Elf on the Shelf Names

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Do you have an Elf on the Shelf in your house? The tradition didn't exist when I was a kid, but it's so fun and whimsical--I wish it had! The Elf on the Shelf website lists the 20 most popular name for the registered elves--Nameberry did an comparison between elf names and baby names last holiday season, but I'm here to offer some more creative options for your elf. But first, the Elf top 20:

1. Buddy
2. Elfie
3. Jingle
4. Snowflake
5. Jingles
6. Jack
7. Charlie
8. Fred
9. Chippy
10. Sparkle
11. Elfy
12. Holly
13. Max
14. Twinkle
15. Jolly
16. Elvis
17. Bob
18. Clyde
19. Peppermint
20. Nick

How I wish I could see the full list!

The website also says that Cookie, Frisbee, Snowball, Sprinkle, and Tinsel are popular, and cites Oodle as a "unique" name belonging to 220 elves.

If you want an uncommon name for your family's Elf on the Shelf (that is, if you have a say in naming it), I have come up with some more creative ideas.

Blizzard
Chestnut
Cider
Cranberry
December (Ember could be a nickname)
Drummer
Eggnog
Evergreen
Fig
Garland
Holiday
Icicle
Ivy
Mistletoe
Mittens
Pax
Piper
Plum
Poinsettia
Popcorn
Season
Silver
Socks
Spruce
Stella
Toboggan
Winter (or Winnie)

Food Names: Squash and Pumpkins

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What's the star vegetable of every Thanksgiving meal? Pumpkin, of course! As the quintessential ingredient in many holiday recipes, I thought we'd take a look at some of the pumpkin and squash varieties that would make good baby names.

Expected:
Gem- Cute, but better as a nickname for Gemma.
Jack- So popular, but so handsome.
Patty- Way too dated.
Marina- So pretty; a lovely nature name.
Max- One super trendy boys name, he has many full forms
Summer- Maybe not for your November baby.

Unique:
Alba- Sweet and ready for a comeback.
Kuri- Does she sound too much like Curry? You could always pronounce it KOO-ri
Marine- More straightforward than Marina.
Sperling- A good alternative to Sterling.
Tatuma/Tatume- An elaboration of Tatum? Definitely makes her more feminine.
Valenciano- If you want an extravagant form of Valencio.

Unheard of:
Amphora- Pretty and feminine.
Aurantia- Very unique, comes with the nickname Tia.
Caserta- the Cas- sound is trendy, why not add this one to the list?
Citrullina- Reminiscent of citrus, which makes her prefect for a Fall/Winter baby.
Cocozelle- My favorite of this list. Wouldn't it make you smile to meet a baby Cocozelle?
Ebisu- Sounds very foreign, but still very usable in the U.S.

Full Names for Wells

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Could Wells be the new Will? It seems like he might be headed that way. His stylish British sound is gaining in popularity among celebrities. Too much for a first name? Try using Wells as a nickname for one of these.

Expected:
Maxwell- A good choice, but people may be inclined to call him Max.
Rockwell- To Americans, the natural nickname seems like Rocky. Take a hint from the other side of the globe and use the more fashionable Wells instead.
Wellington- The name is a little bit clunky, but it's a way to get Wells from the front end.

Unique:
Caldwell- He would make a perfect pick if you couldn't decide between Calder and Wells.
Howell- Slightly frumpy, but H surnames are in vogue.
Llewellyn- The -Ellyn makes him sound a bit feminine, but calling him Wells eliminates that.
William- From William we get Will and Wills, doesn't Wells seem like the next logical step? I vote yes.

Unheard of:
Hartwell- A great romantic name with two great nicknames, Hart and Wells.
Lowell- He's definitely the least stylish of the group, but if you want to use Wells, but need an L honor name, why not?
Powell- The awesome Portland bookstore makes this name infinitely more cool.

Full Names for Sid

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This week, Jason Biggs and Jenny Mollen named their son Sid. Some people were surprised, but with sons named Max and Gus, I can't think of a better match. Baby Biggs is just Sid, but for most people that's not enough name. If you're in that boat, check out this list of ways to get to Sid.

