10 Thai Names You Never Thought of Using: Girls

Deep Shah via Dribbble

While researching for this post, I was surprised at how many Thai names would assimilate well into American culture. It's astonishing we don't hear them more! There are loads of beautiful, melodic choices--it was hard for me to cut my list to just ten. That being said, I think I have ten really wonderful names for you all today. As always, let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Isaree- Isa- names are very fashionable by today's standards, so why not add another one to the list? Isaree a gorgeous Thai name that would assimilate easily into the American name pool. She means "freedom."

Kannika- For those of you looking for interesting K names, Kannika is a fantastic option. She's a name used throughout Southeast Asia--in fact, it's the name of a 1947 Indian film. If you're fond of nicknames, Nika is the obvious choice, but Kiki would be fun as well.

Kasira- Isn't Kasira lovely? I've never been a fan of K names, but Thailand has so many good ones! She's a bit of a mysterious name--there's not much information out about her--but if you want a truly unusual yet beautiful name for a daughter, Kasira would be great.

Lawan- Lawan is simple yet stunning. She means "beautiful," so if you like your names with meanings to match, take a look at Lawan.

Malai- Speaking of meanings, meet Malai! Longtime readers know that I don't put much stock into name meanings, but I appreciate a quirky one. Malai means "garland of flowers," which is so sweet! Lately Americans have been loving lyrical M names (think Maya, Mila, etc.), so Malai will fit right in.

Mayura- Darling Mayura is another Thai name that I could see catching on in the US. She has the easy-access nickname May, which makes her all the better. Mayura means "peacock" (wouldn't that make a fun nursery theme?)

Nim- Nim is most commonly associated with the book and movie Nim's Island, but Nim is actually a female Thai name (as well as a male name in other cultures). Maybe it's because of the movie, or possibly my love for Pimm, but Nim really seems like a girl name to me. She'd be wonderful in a children's literature themed sibset.

Preeda- Cheerful and sophisticated Preeda would feel so stylish on an American baby. Add that to her ease of pronunciation and spelling, and we have ourselves a fabulous Thai-American crossover. Preeda is one of my favorites of today's list. Does anyone else love -da names as much as I do?

Sirinya- It's hard to think of a name more stunning than Sirinya. She just oozes beauty and elegance. Some notable namesakes: Selina and Sirinya are a Bangkok-based folk band, and Sirinya "Cindy" Burbridge is a Thai-American model and actress.

Suree- Suree may be slim, but she has substance. Thanks to sound-alike sister Suri, she's perfectly wearable on an American baby girl. Plus, Suree means "sun," which is always a nice meaning.

Rainbow Sibsets: Part Two

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Last Friday we discussed some fun sibsets made entirely out of color names. What did you guys think? Would you ever consider a name theme like that for your children? I'm not so sure I would. Here's part two for some more inspiration.

Hazel, Magnolia, May, Pearl, and Ruby
Green, White, Green, White, Red

Cameo, Prune, Quartz, Rufous
Pink, Purple, Grey, Red

Ash, Celeste, Iris, Jasper, and Violet
Grey, Blue, Blue, Orange, Purple

Azure, Capri, India, and Marigold
Blue, Blue, Green, Yellow

Lilac, Moss, Saffron, Sage, and Wisteria
Purple, Green, Yellow, Green, Purple

Jordy, Kobi, and Lincoln
Blue, Pink, Green

Carnelian, Citron, and Fuchsia
Red, Green, Pink

Fallow, Pine, and Sea
Brown, Green, Green

Amber, Cerise, and Diamond
Yellow, Pink, White

Fern, Laurel, and Lavender
Green, Green, Purple

Celestial, Magenta, and Royal
Blue, Pink, Blue

Spring Names

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Happy first day of Spring! I am so excited that Spring is (finally) here. If you're having a Spring baby, you might want to consider one of these very appropriate, seasonal names.

Flower Names
I have a full list of Unexpected Flower Names right here. Some of my favorites are Aster, Liatris, Lotus, Posy, and Zinnia.

Holiday Names
Easter- Some classic Easter names are Pascal and Pascoe, and you could always just go with Easter.
May Day- Expecting a baby on May 1st? You can't go wrong with the sweet, old-fashioned May.

Month Names
March- March is a great month name for a little boy, regardless of what month he's born in.
April- April is one of the more dated month names, but I still find her charming.
May- I've written countless amounts of posts on May. Some of my favorites are Full Names for May, and May Names. 
June-June is a lovely name--one that is slowly rising up the charts. She's at #364 now, but I could see her in the top 300 for the 2014 stats.

Seasonal Names
Equinox- The Spring Equinox is tonight, which makes it a perfect name for a baby born today. The nickname Nox makes it more wearable.
Primavera- The Spanish word for Spring is beautiful. Primavera would make a darling first or middle name for a daughter.
Weather Names- With the start of Spring brings new weather--mainly rain for us here is Chicago. Consider a Weather Name for your child, perhaps Rain, Sky, Sunny, Storm, or Rainbow?

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.

Nicknames for Magnolia

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Congrats to Magnolia on breaking into the top 1000! She stands at 981, so while not popular yet, she's definitely on the way up. Magnolia is a great alternative to Margaret, but feels a bit more whimsical. She is a long name, however, and some would say she needs a nickname. If you fall into that camp, take a look at the following list for some inspiration.

