Musical Instrument Names

David Trang via Dribbble

Would you ever consider a musical instrument name for your child? Xylophone or Accordian might be a little too far out there, but consider one of the following.

Banjo- The bluegrassy banjo is great name inspiration for a son or a daughter. It's also a poetic name of sorts, considering well-known poet Banjo Patterson bears the name.

Bell- Belle may be the more conventional spelling, but spell her Bell and you have a musical name! I actually prefer this spelling--she has fewer frills and no princess association.

Calliope- The calliope is a whistly, organ-like instrument most often found around carousels these days. As a name, Calliope is famous for her Greek mythology roots.

Cello- Cello may not seem very name-like at first, but definitely should be. The -el sound is more popular than ever, and no one will argue with a name ending in -o, so feel free to put Cello on your list.

Fife- A fife is a sweet and small flute, very similar to a piccolo. It's not very common as a name, but I could see that changing. If Piper continues her steady rise, we might see more use of Fifer, which Fife makes a lovely nickname for.

Harmonica- Add another syllable to Monica and we get the name of this versatile instrument. It's the type of name that requires a brave namer. I'm too chicken to use it, but I'd be secretly thrilled if someone else did.

Harp- Harp is on my list of names to watch. With Harper so popular these days, parents will undoubtedly turn to alternatives. Why not the name of this lovely string instrument?

Lyre- The lyre is a string instrument that is heavily associated with ancient Greece. In 2016 she's seen as a variation of Lyra, a gorgeous name that really flys under the radar.

Mandolin- I'm surprised we haven't seen more baby Mandolins. She's only a few steps removed from her likewise French sister Madeleine. Plus, you can call her Mandy. For those of you who are more inclined to be cooking, Mandoline (of the same pronunciation) is a--slightly dangerous--kitchen tool used for slicing and julienning.

Marimba- The name of this instrument really emulates its sound. The marimba is a percussion instrument that's especially popular in Latin America. Marimba makes for a fun, upbeat name for a daughter.

Viola- With Violet's soaring popularity, I'm always surprised that Viola doesn't make the top 1000. She's feminine, Shakespearean, and has a musical connection (though the instrument is typically pronounced vee-OH-la, instead of the standard name pronunciation vye-OH-la).

Romantic Word Names for Valentine's Day

Levi Fignar via Dribbble

Word names are always a good choice (especially when it comes to middle names), and I love the subtle whimsy of using one to play homage to the holiday that your baby was born around. The following romantic word names are perfect for a baby born any day this week.

Beau- Beau is an established name that no longer seems very wordy, which makes him the perfect inconspicuous Valentine's Day choice.

Bisou- Bisou is the French word for "kiss," but would sound charming and name-like to many American ears.

Chérie- Another French choice, "ma chérie" is a phrase meaning "my darling." How cute would that be on a little girl?

Cherish- A modern virtue name that reminds us of love and affection.

Crimson- This shade of red pops up all over the place in February.

Darling- Can Darling shed her pet-name status? For now, at least, she makes a great middle.

February- An unexpected month name that's fresher than April or June.

Fidelity- I think Fidelity will one day give Felicity a run for her money. Until then, she's an under-the-rader choice that connotates love and attachment.

Harp- One of the most romantic instruments, and a lovely alternative to Harper.

Heart- The symbol of Valentine's Day. For a less obvious spelling, go with Hart.

Holiday- More bold and obvious than most of the other names on this list, but there's nothing wrong with that.

Love- At it's essence, Valentine's Day is a holiday about love. How sweet would Love be on a February 14th born baby?

Poem- Poem is one of my favorite word names for any time of the year, but she works especially well around Valentine's Day.

Promise- Another up-and-coming virtue name with romantic undertones.

Rose- No other flower is as synonymous with Valentine's Day.

Sonnet- The most amorous type of poem, used regularly by Shakespeare.

Unity- Love unites two people, making Unity a sweet and subtle choice for a Valentine's Day babe.

Valentine- Of course, you could always get straight to the point with Valentine.

10 H Names You Never Thought of Using: Boys

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H names for boys. I love them. The only problem is that they're so popular. Henry, Harrison, and Hunter are great names, just too widely used for my taste. That's where this list comes in. If you love H names but hate their popularity, use one of these ten.

Haco- Two syllables, starts in H and ends in O? Haco has all the components of a popular name, yet doesn't even make the top 1000. This is the kind of name parents kill to find, so have at it.

Hadriel- Part Adrian, part Ariel, Hadriel is a completely masculine (even though the two previous names are unisex) and totally rad.

Hal- I really love Hal. He's an old school nickname that would make a great sibling to Gus, Sid, and Max.

Hale- Hale is modern and fresh with a boy-next-door quality. Bonus points for naming his sister Leah.

Hanson- A cool surname with definite first name potential. He would make a great alternative to the rising Harrison.

Harp- I think Harper has officially gone to the girls. Want a way around that? Try Harp. This unisex name feels pretty masculine, and is not yet claimed by any gender.
 
Hart- He's similar to Harp, just a little more romantic. Hart is a great short name, but many elementary school boys might not be in favor of it.

Hartigan- Don't want to commit to Hart? Use the Irish surname Hartigan instead. He's upbeat and charming, plus, Hartigan's is the name of an ice cream shop in my city. Sweet.

Harvey- Yes, I'm bias. Harvey is the name of baby puppy. He ranks in the 600s, making him the most popular name on this list, but he's still widely underused. And you know what? Now that I think about it, Harvey would make a great sibling for Hal, too.

Hewitt- Darn. Your sister just named her baby Hugo after beloved grandpa Hugh. Now how are you supposed to honor him? Hewitt. He's completely different and scarcely used. Just make sure his nickname is Witt, not Huey.

Holmes- Want a great hero name? Holmes is the answer. He's very culturally relevant right now, which is my only worry. Will he sound weird in thirty years?

Howell- I talked about Howell recently in my Full Names for Wells post. I think he's a great choice. With the nickname Wells, you really can't go wrong.