Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O’Connell have welcomed their twin daughters.  The girls are named Dolly Rebecca Rose and Charlie Tamara Tulip.

It’s an interesting duo.  While Rose is among the most common botanical baby names, I’ve never heard of a Tulip.  Rebecca and Tamara are graceful in the middle spot - Rebecca after mom and Tamara after Rebecca’s sister.  As for Dolly and Charlie?  They’re awfully cutesy nicknames, but they’re balanced out by the rest of the names.  Apparently, Charlie honors Jerry’s brother and Dolly is for Dolly Parton.

I’m not sure about the connection between Ms. Parton and the happy couple, but it’s worth noting that her full name is Dolly Rebecca.

Overall?  I wouldn’t add them to my favorites list, but I find them strangely appealing.  Too bad they didn’t go for Dorothy Rebecca Rose and Charlotte (or Caroline) Tamara Tulip.  That pairing would be perfection.

Sandwiched between the very current Kai and the nouveau Kyler, this choice begins to feel like a modern classic.

Thanks to Skye for suggesting our Name of the Day: Kyle.

Many parents are more conservative when they name their sons, hewing to the enduring classics - John, Joseph, William.  Others like the idea of choosing a familiar appellation, but want something more modern.  Kyle is one that fits the bill.

He’s been in the US Top 100 since 1974, and while he’s fallen considerably from his peak of #18 in 1990, Kyle remains a steady, sensible choice with Scottish flair.  He’s weathered even better in the UK, where he’s remained closer to the Top 50.

The meaning is usually given as channel or strait, from the Gaelic caol.  You’ll still find bodies of water called Kyle in Scotland today.  

There’s also Scotland’s Kyle District, complete with the ruins of Kyle Castle.  The district was folded into another county in 1889.  Places called Kyle remain on the map in the US, Canada and Australia.  

But the region suggests yet another possible meaning for Kyle, as stories suggest it was named after Old King Cole.  Before the merry old soul inspired his nursery rhyme, he was a semi-legendary King of the Britons.  Cole traces back to the Roman Coelius or perhaps Caelestis.  The latter survived as Celestine and means heavenly.

Today Kyle is quite down to earth.  He’s worn by NASCAR driver Kyle Busch and actor Kyle MacLachlan.  There’s also South Park’s Kyle Broflovski and ABC Family’s Kyle Trager on Kyle XY.  

While you won’t find many Grandpa Kyles, the name has been in use for well over a century, probably in part because Kyle is also a surname.  Back in the 1920s and 30s, Beatrice Kyle was a world famous high diver, performing stunts all over the globe.  Television presenter Jeremy Kyle hosts a British version of The Jerry Springer Show.  When she was first introduced, the cartoon Catwoman was the secret of identity of whip-carrying burglar Selina Kyle.

The Ky sound remains quite current.  Kai, which is either Hawaiian or Germanic in origin, first charted in the US in 1979.  Inventive parents mashed together Kyle and Tyler to get Kyler in the mid-1980s.  On the girls’ side Kylie, Kylee and Kyleigh all rank in the US Top 1000, as do Kyla and Kylah, plus Sky, Skye and Skyla.  Skylar and Skyler chart for both genders.

All those spin-offs are probably Kyle’s weakness.  In fact, kreaatif applications of the letter have tarnished even those names that legitimately start with K.

But if you can overlook the possibility that your son might sometimes share a classroom with Skyleah or Kyson, the name offers up an appealing compromise.  While his history is undeniable, he’s very much a modern name.  His sister could be the equally sensible Melissa or Rachel as easily as the intriguing Scottish Elspeth or Isobel.

While Kyle is no longer trendy, that’s his strongest asset.

Every week there’s more baby naming news than a regular post can accommodate.  So I’m initiating a new feature - the Sunday Summary.  It will include starbaby updates, intriguing names I’ve heard out in the world, links to other sites, news about this site and, of course, news of the weird.

