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!
Tag Archives: Archer
Sunday Summary: 5/8/11
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:
- Girls Gone Child is expecting twins, and it looks like they are both girls. She has yet to share her name list, but I cannot wait! Her firstborn is son Archer Sage, followed by daughter Fable Luella. With Fable, she did something absolutely impossible: put a completely new option on the table that sounds like it has always been a name.
- Waltzing More Than Matilda considers the idea of honoring someone with a name that is only vaguely related to the namesake’s moniker. Apparently starbaby Flynn was inspired by Orlando Bloom’s grandmother, Evelyn – you can watch a video clip of his explanation in her post. I’m on board with a stretch to honor a loved one; Waltzing isn’t so sure.
- Did you take For Real’s gender-bending quiz? She’s posted the answers. I scored a mere 4 out of 10, but then, so did pretty much everyone else. I wonder if the parents considered that issue before naming a daughter Lyric Ryan or a son Winter Lee?
- I had no idea that some parents still avoid giving daughters middle names, on the assumption that someday she’ll marry and won’t need it anymore.
- Here’s another question: Nancy asks if more babies are being named Jersey, as in the reality show? I remember someone from the Yahoo! message boards years ago saying that she had a daughter named Jerzee. Or was it Jurnee?
- Haddie was one of the Top Five brand new names at Nymbler in April. She’s a logical successor to Maddie and Addie, boosted by a character on Parenthood. The other four debuts were Raylan and Posey for girls, and Finch and Eisley for boys.
Here’s a quick round-up of some of the early SSA list analysis, with more to follow this week I’m certain!
- My initial impressions of the 2010 data for girls are here.
- Nancy has a list of new names on the Top 1000 list, plus some gems from beyond the rankings. The boys’ list is here, and the girls’ list is here.
- Nancy also does some analysis of the fastest falling names.
- Laura Wattenberg analyzed the fastest rising names. Teen Mom Maci and baby Bentley
- Wattenberg also updated her annual “Rhymes with Aiden“ index.
- And then there’s the non-analysis appearing in dozens of headlines like “So long, Susan, hello trendy baby names.” Okay, that’s actually from Vancouver, but I anticipate reading dozens of these over the next few weeks. Others have been touting the return of classics like Isabella. Sigh.
In starbaby news, the arrival of Moroccan Scott and Monroe Cannon grabbed all the headlines, but we also welcomed:
- Antonio Sabato’s son, Antonio III, a little brother for Jack and Mina;
- Bryan Adams’ daughter arrived on Good Friday, and wears an Easter-themed middle to prove it: Mirabella Bunny;
- Jay Mohr welcomed a son and attempted to reclaim a name for Team Blue with Meredith Daniel.
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!
March Madness 2011: The Victors!
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?
March Madness: Boys’ Final
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.
March Madness: Boys’ Semi-Finals
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
Sunday Summary: 3/13/11
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:
- This NameCandy article on favorite MomBlogger baby names is great! She included a few of my favorites, like Girls Gone Child’s Rebecca Woolf’s Archer Sage and Fable Luella;
- I was tickled to see Krickit at For Real Baby Names. My friend C. often says that if she had a late-in-life child, she’d name the baby Cricket. Based on the names of her (nearly grown) kids, I’m sure she’s joking. But Cricket has become a favorite of mine anyhow. This spelling takes a cutesy name and makes it look more like the opening cry of a Beastie Boys song – Kick it! I can’t say it is an improvement;
- Spotted in Iowa BAs – they’re not my style, but I think Gage and Cooper make for a good sibset;
- Could you really name a child Kabuki? Despite the appealing sound, comic book character, I think it probably crosses a line. Kateri, on the other hand, I can understand;
- Speaking of crossing lines, Nancy tells us about marathoner Susan Olsen. She crossed a finish line – then delivered the appropriately-named John Miles;
- I spotted Carmindy again. Is she catching on? Can it be stopped?
- Will Louella, Calix, and Imre have to share their names? They’re among those on the rise at Nameberry;
- I first stumbled across Libba Bray when I wrote about Philippa, and finally had a minute to devour A Great and Terrible Beauty. It’s packed with great girl names: Pippa, Felicity, Gemma. In another book, she named a punk rock angel with spray painted wings Dulcie.
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!
March Madness: Boys’ Quarter Finals
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)
March Madness: Boys’ Opening Round
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)
Baby Name of the Day: Ender
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.
Baby Name of the Day: Sage
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.







