As Seen on TV: Gossip Girls

The writer’s strike may be putting a hitch in the television schedule, but babies need naming every day of the year. And what better naming inspiration than a pair of rich-as-sin, pretty-as-starlets characters on a television drama about privileged teenagers? Serena and Blair, welcome to Appellation Mountain.

Serena might be thought of as an alternative to chart-topper names like Sophia. It has the same three-syllables, ends-in-a appeal, plus boasts a certain classic simplicity. The name also resides in the comfortable familiar-but-underused part of the Social Security Administration’s baby naming chart – #396 in 2006.

Blair has been a rich-girl name even since Blair Warner appeared on that other prime time prep school series, the Facts of Life. After Facts debuted in 1979, this name went from obscurity – it wasn’t even in the Top 1000 before 1980 – to a comfortable degree of familiarity – Blair peaked at #423 in 1988, the same year the series ended.

With names like Taylor, Paige and Jordan in the Top 100 for girls, it’s reasonable to think that Blair might be poised for a renaissance.

Between the writer’s strike and the series’ less-than-blockbuster performance out of the gate, it is too soon to call Serena and Blair ones to watch for 2010. But they are promising alternatives to some old stand-bys, so if you’re baby name-shopping, they’re worth a look.