Hipster Baby Name or Hipster City?

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There's been some chatter amongst namers lately. It seems like the rest of the world doesn't know what a "hipster baby name" is. This was recently brought to our attention by a few key websites (ahem, Buzzfeed, SF Gate, Daily Mail), making lists of Hipster Baby Names, and 2015 Popular Name Predictions. So I'm here to set the record straight. A hipster baby name is on the cusp of cool. It seems unstylish or out-there to most parents, but then gains favor. On the other hand, a hipster city is a metropolitan area with a high concentration of liberal young adults. Sometimes the two intertwine, but a seasoned baby namer can usually tell the difference.

Take my quiz first to test your knowledge, then come back and read my responses.

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Warby Parker Names

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Do you guys like Warby Parker glasses? I don't wear glasses, but I might invest in a pair of their sunglasses (that are super awesome as well). All the Warby Parker glasses have names, which are just as cool as the glasses themselves. I've left out a few obscurities (mainly Duckworth), but the rest of these names are perfect for any hip baby.

Girls
Annette
Clara
Julia
Madison
Mallory
Minnie
Piper

Boys
Aldous
Ames
Arthur
Aslin
Ballard
Banks
Baxter
Beckett
Begley
Bensen
Burke
Chamberlain
Chandler
Cliff
Clyde
Crane
Crossfield
Dale
Dean
Dixon
Downing
Durand
Duval
Eli
Everett
Felton
Fillmore
Finch
Fitz
Garrett
Griffin
Halford
Hall
Hardy
Haskell
Holt
Hutton
Huxley
Ingram
Kidd
Langston
Linwood
Lyle
Marcel
Marple
Marshall
Miles
Mitchell
Nash
Nedwin
Neville
Oliver
Ormsby
Owen
Percey
Pierce
Preston
Quentin
Raglan
Ramsay
Robinson
Ryder
Seymour
Sims
Sinclair
Stewart
Teddy
Thatcher
Theo
Thompson
Upton
Wally
Watts
Webb
Wilkie
Wiloughby
Winston
Zagg

Unisex
Ainsworth
Batten
Coley
Ellison
Goodney
Kimbal
Lowry
McKee
Paley
Quimby
Raleigh
Reece
Reilly
Ripley
Rowan
Sibley
Sloan
Walker

Full Names for Maddie

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Everybody loves Maddie (or Maddy, Mady, Maddi, or Madi for that matter). Okay, so not everybody LOVES Maddie (I definitely don't), but if I had to choose a nickname with widespread appeal, I would choose her. She's sweet, cool, and a little bit feisty, but also super low-key. It's easy to see why she's so popular. Many Maddies are Madelines and Madisons, but if you are looking for something beyond those, take a look at this list.

Expected:
Madeleine (Madelyn)- The most common full name for Maddie. Madeleine is the French spelling, Madelyn is the American.
Madelina- A nice form of Madeline that is should be used more often.
Madeline- She can be pronounced MAD-uh-lyn or MAD-uh-line, though more often the former.
Madison- Currently the most popular of the Maddie names.

Unique:
Madalena- Gorgeous and girly.
Madden- More often used for boys, but Maddie makes it work for a girl.
Maddox- Exclusively heard on boys, but I think it's useable on a girl. Call her Maddie or Max.
Madelia- A lovely, feminine way to honor a Madeline.
Madigan (Maddigan)- Similar in feel to Madison, Madigan has a tomboy aura.

Unheard of:
Madelief- This is my new favorite Maddie name. She's so pretty and unexpected, imagine putting Madelief into the middle spot.
Madonna- Too loaded.
Madrid- An uncommon place name with a popular nickname.
Madrona- A name for Maddie to honor your Welsh heritage.

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.

Chicago Names: L Stops

As a Chicago teenager, I find myself taking the L more and more. Lately I've noticed some of the stops have great baby name potential. Whether you live in the city or not, these are some spunky choices for your baby.

Expected:
Addison
Archer
Austin
Clark
Davis
Harrison
Jackson
Lawrence
Madison
Morgan
Paulina
Quincy
Wilson

Unique:
Adams
Ashland
Berwyn
Clinton
Damen
Foster
Francisco
Garfield
Jarvis
Kimball
Linden
Monroe
Sedgwick
Sheridan
Washington
Wellington

Unheard of:
Argyle
Belmont
Bryn Mawr
Cicero
Kedzie
Laramie
LaSalle
Loyola
Morse
Racine
Rockwell

Duggar Baby

As many of you guys know, Josh and Anna Duggar are having another baby. Their first two children are Mackynzie and Michael, so here are my predictions for their third M baby.

