XXnamesintrendXY

Names In Spotlight: Portuguese Names

2012-01-23T17:57:00.006Z

I decided to do a little article about portuguese names, for those of you who don't know, I'm half portuguese and I'm currently living in Portugal with some of my family. Now I've been to Portugal many times, but it's interesting to be back and stay here for a while, and also with my newish found love of baby names. I started to pay attention to portuguese names, and how they differ to american names in general.

In Portugal, when you name your baby, it's taken seriously. This means, no wacky names, certainly no trendy stuff for you to find (trendy names here are usually just normal names that are picking up a lot of popularity). Also, surnames remain surnames, and there are no unisex names - the rare exceptions are nicknames. However, you can give your son a female name if its used in the middle spot, and vice-versa for girls. For example, I know a boy named Afonso Lara (Lara, after his mother), and a girl named Marta Diogo. Usually you'll find many boys with the middle name Maria, and some girls with the middle name João (the equivalent of John). There are a lot of names with male and female spellings, so you'll have Ivo for boys, Iva for girls, Joaquim for boys, Joaquina for girls, André for boys, Andreia for girls, therefore there isn't a big demand to "steal" names. As a general rule "-o" and "-im" endings are masculine, and "-a" endings are feminine. There are some masculine names ending in "-a", but not too many, and they're mostly of foreign origin. There are even less female names ending in "-o". "E" endings are used widely by both genders, and while there are more male names ending in consonants than female, no particular consonant is more masculine than feminine, besides the already mentioned "-im" ending.

Nonetheless, new names have been allowed to filter over times, foreign names normally get adapted to portuguese orthography: for example Marta, not Martha, Filipe, not Phillip. Also, when adapting foreign names, there is an attempt to respect the origins of the name and gender usage. For example, names like Aubri (Aubrey), Quéli (Kelly), Sidnei (Sydney), Alexis, Paris, Nicola, Ariel, Luca, Jaime, are only allowed on boys. I sometimes wonder if the US had similar rules, would we have Courtney and Evelyn fighting for the male #1 spot in the SSA ranking today? But then I think there are far too many restrictions. While some names are allowed eventually, others never make it even though they're perfectly normal names - for example, Jade is not allowed for either sex.

Now onto more interesting things, I'm gonna talk about 5 very popular names for each sex, and then give you some other names that are less popular, but that I do like or find interesting.

BOYS

Rodrigo - The portuguese equivalent to Roderick, this is the #1 name for boys in Portugal, and has been for the last few years. Roderick has lost it's shine in the US, but I think Rodrigo could be integrated really well. Plus like a lot of portuguese male names, they end in "o", an ending that has been rising in popularity lately in America, so that's a plus too.

Martim - Considered a trendy name in Portugal since it has picked a lot of popularity in the last decade, spreading from the richer families to the rest really quickly. The portuguese equivalent to Martin has an unusual -m ending for american years, which might cause some problems pronunciation-wise, since this is a nasalized ending. Only for the brave namers I think.

Diogo - Now this one I can see being used a lot, thanks to it's spanish counterpart Diego being inside the US Top 100. There is only one different letter, but it makes a brand new name. So for parents that like Diego but want something more original, this is the perfect choice.

Francisco - Another name I could see translating really well to the american public, Francisco seems like a more jovial Francis. Francis has been dwindling in popularity, but tag on the -co ending and you've a fresh new name with a spunky attitude ready to sweap up the popularity charts.

Guilherme - Take a guess, what is the english equivalent of Guilherme? Gill? Gilbert? No... it's William! Believe it. If you take a closer look at Guilherme, you can see some similarities between the two names, however, this one I don't see having a shot at american success. First the silent "u" after the "g", it's pronounced "gee" with a hard "g". Then you have the "lh", which has a special sound in portuguese, with no english equivalent. The -erme ending isn't very appealing either, reminding me of worm or germ. Yes, I'm not a fan of this one...

Next up, are some less common male names, that I find quite interesting:

Henrique - The name used by previous kings of Portugal, it's still retained a lot of popularity today in Portugal, and would be easily understood in America with Henry and Enrique being 2 common choices. Be careful though, the pronunciation is a bit different: "ayn-rEEk". Of course this would be changed slightly in America since there are no nasalized vocals, but it's a name that could be a choice for some of you who like Henry but not it's popularity.

Rui - A name you never come across in America, but it's relatively common in Portugal. It reminds me of that Street Fighter character, Ryu, but with a twist. In Portugal it's simply pronounced "rooy", not "rooee". It has some potential, but I think it's pronunciation might cause some issues. Still, it stands out from the crowd.

Gaspar - The portuguese equivalent to Jaspar, this is almost the same name, except it has a hard "G" at the beginning. It is pronounced "gash-PAR", so some differences in phonetics there, but I think it's a nice alternative to Jaspar. Some people might raise issues about the "gas-" part, but believe me, in Portugal we also say "gas" for the same things, and no one has a problem with this name.

Flávio - Seldomly used, this name never really became too popular, but never went off the map either. It derived from the italian language and is a name still associated a lot with Italy, especially by americans. So as you can see, this name is charged with latin energy, mixing portuguese sunshine with italian spice, and since italian names are rising in popularity lately, why not go with this more peculiar choice?

Telmo - I only know one person with this name, and I never really payed attention to it until I started writing about portuguese names. But, I realized now that I do like it. I like the way it looks, I like the way it sounds, and it has some crossover appeal. The closest name I can think of is the female Selma. In case you're wondering, Telma exists for females here.

Celso - Pretty unusual name in Portugal, not used a lot these days (and probably never was), but this was used recently as a character's name in a portuguese soap, and it caught my attention. It's quite soft sounding, and pronunciation is really easy for english speakers: "CELL-soo" or "CELL-soh". I think it's a really appealing name.

Nicolau - Most americans are familiar with a lot of the Nico- names around the world, but I think this one would be unknown to most. The "au" ending is rare in portuguese, pronounced like the "ow" in "now", and even more unpopular in english. However, if you're fed up of hearing Nicholas everywhere, or you think Nikolai is too russian souding, this could be the best one for you.

Gustavo - Another relatively well known in Portugal, but not overwhelmingly popular. This could be a great choice for parents that like to use Gus as a nickname, but are not fond of the fuller names. Personally I feel Gustavo sounds really fresh, and with long names there are always several nickname oportunities.

Ivo - I've gotta say, this is one of my favorite names, and I think it could be popular in the US with the right exposure. Ivo is short, youthful, has an "o" ending so it could become trendy, and I like it's portuguese pronunciation the best: "EEvoo". However, you can say can change it's pronunciation to suit your tastes (in America).

Tomé - Tired of boring old Thomas and want something new? Well look at this bright portuguese name, Tomé! Quite similar to Thomas, and could be used as a legitimate equivalent. Pronounced "too-mEH" in portuguese, or if you wish "toh-mAY" in american accent, this is a fun name that is youthful but ages well. It would certainly be a unique choice.

Jasmim - You guessed it, this is a male name in Portugal, because in portuguese this flower is male, as is the "-im" ending. However there is a feminine equivalent Jasmine over here too. Now the potential of this name for boys in the US is minimum due to the popularity of Jasmine on girls, but I secretly do love this name. Flower names are rare for boys, so if you're one of those parents that likes to go against the norms, this is a fabulous and bold choice!

Ravi - Extremely rare in Portugal, really down in the popularity charts, but it's easily one of my favorite discoveries. Now I have heard of Rami before, but not Ravi. I actually prefer Ravi - can't we get rid of David and get this one instead? So much cooler looking, and softer sounding. It could definitely be used in the US, with names like Remy, Levi and David so widely used.

Juno - In Portugal, this name is only allowed on boys, but it's not heard of much. It doesn't sound to different from several other portuguese names, like Júlio, Hugo, Nuno or Bruno, yet it never really became used much. I personally like it's proximity to the month of June, in portuguese its Junho, so it reminds me of long summer days and gorgeous weather almost as soon as I hear it. Pretty good association, right?

Moving over to the girls, here are some well known names.

GIRLS

Leonor - After the name Maria, this is the most common female name in Portugal for the past year. With so many american naming blogs raving of the stylish Eleanor, for those of you who prefer something a little different, why not try this lovely portuguese equivalent? I think it's a great name.

Mariana - An interesting mix of Maria and Ana, this name has been hugely popular for the last few decades - personally I know several. I much prefer Mariana to Maria and Ana, but unlike these two, Mariana never made it big in the US. I think it may never have it's time to shine, but it's still a great choice.

Beatriz - This awesome name became trendy in the last decade with portuguese parents, having ascended sharply in popularity pretty quickly, and now going downhill just as fast. Nonethless, it's still one of the most common names given to baby girls. I personally much prefer this spelling over Beatrice or Beatrix. In Portugal, this name is pronounced "bee-uh-trEEsh". However, in America we could definitely get away with pronouncing it slightly different, and better yet, keep this fantastic name in the spotlight.

Lara - Another relatively new name within the portuguese border, this name slowly but steadily increased it's usage over time, and nowadays no one bats an eyelid when they meet a little Lara. In the US, people still love to use Lauren and Laura, but I find Lara much more attractive, yet she never really became popular. This is a perfectly usable and easy to pronounce name for americans, and would be a welcome alternative to the dated Lauren.

Margarida - At first look this seems like the portuguese equivalent to Margaret, but actually they both have different meanings. Margaret means "pearl", and Margarida is the portuguese word for "daisy", used throughout the country as a proper first name for females, just like in the US we had Daisy riding high in the popularity charts. I personally do not like Margaret, I find it a bit dull and dark sounding, but Margarida is completely different. It's lively, feminine, and could definitely be used in America.

Now I'm gonna give you some female names that are less common, but intriguing:

Mafalda - Still used quite a bit in Portugal, this is a charming name that I think has some american potential. Think of all the nickname choices? Maybe me knowing 2 fabulous girls with these names might have biased my views on it, but I do think it's got some great qualities.

Carlota - This is the portuguese equivalent to Charlotte, a name that has been getting uber popular lately. Carlota is a bit more heavy than Charlotte imo, but still retains some of it's charm and spunk. There's still loads of nickname choices with this one, and on the plus side, your daughter would probably be the only one with this name...

Núria - This name could be perfectly adapted to english, although it would probably be best to drop the (´) accent over the letter "u" to keep things simple - same goes for other names with this special sign. Anyway, whichever way you pronounce it, I think its got great appeal, and could translate pretty easily. I can't think of a name in english currently in usage that sounds too similar to this one, which can be a good thing.

Soraia - Well known name in Portugal, but has sorta fallen from grace over time, losing a lot of the popularity it once had. However if you think about it, it could be a great choice for american parents. "So-" names are ultra popular these days, and "-aia" endings are common too, so this is like a perfect blending. Why not try out this sassy name?

Salomé - A more exotic name this time, but one I rather love. The best way to pronouce this in english is "sal-oo-mEH" or "sal-oh-mAY" if it's too tricky. This can be a fresh name to get the nicknames "Sal", "Sally" or simply "May". It means peace, which is what we all need right now. Aren't you in love with it already?

Flor - Rising star "Flor" is starting to be heard more often in Portugal, but it's still seen as an unusual choice. This has also crept inside the US ranking a few times, but never too high. It's the portuguese word for "flower", so it can be used as a nature name - the only issue is it's similarity to "floor". If you can look past this, it could be a great option. There is also the similar Flora, if you're too afraid to go with Flor, which is equally pretty.

Dalila - I know there are a lot of fans of Delilah out there, but I happen to prefer this one instead. Remember, "i" is always pronounced like "ee" in portuguese, so keep that in mind when trying to say this name. All the nicknames of Delilah are retained in this alternative, but I find Dalila a bit softer and more feminine sounding.

Safira - I think it's quite obvious what the english equivalent is here, you know, that gemstone... Again, I find Safira a much prettier version of Sapphire, it's a lot softer sounding, and could be all the rage in the US since it could also be an interesting alternative to the very popular Sophia and Sofia. I think this one is totally gorgeous. Recently it came across people's attention since it was a name of a little girl that appeared in a news report on TV.

Morgana - Tired of seeing little Morgan's everywhere? Why not use this lovely and more feminine alternative? This name is not popular at all in Portugal, neither is the male Morgano, but I find this one fascinating. Maybe it's because there is a character in the TV series Merlin with this name, and that woman is mesmerizing.

Nazaré - A place name in Portugal, also used as a name (and originated as such), that in 2011 saw its popularity at a minimum. I fail to see why it's being so neglected, even the village of Nazaré is absolutely stunning, popular with surfers. Best way to say it is "nuz-uh-rEH" if you want to keep the portuguese pronunciation, but I suppose "naz-uh-rAY" is also beautiful and probably easier.

