Sunday Summary: 9.26.21It’s that time again, when companies release their picks for Color of the Year.

Spoiler alert: it’s green.

No, really.

Sherwin-Williams went with Evergreen Fog. Glidden chose Guacamole. Behr’s Breezeway is sort of like sea glass. And PPG named Olive Sprig.

Okay, there were some outliers. HGTV’s Aleutian is described as a washed-out indigo. And Valspar chooses a whole palette.

But mostly it’s green. I could name a house full of kids with green names: Hunter, Forest, Olive, Emerald, Hazel, Ivy, Loden, Moss.

Just as I was musing about that, the incomparable Laura Wattenberg released her analysis of color names over the last two decades, and how they compared to the color names in vogue a century earlier.

It’s so worth a read.

And if you’re in the market for color-inspired names that aren’t on everybody’s list just yet? This post runs down all the more obscure choices. Think Crimson and Ginger and Fawn.

Are you a fan of color names?

ELSEWHERE ONLINE:

Finnish baby names are fascinating. Okay, the Finnish language is fascinating, and so the names follow. Nancy has the new Top Ten. If you’re wondering how to pronounce Pihla, you can hear it here.

What would you name a sister for Astrid and Saskia? One of the most intriguing name lists I’ve seen in ages. (And not just because my daughter’s name is on it.)

I love the line about grandma Marjorie in this post. She once mentioned to her granddaughter that “the prettiest names have Ls in them.” And all these years later, her granddaughter is still following her advice! Probably not helpful for choosing names, but still kind of charming.

Are you reading the How I Named My Baby series at Nameberry? Love this interview about Cade Bennett. It’s a good reminder than even names that feel brisk and modern can be layered with meaning and significance.

Just for fun – this list of strange-but-true names. Because I somehow found myself on BabyCentreUK. Some of the references are so Brit-specific that I don’t get the punchline, and there’s a lot of “my friend once knew …” but lots of these made me smile.

Can’t get enough name news? Subscribe to my Tuesday newsletter here:


Please select all the ways you would like to hear from Appellation Mountain:

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. For information about our privacy practices, please visit our website.

We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By clicking below to subscribe, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing. Learn more about Mailchimp’s privacy practices here.

That’s all for this week. As always, thank you for reading!

Boy Names 9.26.21 Girl Names 9.26.21

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.

You May Also Like:

What do you think?

1 Comment

  1. I have always thought the names with Ls in them are so pretty! Lilia and Lorelei are great favourites. These babycentre mum stories were good for a laugh! in case you wondered about Jordy Shaw, it sounds a lot like Geordie Shore in my accent- U.K reality show!