We’d planned to take a Big Family Trip in the summer of 2020. Obviously, that didn’t happen. But earlier this month, we finally made it to California! There was whale watching. A beach day. And, of course, Anaheim. If you haven’t been, Disney’s California Adventure is home to the Avengers Campus. My daughter met Ms. […]
READ MORE >>Name Help: Should We Name Him Gable?
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! Erin writes: We are expecting our first boy this fall! We both have […]
READ MORE >>Name Help: A Sister for Camden and Declan
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! Rachel writes: My husband and I are having our third and last baby. […]
READ MORE >>Margaret Nicknames: Margot, Maisie, Greta
Margaret nicknames abound. It’s not quite as versatile as Elizabeth, but it comes close. After all, Margaret ranks as an enduring classic. It comes from the Greek word margarites, meaning pearl, via the Latin Margarita. Medieval Crusaders returned from the Holy Land with tales of the 4th century Saint Margaret. Legend told that she battled […]
READ MORE >>Baby Name Saskia: Sharp and Lovely
The baby name Saskia is sharp and lovely, an unexpected girls’ name that might be just right for a daughter. Thanks to Ellen for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day. SAXONS A group of Germanic peoples, the Saxons lived near the North Sea in Germany during the Middle Ages. Dig into the etymology of […]
READ MORE >>Boy Names Starting with M: Miles, Malcolm, McCoy
Looking for boy names starting with M? Parents love the letter M. It’s one of the most popular letters for boy names, not far behind favorite first initials J, A, and L. As of 2021, it comes in fourth. (It’s even more popular for our daughters; it comes in third for baby girl names.) Michael […]
READ MORE >>Sunday Summary: Let’s Hear it for the Dads
If you’re celebrating Father’s Day today, I hope you’re having a wonderful time! And if today is hard for you, sending love. When I started this site in 2008, I almost never heard from dads. That’s changed a lot over the last fourteen (!) years. Maybe it’s that this generation of parents thinks about names […]
READ MORE >>Most Popular Word Names: Maverick, River, Rose
What are the most popular word names right now? It sounds like an easy question, but it’s not always obvious. Once upon a time, mason was a job. But now chances are that Mason is a child (or teenager, or even a grown-up) these days. To make this list of most popular word names, it […]
READ MORE >>Name Help: The Y Problem
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! Kirstyn writes: I’m Kirstyn. My husband is Dylan, and our son is Hayden. […]
READ MORE >>Helen Names: Elena, Helene, and Nell
Helen names make for an intriguing bunch. The original Helen of Troy appears in Greek mythology, the most beautiful woman in the world. The daughter of Zeus and Leda, she was promised by Paris of Troy by the goddess Aphrodite. This sparked the Trojan War, a legendary conflict leading to many of the most famous […]
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