Once Upon a Time Baby Names

  Princess Cordelia Abidaoud and Hilary Clinton Today's headline: "Grab it while it's hot!" If the amount of labels under this post are any indication, Cordelia's a modestly rising, historically rich, beautiful trend-setter. The first time I saw Cordelia (kor-DEEL-ya, kor-DELL-ee-uh) was in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," and I'm sure most people in my age bracket can say the same. However, these days I'm seeing the name everywhere online. It's become a very popular option for new parents, and has a long list of namesakes, both in real life, literature and media. From the comic book character Cordelia Swan to the real life Phoenician princess Cordelia Abidaoud, it should be a lot of fun looking through all the various Cordelia's out there, past and present. Nameberry reports that two "Babyberries" named Cordelia were born just recently. Cordelia is a Latin name most likely meaning "heart," from the names Cordula (as in Sai

Mercade (murr-KAYD) is quite the interesting boy's name. It was used by Shakespeare in "Love's Labour's Lost." The character Mercade is a lord who attends the princess of France, and he has a total of four lines (I believe), but Shakespeare chose his character's names well, so Mercade is not just any afterthought. There is a book called Shakespeare's Comic Commonwealth s that tells us his name is no coincidence: "Several critics have noted connections between Mercade and Mercury," the author says, "as the messenger of the gods and the god of oratory, but they have not commented on Mercury as the divine messenger recalling people to their social responsibilities." The similarities between the character Mercade's messenger duties, the importance of his message, and the affect of his message, even being only four lines total, is not a coincidence - Shakespeare most definitely intended him to be a Mercury-like character. From Latin merc

Ingela is a variant of Angela in some countries, like German (from engel ), but means "Ing's protection" or "guarded by Ing" in Scandinavian/Old Norse. Ing, the Norse goddess, was also the foundation for Ingrid, meaning "Ing's beauty." Ingela dates back to at least 1692 in Northern Europe, but world wide may date as far back as any record of Angela. There were no babies named Ingela in 2011 or 2010, and my guess is you won't find more than a small handful of Ingela's in U.S. records of birth, and even White Pages tells us there are only 118 in the U.S. Ingela Olsson was a Swedish actress from the 90's, Ingela Forsman a popular lyricist, and Ingela Klemetz was responsible for an art gallery exhibit on Northern Women in Chanel. There was also Ingela Gathenhielm, known as the "Shipping Queen," a Swedish privateer and pirate during the 1700's with her husband Lars. There actions were sanctioned by King Charles XII of Sweden.

I decided to do a quick name interview with my husband. Although his name, Shawn, is not as popular as it once was - #27 in 1973, people still might want to consider it. Other variants are still popular, such as Sean and Shaun. All three spellings are Irish variants of John, meaning "God is gracious." Sean is the Irish version, while Shawn and Shaun are the Anglicized versions from Irish. In 2011 Shawn ranked at #248, Shaun at #588 and Sean at #125. What is your name?  (Include middle if you’d like) Shawn Anthony Do you have any nicknames? As a child, Shawnie What is your ethnic background? Polish What decade were you born in? mid 80's How did you feel about your name growing up? I liked it How do you feel about your name now? It's alright How often do you run into other people with your name? Not too often, but it happens What are some names of your family members? Mitch, Eddie (not Edward, just Eddie), Cynthia, Brian, Rochelle If you have any kids, what are t

December  remains rare as a baby name, but parents do sometimes use it --33 times in 2011. It probably helps that Ember, a top 1000 name, can be its nickname. The same can be said of November, but Nova would probably be the go-to nickname for that one. Season  is another word name turned rare baby name, used only 6 times in 2011, but it would make a great alternative to overused Christmas names, while still being appropriate all year long. Angela  is being heard less these days, but also consider Angelia, Ingela, Angelus and Argelia. You might want to avoid Angel for a few reasons. Rudolpha  at first seems to scream "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," but it actually seems very sweet and wholesome. It's also good for parents looking for frilly, feminine names with masculine nicknames: Rudy. Emmanuelle  could make a great alternative for Noelle this time of year, and it has a religious meaning fitting for Christmas. Natale  is much less heard than Natalie, Natalia and Natash

Yes, Matilda. We're all aware of her popularity. But what other names end in -ilda? The list is fairly long. Quenilda Casilda Hilda Clotilda Gilda Marilda Otthilda Romilda Serilda Swanhilda Somerilda Estrilda Sunilda Thorilda Reinhilda Gunilda Farilda Lovilda Merilda Tilda

