10 French Names You Never Thought of Using: Girls

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You guessed it, the next leg of this series is going to be by culture. Today we are going to look at French names, a perrenial favorite among American parents. If you're looking for something beyond Gabrielle or Vivienne, consider one of the following.

Anais- Anais is the lovely French version of Anne, and most people are familiar with her as the name of author Anais Nin. She's got a quirky cute feel, perfect for the daughter of creative parents.

Axelle- French names aren't known for being rebellious, but Axelle is just that. She has legitimate French roots, though most people will think you just made an addition to Axel. Nevertheless, she is an interesting pick. I'm putting Axelle on my list of future celebrity baby names.

Celestine- If you've read this blog for a while, you will know how much I love Celestine. She's been meantioned in six previous blog posts, which is a lot more than most other names can say. Celestine is absolutely gorgeous. For those of you too afraid to put her in the first name position, make her a middle for a short first name.

Delphine- Delphine means exactly what she sounds like, "dolphin." She's a name I often hear meantioned among the baby name crowd, but I've never encountered one in real life. Though most likely the average Joe on the street has never heard of her.

Francoise- Frances and Francis are on the rise. Francesca and Francisco have hit plauteus. The impeccibly French Francoise has never even broken the top 1000, making her a truely unique pick. Adorable nicknames Frannie and Francie are a bonus.

Leonor- Eleanor is just getting more and more popular, but her exotic variant Leonor is practically unheard of. She lends herself to the nicknames Leo and Leonie, which Eleanor doesn't offer.

Lilou- Lilou is a catch-all nickname for all L names in France, and even non-L names as well (I know a French Amelie called Lilou). She's a whimsical option, and a charming alternative to Lily.

Maelys- Maelys has all the right sounds. She's pronounced (may-LEES)--her long vowels and soft consonants make her a great contendor for parents who love liquidy names. There is normally an umlaut over the e, which makes her kind of tricky for American use. However, that should never be a deal breaker.

Magalie- Part Margaret, part Amelie, Magalie is the best French name you've never heard of. She'd make a great import.

Pomeline- Pomeline wins for my all time favorite guilty pleasure name. I would never use her on my own child, but man is she gorgeous. Pomme (the French word for apple) is a sweet nickname.

Month Names: March

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Happy (almost) March! March is a usually a gross month in Chicago--it's not quite Spring, and we still have a ton of snow. But, we are getting closer to those warmer months. I've come up with a list of names suitable for a March baby, let me know what you think.

Birthstone:
Aquamarine- Marina, Marine, or Aqua would all work to honor this gorgeous gemstone. Aquamarine symbolizes courage, so Brave would work as well.

Birth Flower:
Daffodil- Daffodil is an eccentric flower name, but don't let that stop you from using her.
Jonquil- However, Jonquil is the other name for Daffodils, and works nicely on a boy.

Birth Colors:
White- Some good white-inspired names are Snow, Ivory, and Lacy, though Snow seems a little out of place on a March baby.

Star Sign:
Pisces- The Pisces symbol is a fish, so oceanic names like Pike, Roe, or Fisher would work nicely.
Aries- Aries itself works as a name, but if you want something a little more subtle, try Ariel or Ari.

Related to March:
Leo Names- March comes in like a lion, so why not use a Leo name? My favorites are Leo, Leopold, Leonie, and Leonardo.
March- March is a great month name, and one of the few that works better on boys.
Spring Names- March is the first month of Spring (hooray!), so any flower name would be perfect. Also consider Primavera, the Spanish word for Spring.
St. Patrick's Day- March 17th is St. Patrick's Day. Check out this list for ideas.

10 L Name You Never Thought of Using: Girls

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L is a super popular letter for names right now. Lily, Layla, Lucy, and Leah are some of the most popular ones, which definitely shows a trend. We like L names that are two syllables, have a strong vowel sound, and preferably a "Y" in there somewhere. The names on this list might not meet all that criterion, but they have something else going for them--their popularity. None of these L names are in the top 1000, so you don't need to worry that your daughter will go by "Leonie F." in school.

Lake- I have a feeling actress Lake Bell will give this one a boost (will we see her in next year's top 1000?) but she still won't be that popular. Lake is a great nature name that works for both genders, but now swings female.

Larkin- A unisex surname that has one of the sweetest nicknames--Lark.

Leatrice- Is Beatrice too popular for you? (she ranks at 593, so I doubt it). Try Leatrice, which is almost the same name, but with an L.

Leonie- Pronounce her however you like (is it LAY-oh-nie, lay-OH-nie, LEE-oh-nie, or lee-OH-nie?) but you can't really go wrong. She's a super cute name, and an excellent way to honor all the Leonas and Leos in your life.

Libra- I've talked about Libra a lot in the past, she's one of the best star sign names out there. Libby would be a nice nickname.

Lilias- She's one of the few full forms of Lily that hasn't become very popular. I think she's the most gorgeous of the bunch; I would choose her over Lillian or Liliana any day.

Lilo- I adore Lilo, she's much more spunky than Lily. But the Disney character has turned me off to her, I wonder if other Lilo lovers feel the same.

Linden- A unisex tree name that I prefer for girls. Linden would make a great modern way to honor a Lindsay.

Lolita- I know why everyone doesn't want to name their daughter Lolita. But gosh, she's such a pretty name. Any brave parents out there?

Lotus- So many nature names this week! Lotus is a lovely, almost ethereal, flower name, perfect for your beautiful, mellow baby girl.

Lucienne- A very sophisticated and French way to get to Lucy. She's much prettier than Lucille, in my opinion.