Similar Usage Stats: Noah

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A few months ago, I talked about what names were similar in popularity to Sophia throughout the ages. Today, I thought we look at the most popular boys name, Noah. In 2013, Noah was used for 0.9043% of all baby boys (that's less than Sophia!). Take a look to see what names resemble Noah's popularity.

2005, Joseph (9)

1995, Jonathan (23)

1985, Thomas (25)

1975, Charles (25)

1965, Eric (25)

1955, Edward (25)

1945, Jerry (20)

1935, Raymond (17)

1925, Henry (18)

1915, Harry (19)

1905, Fred (18)

1895, Clarence (17)

1885, Albert (16)

It looks like we've gotten more unique in our boy name choices in the past few decades. A name that was given to 0.9% of baby boys went from being in the mid-twenties to the top ten. That's pretty major. 100 years ago, Harry shared similar popularity to Noah. Does that mean Harry is ready for a comeback? I think 2015 could be the year.

Rainbow Sibsets: Part One

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Color names are so fun, and no doubt, someone out there has a color themed sibset. Stuff like this can get a little bit gimmick-y, but not if you do it in the right way. Let me show you what I mean.


Catalina, Charleston, Isabelline, Peridot, and Scarlet
Blue, Green, White, Green, Red

Ciel, Dune, and Snow
Blue, Brown, White

Lace, Olive, Plum, and Rose
White, Green, Purple, Pink

Jasmine, Kelly, Tiffany, and Veronica
Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple

Cyan, Emerald, and Sienna
Blue, Green, Orange

Cordovan, Crimson, and Rackley
Brown, Red, Blue

Coral, Fern, Forest, Mauve, and Myrtle
Pink, Green, Green, Purple, Green

Liberty, Navy, and Vale
Blue, Blue, Pink

Carmine, Roman, and Umber
Red, Grey, Brown

Copper, Jet, Russet, and Slate
Red, Black, Red, Grey

10 X Names You Never Thought of Using: Boys

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I'm not going to lie--this one was hard. It's difficult enough to think of ten X names off the top of my head. To find ten that people would want to use? Oh boy.

Xan- We're starting off mild. Xan is not unheard of as a nickname for Alexander and the like, but I've never seen him used as a full name. He might not have quite enough substance for most parents, but he has a lot of potential for a short middle name.

Xanto- Xanto (ZHAN-tow) is a form of the Greek Xanthos. This Anglicized version would make a subtle way to honor Greek heritage.

Xavi- How many Xavis have you met? I know three, which seems like a disproportionate amount. He can be pronounced (HAH-vie) or (ZHAH-vie), so take your pick (though the former is slightly more popular).

Xavian- Xavian is a big mystery. He doesn't have a known meaning or origin, though we do know that he came into existence sometime in the mid 1980s. Not surprisingly, he follows a population curve similar to Xavier's--the name which he probably stemmed from.

Xaviell- One part Xavier, one part Dashiell--is that a recipe for success? So far, no--but let's chalk it up to lack of exposure. Who knows? Xaviell could be the next big thing.

Xaviero- Xaviero is a form of the Spanish Javier, which means "bright." The beginning in X, ending in O combination certainly packs a punch--making Xaviero a very alluring name.

Xavon- Like many of the others on this list, Xavon comes from the most popular X name, Xavier. He's an intriguing option, but I can't seem to find a definitive pronunciation. (HAY-von)? (ZAY-von)? (huh-VON)?

Xev- You all know how much I love short names, so it should be no surprise that Xev is my favorite of this list. He'd be perfect for honoring a Kevin (which is almost a grandpa name). Possible full name option: Xever.

Xerxes- Go big or go home. If you have that kind of attitude, might I suggest Xerxes for a baby name? This ancient Greek name is not for the faint of heart.

Xion- Xion is a variation of (the much more popular than I thought) Zion (#235). He has Hebrew origins, and means "Heaven." Which spelling do you prefer? I kind of like the X.

Names for a Fourth Born

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Hooray! Yesterday, S, My Name is Sophie turned four! To celebrate, we are going to look at names that mean four--perfect for a fourth born child.

Anana- Anana is an African name meaning "fourth born." Ana or Annie would be sweet nicknames.

Chatura- If you are looking for a lovely Indian name for your fourth born daughter, Chatura is the one for you. In my opinion, she could easily be worn on an American baby.

Cuarto- Cuarto means "fourth" in Spanish, and would make a fun middle name for a boy or a girl. If you're brave enough, Cuarto could even be a first name.

