The simplest names can be the best.
A few days after the world learned of Tom Petty’s death, a mom-to-be told me that they’d settled on Thomas for their new son. I don’t believe it was motivated by the singer. (And they’d decided well before Jason Aldean’s powerful Saturday Night Live performance, too.)
But when she mentioned it – in a crowded room – the same sounded clear. Uncomplicated. Memorable and spirited.
If you’ve ever worried that choosing a classic name might be boring, know that the exact opposite can be true.
If you’re looking for a name every bit as handsome as Thomas, this list might be a good place to start. Expecting a girl? Check out this analysis of the most classic girl names, based on popularity data.
Elsewhere online:
- Jason Biggs and Jenny Mollen chose Lazlo, a paired-down spelling of the traditional Hungarian Laszlo for their new son. Could Lazlo be the next big thing? Arlo and Milo have long since gone mainstream, and the combination of a ‘z’ sound with an ‘o’ ending might be powerfully appealing. Or does the spelling just strike you as lacking? I can’t decide. Lazlo joins big brother Sid.
- If Lazlo is the new It Name for boys, may I nominate Ramona for girls?
- Much has been made of new dad Spencer Pratt’s insistence that he and wife Heidi Montag intended to find a name for their new son that allowed them to reserve his social media handles in advance. It seems painfully shallow – shouldn’t a baby know how to talk before he can snap? And yet, it also seems surprisingly practical. Parents often want to avoid choosing too-common names. Finding first-last combinations currently available on social media platforms makes some sense. They went with Gunner Stone for their new, sure-to-be social media savvy child.
- The Name Lady offers an eloquent defense of popular baby names. Here’s my list of reasons I agree with her completely.
- So many boys named Rory in British Baby Names’ birth announcements posts lately. Handsome!
- More formal names for Wells than you would ever guess, but I think I like this one best on its own.
- Ha! If you did take baby naming inspiration from the LEGO Ninjago movie, here’s your payoff!
That’s all for this week! As always, thank you for reading – and have a great week!
Laszlo (this spelling) and Sid (nn for Sidney) are two of my favorites for boys! Love seeing this combo.
And Helen George (Trixie from Call the Midwife) called her daughter Wren Ivy!