Here’s the Sunday Summary for 1/4/09:

• You may have stumbled across this last month, but apparently a couple caused a stir attempting to order a birthday cake for their son, Adolf Hitler Campbell.  His sisters are called JoyceLynn Aryan Nation and Honszlynn Hinler Jeannie.  The family lives in Easton, Pennsylvania.
• Speaking of Easton, it could be the next big thing.  First actress Elisabeth Rohm chose it for her daughter, Easton August.  It’s now the middle name of the newest Palin, Tripp Easton Mitchell.  Easton ranked #351 for boys in 2007.
• Apparently, Vianca is the Spanish version of Bianca.  I’ve heard it once or twice, but thought I was misunderstanding.  I saw it in writing a few days ago, and I must say, it strikes me as quite glamorous.
• Here’s an absolutely addictive game over at Baby Name Brainstorm.  You have three minutes to guess the Top 50 names from the US Social Security Administration’s 2007 list.  Play twice - once for boys and once for girls.  Or hey, keep playing until your eyes cross!
• Nameberry has a collection of early results for 2008.  For those of us who can’t wait ’til May to see the US Top 1000, there are some interesting nuggets of info.
• Lastly, here are Elisabeth’s Top Ten Baby Naming Resolutions for America.  Here’s hoping some of them catch on!

 You might also notice that I’m dropping the “royal we” in my posts in favor of first person singular.  While I’m grateful that many of us share a love of names, the opinions are mine - and the new year seems like a good moment to make the change.

She’s a 20th century nature name that helped propel many of today’s favorites to the top of the charts.

Thanks to JNE for suggesting today’s Name of the Day: Jade.

In the nineteenth century, plenty of parents turned to floral and gemstone names, calling their daughters Briony and Violet, Ruby and Pearl.

Jade failed to catch on, probably because she was already in use as slang.  The Old Norse word jälda - mare - initially referred to a worn-out horse.  By the 1500s, it had become our word jade - and a synonym for harlot.  Something of this use continues today.  If you’re jaded, you’re tired or worn out, usually from overindulgence.

The green gemstone has different origins.  Piedra de ijada is the Spanish name. Ijada refers to the loins; once upon a time, jade was though to cure kidney ailments.  In French, the term became l’ejade and was whispered down the alley into le jade.  Jade appears in English as the stone’s name from the 1600s onward.

Early 20th century Jades appear in US census records, but they’re almost exclusively male.  Jade ranked in the boys’ Top 1000 most years from 1968 through 1997.  As late as 2001, more than 150 boys were given the name.  When listed along with Jace, Jaden and Cade, Jade seems like a masculine moniker.  Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon recently named her twin sons Jaid Thomas and Jax Joseph.  British singer Jade Jones is a he - and father to Beau, along with Spice Girl Emma Bunton.

History aside, few would consider Jade a boys’ name.  With the slang use fading into obscurity, Mick and Bianca Jagger chose the name for their daughter in 1971.  Jade entered the US girls’ Top 1000 in 1975, and climbed into the Top 500 in 1982, finally peaking at #86 in 2002.  It also made the UK Top 100 in the 1980s.

While Jade is falling in popularity, many of her spin-offs are gaining:

• Actress Jada Pinkett Smith debuted on FOX’s True Colors in 1990.  While the name was in use earlier, it gained rapidly as Jada’s star rose.  Today Jada ranks #95 and spelling variants Jayda and Jaida also rank.
• The ever-popular Jayden is used for girls, too.  Jayden came in at #172, with Jadyn, Jaden, Jaiden and Jaidyn also charting.
• More creative options - Jadalyn, anyone? - aren’t popular enough to make the Top 1000, but are heard.

Celeb chef Giada DeLaurentis boosted the Italian version of the name.  She called herdaughter Jade.  Should you find yourself on a playground in Paris, odds are strong that you’ll hear the name called out - with a French accent, of course.  Jade has been in their Top Ten in recent years.

On her own, the original Jade retains all the strength of the gemstone, and fits in nicely with frills free choices like Brooke and Blair.  Depending on your perspective, Jade is either a modern classic that shares Taylee’s style but has far more substance, or a 20th century choice that suffers by association.  She could make a nice compromise choice if you’re pulling for Pearl while your partner prefers Hayleigh.

It’s a bird … it’s a plane … it’s a …

Completely valid saint’s name with Latin roots.

Thanks to Mariuccia for suggesting the Name of the Day: Blaise.

In Latin, blaesus means to stutter or stammer, to lisp.  From this unfortunate root came the given name Blasius.  

