Full Names for Bree and Bri

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What do you guys think of the name Bri? It was one of those names that I really despised until recently. I think it may have something to do with the lovely Bri from DesignLoveFest. More proof that certain people can really change the way you think about names. So now I think Bri (or Bree)'s a pretty cute nickname. I've listed some options for a full name. Let me know what you think!

Expected:
Brianna- Probably the most obvious choice for a full name for Bri. She seems a little dated to me, but still usable.
Briella- A spin off of Gabriella. I prefer the original.
Brielle- She's a little more common than Briella, and more appealing. Former Atlanta Housewife Kim Zolciak has a seventeen-year-old daughter named Brielle.
Gabriella- Gabriella is a beautiful name, but most parents today would prefer using Gabby, Bella, or Ella as the nickname.
Gabrielle- Very chic and French. Gabrielle is the real name of Coco Chanel, so Coco could also be a cute nickname.

Unique:
Bridget- The sound isn't exactly there, but there aren't many other nicknames available for Bridget.
Brigitta- Brigitta lends herself to Bri better than Bridget, but she might sound a bit too German for many American parents.
Briony- She's normally pronounced BRY-oh-nie, but there's no reason you can't go against the grain.
Sabrina- She peaked a while ago, but she's still a nice option.

Unheard of:
Breeze- Does Breeze qualify as a nature name? I'm going to say yes. She works nicely with Bree, but with only one syllable, she doesn't need a nickname.
Briallen- She may sound like a smoosh, but Briallen is actually a Welsh name meaning Primrose.
Brietta- A very uncommon name that your daughter would share with a Barbie princess.
Cambria- The first nickname that comes to mind is Cammie, but Bri is more grown-up.

Nicknames for Eloise

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The first time I met an Eloise, I was eleven years old. Even back then I was astonished to meet one that was so close to my age. These days I feel like I hear Eloise all over the place! She's a lovely name--and how can you resist when there's the amazing book series? Now is a great time to use Eloise, but be careful, she's quickly moving up the charts. I have some great nicknames listed here for Eloise, just in case she needs one (and I know how much you guys love nicknames).

Expected:
Ellie- Very sweet and girly. Perfect for a childhood nickname.
Elle- After watching Legally Blonde, many of my classmates with El- names (and some without) wanted to be called Elle. It's very likely your Eloise will love it too.

Unique:
Lou- I think Lou is one of those "perfect nicknames." She's short, not too girly or too masculine, and can work on almost any girl.
Lulu- It's funny how Lou is not very feminine, but you add another one, and BAM. She's girly to the max. Lulu is adorable, but more appropriate for a child. Luckily she has Eloise to fall back on.

Unheard of:
Elsie- We all love Elsa these days, but what about Elsie? She ranks 365 on her own--not far behind Eloise--but is scarcely heard as a nickname for her.
Loie- You don't hear of many Loies. I know a couple of women with this chic French name, but she is not listed on many of the popular baby name websites. She's gorgeous, unique, and one of those nicknames you can use for the rest of your life.

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?

Full Names for Mae/May

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Mae is a classy, simple, and gorgeous name. She's not very popular though, Mae ranks in the low 600s, and May doesn't even make the top 1000. I suspect some parents think she's a little short to be used as a full name, so I have compiled some other monikers that could use Mae or May as a nickname.

Expected:
Mabel- This old-fashioned charmer doesn't need a nickname, but if you insist, I would go with Mae over Belle.
Macy- Sweet and sassy, but doesn't really need a nickname.
Margaret- She has so many wonderful nicknames. Mae and Greta are my favorites.
Mary- Classic. Mary is never a bad choice.

Unique:
Magnolia- An amped up version of Margaret that's just as stylish.
Maisie- She's usually a nickname herself, but I don't mind Maisie on the birth certificate.
Mamie- Mamie has a similar feel to Maisie, but is a little less childish.

Unheard of:
Mayfair- A beautiful name. It's guaranteed your daughter will be the only Mayfair on the block.
Mavis- She's a vintage name with so much potential. I happen to prefer Avis, but Mavis is less rental-car-company-ish
Mayla- A better alternative to the outdated Mayra. There's a song called Mayla by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, perfect for a personalized lullaby.
Mayra- Not a currently stylish pick, but calling her May definitely helps.

Unhateable Names

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Some parents don't care about how popular their child's name is, or whether or not it will seem dated in twenty years. In fact, many parents' goal is to find a normal name for their baby, one that no one will ridicule or cringe at. If you fall into that camp, I have a great list for you today. I have compiled a list of 14 names that people just can't hate.

