Appellation Mountain

Name Help: A Sister for Alexander and Ezekiel

December 2, 2022 By appellationmountain 21 Comments

Name Help is a series at Appellation Mountain. Every week, one reader’s name questions will be discussed.

We’re relying on thoughtful comments from the community to help expectant parents narrow down their name decisions. Thank you in advance for sharing your insight!

Jessie writes:

We have two boys, Alexander “Alex” John, 7, and Ezekiel “Zeke” James, 5. After thinking our family was complete, we’re expecting our third (and this time definitely last!) baby) early in the new year. It’s a girl!

With both of our boys, our girl name was Olivia Mary. Much as I still love the name, I don’t think it’s right for us anymore. We’ve heard it a lot, and there are Olivias in both of our boys’ classes this year. Maybe I’ve just sort of moved on. My husband is happy to still use Olivia, but he’s open to other names, too.

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Girl Names 2023: Best Names for the New Year

December 1, 2022 By appellationmountain 2 Comments

Looking for best girl names 2023? This is the Appellation Mountain list for the upcoming year. They’re not predictions – not exactly. Instead, it’s a mix of guesswork and gut instinct. A style direction. And it’s also a list of very wearable names for a daughter born in the upcoming year. If there’s a defining […]

Baby Name Lila: Timeless Charm

November 30, 2022 By appellationmountain 33 Comments

The baby name Lila blends multiple origins and meanings with a stylish, twenty-first century sound. Thanks to Frances for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day. LILAC, BEAUTY, LOVE YOU LOTS Lila’s origins are much debated. It can come from an Arabic or Persian word meaning night, dark, or possibly dark beauty. In Sanskrit, the […]

Baby Name Oscar: Versatile and Time-Tested

November 29, 2022 By appellationmountain 11 Comments

The baby name Oscar combines a cool, creative energy with near-classic status. Thanks to Len for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day. FINN’S GRANDSON In Irish mythology, Oscar is the son of the fairy Niamh and the warrior-poet Oisin. This makes him the grandson of Finn MacCool. He’s a warrior, and a noble figure, […]

Boy Names Starting with O: Oliver, Otto, Oz

November 28, 2022 By appellationmountain 7 Comments

Boy names starting with O are riding high, with Oliver at the heights of popularity, and Owen not too far behind. But a surprising number of rare O names for boys exist, too. Surnames like Orson and Ogden, imports like Octavio and Oleg, and mythological names from multiple traditions also begin with this bright and […]

Sunday Summary: Dunbar’s Number

November 27, 2022 By appellationmountain 1 Comment

A reader asked a fascinating question a while back. Yes, she agreed. Fewer children receive the most popular names. But we know SO many more people. Doesn’t that offset the decline in a name’s absolute popularity? My reply: not really. And that’s because of Dunbar’s Number. To follow her (excellent) argument: maybe back in the […]

Name Help: A Brother for Marshall

November 25, 2022 By appellationmountain 32 Comments

Name Help is a series at Appellation Mountain. Every week, one reader’s name questions will be discussed. We’re relying on thoughtful comments from the community to help expectant parents narrow down their name decisions. Thank you in advance for sharing your insight! Kelsey writes: We have an almost three year old named Marshall Henry Lastname, […]

Baby Name Inez: Sparky Vintage Gem

November 23, 2022 By appellationmountain 16 Comments

The baby name Inez blends classic roots with global and vintage appeal. Thanks to Stephanie for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day. AGNES Inez is the Spanish form of Agnes. Well, wait. Inez is the English form of Inés, which is the Spanish form of Agnes. And Agnes? It has history galore. It comes […]

Baby Name David: Beloved Classic

November 22, 2022 By appellationmountain 4 Comments

The baby name David counts as a classic. Thanks to Maia for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day. BELOVED HERO In Hebrew, David means beloved. Or possibly uncle. But the first meaning is the most often cited, so let’s stick with that one. The name goes back millennia, to the Old Testament. The Biblical […]

Girl Names Starting with D: Daisy, Delia, Dream

November 21, 2022 By appellationmountain 9 Comments

Girl names starting with D include a little bit of everything. From favorites like Daisy to vintage gems like Dorothy, plenty of these feel instantly familiar. But rare choices abound, too. There’s Doveva and Drusilla, to name just two, plus a nature name that seems ready to soar in the coming years: Dove. As of […]