Amália - Amelia is becoming really popular in the US, almost too popular, so this is the perfect oportunity to get the classiness of Amelia, but not it's popularity. Amélia is also used in Portugal, but Amália was the name of the iconic "Fado" singer, the sentimental traditional music of Portugal. Amália is full of history, and is right on trend with what's cool today in the US, so this could be a wonderful name for an american girl.

I hope you enjoyed this mini introduction to portuguese names, and hopefully you've liked a few of these, who knows, maybe the name of your future son or daugther. So what are your views on the naming policies of Portugal? Do you think the US should adopt similar restrictions? Which names did you enjoy?

You can check out the full top 100 here

Name In Spotlight: Blue

2012-01-11T13:12:00.000Z

Well, I had to post something. It's the name everyone is talking about this week, for one simple reason: it's the name pop singer Beyonce and her fiancé, rapper Jay-Z, bestowed upon their newborn daughter: Blue Ivy Carter. Surprisingly safe amongst all the wacky celeb baby names that we've learned about.

Colors as given names are very rare, however Blue has been picking up some steam as a name for a while, especially amongst celebrities. Last year we had Alicia Silverstone's son Bear Blu, which caused a lot of controversy, and the first one that I can think about was Cher's son Elijah Blue (who is now in his 30s).

I prefer Blue as a middle name, but I don't mind it as a first name (for either gender). I much prefer the variant Azure, my favorite color name. While I think it's totally legitimate for a girl being named Blue, I wonder how the reaction would be if they had a son named Pink... Are there even pink clothes for little boys? Didn't think so, but that's another story to discuss some other time...

As far as the impact this name will have, I'm not too sure. There have been several celebrities that have used the name Blue on their kids, and the name has yet to impact the popularity charts. However, this is Beyonce and Jay-Z we're talking about, one of the most powerful celeb couples around. Since it's their first kid, we really have no idea if people will follow their naming choices or if they'll ignore them - or maybe the name Blue just doesn't fuel a spark. Who knows. I do think there will be an increased curiosity about Blue, and I do think it'll reflect on the SSA list in 2013 - if that increase will be enough for the name to chart is a whole different story though.

Overall, the name leaves me cold. It's different, but safe at the same time. It's not what I really expected, which is why maybe I feel a little disappointed. But it's not a bad name per se, it definitely could've been a lot worse.

What do you guys think? Do you like the name Blue? Will it become popular?

Celebrity Baby Names of 2011 - Review

2012-01-04T00:07:00.002Z

2011 was an interesting year for celeb baby names, although not as much as previous years. Maybe Hollywood is turning the crazy down, which might be positive for the babies themselves, but for us who like to see how far they can go, it certainly isn't as much fun.

Like last year, I'll review some celeb baby names given throughout the year, for sons and daughters, with my opinions on each name. I'll then give my picks on the best and worst names of the year.

BOYS:

Flynn - Probably the trendiest name around, although still uncommon (not for long I think). Regardless of whether it becomes uber trendy, I happen to adore this name, so I definitely encourage more parents to use it. It's fresh and has a certain edge that Finn simply doesn't. Another great choice would be Wynn.

Robert Ford - Dont like. At all. Robert has always been one of those names I've never liked, borderline hating it, and I still don't see it's appeal on baby boys these days, I think it's quite dated. Ford is trying too hard to be cool, but it's just ugly.

Morocco Elijah - I gues any country can be a name, but I'd rather be a country than a nationality (will get to that later...) Elijah is a name that I do like, even though it's uber popular. I'd probably go with Elisha, similar but not as overused.

Koa Thomas - Love the name Koa. So unexpected, and could be a great alternative to the saturated Noah. It's definitely a cool name, fresh, sticks in your head. It has the almost obligatory classic but ultimately boring middle name, in this case Thomas. As long as those are in the middle spot I don't mind, it's when the spunky unique names are wasted in the middle with a first name like Jacob, Michael or John that sets me off. Overall thumbs up.

Jackson Wright - Jackson and it's many spellings has got to be one of the names I hear the most these days, it's literally everywhere. Never been a fan, and the middle name doesn't help.

Skyler Morrison - Well obviously I love Skyler, being close to my own name. However I don't really care for Morrison, but it's not bad. I do think it's a stylish combo and Rachel Zoe did well.

Marshall Williams - Not great. I don't like Marshall, reminds me of a marsh, and Williams just makes me want to remove the "s" at the end and use William instead (even if I'm so tired of seeing little Williams everywhere running around at the park, with their uncle Bill chasing after them, their father Billy yelling at them and their grandpa Willie sitting on a bench resting).

Arlo Robert - Probably one of the most raved about names in the naming blogosphere, but it's not one I particularly care for. Arlo is definitely different and has that trendy -o sound, but it's just "meh" for me. I don't really need to get into Robert again, so yeah, not a fan.

Moroccan Scott - One of the worst names out there for sure. Morocco I can do, Moroccan is just taking it too far. He's not moroccan, and it just seems silly. Scott is an unexpected choice, but doesn't save this mess of a name.

Tate - I really like Tate and Tatum, so this gets a thumbs up. Overall, I think Emma Bunton and Jade Jones did a good job with their kids names.

Meredith Daniel - Talk about surprising. Meredith is a name I never expected to see used on a boy ever again, especially by a celebrity. Of course it got its fair share of criticism by ignorant people, just like that "Kimberly in the mdidle for a boy" argument that really shouldn't even have been an issue. Meredith is handsome on a boy, refreshing almost, and I was most pleased. Daniel on the other hand is just way too overused and I wish it would go away for some decades.

Phyllon Joy - Well this is a mixed bag for me. I appreciate that it's unique and stands out, but Phyllon doesn't really sound good to me, it reminds me of something artificial, maybe a chemical compound or a plant property. Joy was rather unexpected, and like any virtue, nature or word name, I think they can and should be unisex.

Knox Cameron Patrick - Knox was one of the trendiest names of last year, and I think it'll continue to jump up the boys ranking this year. While some trendy names I love, others leave me cold, and this one is an example of the latter for me. Cameron and Patrick are decent middle names, so overall not too bad.

Matthew Alejandro - Can't think of a name that everyone will know about the existance of at least another man with such name? Pick Matthew. Yup. It's that overused and that boring. I don't even find it attractive in it's sound. Alejandro is a welcome alternative to Alexander, but still not spunky at all.

Arthur Saint - I appreciate parents of classic names that try to resurrect old favs instead of using the same ones over and over again like John, Charles, Robert and William. However, Arthur for me is one name that I can't dissociate with old men, it'll always be a grandpa name, and for that reason seems incredibly dated and impossible to dust off the spiderwebs and make it shine. Saint is a quirky middle name, but not one I enjoy.

Milo Thomas - Milo is one of the trendy -o names that I do enjoy. It's fresh and youthful, and goes well with the middle name. I can see Milo's appeal lasting for a very longtime, it's got future classic written all over it. I'm seeing Myles a lot too, another similar name I enjoy.

Diesel Dean - Not a fan of alliterations, and these two names aren't ones that I'm fond of I'm afraid. Diesel for me is fuel, however I can see the appeal of using it as a name. Dean is just ok. Not the best combo.
Kase Townes - I do like Kase, although I keep wanting to add a "y" at the end of the name even though I know it's pronounced differently to Kasey. Townes I don't care for at all, and both names might have pronunciation issues for most people.

Bingham Hawn - Probably the weirdest name of the year, and like all weird names, people will either love it or hate it. I've seen people rave about this choice, however I just can't get on board. I actually hate it. Bingham looks ugly and sounds ugly, and the nickname Bing is ridiculous. Hawn I don't like either so this for me is a terrible combo. However I give the parents kudos for sticking with their choices and not getting dissuated by anybody.

Spike - Could definitely be Bingham's brother or friend. Yeah, you get the picture...

Boone McCoy - I first heard Boone as a first name on the TV series Lost, and I didn't like it back then. Fast forward a few years, and the feeling remains. It just reminds me of a spoon...

Emmet Emmanual - Another alliteration, and with alternative spellings to boot. I was hoping for a quirky name for this child considering the mother is called Spencer, and grandad is Kelsey. They managed to be safe and weird simultaneously.

Cree Taylor - What is a Cree? I have no clue, but I kinda dig this name. It's unusual, and isn't too different to Lee and Dee. Taylor is a bit 90s classic but still sounds good today and it's not dated badly.

Alexander Rafahi III - I can't stand juniors, it's one of my biggest frustrations and seems like you're just takign away from the child's identity to impose someone else's, or maybe just please daddy's ego. I'm not even a fan when they pass on quirky choices, so when you pass on a dull choice like Alexander it just makes me roll my eyes. If you really must use your husband's name on your son, use it in the middle. Give the child his own first name please, he'll appreciate it later on.

Dallas Xavier - Two names that get a thumbs up from me. Dallas has been used as a first name for a very long time now, but it's not too popular not is it getting trendy. Xavier is one of the few X- names that people will recognize, and it's one I do like.

Kez Sunday - Kez looks cool, but not too sure on it's sound. Sounds more like a nickname, but I do like it. Sunday was an unexpected choice. No one made a rule that weekdays or months should be used on girls only, so why not? Overall it gets my approval.

Tristan Milos - I'm surprised so many people reacted negatively to Tristan, it's been around for so long and it's quite common, so I don't get the snobism towards this name. I think it's great actually. Milos, again like some previous names, I just wan't to remove a letter, this time the final "s".

Kannon Valentine - I don't like Cannon with a "c", my feeling doesn't change when you try to spell it with a "k". It's just one of those uber macho names that I hate. However having it paired up with Valentine, which brings me the feeling of love rather than hate, does help. It sort of lightens and soothens Kannon, and while at first it seems like an impossible combo with contradictory feelings, it sorta works.

Bear Blu - This one is going to school with Bingham and Spike, wanna bet? Like all controversial names, no one is indifferent and they either love it or hate it. I'll go against the norm and say that I simply don't care for these names. Bear still sounds silly to me, just like Buddy. However I do like Blu, even if it is mispelled, and I think it's a good middle name choice.

Journey Jameson - While parents are loving Journey for girls, celebrities are loving it for their sons. I'm gonna say I do like it, and I'm surprised it hasn't taken off for boys given the exposure in recent years. Jameson is a good alternative to James.

Orrin Ryder - Quirky first name for sure, but not one that I adore per se. It matches nicely with Ryder, a trendy name that I do like a lot, and while it may not flow perfectly, I do like them paired together.

Weston Lee - Nice name although I prefer Easton and Westley. Lee is very overused as a middle name these days, but if it ain't broke why fix it, right?

Colt Daniel - Two thumbs down here. I can't stand Colt or Colton, one of those trendy macho names that everyone seems to use these days. Daniel is still boring no matter which name you pair it up with.

Aleph - Hmmm. I don't like it but it does intrigue me. Odd name.

Wylei Cash - Where does this spelling come from? I'm not too sure if it's legitimate, but I just wan't to write it properly. Now I do adore Wylie or Wiley, so I can't be too harsh. Cash I could do without though...

Kahekili - Not totally confirmed but it seems most people are already treating it as such. While I don't like how this name goes with the last name Kali, I loved that's it's completely different to everything out there. But then I do like Hawaiian names in general, they're fun sounding, vowel friendly, and have a sort of summery vibe.

GIRLS:

Faith Margaret - Faith does absolutely nothing for me, it's just there. Margaret is odd on a baby girl these days, but it seems to be making a comeback. So-so choices.

Hillary Madison - Where to start... Hillary is one of those boy names that everyone is so used to see it on a woman that nobody cares these days - the same is happening to the more recent Madison. I still get annoyed by such gender switches so this name gets two thumbs down from me.

Coco Reese Chanel - Odd name combo, and I don't like it. Coco makes me remind of coconut, cocoa, or poop depending on what language I'm thinking of. Reese I hate on a girl. Chanel seems like it's trying too hard to be stylish and failing miserably.

Embry Lotus - What's an Embry? All I can think of is an embryo, just weird. Lotus is decent as a middle name, but this name combo doesn't work and I find it really awkward.

Olivia Jane - Plain Jane plays with her plain sister Olivia. Yeah, it's plain. Decent, but plain.

Winter Morgan - Winter I really like as a name, whether on a girl or a boy. Morgan while certainly a male name turned unisex, is one of the few I can tolerate on a girl, barely. Morgana is much nicer. Nonetheless, not too bad.

Ava Grace - Ava might be uber popular but I can't help but adore this name, it's super classy and elegant. Grace is almost glued onto nearly every middle name these days, but gets a pass from me.

Zuzu Audrey - I know many people who haved raved about this name but I can't get behind Zuzu. It's so weird looking and sounds like your imitating the sound of a wasp or a fly. Audrey is eternally elegant and I wish parents would stick with this name instead of stealing Aubrey from the boys...

Vera Lillian Beatrix - Winner combo here. Vera is a name I've always adored, and it seems like it's making a comeback recently. Lillian is classy, and while it's tremedously popular these days, I still like it. Beatrix is like a spunkier version of Beatrice, and I love the spelling. Somehow these names work well together.

