INDIE by marksdk via Flickr

It’s a versatile nickname, likely to bring to mind a fictional daredevil archeologist.

Thanks to Carrie for suggesting her daughter Ingrid’s nickname.  Our Baby Name of the Day is Indie.

Indie has never charted in the US Top 1000, but she’s out there.  US Census records suggest a cluster of Indies arrived sometime around the year 1900.

It was a good era for ends-in-ie names:

• Amongst the most popular names for girls were Annie, Bessie, Minnie, Elsie, Nellie, Mattie, Carrie, and Hattie, all ranked in the Top 50;
• Between 51 and 100, we find Jessie, Willie, Mamie, Fannie, Jennie, Maggie, Susie, Sadie, Effie, Nettie, Lottie, and Sallie;
• Just beyond the Top 100, there are choices that range from the familiar to the downright surprising, like Lizzie, Katie, Ollie, Rosie, Addie, Goldie, Essie, and Nannie.

But where did Indie come from?

As a girls’ name, the most logical explanation is that Indie is short for India, a name with a longer history of use than you might think.  It’s said that British families with a connection to the colony first used the name in the nineteenth century.  She appeared in the US Top 500 a few times in the late 1800s, then left rankings after 1911.  Today, India has quite the stylish sound, and place names remain fashionable.

Indie could also relate to a few other names:

• Indiana – Despite the -ana ending, intrepid explorer Henry Walton Jones makes this one slightly more masculine.  Actors Casey Affleck and Summer Phoenix have a son named Indiana August;
• Indigo – The colorful name could be worn by a boy or a girl, though like Indiana, it skews masculine;
• There’s also Indio, a California place name used by Robert Downey, Jr., for his son.

Carrie’s idea of using Indie as a nickname for Ingrid is quite novel.  Another possibility might be Indira.  In either case, Indie puts a friendly, informal spin on an elegant appellation.

Canada’s YTV line-up features a show called How to Be Indie.  The show’s Indie is an Indira, a first generation Indian-Canadian navigating junior high and the considerable cultural differences between her parents and her school friends.  The third season is set to debut this summer.

But the instant association is, of course, independence.  Specifically, Indie conjures up independent films, record labels and a host of alternative culture staples.

That makes the name appealing, but it also gives me pause.  As a given name, Indie might feel like it crosses a boundary.  Is naming your kid Indie kind of like naming him Cool?

As a short form, Indie feels just right – breezy and unexpected, but not insubstantial.  It’s the kind of gender neutral option that works for boys and girls.  Indie spices up the buttoned-down Ingrid or glamorous India, and is exactly in step with unexpected choices like Indiana or Indio.

Image via Wikipedia

He’s been worn by a German saint, a famous hotelier, and a fictional pop star – and he’s showing the faintest signs of revival for newborn boys, too.

Thanks to Annabel for suggesting Conrad as Baby Name of the Day.

Conrad is undeniably German in origin.  Some of the earliest bearers can be found in places like Konstanz and Württemberg beginning in the ninth century.

The well-born Saint Conrad served as a bishop.  In the 900s, Conrad the Elder assembled what would become the Duchy of Franconia and established the powerful Conradiner family.  He passed the name on to his son, Conrad I of Germany; Conrad the Elder may have been named after a grandfather himself.

More titled and faithful Conrads followed.  German poet Konrad von Würzburg made his mark in the thirteenth century.  The name had made its way to Poland by the 1100s.  Conrad of Gelnhausen was a 14th century theologian and canon lawyer.

Composed of the element -rad – counsel, along with either kuoni – brave, daring or kuni – people, there’s  a positive meaning buried in the name.

It was the 1800s before Conrad entered wider use in English.  Conrad Nicholson Hilton was born in 1887, and built a hotel empire over the next century.  His seven siblings have noteworthy names, too: sisters Felice, Rosemary, Eva, and Helen, and brothers Julian, Carl, and August.  They’ve kept the name in the family.  The most famous Hilton of our era is the first Conrad’s great-granddaughter, Paris, but she has a brother named Conrad, too.

Conrad ranked in the high 200s when Hilton was born, peaked at #215 in 1931, and then slowly slid towards obscurity.