Like many an ancient name, Blaise endures thanks to a saint.  

Saint Blaise was born in Sebastia, part of modern day Turkey and would serve as bishop of his city until martyred in the 300s.  His family was probably affluent, and Blaise may have had formal training as a physician.  Legend has it that he healed the sick - sick people, sick livestock, sick animals from the wild - and famously saved a boy from choking to death on a fishbone.

Because of that last story, Blaise became patron saint of throats.  In the 14th century, when the Black Death sent frightened believers into churches all over Europe, Blaise was considered one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers - a litany of saints invoked to protect against illness.

Between the 300s and the fourteenth century, Blaise is tough to find in the historical record as a given name.  Around the 1500s, however, Blaise starts to pop up - in France, Switzerland and England.  He’s also heard in parts of Germany, where the Fourteen Holy Helpers were especially popular and often depicted in artwork.

As he was invoked by priests throughout Europe, Blaise started to catch on.  He was never common, but appears to have been in steady use since the 1500s.

At least a half dozen place names in France honor Blaise; an ancient city gate in Basel, Switzerland is known as The Gate of Blasius; in Bristol, England, you can visit Blaise Castle, which took its name from nearby Blaise Hill.

There are plenty of famous Blaises, too, including a stock car racer called Blaise Alexander, a college track star known as Blaise Rewaka and a French racing cyclist named Blaise Sonnery.

But not all Blaises have been zippy.  The best known Blaise is the seventeenth century philosopher and mathematician, Blaise Pascale.  His reputation lends the name a certain scholarly air.

The named fared reasonably well in France, especially in the early 1900s.  In the US, Blaise first ranked in 1953 and quickly disappeared.

The 21st century could prove to be Blaise’s heyday.  Blaise has been ranked every year since 1996, reaching as high as #801 in 2001, 2002 and 2003.  As of last year he was #992.  That’s more than 1500 baby boys called Blaise born in the 21 century alone.

Some are opting to respell Blaise in a more flammable fashion: Blaze.  This takes an obscure saints’ name and repackages it in a superhero cape and tights.  As of 2007, Blaze was more popular than this authentic cousin - he ranked #876 last year.

With many parents searching for an edgy baby name, Blaise presents an appealing compromise.  He’s just as cool as Cash or Cade, but has a long history of use and a backstory that gives this name strength.  Blaze sacrifices much of that substance - but may prove more popular.

I am Dinah Lord.  My real name is Diana, but my sister changed it.

In the Katharine Hepburn film The Philadelphia Story, the kid sister introduces herself with that line.  It’s always sparked my curiosity.

Thanks to Nessa for suggesting today’s Name of the Day: Dinah.

I was convinced that Dinah must’ve been fashionable at some point - the 1930s, maybe.  The Philadelphia Story hit the big screen in 1940; it was based on a stage play written a few years earlier.

Plus there were two very popular songs referencing Dinah:

• “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad” tells Dinah to blow her horn.  It dates from the 1890s, but the Dinah lyrics might be even older.
• “Dinah” was part of the 1925 musical Kid Boots.  The song was far more successful than the stage production.  Everyone from Louis Armstrong to Bing Crosby to Dean Martin recorded a version.

But the name wasn’t popular at all.  Dinah was in use in the late 19th century, but sparingly.  In 1880, she charted at #769 in the US.  By 1906, she was out of the rankings.  The Philadelphia Story boosted Dinah’s popularity - in 1941, she charted at #878, her first appearance in more than three decades.

Dinah may have been out of favor because she’d become more title than given name.  Just like Abigail and Bridget had their moments of downward mobility, Dinah was once used as a generic name for a house slave.

Dinah was one of the many Biblical names discovered after the Protestant Reformation.  In the Old Testament, she’s the daughter of Jacob and Leah.  The traditional version of her story is that she’s kidnapped and raped, prompting her brothers to go on a killing spree.  Anita Diamant’s 1997 bestseller The Red Tent imagines an intelligent, capable figure and a very different interpretation.

