Royalty Inspired Names

Image Credit

Kourtney Kardashian's new baby is named Reign Aston--a nod to their high-class status and dad Scott's "title" Lord Disick. Royal names have been on the rise the past few years, but this birth announcement could send them to the upper half of the top 1000. I don't think Reign will have quite the effect Mason or Penelope did on American baby naming, but nevertheless, look forward to a year full of royal names.

Girls
Corona- She does mean "crown" in Spanish, but I think that fact would be lost on most people. Pick a  name not associated with an alcoholic beverage, or put her in the middle.
Grace- It is not uncommon to hear Royals be referred to as "Her Grace." Add Princess Grace Kelly, and you've got yourself a very regal name.
Honor- Honor feels very similar to Grace. Not the first name you think of when talking about royal names, but she makes for a nice, subtle option.
Princess- On the other hand, there's nothing subtle about Princess. Names like Princess teeter on the edge of tacky. I'd stick with Sarah (who means princess) instead.
Queenie- I don't hate the name Queenie. I see how she could feel no better than Princess, but Queenie has an old school, retro charm about her.
Tiara- File this one with Princess. I much prefer Tierra (meaning land or earth in Spanish), which is less material, more earthy.

Boys
Baron- With his regality and similarity to names like Aaron, I'm a little surprised Baron isn't being used. He'd fit right in on the playground.
Duke- Was Duke the name that started this all? He's been rising in popularity the past few years, and now it's Reign's turn.
Earl- Earl gives me more of a country song picture than a royal one. Is he ready for revival with the others? I have a feeling he might sit this one out.
King- Names beginning with King surged in popularity a few years ago. On his own, he makes a great middle, and even works as a first name.
Noble- Like Grace and Honor, Noble is a royal-virtue name. I expect to see a few celebrities use this name in the coming year.
Royal- My first thought is Royal Tenenbaum, but I'm a huge Wes Anderson fan, so maybe it's just me.

Either
Reign- With its similarity to the unisex nature name Rain, Reign remains undecided in terms of gender. Will Reign Aston change that?

Modern Virtue Names for Boys

Image Credit

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.

Movie Names: The Royal Tenenbaums

Image Credit

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.