Amaya Josephine - Amaya is a nice alternative to Maya and I can see it catching on. Josephine, unlike it's male counterpart, is still underused and I think it deserves more attention.

Mosley Thompson - Where to start with this hideous name? Mosley sounds like an insect, Thompson sounds like it's loaded with testoterone. Combine the two and you've got an ugly boys name...

Mia Loren - Mia is short and sweet, and Loren while I prefer on a boy, works nicely as a middle name for a girl, and it pairs nicely with Mia.

Mirabella Bunny - Nah. Stapling -ella at the end of many names might produce something beautiful, but not here. Mira + bella if you understand some spanish is "look beautiful", and that's just cheesy. Bunny, like Bear, doesn't work on a human being.

Yardley Evans - Some really terrible girl names this year, and this one is definitely part of the list. Yardley is an atrocious choice, and Evans just seems like Evan with an "s". The two paired together would make anyone think it's a boy rather than a girl, and the poor thing will have to grow up with it.

Agnes Lark - Agnes for me is the counterpart to Arthur, eternally old and dated. Lark to me is just unattractive, sounds like "bark" or "dark", neither particularly appealing.

Jude - I'm sorry but I'll never get behind this one as a possible girls name.

Cleo Buckman - Cleo is a decent choice as far as nicknames go, Buckman however has zero feminine characteristics. Not a good combo.

Maxine - I quite like this one, even though I'd never use it. Seems like a decent way to get the nickname Max on a girl.

Willow Sage - One of the most talked about names of the year, I think Pink did well. Willow I think is great, one of the very few W- names for girls around, and Sage while I prefer on a boy, works also nicely on a girl.

Monroe - Mariah really caught me by surprise with her choices, and not in a good way. Monroe seems way too masculine to me, and the lack of a possible more feminine middle name doesn't help...

Magnolia Renee - I love Magnolia, what a wonderful name. I like long names for girls, but they have to be upbeat and fresh sounding, something Magnolia accomplishes with ease. Renee works nicely with it and so this is easily one of the best celeb names from last year.

Kira Katherine - Kira us ok, it doesn't really provoke a strong reaction with me. Katherine with a "k" and with the "ine" ending is my favoite spelling of the name. However they both start with "k" and I'm not a fan of alliterations like you already know...

Eloise Joni - Unlike Agnes, Eloise I can picture on a young girl, it's very vowel friendly and sounds fresh. The middle name I'm indifferent to it, although I thought the days of the Bobbi's and Toni's were over...

Harper Seven - And here is the most talked about name of 2011, and yet it's so underwhelming. Harper is terribly overrated, I don't care for it on a boy, much less on a girl. Instead of setting trends, the Beck's seemed to follow the trend this time. Heck, not even Seven is that original, it's been used by some celebrities on boys before, and even the TV series Seinfeld thought about this number as a name first.

Arabella Rose - Take notes Mirabella, this is how you use -ella and make it work. Arabella looks and sounds classy and feminine. Rose, like Grace, seems destined to remain in the middle.

Haven Garner - I think there's a really nice meaning behind this choice from what I've head, although I'm not aware of it yet. Speaking objectively, I'm not a fan of Haven or Garner. Both are original choices, but somehow manage to seem boring at the same time.

Clover Elizabeth - Now this is an interesting first name, I've never heard about another Clover before, and somehow I think it works great. Elizabeth works well with any name really.

Penelope Athena - Now this one I adore. Penelope is trending a lot recently, and even though I'm not a fan of the actress that's making it popular, I can't help but think it's a great name. However, even Penelope got eclipsed in this name combo, because I find Athena stunning. It evokes the image of a certain goddess, and manages to ooze strength in a fully feminine name. See parents of girl Addisons and Rileys? You don't need a boys name to make your daughter have a strong name.

Jordan Kay - Which brings me to Jordan and Kay. Both unisex especially Jordan, but at least the parents recognised it's unisex appeal and decided to name their kid Jordan no matter the sex. Now that's the spirit that every parent who loves a unisex name should feel, especially when considering one for their son. Who cares if there are girls with the same name?

Madison - Mel B has always used tacky names for her daughters, and this was no exception. I can't even hate Madison anymore, it gets tiring. Had it been used on a boy I might've been surprised, but on a girl it's as safe as Elizabeth.
Hattie Margaret - Much talked about name, and one I like moderately, but I'm not head over heels in love with like many of you. Hattie would've been better had it been Henrietta, and I've already shared my feelings on Margaret. Still, I do think it's a nice name.

Raden Delilah - Raden is so boyish that not even Delilah can save it. The fact that it's a name of a male Mortal Kombat character (spelt differently) doesn't help either.

Amelie Belle - Amelia may be hot these days, but no one seems to be talking about Amelie, the french variant. I'm not sure which one I prefer, but at least Amelie is less used. Belle is also used a lot less than Bella, so maybe these parents liked some names in the top100 a lot, but decided to go with less popular variants.

Elise - Is it me or are El- names really trendy lately, for girls and boys? Don't care much for Elise, but it does have a pretty sound to it.

Helen Grace - With names like Elena and Alaina being all the rage these days, you almost forget about the name that started it all, Helen. I must confess that I find Elena a lot prettier than Helen, but you can't deny it's classic status. Helen is also very underused, had it been a boys name it would probably still be in the top10... you get what I feel about classic boys names.

Georgia Geraldine - Continuing with the classic theme, this name popped up right at the end of 2011, and it's not one I was expecting. While I can see the spunk inside of Georgia, some movies using it as the go to choice for a bitchy cheerleader did help, I can't see any spark inside Geraldine. Gerald even manages to be dated for boys, for girls it's even more of a grandma name. I don't think it's ready for a comeback.

Arlo - I'm not even a huge fan of this name on boys, for girls it's a lot worse. There's nothing remotely feminine about this name, and the -o ending reinforces it's masculinity. Siblings named Arlo and Rocko? You almost have to guess which one is the boy and which one is the girl.

Elula Lottie Miriam - Peculiar combos here. Elula I don't care for, although I think it's a legitimate way to get the very desired Lulu (which I happen to think sounds more of an animal name). Lottie I find better suited as a nickname for Charlotte, however I can see the appeal about using it as a full name. Miriam is my favorite version of Mary, it never was too popular but never really disappeared off the radar.

Marlowe Rivers - Unlike Arlo, I can see the appeal about this name on girls, and the "e" attatched at the end does help. However I do feel like I'm being hypocritical by allowing some and not attacking others - I feel people do this a lot by hammering Madison but thinking Vivian or Evelyn are pretty. However while I can see the appeal of Marlowe on girls, my hatred about 99% of boy names on girls does stop me from liking it.

Like always, celebrities provide us with a huge variety and styles of names for us to criticize every year, and for that I'm grateful. There really is something for everyone here, and like any name lover I do have a strong opinion on each and any one of these names, and hopefully none of you (and especially the parents of these kids) have taken any offense from my comments. My awards this year were hard because usually I liked the first name but not the middle name, or vice versa, which made my decision particularly hard, however I've come to my final choices:

Best Boy Names Of 2011 - Koa Thomas, Flynn, Skyler Morrison
Worst Boy Names Of 2011 - Bingham Hawn, Robert Ford, Arthur Saint

Best Girl Names Of 2011 - Penelope Athena, Vera Lillian Beatrix, Magnolia Renee
Worst Girl Names Of 2011 - Mosley Thompson, Yardley Evans, Arlo

Names Of The Year 2011

2011-12-04T20:32:00.002Z

December is already here, and another year is almost over. The SSA will be soon starting to count all the baby names around the country, a list that is published every year in May.

Seeing that there's still 5 months to go, we might as well talk amongst ourselves about our own predictions, and keep things rolling. What were the biggest names of the year? Who will be #1?

For boys:

- I think Jacob will remain #1 yet again, but stiff competition should be starting to form just below it. I think 2011 will be the year this name will start to decline in popularity, but since it's so ahead of the others, it should be safe at the top. Let's hope it loses it's crown soon...
- For the top10, I believe William will continue to keep growing. Jayden might climb although I do think 2011 is the year the -adens will finally see a drop in populatiry.
- Michael will fall outside the top3 for the first time in many decades, let's rejoice! Ethan should decline too.
- I believe Mason will surge into the top5 this year, and will be a strong contender for #1 in years to come due to the Kardashian effect. Elijah will probably also join the top10, booting off Daniel and Anthony, although Aiden might struggle.
- Jackson and Liam will join the top20, and Jaxon and Jaxson will continue their ascent. Levi, Henry, Wyatt and Oliver will make big leaps.
- Joining the top100 will be Bentley and Asher for sure, with good chances of Grayson, Jace, Micah, Kayden, Giovanni, Ryder, Bryson and Easton joining them, although I suspect quite a few of them will be just outside. The ones that have multiple spellings in the ranking are probably gonna have less of an impact (Jayce, Greyson, Brycen, Kaden...).
- Making big leaps inside the top1000 will probably be Brantley, Rhys, Emmett, Kellan, Ezra, Milo, Finn, Kingsley, Luca, Declan, Desmond, Enzo, amongst many others.
- Debuts should include Flynn, Crosby, Maxton and perhaps Zeke, Kooper, Chevy, Kamdyn, Kiptyn and Baylor. We should probably see returns of certain names like Harvey, Oakley and Campbell.
- Unisex names should hold on strong for the most part, with Riley, Avery, Peyton, Skyler, Emery, London, Finley, Emerson remaining steady or even climbing. However a few others will probably start or continue to slip, such as Dakota, Alexis, Ariel, Sidney, Bailey, Jaylen, Dominique, Kendall. We might see debuts or returns for Shiloh, Presley, Aubrey, Milan and Kennedy.

For girls:

I don't usually focus too much on girls names', but some names I see making an impact are:

- Adele, most successful singer of the year
- Alaina, and its many spelling variants
- Aria, due to "Pretty Little Liars"
- Hadley & Piper - modern and gender ambiguous
- Ellie & Evie, ie nicknames are back on trend
- Pippa, perhaps the highest debut of the year?
- Kate
- Camila
- Ella, Bella, Stella... - ella names are still "in"
- Aubree, Farrah & Maci - "Teen Mom" has it's way of being trendy
- Mila
- Harper, was trendy before, now has the Beckham factor
- Quinn, as long as "Glee" is around, it will continue to climb
- Kinley & Tenley, these twins should keep on rising
- Adalyn
- Khloe & Kendall, those Kardashians know how to start a trend
- Isla
- Willow, set on trend by Pink
- Josephine, Elise, Eleanor, Penelope, Hazel, June... - old lady names are back in vogue
- Siri, heck might as well put this one in
- And to end it, I believe Sophia will replace Isabella at the top.

Now these are only my predictions, I don't have the ability to forsee things. Some I may be spot on, others less so. What do you guys think, agree or disagree?

Name In Trend: Jayden

2011-10-05T02:28:00.000+01:00

The name Jayden is of hebrew origin and means "thankful". It can be a variant of the original hebrew name Jadon, or a varient of the american name Jaden. These days, I would think the latter is probably more likely, since parents never really warmed up to Jadon, but have been keen on Jaden for quite a while.

Jayden's performance in the boys chart definitely puts it on the "trendy" side of names, having climbed steadily ever since it's debut in 1994. At the time, Jaden was more popular, probably since it was used as a celebrity baby name by R&B superstar Will Smith for his son. Jayden soon followed as a variant spelling of that name, climbing every year, and would enjoy a boost of popularity when it was used for Britney Spears' son. It would eventually become the most popular spelling.

Here is a graph to make things clearer for you:

As you can see, since it's debut at #852 in 1994, the name has made an impressive climb up the charts, standing at #4 in the latest 2010 ranking.

Do you think Jayden will keep on climbing? I have to say I think it'll be #2 next year, behind the ever-so-overused Jacob. The name seems to have stabilized in terms of number of babies, but Michael and Ethan seem to be decreasing a lot, so it's a matter of who loses less to determine who climbs or falls. Jacob still has a huge advantage over all the other names, but I hope it won't hog the top spot for too long, it's time for a new king name to arrive.

Different spellings of Jayden include: Jaydan, Jaydin, Jaydyn, Jaden, Jadon, Jadyn, Jadan, Jaiden, Jaidyn, Jaidan, Jaeden, Jaedyn, Jaedin, Jaedan.

Similar sounding names: Jade, Jayde, Jaylen, Jalen, Jase, Jayce, Jaycen, Jayven, Ayden, Aiden, Kayden, Hayden, Zayden, Rayden, Shayden, Payden.

Name In Trend: Easton

2011-10-04T16:48:00.003+01:00

The name Easton is of Old English origin, and means "east settlement". Other possible meanings are: "island of stones", "magical power", "noble power".

