy to see why people love her.

Winslow- Currently, Winslow is used for boys 97% of the time. But, since fewer than five children were given the name last year, I think it is absolutely usable for girls.

Full Names for Billie

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Billie is an old fashioned nickname with lots of spunk. She brings to mind singer Billie Holiday and Michael Jackson song Billie Jean. She hasn't been used in decades, but in an era where we call our daughters Max and Charlie, Billie would fit right in.

Abilene- At first glance she may not look like much, but Abilene would make a great name for a modern baby. She shares sounds with many of today's popular names, and you could call her Abby, Billie, or even Lena.

Jubilee- There aren't many names as happy sounding as Jubilee. She's definitely a fun choice.

Sybilla- Sybil is still pretty dowdy, but Sybilla is a fresher variant. That being said, many people would still consider her too frumpy to use, so calling her Billie is a nice compromise.

Wilder- Who said Wilder is just for the boys? If girls can be called Walker, there's no reason they shouldn't answer to Wilder as well. Billie doesn't do much to ease gender confusion, but she's really the only nickname option (though a great one!)

Wilhelmina- People love Wilhelmina's shabby charm. She hasn't reached similar names like Josephine and Matilda in terms of popularity, which is perfect if you want to use her. (By the way, Billie, Josie, and Mattie would make a great sister set).

Willa- Oh man, Willa is so cute! I met a couple of baby Willas recently, and the name wears really well. I don't think she needs a nickname, but if you want one, Billie is your girl.

Willow- Willow is climbing her way up the popularity charts, and with names like Marlowe and Harlow rising as well, I wouldn't be surprised if she made it to the top 100.

Wilma- My mind goes straight to The Flintstones, though that association is already pretty obsolete. She could come back in style if given a couple of years, but for right now I wouldn't use her.

10 B Names You Never Thought of Using: Boys

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Time for the boys! None of these are in the top 1000, which is perfect if you are looking for a unique name. In my opinion, some of the best boys names are short and sweet, which is what many of the names listed turned out to be. I tried to include something for everybody, but they all turned out to be two syllables or fewer. Oh well, enjoy!

Baird- A lovely choice, so long as you don't call your daughter Bird.

Banning- It's not often that you find a name ending in -ing. Banning is one that works.

Barlow- Marlowe, Harlow, Charlot, all the -low names are coming back, why not add Barlow to the list?

Bauer- An occupational surname meaning farmer that would make a good choice regardless of your job.

Beacon- He shares sounds with Reese Witherspoon's Deacon, yet has a calming, nature-ish feel.

Beal- It will remind people of Ally McBeal, but that's not a bad thing.

Birch- Hands down the best tree name.

Boone-A fun hero name. Decorate his nursery with a woodland theme.

Brio- Brio fits in with names like Leo and Theo, but is way more unique.

Burke- Preppy names are coming back, Burke should be in consideration.

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.

Font Names

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As you may be able to tell from the images that go with each post, I am a big fan of typography. Most often that means coming up with a font of your own, but today we are going to focus on names of standard fonts. Perfect for the baby of design-nerd parents.

Expected:
Andy
Archer
Ashley
Aurora
Georgia
Gigi
Gill
Harlow
Harrington
Heather
Jenson
Joanna
Kai
Kristen
Miller
Miriam
Nina
Shelley
Vera
William
Willow

Unique:
Alexandria
Allegro
Arial
Aster
Bell
Constantia
Corona
Dax
Dom
Ellington
Everson
Geneva
Janson
Jefferson
Korinna
Lexia
Mona
Rockwell
Sistina
Vale
Vladimir

Unheard of:
Aisha
Albertus
Aldus
Aquiline
Avenir
Berkeley
Berlin
Cambria
Caslon
Colonna
Kochi
Lucida
Maiola
Revue
Skia
Verdana

25 Days of Christmas: Winter

Today's Christmas baby name is Winter. Winter is a seasonal name, meaning "the season of winter." She was briefly in the top 1000, ranking 1000 in 1978,  then 705 in 1979. After that she abrubtly stopped being used, she hasn't been ranked since.

Right now Winter is incredibly stylish. She has been included in several star-babie's names. Winter was chosen by Nicole Richie for Harlow's middle name. She would make the perfect choice for a baby born around now. When people think of Winter, they think of snow, ice, and the holidays. She'd be lovely on a Christmas baby.