Some Changes

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Hello everyone--I just wanted to deliver an official update about some changes that are going on around the blog. You may have noticed that I've started to feature banner ads on the sidebar. As my readership grows, this blog is a great opportunity for me to make some extra money, so I have decided to take advantage of that. Also, after years of trying, I've finally added links to the names on the "Boys Names" and "Girls Names" pages on the top bar. Now if you click on any name on those pages, it will take you to all the posts it's mentioned in. (Please let me know if any of the links don't work--I had to link thousands of names, so there's bound to be a few mistakes). I've also updated my About page to include the link to my Nameberry articles. Thanks for your patience everyone! Regular posting will resume on Wednesday.

Apple Names

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Happy (almost) Halloween guys! I wanted to do a post about apples before Fall ended, and I figured this would be the ideal time, right in the middle of apple season. All the following names come from apple varieties--perfect for an Autumn baby!

Abbey
Adam
Albany
Albert
Alexander
Alford
Allen
Ambrosia
Anna
Annie
April
Ariane
Arthur
Bailey
Baldwin
Barry
Beacon
Bella
Ben
Bess
Beverly
Billy
Bonnie
Bridget
Brock
Cameo
Carlos
Caroll
Charles
Christmas
Clark
Clay
Cole
Connell
Crispin
Cybele
D'arcy
Davey
David
Dawn
Dayton
Derby
Earl
Early
Eddie
Edmund
Edward
Elise
Elizabeth
Ellison
Elton
Emneth
Erwin
Evelina
Everard
Fearn
Filippa
Florina
Foster
Franklin
Fuji
Gala
Garland
Gavin
George
Gibson
Gilbert
Ginger
Grove
Harrison
Harvey
Henry
Hokuto
Holiday
Holland
Holly
Hudson
Ida
Ingrid
Jackson
James
Jazz
Jersey
Johnny
Jonathan
Jordan
Jubilee
July
June
Jupiter
Kalei
Karen
Katy
Katya
Kent
Kerry
King
Kingston
Kinsei
Lane
Liberty
Lilibet
Luscious
Mac
Maclean
Maigold
Malinda
Marie
Marisa
Melba
Meridian
Miller
Milo
Milton
Mollie
Moore
Morgan
Morley
Newton
Niagara
Noble
Oliver
Opal
Orin
Palmer
Park
Paula
Pax
Pearl
Perry
Pine
Pippin
Pixie
Pomme
Porter
Prairie
Princess
Priscilla
Quebec
Quince
Rajka
Rome
Rose
Rosemary
Rosette
Ross
Rosy
Royal
Russet
Rusty
Sam
Santana
Scarlet
Scarlett
September
Sharon
Shay
Sierra
Smith
Snow
Sonya
Spencer
Stirling
Summer
Sundance
Sutton
Taylor
Tom
Topaz
Turner
Upton
Victoria
Virginia
Walter
Wayne
William
Winston
Winter
Wolf
Yates
York
Zari


I'm taking next week off to do some blog maitenance--regular posting will resume November 9th.

10 Hindi Names You Never Thought of Using: Girls

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I love learning about names from other cultures--it helps me find names I never even would have heard of. I've listed ten of my favorite Indian names for girls today. Let me know what you think! Also, please tell me--what other cultures do you want to see featured in this series? I want to research ones you guys will be most excited about.

Beeja- Starting out with my favorite--Beeja is so beautiful. She's easy to say and spell, plus she comes with the adorable nickname Bee! Beeja means "happy," which is always lovely.

Chandra- Chandra peaked in the 1970s around #300, so to some she might feel kind of dated. I, however, think she works as a familiar update to mom-name Sandra. Her Ch- beginning (a la Charlie) makes her even more accessible. Chandra has a stunning meaning, "moon goddess."

Hanita- Another update to a dated classic, Hanita is a fresh spin on the mom/grandma name Anita. She's much more contemporary, and (another great meaning alert!) means "divine grace."

Leya- Leya is a Spanish, Yiddish and Hindi name, pronounced the same as Leia. Hopefully with her different spelling, she won't get all the Star Wars princess associations. Leya works as an alternative to the ever-popular Leah, which is at #35.

Megha- Here's another alternative/honor name, this time for 90s hit Megan. Megha (pronounced either like "mega" or MAY-guh) is a splendid choice for a baby girl of any background. Meg works for a charming, somewhat old-school nickname.