Goodbye, 2012. You've brought the world some amazing baby names, and some amazingly bad baby names. Let's take a look at some rare names that made the headlines this year... Severine - the name of the latest Bond girl gets more use in France, as well as the name of the actress that plays her -  Bérénice Marlohe,   but I'm just a tiny bit surprised that hardcore Harry Potter fans didn't show interest in it as an alternative for Severus, as they both mean... Matilda - for the simple reason that this name is everywhere , but also the new magazine. Malala - this poor girl was shot by the Taliban for wanting girls to have equal education rights, but unfortunately her name means "grief stricken." Blake - Lively. Debuted at #815 in 2011 for girls. Grey - first name, middle name, boys name, girls name, mothers are going nuts for Grey ever since 50 Shades of Grey came out and took over the world. In 2011 Greysen made the top 1000 at #940. Christian has also be

What is the difference between "uncommon" and "rare?" Is there a difference? And are rare names still acceptable/nice? Yes. Uncommon names are those we are familiar with, but don't hear often. However, uncommon names, unlike rare names, can be popular enough to sometimes rank, or may not be common where you live. Examples include names from the bottom of the Social Security Administration's annual top 1000. In 2011, some of those names were Nova, Willa, Stacy, Esme, Gwyneth, Blair, Jewel, and Dorothy for girls, and Miller, Reuben, Flynn, Maksim, Hendrix, Corban and Pierre for boys. Rare names, on the other hand, are generally unheard of (but not all the time, as familiar names like Rosalind are considered rare because they are not being used, most times because parents favor names that sound and look like what is currently popular). Some rare names given to less than 20 babies in 2011 include Alva, Astoria, Merrick, Quorra, Palmira, Rowena, Temple, Tanith,

Alysiana Feliciana Sebastiana Abyssinia Tiodoria Alianora Eleonora (as el-ay-oh-nor-uh) Iphigenia Victoriana Vittoriana Anastasia (as an-ah-stah-see-uh) Cassiopeia Alexandria Alexandrina Apollonia Elisabetta Elizaveta Agraciana Evangelica Evangelina Evangelia Feodosia Alessandria Illuminata Viridiana Emmanuella Basiliana Desideria Moschatellina Stelliferina Cyparisia Fiorentina Imogenia Januaria Louisiana Philadelphia Octaviana Aureliana Lazariana Artemisia Serendipity Valeriana Emiliana Theodosia Catharinella Catarinella Giovanina Dionysia Leocadia Ekaterina Estephania Silveriana Callianeira Fernandina Anatolia Elizabella Altagracia Altalunette Caledonia Annunciata Annunziata Candelaria Emerentia Emerenzia Innocentia Bartolomea Aloysiana, Aloysia Isabellina Isabellita Isabettina Iosefina (as ee-oh-sef-ee-na) Capitolia Capitolina Columbiana Kaligenia, Caligenia Amarinthia Amazonia Amphelisia Oliviera Olimpia

  Vesper is Latin, meaning "evening star," and shares part of its meaning with the religious term evening vespers , meaning "evening prayers." The name's been around a long, long time, but started picking up more interest in 2006 because of Casino Royale, and the Bond girl called Vesper Lynd. Vesper Vivianne Ruck is the daughter of Alan Ruck and Mirielle Enos, there was a character in a Lloyd Alexander adventure series named Vesper, and she also featured in the Batman comic series as a TV and radio newscaster named Vesper Fairchild (pictured above), who had a romantic relationship with Bruce Wayne. There are about 160 people named Vesper in the U.S. according to White Pages, 33 of which were born in 2011, and 24 in 2010. To be more accurate, Vesper is the unisex and Vespera the feminine, and the religious term came after. (See  here .) Vespertine is a lesser known variant meaning "of the evening." Vespertine is more French-chic, similar in looks

