Appellation Mountain

Emmanuelle: Baby Name of the Day

2013-05-21T10:31:06Z

Photo credit: Wikipedia

Eleanor and Elizabeth are classics, while Emma and Emily have dominated the US Top 10 in recent years. So why haven’t we heard much of this lovely appellation?

Thanks to Vicki for suggesting Emmanuelle as our Baby Name of the Day.

First things first: Emmanuelle is a feminine form of Emmanuel, or maybe Immanuel. The spelling varies across time and tongue. It’s never been super popular in the English-speaking world, but you’ve almost certainly heard Manuel and maybe even Manuela. Manuel had a good run in the Byzantine Empire, and has appeared in the royal families of Spain and Portugal. Judy Garland played Manuela in 1948′s The Pirate.

It’s also a deeply spiritual name. Emmauelle’s roots are Hebrew, meaning “God is with us.” If you’ve ever heard the Christmas carol “O come, O come, Emmanuel,” you know the rest of the story. In the Old Testament Book of Isaiah, the future messiah’s name is given as Emmanuel. As the lyrics tell us, he’s to ransom captive Israel.

No surprise then, that the name has some appeal, especially in our age of borrowing from the Bible.

But Emmanuelle appeals for a second reason: she’s French. With choices like Genevieve and Vivienne all the rage, Emmanuelle feels perfectly on trend.

A handful of notable actresses have boosted the name:

Emmy Rossum was born Emmanuelle Grey Rossum. Emmy isn’t actually French, but she was named after a great-grandfather Emmanuel.
Then there’s César-award winning actress Emmanuelle Béart. She’s French, and most of her work has taken place in France, though a few of her films, like Manon des Sources, have achieved an international audience. That’s her portrait above.
There’s also Emmanuelle Seigner and Emmanuelle Vaugier.
Oscar-nominated actress Emmanuelle Riva is another notable.
Emmanuelle Chriqui was born in Montreal. You might remember her as Entourage’s Sloan, or Lorelei on The Mentalist.

But it doesn’t take much looking to find a possible downside to Emmanuelle. Emmanuelle Arsan was the pen name of Bangkok-born Marayat Rollet-Andriane. The author penned erotic novels about a young woman named Emmanuelle. The 1959 book was banned in France – and became a sensation. It was adapted for the big screen in the 1970s, and became onthe moviee of the most successful French films of the decade.

Now here’s the thing: the movie is undeniably softcore porn. It inspired sequels, spin-offs, and rip-offs, some of which gave their main character the just-slightly-different name Emanuelle. There’s a strong association between the name and the entire category of erotic films.

It didn’t stop the French. Emmanuelle was at her most popular as a given name in 1980 – a moment when every parent must have recognized the association.

My sense is that the reference isn’t well-known in the US – at least not in 2013. She’s given to two or three dozen girls born in the US each year.

With French flair and the potential to shorten to Emme or Ellie, doesn’t it seem like Emmanuelle would wear well in 2013?

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Rafferty: Baby Name of the Day

2013-05-19T00:29:29Z

Editor’s note: This post was originally published on May 20, 2011. It was substantially revised and re-posted on May 20, 2o13 – for Julia.

He’s an upbeat surname option with a certain amount of edge.

Thanks to Lemon and Emily for suggesting Rafferty as our Baby Name of the Day.

Three-syllable, ends-in-y surname options like Romilly, Delaney and Bellamy all have a fashionable feel for girls. But Rafferty’s sound is a smidge harsher, and seems more appropriate for a son. He’s less aggressive than Gunner and Slade, but his tough-guy vibe might appeal to parents considering choices like Wyatt and Gage.

Where does Rafferty get his street cred?

The first syllable – raff – brings to mind the word raffish. Jane Austen would tell you that raffish is another word for vulgar – think riffraff. “Raffish charm” means that something is a little rough around the edges, but all the more attractive for the lack of polish. That gritty undertone is what makes Rafferty lean masculine.

Most people will recognize Rafferty as an Irish heritage choice, the kind of surname that fits right in with Riley. Rafferty ultimately comes from Rabhartach, a given name referring to the rising tide, a symbol of prosperity and abundance.

Jude Law chose the name for his son in 1996, lending Rafferty some serious starbaby style. And yet only a handful of boys have been given the name in recent years. What gives?

