Remember this scene from Mean Girls?  I think about it often when I’m working on posts.

If you haven’t seen the movie, Gretchen is trying to get “fetch” – meaning cool – to catch on as the new slang.  She’s one of her high school’s very most popular girls, along with reigning queen Regina, air-headed Karen, and, at least for part of the movie, a newcomer played by Lindsay Lohan.

Gretchen’s gambit fails, but it could’ve worked.  Fetching comes from the Old English feccan – to bring.  The word’s meaning has evolved over time, but by the late nineteenth century, fetching was high praise – for example, a fetching bonnet.

The world is filled with attractive names, names that don’t get enough attention – names that never, like Gretchen’s slang – happen.  This series is my attempt to highlight a handful of names that aren’t on everyone’s list but might wear well anyhow.  They’re short lists, but I think there’s great potential in each of the names.

The first list of Fetching Names is inspired by mean girls – or maybe not so mean girls with great names.  We’ve grown up with on the small screen and in movies, too.

Blair – She’s just one sound removed from the fashionable French Claire, plus she’s been worn by two enduring small screen poor little rich girls: The Facts of Life’s blonde shopaholic Blair Warner in the 1980s, and more recently, the scheming, but not irredeemable  brunette Blair Waldorf of Gossip Girl fame.  Some might dismiss Blair as borrowed from the boys, but she’s scarcely used by either gender since the start of this century.

Cady – Katie is everywhere – one-part Katharine Hepburn, one-part Kaitlyn short form.  Cady takes her in a different direction, thanks to suffragette Elizabeth Cady Stanton and the Mean Girl made famous by Lohan in 2004′s hit flick.  She’s novel but not quite nouveau, and despite her current sound, has never really caught on.  Not only is Stanton a worthy role model, but despite Ms. Lohan’s woes, let’s not forget that her character did the right thing by the end of the movie.

Edie – Take Evie, mix with Eden and you’d arrive at this rarity.  Andy Warhol made a 1965 indie movie called Poor Little Rich Girl starring Edie Sedgwick.  Sedgwick was, in real life, a socialite heiress, an early version of Paris Hilton, born Edith Minton Sedgwick.

Veronica – 1989′s dark high school comedy Heathers starred Christian Slater as J.D. and Winona Ryder as Veronica Sawyer.  Veronica was a good girl – a “girl scout cookie” – who grew up to hang with her high school’s most popular, powerful trio – three girls all named Heather.  Despite her vibrant v, Veronica has been falling since the 1970s, but she still sounds surprising.

Other names in this category have made it big in recent years.  There’s Sweet Valley High’s Lila, Disney Channel original series The Suite Life’s London, and Legally Blonde’s Elle, all of which are very much in vogue.

Would you use a fictional character’s name for your child?  Does the character have to be clearly on the side of good, like Luke Skywalker, or are shades of gray okay?

Thanks to Rocking Fetal for suggesting Blythe as Baby Name of the Day.

Blythe has never ranked in the US Top 1000, but she may be more familiar than some names that have ranked, thanks to:

• Gilbert Blythe, who we meet as a boy in Anne of Green Gables.  Anne and Gilbert, of course, eventually live happily ever after;
• Blythe Danner is an accomplished actress, and also mom to Oscar-winner Gwyneth Paltrow;
• All of that explains something about Gwyneth’s daughter’s name.  While everyone talks about Apple, her full name – Apple Blythe Allison – honors both grandmothers;
• While we’re in Hollywood, Drew Barrymore’s middle name is Blyth.  Just like her first name, this one was plucked off the family tree.  Maurice Barrymore, patriarch of the clan of actors, was born Herbert Blyth – he’s Drew’s great-grandfather;
• Da Vinci Code author Dan Brown is married to a Blythe;
• Long-running medical drama House follows the work of Gregory House, MD, a brilliant, but difficult, doctor.  Gregory’s parents appear in a few episodes, and mom’s name is Blythe;
• In 1972, Kenner sold Blythe dolls for just one year, but enthusiasts continue to collect and customize the big-headed dollies with eyes that change color.

