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26 by zimpenfish via Flickr

The Oscars will be on in a few short hours, and chances are slim that I’ll stay awake for much more than the first award or two. But let me give out my own Oscar right now for best Awards-inspired baby name post: Eponymia’s And The Oscar Goes To … Simple and intriguing and can I please meet a kid called Laramie?

Second runner-up is Nameberry’s Oscar-worthy names slideshow, complete with Greer and Rex. They’re missing my personal Golden Age of Hollywood favorite, though – Clark Gable. Along with Finn Hudson, it’s one of the most winning first-last combos in the history of naming. Back in the day, I wrote two posts for Nameberry about Oscar-winning, red-carpet-worthy names. Read the girls’ list here and the boys’ list here.

Speaking of Nameberry, I still sometimes watch the ticker. Rigel, Hortense, Horatia, Siri, Sean. Atalanta, Westley, Asher, Lucinda, Elias. Captivating.

Elsewhere online:

  • Chantal is right – Ayelet, Bellamy, and Carys might be the best set of all-girl triplet names I’ve heard, ever!
  • Eliette debuted on Nymbler last month, along with Brutus, Avaline, Gable, and Topanga. Is she a feminine version of Elliot, or a Franglais spin on Ellie?
  • This name fascinates me: Anchoret. Actually, all of the names on Nook’s list are intriguing.
  • Sway – sounds outlandish at first, but ever since Name Soiree included it on a Whimsical Wednesday list, I’m finding it kind of charming, even a nature name akin to Rain.
  • Vegarose – could this be the coolest compound name ever?
  • I enjoyed this story from the local paper in Natchez, Mississippi – even if it does refer to Aiden as an “oldie but goodie” and interviewed more than one parent who seemed to believe that Aiden was “unique.”
  • Hmmm … must have been a slow news cycle, because there’s another interesting and reasonably accurate story in the Racine, Wisconsin paper – the story about Sawyer is my favorite.
  • My fascination with Dutch names continues. Did you see this story at Voornamelijk? Annelotte, Bram, Maxime, Milou, Pim, Romy, Zendé.
  • A quick heads-up: March Madness is back next weekend. Yup, believe it or not, it is almost March. If you weren’t around last year, it is lots and lots and lots of voting on the most popular posts of the year. Louisa and Nathaniel were the big winners in 2011. Can’t wait to see what happens this time around.

That’s all for this week! Happy Oscar-watching, and thanks for reading.

About Abby Sandel

Whether you're naming a baby, or just all about names, you've come to the right place! Appellation Mountain is a haven for lovers of obscure gems and enduring classics alike.

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What do you think?

20 Comments

  1. I still think Alouette has a chance of catching on. Especially with names like Elliette and Ayelet being used. And it means lark so it is a subtle nature name.

  2. I just got around to reading the Natchez, Mississippi article… Anyone else notice the child named Tyranny?

    1. I did! It made me want to gag. Not many names do that, but I can’t — I just CAN’T — get behind a name like Tyranny. It has a horrible meaning and could sound quite insensitive depending on your background. Why would you wish a name like that on your child?

      Ok, rant over.

  3. Anchoret is fascinatingly awesome! Bellamy does not fit with those other more femme triplets, the dear,IMHO.

  4. I’m a little suspicious about the Ayelet/Bellamy/Carys thing. I’ve seen so many “fake” triplet parents on name sites over the years that my radar is on about this one… the parents’ careers don’t match the quality of the letter to Swistle, and their names are very unusual for modern parents. But hey, maybe I’m wrong.

    I like Eliette very very much! Vegarose sounds to me like Waitrose for vegans — maybe hyphenated it would be better? Vega-Rose?

    1. You might be right about the A-B-C triplets – I hadn’t thought about it, but given their described professions, the writing isn’t a great match.

      1. The letter does read rather like a teen fantasy. I do like the name combinations though, whether real or not.

      1. Wait – really? Okay. So much for the rugged cowboy vibe – that’s already been cashed in on. Then again, I just asked Alex if he knew what a cigarette is. “Um, yeah.” Have you ever seen someone smoking one? Long pause, then a shake of his head. “No.” Maybe I can have a grandchild called Laramie …

  5. I have been seriously considering naming a minor character Laramie, but I’m afraid it’s too au courant for someone who would be a modern teenaged boy.

    Carys is so nice. Ayelet and Bellamy I could live without. But hey! Not my kids! Not my choice!

    And I’m so excited for my first March Madness as a reader! I started reading probably in April ish of last year. Huzzah! Thanks for an awesome blog and affirming that I am not the sole namenerd out there! (I was afraid.)