While Rafferty’s sound is cheerful and his meaning positive, that air of ne’er-do-well haunts him. The name has been chosen for characters who range from the hapless to the downright unsavory:

In Australia, late 1980s television drama Rafferty’s Rules followed the life and times of local magistrate Michael Rafferty. There’s nothing especially untoward about Michael, but the title was borrowed from an Australian phrase. Rafferty’s rules means no rules. It’s somewhere between total chaos and gentle lawlessness. There’s a vintner known as Rafferty’s Rules Wines, too.
There’s a spectacularly violent minor comic book character from the 1990s.
Along the same lines, Sin City’s bad guy, Jackie Boy, is Jack Rafferty. Benecio del Torro played the villainous cop-gone-bad in the 2005 film adaptation.
On a lighter note, Scottish musician Gerry Rafferty was part of Stealers Wheel in the 1970s – but their hit single “Stuck in the Middle With You” is famous for being in the violent breakthrough Quentin Tarantino film Reservoir Dogs.
There’s also Chips Rafferty, an Australian actor, born John Goffage. His career spanned from the 1940s through the 1960s, including an appearance with Elvis Presley in 1967′s Double Trouble.
Then there’s 1975′s Rafferty and the Gold Dust Twins, a mostly forgotten movie featuring Alan Arkin as a former Marine-turned-driving instructor who heads off on a road trip with two women. It’s memorable mostly because it was an early Jerry Bruckheimer project.

While names like Damien and Regan have been boosted by unlikely uses, Rafferty seems held back by pop culture – or at least not helped by it. And yet no single Rafferty is so dastardly as to render the name unwearable.

File Rafferty with Crosby, Huxley, and Murphy – new surname names that just might work.

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Baby Name News: 5.19.13

2013-05-19T13:49:29Z

So the big baby name news is that Beyonce and Jay-Z are going to make Blue Ivy a big sister! Or so rumor has it. Speculation about possible names for Bey-Z II is already in full swing. I turned to the Bey Bey Name Generator for inspiration this morning. Periwinkle Pine, Cerulean Palm, or Cobalt Lily, anyone?

Something tells me that the famous couple won’t follow the pattern they set with Blue’s name. But there’s no way it will be Jacob or Sophia, right?

Elsewhere in baby name news:

Did you see the birth announcement at For Real for Czarina Maria? And I thought Messiah was over the top!
Houston Press blogger Jef With One F went on a rant about crazy kid names last week. I just re-read it and realized that while the names he’s criticizing are easy to hate on - Nevaeh, of course – he actually has some pretty funny lines. My favorite? By the tick-filled pelt of Peter Rabbit, Cayn. Cayn. I have been obsessed with vampire fiction for two decades and even the most batty of goths never hung Cayn on a fictional character, let alone someone that had to stand in line at the DMV.
I really like the name Catarina. But only Catarina, not Katerina.
From the wayback machine: back in 2008, I was writing about Orion. In 2009, it was Tizoc. 2010 brought us Andrea. 2011 was all about Rayna. And last year, the 19th fell on a Saturday, but the week before, the spotlight went to Sapphire.
Another spotting of Shalom in the middle spot, this time for a boy. I’m not saying Shalom is the next Marie, but it could be bigger than, say, Danger.
I am completely okay with kids named Katniss and Lisbeth, Blue, Hugo, Niall, and Jubilee. But I’ll admit that Nancy’s Pop Culture Baby Name Game results had me shaking my head at the rise in newborns named Renesmee. It doesn’t seem like an attractive name – maybe I’m missing something? Especially since Twilight and company are packed with such gorgeous, glorious choices.
Which reminds me – I was talking to an expectant mom the other day. She told me that her husband had suggested Cullen. Her response? “I’m not saying no. I just need to explain that Cullen is the last name of the vampire family in Twilight.” I guarantee the dad truly hasn’t got a clue about Bella and Edward, so what happens that we pluck these really current names out of the air anyway? And no, they’re not going to use Cullen …
Loved this post on trends of the past. Bettye, Buford, Fairy, Tennessee, Queen, Commodore. Fascinating names, and a great reminder that novelty isn’t new.
I’m intrigued by Hawk and Hawkeye. The former appears in an Arkansas birth announcement. The latter made Kelli’s list of rare debuts.
The Baby Name Wizard analysis on Jacob is fascinating. It’s a good reason to go ahead and use the names that you love, even if they’re in Top 100, or 20, or 10 … or even the #1 name.
Despite that data, here’s my theory: part of the increasing volatility in baby names is due to conversations like this one. The parents agree on Olive for their daughter’s name, but they’re seriously considering using something else for fear that Olive is going to become too popular. I think Anna gives her excellent advice, and some low-key encouragement to use Olive anyhow. But if we’re thinking this way, that means that we’re discarding names as “too popular” before they’re even popular. All of this crystal-ball gazing pushes us towards more and more unusual names, and growing diversity in given names.
Of course, the venerable New York Times explains the dominance of the name Michael in New York, and explains why I know so many little kids named Eleanor and Henry. It’s another quote from Laura Wattenberg: The more progressively an area votes, the more conservatively it names its babies. I do think there’s change afoot here, too, though – probably because we’re likely to avoid a name if someone in our circles has already used it. More pressure towards diversity, so parents are considering Dorothy rather than welcoming another Beatrix to their block.
Which reminds me: how excited am I to read Off-the-Grid baby names from Nameberry? I’m saving it for my long, lazy Memorial Day weekend.

