I have a theory about pop culture and baby names. I’m calling it the Hawaii Illusion: a reference that’s obvious to you might be completely lost on someone just twenty or even ten years younger. Why Hawaii? The territory became a state in 1959. Until the other day, that fact escaped me. If pressed, I’d […]
READ MORE >>Name Help: Ethan, Tess, Levi, and …
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! Ellie writes: Choosing names has always come easy for us. We named our […]
READ MORE >>Kardashian Baby Names: Four Lessons from the Famous Family
That’s right, I said it. I’m here in praise of Kardashian baby names. 2018 was a banner year for the reality show royals. Three sisters welcomed daughters, each with a surprising, didn’t-see-that-coming name: Stormi, Chicago, and True. (Well, maybe I had that last one on my radar.) Now Kim and husband Kanye West are expecting […]
READ MORE >>Thayer: Baby Name of the Day
Thayer comes from the same family tree as former favorite Taylor. And yet it remains quite rare in the US – for now. Thanks to Arianna for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day. Thayer: Cut In Latin, taliare means to cut, and a taliator was the one who did the cutting. Whisper it down […]
READ MORE >>Hottest Girl Names 2019
The new year is here, so let’s talk about the hottest girl names 2019! No fair listing Olivia or Evelyn. We know the Top Ten names already have parents’ hearts. And maybe there’s no good reason to include names far outside of the Top 1000, either. Sure, some of them always catch on – and […]
READ MORE >>Sunday Summary: What’s the Real Problem Here?
We often hear studies report that certain types of names result in lower grades from teachers, or fewer calls from potential employers. And this is often cited as a reason we should avoid such choices for our children. The topic came up in a recent edition of Nancy’s name quotes. But the problem – as […]
READ MORE >>Name Help: Honoring Neil
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! Alex writes: I’ve been a longtime lurker and now need name help from […]
READ MORE >>Aria: Baby Name of the Day
Musical Aria soared to the top of the popularity charts in recent years. Thanks to Jen for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day. Aria: Operatic Appellation In Italian, aria means air, but not exactly the air that we breathe. Think of air in the musical sense – a melody. It’s a piece of music typically […]
READ MORE >>Francis Names: Frannie, Franklin, Francesca
Francis names owe their original popularity to one figure: the thirteenth century Saint Francis of Assisi. Born the far more ordinary Giovanni, he earned his nickname for his father’s love of all things French. Little Francesco became one of the most popular religious figures in the Catholic church – and beyond. In 2013, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio […]
READ MORE >>Sunday Summary: Welcome to 2019!
Happy New Year, namers! 2019 promises to be an exciting year. Word is that there will be yet another Kardashian baby, with Kim and Kanye expecting their fourth. And we’ll have a royal birth, too, with Harry and Meghan’s firstborn expected, perhaps late this winter. January, of course, marks the beginning of the countdown to […]
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