Romantic Word Names for Valentine's Day

Levi Fignar via Dribbble

Word names are always a good choice (especially when it comes to middle names), and I love the subtle whimsy of using one to play homage to the holiday that your baby was born around. The following romantic word names are perfect for a baby born any day this week.

Beau- Beau is an established name that no longer seems very wordy, which makes him the perfect inconspicuous Valentine's Day choice.

Bisou- Bisou is the French word for "kiss," but would sound charming and name-like to many American ears.

Chérie- Another French choice, "ma chérie" is a phrase meaning "my darling." How cute would that be on a little girl?

Cherish- A modern virtue name that reminds us of love and affection.

Crimson- This shade of red pops up all over the place in February.

Darling- Can Darling shed her pet-name status? For now, at least, she makes a great middle.

February- An unexpected month name that's fresher than April or June.

Fidelity- I think Fidelity will one day give Felicity a run for her money. Until then, she's an under-the-rader choice that connotates love and attachment.

Harp- One of the most romantic instruments, and a lovely alternative to Harper.

Heart- The symbol of Valentine's Day. For a less obvious spelling, go with Hart.

Holiday- More bold and obvious than most of the other names on this list, but there's nothing wrong with that.

Love- At it's essence, Valentine's Day is a holiday about love. How sweet would Love be on a February 14th born baby?

Poem- Poem is one of my favorite word names for any time of the year, but she works especially well around Valentine's Day.

Promise- Another up-and-coming virtue name with romantic undertones.

Rose- No other flower is as synonymous with Valentine's Day.

Sonnet- The most amorous type of poem, used regularly by Shakespeare.

Unity- Love unites two people, making Unity a sweet and subtle choice for a Valentine's Day babe.

Valentine- Of course, you could always get straight to the point with Valentine.

10 Irish Names You Never Thought of Using: Girls

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So many Americans have Irish heritage, yet few have embraced truly Irish names. I'm not talking about Caoimhe or Eithne necessarily, but using names with Irish origins can be a fun way to showcase your heritage. I have ten more than usable choices here--stay tuned for the boys list next week.

Aine- You've definitely seen the anglicized version of Aine before--Anya. Aine is much the same, but with a slight pronunciation difference. Aine is said more like AWN-ya. In Irish mythology, Aine is the queen of the fairies.

Carlin- Spunky, androgynous Carlin is the modern answer to Carly. She's an uncommon unisex choice, but the -lin suffix has me thinking she's better on a girl, although Carlin was traditionally a boys name. Carlin is the perfect name for your young star--she means "little champion."

Darcy- Darcy is quite the pan-European choice, with roots in Irish, English, and French. Like Carlin, it can be used for boys and girls, though in Ireland Darcy is strictly feminine. Darcy's lack of popularity in the U.S. has always surprised me. She's very similar to Lucy, and many Americans love Pride & Prejudice.

Fia- Talk about a pan-European name--Fia blows Darcy out of the water with use in Ireland, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Sweden, and more. In Ireland, she's spelled Fiadh, but that could prove tricky for anyone without (or even with) Irish heritage. Last Monday I talked about Full Names for Fia, in case she's a bit too short for you.

Flannery- Flannery is one of the most striking literary names out there. She's heavily associated with Southern Gothic writer Flannery O'Connor (born Mary Flannery O'Connor), who makes for a mystical namesake. We're seeing a rise in names like Waverly and Bellamy, so why not Flannery?

Mirren- Speaking of notable namesakes, how about everyone's favorite Dame, Helen Mirren? Her last name is of Irish-Scottish origins with a puzzling history. She may be a variation of the Irish Saint Mirin's name, or possibly a Scottish nickname for Marion and other Mary names. Either way, Mirren is a lovely, fashionable name waiting to be discovered.

Oona- We've all heard of Oona, right? She's hardly unheard of, but the chances that you'll run into one on an American street are slim to none. Spelled Oonagh, she's quite popular in Ireland. Like Aine, she has roots in Irish mythology, this time as a princess.

Orla- Oona may have been a mythological princess, but Orla actually means "golden princess." She's very trendy in Ireland and Scotland, ranking #69 and #29, respectively. If the "oral" anagram bothers you, consider spelling her the traditional Irish way, Orlaith (which is actually a slimmer version of Orfhlaith).

