Hipster Baby Name or Hipster City: International Edition

One of my most popular posts is Hipster Baby Name or Hipster City? Now I'm bringing it back, but this time we're going outside of the states. What exactly is a hipster baby name? Hipster baby names seem too quirky, old fashioned, or extreme for yuppie parents. In fact, they're probably names you never would have thought of. The trickier part is identifying a hipster city--I had some trouble with it myself. For the purpose of this post, a hipster city has to be well-known for housing trend-setting twenty-somethings. I know that every city has a hipster neighborhood, but to be a real HC, it has to go beyond that (Tip: the bigger the city, the more likely it is to be a hipster city). Good luck on the quiz, and make sure to come back after the jump to read my justifications.

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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?

Full Names for Sid

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This week, Jason Biggs and Jenny Mollen named their son Sid. Some people were surprised, but with sons named Max and Gus, I can't think of a better match. Baby Biggs is just Sid, but for most people that's not enough name. If you're in that boat, check out this list of ways to get to Sid.

Expected:

Sidney- Sydney is very popular for girls, which is a shame, because Sidney makes a great name for a boy, and it's the easiest way to get to Sid.

Sigmund- He's very Freudian, which can be interpreted as good or bad.

 

Unique:

Sidonio- This Spanish form of Sidney is the most modern way to get to Sid.

Siegfried- A little too much for an American child, but calling him Sid would be a nice compromise between your German heritage and a useable name.

Sylvester- He doesn't have all of the components of Sid, but the lengthy Sylvester has no nicknames, so why not?

 

Unheard of:

Siddhartha- Way too much to saddle a baby with.

Sigurd- Not the prettiest of names, but you could make it work if you call him Sid.

Sinbad- A compound name of two unpleasant words. If you want to use Sid, pick a different name on this list.

Olympic Venue Names

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I know every name nerd is excited about the names of this year's Olympic athletes, but why not take inspiration elsewhere? Today we are going to look at names of previous Olympic venues.

Expected:
London
Paris
Sydney

Unique:
Atlanta
Berlin
(St.) Louis
Rome

Unheard of:
Athens
Barcelona
Oslo
Seoul

Finally, this year's Olympic city, Sochi, would make a great baby name. She could be an update to the ever-popular Sophie, and would be perfect for parents with Russian heritage.