You might first recall Matt Bellamy, who just welcomed a child with Kate Hudson, when seeing this name. Or maybe actor Ralph Bellamy, the Bellamy Mansion, or The Bellamy Brothers, or Francis Bellamy, who created the Pledge of Allegiance. And it did start as a surname. Bellamy means "beautiful friend" from belle ami in Old French, and originally pronounced BAY-lah-mee in French, but most people in America are more inclined to pronounce it BELL-uh-mee. As a first name it's been picking up a bit of attention as both a substitute for Isabella and as a surname-name, but also for its trendy "ee" ending sound. On the show "9 By Design," one of the children is named Bellamy, chosen for a connection to France, and there is a lesser-known American actress named Bellamy Young. As a surname not defined by either gender in its meaning, the name is unisex, but no boys were given the name in 2011. On the girl's side, the name was given 53 times, and in 2010 just

  Jessamine (JESS-ah-meen, JESS-uh-min), thankfully, has been getting attention in recent years. I credit that to baby naming websites that have message boards, but who knows. Jessamine is the archaic French, medieval English, and Persian for "jasmine,” although there is a strong case that she comes from Ismenia, Isemene, which is a Greek name meaning “knowledge.” Variants that became obsolete included Jessamy, from Jessamie, Jessima, Jacamine, and Jessamyn. Jesmond is likely related, and she comes with her own variants, including Jessimond, Ghismond, Ghismonda, and Jesmaine. Jessamyn is probably the most used variant. Jessamyn West was an American Quaker and writer best known for The Friendly Persuasion in 1945. Another Jessamyn West is a librarian and blogger. Like Clary, she's also a character in a Cassandra Clare series which is rapidly gaining popularity. Nicknames can range from Jessica's "Jessie" or "Jess," to Jasmine's "Minnie,&qu

  Art by Susan Seals Nicolai is the Scandinavian and Slavic form of the Russian boys name Nikolai, said the same, with only the c and k changed. This baby name means "people of victory," a very symbolic name, but can also be roughly translated as "victorious people" or "victor of the people." The origin is the Greek name Nicholas (Nikolaus), but Nicolai puts a fresh spin on an old favorite, updating it with a new nickname: Nico. Niklaus/Niclaus and Nikolaus/Nicolaus are two other rare variants, and Niccolai is an alternate spelling. The spelling Nikolai currently ranks at #641, Nicholas at #42, Nickolas at #551, Nicolas at #168, and Nikolas at #473. This spelling, Nicolai, remains unranked, and a total of 47 boys were given the name in 2011, which is down by 13 boys from 2010 and down 12 from 2009, but up quite a bit overall. Good old St. Nick, who's favorite holiday is just over a week away, is still the most famous namesake. He was a 4th centu

  Lucania is a fun way to get Luca as a nickname for a girl, without having to use Luca alone, since Luca is an Italian boys name. Like Atticus, Lucania is a place name, the ancient district in southern Italy, which spread from the Tyrrhenian Sea to the Gulf of Taranto. Today the modern region is known as Basilicata. Since changing the region's name, Lucania can be found as a surname as well. There are only a handful of place names that are no longer places, such as Abyssinia and Anatolia, and if we're talking rare (which we're always talking about on this blog) these names have you covered - rarity, history, and beauty. Lucania is derived from one of two sources: either the Greek leukos , meaning "white," from lux , or the more likely source of the Latin word lucus , meaning "Sacred Wood," but also from the root of the Latin word  lux , meaning "light." The meaning "chaste light" or "sacred light" can also be given. It

Atticus (AT-ik-uss) has been gaining popularity recently, thanks to Atticus Finch, the well-named main character of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird . (My theory is that some parents searching for a literary name thought of this first, as almost all high schools require reading this.) Mr. Finch was a strong enough character to change the law community as a fictional role model for lawyers. His character in the 1962 film adaptation was voted the "greatest hero in American film." However, there are other notable people named Atticus, dating all the way back to 112 BC. Titus Pomponius Atticus may have been the first namesake, an ancient Roman philosopher/author, one of two ancient philosophers with the name. Around the same time, Herodes Atticus was a rhetorician, and later namesakes include Archbishop Atticus of Constantinople, Saint Atticus (5th century, Armenia), musician Atticus Ross, and actor Atticus Shaffer. In the literary world, authors Greg Rucka, Ron Hansen, Cic

This list of strange baby names  is exactly why I don't advocate the popular advice to use any name you love. It's good advice, for sensible people. Call me harsh, call me too opinionated, I don't care. I'm pretty sure all of the names listed have indeed been used on real babies, as scanning through this list was like going through the SSA's extended list a second time. If not, it's just a gentle reminder of what's really out there, kind of like a warning - "think twice before you use Shadiamondd." Not all the names here are bad, but you can definitely point out those that make you do a double-take.