It’s difficult to find a Dinah in real life - at least one who was born with the name.  Fictional Dinahs abound, from Dinah Morris in George Eliot’s Adam Bede to Dinah Drake Lance, a DC Comics superhero known as the Black Canary.  CBS’s Guiding Light includes Dinah Marler.  In the 1970s, Dinah Mite was Action Jackson’s action figure sidekick.

The two most famous 20th century Dinahs were both singers.  Dinah Shore was born Frances Rose; Dinah “Queen of the Blues” Washington was born Ruth Jones.

Dinah Shore’s career stretched over decades, including  The Dinah Shore Show on television in the 1950s and Dinah! in the 1970s.  But as a given name, Dinah disappeared from the rankings after 1966.

It was also the name of Alice in Wonderland’s pet cat and an animated dachshund in Disney cartoons.

While Dina is sometimes listed as a variant spelling, Dina is more likely to be pronounced dee na.  If you’d like your daughter’s name to rhyme with China, keep the “h” at the end.

Dinah sounds like a throwback choice, and a rather refreshing one.  If you’re looking for something less common than Sarah or Hannah, or even Nora or Clara, this is one to consider.

At first glance, this seems both the perfect name for a son born on New Year’s Day and a bit too much.  Okay, maybe much too much.

But it turns out that he has a surprising amount of history.  Here’s our Name of the Day for 1/1/09:  Primo.

In Latin, primus means first.  Our words primal, primary and prime all trace back to the root.  

Primus has been used as a given name since the first century or so.  It could’ve been a name bestowed on a firstborn son; it might also be a nickname of sorts - the equivalent of calling someone “Junior” today.

What’s known is that a trio of early saints were called Primus:

• In the 1st century, Saint Primus was martyred at Antioch, along with Saints Cyril and yes, Secundarius.
• Under Diocletion, brothers Primus and Felician were said to have been martyred.  They’re not widely known today, but the pair is depicted on the walls of St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice;
• In 362, Saint Primus met his death in northwest Africa.  He and Saint Donatus were deacons defending a church during a theological debate when things turned violent.

The name remained in use, especially in Italy and again, sometimes as a nickname.

Primo Riccitelli was an early 20th century composer.  His baptismal certificate gives his name as Pancrazio, but all of his works are credited to Primo.  Two of his operatic pieces -  I Compagnacci and Madonna Oretta - are still performed.

Primo Conti was an Italian artist, part of the Futurist movement, in the early 20th century.

But the best known Primo is Primo Levi, the Jewish-Italian Holocaust survivor.  His memoir of his time in Auschwitz, If This is a Man, is widely considered a masterwork.  After Levi’s death, his writings were adapted for the stage and eventually a 2005 film titled Primo.

On a lighter note, in the 1996 movie Big Night, brothers Primo and Secondo struggle to operate their restaurant.  Big Night was a huge indie hit, attracting critical acclaim at film festivals and snagging an Independent Spirit award for the screenplay.

Considering his artistic and literary backstory and long history of use, Primo starts to sound a little more user friendly.  Primo has never charted in the Top 1000 most popular names in the US, but plenty of men with the name appear in the census records.  And of course, boys’ names ending in -o have become quite fashionable.  

But not every -o ending name is equally accessible.  Marco and Matteo are almost mainstream.  Bruno, Giacomo and Cosmo are more extreme, but not unthinkable.  Primo is probably somewhere between the second group and the really wild choices - like Romeo and Orlando.

Then again, last year Romeo ranked #505 and Orlando #368.  So parents looking for an unusual Italian heritage choice for a firstborn might consider Primo.

Just don’t call your second born Secondo.  That seems cruel. 

With just hours left in 2008, here are the official ApMtn baby name predictions for 2009.

Boys’ names will be longer and shorter, but two-syllable tyranny is coming to an end.  Yes, plenty of parents are still going to call their sons (and daughters) Aiden, Braeden, Caidhen, Haydon and Jayden.  And yes, some parents will attempt to mash together two syllables to create “unique” names for their sons - think Jaylon and Cayson.  

But  a growing number of parents are favoring softer names for their sons, including Biblical choices and ancient names.  Sebastian, Julian, Jeremiah and Oliver are already mainstream.  Others are keeping it short and strong.  Starbabies Knox Jolie-Pitt and Bronx Wentz are part of the trend.  Choices like Cole, Gage, Cash, Beau and Cade gaining, as well as nicknames like Jack, Jake and Max remaining popular.  A few other choices are brief, but not quite so tough guy - Finn, Quinn and Kai all continue to do well.

