Literary Names: The Baby-Sitters Club

In the fall, I'm always reminded of my elementary school days and book fairs. One of my favorite series was Ann M. Martin's The Baby-Sitters Club!

For those of you unfamiliar with the series, it focuses on the shenanigans of four (then more) best friends who run a babysitting service in their town. As a kid, it inspired me to pursue babysitting as soon as I got old enough. It was also a great example of a bunch of very different girls forming friendships and coming of age. 

I'll be focusing on the five main characters, though a few more enter and exit throughout the series. 

Let's begin!

Kristin "Kristy" Amanda Thomas..... Zoe Ellen

Kristy always struck me as an all-American girl, outgoing and determined. When the books were published, Kristin was in the 30's on the US top 1000, so I picked another name found in the same place today - Zoe. Because of Zoe's zippy beginning and vowel-ending, I chose a more substantial name for the middle, as well as to match her bright personality: Ellen, meaning "shining light". 

Claudia Lynn Kishi..... Iris Kahlo

For the most creative member of the group, I chose an artistic name - Iris means "rainbow" and its uniqueness speaks to Claudia's personality, while Kahlo directly references a strong female artist of the 20th century, Frida Kahlo. I'd also be interested to know if any readers skilled in Japanese names have suggestions that reference Claudia's identity as a Japanese-American girl?

Mary Anne Spier..... Serena Sibley

I wanted a name that was quiet and calm like Mary Anne, and Serena fits the bill - three-syllables, with similar consonants, and a meaning to match. Sibley comes from Sybil, or "seer" - Mary Anne is the secretary who records everything, and her last name means "to watch". She is also inspired by author Ann M. Martin's own personality - I love the idea of the author as omniscient narrator. 

Anastasia "Stacey" Elizabeth McGill..... Sophia Chanel

This was the first name I thought of for the series. Stacey is fashionable and trendy, with the girls mentioning multiple times that she's "from New York" and therefore more sophisticated. I thought Sophia referenced that well, and Chanel is more of a nod to her interests. 

Dawn Read Schafer..... Eos Catalina

Probably the most unusual name in the group, I picked Eos to honor Dawn's original name - it means "dawn", and she's singled out in a few books as the newcomer or outsider. Catalina refers to her California heritage - for those unaware, Catalina Island is about 26 miles from Los Angeles. The short, consonant-ending first name goes well with the long, vowel-ending middle name, too.

Tell me your thoughts in the comments!

Saturday Jams: LOUIE, LOUIE

Today's songs are for the Louie or Louis in your life!

"Louie, Louie", The Kingsmen, 1963

"Brother Louie", Stories, 1973

"Captain Lou", NRBQ, 1970's

"Louisiana Lou and Three Card Monty John", The Allman Brothers Band, 1975

"Hey, Louis Prima", the Brian Setzer Orchestra, 1996

The Dinner Party, by Judy Chicago

In the hopes that I'll soon start a series focusing on the names of artists, this Friday is brought to you by Judy Chicago's The Dinner Party. It's generally considered the first large-scale feminist art installation in the Western world.

The Dinner Party is composed of a large triangular table with settings for 39 mythical and historical influential women, with the names of 999 other famous women inscribed on inner tiles.

Learn more about the work here: The Dinner Party

Wing I: From Prehistory to the Roman Empire

Primordial Goddess
Fertile Goddess
Ishtar
Kali
Snake Goddess
Sophia
Amazon
Hatshepsut
Judith
Sappho
Aspasia
Boadicea
Hypatia

Wing II: From the Beginnings of Christianity to the Reformation

Marcella
Saint Bridget
Theodora
Hrosvitha
Trotula
Eleanor of Aquitaine
Hildegarde of Bingen
Petronilla de Meath
Christine de Pisan
Isabella d'Este
Elizabeth I
Artemisia Gentileschi
Anna van Schurman

Wing III: From the American to the Women's Revolution

Anne Hutchinson
Sacajawea
Caroline Herschel
Mary Wollstonecraft
Sojourner Truth
Susan B. Anthony
Elizabeth Blackwell
Emily Dickinson
Ethel Smyth
Margaret Sanger
Natalie Barney
Virginia Woolf
Georgia O'Keeffe

Throwback Thursday: Presidential Names #2

Today's post is a continuation of Presidential Names #1, from about two weeks ago. The first post focused on names pre-SSA data - can we see a jump in names trends based on the sitting Commanders-in-Chief?

#545 - Hayes
An early last-name-turned-first-name, Hayes started on the charts at #708, then shot up and down after President Hayes left office in 1881. It's definitely got a highbrow sound and classic feel, with an albeit lackluster meaning - "hedged area". Still, it could work well as a more traditional response to trendy Hayden or Hayley. 