It’s the Barrymore and Green Gables references that hint at Blythe’s origins.  Before she was a given name, she was a surname, derived from the word for joyful, pleasant, kind, or carefree.  Either your ancestor was the happiest man in his village, or he came from a place named Blythe.  (The River Blyth flows through Northumberland into the North Sea, and there are at least three other rivers England bearing some version of the name.)

The root in Old High German was blidi – friendly.  Blythe (and Blyth and Blithe) persisted in use until the 1500s, but ultimately fell into that catalog of words used mostly by writers.  There’s Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Blithdale Romance, and Noël Coward’s Blithe Spirit.  Percy Bysshe Shelley’s poem “To a Skylark” inspired the Coward play title; William Shakespeare used the word, too.  Remember the song from Much Ado About Nothing? The lyrics urge women to be blithe and bonny.

Nancy tells us that 86 girls were named Blythe in 2009; the variant spellings didn’t rank.  Blair, Brooke, Blake, Bree, and Brynn were all more popular.  Bliss comes from the same root word, and has popped up in birth announcements recently, but she seems far more daring than the subtle Blythe, and so far, she’s less popular.

Boys have worn the name in recent years, too.  Given’s Blythe’s surname status, that’s inevitable.  In the nineteenth century, it appears to have been slightly more common for men, though it was worn by both.

Blythe fits so many trends: she’s a frills-free virtue name with surname roots.  Her -th ending puts Blythe in the company of favorites from yesteryear, like Ruth, Thelma, and Ethel.  In the last decade, there’s just Elizabeth, Samantha and Katherine with the -th sound and in the US Top 100.  In the 1920s, there would’ve been more than that in the Top 25, and as many as a dozen in the Top 100.

But that’s not really a strike against Blythe.  She’s straightforward, unusual, literary, and her meaning can’t be beat!

Here’s an intriguing celeb(ish) sibset: Tucker, Haven, and Clancy – the younger two are girls, the firstborn is a boy.  They’re Lisa Whelchel’s three kids.  Yup, Lisa Whelchel – Blair from The Facts of Life, a sitcom I loved so much that I can still sing the theme song.  Whelchel’s long since quit the stage to raise a family and manage a Christian ministry focused on moms.  She mentioned daughter Clancy in an interview for her new book and I was intrigued.   I always find it refreshing to find a former child star who seems truly happy and well-adjusted.

Elsewhere online:

• I came across a mommy blogger with three boys called Zack, Zander and Zaden.  I’m not linking to her because, well, I suspect you all might find it a bit zany.  Me?  I’ve been wondering what she could call a fourth son;
• For Real Baby Names spotted a Lestat and a Nikayla in Iowa.  Nikayla feels like an inevitable mash-up of Nicole and Makayla.  And I assume little Lestat is dressing as a vampire for his first Halloween;
• For Real also found a Bastion Nikolai in Alaska.  Bastion should win some sort of an award.  He bridges the softer sound of Sebastian and the uber-masculine vibe of Cannon and Gunner.  A bastion is a fortification, but with his implications of protection, he’s almost a virtue name, too;
• And from the Huey, Dewey and Louie school, there’s a Jakely and a Blakely in Oklahoma.  Okay, they’re not related;
• Here’s another interesting one, this time at Swistle: Aidrick, an alternative to Aidan;
• Nancy spotted a wild acronym name: Ktyal.  No clue on how they’re pronouncing it.  I keep wanting to say kay tal, but isn’t that awfully close to the Spanish for what’s up? – ¿Qué tal?;
• Babble’s been running some not-so-nice baby name riffs.  The most recent is on Bryn, as in the name chosen by Real Housewife Bethenny Frankel for her daughter;
• And lastly, is John gone? A Nameberry post examines the question.

