Stylish Choices Outside the Top 1000: 2015 Girls

Syd Nagoshi via Instagram

It can be really frustrating to see your top choices break into the top 1000--no one wants people to discover their favorite name! If you are looking for a name that's guaranteed to be uncommon, outside the top 1000 is the best place to look. None of these names were used over 263 times--that being said, it's impossible to tell how many of these are being used as nicknames for more popular names. The names are ordered from most uses to least: 263 to 5. Make sure to come back on Friday for the boys list, and check out the 2014 list to see what's changed.

Stylish Choices Outside the Top 1000: 2014 Girls

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We all know the parents with that one requirement when it comes to names: Nothing inside the top 1000. Who knows, maybe it's you! I'll admit, I can be a bit of a name snob myself--I do prefer my favorites to be practically unique. All the names after the jump are outside the top 1000, in order of most used to least used (Esperanza with 257 uses in 2014, Romilly with 5). What's your favorite? Let me know.

Car Inspired Names

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Car names are having a bit of a moment. It is evident in many a celebrity baby name. Reign Aston Disick, Lincoln Bell Shepard, and Ford Wilson are just a few examples. Not all of these babies were named after cars (though it seems like Reign and Lincoln might be), but nevertheless, parents are inspired by them. Take a look.

Alfa- The Alfa Romeo (that's ro-MAY-oh) is a beautiful and expensive car. She's pure luxury--and a ravishing girl name.

Aston- As a name, he's a modern version of Austin. If he follows the trend of Kourtney Kardashian's other kids' names, we should be hearing a lot more of Aston in the coming years. As far as cars go, Aston Martins are fit for a king.

Bentley- My first association with Bentley used to be the car--but then Teen Mom happened. After the show premiered, the name went from being essentially unused to the top 100.

Dodge- Dodge may be the most obscure name on this list, but he definitely works. Now, I'm not suggesting you name your child after your minivan or Dodge Charger--instead, think of him as a word name. Dodge fits in with all the hyper-masculine names. Use him as a brother for Gunnar, Ryder, or Colt.

Ford- Short, powerful, and slightly preppy. It's easy to see the appeal of Ford. Henry Ford and the Model T are excellent historical namesakes.

Kia- She's not the first car name that comes to mind, but Kia is lovely underused name. I talked about her here a few months ago. The only major turnoff is the Kia gerbils (are they gerbils? Hamsters?), but that advertisement hasn't been played in a while.

Lexus- Lexus is a variant of Alexis--the spelling probably inspired by the car company. She peaked in 1996 at #449, around the same time as Alexis (although she made it up to #3). The spelling is a little too commercial for me, but she has a great sound.

Lincoln- Like many of the names on this list, Lincoln has a lot of different associations, and the first one is not necessarily a car. Lincoln is rising for both genders, and recently made the top 100 for boys. Car-wise, Lincolns are the cars used to make limousines. Not too shabby.

Lotus- Lotus is a gorgeous name and an incredibly fancy car. Along with being a car name, she's one of my favorite unexpected flower names.

Mercedes- Mercedes-Benz is a popular brand of German cars, and Mercedes is a popular '90s baby name. She is starting to sound a little dated, but the nickname Sadie freshens her up.

Porsche- Porsches may be extravagant cars, but the name Porsche is a pretty gaudy. I much prefer Portia--the beautiful Shakespearean name.

Royce- Royce has never been too popular--he peaked in 1935 at 284. He's been rising lately, but is still no where near his peak. If you like Rolls Royces, this could be a perfect pick for you.

Tesla- These new electric cars are named after the famous inventor Nikola Tesla, and are some of the hottest cars on the market. I've talked about Tesla as a nickname for Tess, and I still love the idea.


I'm taking off Monday for Presidents Day, so I'll see you all on Wednesday for S names for boys.

10 Q Names You Never Thought of Using: Girls

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Did you think I would skip Q? No way, we're doing them all. Every single letter. By itself. None of that "XYZ" nonsense. And Q wasn't even that hard. People should embrace it more. Q is not a scary letter--there are plenty of great Q names out there. I'll show you.

