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! Agatha writes: We have two boys. Their names are Charles Michael and Arthur […]
READ MORE >>Josephine Nicknames: Joey, Josie, Finn
First things first: Josephine nicknames aren’t required. Josephine works well in full, a lovely classic name that’s just plain fun to say. But nicknames can add some versatility, helping your daughter transform her name to better fit her personality. They can help transition from childhood to adult. And if you happen to be one of […]
READ MORE >>Baby Name Chase: Confident and Capable
The baby name Chase feels adventurous, confident, and capable. Thanks to Lia for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day. HUNTSMAN The baby name Chase started out as a surname, usually given to a hunter. In French chasser means “to chase.” As in hunting. It shares Latin roots with our words catch and capture. As […]
READ MORE >>Baby Name Abel: Friendly and Enduring
The baby name Abel feels friendly, capable, and enduring. Thanks to Rocking Fetal for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day. BOOK of GENESIS The baby name Abel comes straight out of the Old Testament, in the very beginning. In the Book of Genesis, Adam and Eve have two sons, Cain and Abel. And the […]
READ MORE >>Boy Names Starting with W: Wyatt, Walker, Wilfred
Ask for boy names starting with W, and many people will reply William. It’s a venerable classic, worn by many distinguished figures over countless centuries. Billy is everybody’s little brother, or maybe the rebellious rocker Billy Idol. In more recent generations, William is far more likely to shorten to Will. Other Wil- names abound, though […]
READ MORE >>Sunday Summary: What’s the Hardest Part?
I’ve been thinking about names for as long as I can remember. And I’ve been writing about names here since 2008. And yet, lately I’m stuck on this one question: What’s the hardest part about choosing a name? So often the answer is: It depends! Maybe it’s: Working with a long, complicated, tough to spell/pronounce, […]
READ MORE >>Autumn Boy Names: Adam, Hayden, Oak
Autumn boy names embody the spirit of the season. They’re outdoorsy and adventurous. And while the forests and the trees aren’t specific to autumn, there’s something about hiking or camping in the fall woods that feels especially right. For boy names that strike a cozy, capable note, you might be looking for a homespun boy […]
READ MORE >>Invented Girl Names: Aerith, Lilliandil, Yvaine
Invented girl names draw lots of criticism. And I get it – reasons abound to prefer names with history and backstory, too. Except every name was invented at some point. Sure, sometimes it was Shakespeare doing the inventing, which seems … better than me dreaming up names here by my lonesome. Plus, some invented names […]
READ MORE >>Name Help: A Sister for Lucinda Kate
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! Bethany writes: We have a 3 year old daughter named Lucinda Kate. We […]
READ MORE >>Autumn Girl Names: Opal, Ceres, Sienna
Autumn girl names begin at summer’s end, as the leaves are just starting to turn. They take us into sweater weather and pumpkin spice-everything. And then they transition into virtue names for Thanksgiving. It’s quite the season! If you’re expecting a daughter from September through November or so, these autumn girl names might be just […]
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