Image by Leo Reynolds via Flickr
Devastated that Archer and Asher seem to be on everyone’s lists these days? Like the sound of Conor but can’t imagine your son sharing his name with Highlander? Ticked that Taylor has been borrowed by the girls? Here’s a list of fresh, ends-in-r alternatives that you might like instead. Only no guarantees that they won’t follow their style cousins up the charts!
Image by work the angles via Flickr
What a week! Mariah’s twins receive a double dose of daffy, starbaby-certified names, and the Social Security Administration releases their 2010 data as their annual Mother’s Day gift to the world.
Speaking of Mother’s Day, I hope it is a happy one!
Elsewhere online:
Here’s a quick round-up of some of the early SSA list analysis, with more to follow this week I’m certain!
In starbaby news, the arrival of Moroccan Scott and Monroe Cannon grabbed all the headlines, but we also welcomed:
Last week’s Nameberry post was Bridesmaid Names; tomorrow’s Nameberry post heads to the baby boutique for inspiration.
That’s all for this week. As always, thank you for reading!
Trophy by ilovememphis at Flickr
It’s official. The trophies go to Louisa and Nathaniel!
In the final round of play, Louisa bested Elodie, 229 to 140 votes, or 62%.
The boys’ round was more interesting. Nathaniel, you’ll recall, was wrongly ousted in the Semi-Finals. He was returned for the Finals, leaving us with a three-way contest.
And wouldn’t you know it? Nathaniel came out on top, with 157 votes, or 43% of the total. Archer was in second with 115, or 32%. Finn finished up in third with 92 votes, or 25%.
Very few of the names profiled here rank in the US Top 100, but the winner of March Madness for the boys came in at #76 in 2009. In fact, he’s been in the Top 100 since 1978, making him something of a staple.
Louisa is less surprising as a favorite. She left the US rankings after 1969 and has yet to return. But with her fashionable first letter and her oo sound, she’s definitely on trend.
Thanks for playing! And what do you think of the outcome?
Basketballs by Hakan Dahlstrom via Flickr
There’s been controversy. There’s been heartache. I’m not sure if we’ve had a Cinderella story. But it has been great fun to watch the names advance.
In last week’s action, Nathaniel beat Tobias, 54% to 46%, or 198 votes to 170.
Finn was the clear winner over Cian, 70% to 30%, or 257 votes to 108.
We’re down to the final round, but unlike your typical basketball match-up, there are three contenders for the title: the Colonial Nathaniel, the sharp Archer, the friendly Finn. Please see the controversy link above if you’re wondering why Nathaniel is making a re-appearance!
Voting stays open until next Friday, and the winners will be announced a week from today.
Basketball - score by j9sk9s via Flickr
It’s the Final Four!
A few of my favorites have been knocked out. (Au revoir, Huxley!) But some of the matches were just impossible – at least for me. I’m sad to see Dashiell fall, but Archer is great, too.
For the boys, there were no upsets in the last round. But then, neither were there any close calls. All four matches had a clear victor.
Something tells me that this will make the next round really agonizing … ready?
It’s the battle of the new, hot ending: the -er of Archer versus the ends-in-s of Tobias
It’s a Celtic match-up: Finn versus Cian
Billiard No. 13 by nemosocke via Flickr
First, an edit. A few weeks ago, I said something along these lines: “If the kid is good looking a clunky name doesn’t matter.” What I should have said was “if the person is confident …” Beauty is a lottery over which we have no control. (Though Seal and Heidi Klum’s kids are probably set.) But confidence is something we can influence and develop.
Elsewhere online:
After last week’s trip to the Big Easy to source Mardi Gras names, I’m fishing for something different at Nameberry tomorrow.
It was a quiet week for celeb births. The big news? Martha Stewart is a grandmother. Daughter Alexis welcomed a daughter of her own, named Jude. The best comment on the Appellation Mountain Facebook page goes to C., who pointed out that Alexis “isn’t exactly a frilly traditional girl’s name, either.”
If you have yet to vote in the March Madness Quarter Finals, Girls and Boys, there’s still time. Polls will stay open until Friday morning.
That’s all for this week. As always, thanks for reading!
1905 Basketball Team from paukrus via Flickr
Thanks to everyone who voted in the first round of March Madness. The results were fascinating! We’ve gone from sixteen to eight.
The closest match-ups? Liam lost to Archer by just three votes. The biggest trouncing was Eamon, with 83% of the vote compared to St. John’s measly 17%. My biggest disappointment was that Gray failed to make it out of the opening round.
But all that is in the past. Vote now and help us whittle it down to just four!
The dashing Dashiell (1) versus the pointed Archer (8)
It’s the Celtic showdown: cheerful Eamon (2) versus friendly Finn (10)
Two rarities-on-the-rise face off: Huxley (3) versus Cian (6)
Possibly the most conservative names on the list: Tobias (13) versus Nathaniel (12)
Place your bets, name aficionados! It’s time for the first-ever March Madness event at Appellation Mountain.
Round One matches up the Top Sixteen names from 2010. Vote for your favorite in each of the eight polls below, and check back next week to see who makes the cut for the quarter-finals. We’ll crown the victors after the close of voting in the fourth and final round on Saturday, March 26.
The literary Dashiell (1) versus the wild Wolf (16)
The Irish Eamon (2) versus the ever-so English St. John (15)
A surname match-up: Huxley (3) versus Cohen (14)
Subdued color name Gray (4) v. Old Testament Tobias (13)
Otto the palindrome (5) v. colonial cool Nathaniel (12)
Kelly green Cian (6) v. très français Etienne (11)
The Scottish Lachlan (7) v. the Glee-ful Finn (10)
Sharp Archer (8) v. leading man Liam (9)
Supernova Remnant via Flickr
The sci-fi novel is a 20th century classic, but is this one too far out for a son?
Thanks to Alyssa for suggesting the intriguing Ender as our Baby Name of the Day.
Painting from Koehler's Medicinal Plants (1887); Image via Wikipedia
It’s a gender neutral nature name, gentle and smart all at once.
Thanks to Photoquilty for suggesting Sage as our Baby Name of the Day.
