140th Westminster Call Names

Craig Jamieson via Dribbble This year's winner was a German Shorthaired Pointer named CJ

When we hear about show dog names, we most often are mentioning the outrageous, over-the-top, nonsensical monikers the dogs are referred to formally. Even though I get a kick out of these, I'm always more interested in the call names of the dogs, i.e., what they respond to outside the show ring. Hundreds of dogs participated in the 140th Westminster Dog Show this year, and I recording their names to list here (here's last year's post, if you're interested). This isn't a very large sample size, but it can give us some insight into how people name their dogs, and how it's so similar, yet vastly different from naming children.

Classic Dog Names
Bella
Charlie
Chloe
Gus
Henry
Hunter
Izzy
Louie
Lucy x2
Marley
Molly
Parker x2
Pepper
Sophie
Thor

Colorful Canines
Azul
Blue x2
Cadet
Mr. Blue
Sky

Cultural Choices
Blitx--"lightning" in Swedish
Devlin (g)
Gomez
Gretel
Hoja
Leandro
Mano
Ovidius
Pepe
Ronan
Saxon
Schilling
Sunito
Tuco

Currently Trending
Annabelle
Anouk
Beckett
Cyrus
Eli x2
Finn
Gia
Gideon
Juliet
Kit (b)
Leo
Olivia
Piper
Walker

Distinguished Gentlemen
Adrian
Alan
Andrew
Angus
Anton
Bradley
Casey
Chauncey
Falco
Griffin
Hank
Hector
Humphrey
Jango
Jason
Joshua
Lucas
Moses
Mr. Jones
Ned
Nelson
Preston
Remy
Richard
Stuart
Vito
Watson
Xavier

Food and Drink
Bacon
Brie
Kahlua
Monte Cristo
Patrón

Lovely Ladies
Clara
Creeda
Fiona
Gail
Grace
Etta
Kate
Lucia
Paola
Primrose
Summer x2
Vanessa
Vera
Victoria
Zora

Place Names
Cayman
Dixie
Fenway
Mexico
Orlando
Tennessee

Nicknames
Allie
Augie
Cal
CJ
CR
Danny
Duffy
Frankie (g)
Gabby
Gabe
Gedi
Gibbs
Jenny
Lumi (b)
Mack
Manny
Obie x2
Odgie
Ollie
Pandy (b)
Ricky x2
Robbie
Rocky
Rondo
Sally
Tilly
Toodles
Tubbs
Vinny
Zak

Notable Namesakes
Astaire
Fergi
Jackson--after Michael Jackson
Julia--after Julia Louis-Dreyfuss
Mick--after Mick Jagger
Peyton--after Peyton Manning
Robert Redford
Santana--after Carlos Santana
Windsor

Pop Culture Picks
Bond
Burberry
Indy (b)
Jedi
Leonard--after the Big Bang Theory
Neo
Peter Parker
Steelers--after the Pittsburgh Steelers
Wesley--after The Princess Bride

Word Names
Banner
Bingo
Bogey
Brazen
Chance
Cubit
Dart
Dynamite
Exquisite "Quizzy"
Flash x2
Frosty
General
Journey
Judge
Panda x2
Paparazzi
Pilot
Precious
Rain
Riot
Rocketman
Rumble
Rumor
Slick
Star
Striker
Tank
Toot
Trader
Vanity

Names from Christmas Movies

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There are so many classic Christmas movies out there, and many of them offer great inspiration for baby naming. I culled some of the most usable and interesting (first and last) names from beloved holiday films to share with you guys today. Let me know, would you consider naming a baby after a Christmas movie character?

A Charlie Brown Christmas
Charlie
Linus
Lucy
Sally
Schroeder
Violet

Christmas in Connecticut
Alexander
Lane
Norah
Sloan
Yardley

A Christmas Story
Ralphie
Randy

Elf
Buddy
Jovie
Walter

The Family Stone
Everett
Meredith
Sybil

Home Alone
Buzz
Harry
Marv
Kevin

Holiday Inn
Daphne
Dixon
Francois
Gus
Lila
Mamie
Parker
Reed
Ted

How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Cindy Lou

It's a Wonderful Life
Bailey
Bert
Billy
Clarence
Ernie
Eustace
George
Harry
Ruth
Tilly
Violet
Zuzu

Love Actually
Annie
Daisy
Jamie
Juliet
Natalie
Peter

Miracle on 34th Street
Doris
Fred
Granville
Kris

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
Art
Audrey
Bethany
Clark
Ellen
Lewis
Margo
Rocky
Ruby Sue
Rusty

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Clarice
Hermey
Rudolph

Scrooged
Brice
Claire
Eliot
Frank
Lew

White Christmas
Betty
Emma
Waverly

Full Names for Maggie

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Maggie is a sweet, old fashioned nickname that sounds great with sister names such as Sadie, Lily, and Lucy. She's not too popular on her own (231), but Maggie is one of the more popular nicknames for Margaret, which ranks at 181. Margaret is not the only way to get to Maggie though. Maggie has many full forms, ranging from the classic and charming, to the bold and colorful. Take a look.

