[email protected], AUG11
Happy third birthday to my darling daughter, Clio! In another hour, I’m walking down the street to pick up her assembled big girl bike from our local bike shop. She’s sharing her party with our neighbor, Ronan, who turned four last week. We’re hoping it doesn’t rain!
It’s been an insanely busy week here at AppMtn headquarters. There was the whole Gawker thing, and then Mike Myers named his bouncing baby boy the uber-macho Spike. The traffic that comes as a result of such activity is lovely, but what I really, truly appreciate is how many of you stick around, day after day, even when I’m writing about Levon and Carmela and just going about business as usual.
Speaking of business as usual, here are the posts that caught my eye this week:
- Nancy wrote about the name Cobina, a creation of the former Esther Cobb, better known as gossip columnist Cobina Wright. She passed the name on to her daughter, and a few other parents picked it up, too. Interesting – if you find it hanging on your family tree, you’d likely think it was a feminine form of Jacob, a la Jacobina;
- Dorcas covered Calvary. Pretty sound, but hey, that’s an awful lot of name to put on a child. Then again, so are Trinity and Neveah;
- Nameberry’s post on Celebrity Baby Names and why some catch on, while others, well, don’t, kicked off a flurry of coverage and commentary;
- Did you see this question at Swistle? Yes, Annabelle Leigh gives me a definite Gothic, tragic vibe – but interestingly, it isn’t an instant reference for everyone.
- Guinevere Lux just my be my favorite name ever spotted by Names4Real!
- Speaking of Guinevere, how about Primeveire? It makes me think pasta, but not in a bad way;
- British Baby Names has a great post about a class of names she calls Modern Antiquity – it is packed with some of my favorites, from Atalanta to Ismene to Zephyr;
- Some of these stylish couples will certainly have children, and I fully expect their kids’ names to be stunning;
- Speaking of stunning, I’d be thrilled if Tori Spelling named her daughter Cordelia, but I don’t think that’s terribly likely. Still, the Babble post on baby names from Buffy the Vampire Slayer is good fun.
That’s all for this week. Thanks for reading, and have a great week!Happy third birthday to my darling daughter,
C in DC says
October 3, 2011 at 2:57 PMPrimavera or Printemps or any other variation on the springtime theme – interesting concept, but not one I could use. I don’t even like “Spring” as a name (and I’m lukewarm on using the other seasonal names too.)
Charlotte Vera says
October 3, 2011 at 6:05 AMBelated Happy Birthday, Clio!
I spoke to a couple of people at church today about their name choices. One said that they chose [email protected] for the meaning. . .right. . . I wonder what website they went to to get the meaning. They also didn’t want a name out of the top 100. Fair enough, I guess? Another chose the lovely and unusual Andelina after first hearing it on another family’s daughter.
Cobina does indeed somehow sound like a name with a legitimate history via Jacob, but Primeviera makes me think first of pasta and then of prime ribs, not of onomastics. Somewhat tangential, but the other night I randomly dreamt of a university friend whose middle name I’ve always loved: Jacoba, pronounced ya-COBE – ah.
Charlotte Vera says
October 3, 2011 at 2:31 PMOr more accurately, ya-CO-bah.
Sarah A says
October 3, 2011 at 7:37 PMOh wow, Andelina is gorgeous! That could be a nice way to honor an Andrew 🙂 I have a friend named Analena and I think it’s one of the prettiest names I’ve ever heard.
waltzingmorethanmatilda says
October 2, 2011 at 11:31 PMHappy Birthday to your wee girl!
Calvary doesn’t even sound female to me; to me, Calvary always sounds like Calgary in Canada, where they have the big rodeo. Sounds like a religious cowboy to me – nickname, Cal.
British American says
October 2, 2011 at 8:17 PMHappy Birthday Clio! It’s my Henry’s 4th birthday in a couple of weeks and I’m liking the October birthday thing – beautiful trees and Halloween candy for the pinata. 🙂
So I feel bad that I have a degree in English and American Literature and I don’t know ‘Annabelle Leigh’. :/
Cobina misread as Cobain, as in Kurt, in my brain.
