10 Native American Names You Never Thought of Using: Boys

Julia Kuo via Dribbble

Did you all catch the girls list a couple weeks back? I know you've been eagerly awaiting the boys installment, and now I finally have it for you. Like I said before, one of the best parts about Native American names are their meanings, which are oftentimes related to nature. Those of you who like subtle nature names, one from a Native American tribe could be perfect for your little one.

Alo- Alo comes from the Hopi tribe, which are native to Southwestern America. He means "spirit guide" in the Hopi language. Alo is also an Estonian nickname for Alexander, if you prefer a longer name.

Ashkii- With the easy-access nickname Ash, Ashkii would be a great name for a 2016 baby. He's a Navajo name that means simply "boy." Ashkii is upbeat and very stylish--I'd love to see more people embrace him.

Ciye- Ciye is an Apache name, which, like the Hopi, come from the Southwest. He's pronounced like Cy, and means "my son."

Dzemi- Are silent D names the latest sub-trend? While not everyone is doing it, I have been seeing more and more of them pop up. Dzemi might be my new favorite. He's got a modern sound and an enticing look.

Kenai- Striking Kenai is a unisex name from the Dena'ina language. I think it could work well on either gender, but the strong sound (it's pronounced KEY-nai) and nickname option Kai makes it lean slightly masculine in my opinion. Kenai also has a nature connection: the Kenai Fjords are located in Alaska.

Lautaro- Lautaro is from the Mapuche tribe, which originated in southern Chile and Argentina. It was the name of a famous Mapuche military leader who died honorably defending his tribe against Spanish colonizers. Lautaro is an incredibly handsome name, and one I can picture on a man of any age.

Manteo- Does Matteo's ever increasing popularity have you reconsidering? Why not use Manteo instead? He's virtually unused, but is very similar in terms of looks and sound. The only potential downside is that he would indeed get confused for Matteo at times.

Miko- Most people know Miko as a Japanese unisex name, but it also has roots in the Chickasaw language. In this southeastern tribe, Miko is a strictly male name, and means "cheif."

Nahuel- Like Lautaro, Nahuel is a Mapuche name with an animal meaning. Lautaro means "swift hawk" and Nahuel means "jaguar." How's that for a cohesive sibset?

Zolin- Zolin may sound like a modern invention, but he's actually an Aztec name from the Nahuatl language. Like many Native American names, he has an animal meaning--"quail."

10 Native American Names You Never Thought of Using: Girls

If you're someone who likes names with meanings to match, Native American names are right up your alley. All of their names have very intentional meanings that were (and sometimes still are) widely known throughout the tribes. There are thousands of wonderful Native American names from tribes all over the country, but I chose ten I think would work on girls of all cultures. As always, let me know your favorites (and names you wish I'd featured) in the comments.

Aylen- Aylen is a name from the Mapuche tribe that means "happiness." Even though she has ancient roots, Aylen features a contemporary sound that would fit in seamlessly with other children's names of today.

Citlali- Citlali is absolutely stunning. She means "star," and comes from Nahautl culture. Citlali had a brief run in the top 1000 from 2001-2006, peaking in 2005 at #915.

Galilahi- This Native American name may seem very similar to the faith-based names Galilea and Galilee, but they share no connection. Galilahi means "gentle and attractive" in Cherokee. Gala and Lila would make cute nicknames.

Lilakai- Lilakai is a name that I can see becoming embraced by people of all cultures, a la Leilani. The Navajo name feels upbeat and youthful--a quality coveted by my parents. Plus, with easy-access nicknames like Lily and Kai, Lilakai is hard to argue with.

Maiara- Maiara comes from the Tupí tribe. Despite her Native American roots, she's most popular in Portugal. Maiara made it into their top 100 for the first time in 2014, coming in at #81. I'm not sure if she could become as equally popular in America, but I do believe Maiara could make it into the top 1000 one day if she got some publicity 

Miski- Miski means "honey" and "sweet" in the Quechua language. She has a old-school sound a la Misti and Missy, but Miski is still wearable for a 21st century baby.

Nayeli- Nayeli comes from the Zapotec tribe, where she means "I love you." She is most common  among Latino families, and has been at a relatively steady ranking around #400 for the past ten years. Nayeli peaked at #175 in 2001.

Siaska- Need an uncommon way to get to Sia? Take a look at Siaska. She is a name from the Ho-Chunk tribe, which is native to Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Uki- It's not often that I recommend a U name, so I was thrilled to find the charming and likable Uki. She's an Inuit name that means "survivor." She's pronounced the same was as the Japanese name Yuki, which could lead to some confusion.

Zyanya- Like Nayeli, Zyanya comes from the Zapotec tribe. She means "forever and always," which I'm sure many parents would find delightful.

10 Hawaiian Names You Never Thought of Using: Boys

via Nick Mealey on Dribbble

It's been a couple weeks since our last "10 Names" post, so today we are picking up where we left off--halfway through Hawaiiian names. Today's post is all about the boys. Let me know, which ones are your favorites?

Akoni- Handsome Akoni comes from Anakoni--the Hawaiian version of Anthony. If you're looking for a fresh spin on a classic name, Akoni is a great one to consider. Musician Tariqh Akoni could be a possible namesake.

Holokai- Holokai means "seafarer," making him the perfect name for your beach babe! He's an extremely uncommon name (even in Hawaii), but is the name of multiple boating companies in Oahu. Holokai is wonderful if you want a longer name for Kai, or an unusual alternative to Malachi.

Kahua- Bring on the K names! Kahua is a lovely name, though unfortunately, not much is known about him. He has that quintessential Hawaiian sound, and would be a practically unique choice for a son.

Kainoa- Why choose between two trendy names when you can have them both? Kainoa blends current favorites Noah and Kai into one dazzling (and legitimate!) name. He means "sea of freedom."

Kaleo- You can't go wrong with a name as tailored and suave as Kaleo. The -leo suffix is right on trend (although in this case, it's pronounced as LAY-oh). Kaleo was given to only 52 boys last year, so he's the perfect under-the-radar pick.

Kealoha- The best part about Kealoha is word "aloha" right at the end. You can't get more Hawaiian than that. He means "the loved one," which is just about the sweetest it can be. Plus, he was given to fewer than five babies last year, for those of you who like uncommon names.

Kimo- Kimo is the Hawaiian form of James. His looks perfect on paper--not too long, easy to pronounce, etc--but my only hesitation is that he sounds like "chemo," That might be a deal-breaker for me, but what do you guys think?

Koa- Koa is the most popular name on this list, with 110 uses in 2014. He's the perfect under-the-radar pick for a baby of today, with similar sounding Noah so popular. Koa is also the name of a native Hawaiian tree, and means "warrior."

Lui- Lovable Lui is Hawaii's variation of Louis. He's pronounced like Louie, but his alternate spelling gives him some Polynesian flair. Lui is also sometimes used in Denmark and China, making him quite the multicultural name.

Makeo- At #106 and rising, Mateo is on the verge of being too popular. However, his Hawaiian cousin, Makeo is practically unheard of. He's an ideal substitute. Keo would work nicely as a nickname.

Font Names

Image Credit

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

Anagram Twins Names

Alana and Anala
Alice and Celia
Amy and May
Ani and Ina
Anya and Naya
Arza and Zara
Kia and Kai
Lora and Arlo
Nadia and Aidan
Nora and Aron