Car Inspired Names

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Car names are having a bit of a moment. It is evident in many a celebrity baby name. Reign Aston Disick, Lincoln Bell Shepard, and Ford Wilson are just a few examples. Not all of these babies were named after cars (though it seems like Reign and Lincoln might be), but nevertheless, parents are inspired by them. Take a look.

Alfa- The Alfa Romeo (that's ro-MAY-oh) is a beautiful and expensive car. She's pure luxury--and a ravishing girl name.

Aston- As a name, he's a modern version of Austin. If he follows the trend of Kourtney Kardashian's other kids' names, we should be hearing a lot more of Aston in the coming years. As far as cars go, Aston Martins are fit for a king.

Bentley- My first association with Bentley used to be the car--but then Teen Mom happened. After the show premiered, the name went from being essentially unused to the top 100.

Dodge- Dodge may be the most obscure name on this list, but he definitely works. Now, I'm not suggesting you name your child after your minivan or Dodge Charger--instead, think of him as a word name. Dodge fits in with all the hyper-masculine names. Use him as a brother for Gunnar, Ryder, or Colt.

Ford- Short, powerful, and slightly preppy. It's easy to see the appeal of Ford. Henry Ford and the Model T are excellent historical namesakes.

Kia- She's not the first car name that comes to mind, but Kia is lovely underused name. I talked about her here a few months ago. The only major turnoff is the Kia gerbils (are they gerbils? Hamsters?), but that advertisement hasn't been played in a while.

Lexus- Lexus is a variant of Alexis--the spelling probably inspired by the car company. She peaked in 1996 at #449, around the same time as Alexis (although she made it up to #3). The spelling is a little too commercial for me, but she has a great sound.

Lincoln- Like many of the names on this list, Lincoln has a lot of different associations, and the first one is not necessarily a car. Lincoln is rising for both genders, and recently made the top 100 for boys. Car-wise, Lincolns are the cars used to make limousines. Not too shabby.

Lotus- Lotus is a gorgeous name and an incredibly fancy car. Along with being a car name, she's one of my favorite unexpected flower names.

Mercedes- Mercedes-Benz is a popular brand of German cars, and Mercedes is a popular '90s baby name. She is starting to sound a little dated, but the nickname Sadie freshens her up.

Porsche- Porsches may be extravagant cars, but the name Porsche is a pretty gaudy. I much prefer Portia--the beautiful Shakespearean name.

Royce- Royce has never been too popular--he peaked in 1935 at 284. He's been rising lately, but is still no where near his peak. If you like Rolls Royces, this could be a perfect pick for you.

Tesla- These new electric cars are named after the famous inventor Nikola Tesla, and are some of the hottest cars on the market. I've talked about Tesla as a nickname for Tess, and I still love the idea.


I'm taking off Monday for Presidents Day, so I'll see you all on Wednesday for S names for boys.

Green Baby Names

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Happy March! This month makes everyone think of the color green- Saint Patrick's Day is coming up, and Spring is almost here. To celebrate this green-tinged month, I have compiled a list of names that are also shades of green. Perfect for a March baby!

Expected:
Emerald- She was Pantone's color of the year last year, and is picking up popularity.
Hunter- The -er ending is very trendy right now, and people's first thought will not be the color.
Jade- A beautiful color, but an even more beautiful name.
Kelly- Both the name and the color were once trendy. Now, not so much.
Lincoln- I talk about Lincoln a lot on here. It's a great name for either gender, but most people won't know it's a shade of green.
Olive- Olive is the first name that comes to mind when I think "green names." She's a lovely name that was once considered unique, but is now turning mainstream.

Unique:
Fern- She's the little girl in Charlotte's Web as well as the poetry loving dog on Arthur. With so many great associations, what's not to love about Fern?
Forest- The baby name is more often spelled Forrest, but the shade of green is spelled like the noun. Either one is useable, but I suggest the double R.
India- She's obviously way more of a place name than a color name, but India is an amazing choice nonetheless.
Myrtle- Most of today's parents wouldn't consider her an attractive choice, but hey, you could call her Tilly.
Paris- Paris is in the same boat as India. Go with India.

Unheard of:
Citrine- I've talked about Citron before, but Citrine sounds more like a name. I'm liking it.
Cyan- Technically Cyan is a blue-green shade, but whatever. Kyan and Kayan are already boys names, so why not Cyan?
Pine- I adore Pine for a baby boy. It's the perfect mix of nature and masculine.
Sea- I love Sea on her own, but many parents want longer full names. I like Season best.
Teal- Short and sweet. That's how I like my baby names.       