Neeja- Neeja is a flower name, but not of your typical Violet/Rose/Daisy variety. She means "lily," which is prime for an Easter or springtime baby. For those of you looking for nickname-proof names, Neeja is a good option. I don't think "Nee" would stick.

Neela- Neela is the Hindi variation of the African Nila, both meaning "sapphire blue." She's not technically considered a feminization of Neil, but she definitely works to honor one. Other spellings include Neala and Neila.

Reva- Reva has roots in both Hebrew and Hindi, making her a good cross-cultural choice. She's pronounced RAY-va, and is the name of a sacred river in India. Reva is super glamorous--I find her very sophisticated.

Savita- Savita means "sun" and is quite popular in India. The fact that she's three syllables and ends in "A" means she'd fit in perfectly with other American kids' names.

Shivani- We've had a post chock full of wonderful meanings, and the most intense one got saved for last. Shivani means "life and death," which is by no means horrible--just maybe not the happy-go-lucky meaning you were looking for. That aside, Shivani is a gorgeous name, as well as one of an Indian goddess.

Full Names for Toby

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Isn't Toby a charming name? He's so sweet and lovable. When Joanna Goddard gave the name to her son five years ago, I was pleasantly surprised. Toby feels very fresh on a baby, even though he's taken a slight dip in popularity. If you can't commit to using Toby on his own, take a look at this list to see some of his fuller forms.

Alberto- Alberto may not have the "tob" sound directly, but separately, it's all there. He's a funky, but fun way to get to Toby, especially if the nicknames Al or Bertie aren't your thing.

Barton- Barton is a serious English surname that could have potential--if only his most obvious nickname wasn't Bart. If you decide to go the nickname route, Toby is the best answer.

October- October is an exciting unisex name that works especially well for babies born this month. However, at three syllables long, people start looking for a nickname. There aren't many choices, but even if there were, I'd still suggest Toby.

Tobiah- Tobiah is the biblical name that eventually gave way to Tobias. With names like Isaiah and Josiah so popular, it's surprising that people have rarely heard of him. Tobiah makes for a unique and easy way to get to Toby, although you could use him in his own right too.

Tobias- Toby may be falling in popularity, but Tobias is rising. He's the most popular full name for Toby, and many people use him specifically for that purpose. I have too many Arrested Development associations to ever pull the trigger on Tobias, but he is a classic and classy option.

Tobin- Tobin is a surname derivative of Tobias, and has a contemporary, pleasant sound. If you're not into "old-man-chic" style names, he could be a wonderful full name for your Toby.

Umberto- Umberto is an extremely Italian name, so if your little Toby is going to have Italian roots, he's one to consider. He's a variant of Humbert, and infinitesimally more attractive.

Sweet Names for Girls

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Everyone likes dessert, and many of us love it. Why not carry your passion through to your children's names? I have a list of six sinfully sweet names for baby girls for your perusal--all of them are delightfully delicious.

Carmela- Carmela's meaning may have nothing to do with sugar (it's "garden"), but her delicious sound reminds us all of caramel's sticky sweetness.

Dulcie- On the other hand, Dulcie literally means "sweet." She's used more often in England and Australia than the United States, but she was in our top 1000 until 1905. Other Dulcie-like options include Dulce, Dulciana, Dulcibella, and Dulcine.

Florentine- Florentines are mouth-watering. very thin chocolate cookies, with nuts and preserved fruit on top. Florentine is a French name, a variant of Florence and Florentina. It is a bit of a big name for a tiny baby, but the cookie connection makes it that much sweeter.

Madeleine- Like Florentine, Madeleine is also a French dessert and baby name. The cookie is light, lemony, and cake-like, and the name is a well-used variation of Madeline. If you do go with this French spelling, the dessert could be a cute baby shower/birthday party/any party theme.

Maple- Maple syrup is nature's natural sweetener, so it's no wonder that it immediately comes to mind when the name is heard. Maple is also commonly associated with the tree, and was the title character in a Robert Frost poem. Maple is similar in sound to the increasingly popular Mabel, so that could boost her attractiveness to parents.

Sundae- She's by no means a common choice, but Sundae attracts a small number of users each year. She's considered an alternate spelling of the slightly more common Sunday, albeit, a sweeter one. Sundae is cheeky and cheerful--and not for the timid namer.

