W Surnames: Part Two

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A couple weeks back we looked at 10 W surnames that could be worn as first names. Today I have 10 more for you to consider. Take a look.

Wellington- Wellington may seem like quite a mouthful for a little dude, but the nickname Wells makes him worth the while.

Westerfield- Wes and West names are all the rage, but Westerfield is rarely used. Field and Fielder (along with Wes and West) are good short forms if he's a little long for your taste.

Weston- Weston is at an all time high on the U.S. popularity charts, sitting pretty at #136. He's cowboy-chic, a sound many parents are going for.

Wharton- For those of you who like namesake names, Wharton is a great one. Edith Wharton is definitely someone to be inspired by--she was the first woman to recieve a Pulitzer Prize for fiction.

Wheeler- Another name that's cowboy-chic, Wheeler conjures up images of western wagon wheels. He fits in with the occupational name trend, but is relatively undiscovered. He ranks at #3728.

Whittaker- Whittaker is one of the preppiest names on this list, and even more so with the nickname Whit.

Wilkinson- To many people's ears, Wilkinson does not sound like a plausible first name. However, he is a variant of William, and the nicknames Will, Wilkie, and Kinsey make it an option.

Wilson- Considering William's popularity, I'm surprised Wilson isn't more popular. He is only at #594, which is perfect for parents wanting a familar yet uncommon name.

Winton- Winton is an English surname with a sweet meaning--"friend's farm." He's rare but stylish, and you can call him Win for short.

Woodson- Woody hasn't been a popular nickname for decades, but as the Toy Story generation grows up, who's to say they won't bring it back? Woodson is a lovely choice for a full name, espeically if you like the surname feel.


*I'm taking next week off (it's my birthday, and I'm starting a new job), so I will see you all back here on the 22nd.*

10 W Names You Never Thought of Using: Boys

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If I had to choose one letter to name boys with, it would be W. Warren and Walter are my current tops, but this list has opened up my eyes to some potential new favorites (I'm loving Walden).

Wagner- Wagner is a fairly popular surname, but he's rarely used as a first name. He's familiar, easy to pronounce and spell, two syllables, and ends in -er, so you can't lose with Wagner.

Walden- Any Henry David Thoreau fans out there? There's no better tribute to the esteemed author than naming your child after his most famous piece of work. Plus, Walden is right on trend, and super uncommon.

Wander- I was trying to think of interesting W word names for boys, and then it hit me--Wander. He'd be perfect for the child of travel-loving parents, either as a first or a middle.

Ward- Ward is what I would call cowboy-cool. He fits in with other country-western favorites like Colt, Jet, and Chase. If you want something a little longer, you could go with Warden (though the prison association is a little too much for me, personally).

Warner- Warner is a German surname that has a good history of use as a first name here in the U.S. He peaked in 1935 (at #445), but was around the 500 mark until the 1940s. If Warren isn't a usable option for you, consider Warner. He's an anagram of Warren, and sounds slightly more contemporary.

Weber- Weber is one of the best surname choices for a son. He's an occupational name meaning "weaver," and has the added bonus of the adorable nickname Webb.

Wheeler- Sensing a theme here? Wheeler is one I hear mentioned in the baby name community regularly, and I can see why. He's a unique and masculine surname name, but has a softness in him that none of the others have.

Willem- Willem is super rad--his only downside is that he will be confused for William. Willem is the Dutch form of William, but he's a lovely choice whether you are from the Netherlands or not.

Willoughby- The most intriguing full name for Will is Willoughby. Hands down. You can't really get a name more exceptional than this. He's understandably a little much for most people, but if you can handle Willoughby, by all means, go for it.

Winslow- Winslow is just darling--he's super sweet. He makes a great honor name for all those Winstons born around WWII.

10 M Names You Never Thought of Using: Boys

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What's your favorite M name for boys? Maverick? Mateo? Miles? I happen to be fond of Max, but he's just so popular right now. Many parents nowadays want a name that is on trend, yet no one is using. It sounds like an impossible task, but I've found ten M names that are just that.

Macalester- Looking for an offbeat way to get to Mac? How about Lester? Maybe Cal? Macalester is a smart collegiate name with a wealth of nickname possibilities (obviously).

Magnus- This Scandinavian charmer is the most popular of the list, ranking at 958. He makes a nice alternative to Max; just ask one of his many celebrity parents--including Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks, and Jennifer Nettles.

Maguire- We love giving our children surnames as first names, but haven't embraced Maguire. It's a unisex name, but if you use him for a boy, he's nicknameless (and if you're anything like me, that's a plus).

Maine- Maine is my favorite state name. He's simple and understated, yet rugged and strong. It'd be a great way to honor a family member who was from Maine.

March- He's one of the most usable month names, yet he never gets used. I mean, come on, it's not like using February. I think he's one of the most handsome names.

Mead- He may be short, but he doesn't lack substance. Mead is a surname that would be great for honoring a Maude or a Reid.

Meyer- Another preppy surname, but this time with foodie appeal. Perfect for your sweet little boy, because Meyer Lemons are the sweetest.

Moe- You can't get much simpler than Moe. He makes a great first name, but he works as a nickname for many retro picks as well. My suggestion? Cosmo.

Moore- Moore strikes me as swanky and sophisticated. But it's a little hard for me to picture him on a baby.

