New Years' Day Names

Happy New Year, readers!

I hope 2016 is good to every one of you! I, for one, could use a new start and a new philosophy. Tell me your New Year's resolutions (name-related or not) in the comments!

Naveen - "new"

Disney's Princess and the Frog brought this name to our collective consciousness, but only 45 boys and 31 girls were named Naveen last year - if you're looking for uniqueness, here it is! Naveen is Hindi, and works well cross-culturally for any US baby. 

Neo - "new"

Another name made popular by movies, but this time it's the sci-fi classic The Matrix. It's slowly rising for boys, but it isn't nearly as trendy as Leo or Noah. I think Neo could also be a cool nickname for a New Year's baby, first names aside. It's origin is Latin. 

Nova - "new"

This celestial name is concise but holds great power - associating your baby with a bright star isn't a bad way to start off the year. Nova is also a retro name made cool again, and it's steep rise up the charts in recent years shows that it's not going anywhere. 

Zera - "seeds" or "beginnings"

A Z name I haven't seen before, Zera (pronounced ZEH-rah) is a cool, confident name that any little girl could pull off. I like it's closeness to Vera, but the visual connection to Zero might be problematic for some (or a positive!)

January - month name, from the Roman god Janus

I reviewed this name in my Winter Names a few weeks back, but it's too relevant to pass up for a New Year's post. Janus is the god of beginnings, so naming a child in his honor fits with the New Year's theme. Janan is also in this name family!

Harish - "lord of monkeys"

From a Hindi name that also refers to the god Vishnu, I thought including a monkey post for the Year of Monkey was pertinent. Harish has been used on and off since the 1970's, and its closeness to Harrison or Hamish will help it fit in. 

Throwback Thursday Series - American Given Names, H, I + J

Hello, readers,

We'll continue today with my series on George R Stewart's American Given Names. Let me know which ones you like in the comments!

Also, I'm collecting the best books on names! Tell me in the comments or message me through my blog what your favorite name books are - this could be baby name anthologies, histories about certain names, or books with names as a major plot point, like The Importance of Being Earnest. I'm eager to hear what you like!

Habakkuk - "embracing"

Haggai - "festive"

Hale - "someone who lives in a hollow"

Hezekiah - "God gives strength"

Hopestill - word name

Hopefor - word name

Increase - word name

Ione - "violet flower"

Issachar - "hireling"

Jaazaniah - "May God hear"

Jabez - "borne in pain"

Jael - "mountain goat"

Jair/Jairus - "he shines"

Jehiel - "God lives"

Jehu - "God is he"

Jephthah - "he opens"

Jeroboam - "let the people increase"

Jotham - "God is perfect"

Juba - "born on a Monday"

Juniata - name of a Pennsylvania river, "standing stone"

International Names

Hello, readers!

A couple of weeks ago I focused on US State Names that had a lot of use in the United States. Today, I'll be expanding my view to look at the names of countries that have made it into the US Top 1000.

Jordan - #55 for boys, #247 for girls
While the popularity of this name has less to do with the country and more to do with basketball star Michael Jordan, it is the most popular country name. Jordan means "flowing down" and has long been associated with its eponymous river. It works for both religious and secular families, and certainly won't be out of use anytime soon.

Israel - #240 for boys
Not a bad name to pick during this time of year! While the name has been in use for centuries, the creation of Israel in 1948 led to an upswing in using this name. Israel means "he who struggles with God" in Hebrew, and is used cross-culturally today. Nickname Izzy is pretty cute too.

Georgia - #243 for girls
The last of the country names in the top 500, Georgia has been a classic English feminine name for generations. After declining steadily for years, it returned in the 1990's and could very well make it into the top 20, in my opinion. Georgia means "farmer" and is also associated with the US state, more so than the Eurasian country.

Kenya - #702 for girls
This name was absolutely inspired by the country, and came into use after the independent Republic of Kenya was established. I think the sound of the name has kept it afloat - it's not too far from Kayla or Kendra - more so than any affiliation with the nation. Kenya comes from the Kikuyu Kirinyaga, meaning "white mountain".

Chad - #703 for boys
It's more of a coincidence that this name connects to the African nation, as the official etymology of Chad defines it as old English for "battle warrior". But it's popularity in the 1970's, 80's and 90's has cemented it into US name consciousness. The country's name comes from the Kanuri tsade, meaning "lake".

Ireland - #983 for girls
A celebrity baby name that made it into the top 1000, Ireland is great for the millions of Americans who claim Irish ancestry (I'm one of them). While I'm skeptical of this name for its lack of nicknames, that might appeal to some of you namers out there! Ireland comes from the Proto-Celtic Éire, meaning "the fertile place".

