Baby Name of the Day: Perseus

Perseus by Cellini

Image by mharrsch via Flickr

If you came of age in the 1980s, today’s choice might make you think of Harry Hamlin in sandals.  And, possibly, a mechanical owl.

As suggested by Sadie, our Baby Name of the Day is Perseus.

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Baby Name of the Day: Robert

Director Chris Weitz (left), actress Kristen S...

Robert Pattinson; Image via Wikipedia

He was a Top Ten pick in the US for over a century, and the #1 name for fifteen years.  Today he’s fading, but a young Hollywood star might just bring him back.

Thanks to Heather for suggesting Robert as our Baby Name of the Day.

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Baby Name of the Day: Phoenix

Famous Az. Artwork "The Phx. Bird"He strikes many as nouveau, but his roots go back to Ancient Greece.

Thanks to Sara for suggesting Phoenix as our Baby Name of the Day.

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Baby Name of the Day: Dean

Cropped screenshot of James Dean in the traile...

James Dean; Image via Wikipedia

He’s a rebel, he’s a crooner, he’s an academic.

Thanks to Sarah for suggesting the surprisingly evergreen Dean as our Baby Name of the Day.

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Baby Name of the Day: Tennyson

Tennyson statue outside Lincoln Cathedral

Tennyson statue outside Lincoln Cathedral via Flickr

The saintly Dennis had his day, but if you’re looking for a fresh spin on that classic appellation, here’s one option.

Thanks to Amanda for suggesting the poetic Tennyson as our Baby Name of the Day.

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Baby Name of the Day: Geneva

Sunset at Lake Geneva

Image by lassi.kurkijarvi via Flickr

Jennifer was the #1 name of the 1970s.  Genevieve is her saintly cousin.  For parents looking for something more daring still, there’s this pretty place name.

Thanks to Clio for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day: Geneva.

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Sunday Summary: 3/6/11

Nature's Number 6

Nature's Number 6 by CarbonNYC via Flickr

First, a question for a friend: let’s say you were expecting a daughter.  Not only is she going to be your last child, you’re the youngest sibling, so this baby is probably the last in her generation.  You’d love to pass on your maiden name.  Trouble is, your maiden name sounds exactly like a popular name, but with a totally different spelling.

For argument’s sake, let’s say the name is Reily.  It looks like a creative respelling of a popular name, but it isn’t – it’s the most meaningful name you can imagine.  You could respell it to Riley.  But you’d rather not.

What would you do?  Use Reily, knowing there’s no name more meaningful?  Accept the less meaningful Riley in an attempt to save your daughter spelling hassles?  Or are there so many girls called Rylee that you have to spell everything anyhow?

Opinions appreciated!

Elsewhere online:

  • I’ve been thoroughly enjoying Harry’s Law, the new Kathy Bates show on NBC.  The character’s name is Harriet, one of my favorites.  Harriet left the US Top 1000 after 1970, and since then the only high-profile bearer of the name was the shrewish Mrs. Oleson on Little House on the Prairie.  I keep expecting to see her make a comeback.  Nickname option Hattie seems like a logical successor to Maddie and Abby;
  • This post at Swistle discusses the name Hazen, for a boy.  For the parents, it’s the name of a favorite place, a state park in Vermont.  But it also sounds like the kind of invented boy name we continue to hear.  A friend of mine mentioned she knows a newborn boy named Vallen;
  • You Can’t Call It “It” skims the London Telegraph birth announcements. It’s always a great read, but my favorite was Hero Genevieve Tallulah, a sister for Gus, Daisy, Archie, and Conrad.  I’d love to know the older kids’ full names;
  • Look at this middle name, spotted by For Real: Roman Starling.  It’s a great combination of the very masculine and the completely unexpected;
  • I try to read Voornamelijk, despite the fact that it is in Dutch.  Her recent report on reality TV from Europe turned up an intriguing list of contestants: Dilara, Lois, Meron, and Zira;
  • Word is out that the most popular names in Germany for last year were Sophie and Maximilian.  Despite being known for their restrictive laws regarding given names, quite a few unusual choices made it through, including Kix and Belana;
  • I love this story about a baby named after chorus girl Evelyn Nesbit at Nancy’s site.

I am absolutely bursting with excitement over my post at Nameberry for Monday.  The names range from Amoret to Sedley, Lucien to Arthemise.

Hollywood gave us just two announcements this week, but oh, what names!

Which reminds me – do you know the most popular season name?  This article at Babble reads “We all know at least one Summer, right? And Autumn isn’t unheard of. But Winter? That’s a first.”  Actually, Autumn is in the US Top 100, while Summer has never ranked that high.  And can Winter really be called a first when Nicole Richie’s Harlow Winter Kate is so visible?  Nancy tells us that 259 girls received the name in 2009, meaning that Winter ranked just a few spots beyond the Top 1000.

As for Spring, there’s always Oscar-nominated actress Spring Byington.

Speaking of spring, remember that voting for March Madness preliminaries for both Boys and Girls is open until Friday morning.

Thanks all for this week.  As always, thanks for reading!

Baby Name of the Day: Gannon

g-ca

G-ca by Too Far North via Flickr

If Cannon and Gunner are hot for boys, why not this surname that feels slightly more academic?

Thanks to Katie for suggesting Gannon as our Baby Name of the Day.

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Baby Name of the Day: Flint

IMG_5598

F by nickton via Flickr

With all this talk of starbabies called Ford and Flynn, could this single-syllable choice get more attention?

Thanks to Lindsay for suggesting Flint as our Baby Name of the Day.

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