In starbaby news:

• Actress Bree Turner of The Ugly Truth, welcomed a daughter, Stella Jean;
• Creed’s Scott Stapp is a dad for the third time, welcoming son Daniel Issam, a baby brother for big sister Milán Hayat and big brother Jagger. The couple’s naming style is certainly eclectic.

On another note, Lurker Week was a smash hit.  Thanks to everyone who submitted a new name for consideration.  I’ve broken my usual rule about how far in advance I’ll calendar requests, so we’ll be hearing suggestions from new voices well into October!

That’s all for this week.  As always, thank you for reading!

The big starbaby news of the week was the reveal of Tobey Maguire’s son’s name: Otis Tobias, little brother to Ruby Sweetheart.

Other celeb news:

• Cobie Smulders of How I Met Your Mother welcomed a daughter, Shaelyn Cado;
• Baywatch/Playboy alum Gena Lee Nolin posed in a bikini for PEOPLE magazine with baby Stella Monroe. Stella is the new Ava – everyone in Hollywood has one;
• Kelli O’Hara, of Broadway fame, welcomed a son named Owen James;
• Country music’s Josh Turner welcomed a son named Colby Lynch.

Elsewhere in the blogosphere:

• Looking for an Independence Day appellation?  Check out Xanthe Linnea’s Patriotic Names post; Legit Baby Name’s post on Eleftheria and her post on Liberty; and my post on Liberty from 2008; 
• Onomastitrix mentioned that Bruce seems to be rising down under.  Could it be a Batman-influenced revival?  Or, as she suggests, a simple fact of the many grandfathers named Bruce inspiring a next generation?  Hmmm … ;
• Inspired by the rise of Keaton – a “unique” name that was actually percolating in our collective cultural well for years and now stands at #371 - Swistle has been discussing possible names from the same mold: two candidates she’s mentioned recently are Brando and Schroder;
• For pure, LOL joy, check out Teresa Strasser’s rundown of her Top Five baby names.  That’s Nameberry’s Pamela Redmond Satran in the name expert role, giving Shane the big thumbs down;  
• Nymbler posted the Top Ten June search names.  No surprises there, but I always enjoy the Top Five Brand New Names.  Last month, it was Aveline, Milly, Cedar, Jordanne and Odette.  Fascinating!

Next, a few things on my mind:

• The following question keeps popping up in searches leading to this site:  Can I name my daughter Kylie and my son Kyle?   Yes, yes, you can.  But you just flat out should not do so.  It’s too close, too cutesie and if you ever had a third child, you’d be forced to choose from a very small list of names indeed.  (I think she’d have to be Kyla or Skyla, and he’d be Kyson or Kyler.  Or feel horribly left out.); 
• My vocabulary keeps expanding, thanks to name sites.  I’ve recently discovered the Aussie slang word bogan, the equivalent of the British chavvy or American trashy.  I think.  Apparently, phonetic spellings like Taylah for Taylor are a thing, or so blogs a Doc Down Under during her pediatric rotation;
• A UK blogger mentioned that a BBC3 documentary on a 14 y.o. mum called Kizzy mentioned that she named her son Kaylib.  Not Caleb, not Kaleb, but Kaylib.  As if having your childhood immortalized on reality TV wasn’t bad enough;
• Could the name Merlin make a comeback?  That’s right, a comeback – he appeared in the US Top 1000 regularly from the 1890s through the 1960s.  It first crossed my mind while watching Bravo’s The Fashion Show, with the Honduran Merlin.  Even if he doesn’t strike it big in the design world, there’s the BBC’s Merlin, now showing on NBC this summer.  If Arthur can make  a comeback …
• Another Bravo-influenced thought, couldn’t they have found better-named kids for their real-life-Gossip Girl, NYC Prep?  The cast includes PC, Sebastian, Kelli, Taylor, Jessie and Camille.  I realize you can’t rename full-grown human beings, but I’ll take GG’s Rufus, Lily, Serena and Blair anyday;
• Lastly, a look back – on July 5, 2008, the Name of the Day was Jasper.

