Renaming Yourself as An Adult

Looking back over this lovely blog I've created, one thing stands out to me: how much emphasis I've placed on naming babies. Of course, the majority of people researching names are doing so because they're expecting. However, there are SO many other reasons to research a name!

Looking for the Baby Name Wizard? Here's Where to Find Her!

I've had a lot of articles stewing in my mind lately, and one that I wanted to start with was this: What in the world happened to the Baby Name Wizard? 

After all, I helped out with the website for years and have lots of links here on Nameisms (that are now broken!) pointing to it. Baby Name Wizard was a wildly successful, useful site for anyone researching our cultural associations with different names.

20 Roaring Twenties Names Making a Comeback

Back then, booze was taboo, flappers flocked the dance floors, Model Ts ruled the roads, women won the vote and gangsters were up to no good. Welcome to the Roaring Twenties! 

There are so many things this spirited decade in American history gave us. To this day, we’re crazy for jazz age music, sleek bobs, Chanel No. 5, even crossword puzzles. And now, along with debonaire mustaches and cloche hats, we’re becoming newly enamored with the names that flappers and their fellas wore proudly in that era.

20 Baby Names for Creative Girls and Boys

Your passion in life may be art, music, writing, crafting, acting, designing, decorating, cooking, or making really great animal shapes out of balloons, but it really doesn’t matter—all of us have a creative streak. And even if your baby isn’t the next Picasso, your little one can proudly wear a name that hints at artistic talents and an inventive spirit.

Baby Names Inspired by Poets

Poets are the people we dream of being. They are historians and interpreters, observers and activists, teachers and storytellers. They can shape politics, inspire masses, and spark movements. Without poets, our sense of the world would be very short-sighted. It’s no wonder that parents like to honor wordsmiths like these who enrich and explain our world.

20 Forgotten Victorian Names to Put on Your List

 While the Victorian era may evoke puffed sleeves and woolen waistcoats, modern parents in search of perfect names are clamoring for the sought-after “it” names from the mid-to-late 1800s. 

London, by John Atkinson Grimshaw

At the time, across-the-pond trends were common. England was peaceful during Queen Victoria’s reign … a name which spawned an entire era! Meanwhile, America was busy establishing its democracy during a bloody civil war. Americans borrowed elaborate fashions from England, as well as now-classic literature by Dickens, Thackeray and the Brontë sisters. Pioneers and prospectors were moving west in search of fortune, while average people were just trying to eat.

60 Colorful Baby Names for Every Style

Are color names truly a new trend? Not really. Parents have been inspired by the beautiful world around them for a long time. Between the floral names of the Victorian era and the beloved jewel names of the turn of the century, nature’s colors charmed parents quite some time ago.

20 Loveably Frumpy Names from the Good Old Days

Some of today’s most popular names are what we think of as old fashioned: Noah, Emma, Eva, and Henry were all favorites from the late 1800s. It’s in that spirit that some parents have branched out in search of something not just stylishly old, but rare and quirkily vintage. 

20 Masculine Names for Parents Who "Only Like Feminine Names"

I get it. The ultrasound revealed you're expecing a little bundle of boy, and you were thrilled. But underneath the excitement was a tiny voice whispering, "what on earth are we going to name a boy? All my favorites are better for a girl."

Why I Divide Name Lists by Boys and Girls

It'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. 

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??!")

Fletcher

Fletcher ~ Arrow Maker ~ Origin

Modern parents in search of perfect names are clamoring for the sought-after “it” names from the mid-to-late 1800s. What we think of as quintessential Victorian names like Owen, Ella, Grace, and Isaac have been devoured by today’s 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. 

 

Brooklyn

Brooklyn ~ the city, broken land ~ American

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.

Laughing All the Way: Cheerful Baby Names

It's time for the last in my series on names inspired by the lyrics of Jingle Bells, 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.

O'er the Fields We Go: Baby Names Inspired by Wide Open Spaces

The third part in my series based on the opening lyrics of Jingle Bells 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.

In a One-Horse Open Sleigh: Baby Names Inspired by Horses

The second part in my series based on the opening lyrics of Jingle Bells 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.

Dashing Through the Snow: Snowy Baby Names

In case you're wondering, I do find it odd that this isn't the first time I've written about the song Jingle Bells. I promise, I'm not obsessed. It's just that Jingle Bells is so universal and apparently inspiring as a prime example of winter fun. Also, I have a toddler.

Pilgrim Baby Names

The roster of Mayflower passengers is quite inspiring if you love old-fashioned, classic, or virtue names. 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.

The First Thanksgiving at Plymouth by Jennie A. Brownscombe

Bellamy

Bellamy ~ Fair Friend ~ French

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.

Logan

Logan ~ Little Hollow ~ Scottish Gaelic

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.

Autumn Updates

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.