That’s all the baby name news for this Sunday Summary! As always, thank you for reading and have a great week.

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Willem, Catharina, Beatrix: Dutch Royal Names

2013-05-06T10:32:20Z

King of the Netherlands (Photo credit: HereIsTom)

The recent abdication of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands in favor of her son, Willem-Alexander, has put the Dutch royals in the spotlight.

For all my royal watching, I haven’t paid close attention to their names. Maybe it is because all of the men seem to be called William. Or perhaps it because the House of Orange keeps a pretty low profile as European monarchies go.

Or maybe I’ve just been lazy.

Because now that I look, there are some truly appealing choices in recent generations. While family names dominate, and an astonishing number of monarchs have answered to William, there are some fascinating choices sprinkled in, too. And Dutch names always fascinate – enough that I wade through Voornamelijk and Vernoeming via Google translate on a regular basis.

The royal favorites are nothing like their national Top Ten, which is chock full of single-syllable gems like Tess and Bram.

But it’s an intriguing list nonetheless. Read on for some of the most interesting picks.

Dutch Royal Names: Princes, Counts & Kings

William - He’s the alpha dog, the most commonly used name. But could the new monarch put Willem in the spotlight? It’s the authentically Dutch version. Actor Willem Dafoe has boosted the name in the US, but Willem remains a distinctive, unusual choice.

Casimir - The name of a Polish saint and a quartet of kings, this Slavic name is surprisingly well-established with the family. I’m guessing it was imported thanks to the Russian-born Queen Anna, wife of William II. Their son, born in 1822, was known as Ernst Casimir. It was a popular combination amongst the German House of Nassau, too.

Claus-Casimir - The only boy born in the current generation, Claus-Casimir is Prince Constantijn’s son, nephew of the new king. His full name is Claus-Casimir Bernhard Marius Max, but he’s called Casimir.

Constatijn - The younger brother of the new king wears the Dutch form of Constantine. Again, the Eastern-leaning name is something of a surprise.

Ernest – Now this one feels like the kind of clunky rarity you’d expect to hear on a Dutch royal.

Floris - Youngest son of Margriet, nephew of the recently abdicated queen and cousin to the new king. There aren’t any Flor- names in English for boys, though the Latin Florentius was originally used for men and there was a third century Saint Florian.

Frederick – A solidly royal choice, found in many a noble house.

Friso – Truly a Dutch heritage choice, it refers to Friesland – a province in the northern part of the nation. The youngest brother of the current king was baptized Johan Friso Bernhard Christiaan David. Friso was seriously injured in an accident more than a year ago, and remains in a coma.

Henry - Just like Frederick, this is a natural on the family tree of any royal clan.

Lodewijk – I’m intrigued by this Dutch form of Ludovic. It’s typcially Anglicized as just plain Louis, but I’m a big fan of Ludovic.

Dutch Royal Names: Princesses, Countesses & Queens

Catharina-Amalia – Now that her dad is the king, Amalia is the heiress apparent, now styled the Princess of Orange. This makes her the first woman to hold the title in her own right. Her full name is Catharina-Amalia Beatrix Carmen Victoria.