The name has been getting a lot of buzz lately, mostly due to country singer Easton Corbin, who has given the name a certain appeal to parents that are fans of the genre. Also, actress Jenna Elfman also welcomed a son named Easton Quinn Monroe in 2010, boosting the name's popularity across name blogs. The name can also have a religious connotation, for those parents that associate the name with Easter, and Christ.

So let's see how Easton has performed in the popularity ranking:

The name first charted in 1995 at #921. It is one of the few names I've seen that has climbed every single year since it's debut. With a gradual rise during the 90s and early 2000s, the name has had a very steep increase in the last few years, especially since 2007. In 2010, Easton had it's biggest increase ever, by jumping over 100 places to #145. Possibly a top100 contender for the 2011 chart, and the name is right on trend with other cowboy choices that are gaining momentum.

Alternative spellings are: Eastin, Eastan, Eastyn, Eston, Eeston, Eestyn, Eestin, Eestan.

Similar sounding names are: Eaton, Aston, Elston, Weston, Keaton, Jeston, Leighton.

I personally quite like this name, more than the similar Weston, and it comes with the cute nickname East. I think it has wide appeal, since it's ancient but isn't too popular, it's fresh so it's a great choice for trendy parents, it can appeal to the cowboy crowd, it's also soft sounding with a hard edge - a tough combination to find, and it also could fit in with the religious group of names with it's obvious association to Easter. It's got the full package, so I'm not terribly surprised to see it ascending so quickly. Do you agree?

Names In Spotlight: Evil Girl Names

2011-09-24T00:52:00.003+01:00

If there's one theme I prefer girl names over boy names, it's evil names. Not only in literature and mythology, but also in movies and TV series, girls just have the more interesting names. While a lot of them are pretty common names, such as Katherine [Vampire Diaries], Carrie [Carrie], Victoria [Twilight], Kali [Hinduism], Faith [Buffy The Vampire Slayer] or Regan [The Exorcist], there are some that are either really rare, or that have gone out of usage in many years.

Below are some uncommon evil names used in cinema and TV. Not necessarily evil in origin or meaning, but because they were used on evil characters.

Morticia [Addams Family]
Wednesday [Addams Family]

Everyone has seen or at least heard about "The Addams Family". They were at their most normal, an unconventional family, who reveled in anything evil or painful. Morticia, the mother, and Wednesday, the daughter, were both very elegant with a gothic appearance, and like the rest of the family had an obsession with the macabre. Morticia and Wednesday have never made the SSA ranking, and probably never will. The first one because it's a mouthful and heavily associated with the character, and the second one because days of the week as first names never caught on.

Rhoda [The Bad Seed]

In this movie, Rhoda was a sociopathic girl who inherited her evil predisposition from her grandmother. She is highly selfish, and kills anyone who gets in her way of getting whatever she wants. This was probably the first "evil little girl" portrayal, inspiring many others to use a child as the ultimate evil. Rhoda was a semi-popular name in the first half of the 20th century, but hasn't been seen since 1975. I personally don't think it fits in with today's naming trends, so it's absence will probably continue for a while longer.

Alessa [Silent Hill]
Dahlia [Silent Hill]

"Silent Hill" is a horror video game series, that is critically acclaimed for it's intricate storylines, well developed characters, and sinister visuals and sounds. The perfect horror game. In several of these games, Alessa is the child that influeces the world you see around you. She transforms her nightmares into reality, making you fight all sorts of evil beings along the way. Alessa however is more of a victim though, since she was abused and tortured as a child by her evil mother, making her a lot more sympathetic. The game was turned into a movie, which changed the story slightly, but Alessa remained a dark character with enormous power, and a thirst for vengeance for those that did her wrong. The name Alessa is obviously a nickname, although it stands well on it's own as an elegant name. It has never charted in the SSA ranking, even with italian names being all the rage lately. I definitely think it fits in with other names, especially since the similar Alyssa is still really popular.

Dahlia in the game was Alessa's mother, a religious lunatic that wanted her daughter to be the one to give birth to an demonic creature. She burned Alessa, but kept her alive in a bed for years to cause her enormous pain, which was the type of stimulus the evil spawn needed to grow inside of her. In the movies however, Dahlia's character was changed dramatically, and instead she was more of a misunderstood mother rather than an evil psycho. Dahlia had never charted in the SSA ranking, until these last few years. It has been climbing steadily, although still pretty uncommon. The movie probably helped, along with others such as "The Black Dahlia". It's the type of name that is pretty, since it's a flower, but also dark sounding at the same time. It's a combination that works for me.

Drusilla [Buffy The Vampire Slayer]

Drusilla was a shy girl with psychic powers that slowly transformed into a depraved evil vampire, becoming a sort of sexual predator, who killed mostly weak people and children. In Drusilla's defense, she had all her family murdered, most likely in front of her, at a time she was scared of her powers and in a fragile state of mind. Drusilla is another extremely rare name, having only cracked the top1000 a few times, but never higher than #824. Personally, I don't think this name is ready for it's time to shine, the -ella names have all the spotlight for now.

Samara [The Ring]

Samara, was a girl with mental powers, who drove her mother crazy by conjuring hallucinations in her mind, and lead several horses to their death because they wouldn't let her sleep. Creepily though, she never actually slept. Her mother eventually dumped her in a well, where she tried to escape several times but ended up dying. Her spirit however lived on, and her zombie-like corpse emerged whenever anyone would see a very peculiar video tape. Even though she was a very dark character, parents across America actually found her oddly sympathetic, maybe because of her tragic death, or her lonely life when alive. The name Samara soared after the movie release, but has been going downhill for the last few years, sitting currently at #606. I personally think it's a gorgeous name, and would love to see it higher.

Juri [Street Fighter]

"Street Fighter" is probably the most well known fighting game series of all time. Juri was a character created for the latest installment. She is an evil south korean woman, who wears a Joker like costume,has a spooky purple glass eye, and possesses powerful fighting abilities. She works for an evil corporation and basically fights off the good guys of the game. The name itself would easily fit in with other popular names such as Julie and Tori, but it's lack of exposure outside of the franchise is probably what's keeping it from charting in the SSA ranking.

Cruella [Cruella De'Vil]

One of the most famous fictional villains, has to be Cruella. And if you think her first name isn't an indication of her dark nature, then her last name should be a no brainer. She's a snotty, pampered heiress that has a fetish for fur. She desperately wants a mink made out of dalmation puppies, and elaborates all sorts of plans to get them at any cost. Unsurprisingly, the name never registered in the rankings, and probably never will. This will be one of the few -ella names that will always remain unappealing to parents.

Lilith [Supernatural]

In a show that evolved into a story about angels and demons, God and the Devil, it's no surprise that a character named Lilith would pop up eventually. The Lilith in this series follows certain mythological views, in which she is a blood thirsty demon that preys upon babies. She only inhabits bodies of little girls, making it all even more eerie. The name Lilith fits in perfectly with todays popular choices of Lily and Lillian, and the fact is, the name debuted for the first time in 2010. Maybe the evil association is finally fading away.

Morgana [Merlin]
Morgause [Merlin]

"Merlin" is a british TV series that is based on the Arthurian legend of the wizard Merlin / Emrys, but retells the story in it's own way. In the show, Morgana and Morgause are sisters, who happen to be sorceresses. Morgause is the eldest sister, in complete control of her powers and acts with dubious intentions, manipulating her sibling to bid her doing. Morgana on the other hand started off as an innocent women who was scared of her powers, didn't quite understand them, and therefore felt lonely and abandoned because of them.

Morgause came to her Morgana's support, teachng her about magic, but rubbed off her evil ways on her. Morgana eventually becomes extremely powerful and more and more secure of her abilities, but also more sinister, as she goes against former friends and family to reach her goal of getting to the throne.

Both names have never appeared on the SSA ranking to my surprise. Unfortunately, Morgana has been completely overshadowed by the more masculine and less atractive Morgan, and Morgause probably is too out there for most parents, and might cause pronounciation issues.

Ursula [The Little Mermaid]

One of the most recognised Disney villains is Ursula, the sea witch. She's a powerful octupus-like creature who comes up with all sorts of evil plans to become the sea ruler, manipulating everyone who she comes across. The name Ursula was never too popular, having ranked in the bottom half of the top 1000 until it's exit in the 1983, even before the "Little Mermaid" became it's kiss of death in the 90s. U- names are extremely rare for both boys and girls, and there doesn't seem to be a new trend that could revive them. For now, I'm calling this name extinct.

Mythology and Biblical names also spurred some interesting choices, so check these uncommon options out:

Persephone - She became ruler of the underworld when she married Hades. It's probably too elaborated to ever chart, even though I personally find it appealing. Penelope is a more usable alternative.

Pandora - She was sent to earth as a punishment to man. She carried a box containing all human illnesses, which were unleashed when she opened it. The name only appeared once in the SSA ranking, in 1952. The name is so intrinsecally linked with mythology, that I can't see it ever becoming popular.

Eris - She was the greek goddess of grief and discord. Probably not the best association with a name, but I do think it's image hasn't been tarnished too much. I can picture little Eris' running around with the Ella's and Emily's of today. The name is uber rare, having charted only in 1923 and 1924. Surely a comeback is due, right?

Jezebel - The wife of Ahab (and Israeli king), who was notorious for her evil and vicious actions. Her use of makeup before her death also lead to her association with prostitutes. With that kind of history behind it, Jezebel has never ranked in the girls chart, and it's very likely that it ever will. A shame, as I find it quite pretty.

Nemesis - In greek mythology, she was the spirit of divine retribution. She was personified as the goddess of revenge. This name has never appeared in the SSA chart, and it's not exactly the type of names parents are drooling over these days. File this one under unusable.

Hope you enjoyed the little background of evil female names and characters. Do you like a few of these names? Do you see some of them becoming popular? Share your thoughts with me.

2011 List: Mathematical Prediction

2011-09-17T21:16:00.002+01:00

This Summer, I had some extra time to spare, and I thought about comparing the popularity change of the boy names between 2009 and 2010, based on the number of babies born, and use those numbers to predict the 2011 ranking. I did round up the numbers to make things easier for me, otherwise it would've taken me way too many hours.

So this is how the 2011 list would look, if the names this year had the same change (whether positive or negative) as last year:

01 Jacob (=)
02 Mason (+10)
03 Jayden (+1)
04 Ethan (-2)
05 William (=)
06 Noah (+1)
07 Michael (-4)
08 Alexander (-2)
09 Aiden (=)
10 Elijah (+10)
11 Anthony (-1)
12 Logan (+5)
13 Daniel (-5)
14 Andrew (=)
15 James (+4)
16 Liam (+14)
17 Joshua (-6)
18 Gabriel (+3)
19 David (-4)
20 Joseph (=)

Biggest increases further down (+10):

31 Luke (+10)
33 Eli (+27)
57 Bentley (+44)
58 Levi (+12)
88 Jaxon (+11)
89 Miles (+48)
90 Grayson (+32)
91 Bryson (+29)
94 Easton (+51)
99 Giovanni (+15)

Obviously this would only be 100% reliable if names in 2011 behaved the exact same way as they did in 2010 - which they wont. Some names that climbed a lot might slow down or even start falling, and vice versa. We also don't know which names may start trending all of a sudden due to reality tv, celebrities, etc. For example, Mason had a huge increase due to its newfound celebrity status. I seriously doubt that this year it's increase will be that huge again (although it should end up in the top10). However, it does give you a slight indication of where certain names might end next year, or at least the direction they're going.

Interesting for me, was noticing that the vast majority of boy names are actually falling in numbers, especially in the top100, proving that parents are slowly losing interest in the overpopular names, and trying to go for something a little more unique. I say good for them!

I shall be doing soon, maybe near the end of the year, my own predictions for 2011, based on what I assume will be the top10 rank, and the trendiest names of the year. Hope you're looking forward to it!

Names In Trend: Ends In "O"

2011-09-15T02:02:00.005+01:00

Fun. Youthful. Spunky. That's what I associate with most names that end in the "oh" sound. Parents also seem to agree, with several of these names climbing up the charts, and others becoming trendy in Hollywood. Most of the names that end in "o" are predominantely male, since a lot of them are from latin origin.

