tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957154483550482582024-03-19T06:44:55.744-05:00Nameisms ~ Baby Name BlogLet my obsession become your ultimate resource for baby names! Featuring name profiles, inspiring baby name lists, and articles on the naming process, I blog about history, meaning, personal stories, celebrity status and more.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger203125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495715448355048258.post-69846066096247179112020-10-08T16:09:00.001-05:002020-10-08T16:10:16.904-05:00Why I Divide Name Lists by Boys and GirlsIt's the sometimes-spoken question of the hour: Why all the naming division? After all, dividing names by sex can cause controversy, hurt feelings, and seem like it supports gender stereotyping. <div><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnRoy1eEfwJ59nwXudRBSxXsfBUaeNVSS9AVBHTzYuesSLvk9Q52s22zjeZB6ZXAwlUp2CA784GgAjc1_wDzShO-Rdx_FwXv6_M6Ejbat9VHHzkchd1UhrwOnNgGCDNjc-Cz1T6tD26xOR/s800/baby-name-lists-girls-boys.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnRoy1eEfwJ59nwXudRBSxXsfBUaeNVSS9AVBHTzYuesSLvk9Q52s22zjeZB6ZXAwlUp2CA784GgAjc1_wDzShO-Rdx_FwXv6_M6Ejbat9VHHzkchd1UhrwOnNgGCDNjc-Cz1T6tD26xOR/w400-h266/baby-name-lists-girls-boys.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /><div><br /></div><div>Those are things I'd rather not do. Yet, I persist. When I'm talking about a big group of names, I usually create two lists, one of boys' names, and one of girls' names. WHY, you ask? (Or, sometimes, it's more like, "WHyyyyyyyyyYYYYYYYyyyy??!")</div><div><br /></div><span></span><span><a name='more'></a></span><div><div><br /></div><div>It's like this.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have a background in infographic design. Chances are, when I say infographics you think of a really cool Pinterest-worthy flow chart that helps you find the answer to questions like "<a href="https://themorningnews.org/article/can-we-date" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Can we date?</a>" But what I'm talking about are boring ol' things like pie charts, tables, line graphs, and scatter plots. While I do know how to create them and I appreciate the fancy ones, designers who work with information should have the basics down. Let's just say I've been to the conference.</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">People Need Organization</h3><div>So I have eyes that like to see information organized, but so do you. We all find this helpful. Think about the last baby name book you picked up. My guess is that all of those names were organized in more ways than one.</div><div><br /></div><div>A list of baby names is usually alphabetical and divided into sections of boys and girls. There are plenty of exceptions to this, but for the most part this is the most common approach. It's the most common because it's the most helpful. An unorganized pile of names is the stuff of nightmares for people looking for that perfect name - whether it's for a child, pet, or <a href="/2009/06/naming-your-fictional-character.html">story character</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>There are a few problems readers may come across when looking at names organized by sex. Where do parents look for unisex names? What if your son's name is Peyton and you see his name in the girl column? What if a person is *gasp* offended by seeing the name Eden listed for boys? What if another person is considering Eden for a boy, and only finds it in the girls section?</div><div><br /></div><div>Okay. I feel your pain, I really do.</div><div><br /></div><div>Your list of top 5 choices for boys and girls are different, are they not? Even if <a href="/2012/05/most-popular-unisex-names.html">unisex names</a> are your thing (and more power to you!), you might still have separate lists based on how the name "feels" to you. You organize your own lists of baby names, and I organize lists for my readers as well. đ</div><h3 style="text-align: left;">A Solution to Unisex Names</h3><div>So my solution is, from this point forward, to attempt to repeat gender-neutral-ish names in both columns for girls and boys. Maybe you caught another dilemma thereâwho am I to decide which names are leaning unisex? </div><div><br /></div><div>As always, I can find the answer in statistics. If the name is in the top 500 for both boys and girls, it'll be cross-listed. Whadda ya say?</div><div><br /></div><div>I hope this answers your questions and that we can all agree on this approach. </div><div><br /></div><div>Yours truly,</div><div>General fare-thee-wells,</div><div>Godspeed,</div><div>Laura</div><div><br /></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495715448355048258.post-64714769175204909192016-07-06T10:29:00.001-05:002020-10-08T16:27:17.681-05:00Fletcher<i>Fletcher ~ Arrow Maker ~ Origin</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7e54VhX5KCfHG2Kkpg_f3ZTLOL_V8LSXC8vw-57rfgBEm9yN7gILo_d4TcKuGRLtykjGhHercPszrWei-QBGP-KyOeHP8qs3m9ZNJaLjvdiqR221L78Ih36Hpa0nckOPoAFVvAlQhjGyI/s1600/pexels-photo-433077.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="366" data-original-width="640" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7e54VhX5KCfHG2Kkpg_f3ZTLOL_V8LSXC8vw-57rfgBEm9yN7gILo_d4TcKuGRLtykjGhHercPszrWei-QBGP-KyOeHP8qs3m9ZNJaLjvdiqR221L78Ih36Hpa0nckOPoAFVvAlQhjGyI/s400/pexels-photo-433077.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Modern parents in search of perfect names are clamoring for the sought-after âitâ names from the mid-to-late 1800s. What we think of as <a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2008/10/baby-names-from-pioneer-times.html">quintessential Victorian names</a> like Owen, Ella, Grace, and Isaac have been devoured by todayâs parents looking for appealing vintage sounds. But if you're looking for a boys' name off the beaten path, Fletcher is a Victorian name still flying under the modern-day radar. It's a tasteful antique that just might make an appearance on your list of favorites soon. <div>
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<a name='more'></a><b>History</b><br />
A sturdy name meaning âarrow makerâ Fletcher has a catchy sound along the lines of Flynn and Archer. And true to those surnames-turned-given names, Fletcher got its start as an occupational surname with roots in Middle English (by way of a Scottish name). But it hasnât yet recovered since hitting a peak in popularity in 1892.<br />
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<b>Popularity</b><br />
Fletcher has a unique feel, and it's just starting to catch on. Our most recent name stats (from 2015) show Fletcher at 666, continuing the upward trend it's been on since 2008. Here's a little look at its trend...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-xnFGT6J20uipPMqGTKnNFRy4Nz5JvAOuDJbpRhSUBO8zbRNp_P_y7SCbw6l9dyGNfyn3cWOzzqOHK-1ikreIPYpnb5aJTwpcIAW-XzPgTiXabqaTHmPAxqt6ehKzkHHuX0-4qWaMGDJl/s1600/fletcher.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-xnFGT6J20uipPMqGTKnNFRy4Nz5JvAOuDJbpRhSUBO8zbRNp_P_y7SCbw6l9dyGNfyn3cWOzzqOHK-1ikreIPYpnb5aJTwpcIAW-XzPgTiXabqaTHmPAxqt6ehKzkHHuX0-4qWaMGDJl/s1600/fletcher.png" /></a></div>
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So Fletcher may not be as big as it once was in Victorian times, but it's going to continue grabbing the attention of expecting parents.<br />
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<b>Nickname</b><br />
I'm fond of the nickname Fletch, which may remind you of a mystery-solving reporter played by Chevy Chase in the <i>Fletch</i> films. (Fletcher was the characterâs last name.) But whether it brings a particular person or character to mind, the nickname Fletch is both sturdy and adorable, and it gives the button-down full name some versatility that's perfect for the playground.<br />
<ul>
<li>Fletch</li>
</ul>
<b>Famous Namesakes & Celebrity Babies</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Fletcher Bee-Jones, son of Samantha Bee and Jason Jones</li>
</ul>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495715448355048258.post-61911904595708962572016-02-17T10:31:00.000-06:002016-02-17T10:31:39.916-06:00Brooklyn<i>Brooklyn ~ the city, broken land ~ American</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggfpB4y0d6SL0iINrv8Y8Vtsp1w9sX5vJHE_tmz8OMnB3-9SoeRG-KnyoOP1d5HO0ofP3X1rZNV6vNCUlN2bTAwOG7JiOy7pvQqHv4kIWCAGQoLdzMR7krt6V94BnnygJMLvyGQc5FxiAc/s1600/brooklyn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggfpB4y0d6SL0iINrv8Y8Vtsp1w9sX5vJHE_tmz8OMnB3-9SoeRG-KnyoOP1d5HO0ofP3X1rZNV6vNCUlN2bTAwOG7JiOy7pvQqHv4kIWCAGQoLdzMR7krt6V94BnnygJMLvyGQc5FxiAc/s400/brooklyn.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The most popular girls' name starting with a B, Brooklyn is a top choice that speaks to an affinity for the sounds in Brooke and Lynn, even more than a love of the city. It's a fashionable mashup name that's also got loads of big city style.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><b>History</b><br />
The New York City borough Brooklyn got its name from Dutch settlers who chose <i>Breukelen</i>, a town in the Netherlands translated to "broken land," as inspiration for their settlement. The name was anglicized to Brooklyn, though it still holds on to its Dutch roots. If you're looking for an official meaning for the name, "broken land" is pretty accurate.<br />
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The girls' name Brooklyn is decidedly modern and came to us even before the trendsetting Beckham family chose this name for their son, born in 1999. It was the idea of this name that started to take root more than the Beckham's particular execution. We loved the sound of it, suddenly realizing that the city makes perfect sense for a girls' name, formed out of feminine favorites <i>Brooke</i> and <i>Lynn</i>. Even though names inspired by places have become a trend, it was the feel of this name rather than any romantic notions of the borough that drove our interest to obsession-level love.<br />
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<b>Popularity</b><br />
Brooklyn has been riding a tidal wave of popularity since it debuted on the charts back in 1990. It currently sits at 26, and while it's been bumped around a bit in the stats, it's become quite comfortable in the 20s for the past four years. Here's how the popularity looks over time, from the <a href="http://www.babynamewizard.com/" target="_blank">Baby Name Wizard</a>:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj65Fnvw3jl1TpI2dmrzz1EGiVVQtkuEPV8NNIhZwbtH6PsB_qOahAF4vulx6XfV2UCb5Xph0Vxx1M6mBIe0Ws5U0X8ObibUHl1z7tfA0yzX5XGru7pl3q1rFlpunpS6Hc-nswjQXmusJ9/s1600/brooklyn.graph.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj65Fnvw3jl1TpI2dmrzz1EGiVVQtkuEPV8NNIhZwbtH6PsB_qOahAF4vulx6XfV2UCb5Xph0Vxx1M6mBIe0Ws5U0X8ObibUHl1z7tfA0yzX5XGru7pl3q1rFlpunpS6Hc-nswjQXmusJ9/s1600/brooklyn.graph.png" /></a></div>
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It's a sharp rise to the top, creating a spike that translates to a modern favorite.<br />
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<b>Variations</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Brooklynn</li>
<li>Brook</li>
</ul>
<b>Celebrity Namesakes</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Brooklyn Decker, actress</li>
<li>Brooklyn James, author/singer</li>
</ul>
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<b>Celebrity Babies</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Brooklyn Joseph, son of David & Victoria Beckham</li>
<li>Brooklyn Elisabeth, daughter of Nick Lachey and Vanessa Minnilo</li>
</ul>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495715448355048258.post-9993926568574876012015-12-10T07:44:00.000-06:002016-04-10T08:55:06.269-05:00Laughing All the Way: Cheerful Baby NamesIt's time for the last in my series on names inspired by the lyrics of <i>Jingle Bells</i>, and it's the perfect happy ending, one brought to us by the phrase "laughing all the way." Here are a few charming names with a joyful spirit that are sure to have you smiling all year long.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3qz1CKOKtO8u_lqx-OSwbz_KJe_mxSG4F8_5VpURmEM4g4WC-XH3IfvJ_VUXbNtKpM5hX7lwA4N4DAgcb-XDguylo-GX4gV3t3Ws8b5xhEfk-h7fgIUO8MWbUjyMMoDuwfTZg6RNA2Fa/s1600/laughing-cheerful-names.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3qz1CKOKtO8u_lqx-OSwbz_KJe_mxSG4F8_5VpURmEM4g4WC-XH3IfvJ_VUXbNtKpM5hX7lwA4N4DAgcb-XDguylo-GX4gV3t3Ws8b5xhEfk-h7fgIUO8MWbUjyMMoDuwfTZg6RNA2Fa/s640/laughing-cheerful-names.jpg" width="560" /></a></div>
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<a name='more'></a><ul>
<li><b>Aliza</b> ~ Joyful ~ Hebrew</li>
<li><b>Allegra</b> ~ Cheerful, Lively ~ Italian</li>
<li><b>Asher</b> ~ Happy ~ Hebrew</li>
<li><b>Blythe</b> ~ Carefree, Happy ~ English</li>
<li><b>Farah</b>,<b> Farrah</b> ~ Joy ~ Arabic</li>
<li><b>Felicity</b> ~ Happiness ~ English</li>
<li><b>Felix</b> ~ Happy, Fortunate ~ Latin</li>
<li><b>Ilaria</b> ~ Cheerful ~ Italian</li>
<li><b>Isaac</b> ~ He laughs ~ Hebrew</li>
<li><b>Jovie</b> ~ Joyful, Jovial ~ American</li>
<li><b>Joy</b> ~ English, Latin</li>
<li><b>Kalea </b>~ Joy, Happiness ~ Hawaiian</li>
<li><b>Letitia</b> ~ Joy ~ English</li>
<li><b>Miles</b> ~ an anagram of "smile"</li>
<li><b>Tate</b> ~ Cheerful ~ English</li>
</ul>
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All of these cheerful names are wonderful any time of the year, of course! For more inspiration, follow the whole series below.<br />
<br />
<b>Part One</b></div>
<div>