Alexia – The new king’s second daughter answers to Alexia Juliana Marcela Laurentien. Juliana is her after great grandmother, the queen before Beatrix. Laurentien comes from after her aunt by marriage. It feels authentically Dutch, and I suppose it is. Laurentien is a smoosh of her parents’ names – Laurens and Jantien.

Ariane – The new king’s third and youngest daughter. Ariane Wilhelmina Maxima Ines.

Eliane – Vowel names are huge for the current generation. All three of the current king’s daughter have A names, and E is big, too. Floris and his wife Aimee gave this French saint’s name to their daughter, Eliane Sophia Carolina. She’s rare in the US, but would fit right in with Genevieve and Elise.

Eloise – Constantijn’s firstborn, Eloise Beatrix Sophie Laurence. Love seeing Laurence on a girl. (It’s feminine in French; Laurent is the masculine form.)

Irene - The former queen’s little sister was named Irene Emma Elisabeth. Her name has a great backstory. She was born while war threatened, but European leaders were still working for peace. That’s why the Dutch royal is named after a Greek goddess. Her marriage to the pretender to the Spanish throne caused a scandal, since Irene converted to Roman Catholicism. The marriage didn’t last, and her four children grew up in the Netherlands: Carlos Xavier, Margarita Maria Beatrix, Jaime Bernardo, and Maria Carolina Cristina. Margarita has two daughters of her own: Julia Carolina Catharina and Paola Cecilia Laurentien – interesting to see Laurentien popping up again!

Laurentien – I’m fascinated by this one. She’s the wife of Constantijn, born Petra Laurentien, but known by her middle name. Laurentien is a portmanteau of her parents’ names: dad Laurens and mom Jantien.

Leonore - Constantijn’s youngest is Leonore Marie Irene Enrica.

Luana – Friso’s daughter with wife Mabel is named Emma Luana Ninette Sophie, and known by her first middle name. One of her godmothers is Italian politician Emma Bonino – could that be the source of her given name?

Magali Margriet Eleonoor – Probably my favorite combination of this list, the name of Floris and Aimee’s older daughter.

Marijke – The childhood nickname of Maria Christina, also called Princess Christina since adulthood. Another of Beatrix’s younger sisters.

Margriet - Sister to the recently abdicated queen, Margriet Francisca was born during World War II, while her family was exiled in Canada during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. Margriet’s name comes from the marguerite – a flower symbolizing Dutch resistance to the Nazi regime.

Wilhelmina – The former queen, mother of Beatrix and grandmother to Willem-Alexander. Her full name was Wilhelmina Helena Pauline Maria.

Zaria – Like sister Luana, Joanna Zaria Nicoline Milou is known by her second name. Nicoline is for their aunt, Mabel’s sister.

Are there any names on this list that you would use? What’s your favorite combination on the list?

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Stana: Baby Name of the Day

2013-05-08T10:58:40Z

Photo credit: Wikipedia

She’s known as Kate on Castle, but where did that lovely actress get her given name?

Thanks to Kyla for suggesting Stana as our Baby Name of the Day.

At first glance, Stana looks like a feminine form of Stanley and Stan. I’d bet that at least a handful of little girls christened Stana were honoring a Stanley somewhere in their family tree.

But there’s a whole other story here, too.

Stana Katic plays Kate Beckett on detective series Castle, and has had roles in plenty of films and television shows, including Heroes and 24, and a small part in the James Bond flick Quantum of Solace. But it is the ABC series that made her a star.

Katic’s parents are Serbian. They immigrated from Croatia before Stana’s birth. The family moved to Canada first, and later to Illinois. She’s the firstborn in a big family, and I’ve heard that she was named after a grandmother. (But then, I’ve also read that her middle name is Jacqueline, something that her official site dismisses as a bizarre rumor.) She pronounces her name something like Donna – listen here.

So what does Stana mean?

It’s a Slavic element meaning stand. Stanislava is a traditional choice for girls in several Slavic languages, and Stana is a short form. While there wasn’t a Saint Stanislava, there have been plenty of saints Stanislaus, lending more substance to the name.

The asteroid Stana was discovered in 1998, and named after Stanislava Setvakova, a member of the Prague Planetarium staff.

There’s also a river in Romania by the name, and a few villages – but I’m not certain if their name shares the same origins. A handful of Romanian women answer to Stana, too.

So that’s where she comes from. But how would she wear in 2013? Five girls received the name in 2011, possibly inspired by Katic, or maybe by family members of their own.

