Patches of Names

Diminutive names, or nicknames, are names that have originated as short forms of longer names. They also sound and feel like nicknames. A lot of them end in the "ee" sound, though there are some exceptions. Here are some qualities that all nicknames share: are shorter or more informal than their formal counterparts.  feel extra cute or friendly. as stated above, began as diminutives (Lily and Daisy might sound like nicknames, but they're more word names. Plus, ending in "ee" is not enough for a name to qualify, as Amy and Lucy began as full names).  If you want something short and cute, these nicknames might appeal: Ellie (#29) Bella (#64) Sadie (#78) Charlie (#122) Josie (#134) Callie (#165) Molly (#174) Millie (#190) Gracie (#209) Lilly (#231) Elsie (#233) Kali (#252) Tessa (#279) Annie (#288) Cali (#292) Maggie (#293) Thea (#303) Evie (#319) Lexi (#366) Kenzie (#369) Elle (#371) Hallie (#374) Maisie (#409) Stevie (#410) Kate (#411) Hattie (#425) Allie (#429)

Let's explore a girls' name trend.  One of the many current trends is actually a vintage trend. These are names ending in "ora". In 1880s, about five "ora" names made the top 200. "Ora" names are now back, with four ranking in the top 200. Today, I will sort out several "ora" names by describing those that have gone mainstream as well as those that have yet to catch on.  POPULAR "ORA" NAMES: Aurora  (#36)-Aurora is well-known as Disney's Sleeping Beauty. Aurora ranked in the top 1000 most years since 1880, but it only caught on recently. Perhaps this is the only elaborate "ora" name in the top 200. Cora  (#88)-Vintage Cora has dropped from #71 all the way to #88 in 2020. That is not surprising since the "cor" sound reminds parents of "coronavirus" these days.  Nora (#30)-Nora is a short and sweet classic with Celtic origins. Norah (#151)-Norah is literally a re-spelling of Nora that aligns with

After the Norman Conquest brought Latinate names to England, their "a" endings were replaced with a "y". One such name was the saintly Lucia, from which Lucy emerged. During the Middle Ages, Lucy was common among girls born at sunrise. That's because Lucia, its Latin form, comes from "lux", which means "light". Even though girls named Lucy are no longer born only in the morning, its meaning can still inspire lifelong optimism.  In England, Lucy continued its popularity long after the Middle Ages ended. It was consistently popular until the early twentieth century. Lucy even brought its popularity with the pilgrims to the American Colonies. Notable Lucys born before the end of the American Revolution include Thomas Jefferson's sister and Paul Revere's daughter.  By 1880, the first year American name records are kept, Lucy ranked outside the top 50. It left the top 100 by 1925. However, Lucy was probably a retired evergreen classic rath

Some people use the terms "classic" and "vintage" interchangeably when it comes to names. However, the two terms mean very different things. Classic Names Classic names are names with long usage histories that are acceptable in any era. These include names that were always or almost always popular, including Anna, Katherine, and Elizabeth for girls and James, Robert, and William for boys.  Yet, names can still be timeless even if they weren't always common. For example, Alice, Lucy, and Sophia can easily be a child's mother, grandmother, or great-grandmother even though they're most common among young girls. The same can be said about Luke, Simon, and Theodore for boys.  Perhaps some classic names were never in the top 100. Greta, Nina, and Susanna are some examples for girls' while Benedict, Lionel, and Solomon are examples for boys.   Vintage Names Vintage names are tied to a specific era. They were once fashionable before becoming dated. Now they&

Despite the existence of unisex names, naming is very gendered. That's especially true for names with moderate to long usage histories. Most unisex names are nearly or completely contemporary in female usage.  However, as our society recognizes the difference between sex and gender, naming gets more complicated. Despite finding out the sex of their child during pregnancy, parents really won't know the actual gender for a few years. It is not until children enter early childhood at age 2 that they recognize their gender. If that's the case, what if parents hold off on choosing a name until then? Or else, they could pick unisex names that could fit all genders. The problem with unisex names, though, is that many have risen so quickly for females in recent years that they're bound to date to an era. Here are some examples: Addison (#47) entered the girls' top 1000 in 1994 and reached the top 100 in 2006, jumping all the way from #106 to #28, and then from #28 to #11. 