"Oh" ending names that are on the rise include:

Alejandro (#102) - Lady Gaga influence perhaps?
Santiago (#133)
Leo (#193)
Mateo (#221)
Emiliano (#241) - maybe people want a fresh male version of Emily?
Romeo (#358) - surely the Beckhams are behind this one
Beau (#375) - another Spice boy
Rocco (#392)
Milo (#422) - used recently by actress Alyssa Milano
Matteo (#428) - trending faster than the other version
Enzo (#443)
Maximiliano (#468) - I guess Max is a nickname everyone is after
Aldo (#512)
Carmelo (#777)
Theo (#915)

The following include some "oh" names that are stable or falling but have been charting for a while, with most of them achieving "classic" status:

Diego (#85)
Antonio (#110)
Eduardo (#153)
Francisco (#196)
Mario (#208)
Marco (#264)
Pedro (#281)
Emilio (#308)
Lorenzo (#322)
Julio (#339)
Pablo (#361)
Gustavo (#411)
Orlando (#438)
Joe (#451)
Ernesto (#486)
Guillermo (#548)
Alonzo (#578)
Nico (#591)
Luciano (#659)
Jairo (#699)
Osvaldo (#721)
Bruno (#753)
Alvaro (#772)
Franco (#838)
Vincenzo (#881)
Dario (#938)
Ronaldo (#967)

Other interesting -"oh" names:

Gio
Calisto
Arlo
Rio
Thiago
Delio
Florentino
Roscoe
Oslo
Caio
Draco
Aureo
Xico
Bello
Kenzo
Tito
Cielo
Harlow
Luno
Milano
Zarco
Jericho
Braulio
Moscow
Cassio
Nyro
Fuego
Rodrigo
Thoreau
Vasco
Miko
Roe
Ivo
Lago
Selmo
Faro
Kylo
Shadow
Jethro
Monroe
Xenio
Reno
Morocco
Alessio
Celso
Oceano
Shiloh
Dureau
Marlow
Cosmo
Lino
Kelso
Ringo
Cairo
Paulo
Olavo
Rodeo
Lazaro
Marino
Hero
Juno
Echo
Marlowe
Clio
Socorro
Calypso
Margot
Willow
Consuelo
Io
Carmo
Zoe
Rosario
Coco
Dido

Do you think any of these might make an impact? Which ones do you see climbing?

Name In Coffin: Madison

2011-08-25T13:44:00.000+01:00

This name, like it's ending suggests, means "son of" - in this particular case, "son of Maud or son of Matthew". Any name that ends in "son" has a masculine meaning, but it seems these days that isn't important when naming a daughter. Madison has become the iconic "son" name for girls, and made the "son" ending a trend that seems to be getting more and more popular these days.

So what started this trend on girls? A movie. In 1984, a film starting Tom Hanks called "Splash" starred a mermaid who happened to adopt this name when walking through Madison Avenue in New York. It just goes to show you anything can change your perception on a name, and even make it skyrocket in popularity out of the blue. But sadly, just like with most male names that get adopted by girls, this name started to sink for boys and exited the chart soon after.

So let's see how Madison performed for boys:

The name was already in the male ranking as far back as the 1800s, at #383. The name was going downhill, until it became popular again in the 1980s - it seems parents at first tried to rescue this name for boys after seeing it being so widely used for girls. But alas, it was a lost battle, and after 1997 it started to fall again only to exit 2 years later. It had a brief re-entry in 2004, and that would be the last time it would rank in the male top1000.

Normally when I do the "Coffin" articles, I'm careful to choose names that I think most people would deem as too feminine to use on a boy, at least for now. Madison, whilst to me sounds very masculine, has been in the top10 for girls for over a decade now. Also, other -son names are getting more and more popular for girls, making it very hard to see this name making another gender switch anytime soon. However, we will see if this more modern unisex name will fall into the oldschool category of it never returning for boys again - like Hilary, Vivian or Carol, or will it fall in the more modern category where it's usage for boys is still a possibility - like Kerry, Darcy or Shannon. Perhaps the latter, as I can see this name dating really badly on girls.

Different spellings are: Maddison, Madisyn, Maddisyn, Madisen, Madisson, amongst many others.

Similar names are: Emerson, Allison, Peterson, Addison, Harrison, Anderson, Jameson. All of these are masculine names that are usable by girls these days. For a true feminine alternative, the name Madeline and it's variants are the best options.

Name In Trend: Nevaeh

2011-06-02T00:23:00.002+01:00

Nevaeh is probably the most remarkable success of a made-up name, ever. This name was fabricated to intentionally spell "heaven" backwards. While I think the thought is kinda sweet, it does sound a bit too try-hard, and for me the opposite of heaven just reminds me of hell. It is pronounced like "nuh-vay-uh" or simply "nuh-vay", though it's pronounciation is up for debate, and I have heard it been said "nee-vay-uh".

The success of the name is mostly due to the show MTV Cribs, it seems that channel is always at the centre of a name phenomenon. In 2000, the lead singer of the american rock band P.O.D was in this show, in which they show the world their houses inside and out. He also introduced the world to his daughter, Nevaeh, and explained the meaning behind her unusual name. The name was an instant success with parents around the country, and debuted the following year.

Here is how it performed in the girls chart:

Nevaeh debuted in 2001 at an impressive #266, proof that it was "the" trendy name of the year. It kept on climbing until 2007, stalled for a couple of years, and reached its highest position yet in this years ranking: #25. The name seems to have become popular beyond the "trendiness" of other names, by sticking around for nearly a decade, and showing no signs of fading away. I can see why though, the US is a very religious and a trendy country, and a name that manages to fuse both of these is obviously a successful formula.

Alternative spellings for a name that is meant to be "heaven spelled backwards" makes no sense. However, if you enjoy it's sound, but not necessarily the meaning, here are other spellings available: Nevayuh, Nevay, Navae, Navaeuh, Navaya, Nevaya, Nevay, Nevayah.

Similar names are: Neva, Neve, Neneh, Nevara, Nevada.

Names In Trend: Update On Previous N.I.T

2011-05-08T21:05:00.003+01:00

With the new list published this month, it's only fair that I keep an eye on all the "Names In Trend (N.I.T)" I posted in 2010. Which ones continued to be on trend? And which ones could have fizzled out?

First with the boys, I posted 3 N.I.T's last year: Ryder, Karter and Rhys.

Ryder

This name is still charming parents, and has climbed 11 spots to #135, inching closer to that ever-so-important top100. Ry- names seem to be a trendy for boys, so I'm gonna predict that it'll keep on climbing steadily each year.

Karter

I was spot on with this one, one of the fastest rising names for boys. It is now #444, up 123 spots from last year. Replacing C with K spellings have always been trendy, but it seems to be even more popular nowadays. I suspect it'll continue to rise, albeit not a huge jump like this every year.

Rhys

Another big climber, up 107 places from last year. It's now sitting pretty at #471. I'm not surprised to find out parents are starting to pick this spelling with Reese getting increasingly feminine, although Rhys has yet to catch up with Reece. However, I think that by next year, this will be the most common spelling for boys.

Now onto the girls, there were 2 N.I.T's: Malia and Journey.

Malia

Like every trendy name, there is a downside. If you can't keep up with the trends, you end up falling pretty fast. This is exactly what happened to Malia, its down 111 spots to #302. It's still more popular than where it was in 2008, but it is a worrying sign for Malia fans out there. Unless Obama can get his mojo back on, I think this will continue to freefall.

Journey

This is a unisex name that celebrities seem to only enjoy giving to their sons. This year, it was Black Eyed Peas member Taboo, who chose this name for his boy. However, parents seem to think differently, and are preferring to see this name on girls, and it's popularity continues to increase. In 2010, the name rose 70 places, and several different spellings seem to be also on the rise. Will we be seeing this name on the boys list next year? We'll have to wait and see. But one thing is almost for sure, it'll keep climbing the girls chart.

I only started this blog in September, which is why there are only a few of these. Hopefully now with a full year, there will be plenty of names to analyse next year - that is, if I can keep this blog updated regularly...

Name In Trend: Bentley

2011-05-08T20:28:00.005+01:00

In a blog about names that are in trend, you just have to talk about the trendiest boy name for the past 2 years: Bentley. It's popularity has risen because of MTV's show "Teen Mom", where one of the girls named Maci had a son and named him Bentley Cadence. But besides being a car name, does it actually have any roots as a proper human name?

Well apparently it does. It seems to be of Old English origin, used as a surname before becoming a first name, and it means "bent grass meadow". Nowadays though, most people will only associate it with the luxury car.

Here is how Bentley has performed in the boys chart:

Shocking, I know, but Bentley first appeared in the boys chart back in the 19th century! Apart from an unnoticed re-entry in the 1960s, it would take this name over 100 years to make an impression in the boys chart again. It re-entered back in 2007, and climbed to #937 in 2008, showing that parents were becoming open to naming their sons Bentley. This is a vital clue to know which names could become massively popular and trendy. A name like Carrot will not become popular if parents are not already open to the idea of that name on their kids, even if it is used on a reality TV show.
In 2009, the name became one of the trendiest names thanks to "Teen Mom" on MTV, shooting up to #518, and would continue boosting up the chart in 2010 by climbing over 400 spots up to #101!

The thing with trendy names, is that they tend to be short lived - take a look at Shaquille for example. Bentley managed to remain trendy for the 2nd year in a row, do you think that the name will continue to rise even when Maci and Bentley are no longer on the MTV show? Or do you think it'll plummet next year and fizzle out?

I'm gonna go with the former option and believe that the name has truly caught on with the masses, and will continue its ascention up the chart. Both Maci and Bentley were not in the show in 2010, apart from a reunion episode, which leads me to believe that the name has spread well beyond the fans of the show and is now well on to becoming the next Jayden. Do you agree with me?

If you do like the name, you could spell it: Bentlee, Bently, Bentleigh, Bentlie, Bentli, Bentlea, Byntley, Byntlie, Byntlee.

If you like the sound, but not the name, here are similar alternatives: Presley, Kinglsey, Kenley, Kentley, Finley, Tenley, Kinley Benny, Bento, Benzo.

Names In Trend: Fastest Climbers of 2010

2011-05-06T22:47:00.002+01:00

Well the top 1000 list was just released, and as usual, us name lovers spend hours on it doing all kinds of lists and comparisons.

For this blog, I've decided to put the top50 rising boy names of 2010. And here they are, along with the amount of places they climbed:

1. Bentley +414
2. Kellan +260
3. Knox +246
4. Royce +191
5. Jean +165
6. Zaiden +149
7. Enzo +148
8. Clay +147
9. Jerimiah +131
10. Zavier +126
11. Karter +123
12. Finley +122
13. Odin +122
14. Korbin +122
15. Kash +120
16. Easton +108
17. Rhys +107
18. Jensen +107
19. Beckham +104
20. Damon +102
21. Greyson +98
22. Remy +94
23. Abdiel +94
24. Brycen +92
25. Deegan +92
25. Brooks +89
26. Jaycob +89
27. Gideon +89
28. Ibrahim +84
29. Jax +79
30. Ryland +77
31. Axel +77
32. Rylee +74
33. Malcolm +73
34. Cullen +71
35. Kellen +70
36. Karson +70
37. Armani +64
38. Jordyn +63
39. Cason +63
40. Orion +62
41. Zayden +60
42. Kasen +60
43. Waylon +59
44. Terry +59
45. Kamryn +59
46. Emmett +59
47. Reid +57
48. Jayce +57
49. King +57
50. Kolton +56

Well no surprise to see Bentley at the top, thanks to the MTV show "Teen Mom". The "Twilight" effect also seems to be making a lasting impression, with both Kellan and Kellen rising a huge amount. Zaiden and Zayden seem to be the new "it" -aden names around, rising more than any other names that rhyme with it. "K" names also seem to be a popular trend these days, with 11 of these names starting with that letter - pretty impressive given there are 26 of them in the alphabet.

Are you surprised by any of these?

Names In Spotlight: The Phoenix Family

2011-03-13T20:33:00.001Z

Out of inspiration? Well hopefully this will cheer you up and make you feel inspired by these quirky choices.

It all started when John-Lee Bottom and his wife Arlyn married in 1969. They changed their last names to Phoenix to symbolise a new beginning, rising from the ashes, after being disillusioned with a religious cult they were part of.

With their newly inspired last name Phoenix, they would give birth to five children, two of them who eventually get a lot of recognition in the acting world. They are:

son River
daughter Rain
son Joaquin (Leaf)
daughter Summer
daughter Liberty

River Phoenix and his brother Joaquin would be the ones getting attention from Hollywood, becoming the first brother duo to be nominated for an oscar.

Joaquin actually changed his name to Leaf Phoenix, to match his elder siblings earthy-like names. When asked about why he changed his name to Leaf, he replied "All the other kids in my family had gorgeous names and I got 'Joaquin', you know what I mean?". He used the name Leaf as a child actor, but eventually changed it back to Joaquin as a young adult - a shame if you ask me.

River Phoenix unfortunately died in the early 90s, but his name would make an impact in the popularity chart and stay with us until today. It debuted in the boys chart in 1994, a year after River's death. River is seen as a fresh name for boys, and is still climbing up the charts, reaching its highest position yet at #448 in the latest ranking.

Neither of the brothers had kids, and it was up to their youngest sisters to get the job done. Liberty Phoenix was the first member of the family to become a parent, giving birth to two boys and a girl:

son Rio Everest
son Indigo Orion
daughter Scarlette Jasmine

The name Rio actually means river in spanish and portuguese. Seems like it was a beautiful way for Liberty to pay tribute to her late brother River.

