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! Ashley writes: We have two daughters, Mia Isabelle and Zoe Katherine. Mia is […]
READ MORE >>Rare May Names: Lulamae, Maybelle, Maylee
Rare May names range from the vintage to the modern, smooshes to inventions. But they all contain the bright, vibrant, and spring-like sound of May. We love Mae, of course, so spare and lovely. The ‘e’ spelling appears in the current US Top 1000, while the ‘y’ does not. But the sound is everywhere. Of […]
READ MORE >>Baby Name Etta: Retro Mini Name
The baby name Etta feels retro and sparky, brief and complete. Thanks to Kayt for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day. ENDS WITH ETTA Like Ella, Etta comes from names that include the sound. Henrietta comes to mind, but there’s Rosetta and Benedetta, Marietta and Coretta. The list goes on. Add in -et and […]
READ MORE >>Baby Name Reginald: Overlooked Traditional
The baby name Reginald could fit right in with Sebastian and Benjamin, and Reggie? It’s in the same category as fast-rising favorite Archie. But despite these similarities, it remains an overlooked traditional. Thanks to Nicole for suggesting the name originally, and to Sarah for requesting the update. ROMANTIC HERO A daring knight of old puts […]
READ MORE >>Boy Names Starting with V: Victor, Vaughn, Vireo
Boy names starting with V range from classic Vincent to dashing Valor. It’s an international letter, too. There’s Sanskrit Vivaan and Vihann, Slavic Vassily, Italian Vincenzo and Valentino, and more. Plenty of those rank in the current US Top 1000. But while v features in chart-toppers from Oliver and Levi to Xavier and Everett, it’s […]
READ MORE >>Sunday Summary: Deeply Personal and Deeply Public
There’s so much to unpack in this New Yorker article: America Ruined My Name for Me. In brief, Bich Nguyen was born in Vietnam, but moved to the US as a refugee while still an infant. Her name means jade in Vietnamese, a name both beautiful and common in her native country. But it proved challenging growing up […]
READ MORE >>Name Help: A Sibling for Bennett and Allegra
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! Lara writes: I am pregnant with a surprise miracle baby, child #3. Loving […]
READ MORE >>Name Help: Why Not Patrick?
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! Nora writes: Our son is due at the end of May. We like […]
READ MORE >>Trending Traditional Girl Names: Ada, Emmeline, Ruth
Traditional girl names follow trends, rising and falling as the decades come and go. That sounds counter-intuitive, right? Trendy names, we think, must be the Ashleys and Jessicas, Mileys and Khaleesis. They define a generation. Or maybe they’re so tied to pop culture that they feel tied to a particular moment, one that will fade […]
READ MORE >>March Madness Baby Names 2021: The Winners!
We’ve voted our way through the month of March, and now the results are in! Before we get to the big announcement, let’s look at back at this year’s tournament. We started with sixteen boy names and sixteen girl names: GIRLS: Noa, Persephone, Navy, Marigold, Marlowe, Magnolia, Enola, Maisie, Laken, Phryne, Zuzu, Vera, Faye, Emilia, […]
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