More recently,  Timothy Hutton won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his portrayal of Conrad Jarrett in 1980′s Ordinary People.  He played the guilt-ridden younger son suffering after his older brother’s tragic death.  Hutton’s role did little to reverse Conrad’s slide, though he may have encouraged the adoption of Jarrett.

Then there’s the fictional Conrad, the Elvis Presley-esque figure from Broadway musical Bye Bye Birdie.  Set in 1958, Conrad Birdie was headed off to the Army, but had pledged One Last Kiss to one lucky girl before his departure.  Innocent hijinks ensued after the contest winner, Kim MacAfee of Sweet Apple, Ohio, was selected.  The musical was a hit, as was the film adaptation.  Choose this name for your son, and it will be difficult to block out the number where Birdie’s fans sing “We love you, Conrad, oh yes we do …”

Parents today probably think of Conrad Bain, who played the dad on Diff’rent Strokes, but there’s also the character from Weeds.  In some adaptations of The Cat in the Hat, the boy’s name is given as Conrad.

The Italian variant, Corrado, could make for a daring choice.  But Conrad himself recently reversed course.  After ranking in the low 800s, he’s climbed back to #747 in 2009.  That’s far from trendy, but list him with hipster boy names: Rufus, Dexter, Homer, Kai. He fits right in.

So if you’re seeking something distinctive, but not yet discovered, Conrad might be the right choice.

Augusta, Princess of Wales; Image via Wikipedia

Is this regal appellation due for a revival?

Thanks to Annabel for suggesting Augusta as Baby Name of the Day.

Augusta started out as an honorific, the feminine equivalent of the Roman Augustus.  Octavian, grand-nephew to Julius Caesar, was the first to receive the title; but it wasn’t quite like king or emperor.  Augustus merely cemented his position as the top dog of his day.

The titles trickled into use as a given name among the nobility.  In the 400s, a well-born Italian woman converted to Christianity.  Legend has it that her father flew into a rage and killed her.  She’s remembered as St. Augusta of Treviso.

More modern times:

• Eighteenth century Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg became Princess of Wales.  Her husband, Frederick, died before taking the throne and their son became George III;
• The same couple also passed the name on to their daughter, Princess Augusta Frederica.  Her daughter, Caroline, would marry the future George IV;
• George III passed the name on to daughter Princess Augusta Sophia;
• George III also had a son called Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge.  He married Augusta of Hesse-Kassel.  They named their second daughter Augusta.  Their third daughter, Mary Adelaide, was the grandmother to Mary of Teck, wife of George V.

If that’s not enough Augustas – and Georges – the first and last German Empresses wore the name, too.

Most American parents probably think not of castles and tiaras, but of golf courses.  Augusta, Georgia is home to prestigious golf tournament The Masters.  The city is named for the first princess on the list.  (She’s also in the portrait above.)

You can find Augusta in many other places, too.  The most intriguing might be Zaragoza – evolved from a settlement called Caesaraugusta, established by the emperor who first bore the title.

Parents have yet to rediscover Augusta.  Despite hovering just outside of the US Top 100 in the 1880s, Augusta has not ranked in the Top 1000 since 1944.  But August – a solid Top 100 pick for nineteenth century boys – is experiencing a revival, climbing from #608 in 2007 to #433 in 2009.  Could his sister be so far behind?

Or could his sister be, well, August?  Garth Brooks named his second daughter August Anna.  And 2002 novel turned 2008 movie The Secret Life of Bees featured sisters called May, June, and August.

Then again, not long ago, Eleanor and Beatrice were considered hopelessly stodgy, so let’s not count Augusta out.  Nickname Aggie would fit right in, and it is just a short trip from Savannah to this equally charming Southern city.  If you’re looking for an overlooked name with history aplenty, Augusta is one to consider.

Speaking of marriage, Laura Wattenberg raised the question of changing your first name when you marry. It’s actually something that I did, so I’m curious to read the comments.