  There's a lot of fuss over Clare/Claire and Clara/Claira, but Clary (KLAIR-ee) first caught my eye when news came that Adele had a baby, and Clary was the name of the father's ex. I'm still not sure what Adele named her baby, but Clary remains a fascinating name. It is a variant of Claire, meaning "bright, clear , famous" and is the name of the clary sage plant, a member of the mint family known for thriving in adverse conditions. Clary has also been used as a surname, some from the Irish surname McClary, others from being herb-sellers or living near places where clary sage grew. One such namesake was Desiree Clary, the ex-fiancee of Napoleon. She became queen of Sweden and Norway as the consort of King Charles XIV John. Claire has a good deal of variants that some are not familiar with. Claritza, Claribel, Clarice, and Clarette stand out, as well as Clary, which may have started as a nickname. There is also a possibility Clary was its own name, used since medie

  Aspen is a name we're all familiar with, whether from Aspen, Colorado, the name of the tree, or as a baby name. Aspen trees are known for shaking, quivering or fluttering in the breeze. As such, the bark has been used to treat palsy. They are also known for their heart-shaped leaves and rich fall color. The Colorado ski resort, on the other hand, is known for being very high class. Spell it Aspyn or Aspin and the name goes from seeming high class or nature-y to low class and trendy. The general public has continued to use Aspen as a female baby name, currently #519 after an up/down period on the top 1000, but it has not ranked for boys. There were 57 boys named Aspen in 2011, compared to 558 girls. If you can look past the unfortunate first syllable, this name might be for you.

  These two Welsh beauties both mean "snow white," from the elements eir , "snow," and wen , "white." Neither was used in the U.S. in 2011 (or ever, I'm certain). White Pages tells me there are no living people in the U.S. named Eirawen and only 4 named Gwyneira. Eirawen is pronounced EYE-rah-wen, Gwyneira is pronounced gwin-EYE-rah. The South Wales pronunciation for Gwyneira is gwin-AY-rah, and a lesser used spelling is Gweneira. The girl's name Eirwen also means "snow white" in Welsh. Eirwen is AYR-wen in South Wales, and IYR-wen in North Wales. The Old Norse female name Eir (AYR, rolled-tongue on the R) belonged to the goddess of healing in the Norse pantheon, and the name meant "mercy, healing." It is still used in Iceland and Norway. The variant Eira, separate from the Welsh name, is also used in Finland, Norway and Sweden. In Norway, she last ranked at #99 in 2013, as well as Sweden and Finland. The goddess Eir was

As I often find myself saying on this blog, here's a name you don't hear every day. The lovely Fenella is an acquired taste, but enchanting once you consider it. Fenella is the (Scottish) Anglicized version of the Gaelic name Fionnuala, meaning "fair shoulder/white shoulder," which has ties to Fiona. I could only find a few namesakes - British actresses Fenella Fielding and Fenella Woolgar, and  radio presenters Fenella Fudge and Fenella Kernebone. Fenella Paton was a British radical who "emphasized with working mothers" and helped push along the birth control movement. In history, Fenella (Finnguala) was the daughter of Cuncar of Angus in the 10th century, and legend has it she was responsible for killing the King of Scots after he killed her son. In mythology she was the daughter of Lir, who was turned into a swan by her step-mother, and wandered for 900 years until the spell was broken. This became the subject of Thomas Moore's "The Song of Fionn

  Kellan has been getting some attention as a baby name in the past few years due to the "Twilight" character Emmett Cullen, played by Kellan Lutz, pictured above. (This and Twyla will probably be the only times you'll ever hear me mention anything Twilight related on this blog - or anywhere else for that matter, so I figured I'd better put them close together.) He's had some other good roles other than "Twilight," in the movies "Arena" and "Immortals." There are also 5 American football players named Kellen. Kellan is a variant of the Gaelic name Kellen, meaning "slender." It currently ranks at #363, and rose quickly over the past few years from it's starting point at #882 in 2007.

Forget Renesme, forget Bella, and consider Twila or Twyla. Twila is the more obvious spelling when "honoring" Twilight , Twyla less obvious and more Twyla Tharp (American dancer and choreographer). Both are English, meaning (obviously) "twilight." The Twyla can also be from Old English, meaning "twill," or "two ply, double thread." The name Twyla was used as a character in Zenna Henderson's novel  Pilgrimage , and more recently on a character in the TV show "Schitt's Creek." It was most popular in 1964 at #751, and only ranked between 1925 and 1965, so consider this a vintage name. Twyla was used 28 times in 2011, and Twila was used 27 times, so each spelling is equal in usage, legitimacy and popularity.