That’s all for this week!  Tune in next week for Flannery, Dahlia, Gregor, Brisa and Clifford.

While many of these are gender neutral, this list was compiled with girls in mind.  For decades, parents have stuffed an unimaginative Anne or Lynne between the first and last names.  More recently, Grace and Rose have become the most common answers to the riddle of the middle.

Many fabulous pairings do not require a single-syllable middle name.  We love unexpected combinations like Mary Veronica or Alice Zenobia.  But if you find that keeping it simple is more your style, read on.

Ranging from the unexpected to the somewhat predictable, why not consider:

• Beach, Bay, Cay:  For parents happiest down by the sea, or hoping to raise a surfer girl.
• Belle, Elle:  They’re overexposed as first names, true, but if you love them, tucking them in the middle is a nice way to preserve a favorite.
• Blythe: It means joyful – and works much better than the dated Joy or Joyce.
• Blair, Blake, Beau, Drew, Finn, Flynn: They’re all a bit boyish – Beau literally so! – but could compliment a frilly first name.  Think Genevieve Blair or Cordelia Finn.
• Bess, Bette, Bex, Liv, Nell, Tess:  These nicknames would seem flimsy as a given name, but they can offer a fresh and unexpected twist in the middle.
• Blue, Gray, Teal: A splash of color in the middle can perk up an otherwise common given name.  Emma Blue stands out miles from Emma Rose.
• Chance, Chase: Nouns and verbs are fair game these days, and these two single syllable choices work well in the middle.
• Dree:  While we find Bree horribly unappealing, Dree has some zip.  Mariel Hemingway used it for her daughter, and Wookiepedia, the Star Wars Wiki, lists Dree as the name of a minor (male) character.  It’s modern and interesting.
• Dove, Pax, Paz:  Three names that mean peace – Pax was the Roman goddess; Paz is the Spanish translation of the word; and a Dove, of course, is its well known symbol.
• Fife, Fyfe:  A Scottish place name that works well for boys and girls, Patrick Dempsey chose the “y” version as a middle name for his daughter, Talula.
• Greer, Grier:  Oscar-winning actress Greer Garson lends this name Hollywood glamour.  Brooke Shields chose Grier for her second daughter.
• Gwynne, Wynne:  Both names are Welsh in origin and mean fair.  Unlike Greer or Fyfe, these are soft enough to work with a less conventionally feminine first name.  Think Hadley Wynne, for example.
• Hue:  This unexpected choice could be thought of in three different ways.  It could be a feminine version of Hugh; the quintessential color name; or, a Vietnamese name pronounced Hway that means lily.
• Jaye, Sian:  While Jane is a bit plain, the boyish Jaye is a perkier choice. Sian – pronounced Shan – is the Welsh version of Jane.  It’s more interesting than the expected, and far more sophisticated than Shea, Shay or Shane.
• Joss:  It brings to mind Bess or Tess, but has a more modern vibe than either of those gently old-fashioned options. 
• Jewel, Jin, Jules: These three middle name possibilities suggest precious gems and metals.  Jewel is the most literal of the bunch.  Jules merely hints at the idea, and with its masculine, French-friend appeal has other attributes to recommend it.  While Jin might conjure up images of bottles, rummy or blue ruin, this spelling is actually a Chinese name, meaning gold.
• Kai: Kay gave way to Kate, and now perhaps it’s time for both choices to step aside in favor of Kai, traditionally a Japanese boy’s name meaning ocean – and pronounced to rhyme with tie.
• Lark, Wren: Depending on your perspective, an avian name is either charming or flu-inducing.  These two bird names, along with Dove (see above) might make good choices for parents interested in a nature-inspired choice for their daughter.
• Luz, Noor:  Claire’s appeal as both a first and middle name is long established.  In addition to its simple sound, Claire’s meaning – clear, bright – is an attractive one.  The more exotic Noor is an Arabic name meaning light, and Luz is a Spanish version with the same meaning.  They both make for good alternatives to Claire – though even so, that’s one choice that is not yet as overused as Grace or Rose.
