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.

10 S Names You Never Thought of Using: Girls

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How do you feel about giving your child a name that starts with the same letter as your own? Many families try to avoid this, but I don't mind it at all. Besides, with all the great S names out there, I would hate to rule them out for that reason. S is a very popular initial for girls--twelve of the top 100 start with S. If you're not into popular names--don't worry--I have some fantastic options for you.

Sable- Sable is not a name you hear often. She's only ever appeared in the top 1000 once--in 1986 she ranked #904. Sable seems ready for revival. She shares sounds with the popular Sadie, and would also work as a nickname for Isabella.

Saskia- Saskia is a gorgeous Dutch import with some serious potential. Americans adore Sophia--a three syllable S name that ends in -ia--so why not Saskia? She'd fit right in.

Season- I adore the name Season. She's ethereal, feminine, and perfectly obscure. Sea makes a lovely nickname.

Sidonie- This exquisite French appellation will likely be confused for (the less glamorous, more trendy) Sydney. Is it worth it? I say yes.

Siri- I know Siri is the name of the voice in your phone. But if you can get over that, she actually makes a really nice name. Her minimalist Scandinavian style is very hip. Bonus points: name her sister Iris for an anagram.

Solange- By now, everyone's heard of Solange Knowles--aka, Beyonce's beautiful younger sister. Solange's stardom has put her name on people's radar screens, but it doesn't seem to be catching on. Last year she ranked #2996 on the popularity charts. All the more reason you should use her.

Soleil- Soleil is the French word for sun. She maintains a sunny disposition without being as hippyish as the more American Sunshine. Lei or Sol would work well for nicknames.

Sonnet- Looking for a Shakespearean name that's not quite so--Shakespearean? Use Sonnet. She may not be Shakespearean in the traditional sense, but Sonnet brings him to mind.

Sosie- There are nicknames for Sophia beyond Sophie. Check it out. One of my favorites is Sosie. She's quirky and cute (and also works as a nickname for Susanna).

Suki- Speaking of Susanna, how about Suki? I happen to like her on her own, but many people would only consider Suki as a nickname. Susan is now officially a grandma name, so why not consider Suki to honor her?

Sports Names

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You don't necessarily need to honor someone by using their name. You can name your child after something they loved. Dad loves golf and you like vintage names? Hello Birdie.

Basketball:
Nellie- An adorable name, but you all know I prefer Nell.

Cricket:
Cricket- Busy Phillips used this for her daughter recently. Cricket is cute, but not many people would first think of the sport.

Football:
Marty- "Marty Ball" is a football philosophy, and could make a fun retro pick for a son.

Golf:
Ambrose- In golf I call this a scramble, but Ambrose sounds more like a name :)
Austin- Not quite as fashionable as he once was, but he doesn't sound dated yet.
Birdie- Super cute and sweet. Another Busy Phillips choice.
Chip- Usually reserved as a nickname for Junior.
Goldie- Old fashioned pick with lots of flair. For a first name, Gold would be cool.

Soccer:
Derby- A cousin of Darby and Darcy, but way more unique. I like her!
Kit- Short, sweet, and to the point. Use her as a nickname for any of the Kat- names.

Tennis:
Love- But in Tennis it means zero.

Volleyball:
Pepper- Most people don't give her enough credit to be a first name, though I think she'd work rather nicely in the middle.
Spike- An intense boys name that would be cool on a volleyball player's son.

All:
Ace- I know more dogs than kids named Ace, but with Jessica Simpson's baby, that could change.
Field- Suave and preppy. Plus, he can apply to multiple sports.
League- League can apply to any sport. He's cool and sounds right on trend.
Season- My first thought does not go to sports, but Season can be applied to almost any sport.

Calendar Names

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Upon hearing "Calendar Names" most people automatically think months. But what about those other neglected parts of the calendar? Here's some options, taken straight from the calendar.

Expected:
April- Your common sixties/seventies month name.
August- Getting up there in popularity, but still one of the best month names.
Autumn- One of the more popular season names.
June- So sweet and making a comeback.
May- Lovely name, currently trendy.
Summer- Trendier than you might think, but also quite nice.
Sunday- Most usable of the day names.
Winter- She's fast rising, I expect to see more of her in coming years.

Unique:
Holiday- I secretly love Holiday. She's unexpected and spunky.
January- Mostly associated with January Jones, she makes a more unique month choice.
July- Least common of all the summer month names
March- One of the few month names that works for a boy.
Season- I think Season sounds beautiful. With a slight nature vibe, what's not to love?
September- Creative month name that works for either gender.
Seven- Popular celebrity baby middle name that's not too common- yet.
Tuesday- Quirky-cute day name.

Unheard of:
Blue- As is "Blue Moon". How sweet if your baby was born on a blue moon night.
Day- Straight and to the point, Day works well as a middle name.
December- A little chilly, but usable.
Five- Daring and mysterious. Most often associated with Five Novogratz.
Friday- Why not name your baby after everyone's favorite day?
Moon- That "oo" sound is so pretty, but I might stick this one in the middle. Otherwise go with Luna.
Spring- Least common of the season names, she's seldom heard.
Wednesday- She would be a great day name, if not for Wednesday Addams.

Full Names for Cece

Cece is a cute nickname on the rise. She has some beautiful longer appellations.

Cecelia
Cecily
Cedar
Celia
Celie
Celinda
Celine
Cerelia
Cerie
Cerise
Charlotte
Sea
Season
Secret
Sedona
Selena
Selima
Serena
Sevilla

25 Days of Christmas: Season

Today's Christmas baby name is Season. Season means "time of sowing." She's a word name, and has never been ranked in the U.S. top 1000. Season would normally be thought of as a substitute for common season names like Summer and Autumn. However, she could also take on another meaning, the Holiday Season.

A baby Season could go be Cece or Sea. She is a part of the new generation of hippie names, including Meadow and Storm, that replace Harmony and Sunshine. So long as that doesn't bother you, she'd make a great name for a holiday baby.