On the one hand, the name feels like a mash-up of favorites like Stella and Anna. Stana fits right in with lots of short, ends-with-a names – from Kayla to Clara, Maya to Sarah. She’s more wearable than Stanislava, and works better than Stanka, another diminutive form.

And yet Stana still bears the stamp of an import – a name that is unfamiliar to most in the US, and might require some explanation. That’s a bonus for many a name nerd, but it might not be pleasing to all.

Overall, you can’t call quite Stana on-trend, and I doubt she’s likely to be the next Gemma. But she’s nicely wearable – the perfect choice for parents after a Slavic heritage choice that feels wearable in English.

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Avonlea: Baby Name of the Day

2013-03-06T02:31:51Z

She’s one of the most famous fictional places ever, right up there with Oz.

Thanks to Kaeli for suggesting Avonlea as our Baby Name of the Day.

Avonlea is, of course, the home of Anne of Green Gables, Lucy Maud Montgomery’s enduring heroine. The pronunciation is three syllables: ah von LEE.

We love her for lots of reasons. For one, Anne Shirley is a name nerd. When she arrives as a young orphan, Anne tries to convince her new family to call her Cordelia. When they refuse, she tacks the “e” on to Ann.

But it’s more than that: since the first novel’s 1908 publication, it has been translated into many languages, spawned sequels and stage and film adaptations, and sparked tourism on Prince Edward Island, the site that inspired so many of the fictional Avonlea locations.

There is a real village in Saskatchewan called Avonlea – but it was named after the books.

In the 1990s, a television series called Road to Avonlea was adapted from some of Montgomery’s other novels, the ones that started out with the arrival of Sara Stanley in Avonlea.

The television series seems to have inspired parents to consider Avonlea as a given name. It debuted in 1990, and that’s the first year more than five American girls received the name.

Then again, the 1990s were the beginning of the place name trend. Brittany and Chelsea were both in the Top 100. Bethany was just outside. Even without the television series, parents might have considered the place name.

Where did Avonlea come from in the first place?

It must be borrowed from Avon – an old word for river, and often the name of rivers, creating the slightly repetitive River Avon. I would assume lea refers to a field, just like with so many ends in ley surnames. So the pretty and picturesque Avonlea refers to a river by a field. In a funny way, that makes Avonlea an almost generic place name. Avonlea could be anywhere.

For years, I wanted to pronounce Avonlea with four syllables: ah von LEE ah. But I think that’s probably just me. With her three syllable, ends-in-ee sound, she fits right in with so many girls’ names, from modern inventions to traditional choices.

All of this makes Avonlea a shape-shifter – she feels like a charming choice from an earlier time, the gentle land of Anne. But as a given name, she’s undeniably a modern innovation.

Factor in our affection for Ava and our embrace of place names and literary appellations, and the surprise is that more parents aren’t using Avonlea. The similar-sounding Avalon, borrowed from Arthurian legend – is attracting attention, too.

On the one hand, calling your daughter Avonlea certainly marks you as a fan of Anne. But it almost defies the imagination to think of someone perceiving the books as a negative reference.

In 2011, 64 parents chose the name for their daughter. That’s still pretty – and well outside of the Top 1000 – but it is more common than you might guess.

In other words? You might be meeting a baby Avonlea sooner than you’d guess.

Original photo link: by dougtone via Flickr

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Nicoline: Baby Name of the Day

2013-05-07T09:33:56Z

Looking for a fresh spin on Nicole?

Thanks to Sarah for suggesting Nicoline as our Baby Name of the Day.

Nicholas is a classic pick for boys, and Nicole was a Top Ten staple in the 1980s. That puts Nicole squarely into mom name territory today. But let’s say you’re after a way to honor one of the many people named Nick or Nikki. Possibilities abound.

Nicoline sounds like a nouveau invention, a combination of Nicole and the popular -ine ending.

It’s true that this is a feminine form and elaboration of Nicholas, but she has a longer history of use that you might imagine.

Nicoline appears in the the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark.

She’s very rare, but not unknown, in France, where Nicole was a hit in the 1940s. (Another diminutive form, Nicolette, appears to have been slightly more popular.) Of course, it’s difficult to say how many of those Nicoles could have answered to Nicoline as an affectionate short form – probably a few, possibly more.

You might also stumble across Nikoline, Nicholine, Nicolina, or Nikolina.

