Once Upon a Time Baby Names

Like yesterday's post on Yardley, Yarden is extremely similar in every way - nature name, place name, rare, but it seems to work as a boy's name just a tiny bit more than Yardley thanks to it's trending -n ending. However, the similarity in sound to "garden" makes it seem a bit whimsical-meets-tomboy for a girl. The perfect unisex name. The statistics say Yarden is for girls, though. While Yardley was given to 9 girls in 2014 and none in 2015, and not given to boys at all, the name Yarden was given to 7 girls in 2014, then 5 in 2011 and none between those dates. Yarden previously had a run between 2002 and 2008, missing some years between, and not given more than 11 times in a year. It started being used on girls in 1984 with 6 births (probably five and less than five births for any number of years beforehand) and started being used on boys in 1990 with 5 births. Interestingly, Yarden seems to switch sides: given to boys in the years it's not used on girls a...

Yardley, also sometimes spelled Yeardley or Yeardlea (less often Yeardlee, Yeardleigh and Yeardlie), is an English surname occassionally found as a given name. It means "enclosed (fenced) meadow," and is pronounced YARD-lee. There are a few namesakes for Yeardley: George Yeardley, plantation owner and a former governor of Virginia whose wife was Temperence Flowerdew Yaerdley; voice actress Yeardley Smith, who was born Martha (Marge,  The Simpsons ); lacrosse player Yeardley Love, who was murdered; also Quaker missionary John Yeardley. The spelling Yardley is largely used as a place name, and it can be seen on several people as a surname, but as a given name this is the name of patent attorney Yardley Chittick, born Charles Yardly Chittick, and news reporter Megyn Kelly's daughter. The cosmetics brand Yardley of London was established in 1770. In the news last year (2015) a baby was named Yardley and her brother was named Camden for Orioles home field Camden Yards. Oth...

While Kai, a Hawaiian name that means "sea," has been increasing in popularity, Moana may just catch up. Moana (moh-AH-nah) means "ocean" in Hawaiian, Polynesian and Maori (New Zealand). Both Kai and Moana are unisex. Moana first appeared with the SSA in 1941, given to 8 girls, and there are no recordings for boys. It's been used very sporadically, but it wasn't until 2000 that it picked up to steady, albeit rare, usage. In 2015 it was given to 18 girls, and in 2016 that number rose to 56. Interestingly, the French Disney company completely changed the name of the movie to Vaiana: La Legende du Bout du Monde (translation: Vaiana: The Legend from the End of the Earth). Vaiana (vy-AH-nah) is Tahitian meaning "water cave." In the movie, her last name Waialiki also has a word meaning "water." Vaiana has not been used in the U.S. and it is a surprising choice to be used in the French dubbed version of the movie. Moana is also the newest D...

Ailani (EYE-law-nee) is a Hawaiian girl's name meaning "chief," which makes it a very powerful yet feminine name. If you're thinking about nicknames, you could call her Ali, Aia, Lani, Aila (sounds like Isla) or even Annie. This name did not rank in the U.S. top 1000 until 2016 with a rank of #913. In 2015 Ailani was given to 206 girls, 300 in 2016. Perhaps with the new Disney movie Moana , this and other Hawaiian names will gain interest.

Oscar de le Renta  Sailor is a baby name with immediate imagery impact: an actual sailor on the sea, or perhaps someone in the Navy. While the word sailor as we know it today does refer to a person who sails a boat, and it has meant that in English since the 17th century, as a surname it comes from Old French sailleor, meaning "leaper, dancer," which was used as an occupational surname, and from Old German seil, meaning "rope," as an occupational name: rope maker. There is possibly a connection here between the use of ropes in sailing. It sounds summery, modern and unisex. This name is rising in popularity, from only five boys given the name in 1997 and then ten girls in 1998, in 2015 it increased to 42 boys and 234 girls, making it rank just outside the top 1000 for girls (but still rare on boys). You may have heard this name on a little one before, but perhaps Sailor isn't how that child's name was spelled. Saylor, Sayler, and Saylar have also been us...

Gascon is a dialect of Occitan spoken in Gascony, France, whose speakers at one point in history were Basque. Here are some beautiful and unique female names from this origin, which are unlike anything you've seen before. None of these names were used in 2016 in the U.S. except for Adelaida, Alaria, Belina, Celina and Clarie. Adelaïda (from Adelaide) Aimelina Aizivella Alaizina Alamanda, Allemande Alaria Alesta Alissende, Alissenda Almoïse Amadeta Amandina Amaneva Anderequina Arsende Asalaïs Auda Aulaire Belina Berengaria, Bereguièira Bertrana Biatris Blanqua Bousigat Brayda Brunissen, Brunissenda Cathelina Célina Ciragua Claramontine Clariana Clarie Cristia Domengina Domenja Eisabèu Ermessinde Esclarmonda Esperta Esterelle (thought to be a Provençal fairy who protects pregnant women, means "star") Estevena Fortina Franquine Garsenda Gauzia Guiana Guilhelma Guiralda Isabèu Izelda Jacotte (found in Foix) Jenofa Jouselet ...