A few things have inspired this post. 1) The STFU Parents blog, and some other no longer running blogs dedicated to bad baby names. 2) Reading through the weird names at the bottom of the SSA extended list. 3) Going over odd names in my head. Or rather, names with not-so-great meanings, such as Claudia and Perdita. Here are some names, how many babies were given the name in 2011, and my commentary. This list could go on for days, so I'll just stick with boys names for now. Gowtham, 6 - not sure what to make of this, but it seems definitely related to Gotham city Nation, 11 - skip the fictional city name and go with Nation...after all, your kid IS their own nation Granite, 6 - they loved their granite counter so much they named their son after it Cable, 8 - like Granite, they loved their cable TV so much... Thang, 31 - that thang you do... Gohan, 17 - this one may not be obvious to some, so look up "Dragon Ball Z" Gambit, 5 - similar to Gohan, you might need to know about

Ever since posting the  first list  of unusual middle names / unusual combos for girls, I've been getting ideas every day, building up this second list. Once again, these are combinations I love but can't use, so I'm tossing them out into the blogosphere for someone else to snatch up. Ysela Valentine Isabella Canary Aerith Keeley Benicia Celestina Emeraude Christa Ellery Kristen Ismay Jasmina Isannah Noelle Rosella Betony Gwyneira Weaver Elspeth Rafaela Sonia Ondine Willa Silversnow Xyla Valkyrie Polina Eponine Bellamy Emmanuelle Andrina Rhiannon Eowyn Clary Netanella Tegan Rosalind Salome Amoret Freya Letitia Anchoret Lionella Felicienne Arianwen Elena Raffaela Fifer Belphoebe Fay

Camilla (warrior queen of the Volsci) Camille Camellia Campana Chamomile/Camomile Cambria Cameo Cambell Campbell Camika Cameron Cambina Cambelina

Calandra Calantha Calista Calixta Calixtine Calypso Caleida Calida Calendula (botanical name for the English marigold) Caledonia Calvina Calliandra (a beautiful flower) Calpurnia (the wife of Julius Caesar) Calligena (an epithet of Demeter and Gaia) Calliope (the muse of Epic Poetry, mother of Orpheus) Caliadne (a nymph who live in the Nile) Calico Callianassa (a Greek Nereid) Callidora Callula Calais Calla Calamanda Calatea Calathea Calatia Calfuray Calumina

Isannah (eye-SANN-uh) is my "Thanksgiving name" this year because this Colonial appellation was the name given to one of Paul Revere's daughters, who unfortunately only lived a year. But Paul Revere, who warned the residents of Concord, Massachusetts of the coming British military, was a key part in the American Revolutionary War. His famous alert was recorded in (slightly non-factual) poetic legend by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in "Paul Revere's Ride." Isannah's name was later found in a book by Esther Forbes called Johnny Tremain in 1943, about the American Revolution. Her fictional character meets the historical Paul Revere, and the character Isannah Lapham may have been inspired by Revere's real daughter's name. At least in my mind, Isannah is a patriotic name because of the legacy of her father. Isannah was not a very uncommon name at the time, as there is record of an Isannah born in 1690 and several more around the birth of Revere's d

  Yvonne (ee-VON) and Yvette (ee-VET) are the medieval French feminine forms of Yvon and Yves, from Germanic Ivo, meaning "yew." The meaning is not "archer," it is what archery bows are made of: yew. Both can have the nicknames Yvie (EE-vee) or Yva (EE-vah) which you could choose to make easier to spell by using Evie or Eva. Yew is coniferous, like pine trees, and is known as the tree of mourning and the "tree of resurrection and eternity," symbolizing the Tree of Life. For more information on the tree in legend, please visit The Goddess Tree . Yvonne is one of many names to travel to England after the Norman Invasion. After a while it was no longer popular, but saw a revival in the 20th century, and it was big with the French Creole community in the south (as evidenced by the Hank Williams song). At first glance Yvonne appears vintage, along with twin Yvette, but it is still used sparingly today and may see more use thanks to the vintage trend, the