<a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2015/12/snowy-names.html">Dashing Through the Snow: Snowy Baby Names</a><br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Part Two</b></div>
<div>
<a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2015/12/names-inspired-by-horses.html">In a One-Horse Open Sleigh: Baby Names Inspired by Horses</a><br />
<br />
<b>Part Three</b><br />
<a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2015/12/countryside-fields-names.html">O'er the Fields We Go: Baby Names Inspired by Wide Open Spaces</a></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495715448355048258.post-33837463872973205692015-12-08T02:00:00.000-06:002016-04-10T08:56:07.241-05:00O'er the Fields We Go: Baby Names Inspired by Wide Open SpacesThe third part in my series based on the opening lyrics of <i>Jingle Bells</i> offers an impressive variety of names. They are beautiful choices inspired by the countryside, and while some feel like a laid-back nature name, others have a distinguished prim and proper flair. That's because lots of these names come from Old English, where the hills and valleys of the country became surnames that are proving to be an on-trend choice in given names today.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzHARQFT0aopNgFe1ZsiH9_Zy2OTXGBiSfZzM5YvHzavTy2xFVd09eNBHmhdiEVFCk4wn-0SF2_n8z6h7B9oo2OqHao53k-3SA3Dx-9Rr74QTJuedhF_DI0gWOk0EHq77eH8UerIdeJ6y0/s1600/fields-names.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzHARQFT0aopNgFe1ZsiH9_Zy2OTXGBiSfZzM5YvHzavTy2xFVd09eNBHmhdiEVFCk4wn-0SF2_n8z6h7B9oo2OqHao53k-3SA3Dx-9Rr74QTJuedhF_DI0gWOk0EHq77eH8UerIdeJ6y0/s640/fields-names.jpg" width="580" /></a></div>
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<a name='more'></a><br />
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<li><b>Ainsley</b> ~ Wood clearing ~ Scottish, Old English</li>
<li><b>Arista</b> ~ Ear of corn ~ Latin</li>
<li><b>Bentley</b> ~ Clearing covered with bent grass ~ Old English</li>
<li><b>Blair </b>~ Plain, Field ~ Scottish</li>
<li><b>Brandon</b> ~ Hill covered with broom ~ Old English</li>
<li><b>Bryn </b>~ Hill, mound ~ Welsh</li>
<li><b>Camden</b> ~ Enclosed valley ~ Old English</li>
<li><b>Crofton</b> ~ Settlement with a small field ~ English</li>
<li><b>Forbes </b>~ Field ~ Scottish</li>
<li><b>Glyn</b> ~ Valley ~ Welsh</li>
<li><b>Gwenyth</b> ~ Wheat ~ Welsh</li>
<li><b>Hadley</b> ~ Heather field ~ Old English</li>
<li><b>Harley</b> ~ Hare clearing, field ~ Old English</li>
<li><b>Hayden</b> ~ Hay hill ~ Old English</li>
<li><b>Hayley</b> ~ Hay clearing, field ~ Old English</li>
<li><b>Knox</b> ~ Round hill ~ Old English</li>
<li><b>Meadow</b> ~ Old English</li>
<li><b>Reed</b> ~ Clearing ~ Old English</li>
<li><b>Riley </b>~ Rye field ~ Old English</li>
<li><b>Royle</b> ~ Rye hill ~ Old English</li>
<li><b>Vale</b> ~ Wide river valley ~ Old English</li>
<li><b>Wesley</b> ~ Western clearing, meadow ~ English</li>
<li><b>Whitaker</b> ~ White field ~ Old English</li>
<li><b>Winslow</b> ~ Wine hill ~ Old English</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br />
These names are wonderful any time of the year, of course! For more inspiration, follow the whole series below.<br />
<br />
<div>
<b>Part One</b></div>
<div>
<a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2015/12/snowy-names.html">Dashing Through the Snow: Snowy Baby Names</a><br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Part Two</b></div>
<div>
<a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2015/12/names-inspired-by-horses.html">In a One-Horse Open Sleigh: Baby Names Inspired by Horses</a><br />
<br />
<b>Part Four</b><br />
<a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2015/12/cheerful-names.html">Laughing All the Way: Cheerful Baby Names</a></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495715448355048258.post-4161076551595036272015-12-03T02:00:00.000-06:002016-04-10T08:56:24.021-05:00In a One-Horse Open Sleigh: Baby Names Inspired by HorsesThe second part in my series based on the opening lyrics of <i>Jingle Bells </i>takes us to the countryside once again. These equine-inspired names herald from English, western, and exotic places, creating a group that is beautiful and full of variety. There is a surprising amount of names that pay homage to horses, and they are perfectly expressive for anyone who loves horses and wants to share that passion with their child.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdqsuzD9LuocWd3lpqUimTXiDRq3M_Vm2JbH98BpJ2iXmhqUmhWU48KIDByE_wcrf_X5qjAubU_qxw3Sy9wrDDjbFT2mqZkhKUZZL5GOS9eiQb0PQ5DofTuOeY8vTcElOyBfP7rAGNzdn1/s1600/horse-baby-names.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdqsuzD9LuocWd3lpqUimTXiDRq3M_Vm2JbH98BpJ2iXmhqUmhWU48KIDByE_wcrf_X5qjAubU_qxw3Sy9wrDDjbFT2mqZkhKUZZL5GOS9eiQb0PQ5DofTuOeY8vTcElOyBfP7rAGNzdn1/s640/horse-baby-names.jpg" width="580" /></a></div>
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<a name='more'></a><ul>
<li><b>Caspian</b> ~ a small breed of horse</li>
<li><b>Clyde</b> ~ an area in Scotland where the Clydesdale gets its name</li>
<li><b>Colt</b> ~ young horse, young horse trainer ~ English</li>
<li><b>Destrier</b> ~ a medieval war horse</li>
<li><b>Eachann</b>, <b>Aken</b>, <b>Hector</b> ~ Brown horse ~ Gaelic</li>
<li><b>Epona</b> ~ Great mare ~ Celtic</li>
<li><b>Eponine</b> ~ Great mare ~ French variation of Epona</li>
<li><b>Garron </b>~ type of horse, a term used in Scotland and Ireland</li>
<li><b>Oisin</b>, <b>Osheen</b> ~ Stag ~ Irish Gaelic</li>
<li><b>Phillip</b> ~ Lover of horses ~ Greek</li>
<li><b>Philippa</b>, <b>Pippa</b> ~ Lover of horses ~ Greek</li>
<li><b>Ryder</b> ~ Knight, Messenger ~ Old English</li>
<li><b>Rosamund</b> ~ Horse, Protection ~ Old French</li>
<li><b>Morgan</b> ~ an American horse breed, also a Welsh name meaning circle</li>
<li><b>Sadler</b>, <b>Saddler</b> ~ Saddle maker ~ English</li>
<li><b>Trigger</b> ~ Roy Rogers' horse </li>
</ul>
<div>
<br />
If you missed it, take a look at the other name lists in this series.<br />
<br />
<div>
<div>
<b>Part One</b></div>
<div>
<a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2015/12/snowy-names.html">Dashing Through the Snow: Snowy Baby Names</a></div>
<div>
<br />
<b>Part Three</b><br />
<a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2015/12/countryside-fields-names.html">O'er the Fields We Go: Baby Names Inspired by Wide Open Spaces</a><br />
<br />
<b>Part Four</b><br />
<a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2015/12/cheerful-names.html">Laughing All the Way: Cheerful Baby Names</a></div>
</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495715448355048258.post-67013265310761877412015-12-01T14:45:00.001-06:002016-04-10T08:57:30.121-05:00Dashing Through the Snow: Snowy Baby NamesIn case you're wondering, I do find it odd that <a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2013/12/fanny-fannie-and-frances-family-of-names.html">this isn't the first time I've written about the song <i>Jingle Bells</i></a>. I promise, I'm not obsessed. It's just that <i>Jingle Bells</i> is so universal and apparently inspiring as a prime example of winter fun. Also, I have a toddler.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>This is the first in what will be a four-part series of names inspired by the opening lyrics of <i>Jingle Bells</i>. We begin with Dashing Through the Snow, a list of lovely names related to our favorite thing about this time of yearâI mean, if it's going to be cold, we'd prefer a white blanket of falling snow to decorate our landscape. Here are names perfect for your little snow baby.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Snowy Names</b></span><br />
<ul>
<li><b>Eira </b>~ Snow ~ Welsh</li>
<li><b>Gwyneira</b> ~ White/Holy snow ~ Welsh</li>
<li><b>Lumi</b> ~ Snow ~ Finnish</li>
<li><b>Nevada</b> ~ Snow-capped ~ Spanish, American</li>
<li><b>Nieve</b> ~ Snow ~ Spanish</li>
<li><b>Snow</b> ~ English</li>
<li><b>Yuki</b> ~ Happiness, Snow ~ Japanese</li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Winter White Names</b></span></div>
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<ul>
<li><b>Bianca</b> ~ White ~ Italian</li>
<li><b>Blanca</b> ~ White ~ Spanish</li>
<li><b>Fiona</b> ~ White, Fair ~ Gaelic</li>
<li><b>Finn</b> ~ White ~ Irish Gaelic</li>
<li><b>Gwendolyn</b> ~ White ring, bow ~ Welsh</li>
<li><b>Ivory</b> ~ Creamy white ~ English</li>
<li><b>Pearl </b>~ White gemstone ~ English</li>
<li><b>Whitley</b> ~ White woods ~ English</li>
</ul>
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Love these snowy names? Follow the whole series on Jingle-Bells-inspired names below.<br />
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<b>Part Two</b></div>
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<a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2015/12/names-inspired-by-horses.html">In a One-Horse Open Sleigh: Baby Names Inspired by Horses</a><br />
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<b>Part Three</b><br />
<a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2015/12/countryside-fields-names.html">O'er the Fields We Go: Baby Names Inspired by Wide Open Spaces</a><br />
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<b>Part Four</b><br />
<a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2015/12/cheerful-names.html">Laughing All the Way: Cheerful Baby Names</a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495715448355048258.post-39204632003726468242015-11-19T02:00:00.000-06:002015-11-23T14:01:00.981-06:00Pilgrim Baby NamesThe roster of Mayflower passengers is quite inspiring if you love <a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/search/label/Antique%20Revival%20Names">old-fashioned</a>, <a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/search/label/Classic%20Names">classic</a>, or <a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2009/05/virtue-baby-names-inspired-by-puritans.html">virtue names</a>. Embarking in 1620, parents from Delfshaven, Holland and London, England sailed the Atlantic at great risk in order to establish their faith in the New World. The names they chose for their children often reflected their beliefs, whether biblical or creative, and they are are a fascinating and inspiring group.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The First Thanksgiving at Plymouth by Jennie A. Brownscombe</td></tr>
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<a name='more'></a><b>These are names of all of the children aboard the Mayflower</b> who embarked on the voyage, and if they survived, went on to settle Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts. Some of them are names of children who were sent abroad as servants, sadly, as they were deemed illegitimate or homeless. If a name was repeated I've only included it once (there were three girls named Mary, for example). Here's the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Mayflower_passengers" target="_blank">full list of passengers</a>.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Girls Aboard the Mayflower</span></b></div>
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<ul>
<li>Constance</li>
<li>Damaris</li>
<li>Dorothy</li>
<li>Elizabeth</li>
<li>Elinor "Ellen"</li>
<li>Humility</li>
<li>Mary</li>
<li>Priscilla</li>
<li>Remember</li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Boys Aboard the Mayflower</span></b></div>
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<ul>
<li>Bartholomew</li>
<li>Edward</li>
<li>Elias</li>
<li>Francis</li>
<li>Giles</li>
<li>Henry</li>
<li>Jasper</li>
<li>John</li>
<li>Joseph</li>
<li>Oceanus</li>
<li>Peregrine (born in New England)</li>
<li>Resolved</li>
<li>Richard</li>
<li>Robert</li>
<li>Roger</li>
<li>Samuel</li>
<li>Truelove "Love"</li>
<li>William</li>
<li>Wrestling</li>
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Told you they were fascinating. I hope you enjoyed these names as much as I do, and that you have a Happy Thanksgiving!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495715448355048258.post-79750232479883742892015-11-12T14:08:00.000-06:002015-11-12T14:08:03.322-06:00Bellamy<i>Bellamy ~ Fair Friend ~ French</i><br />
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An intriguing choice from a French surname, Bellamy is a breath of fresh air that still affords the ultra-popular nickname Bella. It's feminine, darling, and contemporary, but it isn't without a history or a meaning.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><b>History</b><br />
Pronounced <i>BELL-É-mee</i>, this name comes from the Old French <i>bel</i>, meaning fair or beautiful, and <i>amy</i>, meaning friend.<br />
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Bellamy weaves a web connecting names like Isabel, Bella, Belle, Amy, Amity, and even Amelie. But while Bellamy is part of a group of names that are popular and classic, it is far from either category.<br />
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Bellamy is a surname first and foremost. There's "Black Sam" Bellamy, an English pirate mentioned in my list of <a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2013/08/names-for-pirates-and-mermaids.html">names for pirates and mermaids</a>; Francis Bellamy, the author of the Pledge of Allegiance; or the Golden Age actor Ralph Bellamy to serve as some prime examples. Between our love of surnames and the fashionable sound of this name, you would think that Bellamy would be doing modestly well in America. (Keep reading.)<br />
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<b>Popularity</b><br />