Neither Rio or Indigo are popular names, they're yet to debut in the top1000. However, there seems to be more celebrity boys named Rio these days, so don't be surprised to see it in the ranking soon. Indigo on the other hand is unlikely to catch on, and unfortunately Indigo Orion will not be the first kid to make the name more noticed as he sadly passed away as a baby.

The middle name Everest is just as rare, never having ranked in the chart. The middle name Orion however has been around since the 19th century and has been in and out of the chart ever since. Its been inside the top1000 permanently since 1994 and doesn't seem to be going out anytime soon. Plus it's got a very fresh feel to it, even if its as old as John.

Summer Phoenix is the other sibling that had kids. She married oscar nominated actor Casey Affleck, and gave birth to two boys so far:

son Indiana August
son Atticus

Summer also payed tribute to her late brother River with her first son's name Indiana August. River played the character of Indiana Jones, and he was born in August.

The name Indiana is still pretty rare in the popularity charts, even with the Indiana Jones fever. August is by far the most popular month name for boys though, having been around since the 1800s when it was actually in the top100, before dropping towards the bottom of the chart. The name has picked up some steam lately and seems to be climbing steadily these days, currently at #433 after making a 50 place jump last year.

The name Atticus may seem to be trendy as its only been popular recently, but it actually ranked at the bottom of the chart back in the 1881, before dropping out completely the following year until it reappeared in 2004, 123 years after. It reached its highest position in the latest chart, ranking at #609.

I couldn't finish the story on this family without mentioning their last name, Phoenix. As a first name, Phoenix is relatively new, first appearing in the ranking back in 1995. This name also reached its zenith in the latest chart, climbing to #367 in the boys chart. This would make an excellent name choice if you enjoy these kind of names, or if you want a fresh start for your kids life, just like the Phoenix's did.

People do seem to moan about the lack of name choices for their boys, but the Phoenix family are a proof that there are thousands of fresh and handsome names around to choose from. The only limit on the choices are your own tastes, parents. Some have a bigger variety to select, others less so. Maybe it's time for those of you that don't have a wide variety of names to choose from and complain about it to be a bit more open minded and explore other options.

So what is your favourite boy name from this family?

Phoenix
River
Leaf
Rio
Everest
Indigo
Orion
Indiana
August
Atticus

Plenty to choose from here. I do like all of these, but Indigo and Leaf get my votes. Indiana is pretty cool too, plus you get the nickname Indy.

Name In Coffin: Courtney

2011-03-04T21:47:00.001Z

Courtney is a name of English origin meaning "domain of Curtis". However, it first came to England from France (Normandy), and was spelt Courtenay, back in the Middle Ages.

Courtney was of male origin, but has since several decade ago become unisex. Right now, with so many female celebrities named after it, like Courtney Thorne-Smith, Courteney Cox, Courtney Love and Kourtney Kardashian, it probably won't be turning blue anytime soon. The most popular male sponsor of the name might be artist Courtney Taylor-Taylor.

Here is how Courtney has performed for boys:

It has been around since the first chart back in the 1800s, peaked in the 1980s at #278 when it was rapidly climbing for girls too, and started dropping every year since until it dropped out completely in 2002.

Courtney is a name I can still imagine on a boy, plus the nickname Court sounds more boy-ish than most nicknames around. However with Kourtney Kardashian reinvigorating the name for girls at the moment, I just can't see it returning for boys in the near future.

Here are some alternative spellings of the name: Cortney, Kortney, Courtenay, Kourtenay, Kourtney, Courteney, Courtny, Kourtny, Courtnee, Courtnie, Kourtnee, Kourtnie.

Similar sounding names are: Court, Cort, Curtis, Kurt, Fortney, Whitney, Coryden, Corey, Gorten.

Name In Spotlight: Flynn

2011-01-20T14:35:00.000Z

If there was ever a name that had an opportunity to make a big splash in the popularity charts, this would be in. The name has yet to crack the boys top1000, but after Disney using this name in their next movie, and celebrity superstars Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr naming their boy Flynn, I can see this name becoming the next big thing. Plus, it's always nice to have an alternative to the currently everywhere Finn.

Flynn is of Gaelic and Irish origin and means "ruddy or son of a red-headed". Don't let the meaning put you off if you're a blonde or brunette mother. Think of it as red = powerful and prone to leadership, something that you'd want your kid to be.

There are not many ways you can spell Flynn, but here are a few alternatives: Flyn, Flinn, Flin.
Similar sounding names you may like: Glynn, Glenn, Lynn, Finn, Quinn, Hlynn, Flann, Bryn.

Do you think 2011 will see this spunky name enter the chart? Or will it pass by most parents and remain relatively unknown?

Celebrity Baby Names of 2010 - Review

2011-01-02T23:54:00.003Z

2010 was a great year for celebrity names, with a good balance of old fashioned and trendy modern names. Let's hope 2011 keeps us interested for another year of gossiping.

I'll post my opinion on several boy and girl names, and then give you my opinion on the best and worst of the year.

BOYS:

Theodore Hayes - I think Theodore is one old fashioned name that actually retains a natural spunk in it. It also helps that the nickname Theo is really adorable and fits right in with the -o ending names trend.

Crawford Marion - I have mixed feelings on this. Crawford I think sounds especially harsh, even on a boy, reminds me of crawling too. Marion is a name most people associate with old ladies, but it actually originated as a boys name first (quelle surprise!), and is one I can easily picture on a boy. Overall, decent choices.

Buddy Bear Maurice - Nah! Let's be serious, there are plenty of cute and soft boy names around, but Buddy is something I'd call a friend of mine, not my son. Bear, again, is an animal, not a name. Disappointed in the choices, but it could be a lot worse had they gone the "butch" way and tried to make it too masculine.

Louis Bardo - Louis is a pretty normal name, either spelt this way or Lewis, but Bardo actually stood out for me from the crowd. It's oddly appealing.

Draco - Really dislike this one. I usually love -o ending names, but this one just reminds me of Dracula, and that isn't a good thing since I'm not into blood...

Ever Imre - Interesting choices, with Ever having been used before on girls, but I actually prefer it on boys. Sounds like a stylish name. Imre is another odd choice, and can cause some pronounciation problems, but thumbs up for Alanis Morissette!

Cash Rich - I'm sorry, but this is absolutely terrible. I really dislike cash, which for me is just a slang word for money. That paired with the name Rich, also associated with money, well either he's gonna be filthy rich or he's gonna be mocked for having a "rich" name and being poor. Not good.

Andrea Nicolas - Andrea is the italian name for Andrew, and I'm glad to see people embracing other cultures. Paulina herself is Mexican and she chose these italian spellings for her boy. Great choices!

Sundance Thomas - Another big no no from me. Sundance can actually sound cute, but does anyone even think of it as a real name? It even disappointed me further to know he was gonna be named Kelly, a name I've loved for boys since I remember and that desperately needs to be given back to the blue team. To choose Sundance over Kelly is just ridiculous. And then the combination with Thomas, a boring old name, no thank you. Very unusual combination, and not in a good way.

Rocco Rio - I like it, sounds spunky and optimistic. The similar ending of both names put me off for a while, but that's just a minor thing. It's a very vivacious name.

Reese Cader - Fantastic to see Reese, however you spell it, on a boy. Congrats to the parents for sticking to the right gender. Cader seems trendy, which I'm a fan, but C names aren't usually my thing. But based on Reese alone, a big plus sign on the choices.

Alexander David - Zzzzzzz indeed. Two very overused names that bring nothing new to the table. The fact she used Alexander for her other kid shows how little thought she brought into it. Next!

Izaiah Torpey - Biblical names are all the rage these days, but I kinda dig Izaiah. Nickname Izzie or Izay can be kinda cute. Torpey is definitely a new one to me, never heard of it before, and to be honest I'd rather they named him Torey.

Egypt Daoud - Really enjoyed this choice, not so much because of Daoud, but because of Egypt. I do enjoy place names, and I think Egypt will fit right in with the Israel's and Milan's. Maybe even spark a new wave of little Egypt's across the country? Let's see if Alicia Keys' choice makes a splash in the top1000...

Tatum Christopher - Christopher has been around for a very long choice, and it seems parents are still refusing to let this one go. However it seems the normal old fashioned names are increasingly being relegated for the middle name choices rather than the first. I think that is actually a good thing since boy names need an influx of new activity near the top. Tatum is a fabulous choices, and suits a boy really well.

Dakota Jefferson Holiday - Double middle names are increasing in popularity these days, wonder if we'll see more celebrities adopting this trend? Not a fan of Jefferson, but then I'm not keen on most -son ending names. Dakota is one of my favourite names, and again I'm glad to see it used on the right gender. Holiday seems a bit wacky, but again, celebrities can get away with odd choices.

Easton Quinn Monroe - And another proof of double middle names picking up steam. This combo is absolutely stunning, all 3 names are really great. I just wish they kept Quinn as the first name choice since I desperately want that name to stay on the blue team (blame Glee if it doesn't!). Easton is trendy but sounds very spunky, and Monrose is classy and elegant sounding.

Axel Lee - Lee is male version of Rose or Grace, and is probably the most popular middle name for boys these days. I think it still sounds good, but maybe parents should adopt Dee if they want something similar but less overused. Axel seems to be another trendy choice, with the ever-so-popular letter "x", and I think it sounds pretty great.

Bodhi Hawn - Several celebrities have picked up the name Bodhi as their choice, I wonder if it'll finally start climbing the charts? I definitely approve! Hawn is another interesting choice, nothing to say there.

Jackson Riley - Could've been perfect if they switched the names around, or spelt it Jaxon which looks a lot better than the overused Jackson. Riley is definitely a great choice, and a name that has been around for so long should definitely stick to the blue team.

GIRLS

Violet Madison - Violet is a great choice for a girl, but seeing Madison there just takes out all of the grace Violet could provide.

Kloey Alexandra - I know a lot of people hate alternative spellings but I do dig them, especially for boys. K names for girls are starting to get oversaturated, but since this spelling actually had some thought to it, I don't see the big harm in it.

Lexington Grace - Another weird combination, with the overly masculine Lexington used along with the ever-so-feminine Grace. Grace is starting to overstay it's time, and the first name choice is just hideous.

London Jane - So plain Jane is given some spunk by having the uber trendy place name London before it. Could've been worse I guess.

India Pearl - Very similar in style to London Jane, with the modern and old combined. India however does sound less trendy if you're not into those kinda names.

Gia Francesca - Fabulous combination of italian names hear, both very feminine and classy, which is how I like girl names.

Genevieve Marie - French? Who cares. It sounds great, and I hope it's pronounced the french way, rather than the english "jenna-veev". Classy choices.

Billie Beatrice - Not a fan of Billie on a girl, "ie" is not a feminine alternative to Billy since there are boys named Billie. Beatrice however is a good choice, so overall not too bad.

Junia Rosa Ruth - Yes, double middle names are also in for girls. In this case, all 3 names were great choices, Junia standing out from the rest as it brings a breath of fresh air to the other names. Ruth comes out of retirement and Rosa is definitely a good alternative to the overused Rose.

Cosima - The new "it" baby girl name for celebs? Probably. And a good one at that! Classy, elegant, feminine.

Jordan Catherine - There are worse unisex names to use on a girl, I guess Jordan is well established on the blue team that I don't get awfully annoyed to see it on the pink gender. Catherine is timeless, and could use a comeback.

Locklyn Kyla - Atrocious choices, the worst celebrity name of 2010. Locklyn is a hideous attempt at feminising the male name Lochlan or Lachlan. No sweetie, changing the spelling to include "k"'s and "y"'s doesn't make it more feminine since boys do the same thing. K and Y are gender neutral letters, and aren't legitimate feminine spellings. Get that in your head people!

Chaplin Haddow - Another very odd choice. Chaplin just reminds me of a chapel, and strikes me as a masculine name. Combined with Haddow, and you have a boy!

Aviana Olea - Aviana reminds me of an aviator, but I actually enjoy it. Olea is another interesting choice, and sounds rather pretty. Thumbs up!

Reiley Dilys Stella - And the 2nd worst name of 2010 right here. Reiley is a boys name, first and foremost, and I hate to see parents still giving this masculine name to baby girls. Dilys is just a weird name for me, never liked it. Stella is the only saving grace.

Overall, we've had some interesting choices for 2010. For the boys, we had the obligatory old fashioned names like Christopher, Alexander, Zachary, David, Thomas, Louis, Nicolas, Theodore and Daniel making a presence. We had the ever-so-popular biblical choices like Elijah, Ezra and Izaiah. We had the trendy Easton, Lydon, Rocco, Hudson, Greyson, Bowen, Sawyer, Bodhi, Axel, Cash and Jackson. We had the odd Loic, Egypt, Bear, Sundance, Titus, Daoud, Buddy, Crawford, Draco, Hawn, Imre, Torpey, Rich, Holiday and Gatlyn. And gladly, we had the unisex (aka originally boys only) Riley, Dakota, Tatum, Emerson, Quinn, Ever, Charlie, Dylan, Sawyer, Andrea, Marion and Reese.
For girls, we had the welcome return of classy and elegantly feminine names such as Beatrice, Pearl, Sienna, Marie, Olivia, Gia, Violet, Francesca, Anne, Stella, Ruth, Fiona, Mary, Carina, Jane and Elizabeth. We had a unique names such as Aviana, Thea, Aleena, Junia, Cosima, India, Maleena, and Olea. We had the very odd Krishna, Haddow, Genevie, Dilys, Lexington, Chaplin. The trendy Genevieve, Kloey, Ella, Beatrix. We had also, unfortunately, lots of unisex and even male names used on girls this year: Reiley, Kole, London, Harper, Jordan, Madison, Locklyn, May, Billie, June, Lynne, Ray and Jean. Hopefully 2011 will see less of this on the girls side.

