Nerine #9020; Image by Nemo's great uncle via Flickr
I’m fascinated by names that have multiple origins, like today’s part-floral, part-mermaid, part-invented choice.
Thanks to Renee for suggesting her niece’s name as our Baby Name of the Day: Nerine.
Stone palette of a Nereid; Image via Wikipedia
Looking for a mermaid name less common than Madison or Ariel?
Thanks to Christina for suggesting Nereida as our Baby Name of the Day.
She’s an elaborate throwback, an Italiano nature name with a surprising literary backstory.
Thanks to Alta for suggesting Ornella as Baby Name of the Day.
She’s a teen queen from the 1980s who made a throwback choice sound almost modern.
Thanks to JNE for suggesting Ione as Baby Name of the Day.
She’s as kelly green as a shamrock, but trends have left her behind.
Thanks to Colleen for suggesting her own appellation as Baby Name of the Day.
Is this one too frumpy to consider? Or do her ancient roots and past Top Ten status make her prime for revival?
Thanks to K for suggesting Doris as Name of the Day.
Visit nearly any baby name forum and it’s amazing how often you’ll hear variations on one comment:
Give your kid a normal name!
What’s more dazzling is that this criticism can be in response to nearly any choice – from a chart topper like Ava or Aiden, to standards like Henry or Beatrix.
I’d like to put forward a simple tenet of baby naming: there is no such thing as normal.
The definition of normal is regular; conforming to the common type. The best measure of this then, must be the Top 20 – or perhaps 50 – names, and thanks to the Social Security Administration, data on “normal” names is readily available.
Scan it for a few minutes, and I’m sure you’ll agree: just like hemlines have always varied, baby names have come in and out of vogue. With the exception of a very few names – mostly for boys – the Top 50 are far from a stable list. Continue reading