10 Irish Names You Never Thought of Using: Boys

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Need an interesting Irish name for your little lad? These choices hit the sweet spot between unusual and familiar.

Caledon- Most people only recognize Caledon as the name of a supporting character in the Titanic movie, but he's originally a place name of sorts. Caledonia, from which he derived, is the Latin word for Scotland. So makes Caledon the perfect name for an Irish-Scottish baby boy. Bonus points for the cowboy-cool nickname Cal.

Colm- Malcolm may be stuck in the nineties, but Colm is lovely for a 2015 baby. He isn't pronounced quite the same--it's more like "column," but he is related to Malcolm, as well as up and comer Callum.

Corrigan- Corrigan is a striking Irish surname with a lot of potential. He's ideal if you're looking for an updated version of 20th century favorite Cory, especially if you need to honor one. One possible downside: Cory is his only obvious nickname, so if you're not a fan, Corrigan might not be the name for you.

Fallon- The hit TV show Dynasty made Fallon a possibility for girls in the eighties and nineties, but now that late night host Jimmy is on the scene, this unisex name could very well go to the boys. If you like his sound, but not the television connections, try spelling him Faolan, Felan, or Phelan.

Fintan- Finn is one of the hottest, most likeable names for boys right now. Many people use him in his own right, but others see Finn more as a nickname. If you want a longer name for Finn, but something less feminine than Finley, and more unique than Griffan, Fintan might be the best option. He's fun, easy to pronounce, and has two cool possible nicknames, "white bull" or "white fire."

Larkin- Simple, stylish Lark is a hit for the ladies right now, but Larkin--which comes from Laurence, so he and Lark are unrelated--feels entirely right for a guy. Like many trendy names right now, he is originally a surname, but unlike those, he's not currently trendy. Larkin dropped out of the top 1000 in 1909, making his re-entrance about six years overdue.

Malone- Malone is particularly popular as a last name, but never quite made it as a first. His syllable pattern lends him well to the middle position, but if you like nicknameless names, Malone would be prime as a first name. But enough talk about where to place him--Malone has some serious swagger, and deserves more notoriety.

Oran- It can be hard to find a fashionable name that seamlessly blends two cultures together. But if you need a name for a Jewish-Irish fellow, Oran does just that. He ranks at #100 in Ireland, but surprisingly doesn't make the charts in the U.S. For a name that's so easy to like, I hope that changes soon.

Roark- Roark is a strong surname with a fantastic meaning--"illustrious and mighty." He has a plethora of spellings--Roarke, Rorke, Rourke, or Ruark--so take your pick. Unfortunately the one I've cited here has an unfortunate connection to an Ayn Rand book, so Roarke (or Rourke, if you're a fan of Mickey) might be a better option.

Tadhg- And finally, the one that might confuse people. No, Tadhg is not intuitive in his pronunciation (it's TYEG, as in tiger)--he does not rhyme with the equally charming Teague. However, for you poetry fans, Tadhg means "poet," and he's featured in Irish mythology as Finn McCool's grandfather.

Full Names for Huck

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Do you guys read the blog Hey Natalie Jean? She has the most adorable son named Huck, and ever since I started reading her blog (back in middle school!) I've loved the name. Her son's full name is Henry, but if that's not your style, there are some other options for getting to this full-of-fun, slightly mischevious nickname.

Charles- If Charles can be Chuck, then why not Huck? Besides, the latter is a lot more contemporary--I think Chuck needs another generation or two before he can be revived.

Henry- Lovable Henry has many nickname options, most of which I just adore. If you love Henry, just not his popularity status (ahem, me), bite the bullet and use a cool nickname--Hal, Hank, Harry, Huck!--to distinguish him from the others.

Huckleberry- On the other hand, why not use Huck to make his full name seem tamer? Huckleberry is a wild choice, but he's certainly usable (Bear Grylls has a son with the name), plus it gives you the added connection of Huckleberry "Huck" Finn (though it's quite debatable whether or not that's a good thing).

Huxley- Huxley is an English surname that people have been loving lately. He's currently at #1346, but looking at his trajectory, I wouldn't be surprised to see him break the top 1000 this year. His spelling lends himself to the nickname Hux, but I personally prefer Huck.

Huxton- Huxton appears to be an invented name--he was only used on 12 baby boys last year--but he mirrors the English surname style quite well. If you're not deterred by his lack of history, Huxton is a perfect full name for Huck.