I just caught sight of this beauty in the  Dictionary of Medieval Names  and it turns out this female name was used on someone with a bit of a pedigree. Brunissende de Comborn was the daughter of the Viscount of Comborn in France in medieval times. However, the first ruler, Archambaud, was of Merovingian descent. There are at least two named Brunissende in the family tree that I can see - Brunissende de Limoges, married to Archambaud the Bearded (1147) and from then on called Brunissende de Comborn. Her name was also written Brunissent, Brunicenda, Brunissen and Brunicens, but her birth name may have been Humberga. Delightfully, one of her daughters was named Melisende. Brunissende de Thiern (1235 or 1318) was daughter of Archambaud VII. Her name has also been written in the Latin Brunicendis. Are those the only namesakes for this rare French name? Nope. Brunissende of Cardona was another, wife of Roger IV of Foix, the son of Roger-Bernard II the Great. Their son named one o...

While Kieran seems to be all the rage lately, no one pays attention to the Cornish version of the name, meaning "little black one." Pieran is the same as Kieran because of the rule of language making the Gaelic "k" a "p" in Cymric. A transcription of Piran, sometimes written Perran, or even Perrian and Pierrian, this is the patron saint of miners and of Cornwall. The name is basically unheard of, unused in the U.S. Some locations bear this name in Cornwall. Saint Piran died c. 480 after being an abbot, with possible Irish roots. He is linked to the Irish saint Ciaran of Saigir. His legend starts with being thrown over a cliff into the sea tied to a boulder. He calms the sea and floats to safety in Cornwall, becomes a hermit with great qualities so he is gifted the ability to perform miracles. Then he made the Abbey of Lanpiran with his followers and helped the community perfect the art of tin-smelting. His flag is a white cross on a black background, oft...

Accalia (ah-KAH-lee-uh, uh-KAY-lee-uh) was the Etruscan woman from mythology that cared for the twins Romulus and Remus, founders of Rome, after they were suckled by a she-wolf or the goddess Rhea Silvia in the form of a wolf, who took them in when they were abandoned as the sons of the god Mars. In many places you will not find a meaning for this baby name, and in some instances the listed meaning will be "she-wolf," which is inaccurate. Accalia is likely from Acca Larentia, who was the wife of the shepherd Faustulus. Together they had twelve sons who became the Arval Brotherhood. In some cases it is said she was called lupa because of her personality, in others she was called that because she was a prostitute, and this is probably what spurred the legend of the she-wolf. In another version she was either a prize that Hercules won or a woman he helped get married, and the property she inherited upon that husband's death she then gave to the Roman people. But Accalia...

Oscalie is the first Creole origin name to be featured here, and although it is a rare name you can find it every so often in France, Haiti and the South (maybe about 3 in the U.S. total). The name is a feminine French variant of Oscar, as well as Oscalia and perhaps Oscaria. Oscarine has been found in Quebec. There aren't any famous namesakes, but I bet a lot of little Oscalie's have been named in honor of a special Oscar in the family tree. Oscar was originally a Viking (Old Norse) name, Asger, meaning "god-spear." Oskaria and Oscaria are possibly feminine Swedish variants.

Here are some handsome French boy's names that are rare in the U.S. Also see my list of  French girl's names you've never heard . Absalon Adalric Alain Albin Alberic Aldric Alliaume Aloïs  Alpinien Amandin Amant Anastase Anatole Ancelin Andéol Andoche Angelin Angilran Angoustan Antonin Apollinaire Arcade Archambeau Arian Aristion Arsène Arthème Ascelin Aubin Audouin Audran Aurelien Aurian Auxence Aymard Aymeric Aymon Barthélemy  Basile Bastien Baudouin Benoît Béranger Bertrand Blaise Bon Brice Brieuc Camélien  Camillien Caribert Carloman Cassien Chrétien Claudien Clement Clotaire Clovis Corentin Cyprien Cyril Didier Edgard  Éleuthère Emeric Emile Emilien Epiphane Etienne Eudes Eudoxe Eugene Evariste Evrard Fabrice Flavien Florent Florian Foulques Fulcran Fulgence Gabin Gaël Gaston Gaspard Gatien Gédéon Géroud Ghislain Girart Gonthier Grégoire  Gu...

Here's a long list of French girls names you've probably never heard in America that could likely go over well here. I have included 2016 use, and if I've written nothing next to a name it means that name was not used in the U.S. last year. Also see my list of  French boy names you've never heard . Abeline Aicelina Aliénor Alaine, 21 Alcine Alexine Aliette (from place name Aleth) Alix (a form of Alice), 26 Amaliane (from Germanic amal liut, "powerful people") Amandine Ameline Anastasie Anceline Anicette Apolline, 10 Apollonie Arabelle, 124 Arcadie Ariette Audeline Auxane Avoye Aymardine Azelie, 16 Basilisse Bastienne Bérangère Bibiane Blanchette Blandine Brunelle Brunissende Capucine Carine, 5 Celandine Celarie Cendrine Charlaine Charmaine, 15 Claudie  Claudine, 7 Clio Coline Coralie, 167 Corisande Cyrielle Delphine, 45 Domitille Doriane Edmée (or  Edmé) Éliane, 15 Élia, 194 Elzire Émérance Eudoxie...