Despite its trendy sound, Bellamy isn't in the top 1,000 names for girls yet. It's quietly rising in smaller numbers, thanks to a few namesakes that are giving this name its due. There were <b>103 girls</b> given this name in 2014.<br />
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<b>Variations</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Belle or Bell</li>
<li>Bella</li>
<li>Amy</li>
</ul>
<b>Famous Namesakes</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Bellamy Young, actress on <i>Scandal</i></li>
<li>Matthew Bellamy, of the band<i> Muse</i></li>
<li>Bill Bellamy, comedian/actor</li>
<li>Charlotte Bellamy, English actress</li>
<li>Bellamy Blake, a male character on<i> The 100</i></li>
</ul>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495715448355048258.post-6613282491975856332015-11-03T02:00:00.000-06:002015-11-03T02:00:02.285-06:00Logan<i>Logan ~ Little Hollow ~ Scottish Gaelic</i><br />
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This strong, lovable name is sitting at an all-time peak right now, proving its charm and Gaelic roots combine with its trendy ending to create a powerhouse of a name with the perfect mix of appeal.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><b>History</b><br />
A Scottish surname, Logan means "little hollow" and describes a place. In fact, you can still find the small community of Logan in East Ayrshire of southwest Scotland. The clan name can be found as far back as 1204. The last of the Logan clan found in Ayrshire inspired a book of puns and anecdotes called <i><a href="https://archive.org/details/lairdofloganbein00carr" target="_blank">The Laird of Logan</a></i>, which is known as a typical example of Scottish humor and wit. The Introduction, titled "What is and What is not in a Name," cites their iconic jester to be a man named Hugh Logan.<br />
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Logan has been given as a first name for ages, but not with much frequency until recently. In the US, this name did its worst from the 30s to the 60s, actually hitting rock bottom at a rank of 1,000 in 1967. But it's remained on our radar for more than a century, showing a bit of use in the late 1800s before starting to take off again in the 1970s. That's when this name got its big break with the sci-fi movie <i>Logan's Run</i>, which debuted in '76. Ever since, it's been a swift road to the top.<br />
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<b>Popularity</b><br />
Today Logan is ranked at 13. <b>It's a top 20 hit that still hasn't hit its peak!</b> While I do expect it to begin to drop eventually, Logan will remain a favorite. For girls, it's currently sitting at 391.<br />
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I consider Logan to be a "new classic," a name that has so much appeal once it catches on that it's not likely to fade away anytime soon. It's a contemporary hit with a trendy feel, but it has strong roots with a lengthy history and some <a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/search/label/Antique%20Revival%20Names">antique qualities</a>, making it charming on every level.<br />
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<b>Famous Namesakes</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Logan Lerman, actor</li>
<li>Logan Henderson, actor/singer</li>
<li>Logan Marshall-Green, actor</li>
<li>Logan Ramsey, actor</li>
</ul>
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<b>Fictional Characters</b></div>
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TV shows in particular have seen their share of characters named Logan. You could find a character named Logan on:</div>
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<ul>
<li><i>Big Time Rush</i></li>
<li><i>Dark Angel</i></li>
<li><i>General Hospital</i></li>
<li><i>Gilmore Girls</i></li>
<li><i>Veronica Mars</i></li>
</ul>
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Logan is also the alias of the <i>X-Men</i> character Wolverine.</div>
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<b>Celebrity Babies</b></div>
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<ul>
<li>Logan Lee, daughter of Jason Mewes and Jordan Monsanto</li>
<li>Logan Phineas, son of Ryan Murphy and David Miller</li>
<li>Logan Ryan, son of Jennifer Hoffman Fowler and Ryan Fowler</li>
<li>Logan Vincent, son of Tamar Braxton and Vince Herbert</li>
</ul>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495715448355048258.post-72775489454062824042015-10-27T16:06:00.000-05:002015-10-28T07:24:44.058-05:00Autumn Updates<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is pretty much how my desk looks right now, minus the manicure and plus a mug of spiced pumpkin hot chocolate. It's been a busy season for me and this blog, and I thought it would be helpful to sum up what you've been loving so far this fall.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Your Favorite Recent Articles</span><br />
You guys have been loving...<br />
<ol>
<li><a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2015/10/boy-meets-girl-feminine-forms-of-male.html">Boy Meets Girl: Feminine Forms of Male Names in the Bible</a></li>
<li><a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2015/09/favorite-fall-baby-names.html">My Top 20 Favorite Baby Names for Fall</a></li>
<li><a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2015/10/creative-honor-names.html">Creative Honor Names: 10 Ways to Honor a Loved One</a></li>
</ol>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Your Favorite Name Features</span><br />
You've spoken! These are the names you're curious about right now.<br />
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<li><a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2015/09/walden.html">Walden</a></li>
<li><a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2013/11/juniper.html">Juniper</a></li>
<li><a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2013/12/fanny-fannie-and-frances-family-of-names.html">Fanny, Fannie, and the Frances Family of Names</a></li>
</ol>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Seasonal Names</span><br />
I made a few changes to the blog to help you find names you love a little easier. I created the categories <a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/search/label/Fall%20Names"><b>Fall Names</b></a> and <a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/search/label/Winter%20Names"><b>Winter Names</b></a> because so many of you are interested in seasonal choices right now. They are beautiful, interesting, cross all styles, and are just plain fun to write about!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">My Articles on Baby Name Wizard</span><br />
Lots of planning and research go into these beefy name lists for BNW.<br />
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<li><a href="http://www.babynamewizard.com/archives/2015/10/18-up-and-coming-latino-and-latina-names" target="_blank">18 Up and Coming Latino and Latina Names</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.babynamewizard.com/archives/2015/9/15-biblical-names-for-boys-that-are-waiting-to-be-discovered" target="_blank">15 Biblical Names for Boys That Are Waiting to be Discovered</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.babynamewizard.com/archives/2015/9/15-virtue-names-you-havent-considered" target="_blank">15 Virtue Names You Haven't Considered</a></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Great Deals For Your Family</span><br />
Lately my affiliates are running some smokin' hot deals that I feel the need to pass along. (These are affiliate links.) As always, thanks for your support!<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Mabel's Labels</b> has created a <a href="http://shareasale.com/u.cfm?d=307476&m=40173&u=846520&afftrack=" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">personalized book called My Adventures in Star Wars</a>. Your child is part of the story, with their name and other details about their life appearing in the book. How cool is that?? It's right in time for the holidays and it's under $25 too!</li>
<li><b>Tiny Prints</b> is running a great sale for a short time! <a href="http://www.shareasale.com/u.cfm?d=307429&m=12808&u=846520" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Save 20% off all orders</a> (or save more, depending on how much you spend) with the code TPSAVE30 at checkout. Confession: I've been browsing the site for holiday birth announcements already.</li>
<li><b>The Honest Co.</b> is running a great promo for first-time customers. You can get <a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=Zve7//*AQ0c&offerid=281968.141&type=3&subid=0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">$10 off a minimum purchase of $25 with promo code GET10</a>. Hooray!</li>
</ul>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495715448355048258.post-6451565374861287962015-10-22T02:00:00.000-05:002015-10-23T14:56:45.572-05:00Harriet and Hattie<i>Harriet ~ Ruler of the Home ~ French, English</i><br />
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This name should be an enduring classic, a timeless star that shined steadily throughout the last century or two. Instead, America only embraced Harriet for a short time. There are finally some hints that we're warming up to this name, and I think a Victorian-style revival of the traditional names Harriet and Hattie is long overdue.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><b>History</b><br />
This rather British name is the result of dressing Henry up for the girls. It comes from the French <i>Henriette</i>, and while it's French in origin it also appears to take advantage of the boys' short form Harry. This name has made it big in the UK.<br />
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In America, Harriet was a top choice in Victorian times, when ultra-adorable nicknames like Hattie decorated the country classrooms of one-room schoolhouses across the US. It came across the pond with English immigrants, and America embraced it thoroughly at the time. It hit a high point at a rank of 73 in 1880, but <a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2009/01/what-is-rank.html">records are very spotty from that time</a> and it's likely this name was even more popular in the decade before. The name Hattie follows a similar pattern, hitting a high point at 27 the same year.<br />
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This name feels smart and simultaneously precious, the result of two different impressions passed along through famous females in addition to its pioneer era charm. Namesakes like Harriet Beecher Stowe or abolitionist Harriet Tubman lend a powerful and intellectual heritage, while the fictional girl obsessed with writing of <i>Harriet the Spy</i> fame adds more to this name's charmingly bookish personality.<br />
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<b>Popularity</b><br />
Today, <b>Harriet isn't even in the top 1,000</b> names in America. Words like "ridiculous" and "appalling" spring to mind when I consider this fact. In England and Wales, it's a firm top-100 choice that currently ranks at 61.<br />
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<b>Hattie</b> is seeing a little more of an upswing in the states, <b>sitting at 590</b>, down a bit from the spot it held previously. It's more popular in England and Wales, as you may expect, though the full name is favored while Hattie sits at 310.<br />
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Americans are starting to notice how sweet the short form Hattie is, but times are still tough for its elegant big sister Harriet. In the UK, it's a much different story!<br />
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<b>Variations</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Harriette</li>
<li>Henriette</li>
<li>Hattie</li>
<li>Hettie</li>
<li>Etta</li>
<li>Ettie</li>
</ul>
<b>Famous Namesakes</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Harriet Beecher Stowe, writer</li>
<li>Harriet Chalmers Adams, explorer</li>
<li>Harriet Martineau, English writer</li>
<li>Harriet Taylor Mill, philosopher, activist</li>
<li>Harriet Nahienaena, Hawaiian princess</li>
<li>Harriet Quimby, first American female pilot</li>
<li>Harriet Tubman, abolitionist</li>
</ul>
Harriet Carter is a retailer and Harriet M. Welsh is the star of the children's book <i>Harriet The Spy</i>.<br />
<br />
<b>Celebrity Babies</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Hattie Margaret, daughter of Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott</li>
</ul>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495715448355048258.post-36183932991073601102015-10-20T02:00:00.000-05:002015-10-20T02:00:01.005-05:00Thaddeus<i>Thaddeus ~ Given by God, Heart ~ Greek, Aramaic</i><br />
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A distinguished <a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2009/09/biblical-baby-names.html">biblical name</a> that's ready for rediscovery, Thaddeus is starting to win over our hearts and the top spots on our list of favorites. Still, it's a slow climb for this buttoned-down, creative, and traditional name.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><b>History</b><br />
Thaddeus came to be centuries ago, the product of the biblical name <i>Thaddai</i>, or the apostle Jude's name in Aramaic. The Aramaic name translates to <i>heart</i> or <i>courageous heart</i>. But Thaddeus may also have roots in Greek names like Theodoros or Thoedotos, names that mean <i>gift of God</i> or <i>given by God</i>.<br />