She may have been used as an affectionate form as early as the Middle Ages, but the first definite use of the name is in early eighteenth century Denmark. Nicoline remains reasonably common in Denmark today.

Then there’s:

Nicoline Tuxen, born in 1847 in Copenhagen, the daughter of Lieutenant Commander Nicolai Elias Tuxen, who had a key role in the Danish navy. Nicoline became a painter.
Nicoline Luplau, better known as Line, was a Danish suffragette in the nineteenth century.
Nicoline Artursson is a Swedish model, and represented Sweden in the Miss World 2011 pageant.
Miss Mabel Martine Wisse Smit married Dutch prince Friso and became a member of the House of Orange. Mabel has a sister called Nicoline, and the name was used as an extra middle for the couple’s younger daughter.
In the natural world, there’s a type of Japanese quince – a spiny, flowering shrub – known as the Nicoline.

Add it up, and Nicoline is a rarity with a familiar feel.

On the downside, she sounds an awful lot like nicotine: nih ko LEEN. And yet there’s the possibility that she’ll hear her name pronounced nik oh LYN or nih ko LINE, just parents of girls named Caroline and Emmeline report.

But if you’re after a name to honor a Nicholas or Nicole, something with a European feel, something just a little bit different, then Nicoline hits all of those marks.

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Caspian: Baby Name of the Day

2013-05-12T11:21:17Z

The Caspian Sea at Babolsar (Iran) in the 1930′s (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This post was originally published on May 16, 2008. It was substantially revised and republished on May 13, 2013.

He’s a literary, romantic choice, the name of a sea and a fictional king.

Our Baby Name of the Day is Caspian.

Located between Russia and Iran, the Caspian is an inland sea, or maybe the world’s largest lake. You’ve probably never heard of the major cities surrounding the Caspian Sea. Sumqayit, Azerbaijan, anyone? Babolsar, Iran? Only the most intrepid of travelers has planned his vacation for the region.

It’s a mysterious place, once part of the Paratethys – an ocean that predates the current alignment of our continents. It makes for some curiosities – like a species of seal found only in the Caspian Sea, or the Sabayil Castle, submerged for five centuries following an earthquake in 1306, until the water receded. Beluga sturgeon swim in its waters, and they are the source of the world’s priciest caviar.

It isn’t entirely certain what Caspian means. It might mean white. The name comes from an ancient people living in the area. Herodotus mentioned them, but we don’t know much about their history or culture.

What we do know is that C.S. Lewis borrowed Caspian from the map way back in the 1950s, as part of his Chronicles of Narnia series. It was the second book published, but it is the fourth in the series chronologically. Narnia itself was inspired by the Latin name for Narni, an Italian city Lewis spotted in an atlas. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was published in 1950, introducing the four Pevensie children. Prince Caspian is the 1951 sequel, where the children must return to Narnia to help Caspian save his throne from his evil uncle Miraz.

The prince is a noble figure, and the books are enduring classics. A 2008 big screen adaptation introduced the series to an even wider audience. It also gave the name a bump. While a handful of boys received the name beginning in the late 1990s, Caspian has been given to more than 30 boys every year since 2008. In 2012, there were 55 newborn Caspians.

One of those was the son of actress Neve Campbell.

Another Caspian of note is the character from Jessica Verday’s young adult supernatural romance The Hollow and its sequels.

Little wonder, then, that Caspian is getting lots of attention these days:

He’s a place name, with connections to the natural world.
He sounds like a name – less ghostly than Casper, less invented than Davian.
Neve’s baby boy raised his profile, as did the movie and the bestselling book triology.

Caspian feels the tiniest bit extravagant to my ear, but then, I’d say the same of Sebastian and Gabriel. With names like Nathaniel and Santiago gone mainstream for American boys, Caspian fits right in.

And yet he’s still relatively uncommon, far outside of the US Top 1000, which means he’s a standout at the same time.

If you’re after a romantic appellation that will wear well on a son in 2013 and beyond, Caspian is one to consider.

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Baby Name News: Mother’s Day 2013 Edition

2013-05-12T12:14:05Z

Photo credit: Wikipedia

Happy Mother’s Day! Are you as wrapped up in the new Social Security data as I am? I’ve been glancing at it during stolen moments this week, as I’ve been insanely busy. Happily, there’s been tons of coverage of the new list, and I’m sure you’ve devoured much of it. If not, Clare curates all of the name articles on her scoop.it site, and can get you caught up in nanoseconds!

