Table of Contents
Name-inspired news and notes for your Sunday reading.
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Hamilton is headed to (movie) theaters! It’s the same recording of a live performance that debuted on Disney+ during the long, pandemic summer of 2020. My question is the same now as it was then: will more interest in the story translate to a few more kids called Eliza and Alexander? More than many musicals, the character names are significant parts of the lyrics and song titles.
Most Hamilton character names are sufficiently popular that it’s tough to attribute impact to a single pop culture phenomenon. If Hercules and Theodosia trend, though?
That’s probably musical magic.
ELSEWHERE ONLINE
Okay, this is how you lean into a theme. Dan and Betsy Sentiso were stumped trying to name their quintuplets. Ultimately, big brother Rowan’s name inspired them. All five of their new additions also have tree names. There’s sister Juniper, and four more boys: Cedar, Linden, Torrey, and Alder. And yes, I just updated my list of tree names to include Torrey, as in the Torrey pine – what a great addition to the list! Jennie and Jenna both sent this my way – thank you so much!
Could Rainey be the next Lainey? Country music’s Cole Swindell and wife Courtney just welcomed their first, daughter Rainey Gail. Which is a very weather-inspired name, indeed. But it could be thinking – will we see girls named Jainey?
Naming pets with human names is all fun and games until one of them gets out. Then you’re running around your neighborhood at 2 PM screaming for Randy like he owes you money. Not mine! It’s from @girlnamedshayne on TikTok. But I heard it just when I was thinking my dog would make a great Michelle. (As in Mallon, from Derry Girls.)
UPDATING & THINKING ABOUT
I’ve been waiting for the statute of limitations to expire so we can name our daughters Juno without hearing “like the movie?” but Elizabeth pointed out that Sabrina Carpenter’s single “Juno” inevitably extends that date out a little further still.
Inspired by World Lion Day on August 10th, I updated Lionel. Though I think anyone with a Leo name gets to celebrate today.
And because 8/8 is just one of those calendar dates that feels a little extra? The entry on Octavia is brushed up, too.
That’s all for this week. As always, thank you for reading and have a great week!
The 8/8 Octavia connection reminds me of a conversation I had with a friend when we were name hunting in a graveyard. She begged me to use Decima for our tenth child! I sometimes wonder if Decima could be used just for any December girl.