  Yes, not a name you hear every day, and not a name most parents think to use. In fact, Humphrey (HUM-free) was only given to 6 baby boys in 2011, decreasing to 5 in 2013. It wasn't much better in the U.K., where it was only used 13 times in 2011. Rare indeed, yet so familiar. Not to mention intriguing nicknames: Hum, or Free. Many can still recall the charming actor Humphrey Bogart, who was in over 50 movies between 1928 and 1956, a year before he died. (I was shocked to learn my husband had no idea who he was, considering the American Film Institute ranked him the greatest male star in the history of American film.) He is most famous for "Casablanca" (1942) and "Sabrina" (1954). He starred alongside some gorgeous leading ladies, such as Ingrid Bergman, Lauren Bacall (whom he married), Audrey Hepburn and Katherine Hepburn. This cultural icon known for playing hard, yet noble characters would be a great namesake for a baby of film or Broadway buffs, and wha

  I must admit, Gwyneth Paltrow makes this name seem very usable (although her daughter Apple's name is a different story) and accessible to parents with no Welsh background. Since she's been an A-list celebrity for so long, it's surprising to see that Gwyneth was only given to 259 girls in 2011, ranking low at #978 for the first time back on the charts since the first time it ranked in 2004, when it was also low ranking  - not popular, yet a very familiar rare name. A happy medium. The spelling Gweneth was given to 41 girls in 2011, Gwynneth 10 times, and Gwenneth 9 times. Gwyneth means "white, fair, happy" in Welsh. A namesake of the 19th century, author Annie Harriet Hughes, who went by the pen name Gwyneth Vaughan, contributed to parents choosing this name. Gwyneth is strongly connected to the Kingdom of Gwynedd, not to be confused with modern Gwynedd in Wales. In the 5th century, early Middle Ages, the Kingdom of Gwynedd formed and the seat of power was in De

Dempsey is an Anglicized Irish surname meaning "proud," from "son of  Ó Diomasaigh.   The family with this name originated in the  Kingdom of Uí Failghe . On occassion, this name was simply given as "Proudman" in English. This is not a unisex name. The title Viscount Clanmalier was created for Terrance O'Dempsey by King James I, and after him there were only two others to hold the title before it was no longer used - Lewis O'Dempsey and Maximilian O'Dempsey. The O'Dempsey family was strong and powerful until the 17th century, or, until the Williamite wars. Several prominent people have  bared  this surname, including feminist activist Rosemary Dempsey, but t wo namesakes spring to mind immediately - the actor Patrick Dempsey, proud father of Sullivan and Darby, and Jack Dempsey, the 20th century boxing champ. There are dozens more, however, listed all over the web. Only a small handful feature Dempsey as a given name. In my opinion, Dempsey wou

I've seen Ismay (iz-may) getting a lot of love online lately, so I thought I'd give you the history. There might be no coincidence that Ismay sounds so close to Esme, meaning "esteemed," although a lot of people like to debate where it came from and how it was used. Some say it's a variant of Ismene, meaning "knowledgeable," or Ismenia, whose origins are equally debatable, but could come from Yasmin. Some say it's a Germanic compound name from iron and strength , some say it has Celtic origins, and some say it is a variant (possibly Anglicized) spelling of Esme, which is French. This is evidenced by variant spellings like Esmay. However, the first record of Ismay could be one in Lancashire, England, and the name could predate the Norman conquest in some form. I've also seen it argued that Ismay comes from Ishmael. Ismay can be found as a surname, as is the case with famous British businessman Bruce Ismay, associated with the Titanic, but also

  The Palm Leaf by William-Adolphe Bouguereau Palmer is an Old English name meaning "palm-bearing pilgrim," which is perfect for babies born around Thanksgiving. Originally a medieval surname, it referred to a Christian pilgrim carrying a palm branch when traveling to a holy shrine, or one who returned with a palm leaf. People still use palm leafs in pilgrimages today. It can still be found as a surname (and city names) today. The meaning has nothing to do with male or female, therefore this can be a unisex name, although Palma, Palmira and Palmina do sound more suitable for girls. Palmer has made appearances in Sense and Sensibility , The Legend of Sleepy Hollow , and recent movies. While Parker is currently the #1 P name for boys and Porter has a modest middle-of-the-charts ranking, Palmer was last seen on the top 1000 in 1955, disappearing after 1949 for 6 years, but it did rank every year since 1880 until then. In 2011 there were 93 boys given this name, and 63 girls. Tho