• Mair, Maire:  A variant of Mary, Mair or Maire might be a twist on the overtaxed Marie, or it might be a great way to honor Great Aunt Mary Jo.  Both spellings are fair game, but we advise you to stay away from Mare, as it is a bit too horsey to wear well on a child.
• Maeve, Neve, Niamh – Maeve and Niamh are great Celtic choices for parents embracing their heritage.  The first sounds like May with a “ve” at the end; the second like “Neev.”  Neve is either the simplified spelling of the last name, or an Italian word meaning snow.  The actress Neve Campbell popularized the pronunciation “Nehv.”  It’s her mother’s maiden name.
• Penn, Quinn, Reese, Tate, Tyne, Sloane: If surname choices are at the forefront of popular first names, there’s no reason they shouldn’t appear in the middle, too.  This list is certainly not exhaustive – in fact, some of the best choices are probably home grown on your own family tree. Actress Amanda Peet named her daughter Frances Pen; but in her case, Pen honors her mother, Penny.  One word of warning with surnames in the middle – if your child’s name looks like it could be a law firm, rethink.  Madigan Sloane Hunter sounds more like it should have offices on Wall Street, not a desk at PS 102.  And, of course, many surnames are also place names – the Tyne River in England, fashionable Sloane Square at the Tate Modern museum, both in London. 
• Scout: One of the few literary names on this list, Scout was, of course, the nickname for Jean Louise Finch in To Kill A Mockingbird.
• Sage, Sky, Skye, Star, Rain: The well of nature names is deep, but these are among the most commonly heard.  We can’t help feel that these are tricky to use.  Giselle Rain is appealing; Amber Rain sounds like more like a sign of rampant pollution.  Still, they’re worth considering.
• Taj:  A Sanskrit name used for boys, Taj means crown.  Taja is the feminine version, but we can’t help think the simpler Taj would wear well as a girl’s middle name, especially when paired with a very simple given name – Elisabeth Taj, for example.
• Tai:  When spelled Ty, this is squarely a choice for boys.  But Tai evokes the Vietnamese girl’s name meaning talent – and the very talented figure skater Tai Babilonia, herself the mother of a son called Scout.
• True, Vrai:  True is a more extreme version of popular virtue choices like Hope and Faith; Vrai – rhymes with way – is the word translated into French, making for an exotic choice.
• Zan:  It sounds like a twist on Jan, but in fact Zan is a Chinese girl’s name meaning support; favor; praise.  Zan was also the (male) Wonder Twin.  His sister was Jayna.  But we’re willing to overlook that – as long as you stick this name in the middle.

Middle names might be seldom heard, but with all these fabulous options?  We’re betting you’ll want your kiddo to get in trouble so you can call out their full name.  ;)

Serena might be thought of as an alternative to chart-topper names like Sophia. It has the same three-syllables, ends-in-a appeal, plus boasts a certain classic simplicity. The name also resides in the comfortable familiar-but-underused part of the Social Security Administration’s baby naming chart – #396 in 2006.

Blair has been a rich-girl name even since Blair Warner appeared on that other prime time prep school series, the Facts of Life. After Facts debuted in 1979, this name went from obscurity – it wasn’t even in the Top 1000 before 1980 – to a comfortable degree of familiarity – Blair peaked at #423 in 1988, the same year the series ended.

With names like Taylor, Paige and Jordan in the Top 100 for girls, it’s reasonable to think that Blair might be poised for a renaissance.

Between the writer’s strike and the series’ less-than-blockbuster performance out of the gate, it is too soon to call Serena and Blair ones to watch for 2010. But they are promising alternatives to some old stand-bys, so if you’re baby name-shopping, they’re worth a look.