Movie Names: The Royal Tenenbaums

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The Royal Tenenbaums is my all time favorite movie. As I mentioned earlier this week, I love Wes Anderson, so this should come as no surprise. One of the things I love most about Wes Anderson (though not as much as his quirky characters and whimsical sets) is how he names his characters. In every one of his movies, the names are specially tailored to the characters, or so it seems. If you haven't seen a Wes Anderson movie before, I highly recommend the Royal Tenenbaums as your first one. It's a lovely film, with lovely names.

Boys:
Ari- He's a name often associated with Nice Jewish Boys, but he can work for a boy with any culture or religion.
Chaz- Normally a nickname for Charles. Not quite useable on the birth certificate, but he would make a nice retro nickname.
Dudley- Dudley's name was perfect for his character, because he was dud-ish. That being said, it's not a good connotation for your child.
Eli- Eli is one of the great characters in this film, but if you want to name a baby after him, go with his last name- Cash.
Henry- Sweet and classic.
Mordecai- He's Richie's falcon in the movie, and would be a fun connection for a boy. However, he is a lot of name.
Pagoda- Whimsical and delighting, but maybe for a girl?
Raleigh- Many would consider this a girl name, but Raleigh wore surprisingly well on his character (played by Bill Murray!)
Richie- Chaz's brother's name is also more common as a nickname (this time for Richard), but is used in its own right. Richie holds up better than Chaz.
Royal- Is this one set to come back? Maybe, because names like Duke and Deacon are heading upwards.
Uzi- Ari's brother (surprised?). The gun connotation is a bad one, but that doesn't rule it out.

Girls:
Etheline- A beautiful elaboration of the crotchety sounding Ethel.
Margot- One of the best names in the entire film. Margot is stunning and glamorous, just like her character.
Rachael- She's not a big character in the movie (Ari and Uzi's dead mother), but she has a great name that is falling slightly out of favor.

State Capital Names

A nice way to honor your roots would be to name your child after where you are from. If you live in the States, you might want to consider your state's capital. Most state capitals (or a variation) work, with the exception of Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Utah, and Vermont.

Expected:
Augusta (ME)- My first thought is golf, but maybe that's just me. Augusta is a beautiful name though.
Austin (TX)- This name definitely reminds people of Texas. It's great if that's what your going for.
Carson (NV- Carson City)- On trend
Charleston (WV)- Comes with the bonus nickname Charlie.
Cheyenne (WY)- Sounds a little dated, but she would definitely work.
Helena (MT)- The capital is pronounced (HEL-en-uh), but many prefer (he-LAY-nuh).
Jackson (MS)- Too common of a name to remind people of the city.
Juneau (AK)- Makes Juno a place name.
Harris (PA- Harrisburg)- He's less common than Harrison, and both are great names.
Lincoln (NE)- Newly gender-neutral, Lincoln is a great name.
Madison (WI)- Like Jackson, she's too common to remind people of Wisconsin.
Olympia (WA)- A beautiful name, and Pia is a cute short form.
Paul (MN- Saint Paul)- Classic.
Phoenix (AZ)- A bold, but not unusual choice for boy or girl.
Pierre (SD)- Don't use it unless you're French.
Raleigh (NC)- This works for a boy or girl (thinking Raleigh St. Clair).

Unique:
Albany (NY)- This place name is way underused.
Annapolis (MD)- Call her Annie, or put this in the middle.
Atlanta (GA)- Super cool for girl.
Boston (MA)- Strong and handsome.
Columbia (SC)- My first though is college, but this would not make a bad name.
Columbus (OH)- Reminds me too much of history class.
Denver (CO)- Just don't name his sister Aspen.
Frankfort (KY)- I prefer just Frank, but this is nice if you come from Kentucky.
Hartford (CT)- Hart is a lovely short form.
Jefferson (MO- Jefferson City)- A bold choice, but I would stay with it, and away from Jeff.
Montgomery (AL)- It's long and the only nickname is Monty. How about as a middle?
Nashville (TN)- Call him Nash.
Richmond (VA)- Great way to honor Grandpa Richard and Aunt Virginia.
Trenton (NJ)- Very hip, and you can call him Trent.

Unheard of:
Bismarck (ND)- Honors a Mark and North Dakota.
Boise (ID)- I think of potatoes, but I've never been to Idaho.
Concord (NH)- If you can get past the grape association, this could be cool.
Des Moines (IA)- It barely works. Better stick it in the middle.
Dover (DE)- I just hope his best friend isn't Ben.
Honolulu (HI)- A little wild, but the nickname Lulu tones her down.
Lansing (MI)- I like it for either gender.
Sacramento (CA)- Long and nicknameless. If you're okay with that, use it!
Salem (OR)- Too witchy. Portland is a better Oregon city name.
Springfield (IL)- This one's a stretch. Make it a middle, or call her Spring.
Tallahassee (FL)- Only if you call her Tally.
Topeka (KS)- Cute and unusual.