Expected:
Maggie- Classic nickname for the Mag- names.
Meg- I recently heard this one on a baby. Very retro-cute.
Lia- With so many other options, I don't think Lia is the right choice of nickname.

Unique:
Mae- Watch out, Mae and May are up and coming.
Molly- I would hesitate to use Molly nowadays considering she's the street name for ecstasy.
Nolia- A little long for a nickname, but still very charming.

Unheard of:
Aggie- People would mishear it for Maggie, but she's a little more interesting.
Nola- Spunky. This would be a fun one if you were from New Orleans.
Nollie- A better alternative to Molly.

May Names

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Hooray, it's finally May! May is one of my favorite months. School begins to die down, and it feels like Summer is on it's way. To celebrate, lets look at some names that would be perfect for a May baby.

Birthstone:
Beryl- May's birthstone is Emerald, which is a member of the Beryl family. Beryl definitely has some charm, which many people don't appreciate.
Emerald- She's getting popular. I prefer Beryl.

Birth Flower:
 Lily- Lily of the Valley is May's birth flower, but many people won't get the connection with such a popular name.
Shoshana- Shoshana means lily, and makes a subtle connection to the month.
Valley- The other half of Lily of the Valley. Fun Fact: My second grade teacher named her daughter Chloe Lily-of-the-Valley, but the next day changed it to Chloe Regina.

Star Signs:
Gemini- People born later in May are Gemini. I'm not sure how useable she is, but it does work.
Taurus- Much better than Gemini, and the only boy name on the list. Taurus is a cool name, and he could be called Tor.
Venus- The planet Venus governs the star sign Taurus, but you have to be brave to use her as a name.

Related to May:
Amy- An anagram of May.
Maia- May is named after the goddess Maia.
May, Mae, Mabel, Maisie, etc.- Any May name works to honor a baby girl's birth month.


P.S. Tomorrow is my blogoversary. Three years old! I can hardly believe it :)

Calendar Names

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Upon hearing "Calendar Names" most people automatically think months. But what about those other neglected parts of the calendar? Here's some options, taken straight from the calendar.

Expected:
April- Your common sixties/seventies month name.
August- Getting up there in popularity, but still one of the best month names.
Autumn- One of the more popular season names.
June- So sweet and making a comeback.
May- Lovely name, currently trendy.
Summer- Trendier than you might think, but also quite nice.
Sunday- Most usable of the day names.
Winter- She's fast rising, I expect to see more of her in coming years.

Unique:
Holiday- I secretly love Holiday. She's unexpected and spunky.
January- Mostly associated with January Jones, she makes a more unique month choice.
July- Least common of all the summer month names
March- One of the few month names that works for a boy.
Season- I think Season sounds beautiful. With a slight nature vibe, what's not to love?
September- Creative month name that works for either gender.
Seven- Popular celebrity baby middle name that's not too common- yet.
Tuesday- Quirky-cute day name.

Unheard of:
Blue- As is "Blue Moon". How sweet if your baby was born on a blue moon night.
Day- Straight and to the point, Day works well as a middle name.
December- A little chilly, but usable.
Five- Daring and mysterious. Most often associated with Five Novogratz.
Friday- Why not name your baby after everyone's favorite day?
Moon- That "oo" sound is so pretty, but I might stick this one in the middle. Otherwise go with Luna.
Spring- Least common of the season names, she's seldom heard.
Wednesday- She would be a great day name, if not for Wednesday Addams.

-Ay Names

Many letters of the alphabet (ten to be exact) form names when you put the suffix -ay at the end of them. Most of these names sound dated, and not all are useable, but some of them sound fresh, exciting, and ready for a comeback.

Bay- The most modern of the list. Bay is the right amounts hippie and grounded.
Day- Too wordy for the first spot; she's better suited for the middle.
Fay (Faye, Fae)- A baby Fay would be cute and refreshing.
Gay- Not appropriate for the 21st century, even if it was your grandma's name.
Jay- Jay would sound vintage, fresh, and tough on a baby boy.
Kay (Kaye)- A lovely, underused choice that can honor any K name.
May (Mae)- She's the most popular of the list, but still very sweet.
Nay- She's Persian and means flute. Sounds a bit too negative for English speakers.
Ray (Rae)- This unisex choice would be extra adorable on either gender.
Tay- Better left as a nickname for Taylor

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

Nicknames for Margaret

Margaret is a classic name with a lot of appeal. She's not too popular right now, but is a great choice for parents who want a well-known name with a cool nickname. Here are some options.

Greta
Gretel
Madge
Mae
Maisie
Maggie
Mamie
Marge
Margie
Mari
Margo
Markie
Marnie
May
Meg
Megan
Meggie
Metta
Pearl
Peg
Peggy

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

25 Days of Christmas: December

Our Christmas baby name today is December. December is an unpopular month name meaning "the month of December." She sounds fresher than April, May, or June, and a bit more usable than February or November.

December would make the perfect name for a holiday baby. She's cool and sophisticated; she also had the fun holiday season part to her to. Paired with a short name, December would make an interesting middle. If you're looking for an unexpected name that screams holidays, December could be the right choice for you.

Anagram Twins Names

Alana and Anala
Alice and Celia
Amy and May
Ani and Ina
Anya and Naya
Arza and Zara
Kia and Kai
Lora and Arlo
Nadia and Aidan
Nora and Aron