Showing posts with label Prairie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Prairie. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

10 P Names You Never Thought of Using: Girls

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Remember back in February when I told you that F was my favorite letter for names? P is a close second. I LOVE P girl names, in fact, seven of the following names have been on my favorites list at one time or another.

Palma- A Spanish surname that evokes scenes of the beach.

Pamina- A great way to honor a Pamela. Plus, you can call her Mina or Minnie.

Pasha- I've been hearing a lot of Sashas around lately (and she might be going to the boys), but Pasha is a darling alternative.

Penna- Penna is the quirky-cute name many parents are looking for. I prefer her on her own, but she also works as a nickname for Penelope.

Peridot- This gemstone name has only one pitfall--is it pear-ih-doe or pear-ih-dot? I'm a fan of the latter, because then you can call her Dot.

Pimm- Pimm was a favorite of mine for a long time. I was first introduced to her by Abby, and I think she'd make the perfect sister name for Nell. Alas, whenever I bring her up, I get a less than warm reception.

Plum- Food names can be hit or miss, but Plum is definitely a winner. This sweet, purple-hued name should be used more often.

Pomme- She's the French word for apple, which makes Pomme a sort of food name as well. I love her as a nickname for Pomeline (a guilty pleasure name of mine), but she works well on her own, too.

Posy- Posy is so charming! She works as an unusual nickname for Sophia.

Prairie- Prairie is an unexpected nature name ready to be picked up by hipsters. She could become quite popular in the coming years.

Monday, August 18, 2014

Alternatives to Vale

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Hey everyone, I'm back! I had a great time in Italy (the best name I heard was Ultimo- for a dog :). While I was gone, Today Show host Savannah Guthrie had her baby, whose name is getting lots of attention. Vale is such a great name because of her uniqueness yet familiarity, which many people are going to want to replicate. So, if you want a name similar to Vale, whether it be by sight, sound, or style, I have some options for you.

Sight
Val- Not quite as stand-alone as Vale, but she makes a great nickname for Valerie and the like.
Valla- Very feminine, but I would stick with Valley.
Valley- I've been hearing this name more lately, her nature ties are trendy.

Sound
Valencia- Vale could easily be a nickname for the beautiful Valencia.
Valentina- Valentina is ultra-girly, using Vale as a short form makes her more even-keel.
Sail- Why not? Sail fits right in with all of our water names, and would make a cute nickname for Sailor.

Style
Lux- Just like Vale, Lux is a short and sweet word name.
Prairie- She's a little more obvious than Vale, but Prairie is a great name.
Wren- Wren would be the perfect sister name for Vale (take notes, Savannah!). She's calm and serene, plus not too girly.

Monday, April 29, 2013

Chicago Neighborhood Names

Chicago has hundreds of neighborhoods. I pulled the ones with the most name potential.

Albany- There's an Albany Park here in Chicago, but most people think of New York first.
Anderson- Andersonville is one of the best neighborhoods in Chicago, and Anderson is stylish right now. Bonus points for the nickname Anders.
Arcadia- For Arcadia Terrace. A little clunky, but wearable.
Archer- A cool name for boys right now, this one can represent Archer Heights.
Austin- More Texas than Chicago neighborhood.
Avalon- An awesome alternative to Ava, there's a neighborhood called Avalon Park in Chicago.
Beverly- A little dated, but her sounds are on track to be stylish.
Brighton- A unisex name more common for girls.
Chester- For West Chesterfield. He's very vintage and possibly ready for revival.
Douglas- Another old man name, there's a Douglas and Douglas Park in Chicago.
Edison- A cool surname name perfect for lovers of science or Edison Park.
Forest- Forest (or more likely, Forrest) is another revival. This is the spelling used for the neighborhood Forest Glen.
Glen- A vintage unisex name that's short and sweet.
Ford- Whether it's after Henry Ford or Ford City, he's a neat name endorsed by celebrities.
Gage- The perfect tough boy name.
Gale- Galewood is a neighborhood in Chicago, and thanks to The Hunger Games, Gale is now unisex (especially this spelling).
Garfield- Garfield still makes us think of cats, but his nickname Gar would be cool to honor Garfield Park or Ridge.
Grace- For Graceland. A common, slightly boring girls name.
Irving- Another vintage pick, he comes with the nickname Irv.
Jackson- Super popular pick for boys.
Jefferson- A unique way to honor a Jeffrey, or Jefferson Park.
Jeffrey- He's dated, but not a bad pick.
Kelvyn- Very andro-girly, this one's for Kelvyn Park.
Kennedy- She's a popular unisex pick for girls.
Ken- For Kenwood. Very Sixties, surfer boy vibe.
Lake- There are four neighborhoods with Lakeview in the name. Lake makes a cool first or middle for either gender.
LeClaire- A cool update on Claire; after LeClaire Courts.
Lincoln- Lincoln Park and Lincoln Square are both very popular 'hoods here. Lincoln is a popular, now unisex name (thanks to Kristen Bell) that is rising up the charts.
Logan- A widely used unisex name, though more often for boys.
Mary- A classic name for girls that can be used for either Marycrest or Marynook.
Mayfair- A unique update on the sugary sweet May.
McKinley- Another andro-girly name, this one's for McKinley Park.
Morgan- A top 100 girls name, but used for both genders.
North- Not specifically representing any neighborhood, but North is still one of my favorites (especially for a girl).
Oak- This would make a cool middle for either gender.
Peterson- A contemporary way to honor Peter.
Prairie- For the Prairie District. One part modern. Two parts hippie.
Raven- Ravenswood is a fun neighborhood here in Chicago. Love it too? Raven an underused option.
River- Becoming more and more popular for both genders.
Roger- Rogers Park is Chicago's most north-east tip. Roger is a nice, vintage name that can honor this lakeside neighborhood.
Roscoe- An interesting name that's practically unheard of.
Rose- Overused as a middle, underused as a first. Rose can be for Rosehill, Roseland, or Rosemoor.
Scott- For Scottsdale. An up and coming dad name.
Sheridan- An undiscovered unisex name.
Washington- Not sure if I'd stick my kid with this one, but he'd make a cool middle.
Wrigley- Whether it's after Wrigley Field or Wrigleyville, you hear many a dog called Wrigley in Chicago.

Of course, why not just Chicago? It has the nickname Chi, and the ever-popular "O" ending. Maybe for a middle? ;)