Full Names for Ash

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Ten years ago, anyone you met named Ash was a girl. Her full name was most likely Ashley, and she was probably born in the late eighties. It's not that easy anymore. With the rise of names like Ashton and Asher, Ash has slowly become an acceptable name for boys. Ash is a great modern nickname for either gender. Any of the following names would be perfect for a full name.

Aishling or Ashlyn- Don't be fooled--these two names are pronounced the same way. Aishling is the authentic Irish spelling, but if you prefer Anglicized names, use the phonetic Ashlyn.

Ashanta- Ashanta is an extremely rare name, fewer than five baby girls were given the name last year. Nonetheless, she's absolutely gorgeous.

Ashanti- Ashanti can be used for both genders, but she's currently more popular for baby girls. This African name is the most popular in Mexico, but ranks at #1146 in the U.S. Perfect for the family looking for a name that's familiar yet uncommon.

Ashari- This lovely name is my favorite of the list. She's quite common in Southeast Asia, but her origins are unknown. Ashari has a beautiful sound, and her similarity to the Hebrew name Shari makes her a good choice for families with blended heritage.

Ashby- Ashby is the most unisex name of this list, being 70% male and 30% female. Even though it seems like a very contemporary name, Ashby peaked in the year 1918. Back then he was only used for boys, but started being used for girls in the late '60s.

Asher- Last year Asher was ranked #104, the highest he's ever been. It seems like he may be hitting a plateau, but he could break the top 100 this year. It's easy to see why everyone loves Asher--he's a very charming name (plus, he means "happy").

Ashland- I figured Ashland would be used slightly more for girls than for boys, but I was surprised how much. 85% of all Ashlands born last year are female, and only 15% are male. I prefer Ashland on a boy--is it just me, or does the -land suffix feel very masculine?

Ashley- This out-of-favor eighties darling is falling quickly, but still remains in the top 100 (at #67 nonetheless). For a 2015 baby, choose one of the other options instead.

Ashton- Ashton Kutcher definitely propelled his name into the spotlight. It reached peak popularity in 2004, and has stayed in the top 200. My guess is that he will drop out off the top 300 in the next few years.

Names from Children's Literature

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Children love anything with their name on it. Thank goodness we live in the digital age, because now you can personalize everything imaginable. Even books. A whole new industry has been created--its sole purpose is to make your child the main character of his or her books. This is great (and very cute), but it's also fun to share a name with a classic character. I've compiled a list of main-character names from award-winning children's books--see if you can sense a theme.

Girls
Alice- Alice in Wonderland 
Anne- Anne of Green Gables
Charlotte- Charlotte's Web
Coraline- Coraline
Eloise- Eloise 
Frances- Bread and Jam for Frances
Harriet- Harriet the Spy
Madeline- Madeline
Margaret- Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret
Matilda- Matilda
Meg- A Wrinkle in Time
Olivia- Olivia
Pippi- Pippi Longstocking
Ramona- Ramona the Pest

Boys
Alexander- Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Charlie- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Clifford- Clifford the Big Red Dog
David- No, David!
George- Curious George
Harry- Harry Potter
Hugo- The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Max- Where the Wild Things Are
Milo- The Phantom Tollbooth
Stanley- Holes

Don't all these names sound like they belong in one big sibset? I was a little surprised to see so many classic, British names. I've read all these books (with the exception of Coraline and A Wrinkle in Time), and all of the title characters are worthy namesakes. If these names are your style, definitely consider one for your child. Trust me, it's a lot of fun.

10 Names R You Never Thought of Using: Boys

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The only two R names for boys in the top 100 are Ryan and Robert. Those are both great names, of course, but some parents are looking for something a little more unique. These 10 boys names I'm going to talk about today are just that--none of them are even in the top 1000.

Rafe- Rafe is sometimes used as a nickname for Rafferty or Ralph, but I think he's fine as is. I can picture a Rafe at any age--which is important when it comes to naming your child.

Rafferty- Rafferty is a great Irish boys name with tons of potential. He seems to be a hipster favorite right now, but I could see him gaining favor overall.

Ralph- Many people don't know this, but Ralph has two pronunciations. He can be said like Rafe, or you can pronounce the L. Most people use the latter. I was surprised to learn he wasn't in the top 1000, Ralph fits in with many of today's vintage picks like Theodore and Maxwell.

Reading- Reading is pronounced RED-ing, not like the verb. He's stylish pick with a rare -ing ending. He would be perfect for parents from Philadelphia, to honor the city's Reading Terminal Market.

Ren- Ren could be a nickname for so many boys names--Warren, Lawrence, Soren, etc. By himself he sounds effortlessly cool and masculine. His briskness makes him an excellent choice for people with long last names, or the middle position.

Reynold- Reynolds is quite a popular surname, but hasn't yet become a first name option. If Reynolds is a surname in the family, consider adding Reynold to your list of baby names. Plus, you can always call him Ren.

Rhodes- I've heard a lot of Rhodes among the hipster crowd, but nowhere else. He strikes a perfect balance between preppy and hipster--two trends Americans are fond of.

Ridge- Once society finds out about Rhodes, I suspect the hipsters will move on to Ridge. He's an Urban Nature Name--hippies won't use him, but hipsters will.

Rockwell- I've talked about Rockwell quite a few times before (here, here, here, and here). He's modern and chic--and you can call him Wells!

Rumo- Rumo is a very sweet name, best known in the context of these books. He may be a "made-up name," but I think he would work well on a baby.

Month Names: February

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Ooh, I love February. Valentine's Day is my favorite holiday (tied with Thanksgiving), and we are getting closer to Spring. If you are having a February baby, you should think about using a February name. Take a look.