Expected:
Magnolia- This Southern flower has tons of nicknames, and recently made the top 1000.
Margaret- I think it's safe to say that Maggie is currently her most popular nickname, though I've heard a couple of Gretas and Megs around, too.
Marguerite- I know quite a few Marguerites, and all of them go by Daisy. Change it up with Maggie.

Unique:
Magda- Magda sounds a little stodgy. Probably not the best choice for a 2015 baby.
Magdalene- Gorgeous and ethereal. Add one more syllable to Magda, and the whole vibe changes.
Margarita- She gives Maggie some Latin flair. I love it.

Unheard of:
Magenta- How's that for a full name? Magenta is super spunky, and the nickname Maggie is a nice balance.
Maguire- Maggie makes this unisex Irish surname swing girl for me.

Unhateable Names

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Some parents don't care about how popular their child's name is, or whether or not it will seem dated in twenty years. In fact, many parents' goal is to find a normal name for their baby, one that no one will ridicule or cringe at. If you fall into that camp, I have a great list for you today. I have compiled a list of 14 names that people just can't hate.

Boys:
Andrew- A sturdy classic. Andrew is a solid choice.
Ben- Sweet and charming. Everyone loves a Ben.
Charlie- Charlie is a handsome and playful name. Whether on his own, or as a nickname for Charles, you can't go wrong with Charlie.
Henry- I'm normally adverse to names as popular as Henry, but I just can't help loving him. How can you not?
Jack- A simple name that packs a punch. I can picture the name Jack on almost any man.
James- One of the more popular of this list, he ranks at 13. Many parents see James's appeal.
Michael- Always popular and never dated. No one will give you weird looks for naming your son Michael.

Girls:
Caroline- Elegant and royal. Caroline will always be a lovely choice.
Emma- Classy, simple, and yes, currently a bit trendy. But I have a feeling she's going to remain much more of a classic than Sophia or Ava.
Claire- I know so many Claires, of all ages. She's not going out of style for a long time.
Grace- I'll admit, I'm not the biggest fan of Grace, but I don't hate her. She is virtuous without being over the top, and has some incredible namesakes (I mean, Grace Kelly, right?).
Julia- She's been flying under the radar, but that doesn't mean she's not being used--she comes in at 75. A beautiful name, forever and always.
Kate- The trendy nicknames for Katherine will come and go (I'm pretty into Kit), but Kate will always remain the classic. Whether she's the nickname or the full form, everyone will like Kate.
Lucy- A sweet choice that I've been hearing all over the place on little girls. I predict she will go down in history as a modern classic.

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.

10 D Names You Never Thought of Using: Girls

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Today we're looking at D names for girls. I'll admit, this one was a little troublesome, there aren't that many great girls names beginning in D. I think I found 10 good ones though. Tell me what you think.

Dagny- Charming Irish girl with a slice of tomboy.

Dania- Pronounced DAHN-yuh, she's a pretty name that remains under the radar.

Darcy- She would make a perfect sister for Lucy and the like, yet hasn't broken the top 1000. Baffling.

Della- Swearing off Ella because of popularity? Della is quirkier and cuter.

Delphine- She used to remind me of dolphins, but since that association faded, I've come to adore Delphine.

Dorie- Yes, there's the Finding Nemo reference, but Dorie is a wonderful name (though I may be a bit bias, my best friend is named Dorie :).

Dorsey- Can't shake the fish? Dorsey mixes Dorie and Darcy to make this unique moniker.

Dot- My favorite D name for a girl. She's too adorable.

Dulcie- A very sweet British import.

Dwyn- Slightly less fussy than Gwyn.

Song Names: The Beatles

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So many musicians have songs titled with (mostly female) names. The Beatles are no exception. Their songs offer great inspiration for baby names. And how fun would it be to have a special "name song?"