Delta- Delta is the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet, and a recent celebrity baby name. All that makes her a subtle and fashionable choice for your fourth born.

Quade- Quade is the Latin word for four, and always on my list of suggestions for Q names. In fact, I talked more about him here.

Quartilla- This Latin beauty is ultra-feminine--ideal for a little princess. If all the frills aren't your thing, you could always use Quade for a girl.

Reba- Reba is definitely the most familiar name on this list, but I bet most of you didn't know that she means "fourth born." The Hebrew name is definitely dated--but she peaked in 1915, so she's due to come back sometime soon.

Shiro- Shiro is a sweet Japanese name meaning "fourth son." Like Chatura, Shiro would definitely work on an American boy.

Same Meaning Sibsets: Part Two

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Part two! Today we have six more name meanings to create sibsets out of. View part one here.

Good
Agatha + Glenda
Gita, Mona, + Tova

Grace
Anya, Grace, + Hannah
Amara, Hanita, + Sena
Carissa + Milena

Love
Amy + Darrell
Esme, Kerensa, + Priya
Amanda, Connor, + David

Peace
Axel, Fritz, + Pax
Freddie + Winnie
Frederick, Geoffrey, + Humphrey
Frieda + Salome

Song
Melody + Odele
Ronia + Zamir
Shira, Rayna, + Roni

Sweet
Anika + Laia
Dulcie + Eulalie
Myra + Shirin

10 X Names You Never Thought of Using: Girls

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X is a neglected letter for the beginning of names. Sure we love it in the middle or at the end, but X hasn't caught on for starting any names. Hopefully this list will change your mind--I found some great X names.

Xana- The -ana ending may seem boring and overused to some, but beginning with the electric letter X makes Xana exciting and unique.

Xandria- She's a shortening of Alexandria that is usable in her own right. She's perfect for people who love the ending of Alexandria, just not the five syllables.

Xanthe- Xanthe is one of my favorite names. I've loved her for a long time, but she doesn't mesh well with my other top choices. She comes from the Greek word meaning "yellow," and is pronounced (ZAN-thee).

Xanthippe- Most of you probably heard Xanthippe for the first time on Netflix's The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. She goes by Xan on the show, a nickname that makes Xanthippe much more accessible. Would any of you use her?

Xaverie- At first glance, Xaverie looks like a made-up mix of Xavier and Avery, but that's not the case. She's a French and Czech form of Xavier, and a variation of Xaviera. She'd make a great import to America--I could see Xaverie catching on.

Xenobia- Xenobia is another beautiful Greek X name. She's an alternate spelling of the more familiar Zenobia--the middle name of one of Tina Fey's daughters. I can't decide which spelling I prefer, what about you all?

Xia- Add Xia to the list of three letter -ia names for girls. With the popularity of Mia and Lia (and Fia and Pia catching on), Xia is one of the more usable names on this list.

Xiamara- Need a good full name for Xia? Xiamara is a wonderful option. She means "joyful deer" (how cute!), and could always go by the less exotic Mara.

Ximenia- Ximena is the most popular X name for girls at #162 in the top 1000. The one-letter-different  Ximenia doesn't even place. She's a nature name in Spanish--the Ximenia plant produces limes.

Xois- Historically, Xois is the capital of an Egyptian dynasty, but to American ears she just sounds like Lois with an X. She's definitely an unusual appellation, but I like that she comes with the nickname Xoie.

-ina Names

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One of the enduring name trends of this century is long, extravagant names. It's not uncommon for parents to want a name that sounds glamorous, posh, or even "princessy." I've listed 70 of the most useable -ina names--all of them over two syllables--that would be considered quite regal.

Adamina
Adelina
Agnesina
Aldina
Alexandrina
Amandina
Angelia
Armina
Asterina
Audrina
Augustina
Aurelina
Carina
Carolina
Catalina
Caterina
Celestina
Clementina
Constantina
Coralina
Delphina
Dulcina
Edwina
Emmalina
Estellina
Evangelina
Evelina
Faustina
Florentina
Georgina
Giannina
Jessamina
Josephina
Junina
Justina
Katrina
Lumina
Marcelina
Marina
Martina
Melina
Nicolina
Odelina
Pamina
Paulina
Philomina
Pnina
Quintina
Ramina
Regina
Rosalina
Sabina
Sabrina
Samina
Santina
Savina
Serina
Sistina
Stellina
Tasmina
Thamina
Thomasina
Valentina
Victorina
Wilhelmina