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The bottom line is that you'll see Thaddeus in the list of Christ's apostles in the Bible, making this name a biblical, ancient name with strong roots. In America, this name has been steadily used but never popular, hitting a modest peak in the 300s in the 1910s. It sounds aged, refined, and a little bit quirky, in a fantastic way.<br />
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<b>Popularity</b><br />
Thaddeus is very slowly, but steadily, gaining popularity. It's only ranked at 732, but it has been improving every year since 2010. I think the timing is perfect for this name, which is a little bit <a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2008/09/vintage-baby-names.html">vintage</a> and unique at the same time. It's an underrated, fashionable choice along the lines of <a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2012/11/theodore.html">Theodore</a>, Tobias, and <a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2013/08/atticus.html">Atticus</a>.<br />
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<b>Nicknames</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Tad</li>
<li>Thad</li>
</ul>
<b>Famous Namesakes & Celebrity Babies</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Thaddeus Stevens (1792â1868), US House of Representatives</li>
<li>Thaddeus Coleman Pound (1877-1883), US House of Representatives and grandfather of poet Ezra Pound</li>
<li>Thaddeus "Thad" McCotter, US House of Representatives (from 2003-2012)
</li>
<li>Thaddeus "Thad" Luckinbill, actor</li>
<li>Thaddeus "Thad" Lewis, quarterback</li>
<li>Thaddeus, son of actors Thad Luckinbill and Amelia Heinle</li>
<li>Thaddeus, son of actress Mia Farrow</li>
</ul>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495715448355048258.post-11718077541847208762015-10-13T03:00:00.000-05:002015-10-13T14:01:31.610-05:00Creative Honor Names: Ten Ways to Honor a Loved OneWhen my husbandâs brother passed away unexpectedly three weeks ago, my choice in baby names was not exactly at the forefront of my mind. Yet with each day that went by, thinking of ways to honor him came quite naturally. Iâm six months pregnant, and my husband and I had already chosen a first name that we loved for our little girl. But things had changed in an instant, and it became clear that we wanted to honor her late uncle with our daughterâs name.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Maybe youâre interested in making a similar tribute to a loved one who died too soon, or maybe you simply want to honor your family out of tradition, sentimentality, and respect. <b>There are lots of obstacles and questions that can arise when it comes to using an honor name, particularly if your loved oneâs first name isnât at the top of your list.</b> Here are some of my favorite options for getting creative with an honor name.<br />
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<i>For this list, our hypothetical person to honor is named <b>Donald Michael Tucker</b>.</i><br />
<ol>
<li><b>Middle Name Musical Chairs</b><br />Most people think of this one pretty quicklyâsimply use the first name for your childâs middle name, like Noah Donald. If you're avoiding the first name, use your loved one's middle name for your child either in the first or middle spot, as in Michael Noah or Noah Michael. Some choose to formally give their child a matching first name, but call him by his middle name, i.e. Donald Noah, "Noah."</li>
<li><b>Surname as a First Name</b><br />Todayâs naming trends include a host of surnames in the first name spot, and if the surname is different from yours, this may be a perfect way to honor family or a friend. After all, itâs a time-tested tradition, often used to pass along the motherâs maiden name. In my example, Tucker is much more trendy than Donald. Using a surname may be the answer if the first name isnât quite your style.</li>
<li><b>Sound Alikes</b><br />These are names that donât have the same origin but carry a similar sound as the original. In place of the example name, Donald, Donovan instantly springs to mind, followed by Donnelly. Itâs fairly easy to locate sound alikes. Just go through your name book and look at the entries near your loved oneâs name. Or, if the name has an interesting ending, you could work from that, choosing a rhyming name like Ronald or Reginald instead of Donald, for example. Looking at the middle part of the name or discarding the first initial can sometimes be interesting, like Conall. Putting a twist on nicknames like Don and Donnie could get you to Dean or Danny.</li>
<li><b>Variations </b><br />Another popular way to honor a relative is to look to variations of the name. Some are more obvious than others, and sometimes the variation provides a perfect twist on the name that fits your style. (Other times, not so much.) Male short forms of Donald include Don and Donny/Donnie. International variations can provide a distinctive twist, as in the Irish form DĂČnal or the Scottish Domnall. You could also look to surnames inspired by the name, such as Donaldson or MacDonald.</li>
<li><b>Naming Across Genders</b><br />Naming a girl after a male or vice-versa will often provide an instant variation that may fit your style. This is what Vin Diesel did when he and his longtime girlfriend <a href="http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/vin-diesel-names-newborn-baby-daughter-pauline-after-paul-walker-2015233" target="_blank">named their daughter Pauline</a>, in honor of Paul Walker. For our example, Donna and Donella are the traditional feminine choices, while Dawn is a homophone of the nickname Don.</li>
<li><b>Same Initials</b><br />If you happen to favor a name for your child that starts with the same letter as your loved one, this could be a very fitting option. It has even more impact if itâs carried through the middle and (if possible) surname.</li>
<li><b>Honoring Their Spirit</b><br />Thinking of what your loved one most enjoyed in the world may bring to mind names from nature, sports, places, books, hobbies, and more. If there's one thing they really treasured, there may be a name that creates an obvious connection. If Donald adored hiking in the woods, a name like Forrest or Walker may spring to mind. The key here is to not try too hard. This could be a pretty round-about way to honor someone, depending on the situation, but it's an option that has the potential to carry lots of meaning.</li>
<li><b>Similar Meanings</b><br />This is probably the most subtle way to honor a loved one that I can think of, but that may be what you prefer. For a name like Donald, which means âworld ruler,â you could look to other names that signify a ruler like Eric, Henry, or Walter.</li>
<li><b>Nicknames as Formal Names</b><br />Some relatives have spunky nicknames that have little or nothing to do with what was printed on their birth certificate. That was the case for Jenna Hager Bush. Upon the birth of her daughter Poppy Louise, <a href="http://celebritybabies.people.com/2015/08/14/jenna-bush-hager-welcomes-daughter-poppy-louise/" target="_blank">she and her husband stated</a>, âPoppy is named after Jennaâs grandfather, George Herbert Walker âPoppyâ Bush, a.k.a. Gampy. His nickname growing up was Poppy, and we are proud to name her after a man we so adore. Louise is in honor of our grandmothersâ middle names, Louise and Lewis.â In this case, the baby's great-grandfather happened to have a lovely nickname that worked surprisingly well for a girl.</li>
<li><b>Vary the Spelling</b><br />Sometimes making the name your own is a matter of putting a twist on the spelling. My example name is not a great one for this option, but most names offer lots more inspiration for a unique spelling (or a more traditional spelling if you're working with a unique one). The sound of the name will still speak volumes, but the spelling may feel more appropriate for your family. </li>
</ol>
<b>Choosing to honor someone with your child's name is often a sacrifice that's done out of love and respect. </b>My husband and I wanted to choose an honor name that wasnât a replica but also wasnât so distant from my brother-in-lawâs name that it barely made sense and would take a lot of explaining. It can be challenging to find that sweet spot, but what matters most is that your loved one is honored in a way that connects with you. My advice is to play around with a few options and donât pressure yourself to choose the name until youâre comfortable. If you need reassurance that the name is a fitting tribute, talk to a key person in the family before you make the final decision.<br />
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If you're naming a baby in the wake of a tragedy, give yourself as much time as possible. Imagine the name on your child years down the road, for them and for you. If names are your thing, you don't have to add to your heartbreak by giving up a name you loved. Play around with the creative options above or go for a meaningful middle name if you've already chosen a first name. If it's helpful, write down every option you're considering and <a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2015/08/your-choice-made-simple-baby-name-game.html">play the naming game</a> to narrow down your choice.<br />
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If youâre having a hard time choosing an honor name or finding variations, feminine or masculine forms, similar meanings, etc, feel free to <a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/p/contact-me-with-feedback-name.html">contact me</a>. <b>I wish you the very best in choosing an honor name that feels fitting in every way.</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495715448355048258.post-20873563683812282122015-10-08T14:57:00.000-05:002015-10-08T14:57:59.734-05:00Boy Meets Girl: Feminine Forms of Male Names in the BibleOne of my most popular posts is on <a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2009/09/biblical-baby-names.html">biblical baby names</a> of all kinds. It's a list full of classics, trendy options, and unusual names alike divided by gender. In that post, I discussed the fact that there are many more male names mentioned in the Bible than female names, and the list shows it. But there was one thing I left out: The gorgeous, endearing feminine forms of male names in the Bible.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>There's a lot to discover here across many different naming styles. The first names on the list are the most popular, followed by lesser-used options. They are all easy to love, and keep the same biblical spirit of their male counterparts, plus some fresh femininity. I hope you are as inspired as I am!<br />
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<h3>
Most Popular</h3>
<ol>
<li><b>Addison</b> ~ from the surname that means <i>Adam's son</i>; a roundabout feminine form of Adam</li>
<li><b><a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2007/12/samantha.html">Samantha</a></b> ~ an American combined name honoring Samuel, plus Anthea</li>
<li><b><a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2009/01/gabrielle.html">Gabriella</a></b> ~ the Latinate form of the angelic name Gabriel</li>
<li><b>Julia</b> ~ the feminine form of Julius</li>
<li><b>Andrea</b> ~ comes from the Greek name <a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2009/04/andrew.html">Andrew</a> </li>
<li><b>Nicole</b> ~ from <a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2015/08/nicholas.html">Nicholas</a>, a person found in the New Testament</li>
<li><b><a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2008/08/josephine.html">Josephine</a></b> ~ the feminine form of <a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2012/12/joseph.html">Joseph</a></li>
<li><a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2009/01/gabrielle.html"><b>Gabrielle</b></a> ~ the French feminine form of Gabriel</li>
<li><b>Michelle</b> ~ the French form of Michel, derived from Michael, a biblical angel</li>
<li><b>Stephanie</b> ~ the English feminine form of Stephen</li>
<li><b>Lucia</b> ~ feminine form of Lucius, the name of two people mentioned in the New Testament</li>
<li><b>Jacqueline</b> ~ feminine form of Jacques, the French form of <a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2008/04/james.html">James</a></li>
<li><b>Danielle</b>,<b> Daniella</b> ~ from the biblical dream interpreter, Daniel</li>
<li><b>Jane</b> ~ Old French feminine form of John</li>
<li><b>Michaela</b> ~ a recent trendsetter derived from the name Michael</li>
<li><b>Jamie</b> ~ a variation of the name <a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2008/04/james.html">James</a></li>
<li><b>Simone</b> ~ feminine form of Simon</li>
</ol>
<h3>
Lesser Used</h3>
<ul>
<li><b>Benjamine</b> ~ the French feminine form of Benjamin</li>
<li><b>Claudia</b> ~ from the name Claudius, briefly mentioned in the New Testament</li>
<li><b>Danette</b> ~ another feminine form of Daniel</li>
<li><b>Davida, Davina</b> ~ feminine forms of David</li>
<li><b>Iliana</b> ~ feminine form of Elias</li>
<li><b>Jacoba, Jacobine</b> ~ feminine forms of Jacob</li>
<li><b>Janae</b>,<b> Janet</b>,<b> Johnna, </b><b>Shauna</b> ~ feminine forms of John</li>
<li><b>Joelle</b>, <b>Joella </b>~ English feminine forms of Joel</li>
<li><b>Junia</b> ~ from the name Junius, mentioned in the New Testament</li>
<li><b>Mattea</b> ~ the Italian take on Matthew for girls</li>
<li><b><a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2008/07/micah.html">Micah</a></b> ~ masculine in the Bible, some are choosing this name for girls today</li>
