Fantastic Names (And Where To Find Them): Historical Edition

A while back, I was perusing a list of recently-published novels when I noticed a strange trend. It seemed that many of the books' main characters had names that were kind of... quirky. From "Cedar McLeod" to  "Eyelet Elsworth" to "Petunia Beanly," colorful names seemed to be all over modern literature. So, naturally, I blogged about the phenomenon. I also came up with a few reasons why writers might bestow such monikers upon their characters.

But unusual names aren't limited to fictional characters. They're all around us. Within the past month, I've actually met people named Dy'Nastie (dynasty), Destaney (destiny), and Phaith (faith). And before you start fretting about "parents nowadays," you should know... I recently came across a whole bunch of strange, awesome, quirky names, in a rather unlikely place...

The 1920s.

Yes, those 1920's. That decade of jazz, prohibition, and what should have been an acute sense of impending doom.

These names were found in three yearbooks, from 1924, 1925, and 1926. If my math's correct, that means these graduates were born in the Edwardian era, so I guess we can blame (praise?) their parents, who would have been Victorians.

To be fair, some Victorian parents kept to traditional names. These yearbooks feature plenty of Johns and Marys, Williams and Margarets... and, to my surprise, a whole lotta Dorothys.

But the rest... the unusual names? Well. Below are actual names of actual high school students who graduated between 1924 and 1926 in Portland, Oregon.

Enjoy.


Actual Names Of Real High School Graduates From 1924-1926

Talmadge Rose

Melba Stebbins

Jack Winklebleck

Carolyn Octolony Jones

Millard Grimm

Oral Read

Irma Lindercrantz

Lela Van Groos

Florence Riffle

Margaret Micklewait

Gus Utter

Artiola Tethrow

Lloyd Goodwill

Priscilla Villa

Myrtle Skooge

Lucille M. Umbdenstock

Leif Sandberg

Retha Brill

Sterling McAlpine

Veola Hoselton

Guertin Carroll

Ethel Sylvester

Hugo Klingbeil

Autumn Sprague

Faun Peret

Jack King

Jewel Hall

Mildred E. Weed

Wayfe Hockett

Zella Halley

Concordia George

Herbert Eisenschmidt

Boatner Chamberlain

Marion Merservey

and introducing the heroine of my next novel:

Adelaide Embody!!!

Rest in peace, fantastically-named folks....

Fantastic Names (And Where To Find Them)

I know I shouldn't talk -- Ivony Shyer, ahem -- but while perusing a list of recently-published novels, I was amused by many of the main characters' names.

Examples Of "Fun" and "Unusual" Character Names (from a list on Amazon.com):

* * *

Poppy Hooper and Ember Hawkweed (The Hawkweed Prophecy, Brignull)

Petunia Beanly (Paris For Two, Stone)

Jack "The Jackdaw" Dawson (My Brilliant Idea (And How It Caused My Downfall), David)

Brock Ripley (Gutless, Deuker)

Mercer Buddie (Flip The Bird, Brunner)

Milo Noirlac (Black Dance, Huston)

Izzy Edel (The Sea Beach Line: A Novel, Nadler)

Moses Teumer (Broken Sleep, Bauman)

Catarina Pensbene (Catarina's Ring: A Novel, McGuiness)

Lady Helena Montagu-Douglas-Parr (Moonlight Over Paris: A Novel, Robson)

Matthew Grzbc (Contrary Motion: A Novel, Mozina)

Dolly Lane (A Girl From The Savoy: A Novel, Gaynor)

Ursula Hildesheim (My Own Dear Brother, Müller)

Sharon Kisses (The Animators: A Novel, Whitaker)

Cedar McLeod (Into The Fire (The Thin Veil), McIsaac)

Hubie Schuze (The Pot Thief Who Studied Georgia O'Keeffe, Orenduff)

Bocephus Haynes (Between Black and White, Bailey)

Cade Larrabee (Larrabee's Luck, Choate)

Hunter Talbot Grant III (Scandalize Me (Fifth Avenue), Crews)

Kamryn Cunningham (Sharing You: A Novel, McAdams)

Penny Plage (Forget Love: A Novel, Tom/Northrop)

Adelia Montfort (The Last Summer At Chelsea Beach, Jenoff)

Natalia De la Grip (All In (High Stakes), Ahrnstedt)

Eyelet Elsworth and Urlick Babbit (Noir (The Illumination Paradox), Garlick)

* * *

Why Do Writers Do This?

Reasons

• We want our characters (and therefore our stories) to be memorable. An unusual moniker should do the trick, right?

• Giving characters everyday names like Jennifer or John is fine, but writers (and readers) probably know someone by those names in real life. Writers don't want their friends and family to think the story is about them. Readers want to be able to escape. Neither necessarily wants to have an all-too-familiar name tainting or haunting the story. 

