It’s here! Earlier this week, the Nameberry gurus published Cool Irish Names for Babies. I’ll publish a review in a few days, but for now, here’s the news:

  • Make Me a Supermodel Season Two is now showing on Bravo. Contestants included Salome, Sandhurst (he’s from Trinidad and Tobago) and Mountaha (she’s from Brazil.)
  • In more Bravo reality television news, The Real Housewives of New York City cast now includes Kelly Killoren Bensimon. Her daughters are Sea Louise and Thadeus Ann, nicknamed Teddy. Dad is Kelly’s former husband, French fashion photographer Gilles Bensimon. And if his name sounds familiar, it is because he’s been on America’s Next Top Model.
  • No, M.I.A. has not named her son Ickitt. She also hasn’t revealed his real name. Fine. I’ll wait. *Huffs. Taps foot.*
  • Gossip Girls’ Matthew Settle (he plays uber-cool dad Rufus) has welcomed daughter Aven Angelica with wife Naama Nativ. I’m stumped on Aven – is it a twist on Ava, or a cross-cultural name I don’t recognize?
  • Niki Taylor has welcomed a daughter named Ciel. As in the French for sky, and also heaven. (At least, the Lord’s Prayer in French begins something like notre pere qui art ou ciel … Our Father, who art in heaven …) I must say, I find Ciel far classier than Nevaeh.
  • Lastly, I couldn’t find it on TLC’s official site, but I seem to think that I’ve caught a preview for Table for Twelve, the new (or revamped?) series about the Hayes family of New Jersey. They’ve got ten kids – two sets of twins and sextuplets. The kids names are: Kevin, Kyle, Kieran, Meghan, Ryan Peter, Connor James, Eric John, Tara Rose, Rachel Ann and Rebecca Mary. I don’t know anything more about the family, but couldn’t resist the list.
  • Check out Moniker Madness’ list of alternatives to classic masculine names. Part One is here and Part Two is here. It makes for creative thinking!

That’s all for this week. If you’re in the US, enjoy the extra daylight and thanks for reading!

About Abby Sandel

Whether you're naming a baby, or just all about names, you've come to the right place! Appellation Mountain is a haven for lovers of obscure gems and enduring classics alike.

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5 Comments

  1. Sea and Thadeus? Poor girls. Thaddeus is fine on a boy, but for a girl =yuck!

    I am thankful M.I.A. didn’t name her son Ickitt. That boy would have been scarred for life with a name like that.

    Aven to me sounds like Aiden, but with a V, or as you mentioned, possibly another twist on Ava. Not crazy about Angelica because of the little bratty girl in Rugrats. I’d like the name better if it weren’t for her. The name flows nicely, but Aven is not my style.

    I love the Hayes’ children’s names except for Keiran and Meghan. Rebecca Mary is beautiful. My grandmother’s name is Mary. Eric is my favorite for the boys. I like Megan but the spelling of Meghan doesn’t look nice. Keiran is too trendy.

    I like Ciel but I prefer Selena or Celine. People might misspell it as Seal and I wouldn’t want her to have to put up with that if she was my child. I like Celine Dion and not many girls have that name either. I know a Selene and a Selena, but no Celine’s.

  2. Aven is odd. I’m reminded of Avent feeding products.
    Still waiting on MIA’s child’s name – and still waiting on Pilot Inspektor’s baby sibling’s name. Anyone know what Jason Lee ended up naming his second born?

  3. Thanks for linking me, Verity!

    I’m looking forward to your review of the new Rosenkrantz and Satran. I own Beyond Jennifer and Jason, Madison and Montana, but haven’t really bought any of their others. We have differing opinions on names, I think. I’ll be waiting to see if these Irish names are the real deal or the sort of tryndy logic “Kaylee is Gaelic!” stuff.

    Now, what I can’t wait for is the new Baby Name Wizard book.

  4. See the things I miss, not watching tv! Sea Louise? Sea Louise? And Thadeus, on a girl? ewww! I don’t even know what genre MIA sings, so I’m not really caring about the kid much, It’s Simon Pegg’s in June that I’m really waiting for!

    There’s a Rufus on “Gossip Girls” ? Maybe that explains why he’s suddenly getting a warm response from strangers? Now we just need a handsome character named Cosmo and I WIN! 😀
    Don’t know who Niki Tayloer is either, but agree, Ciel is really lovely.

    The Jersey 12? They have the sort of names that are absolutely running rampant through Jersey for the last 15 years! My goodness, so bland and boring. I like Peter & Mary!

    I’m enjoying Cat’s alternative lists, they’re really useful and I hope a whole bunch of people find it and are inspired!

    Nece sum up, Verity! Sorry I’m not too big on the tv stuff. 🙂