Roisin- Rose is a beautiful name. She's particularly alluring as a middle name, as evidenced by the hundreds of thousands of girls named "first name" Rose "last name" every year. I suggest as a country, we look for alternatives to this admittedly lovely, but perhaps overused appellation. Roisin is (part of) the answer. She's a perfect middle name, means "little rose," and sounds an awful lot like America's Favorite Middle Name. Roisin isn't just reserved for the middle though. She makes a delightful first name as well.

Tierney- Tierney is a unisex first name and familiar Irish surname. The surname actually came second in this case--in the beginning, Tierney was only a first name. Like most Irish names, this isn't her original spelling. Tierney is a variation of Tighearnach--but don't worry, that spelling doesn't get much use anymore.

Middle Name Statistics

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Middle names are something we all like to talk about, but unfortunately, the Social Security Administration doesn't record middle names of babies, only first names. So you can imagine how thrilled I was when I saw that my high school graduation program included most peoples' middle names--this offered me a set of data. Now, my high school only graduated 736 people, and some don't have middle names, or didn't want it to be listed in the program. However, my area is extremely diverse--racially, socio-economically, and religiously--so the small set of data I do have is still worth anaylzing. So, here's the data for the most common middle names among the Class of 2015 ('96 and '97 babies).

Girls
1. Marie (15)
2. Elizabeth (14) and Elisabeth (1)
3. Ann (4) and Anne (5)
4. Nicole (7) and Nykole (1)
5. Rose (8)
6. Grace (5)
7. Lee (2) and Leigh (3)
8. Jean (3) and Jeanne (1)
9. Louise (4)
10. Lynn (3) and Lynee (1)

Notable Trends

• Alex- Names: Alexandra, Alexandria, Alexis (2)
• An- Names: Analiese, Angelin, Anna, Ann (4), Anne (5), Annie
• -Ay Names: Kay, May, Monet, Rae, (2), Shae
• El- Names: Elaine, Elena, Elisabeth, Elizabeth (14), Ella, Eloise, Elvira
• Esme Names: Esme (2), Esmeralda
• Iman- Names: Iman (2), Imani
• La- Names: Lanae (2), Lan'Yel, Larae, Lashae, Lashay, Latasha, Latefah, Latoya
• Heritage Choices: Abu, Fatima, Fionnuala, Guadalupe, Inez, Keiko, Ondina, Roisin
• Only two: Claire, Catherine/Katherine, Mary

Gems

• Bartholomew
• Bean
• Beata
• Chiffon
• Elvira
• Hopes
• Houston
• Love
• Magaly
• Saffia
• Salome

Boys
1. James (10)
2. Edward (7)
3. William (7)
4. Charles (6)
5. Thomas (6)
6. Joseph (5)
7. Michael (4) and Micael (1)
8. Anthony (4)
9. David (4)
10. John (4)
11. Patrick (4)

Notable Trends

• Al Names: Alan, Alexander (3), Allen
• Ed- Names: Edmond, Eduardo, Edward (7), Edwin
• Mark Names: Marcus, Markus (2)
• Zach: Zachary (2), Zachery
• Brit Picks: Basil, Edmond, George, Phillip (2), Sinclair, Tucker (2)
• Heritage Choices: Angel, Azriel, Enahoro, Hong, Mitja, Sohail
• Only two: Lee, Matthew, Peter, Robert

Gems

• Aksel
• Basil
• Jewel
• Kirby
• Moss
• Sinclair
• Soliman
• Winter
• Wolfgang

*I'm taking next week off for the holiday. Sorry for the infrequent posting--this has been a busy summer for me!*

Rainbow Sibsets: Part One

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Color names are so fun, and no doubt, someone out there has a color themed sibset. Stuff like this can get a little bit gimmick-y, but not if you do it in the right way. Let me show you what I mean.


Catalina, Charleston, Isabelline, Peridot, and Scarlet
Blue, Green, White, Green, Red

Ciel, Dune, and Snow
Blue, Brown, White

Lace, Olive, Plum, and Rose
White, Green, Purple, Pink

Jasmine, Kelly, Tiffany, and Veronica
Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple

Cyan, Emerald, and Sienna
Blue, Green, Orange

Cordovan, Crimson, and Rackley
Brown, Red, Blue

Coral, Fern, Forest, Mauve, and Myrtle
Pink, Green, Green, Purple, Green

Liberty, Navy, and Vale
Blue, Blue, Pink

Carmine, Roman, and Umber
Red, Grey, Brown

Copper, Jet, Russet, and Slate
Red, Black, Red, Grey

10 R Names You Never Thought of Using: Girls

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This list was one of the most fun to put together. I touched on a lot of different styles, so I hope you find something you like. Enjoy!

