Showing posts with label Susanna. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Susanna. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

10 Dutch Names You Never Thought of Using: Girls

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Next up is Dutch Names! I've got a whole bunch of gorgeous choices for you all today. Let me know your favorites, and any names you might add.

Anouk- Ooh, the lovely Anouk! She's one of my favorites. She is the French and Dutch form of Anna, and would be wonderful for honoring anyone with an Ann- name. Anouk's second syllable typically rhymes with "nook," though some people say it like "fluke."

Daffodil- Yes, Daffodil is Dutch. She's an extremely uncommon flower name, and would cause much more of a stir than your average Lily or Rose. However, she makes for a very fun and whimsical choice--just don't let anyone call her Daffy.

Jetje- Jetje (said YET-yuh or YET-chya) is the Dutch variation of Henrietta. Even though the pronunciation isn't there, Jet or Jette would still work as a nickname. Jetje is cheerful and spunky--she's not quite an easy import, but it would be manageable.

Lissa- Lissa is a pan-European pick, with use in England, Greece, France, and the Netherlands. She's short for Melissa, but is much more modern than Missy. She could be used as a nickname for such names as Amaryllis, Elizabeth, Felicity, Melissa, Phyllis, and Wallis, or stand on her own.

Madelief- Those of you who know Abby have undoubtedly heard the name Madelief before. She's really only used in the Netherlands, where she ranks #122. Madelief is pronounced as she looks, MAD-el-eef, though if you're not a fan of the "leaf" sound, you could slightly alter it to say MAD-el-eeve.

Mariel- Mariel is a French and Dutch diminutive of Mary, who took cues from the once popular Muriel. She's most well known as the name of Mariel Hemingway, an actress from the famous family, though it's also the name of a town in Cuba. Mariel can also be spelled Marielle.

Rika- Like Jetje, Rika also comes from Henrietta (the Swedish form of which is Henrika, and the Dutch, Heintje). Unsurprisingly, she's used in both Sweden and the Netherlands, and is commonly used as a nickname for all sorts of -rika names, like Fredrika and Enrika.

Sanne- Sanne is a Danish and Dutch nickname for Susanna (which would be spelled Susanne there). She's pronounced SAH-na, and means "lily." She's perfect for honoring a Susan or Lily in your life.

Saskia- Saskia comes from the word "Saxon," a German tribe that took it's name from their word meaning "knife." That's not an entirely pleasant association, but odds are, not many people will know that. Saskia is both German and Dutch in origin, but is more popular in the Netherlands. She's most common in England, where she peaked at #125 in 1999--slightly dated over there, but very fresh for an American.

Verandia- Verandia is a unusual name--you won't find much information about her out there. She's the Dutch form of Verena, and lends herself to the nickname Randi. Her similarity to the word "veranda" is not necessarily a downside, but something I'd consider before choosing Verandia as "the one."

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

10 Z Names You Never Thought of Using: Girls

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We're down to our last letter. Today's post is the penultimate of this (over a year long) series. Enjoy, and as always, let me know what you think.

Zadie- Zadie's been on my favorites list for a few years now. She's a spunky form of Sadie, so you could use her as a nickname for Sarah if you like.

Zahara- Zahara is both a Hebrew and a Swahili name, meaning "to shine" and "flower," respectively. She experienced a sharp rise in popularity after Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt gave it to their daughter, but still only ranks at #1569.

Zailie- Although she's typically a nickname for Azalea or Zelia, Zailie could definitely be worn on her own. She's similar in style to Lily, but does require a bit of a braver namer.

Zanna- Zanna is a diminutive of Susanna, and also the Polish form of Jane. She's one of the more tame names on this list, if you prefer something no too out there.

Zea- The Latin name Zea (ZAY-uh) is perfect for parents looking for a name that's unusual but usable. As a short and cute Z name, she makes a great alternative to the increasingly more popular Zoey.

Zella- Add a Z onto Ella and you have a completely new, very striking name. Zella is an African name that could be easily worn on an American baby. Plus, her similarity to Ella and Bella makes her right on trend.

Zelma- Zelma may be an old lady name, but she has serious style. She sounds the more current than her sound-alikes (Selma, Thelma, Velma), thanks to that Z. I've met a little girl named Zelma before, and trust me, it's very wearable.

Zinnia- Zinnia is one of the unexpected flower names I absolutely adore. She's bold and bright, plus Zinnie is a cute nickname.

Zora- Zora means "dawn," so she'd be especially adorable on an early morning baby. Author Zora Neale Hurston makes a wonderful namesake.