French names for girls will be on the rise.  Celeb trendsetters Brangelina are responsible for some of the trend.  But this one was already brewing before Vivienne Marcheline’s birth.  A few that could pop?  Noemi/Noemie, Elodie and Esmé.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that the names in favor will be popular in Paris, or even authentically French.  In fact, the biggest influence may be the rise of creative, franglais-style names.  Expect to see Scarlette along with Violette and Juliette.

Homespun, even humble names will continue to be popular.  There’s nothing flashy about Emma or Hannah.  In 2009, Olive will sound fresher than Olivia, Frances more appealing than Francesca.  Choices like Nora and Clara could have a good year for girls; for boys, Gus seems unstoppable.  (Though with August, Angus and plenty of other names leading to Gus as a nickname, it will be tough to see in the statistics.)  Biblical boys’ names will continue to gain, following Elijah, Isaac and Isaiah up the charts.  And yes, we think we’ll meet more girls called Honor, as well as plenty of little Graces, Hopes and Charitys.

There could also be an uptick in the number of boys receiving names that once seemed perpetually out of fashion.  Choices like Walter, Raymond and Calvin have all received positive feedback.  It suggests that either they’re turning the corner from clunky to cool … or maybe that in 2009, clunky will be cool. 

Creative spellings will continue.  Some parents will continue to favor extreme spellings like Caidhon and Peightynn.  But variant spellings have taken their place in the mainstream.  Which is correct:  Isobel, Isabel or Isabelle?  In some cases, the most popular version isn’t the most authentic.  Kaitlyn ranks #44; Katelyn comes in at #75 and Caitlin’s parents find themselves defending their “unusual” spelling.  

Perhaps this is just wishful thinking, but it seems like fewer parents are tossing in random letters to come up with Brieyannah and more are seeking out lesser used appellations, like Bryony.  (Which, of course, can also be spelled Briony …)

Emily really won’t be the most popular name for girls.  Based on our recalculation of the SSA rankings back in May, we reported that Emily was slipping in favor of Isabella and Sophia.  Parents.com recently put Isabella at the top of their 2008 list, with Ava in second place and Emily demoted to third.  They base their rankings on website traffic.

That said, Em names for girls will remain very popular.  Emily might slip, but Em- names are still hot.  There’s Emma, of course.  And with starbabies Emme (JLo’s daughter) and Emery (Angie Harmon’s daughter) we imagine more parents will opt for an Emily variant in 2009.  Among the contenders:  Emerson (likely to be respelled Emersyn), the anique Emilia, the Welsh masculine Emlyn, the medieval Emmeline and Emmaline, Embeth (as in the actress Embeth Davidtz) and, of course, Emme and Emery.

And the final prediction?

Baby names will continue to obsess some of us.  Pushing a $900 stroller might be out; kitting your kiddo in consignment store finds might be in.  But choosing a thoughtful, meaningful and inventive name for a child is always au courant.

Thanks for being part of the ApMtn family in 2008, and keep reading in 2009!

Ever since the third installment of American Pie hit the big screen, I’ve been wondering about the moniker worn by one of the actresses.

With the last day of 2008 upon us, today’s Name of the Day is the forward looking January.

Actually, January looks forward and backward.  The month is named after Janus, the Roman god of doorways - and the beginnings and endings they symbolize.

Of the twelve months on our calendar, at least four have history as given names and have ranked in the US Top 1000:  

• April peaked at #23 in 1979; she currently ranks #310; 
• May has been used as a nickname for Mary, Mabel and Margaret.  As an independent name, she peaked at #57 in 1883 and was last ranked in 1982;
• June peaked at #39 in 1925 and last charted in 1986;
• August, the sole calendar name reserved for boys, has perhaps the longest history of use and doubles as a masculine virtue name of sorts.  He peaked at #74 in 1882 and today ranks #607.

In their company, January seems less outlandish.  She’s also helped by her construction.  The three-syllable, ends-in-y pattern is common in girls’ names throughout the years:  Marjorie, Dorothy, Rosemary, Kimberly, Destiny, Mackenzie, Delaney.

