Baby Name of the Day: Beau

He’s an old school fashionista, a gambler and a Southern gentleman, too.

Today’s Baby Name of the Day is Beau.

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Baby Name of the Day: Winola

She’s a true rarity with a disputed meaning but a strangely appealing vibe.

Thanks to Emma for suggesting Winola as Name of the Day.

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Baby Name of the Day: Eunomie

Love the Container Store?  Can’t get enough of Real Simple magazine?  This could be the name for you.

Thanks to EK for suggesting Eunomie as Name of the Day.

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Sunday Summary: 3/28/10

Yesterday morning was The Great Magruder Park Egg Hunt in our town.  The kids were there for candy; I was there to listen for names: Jonah, Nora, Dorothy, Caroline, Clara, Seamus, Ellis, a pair of Abigails, Zora, Micah, Carsten, Jackson.  There was also a mom toting an Orla Kiely bag, but I seem to recall that her kids’ names aren’t quite as surprising.

Speaking of Orla and surprises, here’s a new one: I wrote about Orla a few days ago.  The post felt familiar, but that happens sometimes.  This has never happened: I’d actually written an entire Orla post in September 2008. It’s pretty much the same … except not.

In other news:

In starbaby news, all via Celebrity Baby Blog:

Think it is weird to name your kid Kimora?  Nancy tells us that back in the 1930s and 40s, at least a few dozen parents named their kids in honor of Kay Kyser, bandleader and radio host. Kyser responded by sending out a commemorative gift.  Hmmm … if I named my daughter Orla, would I be able to snag one of those bags?

That’s all for this week.  As always, thank you for reading!

Name of the Day Announcements

It’s been nearly two years since I started writing Name of the Day posts.  When I started, I had one toddler and worked very part-time; I now have two kids and am back to having a 40-hour plus workweek.  At the same time, I’ve gone from a handful of readers to over 900 a day.  (Thank you, each and every one of you, for being here.)

Despite the increased demands, I have no intention of giving it up.

But the number of requests for featured names keeps going up, just as I’m particularly challenged to manage my work, so I wanted to make a few requests of my own:

  • Please send all Name of the Day suggestions to appmtn (at) gmail (dot) com.  I find that I’m missing the ones that are left as comments.
  • Send as long a list as you like, but I rarely can choose more than three from any list.
  • You can always resubmit a name if I don’t choose it the first time.
  • There are five slots each week, and I try to put in no more than one request per requester each week.
  • I try to schedule no more than 60 days in advance.  If I took every suggestion, I think I’d be close to six months out!

If you want to game the system, here’s a tip – send only one name.  That way I’ll feel obligated to write about Lester or Malia or Destiny.

A few notes on how I choose names:

  • I try for a mix.  When I started, I avoided the common and the classic, but they’re fascinating, too.
  • If I decline an unusual name, it may be because I can’t come up with a satisfying backstory.  This often happens when a name was invented based on sound alone.
  • If I can’t say something nice about a name, I tend to avoid it.  Happily, I find that I thoroughly like most names by the end of a post.

One last note: for some time, I’ve been aware that “Name of the Day” is not the best title from a search engine perspective.  Since most readers come here looking for baby name information, “Baby Name of the Day” is probably a better title.  I’ve never done anything in the name of Search Engine Optimization here, but after much debate, I’m going to make this one (tiny) change.

I truly love writing, and I’m grateful to be living in an era where an amateur can find an audience.  My posts are written before dawn – it’s actually 4:30 in the morning right now, though this post won’t go live until the afternoon.

Writing at Appellation Mountain is my way of waking up and running a few miles to start my day – but I run with my brain instead of my feet.  Thanks for keeping pace with me.  It’s a privilege!

Name of the Day: Orla

Worried that Isla is the next big thing?  Looking for something quirkier than Anya without going as extreme as Bertha?

Here’s an intriguing Gaelic option.  Thanks to Christina for suggesting Orla as Name of the Day.

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Name of the Day: Samuel

He’s Biblical and classic, literary and cool.  No wonder he’s a global sensation and a perennial favorite in the US, too.

Thanks to Melissa for suggesting Samuel as Name of the Day.  And congratulations to Photoquilty on the birth of her new son Samuel, too!

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Name of the Day: Tristan

He’s a noble knight and a lovestruck swain, brought to our attention by the silver screen.  Is it any wonder he’s so popular?

Thanks to Kelly for suggesting Tristan as Name of the Day.

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Name of the Day: Marigold

Marigold

Image via Wikipedia

On the heels of Magnolia, here’s another floral find.

Lyndsay for suggesting Marigold as Name of the Day.

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