<li><b>Paula</b>, <b>Paulina </b>~ feminine forms of Paul</li>
<li><b>Petra</b> ~ from the name Peter</li>
<li><b>Philippa</b>, <b>Pippa</b> ~ feminine forms of Philip</li>
<li><b>Tamsin</b> ~ English feminine form of Thomas</li>
</ul>
<ul>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495715448355048258.post-81006382300502412372015-09-28T02:00:00.000-05:002015-10-12T13:28:09.736-05:00Zoey, Zoe, and Zoie<i>Zoe ~ Life ~ Greek</i><br />
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<b>History & Meaning</b><br />
Zoe comes from the Greek word for life, or ζÏÎź. It's amazing how this ancient name strikes us as so modern and fresh today, making it a spot-on choice for those who love a spirited, contemporary classic with deep roots.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>This powerful little name has quite a history, dating back to the classical period. It became a favorite among Christians in the 2nd and 3rd centuries, but didn't debut on the English naming scene until the 19th century. Today, we love Zoe for its zippy sound and beautiful meaning.<br />
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<b>Optional </b><b>Decorations</b><br />
In Europe, and specifically in Dutch and German, the diaeresis (or umlaut) often appear over the last letter in Zoë as a little pronunciation guide. All it means is that the e is voiced, so that there isn't any confusion over rhyming this name with the likes of Joe or Monroe.<br />
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Since it's such a popular name, we're perfectly clear these days that when we see Zoe, we read it with a long e at the end. The diaeresis is completely optional. Some like the look of this, and others choose it to honor their Dutch heritage, but it's not used very often in the US. (Meanwhile, Zoé is the French form.) If you love Zoë, of course you should use it! And even if you don't make it official on the birth certificate, it's perfectly proper for a Zoe to clarify her name by spelling it Zoë when the occasion calls for it.<br />
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<b>Popularity</b><br />
In the 70s, American parents began to really see the spark in this name, but it's never done better than it has in these last few years. You can thank none other than <i>Sesame Street</i> for introducing a female muppet with this name in 1993 and spurring on a trend.<br />
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Zoe is doing exceptionally well today, with two different spellings in the top 40s. Theoretically, if we could all agree on one single spelling of the name, it would rank in the top five.<br />
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Zoe is a wildly popular name that is also thriving across several continents. You can find it throughout Europe and Australia, as well as North America. It makes a great name for a globe-trotter.<br />
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<b>Spellings by US Popularity</b><br />
If you're unsure of how you'd like to spell this name, here's your guide by popularity. After the top two in the list, the variations become more rare, and after the top three in this list, they are out of the top 1,000. I thought I'd clarify that with bold. And YES, the spelling Zoey is officially more popular than the original Zoe.<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Zoey</b></li>
<li><b>Zoe</b></li>
<li><b>Zoie</b></li>
<li>Zooey</li>
<li>Zoee</li>
<li>Zoei</li>
<li>Zoi</li>
<li>Zowie</li>
<li>Zoiey</li>
</ol>
<b>Celebrity Babies</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Zoe Isabelle, daughter of Lenny Kravitz and Lisa Bonet</li>
<li>Zoe Giordano, daughter of Woody Harrelson</li>
<li>Zoe Grace, daughter of Dennis Quaid</li>
<li>Zoie Laurelmae, daughter of Jodie Sweetin</li>
<li>Zoey Mykhale, daughter of Durrell (Tank) Babbs</li>
<li>Zoey Nidhi, daughter of Jennifer Arnold and Bill Klein</li>
</ul>
<b>Modern Famous Namesakes</b><br />
<div>
Ok, so there are roughly 4 billion famous people and characters with this name (I may be exaggerating slightly), so bear with me while I list the most prominent.</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Zoe Saldana, actress</li>
<li>Zooey Deschanel, actress</li>
<li>Zoë Lister, actress</li>
<li>Zoe Kazan, actress</li>
<li>Zoe Sugg, "Zoella" vlogger and author</li>
</ul>
<div>
Characters</div>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Zoe, <i>Sesame Street</i></li>
<li>Zoey, <i>Pokémon</i></li>
<li>Zoey Brooks, <i>Zoey 101</i></li>
<li>Zoe Hart, <i>Hart of Dixie</i></li>
<li>Zoe Slater<i>, EastEnders</i></li>
</ul>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495715448355048258.post-47371720014370410392015-09-23T02:00:00.000-05:002015-09-23T02:00:00.925-05:00Walden<i>Walden ~ Welsh Valley ~ Old English</i><br />
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The more I think about this name, the more it draws me in. It's appealing on every level, including its literary vibe, trendy sound, surname style, and <a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2009/02/nature-names.html">nature name</a> qualities.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><b>Walden and Thoreau</b><br />
For many, Walden is undoubtedly a literary name. It automatically brings to mind philosopher Henry David Thoreau's book, <i>Walden</i>. This classic embraced the Romantic period by exploring simple living, and it was fondly named after Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts. Thoreau was able to use a cabin there to write for two years, thanks to his mentor Ralph Waldo Emerson, who owned the land on the northern shore.<br />
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If you've ever wanted to "live deep and suck out all the marrow of life," you got the phrasing of that idea from the book <i>Walden</i>. (This quote is a focal point in the movie <i>Dead Poets Society</i>, so maybe you heard it there first.) The name Walden encompasses this popular philosophical memoir written in quotable prose.<br />
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<b>More Than The Book</b><br />
But Walden doesn't necessarily carry the weight of Transcendentalism or the overtones of Thoreau's philosophy. The name is balanced by its heritage as an English surname and its <i>-den</i> ending, which is thriving among top choices like Aiden, Jayden, Brayden, and Camden. In contrast with those contemporary hits, Walden is proudly sporting a bow tie. It may be a <a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2009/02/nature-names.html">nature name</a> and place name, but it has an unmistakable, refined British sound.<br />
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Walden gets its meaning from two words, the first half most likely coming from <i>waleis</i>, meaning "Welsh," and <i>denu</i>, meaning "valley." It's a somewhat common English surname, and the name of many different places and small towns in England, Canada, and the US.<br />
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If you choose this name, some will ask you if it was inspired by the book, but others won't make the connection. It's such a positive association that it doesn't matter either way, whether you love it for its sound, literary connections, surname status, English history, or all of the above.<br />
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There may be a few who will ask you if you were inspired by Ashton Kutcher's character on the bygone show <i>Two and a Half Men</i>. My thoughts are that Walden was chosen for the character in the hopes it would communicate a British upper-crust feel to match his billionaire status. In the show, Walden is much more lovable than his predecessor Charlie was, and I don't think it's a bad association at all.<br />
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<b>Other Literary & Artistic References</b><br />
The former chain store <i>Waldenbooks</i> further lends a bookish air to this name, and while the company likely took its name from the Thoreau work, I couldn't confirm that. Meanwhile, <i>Walden Media</i>, a film company, was named after the pond itself.<br />
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<b>Modern Fictional Characters Named Walden</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Walden Belfiore, from the HBO series <i>The Sopranos</i></li>
<li>Walden Schmidt, from the CBS sitcom <i>Two and a Half Men</i></li>
<li>Walden, from the kids' TV series <i>Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!</i></li>
<li>Walden Macnair, from the <i>Harry Potter</i> series</li>
</ul>
<b>Popularity</b><br />
Walden is not a popular name by any stretch of the imagination. It's so unique it was only given to 28 boys last year.<br />
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If you're looking for something earthy, literary, distinguished, familiar, and unique, Walden may just be the perfect choice.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495715448355048258.post-41303213244705328212015-09-21T00:00:00.000-05:002015-10-28T14:13:33.607-05:00Celebrity Babies of 2015: Summer Season<i style="text-align: start;">Fall is almost upon us, and that means it's time to wrap up celebrity baby names for the past three months. Included are the baby's birthday, parents' names and the baby's first and middle name (if available). Announcements are still trickling in, and as they do I will update this post. A few words of commentaryâin the form of celebrity name awardsâare below the list!</i>
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<b>Baby Girls</b><br />
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June 22, Noah Wyle and Sara Wells: <b>Frances Harper</b><br />
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June 25, Anne V. (née Anne Vyalitsyna) and Adam Cahan: <b>Alaska</b><br />
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June 27, Emily and Justin Baldoni: <b>Maiya Grace</b><br />
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July, Charlize Theron: <b>August</b><br />
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July 1, Tamera Mowry-Housley and Adam Housley: <b>Ariah Talea</b><br />
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July 7, Sophie B. Hawkins: <b>Esther Ballantine</b><br />
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July 9, Bobby Brown and Alicia Etheredge: <b>Bodhi Jameson Rein</b><br />
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July 10, Stephen and Ayesha Curry: <b>Ryan Carson</b><br />
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July 22, Brandon and Leah Jenner: <b>Eva James</b><br />
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August 3, Ashley Scott and Steve Hart: <b>Iyla Vue</b><br />
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August 4, Leighton Meester and Adam Brody: <b>Arlo Day</b><br />
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August 10, Brian Tee and Mirelly Taylor: <b>Madelyn Skyler</b><br />
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August 12, Alexis and Billy Joel: <b>Della Rose</b><br />
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August 13, Jenna Bush Hager and Henry Hager: <b>Poppy Louise</b><br />
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August 14, Rachael and Gabriel Krueger: <b>Rocket Jade</b><br />
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August 17, Kevin Zegers and Jaime Feld: <b>Zoe Madison</b> and <b>Blake Everleigh</b> (TWINS!)<br />
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August 30, Kevin Durand and Sandra Cho Durand: <b>Amélie Moon </b><br />
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September 7, Dave and Odette Annable: <b>Charlie Mae</b><br />
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September 11, Lily Cole and Kwame Ferreira: <b>Wylde Cole</b><br />
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September 12, John and Candice Cody: <b>Beatrix Leigh</b><br />
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September 15, Marcus Mumford and Carey Mulligan:<b> Evelyn Grace</b><br />
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September 22, Stacey Bendet and Eric Eisner: <b>Athena Belle</b><br />
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<b>Baby Boys</b><br />
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June 24, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Brian Hallisay: <b>Atticus James</b><br />
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June 30, Drew Sidora and Ralph Pittman: <b>Machai David</b><br />
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July 1, Tiffani Thiessen and Brady Smith: <b>Holt Fisher</b><br />
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July 4, Jeff Goldblum and Emilie Livingston Goldblum: <b>Charlie Ocean</b><br />
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July 16, Emily Maynard and Tyler Johnson: <b>Jennings Tyler</b><br />
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July 16, Kyle Newman and Jaime King: <b>Leo Thames</b><br />
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July 16, Kiptyn Locke and Samm Murph: <b>Koltyn</b><br />
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July 22, Timothy V. Murphy and Caitlin Manley: <b>Fionn</b><br />
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July 23, A.J. Cook and Nathan Andersen: <b>Phoenix Sky</b><br />
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August 20, Tarek and Christina El Moussa: <b>Brayden James</b><br />