Presidents Day Names

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Happy Presidents Day! Unfortunately, I don't have the day off of school, because of the Polar Vortex snow days (Boo.) However, I have some presidential surnames for you.

Expected:
Arthur- Not a well-known president, but a well-known baby name
Carter- Great president, lovely name
Harrison- Rising in popularity.
Jackson- One of the highest ranked of this list.
Kennedy- After who seems to be America's favorite president.
Lincoln- Now unisex!
Madison- One of the few names that is strictly female on this list
McKinley- Many a TV high school are named after this president. I'm thinking Glee and Freaks and Geeks. However, it is a popular andro-girly choice.
Reagan- A great name, but very closely tied to the president.
Taylor- Now sounding dated.
Tyler- An enduring choice, he's well-liked by many people.

Unique:
Adams- Be warned, he would often get  mistaken for just Adam.
Clinton- It works as a first name, a la style guru Clinton Kelly.
Hayes- I love it for a girl, but most people think it's strictly boy.
Jefferson- How cool, to honor a Jeff or Jeffrey?
Monroe- A celebrity endorsed unisex pick.
Truman- True would be a cute nickname.
Wilson- A wonderful alternative to William.

Unheard of:
Cleveland- A long, but useable place name.
Fillmore- Very cool, but many people haven't heard of this president.
Ford- He screams "American made cars" but I still like him.
Garfield- Too feline.
Hoover- I'm liking the "oo" sound. Hoover should get more attention.
Nixon- Probably the worst president to name your child after, but that "X" is very trendy.
Pierce- The name itself is not unheard of, but the president is.
Washington- He's lengthy, but implies American royalty.

State Capital Names

A nice way to honor your roots would be to name your child after where you are from. If you live in the States, you might want to consider your state's capital. Most state capitals (or a variation) work, with the exception of Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Utah, and Vermont.

Expected:
Augusta (ME)- My first thought is golf, but maybe that's just me. Augusta is a beautiful name though.
Austin (TX)- This name definitely reminds people of Texas. It's great if that's what your going for.
Carson (NV- Carson City)- On trend
Charleston (WV)- Comes with the bonus nickname Charlie.
Cheyenne (WY)- Sounds a little dated, but she would definitely work.
Helena (MT)- The capital is pronounced (HEL-en-uh), but many prefer (he-LAY-nuh).
Jackson (MS)- Too common of a name to remind people of the city.
Juneau (AK)- Makes Juno a place name.
Harris (PA- Harrisburg)- He's less common than Harrison, and both are great names.
Lincoln (NE)- Newly gender-neutral, Lincoln is a great name.
Madison (WI)- Like Jackson, she's too common to remind people of Wisconsin.
Olympia (WA)- A beautiful name, and Pia is a cute short form.
Paul (MN- Saint Paul)- Classic.
Phoenix (AZ)- A bold, but not unusual choice for boy or girl.
Pierre (SD)- Don't use it unless you're French.
Raleigh (NC)- This works for a boy or girl (thinking Raleigh St. Clair).

Unique:
Albany (NY)- This place name is way underused.
Annapolis (MD)- Call her Annie, or put this in the middle.
Atlanta (GA)- Super cool for girl.
Boston (MA)- Strong and handsome.
Columbia (SC)- My first though is college, but this would not make a bad name.
Columbus (OH)- Reminds me too much of history class.
Denver (CO)- Just don't name his sister Aspen.
Frankfort (KY)- I prefer just Frank, but this is nice if you come from Kentucky.
Hartford (CT)- Hart is a lovely short form.
Jefferson (MO- Jefferson City)- A bold choice, but I would stay with it, and away from Jeff.
Montgomery (AL)- It's long and the only nickname is Monty. How about as a middle?
Nashville (TN)- Call him Nash.
Richmond (VA)- Great way to honor Grandpa Richard and Aunt Virginia.
Trenton (NJ)- Very hip, and you can call him Trent.

Unheard of:
Bismarck (ND)- Honors a Mark and North Dakota.
Boise (ID)- I think of potatoes, but I've never been to Idaho.
Concord (NH)- If you can get past the grape association, this could be cool.
Des Moines (IA)- It barely works. Better stick it in the middle.
Dover (DE)- I just hope his best friend isn't Ben.
Honolulu (HI)- A little wild, but the nickname Lulu tones her down.
Lansing (MI)- I like it for either gender.
Sacramento (CA)- Long and nicknameless. If you're okay with that, use it!
Salem (OR)- Too witchy. Portland is a better Oregon city name.
Springfield (IL)- This one's a stretch. Make it a middle, or call her Spring.
Tallahassee (FL)- Only if you call her Tally.
Topeka (KS)- Cute and unusual.