Best names of 2010: Easton Quinn Monroe, Junia Rosa Ruth

Worst names of 2010: Reiley Dilys Stella, Locklyn Kyla

Name In Spotlight: Egypt

2010-10-18T15:31:00.001+01:00

There are many country/state/city names that have become popular over time: Israel, Zaire, Jordan, Dakota, Montana, Paris, London, Milan... however never has the country Egypt become a popular choice for baby boys.

This might be about to change: the newest celebrity baby out there has been named Egypt Daoud, the son of superstar singer Alicia Keys and her husband Swizz Beatz, a well known music producer. Now a first look at the name Egypt is bound to make question it. It looks funny, it's very uncommon, doesn't really remind you of a kid. However the more I looked at it, the more I liked it, and I began to imagine it on a boy. There's always the advantage that everyone knows how to pronounce it, and spell it (hopefully!).

Egypt has never dented the top1000 before, but there have been testimonials by other people that have met other kids named Egypt over the years. If there was any moment it could finally break through: this is it! I give Egypt my blessing! Plus it's one of my favourite countries, I'd say Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz have good taste in their travelling preferences.

So You Think You Can Dance in Canada - Boys' names

2010-09-27T02:48:00.001+01:00

The 3rd installment of So You Think You Can Dance - Canada started a few weeks ago, and one thing that captivated were some of the guy's names on there. The girls names weren't particularly interesting for the most part, so I chose to talk about the boys instead.

So these are the names of the male contestants:

Jonathan
Jesse
Jeff
Jera
Shavar
Edgar
Denys
Sebastian
Mackenzie
Yonni
Hani

Now I know Jonathan, Jesse, Jeff, Sebastian and Edgar aren't particularly interesting names for boys, I'm thinking most of you have heard of them, and they're even spelled correctly.

Now the first interesting name I heard was Jera. There are plenty of boy names ending in "a" that most people don't know about, which is why it's still a vowel associated primarily with girls. However, this is not the case with Jera. In fact, the name is of american origin meaning "holy", and it's supposedly a female name. Now that's a first, huh? Rarely do female names crossover to males, and this is one that now has a male face on it. Can it make a complete transition to the boys side? Will it's popularity and usage in Canada increase? It's certainly more interesting than Jerry, Jeremy, Jared or Jeremiah.

The next one is Denys. This is a spelling variation of the name Denis, which is of old greek origin. Whilst the original might have some usage, this spelling variation is incredibly rare. However, I think I prefer it to the original, reminds me of Daryl, which I also like. With the "y" spelling becoming increasingly popular these days, I could see it become more popular than the original name, but the problem is that isn't a trendy name to give anymore, so the alternative spelling won't be either.

Shavar is definitely a name I have never heard before, but after some digging I found out it is of hebrew origin, and it means "comet". If you're a fan of nature or cosmic names, you better grab it before everyone else hears of it. Especially if you're not a fan of too literal names like Star or Sun. I don't think it'll become popular in Canada, let alone the US, since parents of boys still like to choose the same old boring names every year, but one can hope a change will happen soon that'll break this annoying cycle of boredom.

Next up is Mackenzie. Now we've all heard about this one, but I decided that it deserved a special mention since this is actually a boy with the name. Now, the name Mackenzie is actually a boy name in origin, and even in usage amongst other english speaking countries like Canada and the UK. However, as per usual, the US adopted this name for boys, but then decided it "looked cute" on girls, which I couldn't disagree more. The name has dropped out of the boys top1000 several years ago, but was considerable popular at one point. Could it make a return to the blue side? I don't think it'll happen anytime soon since it's overwhelmingly popular for girls, but maybe one day, the tides will turn. The scottish have also adopted the cute nickname Kenzie for their boys, ranking high up their chart, but even that has little hope of crossing over to the blue side in the US since it's rising up for girls. When will parents ever learn?

Moving on, we have Yonni. This name sounds almost exactly like Ronnie and Donnie, two well known names for boys. Or even Bonnie and Connie, which at one point were also boy names. Could Yonni be the next name with this sound to rise in popularity? Who knows. But the name Yonni deserves to be separated from those for one simple reason: it is not a nickname, it's actually a hebrew name, but spelled originally as Yoni. Obviously history is a big part of it's name, but to the masses, people will automatically link it to similar names rather than origin. It actually means "gift of god", so here's a name for all your religious people out there that isn't common.

And finally, we end with Hani. There are plenty of boy names ending with the "ee" sound, but not many are spelled with the letter "i" in the end, with "y" and "e" usually dominating. However, there are legitimate boy names with this ending without them being nicknames. This is one of them. It is of arabic origin and means "full of joy". Now isn't this a really great name? Not only does Hani sound great, the meaning is really endearing too. There have been stranger names to make it to the top1000 boy names, but it's unlikely this will ever become popular until people stop obsessing with Michael or Jacob, or inventing new "tuff" names like Gunner and Choker. But who knows, maybe a huge celebrity name Hani will come along at some point.

I hope you guys enjoyed this segment. It was the first time in ages that I've seen a show with several interesting boy names, and these are actually real people. Now if real people can be creative with their boy names, why do TV shows keep plugging those annoying and overused names that no one cares about anymore? Here's a message to those script writers: if you can get creative with your storylines, surely you can pick up more interesting names for your characters than John or Daniel, right?

Name In Trend: Rhys

2010-09-21T16:23:00.003+01:00

Rhys is a name that has been very popular in the last few years, especially in name blogs, and is currently a very trendy name. It is pronounced just like Reece and Reese, but not as popular as those two names. It is of Welsh origin, and means "enthusiasm".

Both Reese and Reece have been around since the 19th century, with Reese being in the top1000 since its debut, whilst Reece has been in and out, but is currently the most popular spelling for boys.

However, whilst Rhys is the least common spelling of the same name in the top1000, it is the only one that has been climbing steadily the past few years, and it won't be long until it dethrones the other 2 spellings.

Here is how Rhys has performed so far:

It first debuted in 2004 at #938, and it seemed to be on it's way out when in the following year it almost dropped outside the top1000. However, since it's low in 2005, the name has been on the rise, and in the last year jumped over 100 spots to #577. I predict that by 2011, Rhys will be the most popular spelling around.

However, if you are not a fan of this spelling, alternatives such as Reese, Reece, Rees and Ries are perfectly fine.

Other names similar to Rhys you may like are: Ross, Russ, Rhett, Raye, Rye, Ray, Ryce, Royce, Reyd, Bryce, Keys, Shays, Mays, Hays. Which ones would you go for?

Autumn boy names

2010-09-21T16:01:00.002+01:00

Well it's September 21st, and Autumn is now with us. There are many names one can associate with Summer, but it seems there are fewer names tied with the fall season - wrong!

First of all, the name Autumn is the most popular season name, albeit for girls only, even though for me it sounds boy-ish. However, there are alternatives for boys if you don't wanna risk it.

You could start by looking up the name Autumn in other languages: Automne, Outono, Ruduo, Syksy, Haust, Podzim, Autunno. All of these sound exotic and fresh, and perfectly usable on a boy.
And if months like May and August can be used as names, why not go with September, October or November? All three are pretty usable as names, especially the latter names, with cute nicknames such as Toby, Tober, Ember, Nove, Novie, Octo, Octie, Sep. None of these month names are popular at all, so they haven't been given a gender yet - go grab them for your boys while the girls haven't put their hands on them.

Gems related to this season that could be used as boy names: Sapphire, Beryl, Topaz. You could even get some nice nicknames from these if you don't want to get too literal, for example: Sapphie, Berry, Topy.

Autumn colors you could use as names are: Gold, Silver, Brown, Maroon, Bronze, Rust, Sepia, Rufus, Beige, Mahogany, Khaki, Ecru, Umber, Auburn. All of these colors are associated with the fall season, and I could see boys around the country wearing these names.

And to finish of, here are some more boy names that could be related to this season:

Adair
Aki
Akiko
Ash
Asher
Ashley
Aurelius
Bay
Casper
Cedar
Corn
Dory
Earth
Forrest
Grape
Harlow
Harvest
Harvey
Hay
Haye
Hunter
Hydref
Korn
Leaf
Lennox
Linden
Mistuaki
Moon
Oak
Oakley
Octavio
Oriel
Perry
Pine
Qiu
Radley
Rain
Rayne
Rowan
Rory
Roux
Rye
Sage
Sequoya
Shannon
Sky
Skye
Sorrell
Stav
Terra
Thu
Wheat

All of these are wonderful names if you're a fan of the season, or if for some reason you need an Autumn related name. What are you favorites?

Name In Spotlight: Azure

2010-09-12T03:16:00.003+01:00

The name Azure is actually a color, a type of "blue". It has yet to enter the boys popularity chart, but it is a name that I've heard more and more often recently. With the name Blue rising in popularity, albeit not commonly used, I don't see why names associated with this color can't increase in popularity too.

Azure is the perfect alternative if you don't want your son's name to be directly associated with a color, since it is rarely mentioned or heard anywhere. It's actually not my favorite shade of "blue", but it has a pleasant sound, pronounced "ay-zhoor", and it just sticks in your head like a breeze of the sea that stimulates your senses. Hopefully soon, there'll be a baby boy named Azure by a big celebrity, and it'll explode in popularity. I'm definitely on board with it.

Since the name is literally a type of "blue", there are endless choices if you want to name him after this color, simply by going international. Here is how "blue" is spelt in different languages: Azul, Bleu, Blauwe, Azzurro, Blu, Modra, Mavi, Xanh, Azrak, Sininen. Interesting names right? Some are quite different from the spelling and sound of the name Azure, but if you like exotic sounding names, these are great choices too.

If you're not too fond of the name Azure, here are some other shades of "blue" you could use as a name: Cyan, Turquoise, Navy, Aqua, Indigo, Sapphire. If they sound too weird for your tastes, you can always go with normal names that remind you of the color, for example: Sky, Skye, Ocean, River. Yes, of course I'm gonna advertise my own name, hehe.

What is your opinion on Azure? Do you think it could catch on? Or do you prefer some of my other suggestions?

Month names

2010-09-12T01:34:00.001+01:00

Month names have been around since the dawn of time. Some are more popular than others, some are rising in popularity, whilst others are falling. But what I don't understand is the reason why August is the only month name considered to be masculine?

Names like May and June have charted for boys in the past century, they just got smuthered by the popularity of those names on girls. Personally, I think month names are gender neutral, there's nothing wrong with a boy named February, it doesn't scream girl to me. In fact, some month names actually seem to lean on the manly side to me.

Would someone really consider March or October for there daughters? There's nothing feminine about them, and a few others. Even July screams masculine to me, pronounced the same way as the month, and not as "julee".

To make things simpler, I say let's make all month names unisex. Yes, some months tend to lean towards the feminine side, like April, but I think months, days of the week, colors, and things like that, should remain gender neutral. But obviously there's this mind set ingrained in most people's minds that only girls are allowed to have different names that can be abstract, neutral, airy, and guys have to have those butchy masculine names or oldschool names that have been popular since the Middle Ages, therefore being addressed by their surnames or nicknames rather than the first name, which they share with millions of others.

Make bolder choices with your boy names people! Personally, I would pick July for a boy, cute name, that rhymes with several other boy names that are a lot more popular.

Name In Spotlight: Zenith

2010-09-04T18:15:00.001+01:00

Zenith is of arabic origin, and means "the very top, the highest point". It is also a term used in geography to refer to the highest point in the sky directly above a particular location. Such a great meaning don't you think?

Zenith has yet to crack the top1000 for boys, but I can see it catching on in the future since nature/earthly names seem to be rising in popularity. Unfortunately there are no celebrity babies that are named Zenith until now, so they name remains relatively unknown.

If sharing the name Zenith with a brand of watches is too much for you to handle, here are some great alternatives: Zen, Zeenat, Zephyr, Zanti, Zammit, Zygmund. Interesting choices, and definitely unique.

So what do you guys think of the name? Too out there?

Name In Trend: Journey

2010-08-31T01:40:00.002+01:00

The name Journey is of American origin, and means exactly that, a "journey from some place to another, or a trip". It is a modern invention, and has been a trendy name for girls in the past few years. I could only find one celebrity baby named Journey, and that is Jenna Jameson's son, proving that it has unisex potential, like most modern names.