Moss- Moss is appealing on so many levels. Where else can you find a name that both nature-lovers and super model fanatics can agree on?

Share a Coke Names: Part Two

Might as well go with Nell ;) Make one here.

Okay, back for more. To do this post, I looked at all the names they sold in stores in the UK. Turns out it's a lot more. Like, almost five times as more. It took a long time to get all this data, but I've got some interesting observations for you guys. I'm going to list all 1,146 (!) names after the jump, then we can talk about them.

My hand hurt after writing seven pages of this.

Full Names for Wells

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Could Wells be the new Will? It seems like he might be headed that way. His stylish British sound is gaining in popularity among celebrities. Too much for a first name? Try using Wells as a nickname for one of these.

Expected:
Maxwell- A good choice, but people may be inclined to call him Max.
Rockwell- To Americans, the natural nickname seems like Rocky. Take a hint from the other side of the globe and use the more fashionable Wells instead.
Wellington- The name is a little bit clunky, but it's a way to get Wells from the front end.

Unique:
Caldwell- He would make a perfect pick if you couldn't decide between Calder and Wells.
Howell- Slightly frumpy, but H surnames are in vogue.
Llewellyn- The -Ellyn makes him sound a bit feminine, but calling him Wells eliminates that.
William- From William we get Will and Wills, doesn't Wells seem like the next logical step? I vote yes.

Unheard of:
Hartwell- A great romantic name with two great nicknames, Hart and Wells.
Lowell- He's definitely the least stylish of the group, but if you want to use Wells, but need an L honor name, why not?
Powell- The awesome Portland bookstore makes this name infinitely more cool.

Catalog Names: Boden Spring 2014

via Boden

I'm starting to think Boden chooses their models solely on their names. I mean, really.

P.S. The kids names are mostly the same this time around, but I'm including them anyways. P.P.S. Why don't they include the names of the babies?!?

Girls 
Expected:

Anna

Elle

Emily

Grace

Julia

Nicole

Sarah

Veronica 

 

Unique:

Blake

Chanell

Filippa

Fiona

Freya

Lotte 

Martha

Olga

Selma

 

Unheard of:

Arlenis

Cintia

Egle

Giedre

Inguna

Lucca 

Thyra

Boys

Expected:

Adam

Caleb

Charlie

Matthew

Michael

Oliver

Theo

Ryan

Will

Unique:

Ellis

Harry

Hayden 

Tre

Unheard of:

Brando

Rafael

Ralf

Pictured above is the gorgeous named, and just straight up gorgeous Arlenis.

Names from Arrested Development

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To celebrate Arrested Development coming back to television, I thought I'd do a post on the names of the characters and actors.

Alia- Alia Shawkat plays Maeby Funke. Alia is currently ranked at 763, and is considered a variation of Aaliyah.
Buster- Buster Bluth's name is more popular for pets than it is human. He is currently not in the top 1000, but peaked in 1909 at 238.
Byron- Buster's full name is Byron Bluth. Byron is currently at the lowest point he's ever been in the top 1000, coming in at 540. He was consistently popular until the 1990s.
David- David Cross plays Tobias Funke. His name has always been extremely popular, and currently sits at 18.
George- George Bluth, the patriarch of the show is played by Jeffrey Tambor. His name has been in a slow decline since the 1940s, and is at its lowest point in history, number 165.
George Michael- Michael Bluth's son goes by both his father and grandfather's names. This double-barrel name has never been in the top 1000, but is probably a pretty popular combination for men of all ages.
Gob- The character Gob got his name from his initials (George Oscar Bluth). Neither this spelling, nor the more popular, biblical Job have ever been in the top 1000.
Jason- Jason Bateman plays main character Michael Bluth. His name was a staple in the 1980s, and currently is ranked at 71.
Jeffrey- The name Jeffrey made an incredible climb in the 1930s and 40s. He jumped more than 900 spots in five years. He's not unheard of today, sitting at 238.
Jessica- Jessica Walter plays Lucille Bluth. Her name was very popular in the 70s and 80s, and currently is at 120.
Lindsay- The self-centered Lindsay Bluth Funke is played by Portia de Rossi. Lindsay was popular throughout the ages, but has had a steady decline, leaving her at 524.
Lucille- Lucille is currently on her way up, coming in at 394. She's a great update on the popular Lucy.
Maeby- The name Maeby was made up by the show's creator. She has never been in the top 1000, but was given to six baby girls in 2006, and eight baby girls in 2011. All years in between there were less than five.
Michael- Michael Bluth is the main character in Arrested Development. His name has been popular forever, and currently is at number 6.
Oscar- Oscar Bluth is George's twin brother, also played by Jeffery Tambor. His name is going down in popularity, and is ranked at 177.
Portia- Portia dropped of the top 1000 in 1991, and hasn't been back since. She's a beautiful Shakespearean name, but Lindsay actress Portia de Rossi was born Amanda and called Mandy.
Tobias- Tobias Funke is arguably the strangest character on Arrested Development. His name is currently going up in popularity, coming in at 516.
Tony- Tony Hale plays Byron "Buster" Bluth. His name is a nickname for Anthony, and stand-alone it is way down in popularity, at 409.
Will- Will Arnett plays biggest brother Gob Bluth. His name is commonly seen as a nickname for William, but by itself it has been declining, ranked at 666.