First, please join me in wishing a fond au revoir to Bewildertrix! With baby #3 on the way, she has decided to put Onomastitrix on hiatus. (See? That’s me feeling hopeful that she’ll be back someday. Because no one does a round-up of BAs like Bewildertrix.) She promises she’ll be around and will definitely come back and share her good news when baby makes five.
In local news, remember back when I mentioned my friend was in labor? And hadn’t told me the gender or the name? I spoke blogged too soon. A few hours later, she was back at home, still pregnant. More than a week (!) later, her darling daughter Caroline arrived. The baby is beautiful, mom, dad and big brother Zachary are all doing well and Clio has someone to boss around right on her block – someday. And the name! What a great name. (The middle is a distinctive family choice shared with her brother, so I won’t share.)
Elsewhere online:
- Names4Real spotted a boy Addison. Also Beckett, Asa, Atticus, Juno, Thomasina and Merary. I’m guessing Merary is inspired by the Biblical – and masculine - Merari. It all gives me faith that there are some truly fabulous baby-namers out there;
- She also found a Boss William. Makes me wonder about those difficult teenage years. And lastly, a Bleugene Lei;
- Want your niece or nephew to grow up HATING you? Here’s the simple, two-step process:
- Start a Facebook Fan page “MY SISTER SAID IF I GET ONE MILLION FANS SHE WILL NAME HER BABY MEGATRON.”
- Actually get more than a million fans.
- For more sensible inspiration, see Nancy’s post on eighteenth century name phenomenon Hally, from the popular song “Listen to the Mockingbird.” More proof that parents have always been willing to take names from pop culture;
- Speaking of Hally, Sebastiane brings us the Estonian Halliki and possibly related Helliki;
- Nameberry asked What Treasures Are Hiding in Your Family Tree? And I am now very jealous of Lyndsay’s Leocadia and fascinated by Jessica’s Alberta/Alberto/Elberto sibset;
- You know what always surprises me? When one kid is Jayden and the other is Mercy. Or, as in this Swistle post, the parents called their first daughter Cailey Elizabeth and are considering a name like Hazel for their second. It isn’t that one style is better or worse, it’s just that they sound like completely different families;
- Lastly, did you read Katie Allison Granju’s When is a baby name too trendy to use? at Babble – and do you share her fears that your top pick (hers is Georgia) is headed for every playground in your ‘hood?
In starbaby news, via E! Online and Celebrity Baby Blog:
- Her name is Billie Beatrice – yup, the daughter of Eric Dane and Rebecca Gayheart has a name and it combines the boyish-nickname trend with the antique revival trend for an unexpected, but sweet choice;
- Joseph Fiennes and wife have welcomed a daughter. Everyone is doing well, but as for a name? They’re not telling;
- This popped up at Perez Hilton, but I understand the original poll was on BabyCenter – apparently BC readers voted Sarah Michelle Gellar’s choice for her daughter’s name – Charlotte Grace – the very best of the best, followed by Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck’s Seraphina.
That’s all for this week. As always, thanks for reading!
Caroline is my #1 favorite name, so congrats to your friend! I also encourage Katie Granju to stick with Georgia…it’s lovely.
Hey that’s my Leocadia! I was so excited to see that! I think it’s lovely, and interesting that her nickname was Lottie.
When IS a name too trendy to use? Is Zoe? Speaking of, can I put in a request for her to be name of the day?
Congratulations to your friend
Caroline is beautiful!
Noooooooooooooooooooooooo! I am gutted to hear that there is no more onomastitrix.com. I wondered what was going on when I couldn’t view the blog after being on holiday for a week. I am addicted to that site. I will be in mourning all day.
Bewildertrix, if you are reading this, I wish you all the best with the rest of your pregnancy, and can’t wait to hear what you name your new bubba. I really do hope that you’ll be back to blogging again one day. I will truly miss you!!!
And I was dying to tell you, I met a baby girl Diaz Aija last week! Aija pronounced like Asia. Always intrigues me when I come across very unusual names in New Zealand.
Appellation Mountain, you will have to be my new addiction
As I’ve said before, Jane, you must live in a Kiwi Twilight Zone of naming or just happen to be very lucky in your encounters
I rarely see anything truly interesting (or truly awful) around here. Ah, wait, hold up, there is a little Suede at kindy. He took the frogs home last weekend and they’d documented it in photos. I did an epic double take as I walked past the wall and saw his name. He’s afternoon kindy so I had no idea. Suede and a Miracle now. Awesome sauce! Email on my blog profile if you ever want to chat names although I’m not the greatest at checking that particular account.
Appellation Mountain is a fine addiction, Jane. So much more information too.
Thanks for the well wishes and thanks again Abby for all the shout outs. I still have 9 weeks to go, that’s if I don’t go late for the third time, and I’m bellynormous. I’m already well over the regular “You must be due any day now” from well meaning (I’m sure) strangers. Not liking that at all. I need a new photo up to prove the existence of this giant pod thing. I will be blessed with an 11 pounder I just know it.
Oh and Bleugene? Lordy. Could make a great playmate for the aforementioned Suede.
And Georgia, well, Jorja/h too, is already in every playground here. Georgia is lovely, pity about the abominable misspellings. Kiwis, that I’ve seen, seem to cite the J- spellings as more “feminine” because Georg- isn’t visually present in the name. And yet Charlotte isn’t routinely mucked with so I don’t get that little gem of ‘lojik’.
Caroline is lovely *thumbs up*
I feel the same way, Jane. I loved reading Bewildertrix’s blog too and was bummed when I couldn’t access it this week. Bewildertrix, good luck on baby number 3 and I look forward to finding out what you named the baby.
Abby, congrats to your friend. Caroline is a lovely name.
Sarah
Congrats to your friend, Caroline is a very lovely, solid classic choice.
I have a great aunt named Leocadia too, but she always went by Lily, Leocadia is her “Polish” name. I always thought Cadie or Lea would make great nickname options.
Mine went by Lottie, but I’m with you, I think Cadie would be an adorable (and the most natural) nickname.
Congrats to the mother of little Caroline!
Bewildertrix, I hope to see you blogging again sometime!
As for Bleugene? UGH! My uncle’s name is Eugene and when my brother was little he used to call said uncle “Uncle Bluejean”. It was funny in those circumstances, but not as an actual name on an actual [extremely unfortunate] kid.
Bleugene made me laugh out loud. It’s just ridiculous
I love Addison for a boy, it’s so handsome! I also like Madison for a boy.
Caroline & Zachary go great together.
Caroline and Zachary are a nice pair, aren’t they? And I keep thinking of David Bowie’s “Blue Jean” – the lyrics and the video are clearly about a girl called Blue Jean. But on her birth certificate? It’s wildly over the top.
And I hear you ’bout Madison and Addison for boys – but I think it will be a generation or more until that’s possible.
I had a female Merary in my class when I was teaching elementary school. She was Mexican-American, and if you Google Merary, you see it paired with lots of Hispanic surnames. My Merary was an adorable kid and it’s a pretty name.