It’s perfectly fine to give your baby a Top Ten name. Or a rock-solid classic that everyone’s heard before. You are under no obligation to thrill me with your child’s name.
And yet, there’s something about those names. The ones that surprise and delight. That make you say “ooooh!” Especially when it’s crystal clear that the family chose the names for reasons that make ALL the sense for their family.
Case in point: this post at British Baby Names, about siblings Wilberforce and Cornelia.
To me, they’re names that put a smile on my face. Unexpected, quirky, rich in story, and pitch perfect for the family.
I admire everything about it, and can’t wait to hear what they name baby number three!
Would I name my kid Wilberforce? Well, no. But I hope we all find our own version of Wilberforce as we grow our families, even if your version of Wilberforce is Liam or James.
ELSEWHERE ONLINE:
Nameberry analyzed the Spanish names currently trending in the US. Though speaking of Liam, it’s also worth noting that plenty of Top 100 and Top 10 names rank so well because they sound great in English and Spanish – even if there roots are culturally or linguistically elsewhere. (I know more Latino kiddos called Daniel than Juan.)
And while we’re looking at the data, Nancy has the results of the pop culture baby name game. Always fascinating to see the names that catch on this way.
But pop culture can’t launch – or revitalize – every name. Could Duane possibly be ready for revival? The name has far more history than I realized, and I really do like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. But name a baby Dwayne/Duane? Maybe …
Then again, boys’ names are changing. Just ask the parents of Moncler, Suho, and Quantum. In their company, Duane seems almost buttoned-down.
New blog alert! Check out Enchanted Names. I loved the coverage of Honora, and this post on nineteenth century French names is packed with gems. Can’t wait to see what what they cover next!
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