Girls:
Anna- Classic and elegant.
Bonnie- I have always thought Bonnie would be super sweet on a baby.
Clarabella- Pick one.
Eleanor- The song is sad, but there are other great songs with Eleanor in the title.
Heather- Too dated for a baby.
Julia- She will always be in style.
Lizzy- A cute nickname for Elizabeth
Lucille- Beautiful on her own or called Lucy.
Lucy- Always sweet.
Maggie Mae- I'm not usually a fan of alliterating names, but I really like Maggie Mae.
Martha- Super wearable. I am a Martha advocate. More people should use her.
Mary Jane- Not sure about the combo, but either on their own are nice.
Penny- Lovely, and now Penelope is back in style, so there's a perfect full name for her.
Prudence- Not quite ready for revival.
Rita- Ooh, I could see this one being cute on a young girl.
Sadie- I love Sadie, but prefer Zadie.
Sally- Why not?

Boys:
Johnny- I think it would work on a baby.
Jude- Great name, great song.
Lane- Preppy.
Robert- I like it. You can call him Bertie.
Rocky- Cute if he's short for Rockwell.
Teddy- A great nickname that works for so many names.

Alternatives to Ava

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I have a couple new series coming up for you guys. First up is The Alternatives Series, focusing on alternatives to some of the most common names, filed under similarity to sight, sound, and style. The sight section is for people attracted to the look of the name, the sound section is for people who like how the name sounds, and the style section focuses on good sister or brother names that have similar aesthetic to the name. First name up is Ava. She's currently in the fifth position, and many parents are looking for similar names to use instead. Here are my suggestions.

Sight:
Avis- I love Avis. I know it's a rental car company, but her sound is the perfect mix of current and vintage. More people should be using her.
Avalyn- I hesitate to suggest Avalyn. It's technically a form of Evelyn, but looks like a smush between Ava and the popular Lyn suffix. If your moved by sight though, go with this one.
Eva- Eva is considerably less popular at 86, but expect her to be moving on up in the coming years.

Sound:
Avalon- Avalon is so similar to Ava, yet she doesn't make the top 1000.
Evelyn- A beautiful choice, but unfortunately she's not far behind Ava at 26.
Ever- You often see this as a pick for boys (short for Everett), but Ever makes a great word name for a daughter as well.

Style:
Lucy- Lucy would be a perfect sister for Ava. She's not quite as popular, but is still in the top 100.
Mina- Mina has the old-fashioned charm that Ava has, but is all the way down in the 800s. A great pick for parents looking for something less popular.
Ruby- Ruby is sweet and girly like Ava, but still has the retro spunk. She might break into the top 100 this year.

Full Names for Lulu

Lulu is a fun, sweet nickname that is used by many a parent. She's great on her own, but if that's not your style, here are some longer appellations.

Alouette
Eloise
Heloise
Honolulu
Louisa
Louise
Louelle
Louella
Louisiana
Luana
Luca
Lucerne
Lucetta
Lucia
Luciana
Lucienne
Lucille
Lucinda
Lucy
Lula
Lumiere
Luna
Nuala
Tallulah

Classic Cartoon Character Names

What are your favorite classic cartoons? Would you name your kids after your favorite characters? Here are some classic cartoon character names that may or may not work well for actual children

Girls:

Alexandra
Betty
Daphne
Jane
Josie
Judy
Lucy
Minnie
Olive
Patty
Pebbles
Rosie
Smurfette
Velma
Wilma

Boys:

Bam-Bam
Boo-Boo
Barney
Bugs
Charlie
Donald
Elmer
Felix
Fred
Garfield
George
Jerry
Linus
Mickey
Scooby
Snoopy
Sylvester
Tom
Yogi

Dog Names

I have a bluetick coonhound named Lucy. I always knew that Lucy was a popular name for dogs, but I wanted to know what the most popular were. Petbabynames.com has the list of the top 50 most popular names for female and male dogs. I will share the top ten of each, and then tell you my favorites.

Girls:
Bella
Daisy
Molly
Lucy
Sadie
Maggie
Bailey
Chloe
Sophie
Lola

Boys:
Max
Charlie
Jack
Buddy
Jake
Tucker
Duke
Toby
Bear
Oscar

My top ten- Girls:
Lucy
Roxy
Missy
Penny
Lady
Stella
Sophie
Lexi
Zoe
Ruby

My top ten- Boys
Oscar
Louie
Buster
Chico
Henry
Rusty
Milo
Murphy
Scout
Bentley