Image by Leo Reynolds via Flickr

I’m writing from the floor of our home’s once-office, soon-to-be-playroom.  At 6-going-on-7 and 2-going-on-3, Alex and Clio have officially taken over our tiny living/dining/kitchen area with toys of every description.  In a desperate bid to reclaim some actual space to work, I’ve decided that I’d rather write from an uncluttered dining room table than have a relatively serene office space, but step on Transformers on the way to the refrigerator.  Wish me luck!

Now back to our regularly scheduled name news:

• The Name Lady received the following question: “What is a boy’s name that is strong, but unique, and not too out there?”  Heh.  The Name Lady wisely declined to give a specific name, but one of the comments suggested Jack;
• Waltzing More than Matilda mentioned an Aussie celeb who named his daughter Diaz.  I could get behind Diaz for a boy, but on a girl?  I don’t know.  It feels heavy;
• On an even outlandish note, For Real spotted a girl named Exavien Marie.  The name contains attractive elements, but is it me, or does it sound like a prescription drug?
• Nancy posted on the mysterious Nerine, and variant Nerene – the -ine spelling made a big debut in 1917, but it isn’t clear why;
• I’m not familiar with the Stonewylde series, but Nook profiled the names from the books – and wow, there’s a Sylvie, a Solstice, and a Rufus.  I may need to go read them all now;
• British Baby Names profiles Godiva.  It ought to be a viable option – historic, poetic, pretty – but all I get from Godiva is a sugar rush;
• Elisabeth asked our opinion of title names.  I know a General, and I’ve recently come across a Major, too.  With the exception of extreme titles – what is behind Selma Blair’s Arthur Saint? – I don’t know that I have a definite opinion;
• I do, however, have a definite reaction to Sunny Chanel’s Ten Worst Names for Boys over at Babble.  I understand her perspective, but it seems deeply unfair to lump Dick and Chuck – outdated diminutives for the enduring Richard and Charles – with oddities like @ or Facebook.  And P.S., Facebook?  Is a girl.  Though I understand the confusion!

It was a quiet week in celebrity baby name news, but we did hear that Ethan Hawke and wife Ryan have welcomed a second daughter, Indiana, a little sister for Clementine Jane.  Hawke is also dad to Maya and Levon with ex-wife Uma Thurman.

That’s all for this week.  As always, thanks for reading and have a great week!