In other news:

• Names4Real spotted a name I hadn’t expected to see!  Granted, it is in the middle spot, but her Indiana names round-up included an Elizabeth Lavern. She also visited Maryland, my stomping grounds – though I don’t know Cassidy Countiss or August Haze;
• I’m always surprised by message board comments like this one about Kimberly over at ParentsConnect: “this name does  not mean forest clearing ….. it means ruler or established by god …. i swear … this is some inaccurate information….”  Yes, there is inaccurate information out there.  There may be a more precise interpretation of Kimberly, which is sometimes traced to the Anglo-Saxon saint from the seventh century, Cyneburga, sometimes to a rock and sometimes to an aristocrat.  But ruler?  Nope.  Not on the list.  Nothin’ ’bout established by God, either.  We want our names to have special, fabulous meanings, but it’s often just not the case;
• World Cup fever continues, making it is easy to imagine parents considering athletes’ names for their children. Nancy reports on some unusual World Cup-inspired choices, including a girl called Fifa;
• There’s also Wimbledon – Elisabeth offers us a round-up of intriguing names from the world of tennis;
• Here’s a very nice little baby name tale from Council Bluffs, Iowa: the story of Thomas Lloyd;
• Elisabeth at You Can’t Call It “It” spotted another Una and an Oona – this one seems to be on the rise, possibly obscured by the two spellings.  Nancy tells us that there were 31 Oonas born in 2009, and another 30 Unas.  That’s still short of the 263 needed to break into the US Top 1000, but it is one to watch;
• Need a summer baby name?   Legit Babe Names and Nameberry both posted some intriguing options.

Besides Sofia Coppola’s Cosima – who will apparently be known as Cosima M. in Hollywood, to keep her separate from Claudia Schiffer’s Cosima V. – we welcomed Luc Laurent, a son for Sean Patrick Thomas and wife Aonkia Laurent Thomas.  Luc joins big sis Lola Jolie at home.  Is it me, or does Luc & Lola remind anyone else of soap opera super couple Luke & Laura?

Maybe it’s just me.

Thanks for reading, and as always, have a great week!

Thanks to RockingFetal for suggesting Mae as Name of the Day.

Every generation has its favorite mini names, from the antique Ida to 70s sensation Amy to the oh-so-current Ava.

Mae isn’t just a name, she’s a time of the year.  If you’re hearing lyrics about “strolling through the park in the merry, merry month of” surely you’re not alone.  May and Mae were nearly tied for popularity in the late nineteenth century, but today, May feels slightly more like a month and Mae just a smidge more like a given name.

Of course, April, June and even January are bestowed as given names, so the calendar reference is not outlandish.  In the US, May marks the start of Summer – also a popular choice for girls.

Many a famous Mae started out as Mary, including a Hollywood star and an English queen.

Mae West, she of the “come up and see me sometime” come-on, was born Mary.  She didn’t become a movie star until she was in her late 30s.  In 1933, she and Cary Grant co-starred in She Done Him Wrong, an Oscar-nominated flick that put the ailing Paramount Pictures back in the black.  West became a megastar and a wealthy woman by 1935.  Censorship hurt her career, but her image lingers.  Mae is sweet, but the daring Ms. West keeps her from being too precious.

The most recent Queen Mary of England – grandmother to the current queen, Elizabeth II, was born Princes Victoria Mary Augusta Louise Olga Pauline Claudine Agnes of Teck.  Her family called her May, a nod to both her second of eight (!) names and the month of her birth.  May married the soon-to-be King George V of England in 1893.

And if the Hollywood star and English queen weren’t enough, there’s a goddess, too.

Most agree that the month of May honors Roman earth goddess Maia or Maja, currently a Top 100 pick in the US as Maya and not too far from fellow mini name Mia.  The English word May evolved via the French mai, from the Latin maius.

In Greek myth, Maia was the eldest of seven sisters, known as the Pleiades, the daughters of Atlas and Pleione.  Today they’re a constellation.  Maia is also mom to messenger god Hermes and probably traces her roots to an even older goddess of spring and all things bountiful.

Mae can be as gentle as Grace or Hope. It’s an image reinforced by Newland Archer’s sweet society bride May Welland in Edith Wharton’s The Age of Innocence and Peter Parker’s (usually) fragile Aunt May in the Spider-man comics.  There’s also a link to the Virgin Mary in Catholicism – the month May is dedicated to Mary.

But there’s also Madonna’s Mae, a tough-as-nails New Yorker in 1992′s A League of Their Own. and Anjelica Huston’s Oscar-winning turn as Maerose Prizzi in 1985′s Prizzi’s Honor.