Expected:

Sidney- Sydney is very popular for girls, which is a shame, because Sidney makes a great name for a boy, and it's the easiest way to get to Sid.

Sigmund- He's very Freudian, which can be interpreted as good or bad.

 

Unique:

Sidonio- This Spanish form of Sidney is the most modern way to get to Sid.

Siegfried- A little too much for an American child, but calling him Sid would be a nice compromise between your German heritage and a useable name.

Sylvester- He doesn't have all of the components of Sid, but the lengthy Sylvester has no nicknames, so why not?

 

Unheard of:

Siddhartha- Way too much to saddle a baby with.

Sigurd- Not the prettiest of names, but you could make it work if you call him Sid.

Sinbad- A compound name of two unpleasant words. If you want to use Sid, pick a different name on this list.

Ends with "X"

The latest trendy ending is "X." What's not to love? "X" is a cool letter, and gives off a tough girl/guy vibe. If you love the "X" ending, but want something beyond Max, here are some great names to look at.

Girls:

Expected:
Beatrix- If you want something wilder than Beatrice, or the nickname Trixie.
Margaux- The French spelling of Margot.

Unique:
Bellatrix- The associations with Harry Potter are strong, but she's a nice name.
Bex- Best left as a nickname for Rebecca.

Unheard of:
Leatrix- If Beatrix is too tame for you, try Leatrix.
Lux- Perfect for the middle spot, Lux means light.


Boys:

Expected:
Felix- A lovely name meaning happy.
Hendrix- A la Jimi.
Jax- Very trendy right now, there are more Jax's out there than you think.
Maddox- A great name, if you don't mind the Jolie-Pitt association.
Max- A fun name that many young boys answer to.

Unique:
Dax- Cool, unique, and nicknameless.
Dex- Whether he's short for Dexter or on his own, Dex makes a great name.
Fox- Popular hipster baby name.
Knox- Another Jolie-Pitt baby name.
Pax- And another.
Rex- Still too dog-ish? I think it could work.

Unheard of:
Ajax- Not unless you love bleach.
Bronx- Masculine and unexpected.
Calix- Has the cowboy-ish nickname Cal.
Fairfax- He has a surname-y feel, and he'll be the only one in his class.


Either:

Expected:
Alex- Works on its own or as a nickname.

Unique:
Lennox- This cool name works on either gender.
Lex- Makes a great middle or nickname for Alexander or Alexandra.
Phoenix- Gaining popularity, but still a good choice.

Unheard of:
Onyx- Dark, mysterious, color name.

Full Names for Max

Max is a darling name, that I think is lovely by himself. However, Max is so popular among little boys right now. If you want your Max to stand out from the crowd, consider one of these interesting full names.

Expected:
Maxim
Maximilian
Maximus
Maxwell

Unique:
Maxen
Maximiliano
Maximo

Unheard of:
Mackenzie
Maddox
Maxime

Catalog Names: PB Teen

Girls:
Addison
Amanda
Anna
Ariel
Brooke
Brynn
Chelsea
Chloe
Claire
Coraline
Elsie
Emma
Emily
Hallie
Jamie
Julia
Julie
Kaitlyn
Katie
Kelley
Kennedy
Lacey
Lauren
Lola
Marbella
Martina
Mary
Molly
Peyton
Raleigh
Sarah
Sophie
Taylor
Zoe


Boys:
Austin
Brooks
Chris
Emerson
Hunter
Jacob
Jake
Joe
Maddox
Max
Tyler

25 Days of Christmas: Pax

Number four in our 25 Days of Christmas series is our first boy name- Pax. Pax is Latin and means peaceful. Even though he is not currently ranked, he is in vogue because he ends in X. Pax is the perfect choice for a winter holiday baby. The meaning relating to peace incorporates the meaning of the holiday season.

Pax would make a logical alternative to Max, if you were looking for something less common. He could be should for Paxton, a surname name that has a more polished quality.

The most famous Pax would be Pax Jolie-Pitt, Brangelina's adopted son.

Pax is an all-around great name. If you are looking for something short, easy to remember, and holiday related, Pax makes a great choice

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