  It seems to me that modern parents in the U.S. only fawn over a select few French names. Noelle, Madeline (Madeleine), Isabelle, Natalie, Sophie, Charlotte, Elle, Claire and Caroline can all be found high on the top 1000, but where are the unique and uncommon French names? Where's Jessamine, Felicienne, Marcheline and Emmanuelle? Where are Corisande, Melusine and Chantal? Where's Ombeline ? Ombeline ( ohm-bell-een , om-bell-een) saw no U.S. births in 2011, and remains unheard of here. In France in 2000 the name ranked at #375. Similar sounding and sea-sweet Ondine fared only a bit better with 7 births. Ombeline is also connected to water, as Greek philosopher Pliny claimed it was one of the stones that fell from heaven during rain and thunderstorms. Known then as Ombria, the "rain stone," Notia, meaning "south wind," and occasionally the Scirocco-stone, and Brontia, meaning "thunder-stone," even the gemstone is hard to find information on. O

If you're like me, the first person to come to mind when you see this name is Winston Churchill, and the first place is Winston-Salem. However, there's a lot more to this name than meets the eye. In fact, it was recorded as far back as 1086 AD in the Domesday Book . Winston is of Old English origin, meaning "joy stone, friend stone" from Wynnstan. (source) Wynn was often used solely in female names. Many baby name blogs and websites confuse the meaning of Winston, claiming it means "wine town," which would only be accurate in Suffolk and Durham, England. (source)  W ine meant friend in Old English, (which you can find evidence of in The Wife's Lament, one of the first pieces of literature ever) winn meant joy, and stan meant stone, but in Durham and Suffolk, Wine was a personal name. Such is the case with the Isle of Wight, where the personal name was Wynsige, and Glouchestershire, where it was Wynna. To be clear, Wynnstan came first, and Winston was d

  Is it any coincidence Phillipa and filly have the same sounds? Maybe (since filly comes from Old Norse), but Phillipa does mean "lover of horses" in Greek, composed of philos  (friendly love) and hippos (horse). It is the feminine version of Phillip/Philip, brought back to life in the 19th century. However, it seems Phillipa has never charted in the U.S. The strange thing is, everyone around the world was introduced to Pippa Middleton during the royal wedding coverage, and Philippa has been ever fashionable in England, but Phillipa was only used 10 times in 2011 in the U.S., the spelling Philippa used 53 times, Pippa used 69 times, and Felipa 8 times. That's pretty rare for a name everyone was raving about. But chances are these names will be used more in 2012, since the numbers did rise from 2010, when there were only 25 Phillipa's and 16 Pippa's born. As for pronunciation, fil-LEE-pah is the most common, fil-IPP-ah the second most common, although it seem

Topher is a short form of Christopher, Greek, meaning "bearing Christ," which not many people in the U.S. realized could be used as a given name until "That 70's Show" star Topher Grace came along. It is said he didn't like Chris as a nickname and insisted on Topher. There was also a Joss Whedon character named Topher. It is popular to call Christopher's Topher in Denmark. In 2011 only 7 parents chose to name their boys Topher instead of the full name Christopher. As of now, Topher is just beginning to be recognized as a formal given name, but perhaps he'll have a bright future ahead of him.

  Ellery fashion label Ellery is unisex due to being a non-occupational surname, from the Latin name Hilary (and Hilary was masculine in medieval times), meaning "cheerful," though there is a slight chance it could mean "alder tree" from Old English (the only credible info to back this up is the Old English word for alder, aler ). One of the only well known namesakes is Ellery Queen, the fictional 1930's detective. In fact, this was one of the first times Ellery was ever used as a first name. Back in the day you could find Ellery as a corrupted variant of  Eulalie  in England, as well as Elaria, often confused with Hilaria. Ellery was a blip on the top 1000 only five times - 1882, 1897, 1904, 1908, and 1959. In 2011 it ranked just outside the top 1000 with only 196 girls born with the name, and 10 boys. (Safe to say the girls have taken over this one, too.) The above picture is from a fashion label named Ellery. Also check out Ellery Sprayberry, a child actress.

