Sunday Summary: 2.11.18

“Naming is fiendishly difficult.” – River and Wolf

A reader question sent me looking for information on how creative agencies think about naming businesses and products. I’m still reading – and thinking – about the topic. But that quote leapt out at me. So simple, and so true. (If you’d like to read more from the fabulously named River and Wolf, the agency’s website is here.)

Elsewhere in naming news:

That’s all for this week! As always, thank you for reading – and have a great week!

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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5 Comments

  1. I love scouring the Olympics for interesting names! Did you see Red Gerard’s real name is Redmond? I love that.

  2. Saw Red Gerard win gold and thought, “You know, Red would be a pretty sweet name for a little guy. One syllable, a color, easily recognizable, uncommon… yeah… Red.”

    One of my sons entered the room and asked in a rush, “Did we win?!”

    We were all nodding and cheering when he demanded incredulously, “Wait! His name is RED?!”

    A short moment and a shrug… then he appraised, “That’s a cool name. Don’t you think so, Mama?”

    Kids are so open to new names! (Granted Red isn’t actually new, but it was new to my son). Parents who are worried that their kids will get beat up or won’t fit in might benefit from a visit to an elementary school. Last year, I saw a bulletin board for a Kindergarten class that included an Alan. Alan! I wondered aloud at the choice, but my kids couldn’t understand why it was a big deal. “Alan’s a rad name, Mama,” was their response.
    This epiphany has been an unexpected bonus to the Olympics for me.

    1. I totally agree! My daughter’s kindergarten class has lots of names that are so rare they aren’t even included in the Nameberry database (Gerron, Jaxxen – a girl, Safiatou, Leol, Hannia), and she doesn’t know any different.

  3. Abby, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had an idea for a post, only to discover that you’ve written one on the same topic! Material for name articles is endless, but I think certain events and trends prompt us to all think of the same topics at the same time. I can’t wait to read your take on strong girl names!