Other uses of Mae include:

• A botancial link, from a type of hawthorn called May;
• A place name, as in Victorian seaside resort Cape May, New Jersey;
• A middle name, as in the musical Maggie May and an alternative to Rae and Marie;
• A surname, as in Louisa May Alcott’s mom Abby May.

Comedian Ralphie May named his daughter June April, a sister for August.  Don’t go there.

But overall, Mae makes for quite the stylish – and restrained – choice.  Since neither version is the current US Top 1000, she’d make for a seldom-shared name that is perfectly familiar.

Thanks to Corinne for suggesting one that would fit the bill.  Our Name of the Day is Fergus.

You probably won’t meet a little boy answering to Fergus any time soon.  Not in the US, at least – Fergus has never cracked the US Top 1000.

But with Gus gaining, parents are considering many formal name options that contain the element, from Angus and August to Magnus and, yes, Fergus.

There’s much to like about Fergus besides his kid-friendly status as one of Thomas’ fellow engines on the Island of Sodor.

The Gaelic -gus means vigor; the first element means man.  So Fergus – or Fearghas or Fearghus – implies strength and derring do.  Plenty of figures from legend and history lived up to the name, including:

• Fergus mac Leda, a King of Ulster;
• Fergus mac Róich held the same office;
• Fergus Dubdétach was High King of Ireland for about a year.  (A few versions give him a much longer reign.)  His two brothers were also named Fergus;
• Fergus Fortamail is said to have ruled as a High King of Ireland for more than a decade sometime between the third and fourth centuries;
• Fergus the Great, also known as Gwrgan the Great or Gurgantius, was a seventh-century king of the Welsh kingdom of Ergyng;
• Saint Fergus was an eighth century Irish bishop who founded churches throughout Scotland.  He may have also attended a a council called by Pope Gregory II in 721 – or Fergus the Pict could be another bishop from the era;
• In the eighth century, Fergus mac Echdach ruled a kingdom in western Scotland called Dál Riata.

Some of the Fergi – the saint, for one – can be found in the historical record.  Others not so much.  The most famous Fergus is also difficult to confirm: Fergus Mór, considered the founder of Scotland, and the common ancestor of all Scottish rulers.  When King James held the English and Scottish thrones in the sixteenth century, he referred to himself as a descendant of Fergus.

Fergus also feels rather aristocratic, at least from an American perspective.  The late Queen Mother – born Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon – had a brother named Fergus.  Several Scottish clan chieftains answer to Fergus today, including both the Macdowell and Matheson chieftains.  (Though the Fergusson clan is currently headed by a Charles.)

Fergus remains just outside the Top 100 in Scotland today.

You’ll also find Fergus on the map throughout the English-speaking world, including River Fergus in Ireland.

William Butler Yeats gave the name a literary edge with his poem “Who Goes With Fergus?”  James Joyce borrowed Yeats’ work for use in his masterpiece Ulysses.

Overall, Fergus is a little unusual, but could strike just the right note for American parents seeking an offbeat Celtic heritage choice.

In non-jingle bell news this week:

• For Real Baby Names spotted a little girl called Majestyk Valley.  What do you say ’bout that except For Real Baby Names spotted a little girl called Majestyk Valley;
• In Arizona, For Real spotted a few surprising choices – including Clark, Estelle and Kenzo.  I love seeing Clark in use;
• Nancy spotted a set of quintuplets born to a Nebraska couple called Anna, Brody, Ciara, David and Ella.  I cannot imagine coming up with five names at once, and I think their parents did a nice job – they’re clearly siblings without being too matched;
• The sharp-eyed Nancy also scanned past the unsurprising news that Sophie and Jack are the top Scots names for 2009 and spotted a baby girl called Renesme.  I do not believe for a second that the parents hadn’t heard of Twilight.  Plus a boy named Ringo and a girl called Vanilla;
• I don’t have my thoughts together yet, but one of the 2010 predictions is that the Addies are going to gang up and overtake the Maddies.  Don’t believe me?  Check out Sebastiane’s post on Adela – just a few of the lovely ways to get to Addie;
• Baby Names Garden has crowned Sparrow James Midnight the Best Celebrity Baby Name of 2009.  By “best,” they mean “different, unique, exotic, imaginative and completely wacky.”  Fair enough.  But I’m not sure Sparrow tops #3 Mars or #6 Bandit.

