Showing posts with label Mary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mary. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

10 Spanish Names You Never Thought of Using: Girls

Lauren Beltramo via Dribbble
Today we're talking about Spanish names for girls. These lovely ladies have great potential, but remain undiscovered. Which ones would you use?

Araceli- Araceli is a breathtaking name--the perfect blend of accessible and unusual. She means "alter of the sky."

Cira- Cira is a lovely feminine form of Cyrus. I was delighted when I stumbled across her, and astonished that I'd never heard of her before. Cira would feel right at home on a 2016 baby.

Evia- The Ev- names are still all the rage, but Evia hasn't yet been discovered. She's ideal if you need something with just a bit more substance than Evie.

Jacinta- Jacinta (that's hah-SEEN-tah) is the Spanish word for Hyacinth, and much more namely. If you don't mind the occasional mispronunciation--let's be honest: constant--she's a stunning choice.

Jemsa- Like Jacinta, you will run into some pronunciation problems with Jemsa, but she has more room for flexibility. If you so desired, you could say Jemsa with an English "J" sound (and everyone would be none the wiser). She makes a nice alternative to Gemma.

Leocadia- A beautiful leonine name perfect for parents looking for a long, European name. Leocadia means "splendid brightness."

Lumina- Lumina takes two very popular sounds and blends them into one unique name. She's the Spanish variation of Lumiere, another gorgeous appellation.

Nelia- Nelia may seem strictly British, but she has roots in Spanish culture as well. She's a nickname for Manuela, though you wouldn't have to use her as such.

Soficita- While it's a little hard to imagine using Soficita as a formal name, she makes a fun and quirky nickname option for all the Sofias out there.

Soledad- Although many people are familiar with the name Soledad in the U.S., she's scarcely used. She means "solitude," and is a direct reference to the Virgin Mary.

Friday, March 6, 2015

Similar Usage Stats: Sophia

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The main reason people are afraid to use popular names is because they don't want their child to be "one of many." Mom grew up as "Jennifer P." and would hate for her son or daughter to have to do the same. In actuality, popular names are getting used less. Last year, Sophia was only used for 1.1039% of baby girls. I thought we'd take a look at names with similar usage (percentage wise) to Sophia, so we can see how "popular" she really is. 

2005, Emma (2)

1995, Sarah (5)

1985, Megan (10)

1975, Stephanie (9)

1965, Donna (7)

1955, Sharon (15)

1945, Donna (17)

1935, Joyce (12)

1925, Elizabeth (10)

1915, Marie (11)

1905, Ethel (12)

1895, Bertha (11)

1885, Grace (14)

As you can see, starting in the 1980s, people started using top names less and less. During the 100 years before that, popularity of the top names were very high (Mary was used on almost seven percent of baby girls in 1885). Jennifer was given to four percent of girls at her peak, which means there were four times as many Jennifers born in 1974 than Sophias born in 2014. So don't worry. If you love a popular name, it's pretty safe to just go for it. 

Monday, November 10, 2014

Full Names for Mae/May

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Mae is a classy, simple, and gorgeous name. She's not very popular though, Mae ranks in the low 600s, and May doesn't even make the top 1000. I suspect some parents think she's a little short to be used as a full name, so I have compiled some other monikers that could use Mae or May as a nickname.

Expected:
Mabel- This old-fashioned charmer doesn't need a nickname, but if you insist, I would go with Mae over Belle.
Macy- Sweet and sassy, but doesn't really need a nickname.
Margaret- She has so many wonderful nicknames. Mae and Greta are my favorites.
Mary- Classic. Mary is never a bad choice.

Unique:
Magnolia- An amped up version of Margaret that's just as stylish.
Maisie- She's usually a nickname herself, but I don't mind Maisie on the birth certificate.
Mamie- Mamie has a similar feel to Maisie, but is a little less childish.

Unheard of:
Mayfair- A beautiful name. It's guaranteed your daughter will be the only Mayfair on the block.
Mavis- She's a vintage name with so much potential. I happen to prefer Avis, but Mavis is less rental-car-company-ish
Mayla- A better alternative to the outdated Mayra. There's a song called Mayla by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, perfect for a personalized lullaby.
Mayra- Not a currently stylish pick, but calling her May definitely helps.

Friday, August 22, 2014

Hidden Names

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It's always fun to think of clever ways to name twins (or siblings, for that matter). One possible way to do it is to give one child a long name, and the other child a short name that fits inside. I call this "Hidden Names." To qualify as a Hidden Name, the short name must fit entirely inside the longer one, with at least one letter at either end. There are obviously a lot of Hidden Name sets out there, so I chose the one that make the best sibsets. Take a look, and tell me if you think of any more.