Back in 1973, Jacqueline Susann chose the name January for the lead character in her novel Once is Not Enough.  Susann’s 1966 novel Valley of the Dolls was a smash hit; so was the 1967 film adaptation.  While she’d never equal the success of Dolls, Once is Not Enough was also a bestseller and quickly adapted for the big screen in 1975.

The glamorous January Wayne inspired a handful of namesakes.  Between 1976 and 1979, the name ranked in the US Top 1000, peaking at #639 in 1978.  

While they’re dated now, the Jan- names were just ending their run of popularity in the 1970s.  In the 1940s and 50s, Janet and Janice both regularly ranked in the Top 25 names given to girls.  By the 1960s, variants Janelle, Janine and Jana were all common, and multiple spellings were in use.  January must have seemed a refreshing twist on the category.  If it ever proved too much, the familiar Jan was waiting as a nickname. 

Actress January Jones was born in 1978, part of the short-lived January boom.  And yes, her birthday is just a few days from now - January 5.  Her big break was playing bride Michelle’s little sister in American Wedding, the third installment in the American Pie series.  (Her character was called Cadence - but that’s another post!)  Today, she can be seen on AMC’s series Mad Men.

So far, the actress hasn’t inspired enough parents to return January to the Top 1000.  But Winter seems to be attracting more parents’ interest these days, and Summer is well established as a girls’ name.

If you’re expecting a daughter in the next 31 days, January might be one to consider.

Today’s choice is as Scottish as the thistle.  Thanks to Bek for suggesting our Name of the Day: Gordon.

There are at least six theories about Gordon’s roots.  Many are tied to the map:  places called Gordon can be found in Spain; there’s a Gourdon in France; and Grodno, Belarus may have also produced some Gordons.  There’s a Roman name Gordus and several Gaelic names that might have become Gordon through the years.

But the most common theory is that Gordon comes from the Celtic gor - great, vast - and dun - hill or possibly din - fort.  The House of Gordon was among the most powerful Scottish clans.  Many members adopted this as their surname, including the Marquess of Huntly, the aristocratic head of Clan Gordon.  

And so while Gordon as a surname can reference many different backgrounds, as a given name it is sounds like a Scottish heritage choice.

In popular use, Gordon got a boost from a military hero.  The nineteenth century British Major-General Charles George Gordon was a popular figure known for his campaigns in China and Africa.  He was also a capable diplomat, negotiating several thorny political situations before meeting his death during the siege of Khartoum in the Sudan.

In the US, Gordon ranked in the Top 100 from 1911 to 1945, peaking in 1935 at #70.  Many famous Gordons date from that era, including:

• J. Paul Getty’s son and heir, now on the Forbes list of wealthiest Americans;
• G. Gordon Liddy of the Watergate scandal;
• Canadian folk singer Gordon Lightfoot, probably best known for “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald”;
• Intel co-founder Gordon Moore;
• Ice hockey legend Gordie Howe.

The most prominent Gordon of the moment is probably the foul-mouthed, Michelin star-studded Scottish celeb chef Gordon Ramsay.  He’s achieved success in the culinary world and on television, hosting reality series Kitchen Nightmares in both the UK and the US.

Gordon also has comic book cred.  There’s Commissioner James Gordon of the Gotham City Police, the man who dials the bat phone in Batman.  And we can’t forget Flash Gordon, who stands up to Ming the Merciless in outer space.

For bad guy Gordons, there’s Wall Street’s corporate raider, Gordon Gekko.  Michael Douglas nabbed an Academy Award for his role in the 1987 film.

Today the name stands at #989 - teetering on the edge of obscurity.  But we wonder if Gordon - like Calvin, Walter, Raymond, Roger and Clarence - could be part of another revival, one in the not-so-distant future.  After all, the Disney Channel’s Lizzie McGuire featured David “Gordo” Gordon, a love interest for the main character.  And kids still grow up with Sesame Street’s Gordon Robinson and family.

Overall, Gordon is familiar.  There’s a real Scottish charm to him.  And while he’s not quite fashionable, neither is he hopelessly clunky.  Gordon could work nicely on a modern child - a pleasantly unexpected choice.