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August 24, Max Greenfield and Tess Sanchez: <b>Ozzie James</b><br />
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August 27, Lucy Liu: <b>Rockwell Lloyd</b><br />
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September 3, Eric and Jessie James Decker: <b>Eric Thomas II</b><br />
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September 17, Ryan Dorsey and Naya Riviera: <b>Josey Hollis</b><br />
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Summer 2015</b></span></center>
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<span style="color: #b122aa;"><b>Most Creative Name</b></span><br />
<i>The name that most shows a creative flair.</i><i> </i><br />
Say this darling name out loud, first and middle, and you'll see why Iyla is a winner. <a href="http://celebritybabies.people.com/2015/09/11/ashley-scott-daughter-iyla-vue-first-photo/" target="_blank">Parents Ashley Scott and Steve Hart chose a name</a> that will always have a special meaning, and has "I love you" written all over it. You can read all about the name <a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2013/08/isla.html">Isla or Iyla</a> here. And thanks to Ashley Scott for noticing and sharing this post!<br />
<span style="color: #b122aa;"><b>WINNER:</b></span> <b>Iyla Vue</b><br />
<span style="color: #b122aa;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: #b122aa;"><b>Top Stereotypical Celebrity Name</b></span><i><br />Names that give celebs a reputation for using wild or odd names.</i><br />
It's right there in my little descriptionâthe most "wild" name of the group is one chosen by parents Lily Cole (model/actress) and Kwame Ferreira. Not only is it a creative spelling, it's also a surprising choice for a girl.<br />
<b><span style="color: #b122aa;"><b>WINNER:</b></span> </b><b>Wylde Cole</b><br />
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<span style="color: #b122aa;"><b>Top Trendy Names </b></span><i><br />Names that are becoming a hit with celebs and not-so-famous parents alike.</i> <b> </b><br />
<span style="color: #b122aa;"><b>WINNERS:</b></span> <b>Madelyn Skyler</b>, <b>Phoenix Sky</b><br />
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<span style="color: #b122aa;"><b>Most Classic Name</b></span><br />
<i>Classic names that no one pays attention to because they aren't wild enough.</i><br />
There were a handful of classic names this season, but the choice for our winners was still a simple one.<br />
<span style="color: #b122aa;"><b>WINNERS:</b></span> <b>Charlie </b>(boy)<b> </b>and <b>Esther</b> (girl)<br />
<b><br /></b><span style="color: #b122aa;"><b>Best Intriguing Name</b></span><br />
<i>A name that is a little surprising, in a nice way.</i><i> </i><br />
This unique place name has hints of Alana and Alexa, but it's a breath of icy fresh air.<br />
<span style="color: #b122aa;"><b>WINNER:</b></span> <b>Alaska</b><br />
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<span style="color: #b122aa;"><b>Newest Celebrity Trend</b></span><br />
<i>An interesting trend showing up in this season's names, whether or not it's a trend on a large scale.</i><br />
Alternative spellings popped up a bit more than usual among this group, offering some interesting twists with a focus on the letter y.<br />
<span style="color: #b122aa;"><b>WINNERS:</b></span> <b>Maiya</b>, <b>Iyla</b>, <b>Madelyn</b>,<b> </b><b>Wylde</b>,<b> Koltyn</b><br />
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<span style="color: #b122aa;"><b>Personal Favorite </b></span><b> </b><br />
<i>My own choice for best names. What's yours?</i><br />
<span style="color: #b122aa;"><b>WINNER:</b></span> <b>Amélie Moon</b><br />
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<b>Share Your Thoughts</b><br />
No matter what the style, we all love dishing about the name choices of the rich and famous. Please share your opinions in the comments!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495715448355048258.post-24696940288110399422015-09-16T03:00:00.000-05:002015-09-16T03:00:04.488-05:00Hannah<i>Hannah ~ God has favored me with a child ~ Hebrew</i><br />
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Between its lovely, soft sound and its melt-our-hearts meaning, Hannah has become an American staple. I also love that this name happens to be a palindrome; perfect from beginning to end...and back again.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><b>History</b><br />
We've been in love with Hannah for a long time, but not nearly as long as it's been in existence. As the mother of the leader and judge Samuel, Hannah is a biblical heroine who believed that God would give her a child, and her faithful spirit gives the name a noble, motherly presence.<br />
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This <a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-most-classic-girls-names-of-all-time.html">gorgeous classic</a> didn't take off until Puritans rediscovered it in the 16th century. It experienced another revival during the <a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2008/10/baby-names-from-pioneer-times.html">pioneer era</a> of American history and a little slump afterwards, making this name feel like an old-fashioned choice today. It sits equally well beside classics like <a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2008/08/elizabeth.html">Elizabeth</a> or Victorian choices like Emma.<br />
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<b>Meaning</b><br />
Hannah's meaning comes from a Hebrew word that means "He has favored me," but the rest of the meaning is implied, making it <i>God has favored me with a child</i>. Some sources will simply say Hannah means favor or grace, but I find the full Hebrew to be not only more accurate, but more, well, meaningful.<br />
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<b>Popularity</b><br />
Hannah has been in the top 20s for the past seven years. For this name, that's a bit low, but I don't expect it to fall very far at all. Hannah is recovering from a huge surge, hitting a peak at #2 in the year 2000.<br />
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Hannah isn't just popular in the US. It's also doing very well in Canada, Australia, Germany, Austria, and across the UK.<br />
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<b>Variations</b><br />
Hannah's simplicity is a large part of its charm, and variations are rare. Here's all I have to offer.<br />
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<ul>
<li>Hana</li>
<li>Hanna</li>
</ul>
<b>Celebrity Babies</b><br />
Celebrities who chose the name Hannah for their daughter include...<br />
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<ul>
<li>Sarah Drew, actress</li>
<li>Bill Hader, actor</li>
<li>Mel Gibson, actor</li>
<li>Sam Shepard and Jessica Lange, actors</li>
</ul>
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<b>Famous Namesakes</b></div>
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Because this name is a biblical classic, there are loads of important and famous ladies bearing the name Hannah! Here are a select few.</div>
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<ul>
<li>Hannah van Buren, wife of President Martin van Buren (she died before he took office)</li>
<li>Hannah More, English author and philanthropist</li>
<li>Hannah Arendt, philosopher</li>
<li>Hannah Webster Foster, author</li>
<li>Hannah Teter, snowboarder</li>
<li>Hannah Kearney, athlete</li>
<li>Hannah Wood, actress (sister to Elijah)</li>
<li>Hannah Davis, model</li>
<li>Hannah Ware, model and actress</li>
<li>Hannah Hart, internet personality</li>
</ul>
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<b>Fictional Namesakes & Pop Culture References</b></div>
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<ul>
<li>Hannah Longbottom Abbott, character in the <i>Harry Potter</i> Series</li>
<li><i>Hannah Hunt</i>, song by Vampire Weekend</li>
<li><i>Hannah Montana</i>, Disney Channel TV show</li>
<li>Hannah Horvath, main character on HBO TV series <i>Girls</i></li>
<li>Hannah McKay, character on Showtime TV series <i>Dexter</i></li>
<li>Hanna Marin, character on ABC Family's<i> Pretty Little Liars</i></li>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495715448355048258.post-85225035050791608242015-09-14T03:00:00.000-05:002015-09-14T03:00:12.336-05:00My Top 20 Favorite Baby Names for Fall<i>I originally wrote this article for Baby Name Wizard and have tweaked it a bit for this blog. Enjoy!</i><br />
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This morning the temperature was in the 40s, and I did a little happy dance and ran to pull out my favorite pumpkin everything. I'm not only thinking autumn decor, clothes, foods, and smells, I'm thinking fall baby names. There's something especially inspiring about this time of year and names that celebrate the season are just as rich and lovely as those beautiful changing leaves.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>My favorite names for autumn go beyond some of the classic choices into names inspired by their meanings, colors, and connections to fall foods and activities. Some are surprising, some are spot-on, and a few are, well, just a little bit of a stretch. After all, a little imagination could be just what you need to find that perfect name this season.<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Sienna </b>~ This Italian earthy orange-red pigment is the perfect fall shade and baby name. Itâs also familiar to us as the more fiery burnt sienna, a brown-red that has been used by painters and little Crayola coloring artists for ages. Actress Sienna Miller has made this name even more appealing.</li>
<li><b>Archer </b>~ This name, meaning "bowman," is a nod to the bow-and-arrow season that is just beginning to kick off across the country. Archer is becoming more popular with each year, though itâs far from over-used.</li>
<li><b>Aurelia </b>~ If you love the colors of fall like I do, this Latin name meaning âgoldenâ could be perfect for your little one. Choose Aurelia now if you want to be ahead of the curveâitâs recently broken the top 1,000 names and is showing lots of potential.</li>
<li><b>Garner </b>~ Garner is an unusual choice that means "to harvest grain" in Latin. Itâs ripe with potential, and two celeb babies have Garner for a middle nameâSamuel Garner, son of Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck, and Haven Garner, daughter of Jessica Alba and Cash Warren.</li>
<li><b>November </b>~ November is another spot-on choice with stunning nicknames Nova and Ember. Not far away in popularity are fitting Fall names September and October.</li>
<li><b>Oakley </b>~ An English surname meaning "oak clearing," oak trees are a hallmark of the season between their colorful leaves and festive acorns. Oakley is another lovely choice that is just beginning to catch on with parents.</li>
<li><b>Jack </b>~ A fitting name for your little jack-o-lantern, Jack is an unexpected reference to both Halloween and to Jack Frost, who begins to visit us this time of year and is said to color the leaves in the fall.</li>
<li><b>Autumn </b>~ Altogether apropos, Autumn is pretty and especially meaningful for a baby with fall-loving parents. This top-100 name is taking off and has yet to hit its peak.</li>
<li><b>Sage </b>~ A fall-inspired color as well as a savory spice, Sage is a quintessential part of the Thanksgiving meal. The name Sage is starting to make a splash among parents, including celebs like Pink and Toni Collette.</li>
<li><b>Jora </b>~ This rare name is Hebrew for "autumn rain" and comes with sweet variations Jorah, Jorie, and Jory.</li>
<li><b>Arlet </b>~ I love anything thatâs <a href="https://www.blogger.com/http~//nameisms.blogspot.com/2008/02/apple-varieities.html">apple-inspired</a> this season, including baby names like Arlet, which is a variety of apple related to Golden Delicious. The name has French roots and itâs more commonly spelled Arlette.</li>
<li><b>Clove </b>~ A fragrant spice that will be garnishing our hot drinks, desserts, and holiday hams this fall, Clove is both a pretty and frill-free baby name. (Sorry, Cinnamon!)</li>
<li><b>Demi</b>, <b>Demetria </b>~ The Greek goddess of the harvest comes with a Hollywood-inspired variation. The name Demi is showing signs of life with the help of singing starlet Lovato.</li>
<li><b>Hunter </b>~ Fall rings in the hunting season, and whether or not you are a fan of wild game, this top-ranking name is sure to please.</li>
<li><b>Teresa</b> and <b>Tessa </b>~ The classic Greek-turned-Italian name Teresa has a lovely Autumn connection in its meaning, "harvest". While Teresa has been falling in popularity, one of its charming short forms, Tessa, has lots of staying power.</li>
<li><b>Aspen </b>~ Aspens are mountain-loving poplar trees with dazzling fall foliage in shades of yellow and gold. This nature name is starting to take off and just recently broke into the top 500.</li>
<li><b><a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2013/01/scarlett.html">Scarlett</a> </b>~ A bold red that reminds us of the color of maple leaves, Scarlett is a red-hot favorite that hasnât looked back since Ms. Johansson hit the silver screen.</li>
<li><b>Brock </b>~ Another irresistible apple variety, Brock is an Old English name meaning "badger". Andâdonât laughâit even shares its sound with our favorite brand of candy corns and pumpkins, Brachâs. I try.</li>
<li><b>Raven </b>~ Edgar Allen Poeâs famous gothic poem <i>The Raven</i> gives this name a little bit of spook factor. Raven was most popular as a girlsâ name in 1993, though itâs still got plenty of life left.</li>