Now, on to the name news – some from the new rankings, but mostly not:

Could Ranger be big? Especially with the new movie due out later this year, I think Baby Name Pondering is on to something.
Another boys’ name that has me watching: Whitaker or Whittaker. He’s mentioned in this post at Swistle.
Ooh … I like the idea of Wisteria. It’s another name that could lead to the nickname Whit.
Love trying to unravel these Top Name Debut lists at Nancy’s blog. I’m thinking that Daleyza comes from singer Larry Hernandez and his reality show, but my Spanish is too weak to confirm it, and I can’t get his show to stream on my laptop this morning. Hernandez was born in LA, but he’s of Mexican descent, and has made his name signing a traditional form of Mexican song. Listen here. No idea where he might have found Daleyza, but it seems to be catching on.
I don’t often mention name-the-baby-animal contests, but this list struck me as interesting. You could hear Priya, Willow, Harper, Violet, and Cai in any kindergarten in the US, and you wouldn’t bat an eyelash.
Cleo Josephine - love that jazzy combination! Spotted in Maryland, so maybe my Clio will cross paths with this one …
I had some fun with this Missouri-specific baby name popularity tool. Can’t wait for the Social Security Administration to release state-by-state data next week!
Love these finds from Isadora at Nameberry. Defiance? Ameline? They make me want to know more …
Dear Phaedra, Congrats on son #2! Now what did you name your darling boy?
Clover, Cyrus, Memphis and more names chosen by new celebrity moms in recent months.
Max, then Jax - and now Zax?
Titan and Briggs, Jessa and Evalyn – welcome to the US Top 1000!
Names just outside the Top 1000 that I’m loving for girls: Wren, Rory, Margot, Drew, Montserrat, Maren, Magnolia, Noor, Delia, Cordelia, Clementine. And for the boys: Leif, Ford, Langston, Shiloh, Coy, Haven, Lucien, Estevan, Clyde, Adler, Lathan.
Speaking of lists – I love so many in the Sunday round-up at For Real Baby Names: Fife, Persephone, Sloane, Zola, Sullivan, Esme, Ada Love.

That’s all for this week. As always, thank you for reading and have a lovely Mother’s Day and a great week ahead!

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2012 Baby Name Data: Thoughts & Curiosities

2013-05-10T11:05:47Z

Photo credit: RichardBowen

It’s Christmas in May! The Social Security Administration has released the data on last year’s most popular baby names. As usual, there are a few surprises and a couple of anticipated moves.

I was officially wrong – Jacob held on to the #1 ranking for boys in the US. I expected Mason to take over the top spot. And yet, as Rui pointed out, the difference between Jacob and Mason was a mere 40 births …
Harper and Aria made big leaps for girls – no shockers there. But how ’bout Cataleya? More girls’ names on the rise in 2012: Piper, Hadley, Willow, Ivy, Hazel, Iris, Londyn, Lyric, Journey, Paris, Fiona, Luna, Phoebe, Selenda, Isla, Ruth, Helen, Edith, Rosemary, Rosalie, Ada, Vera, Fernanda, Jazlyn, June, Sloane. And many more.
Excited to see Arlo up for boys! And look at that big jump in the number of babies named Liam. Other boy names making gains: Flynn and Finn, of course. But also Greyson, Cruz, Judah, Silas, Declan, Ezra, Beckett, Kai, Jax, August, Davis, Archer, Orion, Paxton. To name just a few.
Sawyer is rising for boys and girls. I continue to wonder if we’re early days into an era when baby names can truly be gender neutral.
There’s an interesting thing happening with the -aiden names. While mainstream choices like Aiden, Jayden, and Brayden are all slipping, a new wave of names is gaining: Rayden, Zayden, Zaiden, Raiden are catching on, even as the original Aidan falters.
Huxley and Wren remain outside the US Top 1000. So does Cordelia!
Place names are big, and we’re always embracing new ones. Malaysia made a big jump for the girls, and Aspen gained, too.
Jessa and Josie were both up. Duggar much? Of course, there’s also the Jessa character on Girls. And Jinger remains off the radar, so maybe it isn’t about the super-sized reality family at all.

What are your favorite finds from the 2012 baby name data so far?

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