We started out with oh-so-many delightful baby names borrowed from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. There’s Harry, of course, and Hermione. But also slightly more obscure choices, like Rowena and Phineas. Thanks to your votes, we narrowed those down to two finalists in both the Witches’ Final Match-up and the Wizards’ Last Showdown. And […]
READ MORE >>Ivan: Baby Name of the Day
Ivan shares roots with John, making it an evergreen classic with a Slavic twist. Thanks to Lola for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day – and to Tanya for requesting an update! Ivan: Nearly Classic Before you dismiss this name as a rarity, check out the data. As of 2017, Ivan ranked #135 for […]
READ MORE >>P Girl Names: 12 Fresh New Options
The fast-rising P girl names club just keeps on growing. There’s Penelope, of course. Surnames like Parker, Peyton, and Presley. Two separate television series boosted Piper; the same is true for Phoebe. We borrowed Paloma and Paola from other languages. Phoenix comes straight from the map, but probably owes more to the mythical creature. Poppy […]
READ MORE >>Sunday Summary: Albert, Jagger, and all things Halloween …
Happy Sunday … and, if you’re celebrating, Happy Halloween! If you’ve haven’t voted for your favorite Harry Potter names yet, now is the time: The Witches’ final round is here. And the last Wizards’ showdown is here. In both cases, I read tea leaves with Sybill Trelawney. The Divinations professor agreed that both contests had […]
READ MORE >>Halloween Baby Names 2018: Wizards Final
With just a few days between now and October 31st, it’s time for the Great Halloween Baby Names contest final … wizards’ edition. This year, all of the names come from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. We started out with twelve magical monikers, but have reduced them to just two finalists, thanks to your […]
READ MORE >>Halloween Baby Names 2018: Witches Final
Halloween is just around the corner! That means it’s time for the Great Halloween Baby Names contest final … witches’ edition. This year, all of the names come from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. We started out with twelve magical monikers, but have reduced them to just two finalists, thanks to your votes. Here’s […]
READ MORE >>Name Help: Compromise Needed for Baby #3
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! Susanne writes: I am wondering if you could help with some fresh name […]
READ MORE >>Roswell: Baby Name of the Day
Roswell feels a little bit Maxwell, a tiny bit Ross. Thanks to Juliana for suggesting a name she’s considering for her new son as our Baby Name of the Day. Roswell: Last Name First We’re not quite sure where this name originated, though we know it started out as a surname. It could be a […]
READ MORE >>Margot: Baby Name of the Day
Margot peaked back in the 1930s, and seems poised to rise even higher today. Our Baby Name of the Day comes from Asha, and also appears on this list. Margot: Marguerite Everybody knows Margaret. It comes from the Greek word margarites, meaning pearl. It became Margalit and Margarita, and eventually Marguerite in French. Margot evolved […]
READ MORE >>9 Baby Names with Built-In Halloween Costumes
Have you ever thought about baby names with built-in Halloween costumes? When we named our daughter, I immediately started dreaming up Halloween costumes that matched her name. She’s been Clio the Muse, and Cleopatra, of course. When she was just a few weeks old, I realized that Clio was the name of the goldfish in […]
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