• The same brain muscles that allow writers to produce creative stories also prompt them to produce creative names. Sometimes they even come up with a character's name first and then write the story.

• Odd names worked for Mark Twain ("Huckleberry Finn") and other classic writers.

• No matter how wacky a character's name is, if the writer has been using it (writing with it) for a set amount of time, they may become attached to that name and be unwilling to change it. The name may have become an integral part of that character's essence and personality.

• Writers may struggle with coming up with a "perfect" name that doesn't date the character or the story (or maybe dates it slightly, but in a positive way.) If they're writing a story set in 1901, names like Henry, Sophie, Eva, and William are all great; they're period-appropriate and are still well-liked today. Herbert, Lester, Mildred, and Blanche, while still just as popular in 1901, don't hold up as well nowadays. Likewise, if they're writing a story set in 2016, giving characters names like Madison, Brayden, Jaxon, Kaylee and Harper may be fine now, but 50 years from now? Those people will be grandparent-aged ("Grandma Kaylee"?), and the book may seem dated. It's a tough line to walk. In the end, we often just say "screw it" and name our character Brittania Snowybear Jamison XI.

Ever So Much More Baby-Naming... With Kixia!

Hello, my lovelies! It's me, Kixia! And this is...

(View my previous columns here, here, and here.)

Okay, yes, yes... I know.... I've been notably absent for many moons. Apologies.

Have you guessed why I was gone for so long? Well, if you guessed It's because she was writing a book! you're totally correct!

Let me introduce you to MY baby....

Description: 

Naming a child is arguably the most important thing a parent will ever do, but many parents-to-be report that the process is a "struggle," an "obnoxious challenge," and even "a nightmare." But it doesn't have to be! In this baby-naming guide from blogger and self-declared baby-naming expert Kixia Foster, you'll be provided with the key steps for:

*Choosing a baby name that's modern, classic, and unique, that also perfectly fits your newborn-to-be's personality.

*Avoiding those cliché names that all the other parents are giving their children.

*Steering clear of tragic baby-naming mistakes that could scar your little one for life.

Available in November. Hardback. 112 pages. Suggested retail $29.99.

* * *

Is that exciting, or what? :) :)

Oh, but you're probably thinking, now that Kixia's written a book, she won't be blogging anymore. She expects us to PAY for her advice, does she? But that is UNTRUE! I am pleased to report that I will be continuing to blog... starting... RIGHT NOW!

So, as you can imagine, after my long hiatus from the blogosphere, my inbox looks something like this:

3-7-14 Kixia, help me name my baby!

3-9-14 Kixia, what do you think about this list of names...??

4-2-14 Kixia, help, I'm having twins! Suggestions???

4-5-14 Kixia, why haven't you responded to my messages?

10-12-14 WTF Kixia, it's been 6 months! Where are you??? PLEASE RESPOND

1-4-15 Kixia I've given birth and you still haven't responded. WHAT SHOULD I NAME MY 6 MONTH OLD KID?

2-17-15 KIXIA ARE YOU STILL ALIVE????????????????????

2-19-15 F you Kixia, I just went ahead and named my baby Bob.

While I am flattered that so many people depend on my expertise and advice, I would like to remind my readers that baby-naming (though I AM an expert, let's not kid ourselves) is something anyone can (attempt) to do. Like they say in the movies, "You had the power all along." The power to name your kid Braighlynne Papaya Nicollette Smith IV, if that was your wish. The power is yours, and always was.

But that doesn't mean I've become obsolete, oh no, no, no! (P.S.: Buy my book.)

But basically, if you sent me a message more than six months ago, I'm probably never going to read it or respond to it. But I WILL respond to some of my more recent messages, and you are, of course, welcome to send along more. Who knows? Some of them may be published in my NEXT book!

Here are a few of my recent messages as well as my helpful replies:

-----------------

Dear Kixia,

I'm pregnant with my second daughter, due in November, and need your advice -- not about not the name itself -- but about about the spelling. The name I'm going to give her is essentially "McKinsley" but I don't care for that particular spelling. I want the spelling to be semi-unique but not terribly hard for my daughter to spell out. What do you think about:

Mckynsley

Mikinzli

Makynzleighe

or... other?

Thanks!

Kayteigh Rollins

Mommy to Madysynne Rhozze and TBA

Dear Kayteigh,

How about MKNZLY? It'll get the point across, and will also make a nice license plate, if someone hasn't already taken it. And if it's not available in your state, remember, there are 49 others to choose from. As an aside, www.mknzly.com is still available! Go for it!

Sincerely, 
Kixia

-----------------

Hey Kixia,

Our baby is due in three days and we have no idea what to name it.  HELP US!