Raizel- Raizel is the Yiddish word for Rose, and makes quite a beautiful alternative. With Hazel becoming so popular, I wonder if Raizel will climb the charts.

Reid- Reid is well-used for boys (#258), but only 3% of Reids are female. I think Reid makes a great, preppy choice for a daugher (she was on my list for a long time). I wouldn't be surprised if it became a more unisex choice.

Reverie- Chances are, if you've heard of the name Reverie, you've heard of Girls Gone Child. One of Rebecca's twins is Reverie, called Revi (and the other, Boheme, called Bo). She's a lovely word name with a fantastic meaning--I'm jealous I didn't think of it myself.

Rhonwen- She's a gorgeous Welsh name that would work well in America. Rhonwen is perfect for parents looking for a name that's feminine, but not too "girly."

Ripley- Ripley is an andro-girly name that is rising quickly. She is well-below the top 1000, but in the next couple of years she could make a breakthrough. Ripley is one to watch.

Roma- Roman and Romeo are red hot, so why isn't Roma? She makes for a very romantic choice.

Romilly- Romilly is fairly well-known in the baby name community, but rarely anyone else has ever heard of her. She fits in with many naming styles, making her an excellent choice for a first-born.

Romy- She's originally a diminutive of Rosemary, but I also like Romy as a nickname for Romilly. If you prefer her as is, she would make a great sister name for your daughter Reid.

Rooney- This Irish surname was brought into the spotlight by the lovely actress Rooney Mara. She made her name an accessible choice for girls, and a stylish one at that.

Roxy- Although her fuller forms are not currently in style, Roxy hits all the trends. She's a vintage, tough-yet-feminine nickname with a lot of spunk.

Month Names: November

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November already? I can't believe the year is almost over. November is a great month to have a baby, right before all the holiday craziness. That being said, things tend to get a little more stressful around this time. Still need a name for your baby? No worries. There are some great November-related names out there, if you would like to pay homage to your baby's birth month with their name. Take a look.

Birthstone:
Citrine- I love the name Citrine. She's bright and peppy--perfect for a sweet baby girl.
Topaz- Definitely not my favorite of the gemstone names, but she could make for a good middle.

Birth Flower:
Chrysanthemum- I would think twice before saddling my daughter with this name, but then again, the book is pretty cute.

Birth Colors:
Dark Blue- Not just any blue--dark blue. My picks for possible names are Cobalt, Indigo, and Navy.
Red- There are so many options with this color, but Carmine, Crimson, Rose, Russet, and Scarlet stand out the most.

Star Sign:
Scorpio- I talked about Scorpio last month. My feelings haven't changed.
Sagittarius- Sagittarius is too much for a little boy, but Archer is not. Archer would be a nice, very subtle way for your son to have a connection to his birthday.

Related to November:
Autumn- It's still Fall (for one more month), which means Autumn is still on the table.
Election Day- If your baby is born on or around November Fourth, why not consider giving him or her a presidential name?
November- Why not? You can call her Nova, Ember, or Neve for short.

Month Names: August

I'm off to Italy, but before I go I have one last post for you. I'll be back on the 18th with regular posts.

It's August! Can you believe it? This is a busy month for me, with vacationing, the golf team, and going back to school for my Senior year (ah!). I couldn't be more excited though, so I was very happy to put together this list of August baby names. Tell me what you think (and would you consider using any of these for an August baby?)

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Birthstone:
Felicity- The real August birthstone is Sardonyx, but that's a mouthful, so go with Felicity (a form of the stone) instead.
Peridot- 100% my favorite gem stone name. You can pronounce her PAIR-ih-doe or PAIR-ih-dot, both of which are beautiful. Nickname Dot is a plus.

Birth Flower:
Gladiola- Need a stylish, floral way to honor a Gladys? Gladiola is the best option.
Poppy- This fun and peppy British name is incredibly adorable.

Birth Colors:
Orange- Orange doesn't have a ton of color names, but some of the best are Amber, Coral, Tawny, Peach, and Portland.
Red- Red, on the other hand, offers a plethora of options. Try Crimson, Russet, Carmine, or Cerise if you're adventurous, or Rose, Scarlet, Terra, or Ruby if you're not.

Star Sign:
Leo- The Leo names are very in vogue. You can't go wrong! I listed some here last month.
Virgo- Virgo might not be a great name for your baby, but Virginia is.

Related to August:
Aug. Names- The Aug- names are quite popular now. If you want to move beyond hipster favorite August, try Augustus, Augustine, or Augusta.
Oct. Names- August is the eighth month, which means Oct- is the appropriate prefix. Octavia is the most useable one of the bunch, but you could always go for Octivus.