#306 - Arthur
It seems to me that Arthur has been an established first name for so long that a simple president wouldn't influence its popularity. Arthur, meaning "bear", topped out at #14 in the 1880's, 1890's and 1900's, but it's been decreasing since the 1940's. It just skyrocketed up the charts in the UK, however, so it won't be too long before Arthur is back on top!

#381 - McKinley
Oddly enough, McKinley's steep rise for boys stopped when the president took office in 1901, then plateaued and dove. For girls, McKinley began rising through the 1990's, as an alternative to McKenzie or McKayla. McKinley has been in the news recently - Mount McKinley will be officially renamed Mount Denali. 

#594 - Wilson
An excellent alternative to the well-loved William, Wilson did get a boost between 1913 and 1921 - Woodrow Wilson's years in office. Wilson has been on the decline for awhile, but with dozens of namesakes and an American sound, I think it's a great choice. 

#961 - Truman
Meaning "loyal one", Truman today is more often associated with writer Capote or Will of Will & Grace. The first president after twelve years of FDR, Harry Truman brought on a jump of almost 200 places in 1945, but began declining steeply right after. Though it's got a great nickname - "True" - it's still a little clunky. 

#54 - Kennedy
Kennedy briefly appeared on the boy's list in the 1960's, but skyrocketed for girls starting in the mid-90's. Why so long after JFK? I'm on the hunt for reasons - the name didn't make the list until 30 years after his death, and started halfway up the list before climbing. If you've got a theory or factoid about Kennedy, let me know in the comments!

#587 - Nixon
Interestingly enough, Nixon is only on the list because of its popularity in Utah, where it's at #85. It jumped on the scene in 2011, over 10 years after Richard Nixon's death. I think the closeness to Jackson, Nolan and Nicholas may be why. 

#883 - Ford

Ford is on the list this year for the first time since 1951. The solid single-syllable sound, masculine feel, and trend towards brand names may be the culprits. Ford could make a standout middle name, or honor a familial namesake.

#27 - m - Carter; #785 - f - Carter
Carter is an example of what happens when a president isn't so well liked - when Jimmy Carter was president, the fairly stable name dropped off the list completely, only to return in full force when Carter left office. For boys, it follows the occupational trend, as well as being the name of many pop culture characters. Girls often get the names second - Carter entered the girls' list in 2013

#106 - f - Reagan; #999 - m - Reagan
Reagan was used a few times for girls in the 1970's, but didn't catch hold of the list until the early 1990's on either side - perhaps as a response to the Clinton presidency? (Just a theory). On the boy's side, Reagan has stayed in the lower ranks, while it's been climbing for the girls, peaking in 2012.

#923 - Clinton
Clinton began dropping in the 1990's during the presidency, perhaps due to the current trend of uniqueness - when your child's name is in the news everyday, it seems to lose its personality. Clinton is currently plateauing at the bottom of the list, and with the upcoming elections, it may fall out of use for awhile.

What do you think? Are there names you think should be included? Would Obama make a good first name? Tell me in the comments!

Top Baby Names in Sweden

Hallå!

For the next installment in global names, I'll be focusing on the most popular baby names in Sweden. Here are five names each, from the boys and girls side, that are in the top 20 in Sweden but outside the top 400 in the US.

I'll include the English or other known equivalents next to the names for clarification. 

Female names*

*None of the girls' names are in the top 1000!

Maja - Maya
Pronounced the same way as Maya, Maja might prompt a different pronunciation in the US - "Mah-jah" or "Mah-ha", for example. In any case, it's a sweet-sounding name meaning "splendid", with plenty of European namesakes to boot.

Agnes 
While Agnes was last seen on the top 1000 in 1972, I think it's all set for a comeback. The recent little Agnes in Despicable Me and the constant recommendation on baby name sites have primed it well. It means "pure", and Agnes is just old enough to sound cute, not dated.

Ebba
E-names for the win! Ella, Emma, Emily et cetera have been on top for awhile. Why not add in a Scandinavian sound? Ebba means "strength of a boar", and fits in nicely with the simple vowel-consonant-vowel trend - Ada, Isla, Eva.

Linnaea 
Also known as a twinflower, Linnaea is a beautiful, hardly-used flower name. I think it sounds more classic next to the trendy Lilianna, and it's softer than Violet. The name also honors Swedish scientist Carl Linnaeus, the father of modern ecology.

Wilma 
Even I surprised myself by choosing this name. On the outside, Wilma is the name of the mom on The Flintstones, a grandma's name at this point. But I think it's just clunky enough to be cool - the -ma ending like Emma and the Wil- beginning like Willow connect it to the present.

Male names

Hugo - Hugh
This name isn't unheard of - it's currently at #438 in the US - but it's still not quite as appealing to US audiences as it is elsewhere. Meaning "mind" or "spirit", Hugo has grown in popularity thanks to the recent children's movie, as well as literary connection to the author of Les Mis, Victor Hugo.