Here is the popularity ranking of Journey for girls:

Journey first appeared in 1999, and seemed to yo-yo in popularity until after the year 2006. Since then, the name has advanced up the ranking incredibly fast, sitting at #497 in 2009. Will Journey become the new "it" name for girls in the next few years? Do you think it'll chart for boys in the future? I guess we'll have to wait and see.

In the meantime, if you want an alternative to Journey, but keeping that playful sound, try these: Jersey, Jordie, Jorie, Jorene.

Name In Trend: Karter

2010-08-31T00:53:00.004+01:00

Karter is a modern respelling of the name Carter, which is of English origin, and means "one who transports goods".

I must say I'm not a fan of the name Carter, but I find Karter more appealing (I like "K" names). Whilst the name Carter has been around since the 19th century, Karter has only recently made a big splash in the boys popularity ranking.

Here is how the name Karter has performed:

This is a perfect example of a trendy name. Each year it has made impressive gains since it's debut in 2005. This year it jumped almost 100 spots to occupy place #568. Karter won't overtake Carter since that is well established in the top100, but it's always interesting to keep an eye on alternative spellings and how they perform.

Alternatives to Karter I suggest: Kastor, Kester, Parker, Harper, Larter. All very "in vogue" right now.

Name In Spotlight: Shiloh

2010-08-30T05:42:00.001+01:00

Shiloh is of Hebrew origin and means "his gift". Associated as a male name in the past, Shiloh has gained attention as a female name in recent years since it's the name of Angelina Jolie's daughter. However, for me this is one of those names that I could see gaining popularity on boys, if the right opportunity came - like a big star with that name, or a tv character. For some reason, "oh" ending names just scream masculine to me, and that applies to Juno too.

There is one male celebrity that has this name, Shiloh Fernandez.

Though he has yet to make a big splash in Hollywood, he has made innumerous appearances in popular shows such as CSI and Cold Case. He was actually one of the runner-ups to play "Edward" in Twilight - can you imagine the name Shiloh getting the attention Edward has been getting of late? A big shame really. For now, the name rests outside the top1000 for boys.

Nonetheless, I do think Shiloh Fernandez has a bright future ahead of him, and he'll be a great source of fuel to ignite the name's popularity on the blue team. Watch out for him in the 2011 movie Red Riding Hood.

Alternative spellings I recommed are: Shilo, Shylo, Shyloh. Pick your favourite. Or you can go with the similar Shilah, Shia, Shaya.

TV series and their influence on names

2010-08-30T03:24:00.002+01:00

We all know how TV and popular series/shows can influence how a name performs. However, I have to vent at TV series constantly giving girls unisex or even manly names, and boys always getting the same old boring names that have been popular since Christ was born...

Grey's Anatomy is one of the main culprits, by naming one of the most popular female characters Addison - arguably one of the reasons the name started to be associated with girls. We all know the lead female character, Meredith, has a boys name, but that has been lost to the girls a long time ago. Addison had a fighting chance, had. Other female characters are: Izzie (Isobel), Lexie, Reed (also a boys name), Callie (Calliope), Sloan (another boy name), Teddy (and another one), and of course the nazi-surgeon commonly called by her surname Bailey - surely doesn't help the boys. The males of course all have typical boy names that everyone is bored of: Derek, Richard, Alex, George, Charles, Jackson - a snoozefest.

The main female character of Gossip Girl is named Blair, House has a female named Remy, Melrose Place has a Riley, a Kelly and a Sydney, Entourage has a Sloan, Ugly Betty has a female Alexis, Gilmore Girls has a Rory, Glee of course has a Quinn, a Terri, a Santana and a Shelby. I just cross my fingers that Quinn won't start to become increasingly feminine like Riley due to the show's growing popularity. All of these shows, and plenty of others, simply don't give unisex names to their male characters. Why is that? How can there be so many female Quinn's in tv shows but I've never heard the name on a male character, even when Quinn is a lot more popular as a boys name? It's just stupid and frustrating.

If it were me, all my male characters would be given unisex names, just to establish them as male again, or at least to remind people that there are boys around with these names. Giving your boys these unisex is more than just okay, it's the right thing to do.

Name In Trend: Malia

2010-08-30T02:30:00.001+01:00

I said I would devote most of my time to boy names, but of course I'm gonna give girl names some "airtime".

Malia is of Hebrew origin and means "queen". Curiously, it's also the Hawaiian form of Mary, so if you think that's stale, Malia is a good alternative.

Here is the popularity of Malia over the years:

Malia was first seen in the 1970s, but never made a huge impression until the late 1990s, when the name started to make impressive climbs up the chart. In 2009, the name had it's biggest rise yet, climbing 153 places to #192. This was mostly due to Malia Obama, Barack Obama's daughter, who brought the name to the limelight. Will this be in the top50 in a few years? Who knows. But if it keeps rising like that, there's no question.

If you're not too fond of Malia, try these: Maria, Thalia, Leah, Melia, Mali, Tamia, Kalia. Some of these are more popular than Malia, others less, some are rising, others falling, but all have one thing in common - they're pleasing to the ear.

Name In Coffin: Lynn

2010-08-30T01:48:00.002+01:00

The name Lynn is of English origin and it means "waterfall, pool". Lynn was commonly used as a male name in the early 20th century, before it became feminised. Today it's also losing ground on the girls side, in fact, the name was last seen on the girl rank back in 1996, so why not bring it back to the boys side? If girls steal, so can boys.

Anyway, here is the popularity of the name Lynn for boys:

Lynn has been around for boys since the first name ranking back in the late 1800s. The name seemed to be on the rise during several decades, peaking at #152 in the 1940s. Since it reached it's peak, the name rapidly fell out of favour and was out of the top1000 in the 1980s, mostly due to it's popularity for girls. Fortunately parents are more open minded these days and names that do become unisex tend to last a lot longer for boys than at the time.

If you're not too fond of Lynn, or you don't think you could use it on a boy these days, here are my suggestions for some alternative names: Wynn, Flynn, Brynn, Glynn, Gwynn, Rynn. I think all of them have that joyful sound, appealing to many parents. Grab them!

Name In Trend: Ryder

2010-08-30T01:22:00.001+01:00

Today we're gonna look at the popularity of the name Ryder. Ryder is of english origin and means "horseman, rider".

Popularity wise, this is how Ryder has behaved:

It first appeared in 1994 at #949. It had it's biggest leap in 2004, when it climbed from #650 to #342. In the latest 2009 ranking, Ryder sits at #145, up 58 spots from last year. Who says boy names can't be trendy and move up and down quickly? Expect Ryder to go top100 in a few years.

Alternative suggestions, if you're not too fond of Ryder, are: Ryden, Rydell, Rayden, Ridder. These are pretty quirky and a lot less popular.

Lost boy names of 1994

2010-08-30T00:05:00.001+01:00

We're gonna travel 15 years back in time to 1994, and check out which boy names have left the top1000 since then. There are names in this list for everyone! The ones in red are my favourites. The number next to the names are their position in the popularity ranking at the time

230. Shaquille
289. Devonte
316. Devante
383. Mackenzie
394. Daquan
448. Sheldon
456. Jarred
464. Stephan
468. Clarence
470. Jarvis
497. Deonte
500. Bernard
501. Clint
505. Tre
511. Barry
512. Garret
513. Bret
519. Shannon
521. Clifford
524. Kory
528. Kelly
529. Raheem
534. Earl
539. Dequan
545. Baby
548. Dwight
548. Stephon
551. Daryl
551. Perry
554. Shelby
555. Dion
559. Terence
569. Nestor
571. Norman
581. Juwan
582. Korey
583. Guadalupe
584. Shayne
587. Glen
587. Milton
591. Courtney
598. Deion
599. Davonte
602. Edgardo
604. Dimitri
605. Travon
607. Heriberto
611. Kristofer
616. Jan
624. Neal
626. Coty
630. Devonta
632. Arnold
635. Nathanial
638. Dandre
638. Lamont
640. Robin
641. Tracy
644. Hakeem
648. Cornelius
648. Vernon
651. Gerard
654. Clifton
656. Wilfredo
657. Darin
658. Duane
658. Raymundo
664. Dusty
664. Jaleel
671. Rickey
673. Gino
673. Gonzalo
676. Forest
680. Shaquan
682. Trever
683. Herbert
685. Bradford
688. Freddie
688. Kerry
691. Ladarius
692. Don
694. Sammy
698. Jimmie
700. Madison
701. Brandyn
703. Thaddeus
704. Akeem
704. Estevan
712. Aubrey
715. Pierre
720. Dillion
723. Loren
725. Codey
725. Dylon
725. Keven
725. Leslie
725. Rashawn
730. Paris
730. Benito
730. Darrion
734. Arron
736. Johnnie
738. Cordell
738. Lester
741. Brandan
743. Gene
743. Syed
746. Stewart
747. Dakotah
749. Jamil
750. Javonte
756. J
758. Herman
758. Zakary
761. Dana
766. Keanu
769. Gregorio
770. Jackie
771. Donnie
771. Jade
771. Shea
775. Fidel
775. Jerrod
775. Myron
779. Donnell
779. Menachem
782. Infant
785. Bradly
785. Erich
789. Darrian
794. Josef
795. Hernan
797. Jarod
799. Codie
802. Floyd
806. Deondre
806. Montana
810. Andreas
810. Efren
815. Denis
815. Dewayne
819. Rico
821. Aric
822. Savon
824. Daulton
827. Jamaal
828. Kadeem
828. Rocky
830. Benny
838. Erin
837. Kelsey
837. Rasheed
837. Shyheim
842. Austyn
846. Darwin
846. Dondre
846. Jessy
846. Stetson
852. Deshaun
852. Isidro
852. Tayler
855. Tory
857. Justyn
857. Sonny
863. Harvey
864. Markell
864. Marquez
868. Cecil
871. Denver
873. Markel
879. Blair
879. Jevon
879. Lazaro
884. Khari
888. Kevon
888. Mikel
891. Rusty
892. Clyde
892. Elvin
892. Hans
892. Najee
892. Tyquan
892. Wendell
899. Galen
900. Kelby
904. Abdul
904. Lyle
904. Trayvon
909. Eliseo
912. Bryon
912. Jess
912. Jody
916. Demetri
916. Coby
916. Sherman
916. Storm
923. Devontae
926. Edmund
926. Randolph
928. Ryne
928. Trae
931. Auston
931. Chadwick
931. Dalvin
931. Dionte
931. Genaro
931. Kegan
931. Kennedy
940. Ashley
942. Eddy
942. Federico
942. Kelton
942. Kenton
947. Jacques
947. Jerrell
947. Kendal
947. Ulysses
952. Aleksandr
952. Brant
952. Darrien
952. Domenic
958. Alek
958. Tariq
960. Codi
960. Mikhail
960. Rodrick
960. Tavon
960. Tom
965. Chester
965. Destin
965. Domingo
965. Ervin
965. Justen
965. Kirby
965. Otis
965. Randal
965. Tyrin
974. Shelton
974. Sylvester
978. Marty
980. Dakoda
980. Fredy
980. Ken
980. Greg
985. Demarco
985. Francesco
985. Mikal
989. Demonte
989. Garry
989. Westley
993. Morris
995. Jerald
995. Kwame
995. Nicklaus
995. Nikko
995. Pete

Really didn't expect so many names to drop out in 15 years, but apparently boy rankings are more versatile near the bottom than we thought. Also impresive is the number of boy names that have migrated to the feminine side since then.

Shaquille was definitely "THE" trend name of the year, thanks to Shaquille O'Neal.

Donte/Darion and similar names were very popular at the time, along with "quan" rhyming names. Alternatives to Dakota and it's nicknames were also charting numerously.

Extra info on 1994: It was the year the ever-popular Jayden first charted (even though Jaden was already there). It was the year before the huge spark in popularity of the name Bailey - thanks to the TV series Party Of 5.

XXnamesintrendXY - What this blog is about

2010-08-29T23:29:00.002+01:00

Hello everyone! I'm Skye Rhyly, I'm male, 25 years old.

This blog is for me to publish my opinions on certain names, post interesting information behind each name, popularity rankings, etc...
I'll be posting mainly about trendy names that have been causing some waves in the past few years, and giving some insight behind each one of them. I'm a strong believer in unisex names for boys and boys only, since that's where they originally came from (99% of them). I also do like trendy names for boys, but not macho-like names that try to portray masculinity in a forced way that just sound far too cruel on a kid.
I wont dwell on girl names too much, but of course I'll talk about a few girl names on the rise, since this is what the blog is about. For girls I actually prefer the classic timeless girl names that seem to have fallen out of fashion - but not those which sound far too difficult to pronounce. I do think there is a lack of these in the girls popularity rank.

Hope you guys enjoy it!

Skye