Today I discuss my favorite boys' names from the current top 100: Ezra (#44)-Ezra is a quirky classic that brings to mind American poet Ezra Proud. While most boys' names that were not common until recently feel modern (i.e. Carter and Nolan), Ezra feels slightly old-fashioned.  Henry (#9)-Henry was in the top 10 a century ago. Now, it has returned to that place without feeling trendy. Normally, popularity ruins things for me but classic names like Henry are the exception. Henry sounds kind of cute, too.  Leonardo (#86)-Leonardo feels like a romantic Italian name thanks to its "o" ending. What I like about Leonardo, though, is its artistic connection via Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519).  Theodore (#23)-Theodore is another classic name that gets super popular without feeling like it. Theodore sounds as cute as its short forms "Teddy" and "Theo". Plus, former President Theodore Roosevelt gives this name a turn-of-the-century presidential vibe.  Wesley

 Today I discuss my favorite girls' names from the top 100: Amelia (#6)-Amelia has been a top 10 favorite since 2017, but it doesn't feel overexposed. Amelia mixes an old-fashioned sound with an elaborate, frilly structure. Plus, it is just as classic as fellow top 10 choices Charlotte and Sophia.  Eleanor (#22)-Eleanor is timeless and classic, never ranking outside the top 700 with no sharp peaks or drops. Even though it's now back in the top 25, Eleanor doesn't feel trendy at all. Like Amelia, it has risen in use without losing its classic and old-fashioned style.  Lucy (#49)-Lucy falls in the same old-fashioned classic category as Amelia and Eleanor, though it's much simpler. Despite sounding like a sister for trendy vintage charmers like Sadie and Stella, Lucy is not trendy. Widely familiar, Lucy is cute and timeless at once.  Nora (#28)-Nora is as classic as its rhyming sister Laura, but with an Irish twist. Nora sounds like the perfect sister name for Lucy, mi

Today I continue the series I began this week in which I evaluate and find alternatives to the top names of today's mothers.  Stephanie (#436)-Stephanie is a feminization of Stephen, though it feels more dated than classic. It's been out of the top 100 since 2008 and has since fallen out of the top 400. However, it was in the top 1000 as early as 1896, so Stephanie will be back when it's time. For now, use these alternatives: Leontine (unranked)-Like Stephanie, Leontine feminizes a classic male name without being classic itself. This feminization of Leon contains an "n" and "ee" sound in its ending along with three syllables.  Persephone (#818)-Greek Persephone has a similar sound and structure to Stephanie. Both names contain the "seph" sound and end in "nee".  Salome (unranked)-Salome feminizes Solomon in multiple syllables as Stephanie does to Stephen. Plus, Salome is a quirky classic that ends in the same "ee" sound as S

Jennifer topped the charts throughout the 1970s. Amy peaked just below Jennifer at second place. This means that most people with the name are now middle-aged women. Amy's long history of use prevents it from feeling dated, though. It dates from the Norman Conquest, when the Old French Amée was brought to England to be anglicized as Amy. Sources suggest that Amy wasn't common until the nineteenth century. However, according to Eleanor "Elea" Nickerson on British Baby Names, it appeared in the English top 50 as early as the sixteenth century. It remained popular until the early twentieth century. Amy came back in England around the same time it became popular in the United States. Amy was popular from the late 1950s through the 1990s. While other 1970s names like Jennifer and Michelle have plummeted to the 300s and 400s, Amy's decline has been slow. Even twenty years after it left the top 100, Amy still ranks below the top 200.  Since it was so popular in the 1970s

'Mom names' are associated with women between 25 and 50 years old. This being said, a name has to have peaked 25 years ago to be considered a 'Mom name'. Some of these names sound more like timeless classics than dated monikers, though.  Today I go through the top 100 girls' names of the 1980s, the decade in which many Millennial moms were born. I will assess each name regarding whether they really need a reboot. I will then provide a few alternatives. Jessica (#398)-Throughout the 2010s, Jessica dropped from the top 100 to outside the top 350. Jessica was in the top 1000 most years since 1880 and has Shakespearean origins, so it will come back when it's time. Despite remaining slightly imaginable on a little girl, Jessica is, for now, dated.  Cressida (unranked)-Cressida has the same syllable pattern and "ess" sound as Jessica. Plus, Cressida connects to Shakespeare's 1602 play, Troilus and Cressida .  Estella (#731)-Vintage Estella has the same

With the Fourth of July coming up in a few days, I thought I'd discuss names that symbolize American patriots. These names are tied to the American flag, are American values, or connect to famous figures of the American Revolution.  GIRLS' NAMES: Blue (unranked)-Obviously, blue is one of the three colors of the American flag, along with white and red. The continental army also wore blue uniforms while fighting in the Revolutionary War.  Freedom (unranked)-Freedom sounds like a contemporary virtue choice, but according to BehindtheName.com, it was originally coined by the Puritans. Nonetheless, since the American Revolution was fought for freedom, this makes a fresh All-American unisex possibility. Justice (#575)-This is a modern unisex virtue name meaning "fairness". Plus, one of the goals mentioned in the preamble to the U.S. Constitution was to "establish justice." Liberty  (#653)-The Statue of Liberty near New York City makes this virtue name meaning &quo