Most of the posts at Appellation Mountain are in-depth profiles of specific names. But there’s also plenty of advice about how to name a real, live human being. Find it here!
Advice & Guidance
- The Perils of Unusual Names: Ten Things to Consider When Choosing Hester or Habakkuk
- In Defense of Atlas and Apple: Ten Reasons Unusual Names Aren’t a Problem
- Jacob versus Trystan: Ten Things to Remember About Rankings
- In Defense of Emma and Ethan: Ten Good Reasons to Use a Common Name
- How Close is Too Close? Ten Factors to Consider
- In Defense of Isobel and Aiden: Ten Reasons to Embrace Variant Spellings
- The Secret Meaning of Names
- The Myth of the Normal Name
- In Defense of Riley Anne and Evan Marie: Ten Reasons Boys’ Names on Girls Are Not a Sign of End Times
- The Nine Types of Unusual Baby Names
- In Defense of Nicknames: Ten Reasons to Embrace Nickname-Rich Names
- In Defense of Jake and Kate: Nine Reasons to Skip the Formal Name
- Seven Reasons to Go Big with Middle Names
- The Problem of Native American Baby Names
- Crazy Baby Names: 12 Warning Signs
- 8 Reasons to Forgo Family Names
- 9 Creative Ways to Honor Your Loved Ones with Your Child’s Name
- 6 Great Reasons to Use Family Names
- Eight Things I’ve Learned About Baby Names as a Parent
- Name Help: Why I Never Say “Save the Name for a Son”
Getting to … a specific nickname
- Getting to Addie
- Getting to Coco
- Getting to Ellie
- Getting to Evie
- Getting to Lulu
- Getting to Gus
- Getting to Nell
- Getting to Rory (girl)
Could I request a post on Rhoswen? It’s such a gorgeous name and I’d really love to know more about it.
We are expecting our third child currently, and finding a name that goes well with our other two has proved challenging! We have Edwin William and Ruby Rae- and for the new baby, if it’s a girl there’s several options, but finding another old-style boy name that doesn’t sound too starchy is tricky! Any suggestions?
I’ll ask on social in a bit – Facebook is here and I’m @appmtn on Twitter.
Suggestion: Getting to Cuddy
*cuz Cuthbert just ain’t happenin!
I would like to request many names. So little is written about them. Is this okay? I hope!
Thanks
Girls: Afrella, Almeria, Modesty, Mopsa, Sedate, Medora
Boys: Avnet, Worbald, Seaborne, Fenton and Froth,
My phone keeps timing out, sorry for so many reply posts. I promised my wife that I would participate in naming the baby and would help look into these names. I’m late into this fatherhood thing, and my wife insistents that we be respectful and pass a name down. All good normal one’s are taken. No Jane, Joseph, William, Rebecca Charles, Thomas and so on… Anyway, help!
Abner not Avnet, Sefare not Sedate, sorry autocorrect on my phone.
Could I request Aspasia and Aphelinia? I’ve seen them tossed around, and I would like to know more! Thank You!
I’ve been pondering literary names and how many are suggested for use vs. How many are actually used. For some reason, I have not seen Newland Archer suggested or used…. Many of Edith Wharton’s other literary names have made both the suggested and used list. Newland Archer,to me, seems modern and fresh, keeping up with current parents name picks/choices…. So why don’t we see it being suggested or used? Have you seen this with other liturary names that just seem to fit in but just go under the radar? Would you be interested in doing a post on this sibject? Do you think its feasible? Names under radar or ignored names for a purpose? I don’t know what you would call the post, I’ll leave that to you. Do you think its possible is the bigger question?!
Gosh – it would be a VERY long post, wouldn’t it? But the thing is that Archer is definitely on the rise, so I’m not sure that one is the best example. I should take a look at Edith Wharton names, though – they’re an interesting bunch.
Well it wouldn’t have been the first long post ever to be made. It could be broke down into parts: i.e. Part I, Part II and so forth. It would certainly be interesting to read a post breaking it down. Literary names that are vogue Vs. Literary names that are still under the radar. Yes, Archer has risen but Newland hasn’t, case in point. Not to mention, Archer is always connected to sports on name sites but not or very rarly literary, but it has literary ties and would make the list of popular literary names lists. I also feel that sites keep the focus on certain literary names more so than others, which would also make the post very interesting to read.
Newland does sound interesting!
My husband isn’t keen on Lydia but I just came across Lyda, can I suggest this for more information too? Love your work!!!
I would like see a post on Sofonisba and Tancredi. Thanks!
Coming up in February and March – great suggestions, thanks!
I’m sincerely looking forward to it.
My husband and I are tremendous fans of unique names- his name is Oak (a family name) and our first son we named Pfieffer. Pfieffer is a surname that you do not see on any lists, certainly not in circle of the “popular” surames like Jackson, Bentley etc. Our second child is due in April and we are still on the hunt for a one-of-a-kind name for him/her. Loving Watson, your featured name today. Definitely making the list. Thanks!
Could I request NOTW for a G & B? Ippolita/Hippolyta. Considering it for portential name for G. Cynewulf (Kinny or Wolfe for nn) for a boy. Or perhaps any thoughts or suggestions.
Hippolyta is coming up on December 16th. (I had a mistake on my calendar, and when I figured it out, I had an empty space – yay!) And Cynewulf is January 20th. Great names, both – very bold. Thanks for the suggestions!
Thank you for including them.
Is Jaquenetta a real name or made up? It’s on the list to look into, how do you say?
I love all of these articles and I come back here daily to see if you have more. Are you planning to add to these lists of advice and getting to certain nickname articles? I’d love to read some more.
we have a son Elvis, now we are due to have another one and we don’t really know where to start to match that, we don’t know what we are having but will be finding out to help ease the task!
Congratulations on baby #2! Are you on Facebook? I’d be happy to ask the community there for name suggestions for a little brother/sister for Elvis.
Thanks! Yes i am on facebook, do I need to like your page? Top of my list is Romeo for a boy (no doubt I will get the same reactions for that as I did with Elvis) – girls are a lot harder!
I don’t think you need to like the page to look at it! It will be the first question posted Friday morning, a little after 9 AM on New York time.
yes i am on facebook…. Elvis’s middle name is Thomas
Hi Raya – Thanks for the suggestion! I’ll add Ginny to the list. As for Charlie, do you mean for a girl, or a boy? – Abby
Thanks for replying. I have always loved Charlie for a girl, but Charlotte, Charlene, and Charlize are all the options that seem to be available. I don’t like any of them. I would love other options. Thanks again.
I agree with Nellie about the Ginny post. I am also always looking for ways to get to Charlie. I love it, but hardly like any of the Char- names.
Could you please do more of the getting to a nickname posts. I love them. One on Ginny in particular would be great.
Truly loved it
Thanx a lot of the info 🙂
Have you thought about doing the alphabet posts again ie. “D is for”
They are kind of like the Fetching name posts
I loved those ones but you stopped after just a few of them…
Hello,
how do you think of Alaire for a little girl?
Thanks.
Nicole
I feel like you have a few more articles… in the beginning didn’t you write a list of Saint names and French names and Pottery Barn names, etc.? Even articles about nicknames?
You’re right, Kristine. I need to go back and scoop them up.