Quarry- A quarry is a place from where rock has been taken, which makes her a nature name of sorts. She has a beautiful sound, why not consider her?

Quassia- Another nature name, Quassia is a type of small tree (also known as Bitterwood, but that's beside the point). She fits in well with some of the more obscure plant names. Quassia and Amaryllis?

Quay- Looks can be deceiving--she's actually pronounced KEY. This short beauty makes a great middle name, as demonstrated by Sarah Rhodes's (of Arrow & Apple and A Beautiful Mess) daughter Imogen Quay.

Quebec- I'm a sucker for a good place name. Quebec is darling. I've been to Quebec before (it's truly lovely), so I might be biased. It would make a great honor name if you are of French-Canadian descent.

Quenby- A fabulous unisex name that works as a nice alternative to the so-darn-popular Quinn.

Querida- She means *darling* in Spanish. If that's not a powerful reason to use a name, I don't know what is. You can't get a much better meaning than that.

Quilla- I debated over what my favorite name of this list is (Quilla? Quay? Quebec?) Ultimately, I had to choose Quilla. Her sound is right on trend, but rarely anyone knows she exists. Perfect.

Quincy- When I was ten years old, I loved the name Quincy on a girl. I have no idea where I heard it, but I named a lot of dolls Quincy. Tragically, I am no longer in love with the name, but that doesn't mean she isn't great for you. She's much preferable to Quinn.

Quinta- Add an extra syllable to Quinn, and you've changed the game. No longer is she a preppy princess--she's a fierce beauty.

Quintessa- What a glamorous name. Perfect for a movie star--and your baby daughter. Her nickname possibilities are endless. Tess, Tessa--and yes, even Quinn.

Month Names: September

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Usually September means the start of fall, but here in Chicago it stays pretty hot all month. This is the last month to cherish summer before autumn hits us in October. September is the most popular month to have a baby, so many parents are probably scrambling to find the perfect name right about now. If you fall into that camp, take a look at this list containing names that would be great for your September baby.

Birthstone:
Sapphire- A spunky name with potential. She reminds me of that song "Girl Put You Records On," which my mom used to play all the time when I was a kid.

Birth Flower:
Aster- Aster is an unusual flower name that is often overlooked. When people are looking for unique flower names, Aster is usually the first name I tell them.
Morning Glory- I don't suggest you name your child Morning Glory (Though I did have a teacher who gave her daughter the middle name Lily-of-the-Valley), but Glory is cute on her own.

Birth Colors:
Brown- Please don't name your baby Brown. If you want to make a connection to their birth month, use a shade of brown instead. I suggest Citrine, Cordovan, Fallow, Fawn, Isabelline, Rufous, Russet, Sepia, Sienna, Tawny, or Umber.

Star Sign:
Virgo- Virgo is not a great choice, but Virginia is.
Libra- Libra could definitely work as a name. She would make a cute middle for a late September born baby girl.

Related to September:
Autumn- September 1st is the meteorological first day of Autumn, which makes this a perfect name for a baby born on that day (or after).
Ember- She's the last five letters of September, but not an obvious choice.
Nona- September is the ninth month, and the adorable name Nona means nine. She'd be on my list if she didn't mean grandma in Italian.
Tess- September used to be referred to as the month of harvest, and Tess (and her counterparts) mean harvester. Perfect choice if you're looking to make an extremely subtle connection.


Of course you can always go ahead and use September as a name for either gender. It's not unheard of, and makes for a unique pick.

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.

Full Names for Tess

Tess is a lovely name. It happens to be the name of my sister, and to be honest I've always been a little bit jealous. I adore Tess on her own (and would use it if it weren't my sister's name), but many people would like to use it as a nickname. If you fall into that category, here are some options.

Expected:

Tessa

Theresa

Unique:

Tesla

Teslin

Therese

Unheard of:

Altessa

Contessa 

Pertessa

Prophetess

Quintessa 

Tessalin

Tristessa