Happy Valentine’s Day!

Which reminds me, a new ABC series called Happy Town will premier in late April.  The character list includes a Henley.  I’m not sure about the plot or the character, but I find myself wondering: could -enley be the new -iley?  

In 2008, Project Runway contestant Kenley Collins made it to the finals.  It’s too soon to say if she’ll become a household name in fashion, but her given name debuted at #998 in the US Top 1000 in ’08.  And we just talked about Tenley, she of Olympic figure skating/The Bachelor fame.  The sound is close to gender-spanning Finley, but unlike Riley/Kylee/Mylie/Bryleigh/Skylea, I’m not sure there are as many -enley options.  (Though my husband proposed in Schenley Park …)

If you just can’t get enough reality TV, here’s one more:  Elisabeth at You Can’t Call It “It” tipped me off to my sure-to-be new addiction, 9 By Design, set to debut on Bravo in April.  The family of impossibly stylish NYC house flippers extraordinaire has seven kids, including two sets of twins.  The New Yok Post described the show as Jon & Kate Plus 8 meets Sex and the City.  Sign me up!  Oh, and the names?  Bob and Cortney Novogrtaz are parents to:

• Wolfgang, 12;
• Twins Bellamy and Tallulah, 11; 
• Breaker, 9;
• Twins Five and Holleder, 4;
• Major, 1.

I remember them from an early issue of Cookie Magazine, back pre-baby Major when they were living in a house with a basketball court on the roof.  How many days ’til April 5?

In other news, some of you might recall that I was in the midst of a blizzard last weekend.  A family a few blocks away welcomed a baby at home on the worst day of the record-setting storm. She’s Regina, a little sister for Gregory and Gloria.  The new baby’s name full is Regina Caeli, and that’s not just some nouveau riff on Kaylee.  Regina Caeli – pronounced CHAY lee – translates to Queen of Heaven, and it is a prayer to Mary.  

Since I’ve been talking about reality stars and local celebs, let’s start with the famous folk first:

• Eric Dane and Rebecca Gayheart are expecting a daughter, but already discussing names for #2.  Read the full interview with Access Hollywood here;
• Speaking of names, Celebrity Baby Blog reports that during her interview with Ellen DeGeneres, Heidi Klum says that her new daughter just “looked like a Lou.”  Klum also said that they went in with four or five names – wouldn’t you love to see their short list;
• Post-Super Bowl, I learned that Drew Brees’ son is called Baylen.  I like Bay just fine, but Baylen feels a little Frankenstein;
• And, of course, Boris Becker is a dad again, welcoming son Amadeus.

Elsewhere online:

• Sebastiane covers the surprisingly international Linda;
• She also covers the February 14-appropriate Amy and, of course, Valentine;
• I wrote about Valentine here;
• Nameberry has an inventive list of less obvious Names that Link to Love, like Branwen, Milena and Caradoc;
• Bewildertrix spotted a Gretel. Hey, if Aurora can be hot for girls, why not the equally fairytale-tastic Gretel?  She also noted a Tayliesin Jaymes Brionee - yes, a girl.  Welsh wizards and British poets aside, I hear Taliesin and think Frank Lloyd Wright;
• For Real Baby Names brought us a Katie Scarlett - wonder if the parents ever read Gone With the Wind?  Plus the latest borrowing from the map, Berlin Louise.  How long it will be ’til we meet a Berlynne?  And a Lake Sawyer, which surely must exist on a map somewhere;
• The latest debate on the name boards: Is the name Win too much pressure?  The resounding reply is pretty much yes;
• Nancy has a list of Names for Shoe Lovers;
• Here’s something that I can’t figure out, no matter how often I hear it: “We like Violet, but it is getting too popular.  How about Amelia?”   That’s (my highly edited excerpt) from a post at Swistle, but the same sentiment is echoed on any forum or real life conversation.  Our perceptions of popularity are highly flawed.

Of all the weird social media phenomena to emerge in recent years, I’ll admit I’m most fascinated by fictional characters with blogs.  Who writes them?  Isn’t it hard to avoid revealing upcoming plot twists, or over-developing the character who blogs?  Anyhow, The Office’s Pam and Jim have a baby blog, with a recent post on baby names.  Someone thinks Michael and Scott would be great names.

I’m off to stop the kids from eating all of the candy out of their chocolate hearts before lunchtime.  Wishing you a sweet day, and thanks for reading!