<li><b>Arista </b>~ An energetic Greek name meaning "harvest," Arista hits the mark perfectly for a unique but stylish Fall name. She also happens to be the name of one of Ariel's sisters in Disney's <i>The Little Mermaid</i> movies.</li>
</ol>
What names strike you as perfect Fall (or Autumn)? Share your favorites with the whole class!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495715448355048258.post-64521454759682235452015-09-10T13:34:00.001-05:002015-09-10T13:41:19.962-05:00Vance<i>Vance ~ Marsh ~ Old English</i><br />
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Years ago, I was in love with all names that started with V. We lived near a street named Vance, and I thought I'd just found the perfect baby name. Vance manages to be unusual and traditional at the same time, and with its familiar sound and <a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2009/04/one-syllable-names.html">one-syllable appeal</a>, I still think Vance is pretty close to perfect.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><b>History and Modern Appeal</b><br />
Vance is an English surname that's full of personality and tradition. It comes from the Old English word <i>fenn</i>, describing a marsh or swamp. It's been a staple in America as long as we have records, however, it's also remained rare. My guess is that because it's such an appealing surname, it was often chosen to honor family (perhaps the mother's maiden name) through the years.<br />
<br />
Vance is perfectly on par with Chance or Lance, two names that feel pretty casual. And while it definitely strikes a chord with parents looking for short-and-sweet names, Vance holds on tightly to its proper English heritage, and the nickname Van makes it feel even more formal. Throw in the fact that this name sounds like an alternative to the traditional hit Vince (via Vincent), and it becomes very clear why this name <a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-most-classic-boys-names-of-all-time.html">feels like a classic</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>Popularity</b><br />
Despite its low popularity, Vance is a versatile and traditional choice that's never seemed to fall out of use in America. Today, it sits in the high 800s and is falling a bit.<br />
<br />
<b>Variations</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Van (also a nickname for Ivan or Evan)</li>
</ul>
<b>Famous Namesakes & Celebrity Babies</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Vance Baldwin, son of Chyna Phillips and William Baldwin</li>
<li>Vance Joy, Australian singer/songwriter</li>
<li><i>The Legend of Bagger Vance</i>, a book and movie</li>
</ul>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495715448355048258.post-39983303441967776852015-09-08T02:00:00.000-05:002015-09-10T13:42:14.253-05:00The Gender Gap: Are Baby Naming Styles Equal Among Boys and Girls?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwbGd_WdOp6LDAwKfh7B_IKvhq9jHkH_8PhmPhGafuzp1zlWN7TEMFFFx3D_FLK044oJJilbavCKQKntjce5Loy4VcwK5_sdZWLtTXYn0xRq1cDPdgYmI8mQsLE9XwhqJUZUQly7DDQ5k5/s1600/fight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwbGd_WdOp6LDAwKfh7B_IKvhq9jHkH_8PhmPhGafuzp1zlWN7TEMFFFx3D_FLK044oJJilbavCKQKntjce5Loy4VcwK5_sdZWLtTXYn0xRq1cDPdgYmI8mQsLE9XwhqJUZUQly7DDQ5k5/s400/fight.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Awhile back, I was interviewed for an article on naming trends, and the interviewer, <a href="http://www.shelliebraeuner.com/" target="_blank">Shellie Braeuner</a>, had a fantastic question. She asked me:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Do you see greater benefits or pitfalls for girls with unusual names or boys? Is there a gender gap when it comes to unique names? For example, would a girl named Siobhan fare better or worse than a boy named Plutarch? Or would there be no difference between gender in your opinion?
</blockquote>
I thought this was a provocative thing to ask. The question, and my answer, (understandably) didn't end up being used in the finished piece, so I'm taking matters into my own hands.<br /><br />
<a name='more'></a>
Thankfully, I don't have to rely on personal opinion when it comes to whether there is a gender gap in naming style. This country's name statistics over the years answer the question for me.<br />
<br />
Here's my short answer...<br />
<br />
<h3>
<b>Boys' names have stayed more traditional over the years, while girls' names are more susceptible to trends</b>.</h3>
<br />
And here's my long answer...<br />
<br />
Taking a look at the top five boys' names over the last century reveals Michael, John, and William appear consistently, while the girls' top five reveal zero common contenders through the years. Even though there are plenty of <a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-most-classic-girls-names-of-all-time.html">classic girls' names</a> doing well today, they waver more in popularity over time, moving in and out of fashion more quickly.<br />
<br />
<h3>
In the US, Girls' Names Are More Diverse</h3>
Get ready for some math. Though there are <i>more</i> boys born in the US each year than girls, the names chosen for girls are repeated <i>a lot less</i>, with a total of 19,067 girls' names reported by the SSA, and only 13,977 names included for boys last year*. That means that parents are choosing from a much <b>smaller pool of names when it comes to boys</b>, while <b>girls' names include a wider variety</b>âby more than 36%!<br />
<br />
The diversity in girls' names means that it may feel more socially acceptable for a girl to be named Lilac than a boy to be named Bravery**. On the flip side, announcing your girl's name is Deborah (a beautiful Biblical classic that fell victim to trends) may get more mixed reactions than a boy named Daniel (a Biblical boys' name that has been steadily popular).<br />
<br />
I'm speaking in broad generalizations, of course. There are plenty of parents today who are looking for a trendy name for their son, or a more classic name for their daughter. But the numbers reveal that as a country, Americans pair fanciful and fashionable with feminine qualities, while tried-and-true classics strike us as particularly appealing for boys.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Does it matter?</h3>
It's important to me that you keep in mind this is a matter of naming stats, and not of any personal opinion. I would be the last person to say that boys' names should be traditional or girls' names should be trendy! Of course, you can be adventurous and creative, or traditional and classic, with your baby's name, no matter their sex or any other circumstance. (I was!)<br />
<br />
It all comes down to this: <b>Choose a name that you love and that you think your child can wear proudly, and you can't go wrong.</b><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">*This is the number of names given to a minimum of 5 boys or girls in 2014.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">**There were 10 baby girls named Lilac and 10 baby boys named Bravery born in 2014.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495715448355048258.post-52448438821566435722015-09-01T02:00:00.000-05:002015-09-10T13:35:13.942-05:00Everly, Everleigh, and Everlee<i style="text-align: start;">Everly ~ From the Boar Meadow ~ English</i>
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<b><br /></b>
<b>History & Meaning</b><br />
This name may be completely contemporary, but it's also a traditional English surname that has gone undiscovered until recently. <br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>It does have a meaning, the "Ever" portion of the name coming from the English <i>eorfor</i>, which means wild boar, and the -ly suffix meaning a woodland clearing or meadow. That leads us to a loose translation along the lines of a wild boar in the woodland clearing...or you can just go with my favorite way to sum it up: From the Boar Meadow. Surnames are used to describe a family, after all, and this was a way to talk about where that family lived. It has a fantastic, rural countryside image for meâa meadow where wild boars may like to roam through from time to time sounds like a beautiful spot.<br />
<br />
If this name instead makes you think of the word ever, with connotations of forever, evergreen, evermore, and eternity, I think that's beautiful too. Even though it's not true to the name's roots, it can be difficult to separate our obvious modern associations from a name like Everly, and this group of meanings happens to be gorgeous. You could use both when you talk about your daughter's name with her someday, and I think the name has extra depth because of its meaning and its <i>feeling</i>, so to speak.<br />
<br />
<b>Style & Sound</b><br />
We love this name primarily for its sound. Everly is hitting all the right style notes, striking a chord as both contemporary and elegant. Many of us are drawn to it not as a historic English surname, but as a beautiful spinoff of the word "ever," as well as more popular names like Emily or Evelyn. And in case you're noticing a hint of the '30s in this name, Everly would be a fitting and creative way to honor a Beverly.<br />
<br />
<b>Popularity</b><br />
Everly recently made name news by being one of the <a href="http://nameisms.blogspot.com/2015/06/freshly-picked-baby-names-of-2014-new.html">highest rising girls' names in both the US</a> and in England and Wales. People love this name! As far as American stats go, Everly first appeared in the top 1,000 names for girls in 2012 at a modest rank of 905. But then something happened. 2013 saw a huge increase in popularity for this name, and it rose to 380. Last year Everly hit an <b>impressive rank of 178</b>.<br />
<br />
There's a teensy catchâthere are a few other spellings being used for this name. Reinventions of Everly mean that it has a sound that's more popular than the stats can tell us. Adding up all of the girls with different spellings born last year puts this name at a rank closer to 120, between Liliana and Mary. But going down that rabbit hole would also mean tallying all the other alternative spellings for every name, so take that number with a grain of salt.<br />
<br />
The bottom line is that <b>Everly is gaining popularity and hasn't yet reached it's peak</b>. It's a beautiful name!<br />
<br />
<b>Spellings In Order of Popularity</b><br />
<ol>
<li><b>Everly</b><br /><i>This is the most popular spelling by far, so it's probably going to be considered the "easiest" to spell and read.</i></li>
<li><b>Everleigh</b></li>
<li><b>Everlee</b></li>
<li><b>Everley</b></li>
<li><b>Everlie</b><br /><i>Less than 50 girls were given this spelling of the name last year</i></li>
<li><b>Everli</b></li>
<li><b>Everlea</b><br /><i>Less than 10 girls were given this spelling of the name last year</i></li>
<li><b>Everlei</b><br /><i>Only 5 girls were given this spelling of the name last year</i></li>
</ol>
<b>Famous Namesakes & Celebrity Babies</b><br />
<ul>
<li>The Everly Brothers</li>
<li>Everly, daughter of Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan-Tatum</li>
</ul>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495715448355048258.post-61109197773105347132015-08-27T07:48:00.000-05:002015-09-09T14:19:52.400-05:00Your Choice Made Simple: A Baby Name Game for Expecting ParentsI can't believe I'm about to say this, but my husband and I have chosen a name for our little girl, due in four months. I'm so excited, we both love her name, and we actually had a lot of fun making the choice. I just have to share how we did it!<br />
<br />
I've written about how hard choosing a name is before, and I'll say it again: choosing a name can be tough! I'm surrounded by names every day, and I fill my spare time with reading about them, researching them, and writing about them. So how does a person obsessed with names even begin to make a choice? I'm going to tell you our secret for making it pretty easy.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia26f3-Y9JppOhxKNicMtYG0MPF-sIDUDYJq4idKi6sVwTBNnRJK51rVVF63W4ELm4gL66Ptgoj9-jv2HI5cL0UsMLFgUU_Am96mKal4y53xmbZgLGbS1UEWUPVaOAsfRyJVtQENqRA4Fw/s1600/baby-name-game.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia26f3-Y9JppOhxKNicMtYG0MPF-sIDUDYJq4idKi6sVwTBNnRJK51rVVF63W4ELm4gL66Ptgoj9-jv2HI5cL0UsMLFgUU_Am96mKal4y53xmbZgLGbS1UEWUPVaOAsfRyJVtQENqRA4Fw/s1600/baby-name-game.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br />
<a name='more'></a>You may need to do a little ground work first. If you already have a big list of names you and your partner both like, skip to the third step below.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">First, write down your favorite names separately.</span><br />
Keep this part fun! Sit down with a name book (that's not too long) if it's helpful. Don't pressure yourself or overthink things. If you like the sound of it and can see it on your child, it goes on the list. When all is said and done, you probably have a pretty long list. That's good!<br />
<br />
Have your partner do the same thing, separately from you. Don't try to influence each other just yet.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
Next, write down the names you had in common.</span>
<br />
Compare the lists you've made and only write down names that appeared on both. My husband and I had a list of 15 names that we both happened to like. That's pretty good! If you and your partner only have a few, don't panic. That just makes your choice easier! If you want more in the pool, agree to disagree about the names you love for the moment.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