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.

Song Names: Simon & Garfunkel

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Simon & Garfunkel are a pretty cool band. I had not heard of them until I watched The Graduate for the first time (two-ish years ago), and my love for them was reaffirmed when I saw The Royal Tenenbaums. It turns out so many of their songs have names in them. There are quite a bit more boys  names and double barrels in the titles than usual, which is perfect if you want a son with an unforgettable name.

Girls:
Anji- Spell it Angie, then forget about it because why would you name your baby Angie?
April- A dated month pick, but the song is really pretty.
Cecilia- Perfect song, perfect name.
Emily- Overused and on the verge of sounding dated.
Kathy- If you need a nickname for Katherine, I would pick Kit or Kate.
Peggy- I could see this one working on a baby, but then again, I know a Peggy (who's my age).
Rose- Sweet. Lovely. Just don't put her in the middle.
Susie- I feel like I always talk about how Susie is a great choice due for a comeback. So I won't say it again.

Boys:
Benedictus- Is your son going to become the Pope? Then skip this one and go for Benedict.
Johnny Ace- Totally awesome, but a hard name to pull off.
Julio- If Julian is back, why can't Julio be too?
Richard Cory- This sounds like the name of a middle aged accountant. Richard by itself could work.
Frank Lloyd- Naming children after specific people is not a good idea.

Modern -lie and -ly Names

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Many people would agree, three syllable names that end with the -ly sound are pretty cute. Emily has been popular for a long time, but there are other names that have a similar sound, but are way less popular. Take a look.
Expected:
Amelie- Amelie is darling. And the movie makes me love her even more (it's one of my favorites).
Emily- Yes, she's popular, but for a reason. Emily is a versatile name that works on so many girls.
Natalie- Like Emily, she's very popular but holds up well. I can picture Natalies of all ages.

Unique:
Cecily- Peppy and cute, but wearable on a adults as well.
Coralie- Downton Abbey has made Cora fresh again, so why not go a step further and choose Coralie?
Rosalie- Out of all the Rose names, she seems the most modern right now.

Unheard of:
Aurelie- Aurelia may be too much, but Aurelie is sweet (and a good alternative to Aurora).
Eulalie- You don't hear a lot of Eu- names nowadays, but Eulalie would be perfect for a baby.
Ottilie- Call her Tilly.

Full Names for Rosie

Rosie is a cute, underused nickname. Many parents overlook her most popular full form, Rose, because of her popularity as a middle name. If you love Rosie but not Rose, here are some options for her full name.

Primrose
Prose
Rosa
Rosae
Rosalba
Rosaleen
Rosalia
Rosalie
Rosalind
Rosalinda
Rosamund
Rosanna
Rosario
Rose
Roseanne
Roselle
Rosemary
Rosetta
Rosette
Rosine
Rosina
Rosita

Nicknames for Rosalinda

Rosalinda is not a popular name. However, if you want to honor Grandma Linda and Grandma Roz, she is a great option. Even if the full form is not your favorite, your little girl can have an adorable nickname, plucked right from this list.

Indie
Linda
Lindy
Lynn
Rosa
Rosalyn
Rose
Rosie
Roz

Catalog Names: Mini Boden Autumn 2013

This month's Mini Boden catalog has some of the same wonderful names as last time, but I spotted some new gems (and even twins!)

Girls:
Aimee
Bella
Chloe
Claudia
Daisy
Edie
Eleanor
Ella
Eve
Felicity
Florrie
Georgia
Grace
Harriet
Isabella
Izzy
Julia
Lotte
Lottie
Macy
Madalena
Marni
Margot
Martha
Megan
Minnie (twin to Nell)
Mollie
Molly
Nell (twin to Minnie)
Ottilie
Pippa
Rebecca
Rosa
Rose
Sally
Sammy
Sophie
Starr
Stella
Thea
Thyra
Tori Star
Willow
Zoe

Boys:
Barnaby
Bills
Billy
Cameron
Camron
Freddie
George
Iggy
Jackson
Marcus
Oliver
Rafferty
Solomon
Teddy
Theo
Toby

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? ;)

Flower Names

Common Flower Names: Lily, Rose, Daisy, Susan (Black-Eyed), Iris, Poppy
Uncommon Flower Names: Petunia, Tulip, Daffodil, Gladiola, Cosmo, Pansy, Orchid, Lotus
Other Flowery Names: Flora