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Name-inspired news and notes for your Sunday reading.
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Former Philadelphia Eagles player Jason Kelce and wife Kylie recently welcomed their fourth daughter, Finnley “Finn” Anne.
Like her older sisters, Finn’s name includes double letters. But unlike Wyatt Elizabeth, Elliotte Ray, and Bennett Llewellyn, those double letters are not TT.
Kylie had warned fans on her podcast that odds were against the couple choosing another TT name, but we all kept guessing TT names anyhow.
She also shared names they considered this time, including Colette called Cole; Winifred called Freddie; and Georgie, but they couldn’t agree on a formal name. Finnley, she explained, was a name they’d considered for an earlier daughter. It was a last minute choice, but they think it suits her perfectly.
As for middle name Anne, while Kylie freely admits it’s a little ordinary, she also noted that it’s shared by so many important women in her life.
I love the way she summed up the act of naming in public: “You’re allowed to have your own opinion but I don’t care what it is.”
Two things I love about this naming story: the way Kylie freely acknowledges that other people get invested in what we name our children. We spend too much time arguing that other people shouldn’t have opinions on our children’s names. I think there’s wisdom to shrugging it off.
But my big takeaway? It’s only a pattern if you say it is. Finnley Anne transforms the couple’s pattern from TT to names-with-double-letters, but if they’d made a different choice? We could just as easily call it “boyish names for girls” or something else. They stayed true to their style – which is so important! – but they didn’t let themselves get stuck in a rigid set of must-dos. Which might be the real secret to naming as your family grows.
Elsewhere Online
The Office ended its nine-season run in 2013, but can still make headlines, including around names. It turns out that a deleted scene revealed the names of Michael Scott’s children with Holly. The Office had at least two other name-centric storylines: the fight over Philip, and the story about Jan’s daughter Astrid. The names revealed were sort of nonsense words. Too bad – I was hoping for something that might actually trend … because really, I’m hoping Chebonshur and Lowshebin don’t end up on any birth announcements.
Welcome to the world, Koa Amani. Koa is the third child and first son for New York Mets shortstop Fransisco Lindor and wife Katia. They are also the parents to daughters Kalina Zoe and Amapola Chloe. (Lindor’s at-bat music? “My Girl” by The Temptations. It was a whole cultural moment last season.) All three choices are flowing, vowel-forward, subtle nature names. I love the way their kids’ names blend their parents’ Puerto Rican heritage with a rich, global vibe that feels very future-facing. Favorite sibset of 2025 so far.
A new Name Connections is live. Also check out all the Connections puzzles I’ve created here.
Updating & Thinking About
I’ve loved Knox ever since Dead Poet’s Society made me want to attend boarding school. I’d once guessed it would crack the US Top 100, but now I’m not so sure.
Yes, I know it’s SO 90s, but Mackenzie is still one of those names I wanted for myself, and still kind of do.
I agree with a reader comment: Blossom is amazing, but the lack of nicknames gives me pause. Maybe in the middle? Still, Blossom Dearie is amazing, and she’s all over my Spotify this week.
That’s all for today. As ever, thank you for reading and have a great week!
Maybe Bess/Bessie as a Blossom nickname? It means swapping out the o for an e, but vowels and vowel sounds change in nicknames plenty. Unfortunately, I don’t think Bess is going to be topping the popularity charts anytime soon, but I love it! It sounds so sweet and vintage to me.
I can see Bess for Blossom, though someone suggested Sosi on Patreon, and I’m sort of in love with Sosi/Sosie now …
I think Blossom even qualifies as a long name for the lovely Bo! Letters are both there.
Oh – yes, I’m surprised by how much I like that!
Blossom name can have a nickname of Blossie. I honestly love Blossie as a legal name!
I wonder about Sosi as a nickname for Blossom?
I think that has potential, Kerri McP. Thanks!
You know, I’m sure Blossie would feel natural if I just repeated it for a while. I do love Flossie for Florence, and I think Bonnie is great, so maybe I’d just need to hear it more?