--Dale & Codey Martinez

P.S. We don't yet know the sex.

P.P.S. We're hipsters, if that changes anything.

Dale & Codey

San Diego

Dear Dale & Codey,

I have a fun idea that should appeal to all. Here's what you do. When the baby comes out, look at the hair color. Then name the baby accordingly.

Black hair? Ebony for a girl, Ebon for a boy.

Brown hair? Browne for a boy, Bronwyn for a girl.

Blonde Hair: Blondca for a girl, James Blond for a boy.

Red Hair: Redmond for a boy, Karrots for a girl.

And if it's bald? Name it Harry (or Harrie)... in the interest of irony.

Yours,

Kixia

-----------------

Kixia,

We are due with our third daughter in December. Our two girls both have names ending with "ty" (Trinity, 4, and Serenity, 2) and we want our third to have the same. We can't use "Felicity" or "Liberty" because the girls have cousins with those names. We have considered: Charity, Chastity, Modesty, Royalty, Majesty, Infinity, Destiny, and Dynasty. We were wondering what you'd suggest?

From, Jon & Lenea

Port Townsend, Washington

Dear Jon & Lenea,

Well, if you didn't already have a daughter named Trinity, I'd advise you against THAT one. Trinity literally means "a group of three". You want a child with three personalities? Fine. Go that route. Oh wait -- you already did!! Hope she's not a total nutso. And your little Serenity is presumably going through the terrible twos right now -- ever feel like rethinking THAT choice? Sorry, but I think giving kids a "virtue" or "abstract concept" name is giving them a lot to live up to. I mean, what if you give a girl the name Chastity and she doesn't remain chaste? What if Modesty likes to wear skimpy bikinis? What if Royalty becomes a bum? What if Infinity doesn't live forever? YOU SEE?

In conclusion, I suggest Hetty or Betty. Both are classic -ty names that ought to make a comeback any year now.

As always,

Kixia

-----------------

Kixia,

I'm writing to you because I'm upset with you. Well, not just with you, but... well, here's how it is. Three years ago my wife and I asked you for baby name suggestions. You told us that the letter "i" was up-and-coming and that if we gave our baby a name beginning with "i," we would not regret our choice.

Well, we named our daughter Isis, and now, quite frankly, we regret it!

This is not to say our daughter isn't the most perfect, beautiful, creative, smart, and talented child on the planet. Because she is. She just happens to have an unfortunate name.

I know that you didn't personally know, at the time, that Isis would come to represent a terrorist organization, but help us out, here... now what do we do?

-Josh Winters

Vancouver, BC

Dear Josh,

Never in my life have I been so excited by a semi-angry message! Yes, I know that there any many parents of Isis-es around the globe who are now regretting their unfortunate decision. You join the ranks of the many parents of Katrinas, Lances, Sandys, and Donalds, who have, at some point, slapped their foreheads going, "WHY?" 

Here's the silver lining, though. Your last name, and I presume your child's last name is also, Winters, correct? (If the child has a different last name, fine, but remedy that immediately.) So nickname your daughter "Isi," pronounced ICY. And there you have it. Isi Winters! Is she a Frozen fan? If so, why not?

Don't get angry, get smart, Josh! Remove that final "S" and your daughter will thrive.

All my best,

Kixia

-----------------

Hey Kixia,

My sister is pregnant with her first child, and wants to name her, I kid you not, Afternoon. She says that she feels like if Eve and Dawn can both be names, then Afternoon should be acceptable, too. I don't know how to get through to her. I mean, even if Afternoon was an okay name, what would she use for nicknames? Affie? Noo-noo? She says I need to MYOB because it's her kid, not mine, but as this baby's aunt, I feel like I ought to protect this child. Help!

-Megan D.

Atlanta, GA

Dear Megan,

My condolences on having a crazy sister. I know that a few years ago, I recommended (in one of my columns) that people give their kids "noun" names if they wanted to be avant garde, and I stand by that. But not everyone needs to be avant garde, and sometimes when we try to be so, we end up getting ourselves on the CPS watchlist, if you know what I mean.

It is a mystery why some baby names are popular and others, which seem to fall in the same category, are not. For example: months of the year. April, May, June and August are all common baby names. September, January, and November have made a few appearances as well. But nobody who is anybody names their child February, but that may be because of that nefarious extra "r". Who can say?

The same is true for seasons. "Autumn" and "Summer" are great baby names. "Winter", maybe. "Spring" and "Fall"? Heck no.

And don't even get me started on days of the week. "Sunday" and "Wednesday"? Great names. Both were names of feisty female fictional characters. But whenever I hear "Monday" all I ever think about is that detective from Mathnet. "Tuesday" and "Friday"? Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood. The jury's still out on "Saturday".

