Beachy Names

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Summer is in full swing, and what better time than now to give your child a beachy name? Here are my favorites.

Blue- The color of almost everything at the beach, from the waves to the sky.

Coral- A cute, retro spin on the trendy Cora.

Cove- A cool, up-and-coming nature name for boys.

Dune- A unisex name (also spelled Doon) that conjures up images of the sand hills.

Harbor- For those of you who want a beachy alternative to Harper.

Lake- In Chicago we swim at the lake, so this will always have a beachy feel to me.

Marine- Chicer and more unique than Marina. Marine is very trendy in France.

Oceane- One of my favorite water names. This French name is pronounced oh-SHAY-ahn.

Palma- Palm trees remind me of beach vacations, and Palma reminds me of palm trees. Perfect.

Pearl- The best ocean treasure.

Roxy- Roxy is a cute swimwear company based in California. She's usually used as a nickname for Roxanne, but your beach babe can rock it on it's own.

Sandy- Dated, but most definitely beachy.

Sea- Sea is another one of my favorite water names. She's absolutely lovely. Use her on her own, or as a nickname for Season.

Sky- The beach isn't all about the sand and water--the sky is beautiful as well.

Summer- The best time to go to the beach.

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

10 O Names You Never Thought of Using: Girls

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Ooh, O names! There are so many more than you think. They are waiting to be discovered, so let's get right to it.

Oceane- Oceane is not simply Ocean with an extra e (she should have an accent mark over the first one). This gorgeous French name is pronounced O-shay-ahn.

Odele- Odele is extremely rare, but sounds on-trend (thanks to names like Adele), making her a viable option.

Odessa- Want an interesting, unusual, alternative to Tessa? Odessa's your girl. Dessie or Essie makes for a cute nickname.

Ola- She's short, sweet, and Scandinavian. If three letters isn't substantial enough for you, try Solange, Maiola, or Gladiola as full names.

Oona- I was a little surprised to hear that this Irish beauty has never ranked in the United States top 1000. How can we not love Oona? I think she'd make a great sister name to many of our more popular names, including (but not limited to) Lily, Evie, and Nolan.

Opal- This gemstone name is scarcely heard, but with Pearl on the rise, I wouldn't be surprised if Opal was next.

Ophira- She's Sophia's quirkier cousin. Not to mention the name of one of my favorite NPR hosts, Ophira Eisenberg.

Orla- I really love these Irish O names. And Orla is so lovely! If I were Irish, I'd use Orla in a heartbeat.

Orlie- As a nickname for Orla, or on her own, you can't deny Orlie's cute factor. Fair warning: Spelled Orly, she's texting shorthand for "Oh, really?"

Ottilie- Ottilie is such a romantic name (don't you agree?). Her stunning qualities are only improved by the equally charming nickname Tillie.

Food Names: Fruits and Veggies

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Food offers a lot of inspiration when it comes to baby names. There are a lot of fun choices, like Plum and Fig, but there are also more standard ones, like Olive. So however adventurous you are with your baby names, you can be influenced by fruits and veggies.

Expected:
Cherry- Sounds like an old-fashioned nickname.
Clementine- One of my faves. So spunky.
Ginger- Super cute, and makes a great nickname for Virginia.
Kale- Better spelled Cael.
Nori- Kimye's nickname for baby North, and also seaweed.
Olive- A favorite among hipster parents and celebrities.
Peach- Southern and old.
Plum- I adore Plum. More people should be using her.

Unique:
Canna- Interesting alternative to Hannah.
Carola- Reminds me a little too much of Crayola, but workable.
Chaya- Very pretty and feminine.
Huckleberry- The name of one of Bear Grylls's sons. Nickname Huck is adorable.
Nance- Better left as a nickname for Nancy.
Pearl- Inspired by Pearl Onions, Pearl is a vintage name ready to comeback.
Pepper- Quirky-cool, reminiscent of Annie's fellow orphan.

Unheard of:
Apple- Too Gwyneth Paltrow? Maybe.
Beet- She's better spelled Biet, a la NYC blogger Belle's daughter.
Ceriman- Interesting choice for either gender.
Citron- Just enough sour spunk to make this French choice totally rad.
Currant- It shares likeness with Curran, but is a little wordy.
Fig- A daring pick, probably best reserved for the middle.
Quince- A Shakespearian name starting with the overlooked letter Q.
Sorrel- A leafy green, Sorrel makes a nice, unique choice for a son.

Month Names: October

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October is my favorite month of the year. I love the weather, food, festivity, basically everything ever about October. If you're having a baby this October (or just love the month as much as I do), you might want to consider honoring it with a name. Let me show you what I mean.

Birthstone:
Jasper- Apparently the "Mystical Birthstone" (whatever that is) of October is Jasper. Jasper's a great name, but I'm not sure if the Mystical Birthstone thing will hold up.
Opal- Opal is the real birthstone of October, and is one of the many underused gem names. I think she could be the next Pearl.

Birth Flower:
Calendula- Hmm. So, how useable is Calendula? I think she'd be pretty sweet if called Callie or Lula, but the final call is up to you.

Birth Colors:
White- There aren't many attractive names for shade of white, but Snow, Ivory, and Lace are nice options.
Yellow- Yellow offers more choices, with Amber, Citrine, Jasmine, and Saffron being the most tame picks.

Star Sign:
Libra- Like I said last month, I think Libra would make a great name. A sister for Justice, perhaps?
Scorpio- Maybe a middle name. But I still hesitate.

Related to October:
Hope- Opal means hope, so if you want an even subtler connection, here's your gal.
Octavia, Octavio, Octavius, etc.- So, October is not the eighth month, but it was at one time, which is why it got it's name. This is probably the most obvious connection, but you have to admit, Octavia is pretty charming (and that nickname Tavi, too).

June Names

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June is one of my favorite months. School ends next week, and the week after is my birthday and the start of camp. If you are lucky enough to have a June baby, consider giving him or her a subtlety related name to their birth month. I've got some great picks for you.

Birthstone:
Alexandrite- Alexandrite seems like a little much, but any of the Alex names would work perfectly.
Moonstone- I always loved the idea of Moon in the middle spot.
Pearl- Most widely recognized as June's birthstone. Always lovely.

Birth Flower:
Rose- Rose is great on her own, but if you want an elaboration, take a look at this list.

Star Signs:
Gemini- Gemini seems better suited for a pet, but Gemma or Jemima would work just as well to honor baby girl's star sign.

Related to June:
June, Juno, Juniper, etc.- This is the more obvious route to go, but that's not a bad thing. The June names are in vogue, but not super popular.
Summer- June 21 marks the official start of everyone's favorite season, Summer. She's a little past her prime, but remains a solid pick.

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

Fashionable Old Lady Names

Fashionable Old Lady Names: Edith, Elsa, Esther, Betty, Eve, Beatrice, Etta, Pearl, Theodora, Ruth, Iris, Mabel, Martha, Myrtle, Helen, Georgina, Mildred, Imogene, Peggy, Polly, Agnes, Addie, Gertrude, Leona, Murielle, Irene, Angela, Andrea, Donna