Third, write down every name you both like on index cards.</span><br />
Write down one name per card and keep them as uniform as you can, on the same kinds of cards and in the same pen/marker. My husband and I allowed for emergency write-ins before the exercise. That turned out to be pretty important, as two of our last minute favorites that we'd overlooked ended up in our top five!<br />
<br />
If you are planning on finding out your baby's sex, wait to play this game until after that anatomy scan. Otherwise, play it twiceâonce for a girl and once for a boy.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Let the games begin!</h4>
<div>
Keeping the mood light and having an open mind here is key. It may help to think of this as a way to pick your top two names if you aren't ready to settle on just one. Put on some happy music, grab your favorite name book, and keep an internet connection handy. Oh, and set aside a couple of hours. Here's how you play the game.<br />
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<div>
<ol>
<li><b>Shuffle the cards</b> (face down).</li>
<li><b>Flip over two of the cards and stop there.</b> <br />Consider and discuss those two names and choose your favorite (together!) among them. You'll be surprised at how simple this is! In the beginning the game is fairly easy, unless you happen to get two of your absolute top choices pitted against each other. If that happens, they can both go back in the keep pile during the first round.</li>
<li><b>Put the eliminated name in a discard pile. </b>This can be a tough moment. But if you love Logan more than Nathan, there's no need to keep Nathan in the running. Then put the name you liked best in the keep pile.</li>
<li><b>Start over with two new cards. </b><br />Repeat until you've gone through all of them. If you have an uneven number, put the single card leftover at the end in the keep pile and then start the process over again. </li>
<li><b>Reshuffle the keep cards, face down. </b>And repeat from step 2.</li>
</ol>
Rounds two and up can be tough. You may want to look ahead to my tips on discussing the merits of a name. At this point, you and your partner should eliminate a card every time, no matter what. I want you to know, I feel your painâwhen my husband and I were confronted with a pair that we loved, we both groaned as soon as it came up. But as it turns out we really didn't love two names equally, and there was a pretty simple deciding factor every time. Try to keep an open mind and think about how exciting it'll be once you've found the right name for your child together.</div>
<div>
<br />
That's it! You'll end up narrowing down the options until you arrive at your number once choice. We saved our top five names as a keepsake, but we're almost 100% sure we'll be writing down our top pick at the hospital. It's amazingly simple and, from my experience, it's actually <i>fun</i>!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
By the way, you can repeat this game with a stack of middle name choices as well if you'd like. For us, the middle name was very quick and pretty painless to discuss.<br />
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
Discuss the merits of a name.</span><br />
Some things to help you choose between names include...<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Sound</b>: Say the names out loud, say them with your surname, pretend you are calling them to come inside for dinner, practice introducing them as your son or daughter ("this is my son, Ethan"), and say them with any of their sibling names. Consider whether the names sound very similar to other names and if they'll be mistaken a lot at first (and whether that's important to you) i.e. Would a Maisie be heard as Macy quite often? And if so, does that matter to you?</li>
<li><b>On paper</b>: Imagine how they'd look on a family letter or Christmas card (<i>Love, the Emersons</i> ~ <i>Brian, Lisa, Caroline, and Maxwell</i>). Will teachers be able to read the name easily during roll call? Think about initials too.</li>
<li><b>Nicknames</b>: Consider any nicknames that come from the names in front of you, and how much you like those. If one name has a nickname and one doesn't, talk about whether you prefer the name to be straightforward or to have versatility. (It's all a matter of preference.)</li>
<li><b>Meaning (of all kinds)</b>: Look up each name's meaning and see if you personally connect with it. Then broaden that discussion. Is the origin of the name special to you? Are there family members with the name? Does it reflect your faith or values? Answering these questions will help you discover any reason one name may be more dear to you than the other.</li>
<li><b>Popularity</b>: If you're concerned about the popularity of your child's name, <a href="http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/#ht=2" target="_blank">look up where it ranks</a>. But be careful hereâthere's nothing wrong with choosing a popular name (or vise versa, choosing a very rare name) if that's what speaks to you the most. It may help to know that when I was born, my name was the #20 name for girls, but I never had to share it with another girl in my class.</li>
<li><b>Pop Culture</b>: <a href="http://www.babynamewizard.com/baby-name" target="_blank">Look up the names on Baby Name Wizard</a> if you have hit a tough spot. Pay attention to the comments, and any celebrity icons or fictional characters that have this name. If there are any negative associations, decide how important they are to you.</li>
<li><b>Roadblocks</b>: Is it too similar to your own name, the name of a cousin, etc? Do you have a bad/weird association with it? Is there some sort of unfortunate teasing potential? If there's a roadblock with one of the names, now is a great time to make sure you've thought about it.</li>
<li><b>Perfectionism</b>: Even though I seem to love just about every name out there, I can also see the flaws in every name. There's no such thing as the perfect name, just the perfect name for your child. Your top choice may have one factor that you wish were a little different, like it's a bit more popular than you'd like, for example. It's all a matter of deciding what's important to you and what doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. It will all be worth it to call your child by their name for the first time.</li>
<li><b>Conflict</b>: If you and your partner can't agree on a name, it should probably go in the discard pile. In the end it would never work for your child's name to be one that you or your partner just can't get on board with, so keep in mind there are lots of other names out there that will soon have your heart melting. </li>
</ul>
<div>
Basically, once you're down to your top five names it's best to make sure you've really thought about and discussed the names to help you in any tough spots. My husband and I love making the decision by considering the sound first, then meaning, then popularity. You'll probably intuitively know what priorities you have for a name as well.</div>
<div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Pretty simple, huh?</span>
</div>
<div>
Sometimes we were shocked to see how incredibly easy it was to choose between two names, and factors that we'd never thought about before made things really clear. That usually happened when we said the names out loud. If swooning happens even over a name you didn't expect to like as much as the other, go with the one that made you swoon. Listen to your heart, people!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So, where'd we get this idea? The short answer is my husband is awesome. The longer answer is that he's a licensed therapist and this paired comparison technique (or pairwise comparison) is used to help people because we can all get a little overwhelmed when faced with too many options, but when we have just two it becomes a lot easier. Or as I like to say, it's kind of like baby naming magic.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We loved using this method instead of trying to pick out our one-and-only from a huge list. <b>I hope you do too!</b></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-495715448355048258.post-3959219227153537142015-08-18T01:00:00.000-05:002015-09-09T11:27:31.394-05:00Two Hearts Are Better Than One: A Baby Name Maternity Giveaway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">The winner of the Two Hearts Maternity Giveaway on Nameisms is <b>Melanie Fee</b>! You have 24 hours to respond to the email I sent you and claim your prize. Congratulations!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW_kuZUpSQtfzC6np8a5trTlSfYwOZXzpvqA3P4TN4ZdMxg9o3HW_-CeNXY9oVXYBqRj9Z-vVJA89HJZB0JKb35dSu89DDgR9_KHXchb3gIkF3YoMMOOLb8McaznGFuYI8qAXJo9561Nm6/s1600/giveaway1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW_kuZUpSQtfzC6np8a5trTlSfYwOZXzpvqA3P4TN4ZdMxg9o3HW_-CeNXY9oVXYBqRj9Z-vVJA89HJZB0JKb35dSu89DDgR9_KHXchb3gIkF3YoMMOOLb8McaznGFuYI8qAXJo9561Nm6/s640/giveaway1.jpg" width="600" /></a></div>
Hello, fellow name lovers and expecting mamas! Today I'm over-the-moon excited to be sharing the joy of names and pretty things with a giveaway.<br />
<br />
What could you win? These three things...<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<h3>
1. A Signed Copy of Baby Names by Laura Emerson</h3>
Two years ago, I had the opportunity to write a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Names-More-Origins-Meanings/dp/1849753725" target="_blank">name book</a>. It was an incredible experience, and I'm more than happy with how this book turned out. It offers just the right amount of choices and the design is beautiful! The full color layout featuring pictures and quotes throughout will keep your naming experience enjoyable.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYWymi-c1WBV_0dx7Ig9yvkgPvvHBwtWTeXj9dQK6a0w3lblE0n4duFonqW42OXfLaTwU0AI7LzvTeBzbdTwyNpnNmVe92wlG3z6se1hvY1igkQVGGsnPmBLahl2vam0R9v9aih0I25Dpi/s1600/baby-names_Laura-Emerson.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYWymi-c1WBV_0dx7Ig9yvkgPvvHBwtWTeXj9dQK6a0w3lblE0n4duFonqW42OXfLaTwU0AI7LzvTeBzbdTwyNpnNmVe92wlG3z6se1hvY1igkQVGGsnPmBLahl2vam0R9v9aih0I25Dpi/s320/baby-names_Laura-Emerson.png" width="256" /></a></div>
<br />
Here's what a few reviewers had to say:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"... (I) would enjoy hearing about some names that nobody else uses. This book is full of those, and is so sweetly presented. It's hard-covered, and chubby and my own daughters all oohed and aahed over it. Well, quite honestly, I did too."<br />
â Melissa, <a href="http://thebookofcommonlife.blogspot.com/2013/02/baby-names-by-laura-emerson.html" target="_blank">The Book of Common Life</a></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"This is a great little book and the photographs means it's also lovely to sit and look through!"<br />
â JennyKearney, <a href="http://www.mumsnet.com/reviews/books/parenting/16796-baby-names-by-laura-emerson" target="_blank">Mumsnet</a></blockquote>
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2. A Confidential, Customized Name Consultation</h3>
One of my favorite things to do is help people discover new names or decide on a baby name. It's not always as easy as we dreamed it would be. Do you have a different naming style than your partner? Are you torn between two (or more!) names? Does your surname make things complicated? Do you feel like you don't like ANY names? Whatever may be between you and your perfect baby name, I can help make the choice a little bit easier.<br />
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I'll provide a detailed consultation with you over email, suggesting names or helping you choose between names you already love. I'll address any of your concerns and bring a special perspective to your naming journey. If you'd like, <b>I'll highlight a top choice for your little one, as well as at least five other favorites that take your style and situation into consideration.</b><br />
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<h3>
3. The Two Hearts Are Better Than One ring (size 7) from Bee's Knees Loft</h3>
<a href="http://www.beeskneesloft.com/" target="_blank">Bee's Knee's Loft</a> has been called "affordable anthro" for its small batch, fashion-forward and modestly priced clothing. If you're like me and only able to wear maternity clothes, you may not be interested in expanding your wardrobe at the moment. (I feel your pain.)<br />
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That's why I think it doesn't get any sweeter than this gorgeous <a href="http://www.beeskneesloft.com/collections/accessories/products/two-hearts-are-better-than-one" target="_blank">double-hearted gold ring</a>, provided by Bee's Knees Loft just for this giveaway. It's a perfect symbol for the way your heart is intertwined with your little one's. This casual ring would work with any outfit, and I think I'd almost never take it off. I love the symbolism and sweet spirit behind the ring. It's absolutely beautiful, fashionable, and darling.<br />
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<h3>
Enter The Giveaway - for yourself or a friend!</h3>
<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="65f3c9261" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/65f3c9261/" id="rcwidget_ojey0y3x" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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