In celebrity news, while Johnny Knoxville welcomed a son named Rocko:

• The Young and the Restless’ Thad Luckinbill and Amelia Heinle welcomed a daughter called Georgia March.  She joins big brothers Thaddeus Rowe, Jr. and August Manning.  What a nicely named trio;
• Their castmate, Michelle Stafford, welcomed a daughter wearing the seasonally appropriate Natalia Scout Lee.

Check back this week.  In addition to the usual Names of the Day, I’ll be posting the Top Names of the Day of 2009.  Thanks for reading!

As I marvel at the date on the calendar, why don’t you hop in the wayback machine to 2008 when August was Name of the Day?  It’s still one of my favorites for a boy.

Here in my RL, I’ve got a few new babies to report:

• Elizabeth Violet, nn Elle – classic, but not dull;
• John Paul – not sure if he’s John-Paul or even Jean Paul, but parents definitely use both names together;
• Did I mention I met a Polly?  IMHO, the world could use a few more Pollys.

Also in RL, but in ones far more glamorous – or at least visible – than mine:

• Jude Law, known for his great taste in baby names, is apparently expecting #4 avec model/actress Samantha Burke.  He was stepdad to Finlay and has three kids with ex-wife Sadie Frost: Rafferty, Iris and Rudy.  Turns out that Sadie was the stylish namer of the duo, apparently – the baby-on-the-way is slated to be known as the classic-but-common Sophia;
• Actress Kathryn Hahn welcomed daughter Mae, a sister for Leonard;
• Dancer Ashly Costa embraces the obscure-but-wearable Biblical baby names category, welcoming son Enoch Daniel.  Enoch was Name of the Day back in June.  Big brother is Ammon Michael.  Wonder if they’re planning on any more kiddos?  Because on their current path, they could be the family forced to resort to Habakkuk;
• Speaking of lots of kiddos, everyone’s favorite mega-family, the Duggars, announced that their first grandchild will be known as Mackynzie Renée.  I think it is lovely that they’ve opted to stick with M in honor of matriarch Michelle.  I also think it is too bad that Meredith didn’t make it to the top of the list, as they’d joked with morning talk’s Meredith Vieira during their reveal-the-gender television appearance.

And in the blogosphere:

• Jill’s post on NameShame?  Rocks.
• Speaking of naming regrets, the mom blogger at Kicky Boots wrote about deciding to rename their toddler.  Karenna Jolie is, I must say, a lovely choice for their daughter.  Who cares it if it took a few months post-utero to settle on it?
• During our discussion of Cinderella, Sebastiane mentioned that she’s heard of it on Cajun women.  There is something fascinating happening in Louisiana, isn’t there?  Nancy did a post on Cajun names from the Civil War, including Justilien and Dazincourt;
• Did you check out the Nameberry Faves post – Beatrix, Penelope and Clementine are their Top Three.  Beatrix is clearly a favorite here, too.  Wonder if we’ll see that reflected in the US rankings in a few years?
• Xanthe Linnea wrote about Cedric.  Anyone else think that the Harry Potter/Twilight connection might make Cedric an unlikely choice in, say, a decade and a half?  Edward Cedric, anyone?
• Bewildertrix spotted Asher on a girl; Elisabeth reports a girl called Archer.  Asher doesn’t surprise me, what with Ashley/Ashlyn/Ashtyn.  But Archer?  Knock me over with a feather;
• I loved Bewildertrix’s post on villain names like Regan, Judas, Iago, Jezebel, Hannibal … whenever I ding Regan, I can expect a few angry comments.  But I’m with her on this one – Regan wasn’t much of a role model to begin with, and the fact that the name caught on post-Exorcist?  Scary.  Even better, her comment on Lucifer – “Sound wise it’s magnificent.  To use it?  Cruel.”
• A pair of Canadian parents insist they are angst-free over their decision to name their daughters Shade Star Pirate and Styles Knight Mansion.  I respect the amount of thought they put into their choices.  But I can’t help think that somewhere in there, they could’ve given their daughters a less aggressively unusual name, just in case the girls grow up to have interests other than their parents’ professions, Star Wars and attractions at Disney World;
• Let’s end on a high note – Sebastiane featured a truly classic girls’ name over at Legit Baby Names – Martha, Marta, Marthe.

