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.

Rainbow Sibsets: Part Two

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Last Friday we discussed some fun sibsets made entirely out of color names. What did you guys think? Would you ever consider a name theme like that for your children? I'm not so sure I would. Here's part two for some more inspiration.

Hazel, Magnolia, May, Pearl, and Ruby
Green, White, Green, White, Red

Cameo, Prune, Quartz, Rufous
Pink, Purple, Grey, Red

Ash, Celeste, Iris, Jasper, and Violet
Grey, Blue, Blue, Orange, Purple

Azure, Capri, India, and Marigold
Blue, Blue, Green, Yellow

Lilac, Moss, Saffron, Sage, and Wisteria
Purple, Green, Yellow, Green, Purple

Jordy, Kobi, and Lincoln
Blue, Pink, Green

Carnelian, Citron, and Fuchsia
Red, Green, Pink

Fallow, Pine, and Sea
Brown, Green, Green

Amber, Cerise, and Diamond
Yellow, Pink, White

Fern, Laurel, and Lavender
Green, Green, Purple

Celestial, Magenta, and Royal
Blue, Pink, Blue

10 S Names You Never Thought of Using: Girls

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How do you feel about giving your child a name that starts with the same letter as your own? Many families try to avoid this, but I don't mind it at all. Besides, with all the great S names out there, I would hate to rule them out for that reason. S is a very popular initial for girls--twelve of the top 100 start with S. If you're not into popular names--don't worry--I have some fantastic options for you.

Sable- Sable is not a name you hear often. She's only ever appeared in the top 1000 once--in 1986 she ranked #904. Sable seems ready for revival. She shares sounds with the popular Sadie, and would also work as a nickname for Isabella.

Saskia- Saskia is a gorgeous Dutch import with some serious potential. Americans adore Sophia--a three syllable S name that ends in -ia--so why not Saskia? She'd fit right in.

Season- I adore the name Season. She's ethereal, feminine, and perfectly obscure. Sea makes a lovely nickname.

Sidonie- This exquisite French appellation will likely be confused for (the less glamorous, more trendy) Sydney. Is it worth it? I say yes.

Siri- I know Siri is the name of the voice in your phone. But if you can get over that, she actually makes a really nice name. Her minimalist Scandinavian style is very hip. Bonus points: name her sister Iris for an anagram.

Solange- By now, everyone's heard of Solange Knowles--aka, Beyonce's beautiful younger sister. Solange's stardom has put her name on people's radar screens, but it doesn't seem to be catching on. Last year she ranked #2996 on the popularity charts. All the more reason you should use her.

Soleil- Soleil is the French word for sun. She maintains a sunny disposition without being as hippyish as the more American Sunshine. Lei or Sol would work well for nicknames.

Sonnet- Looking for a Shakespearean name that's not quite so--Shakespearean? Use Sonnet. She may not be Shakespearean in the traditional sense, but Sonnet brings him to mind.

Sosie- There are nicknames for Sophia beyond Sophie. Check it out. One of my favorites is Sosie. She's quirky and cute (and also works as a nickname for Susanna).

Suki- Speaking of Susanna, how about Suki? I happen to like her on her own, but many people would only consider Suki as a nickname. Susan is now officially a grandma name, so why not consider Suki to honor her?

Fall TV Names

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Fall is officially here, and with that comes TV premieres. This year's lineup has some interesting names, and could offer some helpful inspiration to expectant parents.

A to Z
Andrew
Sage (b)
Zelda

Out of all the A and Z names, they choose Andrew and Zelda. Andrew is, perhaps, the least inventive "A" boys name, and Zelda comes in third behind Zoey and Zara. If it were up to me, I would have chosen something like Arlo and Zadie, or August and Zora. Sage is a nice name for a supporting character, though.

Blackish
Andre (x2)
Jack
Rainbow
Zoey

Andre was a good choice for father and son, and Andre, Zoey, and Jack is a nice sibset. I'm really liking Rainbow for the mother character. She's a little bit out there, yet 100% believable.

Cristela
Cristela
Daniela
Felix
Natalia

All these names work really well together. Cristela is the name of the leading actress, and I wonder if this show will give her name a boost.