Boy/Boy:
Abbott and Bo
Benedict and Ned

Girl/Girl:
Amaryllis and Mary
Belinda and Elin
Charlotte and Harlo
Eloise and Lois
Gardenia and Arden
Genevieve and Evie
Guinevere and Neve
Isabella and Sabel
Lainey and Aine
Madelena and Adele
Reverie and Eve

Girl/Boy:
Aidan and Ida
Carlotta and Arlo
Eleonora and Leo
Faustina and Austin
Florence and Oren
Lelia and Eli
Michaela and Chae
Mirabel and Ira
Nicolina and Colin
Sabella and Abel
Everard and Vera



Friday, May 9, 2014

Mom Names Reinvented

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Sunday is Mother's Day, and many moms-to-be would like to honor their mothers with their daughter's name. Unfortunately, Janet just isn't the name you picture your daughter with. Many names from the 50s and 60s are easily updateable, so have no fear. Baby girl can have a name that is both modern and honors Grandma.

Carol, Carolyn, Karen
Carina- Pretty and not too princessy.
Carmen- Given new life, thanks to Alec Baldwin's daughter.
Carys- The latest Car- name.

Janet
Jana- Simple and gorgeous.
Jane- A classic that is becoming more popular again.
January- The chicest month name, a la January Jones.

Lisa
Elisa- Both Elise and Elisa are rising, but Elisa is the less common of the two.
Lissa- Also a good way to honor a Melissa.
Lissy- Cute, but probably as a nickname.

Lori
Flora- Elegant.
Gloria- People are beginning to see Gloria's charm.
Lorelai- New moms that watched Gilmore Girls have been choosing this name for their daughters.

Mary
Margot- Margot Tenenbaum's sophisticated and blasé name transcends her name.
Marlowe- Not in the top 1000 yet, but I think this will be her year.
Marnie- Girls has helped Marnie become a recent hit.

Nancy
Annabel- All-American sweetheart.
Anneliese- Incredibly charming.
Annika- Annika has fallen in recent years, which makes her perfect for parents avoiding popularity.

Pamela
Paloma- Pamela's sounds rearranged.
Pamina- Makes Pamela sound less frumpy.
Pimm- One of my favorites, and a great update to Pam.

Sandra
Alessandra- Latin beauty.
Alexandria- Long, elegant, and rising in popularity.
Cassandra- Many parents nowadays would opt to call her Cassie.

Susan
Sukie- The cutest nickname for any of the Su- names.
Sunday- Whimsical, yet totally useable.
Susanna- It's hard to believe, but Susan is more popular than Susanna. She's an undiscovered gem.

Teresa
Tess- A name that definitely stands on her own (just ask my sister).
Tessa- But if you really don't believe me, go with Tessa.
Thea- Very sweet, and perfect for girls of all ages.


Thursday, October 31, 2013

Halloween Candy Names

Having a Halloween baby? Why not name them after your favorite candy? Here are some useable options.

Expected:
Henry
Jane
Joy
Kat
Mary
Mike
Reese
Ruth 

Unique:
Heath
Ike
Kit
York
 
Unheard of:
Charleston
Honey
Pixie
Tootsie

Friday, August 9, 2013

Nicknames for Mary

Say your partner loves Mary, but she's just too plain for you. Listed here are some nicknames (many of them ready for a comeback) that you could call her, while still pleasing your partner.

Mally
Mame
Mamie
May (Mae)
Milly (Millie)
Mim
Mimi
Mimmie
Molly
Polly

Friday, July 19, 2013

Full Names for Millie

Millie is an adorable nickname. Many parents nowadays are jumping at the chance to name their daughter Millie, but some aren't willing to go with Millicent. Here are some full names that Millie could be a nickname for.

Camilla
Camille
Emmeline
Margaret
Mary
Mila
Milada
Milagros
Milan
Milana
Milania
Mildred
Milena
Miliani
Milla
Millay
Miller
Millicent
Romilly
Smilla

Monday, April 29, 2013

Chicago Neighborhood Names

Chicago has hundreds of neighborhoods. I pulled the ones with the most name potential.

