Appellation Mountain - Where every name has a story

Vance: Baby Name of the Day

July 19, 2018 By appellationmountain Leave a Comment

Vance feels tough to pin down. Is it classic? Country? Cool? Or maybe all of the above.

Thanks to Rhiannon for requesting our Baby Name of the Day.

Vance: Quiet Classic

It’s easy to make the case that this name counts as a classic. It’s appeared in the US Top 1000 every single year, save for 1882, 1998, and 2000. As of 2017, Vance ranked a rare, but respectable, #838.

That puts this name in good company, steadily used over the decades, and tough to peg to a single era.

Vance: Subtle Nature Name

It comes from the Old English word fenn. We still use the word fen today to refer to a type of wetland, sometimes called a marsh or bog.

[Read more…]

Florence: Baby Name of the Day

July 18, 2018 By appellationmountain 24 Comments

Florence returned to the US Top 1000 recently, after over three decades in hibernation. Will this former Top Ten favorite return to prior heights? Thanks to Sophie for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day. Florence: Flourishing This name sounds botanical, but there’s more to the story. It comes from the Latin florens – flourishing. […]

Strong Girl Names Inspired by Archers

July 16, 2018 By appellationmountain Leave a Comment

Strong girl names come in all sorts of categories. There are the classic names, like Eleanor. The quirky, offbeat ones, like Hermione. And then there are strong girl names inspired by archers. Women have hunted and fought with a bow and arrow since ancient days. We’ve armed our modern heroines with the weapons, too. In […]

Sunday Summary: Violent Names and Kulture Wars

July 15, 2018 By appellationmountain 18 Comments

Last week, I went to hear a sports psychologist speak. (Parents of littles: I promise such events that now sound unnecessary and even bizarre will someday be the kinds of things you add to your schedule without a second thought.) One of the things he said struck me as applicable to naming: We all want […]

New Names Showdown 2018 Girls SemiFinals

July 14, 2018 By appellationmountain Leave a Comment

Time for the New Names Showdown 2018 Girls SemiFinals! Let’s start with the results of the opening round. Octavia crushed Saanvi, a resounding 93% to 7%. Pretty sure that’s the biggest margin of any vote on this site, ever. Amora and Luella made for a far more even match. Luella carried the day with 57% […]

New Names Showdown 2018 Boys SemiFinals

July 14, 2018 By appellationmountain Leave a Comment

Time for the New Names Showdown 2018 Boys SemiFinals! But first, the results of the opening round. Caspian swept past Alaric, 79% to 21%. Since Caspian debuted at a sky-high #868, maybe it’s no surprise that it’s proved so popular. Wells posted an even more impressive win, with 81% of the vote versus Gianluca‘s 19%. […]

Name Help: Uncommon Boy Names

July 13, 2018 By appellationmountain 14 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! Carrie writes: My husband and I are looking for a name for a […]

Ooh La La: French Names for Girls

July 12, 2018 By appellationmountain 73 Comments

French names for girls have long fascinated American parents. Want proof? Every generation claims at least a few favorites. Some, like Genevieve and Josephine, feel like they’re imported directly from Paris. Others, like Julie and Elaine, seem less distinctively French – but their roots are undeniable. One more piece of evidence? This post has long […]

Yara: Baby Name of the Day

July 11, 2018 By appellationmountain Leave a Comment

Yara combines the appeal of a blockbuster series and a talented young actor – and so much more. No surprise our Baby Name of the Day recently debuted in the US Top 1000. Yara: Legend Let’s start our story in Brazil. The Tupi people called the region home long before the Portuguese invaded. This name […]

Coco Production Babies: November 2017

July 9, 2018 By appellationmountain 1 Comment

Coco production babies reflect the movie’s Mexican setting, but most of the list is plain-old eclectic and international Pixar. In other words: downright delightful! 45 names feature on the list – about average for a Disney-Pixar production babies tally. But there’s rarely anything average about Pixar production babies lists. The parents work in a powerfully […]