Bevan, pronounced BEH-vehn and/or BEH-vahn, is a Welsh name meaning "son of Evan." It can be found as a surname, as in British politician Aneurin Bevan, but also as a first name, as in Ameican musician Bevan Davies. It is not to be confused with the Anglicized Irish girl's name Bevin. While it's probably a little tacky to have a father named Evan and son named Bevan in the same family, it would be lovely to honor a grandpa, uncle or special friend named Evan, especially for those that don't want to deal with the popularity of Evan, which was #40, while Bevan was only used 6 times in 2011. Other than being a type font and foundation, I'm sorry to report there isn't much more on the name.

  Verona is the romantic city in northern Italy, quite possibly best known as being the source of inspiration for Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, The Taming of the Shrew  (if in a small way) and The Two Gentlemen of Verona . And while Romeo and Juliet are constantly in use as baby names in America, Verona was used only 29 times in 2011. It ranked from 1880 to 1934, most popular in 1905 and 1906 (when many names containing the letter V were popular), falling off the charts every so often. The meaning of Verona is contested. It could be from the Greek name Veronica, meaning "victory bringer," which would make it just a little bit place name-y. One legend has it that Verona was named for King Theodoric's castle. There are many tales of battle and power connected to Verona since it was an intersection of many cities - when Verona was just forming as a city, several leaders fought on the land and it exchanged hands quite a bit. Today Verona is a nice tourist attraction, wh

  Gerard is a name you don't hear every day. I'm not entirely sure which category it fits in - vintage? This Old English name has an interesting meaning, "spear brave," partly sharing in the definitely vintage boy's name Gerald, meaning "spear ruler," which was also a 19th century revival name. Both come from Old German origin, but in the late Middle Ages, Gerard was more popular. The Normans introduced the name Gerard to England in the 11th century. "Spear brave" may seem a little obscure, but the meaning can be translated to "brave with the spear." It's common to hear this name in France, where actor Gerard Depardieu is from. The name can also be found on poet Gerard Manley Hopkins and painter Gerardo Richter, although I think most Americans are more familiar with the [very hot] Scottish actor from Hollywood, Gerard Butler (pictured above). There were also a few St. Gerard's, though the most well known, Gerard Majella, is

Searching for a particular name which I can't mention, I came across this wonderful blog  dedicated to the works of Barbara Cartland's books and cover art. I didn't know who Barbara Cartland was, but I found out she used some awesome and unusual names for her books! Go check it out. A small sampling: Una Marina Verena Elvina Novella Bettina Simona

Taking names from the top of the SSA charts between 1975 and 1985, here are my nominations for today's "mom names." Beth Christina Jennifer Sarah Heather Tiffany Michelle Megan Rachel Rebecca Laura Danielle Angela Lisa Monica Patricia Stacy Dana Tracy Amy Melissa Kimberly Nicole Kelly Amanda Tammy Susan Carrie Denise Brenda Tanya Amber Renee Do you have a "mom name?" Which of these do you think are timeless classics and not mom names?

We're all familiar with names that are dated. For some, it might be Tammy, Donna and Lynn. For others, Tiffany, Kim or Tracy. But how popular were those names, are how did they become "dated?" My theory is that the names with the least amount of historical background, meaning and legitimacy, which rushed to the top of the charts, were the ones now considered dated. (Although sometimes pop culture ruins a popular name, and some just fall out of favor because they're tired.) On the other hand, those which are deemed traditional, with a long history of use and a rich background, might have been at the top of the charts for a long time without ever being considered dated - the "timeless classics." Here's five of each... Timeless Classics Catherine & Katherine - This Greek name is backed by saints, queens, royalty and literary figures up the wazoo and has been popular since the Dark Ages. The spelling with a C is currently resting at #161 and has never

Brian Boru comic by Damien Goodfellow What is your name?   Brian Do you have any nicknames? Gav, Gavino, and Bri-guy from gaming and from friends What is your ethnic background? Caucasian What decade were you born in? 70's How did you get your name? No idea How did you feel about your name growing up? Loved it How do you feel about your name now? I still like it, for the most part What are some names of your family members? Dennis, Jan, Grace, Philip, Angeline If you have any kids, what are their name(s)? Daughter Katlynn , name chosen by wife, and the name fits her perfectly. I would name a boy Gavin. What is the name of your best friend? Joe What are some common names for your age group? Toby, Greg, Dennis, Gavin, Malakai If you had to give yourself a new first name, what would it be? McLovin' or Sir Lancelot Are there any personal stories about your name? Not that I can think of Are people ever confused about your name? No, but sometimes it comes out "brain