The Flash
Iris

The only interesting name I could get from this show was Iris, a name more people should embrace. She's vintage and sweet, plus, a flower.

Happyland
Ansel
Gloria

Ansel and Gloria are two names I could see rising a lot in popularity in the next few years. It helps that Ansel is the name of a teen heartthrob, and Gloria has been used by a celebrity or two.

How to Get Away with Murder
Annalise
Asher
Eloise
Laurel
Wes

Annalise is the most talked about name from the Fall TV premieres. It's a great name, but gosh, do I hate that spelling. Anneliese is so much prettier. The names of the students are nice, but would make more sense on babies, not college kids.

Jane the Virgin
Alba
Jane
Petra
Xiomara

What gorgeous names! It's no secret I love Jane, and Alba, Petra, and Xiomara are wonderful as well. I would love to see any of those on a baby, but let's be honest--are any of us brave enough to use Xiomara?

The Originals
Agnes
Bastianna
Cary
Celeste
Davina
Diego
Elijah
Eve
Francesca
Gia
Genevieve
Klaus
Monique
Oliver
Rebekah
Sabine
Thierry

This show wins for best names. Klaus, Elijah, and Rebekah are siblings, which is an okay sibset. Klaus stands out for me with that one. But some of these names are straight-up fantastic. Have you ever heard of Bastianna before? Me neither, but I think she's lovely.

Red Band Society
Dash
Jordi
Kenji
Leo
Quinby
Ruben
Simmi (g)


These names are definitely age appropriate. The characters are children, so it's very believable. Simmi stands out to me, though. I wonder if it's a nickname.

Transparent
Bianca
Davina
Len
Maura
Raquel

I watched this show, and it was amazing. The characters names were very fitting, but I was especially intrigued by Maura. The character in the show was originally Mort, but changed her name to Maura when she came out as a woman. Picking your own name seems incredibly challenging to me. Did you notice this is the second Davina we have listed? Out of all the names, I wouldn't have guessed that Davina would be the one repeated.

EDITOR'S NOTE: It was pointed out that Klaus from The Originals is actually Niklaus. In that case, I like the sibset much better. 

Useable Anagram Names for Twins

These days, a lot of people want their twins names to have some sort of connection. Anagram names are a good way to do that. Not every anagram set is a good one though. Heaven and Nevaeh are too matchy, but Blair and Libra aren't the same style. Or you love Nora, but hate the spelling Aron. I have compiled a list of the best anagram names for twins, based mostly off of style. Are there any others you like?

Abe and Bea
Adeline and Delanie
Adelina and Daniela
Aileen and Elaine
Alice and Celia
Alan and Lana
Allen and Nella
Allie and Leila
Ally and Lyla
Anders and Sander
Anja and Jana
Ari and Ira
Arlo and Lora
Arlo and Orla
Arnold and Ronald
Axel and Lexa
Bellamy and Maybell
Blake and Kaleb
Byron and Robyn
Carlie and Claire
Carmela and Marcela
Caroline and Cornelia
Chaz and Zach
Clay and Lacy
Dean and Edna
Diana and Nadia
Dianne and Nadine
Dolly and Lloyd
Dot and Tod
Elin and Leni
Eliott and Lottie
Ellen and Nelle
Elmer and Merle
Elodia and Odelia
Erika and Kiera
Ernie and Irene
Forest and Foster
Hale and Leah
Iris and Siri
Jonas and Sonja
Liam and Mila
Lileas and Sallie
Lissa and Silas
Leonie and Noelie
Lorna and Rolan
Marisa and Samira
Maxine and Ximena
Orlando and Ronaldo

Fashionable Old Lady Names

Fashionable Old Lady Names: Edith, Elsa, Esther, Betty, Eve, Beatrice, Etta, Pearl, Theodora, Ruth, Iris, Mabel, Martha, Myrtle, Helen, Georgina, Mildred, Imogene, Peggy, Polly, Agnes, Addie, Gertrude, Leona, Murielle, Irene, Angela, Andrea, Donna

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