We’re looking back at Best of the Baby Name Lists 2017.
Plenty of these were published a few years earlier, but they remain helpful for finding The Name for a child today. Whether it’s a specific sound or an unconventional nickname, the best of the baby names lists 2017 can help you find fresh and interesting options.
Looking for something other than this? The Appellation Mountain Pinterest board, Name Lists from Appellation Mountain, rounds up all of these and more, from this site and others. Clear your schedule before you click through!
Best of the Baby Name Lists 2017: 80 Boy Names Ending in O
Boy names ending in o are a white hot category. This list of 80 ranges from popular favorites to the more obscure.
I’ve written more about rare -o ending boy names, too, and here’s a long list of girl names ending in o.
But it’s the boys’ list that carries the day. Maybe that’s because we’re in love with names like Leo and Milo and Arlo, and we’re all looking for something just a little bit different.
Or maybe it’s because the way we name our sons really is changing – for the better! – and it starts with sounds at the end. As it happens, boy names ending in -a is another popular post.
Best of the Baby Name Lists 2017: Ten Unexpected Nicknames for Charles
Love unusual nicknames for traditional names? You’re not alone. Ten Unexpected Nicknames for Charles remains one of the most-read posts here, and plenty of the other unexpected nicknames posts are wildly popular, too. Read them all here:
Best of the Baby Name Lists 2017: The Great Big List of Bird Names for Girls
Raven and Wren rank in the US Top 1000, but there’s a flock of fantastic bird names for girls just waiting to be discovered.
Bird names make sense for parents. They feel bolder than traditional flower names, like Lily and Rose, but are clearly tied to the natural world. And with nature names so stylish, it’s no surprise parents are venturing into new territory for fresh, inventive names.
Another possibility? This list of tree names, or this list of bold botancials.
Best of the Baby Name Lists 2017: Twyla, Esther and Luna: Night Owl Names for Girls
Love Stella, but want something slightly less mainstream? Night Owl Names for girls all bring to mind the night sky, either by meaning or by association with a planet or constellation. Some of these, like Luna, have soared since the list was first written. But many, like Carina, Galilea, and Celeste, remain underused.
Of course, it’s not just the night sky. Other aspects of the natural world can inspire, like this list of names suggested by the sea.
Best of the Baby Name Lists 2017: Rare 1885 Baby Names
We never seem to tire of vintage names – but which names count as vintage? That’s an ever-shifting mark. The rare 1885 baby names list comes out as most popular today, but several others fall just slightly behind, including:
- Rare 1895 Baby Names
- Rare 1905 Girl Names
- Rare 1905 Boy Names
- 1880s Baby Names: Twenty Neglected Gems
- 1900s Baby Names: Twenty Neglected Gems
- 1910s Baby Names: Twenty Neglected Gems
Best of the Baby Name Lists 2017: Adalia to Zinnia: Girls Names Ending with ia
If you love Sophia, Olivia, and Mia, there’s a good chance that something on this list of girl names ending with -ia will appeal to you.
Or maybe you’re better off sticking to the list of -lia ending names, or all of those -et girls.
Best of the Baby Name Lists 2017: Ten Swan-Inspired Baby Names
For every sensible, reasonable list found on the site, some are just downright driven by whimsy and caprice. So it is with Swan-Inspired Baby Names. A reader called it the list she didn’t know she needed.
Exactly!
Bonus: a few of these are very wearable. Odette, Leda, and Lincoln would fit right in on most playgrounds.
Of course, I’ve also written about Swan as a given name, though that’s probably better tucked in the middle spot.
Best of the Baby Name Lists 2017: What to Name a Fairytale Prince
Not every visitor to the site is naming a baby. Plenty are writers seeking inspiration, too. And so I offer my list of What to Name a Fairytale Prince.
As with the swan names, many of these work for a real boy, too. Think Caspian, Rafael, and Flynn. Others feel like more of a stretch – but then again, 90 boys were named Valor in 2016, so never say never.
The girls’ list is here, but it is the princes that attract more readers.
Best of the Baby Name Lists 2017: Long Names for Girls: Elizabella and Anneliese
Every so often, I’ll declare that it’s the age of mini names. And it is, or so Ava and Mia and Jax will attest.
But it’s also the age of elaborate choices, the long and lovely girl names found in this post. Dozens upon dozens of girls’ names come in at four syllables – or even five! And while many of these seem obscure, others, like Elizabeth and Victoria, are as familiar as they come.
The trend includes boys, too – you can find a list of long boy names here.
Best of the Baby Name Lists 2017: Lily Names: Lilith, Liliosa, and Liliane
Many of my favorite posts are lists of formal names for a favorite short form. They’re the opposite of the Unexpected Nicknames series listed above. I’ve written dozens of these over the years, but it is Lily Names: Lilith, Liliosa and Liliane that makes the list of most popular posts.
Formal Names for Millie isn’t far behind.
That’s it for the best of the baby names lists 2017. Did any of these surprise you? Which one is your favorite?
Your end-of-the-year posts have been a treat! Thanks!!