Birthstone:
Amethyst- February's birthstone is the Amethyst, but if that's too crazy for you, use a different shade of purple like Lavender, Plum, or Violet

Birth Flower:
Violet- Speaking of Violet, that's February's birth flower! She's a colorful vintage flower name, and Blake Lively just chose it for her daughter.

Birth Colors:
Light Blue- Plenty of light blues have very normal names. Try Alice, Celeste, Maya, or Sky.
Yellow- Yellow is a bright, happy color that comes with some beautiful name choices. My favorites are Citrine, Jasmine, and Saffron.

Star Sign:
Aquarius- There are so many wonderful names for water babies. Recent favorites of mine include Harbor, Sea, and Oceane.
Pisces- The sign of Pisces is a fish, which means names like Pike or Fisher would be perfect for babies born after February 18th.

Related to February:
Valentine's Day- Valentine's Day is a great holiday for baby names. You could go classic with Valentina or Valentino, or more subtle with Freya or Querida.

Pattern Names

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You can get inspiration for names everywhere. I always have to keep a notebook with me to write down all my ideas, because I will be inspired at the most random of times. It recently occurred to me that prints and patterns have such great names, many of which can be transferred over to a baby.

Argyle- It would be unconventional, but this preppy pattern would make for an interesting name.

Chevron- I've always thought Chevron would be a cool name, see 2012.

Dot- It's no secret I love Dot. I think she works on her own, but she could also be a nickname for Dorothy.

Floral- We love Flora and Laurel, so why not Floral? I would love to meet a baby Floral.

Gingham- I hesitated with putting this one on the list, but I think Ginger would be a cute nickname. Maybe just stick with Ginger.

Glen- Glen is a type of plaid, and also an old man name. He's almost ready for a comeback, but not quite yet.

Grain- Wood grain is such a pretty pattern, and I could see Grain being used by hipsters.

Harris- He's a kind of tweed, and makes a wonderful alternative to the popular Harrison.

Paisley- Paisley is a country girl name, and the most popular one on the list. She currently is at 80, and rising.

Plaid- Plaid is masculine and hip. He would be great as a middle name.

Tartan- Take Plaid to the next level with Tartan. And what a fun way to honor your Scottish heritage.

10 R Names You Never Thought of Using: Girls

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This list was one of the most fun to put together. I touched on a lot of different styles, so I hope you find something you like. Enjoy!

Raizel- Raizel is the Yiddish word for Rose, and makes quite a beautiful alternative. With Hazel becoming so popular, I wonder if Raizel will climb the charts.

Reid- Reid is well-used for boys (#258), but only 3% of Reids are female. I think Reid makes a great, preppy choice for a daugher (she was on my list for a long time). I wouldn't be surprised if it became a more unisex choice.

Reverie- Chances are, if you've heard of the name Reverie, you've heard of Girls Gone Child. One of Rebecca's twins is Reverie, called Revi (and the other, Boheme, called Bo). She's a lovely word name with a fantastic meaning--I'm jealous I didn't think of it myself.

Rhonwen- She's a gorgeous Welsh name that would work well in America. Rhonwen is perfect for parents looking for a name that's feminine, but not too "girly."

Ripley- Ripley is an andro-girly name that is rising quickly. She is well-below the top 1000, but in the next couple of years she could make a breakthrough. Ripley is one to watch.

Roma- Roman and Romeo are red hot, so why isn't Roma? She makes for a very romantic choice.

Romilly- Romilly is fairly well-known in the baby name community, but rarely anyone else has ever heard of her. She fits in with many naming styles, making her an excellent choice for a first-born.

Romy- She's originally a diminutive of Rosemary, but I also like Romy as a nickname for Romilly. If you prefer her as is, she would make a great sister name for your daughter Reid.

Rooney- This Irish surname was brought into the spotlight by the lovely actress Rooney Mara. She made her name an accessible choice for girls, and a stylish one at that.

Roxy- Although her fuller forms are not currently in style, Roxy hits all the trends. She's a vintage, tough-yet-feminine nickname with a lot of spunk.

Full Names for Connie

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I've always liked the name Connie. She's cute, unusual, and vintage. It's a little surprising we don't hear more of her. There are many beautiful names that lead to Connie, if you don't want to use her as is. Take a look.

Beacon- I think Beacon will be among the next generation of word names. She would wear well on a celebrity baby. The obvious nickname is Bea, but Connie is a little more interesting.

Constance- Constance is a beautiful virtue name. Some would argue she's outdated, but I think a baby Constance would be charming.

Constantia- If you think Constance is too archaic, try Constantia. She has a more updated sound, and a lot of flair. Connie makes the perfect nickname for her.

Contessa- Contessa is absolutely gorgeous, and with the popularity of Tessa, I'm surprised that she's rarely used. Contessa is most popular in the Philippines currently, and ranks at #4266 in the United States

Consuela- Even less popular than Contessa is Consuela. Fewer than five American babies were given this name last year. She does sound a little dowdy, but Connie freshens her up.

Cornelia- When I was younger, I loved Cornelia nickname Connie. I think I heard the name in a book somewhere, so I always have a soft spot for her.

Cornell- This collegiate name is most popular for boys, but the nicknames Connie and Nell make it viable for girls.

Cornella- That being said, Cornella might be a better option. She is awfully close to Cornelia though, and people will likely confuse the two names.


Corona- I talked about Corona earlier this month, and I stand by what I said, "Pick a name not associated with an alcoholic beverage, or put her in the middle."


Corrine- Corrine might not be the first full name for Connie you think of, but she definitely works. And besides, Connie is much cuter (and more current) than Cory.

Courtney- Courtney is obviously a mom name, but that doesn't mean she's off limits. Especially if you're using Courtney as an honor name, Connie is a distinct, yet close enough diminutive.