Names from Children's Literature

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Children love anything with their name on it. Thank goodness we live in the digital age, because now you can personalize everything imaginable. Even books. A whole new industry has been created--its sole purpose is to make your child the main character of his or her books. This is great (and very cute), but it's also fun to share a name with a classic character. I've compiled a list of main-character names from award-winning children's books--see if you can sense a theme.

Girls
Alice- Alice in Wonderland 
Anne- Anne of Green Gables
Charlotte- Charlotte's Web
Coraline- Coraline
Eloise- Eloise 
Frances- Bread and Jam for Frances
Harriet- Harriet the Spy
Madeline- Madeline
Margaret- Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret
Matilda- Matilda
Meg- A Wrinkle in Time
Olivia- Olivia
Pippi- Pippi Longstocking
Ramona- Ramona the Pest

Boys
Alexander- Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Charlie- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Clifford- Clifford the Big Red Dog
David- No, David!
George- Curious George
Harry- Harry Potter
Hugo- The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Max- Where the Wild Things Are
Milo- The Phantom Tollbooth
Stanley- Holes

Don't all these names sound like they belong in one big sibset? I was a little surprised to see so many classic, British names. I've read all these books (with the exception of Coraline and A Wrinkle in Time), and all of the title characters are worthy namesakes. If these names are your style, definitely consider one for your child. Trust me, it's a lot of fun.

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.

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.

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