Albany- There's an Albany Park here in Chicago, but most people think of New York first.
Anderson- Andersonville is one of the best neighborhoods in Chicago, and Anderson is stylish right now. Bonus points for the nickname Anders.
Arcadia- For Arcadia Terrace. A little clunky, but wearable.
Archer- A cool name for boys right now, this one can represent Archer Heights.
Austin- More Texas than Chicago neighborhood.
Avalon- An awesome alternative to Ava, there's a neighborhood called Avalon Park in Chicago.
Beverly- A little dated, but her sounds are on track to be stylish.
Brighton- A unisex name more common for girls.
Chester- For West Chesterfield. He's very vintage and possibly ready for revival.
Douglas- Another old man name, there's a Douglas and Douglas Park in Chicago.
Edison- A cool surname name perfect for lovers of science or Edison Park.
Forest- Forest (or more likely, Forrest) is another revival. This is the spelling used for the neighborhood Forest Glen.
Glen- A vintage unisex name that's short and sweet.
Ford- Whether it's after Henry Ford or Ford City, he's a neat name endorsed by celebrities.
Gage- The perfect tough boy name.
Gale- Galewood is a neighborhood in Chicago, and thanks to The Hunger Games, Gale is now unisex (especially this spelling).
Garfield- Garfield still makes us think of cats, but his nickname Gar would be cool to honor Garfield Park or Ridge.
Grace- For Graceland. A common, slightly boring girls name.
Irving- Another vintage pick, he comes with the nickname Irv.
Jackson- Super popular pick for boys.
Jefferson- A unique way to honor a Jeffrey, or Jefferson Park.
Jeffrey- He's dated, but not a bad pick.
Kelvyn- Very andro-girly, this one's for Kelvyn Park.
Kennedy- She's a popular unisex pick for girls.
Ken- For Kenwood. Very Sixties, surfer boy vibe.
Lake- There are four neighborhoods with Lakeview in the name. Lake makes a cool first or middle for either gender.
LeClaire- A cool update on Claire; after LeClaire Courts.
Lincoln- Lincoln Park and Lincoln Square are both very popular 'hoods here. Lincoln is a popular, now unisex name (thanks to Kristen Bell) that is rising up the charts.
Logan- A widely used unisex name, though more often for boys.
Mary- A classic name for girls that can be used for either Marycrest or Marynook.
Mayfair- A unique update on the sugary sweet May.
McKinley- Another andro-girly name, this one's for McKinley Park.
Morgan- A top 100 girls name, but used for both genders.
North- Not specifically representing any neighborhood, but North is still one of my favorites (especially for a girl).
Oak- This would make a cool middle for either gender.
Peterson- A contemporary way to honor Peter.
Prairie- For the Prairie District. One part modern. Two parts hippie.
Raven- Ravenswood is a fun neighborhood here in Chicago. Love it too? Raven an underused option.
River- Becoming more and more popular for both genders.
Roger- Rogers Park is Chicago's most north-east tip. Roger is a nice, vintage name that can honor this lakeside neighborhood.
Roscoe- An interesting name that's practically unheard of.
Rose- Overused as a middle, underused as a first. Rose can be for Rosehill, Roseland, or Rosemoor.
Scott- For Scottsdale. An up and coming dad name.
Sheridan- An undiscovered unisex name.
Washington- Not sure if I'd stick my kid with this one, but he'd make a cool middle.
Wrigley- Whether it's after Wrigley Field or Wrigleyville, you hear many a dog called Wrigley in Chicago.

Of course, why not just Chicago? It has the nickname Chi, and the ever-popular "O" ending. Maybe for a middle? ;)

Sunday, December 9, 2012

25 Days of Christmas: Merry

Our Christmas name of the day is Merry. Merry is an English girls' name meaning "light-hearted or happy." She is more commonly seen as a word in the phrase "Merry Christmas." While she is not currently ranked in the United States, Merry's peak was in the year 1954, where she reached #469.

If her similarity to Mary makes her seem too old-fashioned to you, you might consider Merry as a middle name. She would sound lovely and festive with many names, and can soften the sounds of harsher and more serious appellations.

Merry is a nice choice for a holiday name, especially if you want something that sounds classic, but entertains the holiday spirit. Check back tomorrow for our next Christmas name!

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Our Generations Grandkids

What do you think our grandkids will be named? I am thinking the old lady and old man names that everybody thinks are ugly. Here are a few I think might make it:

Girls:

Betty
Susan
Linda
Pamela
Elizabeth
Mary
Dorothy

Boys:

Paul
John
Leonard
Arnold
Sidney
Bert
Harold

Sunday, May 8, 2011

1969: The Most Popular Names for Girls

My mother was born in 1969, so today, for Mother's Day, I am going to list the 20 most popular girls name of that year. Here it goes.

Lisa
Michelle
Jennifer (my mom's name. It jumped to number one the next year.)
Kimberly
Melissa
Amy
Angela
Mary
Tammy
Laura
Susan
Julie
Karen
Christine
Kelly
Elizabeth
Tracy
Patricia
Stephanie
Lori

Happy Mother's Day everyone.