I know a church named Calvary, so it doesn’t read “person name” to me, but I don’t hate it.
British American says
October 2, 2011 at 8:18 PMOh and my 20ish year old cashier at Walmart today was a lady named Laken. That was a new one to me.
Adrian says
October 2, 2011 at 7:32 PMCatching up on things around here … first off, happy birthday to the little one! Second, I just now read the Gawker piece. I admit, there are plenty of names I turn my nose up at, but one of the things that make your site great is the *lack* of snark about names and name choices. Can’t say that about the vast majority of name-related sites out there. Keep up the great work.
Sarah A says
October 2, 2011 at 5:17 PMHappy 3rd birthday Clio!!
I caught the Swistle post on Annabelle Leigh; I didn’t like that the poll didn’t also include the option “yes it reminds me of Poe, but that’s not a bad thing”. I personally think even Annabel Lee is ok, a real old-fashioned Gothic vibe mixed with modern 🙂
Anyway, thanks for a great week and a great response to Gawker!
appellationmountain says
October 2, 2011 at 5:52 PMThanks, Sarah – and YES, you’re totally right – there should be “like that’s a bad thing?” option on the Poe poll!
[email protected] says
October 2, 2011 at 4:46 PMHappy birthday to Clio! Third birthdays are so special — especially as they are usually the first birthdays people can remember having.
appellationmountain says
October 2, 2011 at 5:52 PMTrue! She’s been sacked out on the couch since 5:30, clutching a pillowcase with her name embroidered on the border.
i.heart.nerds says
October 2, 2011 at 4:21 PMAnnabelle Leigh makes me think of Annabelly and that some parent some day will go there….
AnnaMaria says
October 2, 2011 at 4:17 PMHappy Birthday to Cilo!
I really hope no celbs. use Cordelia. I love love love that name and don’t want it to become uber popular.
AnnaMaria says
October 2, 2011 at 4:18 PM*Clio- typed a little to fast.
Lemon says
October 2, 2011 at 3:55 PMOh, gosh, Abby! So much fun stuff on today’s roundup! First off, three cheers for Clio on her third birthday – how fun!
I’m gonna go ahead and say Calvary is not a great choice for a name, no matter how much you love Cali as a nickname. But, on the bright side, at least it’s more attractive in sound than Golgotha! Guinevere Lux is divine. Glorious! I had a love affair with the name Guinevere a few years back – Guinevere and Arabella, I think, actually – but I should really throw her back on the list. Modern Antiquity. Not sure that’s my style as British Baby Names defines it – odd, since I would consider vintage-modern-quirk to be my style – but that doesn’t mean I don’t like Atlas, Leon, Clio, Eulalia, Juno, Leda, Livia, and Rhea.
But, really, this post would not be complete without commenting on Marginamia’s “Pairs of Lovely Loves.” Yes, they have great names, but those dresses! Can we take a moment to appreciate that fine fashion? Ros’ dress? Amazing. Silvia’s dress? Faerie-chic. But, Roanne’s dress! Hair bow or not, that dress alone is worth a post – so sweet, yet so sophisticated. Kesh has a really cool bouquet, too, though I do love Ros’ hydrangea bunch. Oh, right, back to the names – Max and Margaux are a darn cool set of names for a couple.
Marginamia says
October 2, 2011 at 1:41 PMHappy Birthday, Clio! Hope she enjoys her bike! and nice response to gawker!
Julie says
October 2, 2011 at 1:36 PMHappy Birthday Clio!
Fran says
October 2, 2011 at 1:07 PMFor some reason I’m having trouble posting at the minute 🙁
Happy Birthday Clio! I hope she has a great day and enjoys the new bike
I actually adore Cordelia. It’s definitely on the top of our list should we have another one, nickname Cora. It’s also part of my fantasy all girl twin and triplet sets along with Rosamond nn Romy and Penelope nn Nell.
Have a great week
SkyeRhyly says
October 2, 2011 at 10:53 AMa couple more celeb babies this week:
Declan George
Luca Shai
In love with Luca Shai.
appellationmountain says
October 2, 2011 at 5:51 PMLuca Shai is gorgeous!