Girl:
Maci
Madison
Madelyn
Marley
May
Megan
Melody
Mercy
Mia
Molly
Morgan

Boy:
Malcolm
Marcus
Marshall
Mason
Matthew
Maxwell
Miller
Murphy

Top Picks: Melody or Matthew

Unique Alternatives to the Top Ten Names: 2012 Edition

We could all name our kids Sophia and Jacob, but there are so many more unique options. Listed here are my favorite lesser-used alternatives to the top ten of each gender.

Girls:

Sophia: Fiona, Philippa (nn Pippa?), Philomina, Seraphina
Isabella: Bellamy, Esmeralda, Isabeau, Isadora
Emma: Amelie, Emmeline, Lila
Olivia: Bolivia, Livia, Olive, Vivian
Ava: Ada, Avalon, Eva, Eve, Ever
Emily: Amelie, Melody, Millie, Romilly, Tillie
Abigail: Abear, Adelaide, Adelia, Gail
Madison: Ellison, Madeleine, Magdalena
Mia: Leia, Milla, Thea
Chloe: Celeste, Clara, Clio

Boys:

Jacob: Corbin, Jacobi, Jay
Mason: Carson, Edison, Logan
William: Leander, Logan, Warren, Willis
Jayden: Gray, Hayden, Jay
Noah: Isaac, Nathan, Nolan, Owen
Michael: Mack, Matthias, Maxwell
Ethan: Egan, Eli, Logan
Alexander, Alexei, Alvin, Anders, Anderson
Aiden: Adair, Adeon, Dennis
Daniel: Damian, Danner, Dashiell, Dennis

Ten Years Ago

Today, I was very interested to see what names were popular ten years ago, and how they were similar and different from our top ten today. Turns out, there were a few surprises. Here are the top ten boys and girls names from 2001.

Girls:

Emily
Madison
Hannah
Ashley
Alexis
Sarah
Samantha
Abigail
Elizabeth
Olivia

Boys:

Jacob
Michael
Matthew
Joshua
Christopher
Nicholas
Andrew
Joseph
Daniel
William

I was most surprised that our top two baby names for girls (Isabella and Sophia) did not make the top two. Isabella was 28 and Sophia was 37. Also, Ashley is number 27 today. That seems strange to me, because I consider it very 1990's and have never met an Ashley. For the boys, Nicholas has dropped to number 37. Very surprising was Aiden, who was at 86 in 2001, but a few years later, up to number 1. Jayden was 139. That concludes our Ten Years Ago post for this year.

Alternitaves to the Most Popular Names: Opposite Gender

Alternatives to the most popular names for the alternate gender.

Girls to Boys:

Isabella- Isodore, Isaac, Abel, Ozzie
Sophia- Theodore, Soren, Finley
Emma- Edward, Edmund, Emerson
Olivia- Octavio, Otto, Oswald
Ava- Asa, Avery, Ivan, Avan
Emily- Emilio, Emerson, Eddison
Abigail- Abraham, Abe, Gaines
Madison- Magnus, Malichi, Dyson
Chloe- Cory, Cody, Bowie, Bowen
Mia- Miles, Max, Milo

Boys to Girls:

Jacob- Jackie, Jamie, Colby, Jane
Ethan- Ethel, Esther, Edith, Estelle, Enid
Michael- Michaela, Kayla, Kaylee
Jayden- Hayden, Jada, Jade, Jane
William- Wilhelmina, Winifred, Leah
Alexander- Alexandra, Alexandria, Alexia, Alexis, Alexa, Lexi, Lexis, Lexa
Noah- Nora, Nola, Nona
Daniel- Danielle, Darnella, Danica, Dana
Aiden- Audrey, Ada, Adele, Addie, Adelaide, Adeline
Anthony- Toni, Tori, Anastasia, Angelina

Alternitaves to the Most Popular Names

Alternitaves to the most popular names:

Girls:
Isabella- Isobel, Belinda, Isa, Isis, Belle
Sophia- Stella, Fiona, Thea
Emma- Ember, Emerald, Emmy
Olivia- Olive, Liviana, Livi, Livia
Ava- Evelyn, Eva, Eve, Avalyn
Emily, Amelie, Amelia, Amy
Abigail- Allison, Adelaide, Adeline, Addie, Adele
Madison- Madeleine, Addison, Addie
Chloe- Nicole, Zoe, Clover, Claire, Cleo
Mia- Amelia, Leah, Thea, Maia, Maura, Moira

Boys:

Jacob- Jacobson, Cody, Cole
Ethan- Arthur, Heath, Xander
Michael- Mitchel, Micah, Miles
Jayden- Jace, Jay, Jackson, Javan, Jared, Jad
William- Liam, Lee, Leland, Willis, Wiley, Warren
Alexander- Lex, Alexis, Lester, Eric
Noah- Nolan, Neil, Nowe, Norton
Daniel- Dane, Donald, Samuel, Darius
Aiden- Ace, Asher, Ardon, Amos, Ames
Anthony- Andrew, Andy, Terry, Thor