Ludvig - Louis
Oh so Scandinavian, but oh so unusable in the US. The g-ending and "dv" consonant combo have kept this name from migrating properly. Stick with Louis or Louie.

Arvid
I hadn't heard of this name before researching, but I'm now very intrigued by Arvid. It means "eagle-tree" and seems like a really unusual and strong alternative to Arnold or Arthur. The V in the middle adds a little pizzazz, but Arvid is out-and-out powerful.

Alfred 
Currently at #799 on the US list, Alfred may be moving up thanks to its European counterparts - it's at #19 in Sweden, and Alfie is at #12 in the UK. Alfred means "wise counselor", and seems to follow the retro trends - also a great way to honor any familial Fred's!

Nils - Nicholas
While I myself prefer the English variation, I think Nils or Nel could be a cool nickname for those who are sick of Nick. Similar-sounding Niles of Frasier fame is actually from a different root - "son of Neil".

What countries would you like to see next?

Classical Composers, Part One

This post will hopefully add a "classy" element to the blog :)

Inspired by my many musical friends, I'll be using three posts over the next few weeks to focus on the first, middle, and last names of classical European composers! While many of the last names might not work so well in front, they could be a cute middle - Adrian Mendelssohn, anyone?

I'll also be including a music accompaniment for each composer, courtesy of YouTube.

Allons-y!

Franz Liszt (Liszt Ferencz)
At one point considered the greatest pianist of all time, Franz Lizst was an Hungarian composer in the 19th century, famous for his "Années de pèlerinage" (below). Franz is the German variation of Francis - "free man" or "Frenchman" - while Ferencz is the Hungarian variation (pronounced "fair-ENTS). Definitely unusual - neither name is in the top 1000 - and could make a cool honorific or heritage choice.

Frédéric François Chopin (Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin)
A personal favorite, Chopin was a major composer for the piano during the Romantic era. His turbulent life included an affair with French author George Sand (Amantine Aurore Lucile Dupin) as well as periodic serious illnesses. Frédéric and François are established French names, with easy English equivalents, but I think Chopin could be a usable name for any gender: the -in ending, two-syllable form and similarity to Colin or Shannon make it at least recognizable.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart)
Arguably one of the most famous classical composers, Mozart composed over 600 pieces before his death at age 35. He was a musical prodigy and larger-than life personality, with an influence still visible today. As for the many names attached to him, my picks are Amadeus and Theophilus. Both follow the current ends-in-s trend - Jonas, Elias, Miles - and each has a great religious meaning - Amadeus means "lover of God" and Theophilus means "friend of God".

Ludwig von Beethoven
Famous for going deaf but continuing to compose, Beethoven is one of the most recognized composers today. He worked in the Austrian empire during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, creating dozens of works. Though Ludwig means "famous warrior", I think this name is probably best left alone.

Antonio Vivaldi
Vivaldi was an Italian Baroque composer, famous for his Four Seasons. He was highly influential on later composers as well. While Antonio is a classic, Vivaldi could be another all-gender standout - it's close to Vivian and Vincent, but much more lively and dynamic. And the current trend of Italian names might not make this such a unique choice in later years.

George Frideric Handel (Georg Friedrich Händel)
Regarded as one of the best composers of the Baroque era, the German-born Handel was a fixture in London during the first part of the 18th century. His music is still used today at every British coronation ceremony. George, meaning "farmer", has jumped in popularity recently due to another British royal family member, and I think this classic and cute name deserves to keep rising.

Tune in soon for more posts in the series!

Name News - 11/2/15

17 French Baby Names That Are Prime for an American Takeover - PureWow
My favorites among these include Aveline, Kais, Coralie and Leandre. What do you think?

Geeky Baby Names That Won't Scar Your Kid for Life - Chandra Steele, PC Magazine
While I'm not used to seeing name articles in PC Magazine, the author knows her audience! As a geek, I love seeing the ways other geeks pull off nerdy references in their kids' names - I myself have a friend named Luke, after Skywalker!

Baby names: Should it matter if they indicate your race? - Katherine Reynolds Lewis, Washington Post
The title may not be the best, but this article brings up an excellent question - how do you handle a heritage name in a world that discourages certain heritages? Why is Isabella allowed, but not Jamal?

Découvrez les prénoms les plus populaires dans votre département - BFMTV
This is a really cool interactive map showing the most popular baby names in France by region - my favorites include Anaïs, Sacha, and Maëlys.

Millennial moms making their last name a child's first name - Alison Bowen, Chicago Tribune
With multiples last names rising in families, why not avoid the hyphenated route and give your child a name that represents both parents? Last names become first names are a trend - should it matter if your child has a first name that's already in the immediate family?

We're giving our dogs and babies the same names - Ellen Scott, Metro
There are a lot of crossovers in the top names for dogs, cats and babies. Is this good news for pets, or bad news for kids?