Boys:
Andrew- A sturdy classic. Andrew is a solid choice.
Ben- Sweet and charming. Everyone loves a Ben.
Charlie- Charlie is a handsome and playful name. Whether on his own, or as a nickname for Charles, you can't go wrong with Charlie.
Henry- I'm normally adverse to names as popular as Henry, but I just can't help loving him. How can you not?
Jack- A simple name that packs a punch. I can picture the name Jack on almost any man.
James- One of the more popular of this list, he ranks at 13. Many parents see James's appeal.
Michael- Always popular and never dated. No one will give you weird looks for naming your son Michael.

Girls:
Caroline- Elegant and royal. Caroline will always be a lovely choice.
Emma- Classy, simple, and yes, currently a bit trendy. But I have a feeling she's going to remain much more of a classic than Sophia or Ava.
Claire- I know so many Claires, of all ages. She's not going out of style for a long time.
Grace- I'll admit, I'm not the biggest fan of Grace, but I don't hate her. She is virtuous without being over the top, and has some incredible namesakes (I mean, Grace Kelly, right?).
Julia- She's been flying under the radar, but that doesn't mean she's not being used--she comes in at 75. A beautiful name, forever and always.
Kate- The trendy nicknames for Katherine will come and go (I'm pretty into Kit), but Kate will always remain the classic. Whether she's the nickname or the full form, everyone will like Kate.
Lucy- A sweet choice that I've been hearing all over the place on little girls. I predict she will go down in history as a modern classic.

10 M Names You Never Thought of Using: Girls

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Today's list is a great one, so let's get right to it.

Madigan- She's so similar to Madison, yet nobody uses her. Quite possibly the best alternative to all of those Mad- names. 

Maisie- Sweet and cutesy with a bit of Southern charm. A good nickname choice if you can't decide between Maggie or Daisy. 

Marin- A modern, feminine name that's not too girly. She can be spelled in a plethora of ways, including Merryn, Marryn, Marrin, or Marren. 

Marine- Marine is tranquil and beachy, perfect for families settled along the coast. She has a gorgeous sound, and is more contemporary than Marina. 

Marais- One of my favorite middle names. She's pronounced muh-RAY; the emphasis on the second syllable makes her flow very well with almost any first name. 

Mika- Mika is chirpy, but polished. She has Japanese, Hebrew and Russian roots, which makes her a nice option for multicultural families. 

Minna- Ooh, I love Minna. She had everything I look for in a name. She's not too long or girly, pretty much nickname-less, and nobody's heard of her. 

Mirabel- Now Mirabel is ultra-femme. No doubt about it, Mirabel is a girly girl. If she does turn out to be a tomboy, you can always shorten it to Mira. 

Mirren- Is it only an American thing to give our children celebrity surnames? I've been hearing a lot of them lately--Keaton, Anniston, Jolie, etc. Mirren is a real winner though, both in sound and namesake. 

Moon- How dreamy is Moon? I love her gentle sound. I would love to see her as a first name, but if she's a little too out there for you, the middle is nice, too. 

Month Names: November

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November already? I can't believe the year is almost over. November is a great month to have a baby, right before all the holiday craziness. That being said, things tend to get a little more stressful around this time. Still need a name for your baby? No worries. There are some great November-related names out there, if you would like to pay homage to your baby's birth month with their name. Take a look.

Birthstone:
Citrine- I love the name Citrine. She's bright and peppy--perfect for a sweet baby girl.
Topaz- Definitely not my favorite of the gemstone names, but she could make for a good middle.

Birth Flower:
Chrysanthemum- I would think twice before saddling my daughter with this name, but then again, the book is pretty cute.

Birth Colors:
Dark Blue- Not just any blue--dark blue. My picks for possible names are Cobalt, Indigo, and Navy.
Red- There are so many options with this color, but Carmine, Crimson, Rose, Russet, and Scarlet stand out the most.

Star Sign:
Scorpio- I talked about Scorpio last month. My feelings haven't changed.
Sagittarius- Sagittarius is too much for a little boy, but Archer is not. Archer would be a nice, very subtle way for your son to have a connection to his birthday.

Related to November:
Autumn- It's still Fall (for one more month), which means Autumn is still on the table.
Election Day- If your baby is born on or around November Fourth, why not consider giving him or her a presidential name?
November- Why not? You can call her Nova, Ember, or Neve for short.