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)

Same Meaning Sibsets: Part Two

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Part two! Today we have six more name meanings to create sibsets out of. View part one here.

Good
Agatha + Glenda
Gita, Mona, + Tova

Grace
Anya, Grace, + Hannah
Amara, Hanita, + Sena
Carissa + Milena

Love
Amy + Darrell
Esme, Kerensa, + Priya
Amanda, Connor, + David

Peace
Axel, Fritz, + Pax
Freddie + Winnie
Frederick, Geoffrey, + Humphrey
Frieda + Salome

Song
Melody + Odele
Ronia + Zamir
Shira, Rayna, + Roni

Sweet
Anika + Laia
Dulcie + Eulalie
Myra + Shirin

Holiday Names

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Happy Holidays everyone! I hope you guys are having a great holiday season. I've posted about holiday names many times in the past, and this year I am going to do something a little different. There are so many holiday names, but many of they are not all cohesive. I've split up 24 names into four categories--Familiar, Fashionable, Festive, and Funky--to help you pick the perfect holiday baby name based on your style. Let me know what you think!

Familiar
Bell- Do you have certain names where you hate one spelling but love the other one? For me, that's Bell. I really don't like Belle, but Bell makes me swoon.
Carol- Old fashioned; I would choose Caroline instead.
Holly- I think she's cuter as a nickname for Holiday.
Joy- Sweet, sweet, sweet. Perfect for the Holidays.
Natalie- She's not tied to Christmas anymore, so she makes for a subtle holiday name.
Nicholas- I'm not very fond of Nicholas, but that's probably because he peaked around the time I was born.

Fashionable
Eve- There's no better name for a girl born on December 24th.
Natalia- Kicks Natalie up a notch.
Neve- Gorgeous name meaning snow.
Pax- He means peace, which is a great meaning year-round.
Piper- This trendy girls name has her own line in the Twelve Days of Christmas song.
Winter- The most coveted season name.

Festive
Christmas- Might as well go big.
December- December is a unisex name, but if you use it on a girl, she can be called Ember.
Garland- One of my favorite G names for boys.
Holiday- Ooh, I adore Holiday. I would use her in a heartbeat.
Merry- I prefer Mary, but hey, Merry is better for a holiday baby.
Noel- Noel is very sophisticated, especially when pronounced (nole) on a boy.

Funky
North- Did Kim Kardashian ruin this name for everyone? Maybe stick her in the middle.
Plum- Plum is my other favorite of the list. She's just so cute!
Season- If you use her in the middle, don't make Holiday her first name.
Silver- A very festive color, seldom heard as a name.
Star- If Star is overkill, try Stella or Estelle.
Yule- Many people overlook Y names, but Yule is one of the better ones out there.



That's all for this week, thank you so much for reading. I will be off next week for the holidays. Check back on December 29th for a year in review post.

Modern Virtue Names for Boys

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Virtue names are not too common for boys. Recently though, I've been hearing more of them. I think this list is really cool, these names are well suited for the modern boy. Tell me what you think.

Candor- Candor definitely sounds like a name. He ends in R, rhymes with Xander, so what's not to like? Plus, Candor is a great quality to promote in your son.

Imagine- So imagination isn't quite a virtue, but it should be. I feel like Imagine might be best suited to go in the middle spot, unless your kid is wildly creative.

Justice and Justus- These two are probably the most popular virtue names for boys. They are super cool no matter which spelling you pick (though I am more fond of Justice).

Noble- This is a step below naming your kid Royal (which is a legitimate name as well). I've never  heard this one as a first name, but I think he definitely works.

Paz and Pax- Pax is more popular as a nickname for Paxton, but either of these names would be just as great on their own. In Italy, peace is Pace (pronounced PAH-chey) with is nice as well.

Reason- This might be my least favorite on the list. It works, but just barely. If you really love this name I would stick him in the middle, for your child's sake.

Truth and True- I really like the name True, whether on his own, or as a nickname for Truman and the like. Truth takes it to the next level, and works better as a stand alone name.

Valor- If you're looking for a virtue name that also honors Aunt Valerie, I'd say Valor is your best (and only) bet. Lucky for you he's pretty rad.

Zeal- My favorite of the list. Zeal is a great virtue name, and gets bonus points for starting with the coveted letter Z. He's a sure winner.

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.

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