In semi-name news, I’ve been coveting my neighbors’ gas-sipping, eco-chic SmartCar for months now.  I was charmed to learn that the forerunner of today’s Smart wore the lovely name Isetta.  Hey, if girls can be named Camry.  And Shade …

Thanks for reading!

Enough about the most recent starbaby arrivals for now – on to news elsewhere in the blogosphere:

• Over at NameCandy, the NameLady has penned an article featuring a few potential breakout names from this summer’s movies. They range from Esther to Ryden – both for girls;
• Please welcome the newest member of the Blogroll, Sebastiane’s Legit Baby Names.  A few of her features from the past week include: Shayna, Arolilja, Oceane and Selyf. What will she turn up next?; 
• Then there’s Onomastitrix, with her keen eye on birth announcements everywhere.  The big a-ha from her most recent post?  Esme spelled Esmae.  I’ve seen Esmee, too – the Esmae spelling is perhaps an inevitable consequence of the “may” versus “mee” pronunciation debate;
• Another reason to love Onomastitrix?  She reminds me that Americans don’t hold the monopoly on super-cutesy names.  From her recent posts, find a Saffron Frankie Bear, as well as more than one Bunty and Jinty;
• The Toronto Star’s daffy unusual names column serves up another doozy, though I’ll admit I rather approve of this one: Bazeltine Jones Kirkham McGriskin.  The first name is plucked right off the family tree – and it is quite cool, right now to the possible nickname Baz.  The last two  choices represent both parents’ surnames, which is fine.  But Jones?  They just tossed in Jones.  Which seems like an odd pick, even paired with Bazeltine;
• I spotted a fascinating combo out there on the interwebs:  Drayken Giovanni.  Mom – a self-described conservative Christian hippie – says that her kid’s name means “Lord of the Dragons” and “God is Gracious.”  H’okay.  Giovanni honors grandmother Joan Yvonne.  I haven’t linked to her site because, well, I’m just blown away by how much I admire and loathe the name all at once;
• Nancy’s Baby Names has a list of Two-Hit Wonders that start with E and F and G, including Echo, Elick, Floretta, Glennis, Gaines and Grayling.  There’s gotta be a story behind each one of those;
• Over at Nameberry, there’s a fun post on ten Classic Names You Never Thought Of.  Love their picks, though I’d probably call the Faerie Queen’s Amoret and the Irish Lorcan undiscovered gems.  In my mind, a classic is more like Elizabeth or David – something in long use.  But what a great list anyhow;
• Just for laughs:  over at the fabulous DaddyTypes, a post on baby names prompted this riff on the Aiden phenom.  The Chinese kid would be Madein; the Hilton kid would be Staydin, the used car salesman’s kid would be Tradein … it goes on and gets snarkier;
• Also funny, only real: welcome August James May, son of comedian Ralphie May and wife Lahna Turner.  He joins – wait for it – big sis April June at home.  I didn’t think August May was particularly comical, but when April June May grows up to be an accountant?  Oy vey;
• The Florida Sun-Sentinel included a list of exotic place names for babies: from the starbaby Java to the please-don’t-do-it Bimini.  Then again, I long threatened to use Aruban place name Casibari for a daughter’s middle name.  Maybe in my next life …

Speaking of life, a few names from my RL:

• The Greek diner in the college town a mile up the street has been announcing the birth of Athanasis for a few weeks now;
• The newest addition to our neighborhood?  Sarah.  And I recently learned that one of my colleagues has a fabulous tween daughter called Portia.

From the wayback machine – one year ago, the Name of the Day was Cosmo.   And, lastly, if you’re thinking that my calendar has been off slightly?  That’s because I completely muffed it up about three weeks ago, whilst attempting to switch from a low tech pencil’n'paper calendar system to an app on my nifty little handheld.  Big mistake.  Huge.  I double-booked names throughout late June/most of July.

I’m back to my low tech system, and have managed to squeeze in every single name – but if you’re thinking that I should’ve written about Iolanthe days ago?  Yup.  I should’ve.  My apologies.

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!