Zosia- Zosia is perhaps most well known as the name of David Mamet's daughter, who plays Shoshana on HBO's Girls. She's a variant of Sophia, and is pronounced to rhyme with Sasha.

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

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?

Friday, May 9, 2014

Mom Names Reinvented

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Sunday is Mother's Day, and many moms-to-be would like to honor their mothers with their daughter's name. Unfortunately, Janet just isn't the name you picture your daughter with. Many names from the 50s and 60s are easily updateable, so have no fear. Baby girl can have a name that is both modern and honors Grandma.

Carol, Carolyn, Karen
Carina- Pretty and not too princessy.
Carmen- Given new life, thanks to Alec Baldwin's daughter.
Carys- The latest Car- name.

Janet
Jana- Simple and gorgeous.
Jane- A classic that is becoming more popular again.
January- The chicest month name, a la January Jones.

Lisa
Elisa- Both Elise and Elisa are rising, but Elisa is the less common of the two.
Lissa- Also a good way to honor a Melissa.
Lissy- Cute, but probably as a nickname.

Lori
Flora- Elegant.
Gloria- People are beginning to see Gloria's charm.
Lorelai- New moms that watched Gilmore Girls have been choosing this name for their daughters.

Mary
Margot- Margot Tenenbaum's sophisticated and blasé name transcends her name.
Marlowe- Not in the top 1000 yet, but I think this will be her year.
Marnie- Girls has helped Marnie become a recent hit.

Nancy
Annabel- All-American sweetheart.
Anneliese- Incredibly charming.
Annika- Annika has fallen in recent years, which makes her perfect for parents avoiding popularity.

Pamela
Paloma- Pamela's sounds rearranged.
Pamina- Makes Pamela sound less frumpy.
Pimm- One of my favorites, and a great update to Pam.

Sandra
Alessandra- Latin beauty.
Alexandria- Long, elegant, and rising in popularity.
Cassandra- Many parents nowadays would opt to call her Cassie.

Susan
Sukie- The cutest nickname for any of the Su- names.
Sunday- Whimsical, yet totally useable.
Susanna- It's hard to believe, but Susan is more popular than Susanna. She's an undiscovered gem.

Teresa
Tess- A name that definitely stands on her own (just ask my sister).
Tessa- But if you really don't believe me, go with Tessa.
Thea- Very sweet, and perfect for girls of all ages.


Thursday, January 2, 2014

Best of 2013

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Happy New Year, everyone! I'll get back to regular posting soon, but in the mean time, here's the best blog posts of 2013.


January: In January we talked about Kimye's baby. I didn't predict it there, but I may have the year before.
February: We viewed some full names for Alex for both genders in February.
March: This month we went over all the lovely nicknames for Elizabeth, my personal favorite being Elsa.
April: In April we looked at names inspired by Chicago neighborhoods. This was my favorite post of the year.
May: May showed us the best names of Britain, with Boden Catalog Names.
June: This month we saw what the best anagram names for twins were. My favorite sets were Dot and Tod, and Arlo and Orla.
July: In July we talked about full names for Nell, my absolute favorite.
August: August taught us about full names for Lissie, there are a surprising amount.
September: We went over animal names in September.
October: On Halloween we looked at names of our favorite candies.
November: In November we went over some unexpected calendar names.
December: Finally, last month we enjoyed looking at names culled from the Olive & Cocoa catalog.

The top three viewers favorites of the year were:

1. Nicknames for Susannah
2. Full Names for Cece
3. Nicknames for Henry

Thanks for reading, and happy 2014!


Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Names that end in -anna

Like Name that end in -ana, there are a lot of common names that end in -anna sound. However, these ones are a little less trendy, with the exception of Savannah.

Expected:
Anna
Brianna
Joanna
Hannah
Savannah
Susanna(h)
Julianna

Unique:
Danna
Deanna
Johanna
Leanna

Unheard of:
Indiana
Louisiana
Vanna
Zanna

Monday, September 30, 2013

Sue Names

So you want to call your daughter Sukie (or Susie or Sue), but you need a full name. This list right here can help you out. Many of these aren't in style right now, but would still make an original choice for a baby.

Expected:
Susan
Susanna (Susannah)
Susanne

Unique:
Suzetta
Suzette

Unheard of:
Susanka
Susanetta

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Nicknames for Susannah

Susannah (and Susanna) is a wonderful choice of a name. She's not popular, and has a plethora of nicknames. Having trouble choosing the right one? Take a look at this list.

Anna
Anne
Annie
Hannah
Sanna (Sannah)
Sosie
Sue
Suki (Sookie, Sukie)
Susanne
Susie (Suzy, Suzie)
Zanna
Zuki
Zuzu