Other international names that don't quite fit these parameters include Asia, at #806 for girls; America, at #846 for girls; and Holland, at #891 for girls.

Did I miss any nations? Are there countries you think should be on this list? Tell me in the comments!

Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens Names

Greetings, readers! May the Force be with you!

I'm jumping on the Star Wars bandwagon since I saw the film yesterday and it was EXCELLENT. Yes, there are a lot of Star Wars name posts out there, but it's my turn to contribute to the zeitgeist.

If you haven't seen the film yet and don't want to know anything, do not continue reading. But I won't be spoiling any major plot points.

Rey

My favorite character of the film, Rey is a strong, independent, intuitive woman who every human should aspire to be (too much?) I think the name (and spelling) of Rey is great for any little one. It's more substantial than frilly Raelynn, and less fusty than Raymond. Last year, Rey ranked at #884 on the boys' list, but if past Star Wars name trends are any indication, the Force will soon be strong with Rey for girls. 

Finn

Leave it to Star Wars to take a classic Irish name and make it edgy and interplanetary. Like Luke, Finn can be short for other names, but stands well on its own. The character of Finn in The Force Awakens is courageous, kind, and funny - not a bad namesake! Finn is currently ranked at #234 for boys, but I think we'll see it move into the top 100 very soon. 

Poe

To be honest, I couldn't understand the name of this character until the end credits - Poe is quite a short name, aurally and visually. But it fits in perfectly with Rey and Finn - robust, one-syllable names that have the capacity to be nicknames. In the film, Poe is a smooth fighter pilot and friend to the main characters. And I think Poe works as a friendly name for any gender. 

Maz

Having never heard the name Maz before, I checked the data - turns out there were 5 baby boy Maz's born in 2013. Star Wars' Maz is an old, wise woman - kind of like a female Yoda, but less confusing - and is voiced by the fabulous Lupita Nyong'o. Maz is another short and sweet name, with a cool z-ending and transcultural potential. 

Kylo

Switch out the last letter of one of the most popular K-names and you have a unique extraterrestrial name. It rhymes with darling Milo and won't raise many eyebrows - but naming your child after a Star Wars villain might (it's no wonder there are so few Darth's on playgrounds). But the next few films will tell us more about Kylo, so the jury is out!

Of course, Luke and Leia have stood the test of 40 years of naming, and Han isn't unheard of either. Who knows what awesome names the next few films will bring us!

Name News - 12/28/15

Who Wins in the Name Game? - Cody C. Delistraty, The Atlantic
As I say all the time, your first name has the potential to change your life - from who you meet to where you're hired to how you're viewed internationally.

Kanye and Kim Kardashian West Name Son Saint - Andrea Park, People
After months of speculation, the name has been announced - Saint West. Whether you love or loathe it, Saint and North make a great sibset - they're both single-syllable word names. And there were 32 Saint's born last year in the US!

High noon for Gary: why is the once-popular name on the verge of extinction? - The Guardian
While I think it's a bit dramatic to say the name is on the verge of extinction - there are names kept viable with much more dismal statistics - it is interesting to see how quickly a name falls out of use once it's been deemed passé.

What Your Name Says About You - Meghan Walsh, OZY
First names are becoming more and more unique in spelling, pronunciation, and origin - what does that say about the society we live in? Are names more or less important now?

Facebook Introduces Major Changes to Their "Real Names" Policy to Support the LGBT Community - Noelle Devoe, Seventeen
For individuals who choose to go by another name for personal reasons, this is a win! Let all names be celebrated!

Saturday Jams: St. STEPHEN'S Day

Happy Feast of St. Stephen, followers! Today's music will focus on the special Stephen, Steven, Steve in your life :) And this is the first time all the songs have been post-2000!

"Stephen", Ke$ha, 2010

"Stevie", Kasabian, 2014

"Steven", Senses Fail, 2003

"Stevie on the Radio", Pixie Lott, 2011

"Steve McQueen", Sheryl Crow, 2002

Christmas Song Names

Merry Christmas, readers!

Today's post is a list of names that are found in popular Christmas songs.

On a more personal note, thank you all for reading my blog. Views and comments make my day! I hope you have a lovely winter season with family and friends. 

Mary

Joseph

Gloria

Jesus

Wenceslas

Stephen

Christian

Holly 

Ivy

Emmanuel

Israel

Jesse

David

Barney

Ben

Janice

Jen

Rudolph

Nicholas

Tiffany

Bobby

Suzy

Nellie