Table of Contents
Name-inspired news and notes for your Sunday reading.
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What do names like Elowyn and Kenai have in common with caramel macchiatos?
This video (Facebook link) from author Jason K. Pargin really hit home:
In the naming space, it’s SO very common to hear others bemoan “why can’t everyone just give their kid a normal name?”
My response is typically that there’s no such thing as a normal name. And I’ll stand by that.
But I love this example of black coffee existing in a world with iced banana cream protein matchas. (Yes, such a drink is available at the moment, according to my Starbucks app.)
Pargin explains that we live in a moment when the range of options has truly expanded, without taking away more traditional options, and that can feel threatening to others.
Why? Because it’s human nature to want to feel normal. So if our choice – once dominant – now feels basic, we might interpret that as criticism.
So I’m going to think about this the next time someone rolls her eyes at a surprising name choice.
Especially because most of us truly do appreciate a range of possibilities. I’ve got a kid with a Top 50 name and a kid with a never-in-the-Top-1000 name. Also: I’m a big fan of the most ordinary coffee, but also have been known to order a range of chai lattes and such.
There is space on this playground for John and Sevyn, Aurelio and Rocky, too.
ELSEWHERE ONLINE
These are the most popular names in every state. Does the data match up with your experience?
Arzoyi, Clea, and more of the fastest-rising girl names in Canada. Fascinating list!
And for the fastest-rising boy names in Canada? Nancy notes that both Zorawar and Macklin make those lists, depending on how you measure.
UPDATING & THINKING ABOUT
Levi is a little bit bearded Biblical patriarch, but just as much blue jean baby. Gotta love that kind of range.
Coralie blends the best of Cora and Rosalie, with serious mermaid overtones, too.
Harbor is one of those not-quite-names that has slowly made its way on to the list of yes, okay, it’s-a-name names. I do think comments about confusing Harbor and Harbour are worth considering. Like the iced banana cream protein matcha, if you love it, it’s worth the effort to get it right.
That’s all for today. As always, thank you for reading and have a great week!