In conclusion, Eve is a great name, Dawn is a retro name, and Afternoon needs to be expunged from your sister's brain, STAT. Have you considered hypnosis? Slip the hypnotist a $50 and your sister might even be persuaded to name her kid Sally.

Best of luck,

Kixia

-----------------

Kixia,

What do you think of the name Oona, for a girl?

Your #1 Fan,

Elisa Jones

Elisa,

I love Oona! They're a great phone service. They're internet-based and super inexpensive, so if you have to have a landline... oh... wait, that's Ooma.

Yes, I love Oona! 

Hakuna Matata,

Kixia

-----------------

Well, that's all I have time for today. Don't forget to check out my book! And remember... you have the power to name your baby... so please don't screw it up.

not an actual book

Even More Baby Naming With Kixia!

Greetings, my friends and loved ones! I'm sorry it's been so long since I've posted, but I've been very busy. First there was Draw Something, then SongPop, and now Farmville 2. It's atrocious the way those things suck up your time. As a result, some people who didn't even know they were pregnant when I did my last post are now about to give birth! Isn't life amazing? 

But let's get down to business. Here are some of the emails I've received lately!

Dear Kixia,

My wife and I are expecting. We want a name that’s sort of hip and modern, but we also want something that's not often used. Where should we look? 

--Jason

Jason,

One of my favorite places to look for baby names is during the credits of movies. Not only do a lot of actors and actresses have crazy names, but their characters’ monikers are sometimes out of this world! Generally speaking, audiences are hesitant to name their babies after a movie character, thinking it’s tacky, but trust me -- in a year, no one will remember what movie the name came from, and your future offspring will be just fine.

Let’s take a look at some of the names from the more popular movies of 2012!

"The Avengers"  - Loki, Thor, Selvig, or Pepper

"The Dark Knight Rises"  - Bane, Fox, Foley, Daggett, Stryver

"The Hunger Games" - Seneca, Katniss, Primrose, Peeta

"The Expendables 2" -  Gunnar, Booker, Trench, Church, Pilar

"Snow White and the Huntsman" - Ravenna, Nion, Coll, Finn

If that doesn't give you enough to think about, there are plenty more where those came from!

-Kixia

Dear Kixia,

My name is Susan Tupper, and I am the author of Naming Your Baby Without Shaming Your Family (Randall House, 2011), which was the best-selling baby name book for over two days in July of 2011 on amazon.com.

I take issue with your last column, in which you suggested that parents who want to give their children unique names to choose everyday objects, such as Teapot, and use those as monikers. Just because celebrities are missing enough brain cells to choose names like “Rocket” or “Pencil” doesn’t mean well-educated “regular” folks should follow suit. In fact, we should get as far away from that trend as possible!

Yes, some parents will always want to give their children unique names. However, in my professional opinion, there are better ways to go about it. My colleagues and I have invented two “baby-naming games” that I hope you will see fit to share with your readers. They are as follows:

1. Keyboard Jamboree: Four out of five experts agree there is no better way of letting a baby’s older siblings be involved in that child’s life than being an active participant in the naming process! This works especially well with children between the ages of 1 and 5. Simply place the older child in front of a computer and allow their innocent, child-like fingers to caress the keyboard. The letters that present themselves onscreen will be the newborn baby’s name. It may look strange to you at first, but the process will certainly bond your family together.

2. Scrabble Tiles Jubilee: Place “Scrabble” tiles in a bag. Each family member, starting with the oldest, should take turns pulling out a letter until six or seven have been chosen. The letters should then be spread out on a table and arranged to make something that sounds “name-like.” If no vowels were drawn, the family may decide what vowel sounds the name should have; actual letters not necessary.

My colleague Anna used this method to name all three of her children, and I can assure that Jamack, Belvia, and Feshdr are very healthy and happy, and no in-laws were shamed in the naming process.

Regards,

Susan E. Tupper

Author of Naming Your Baby Without Shaming Your Family (Randall House, 2011, 332 pages)

Susan,

Thanks? I guess.

-Kixia

Dear Kixia,

My husband and I are expecting twins in November -- two boys, to be precise -- and we want to choose two names that go together. But we don’t want one name to be better than the other, because we’d hate to be the cause of any future resentment between the boys. Yet it is so difficult to pick two names that not only sound nice, but that are equal in merit. What should we do?

-Tiana H., Clifton, Maine

Tiana,

Your problem is both extremely common and extremely serious. The fact of the matter is, one of your boys’ names will come before the other's in the alphabet, unless of course you give them the exact SAME name (which I would not recommend as it incites confusion). Fact: the child whose name appears first in our alphabet will have the advantage in life. He is likely to feel superior to his brother. Therefore, I suggest you give the boy whose name comes later in the alphabet the slightly better name. This will cause everything to be harmonious and bring about justice for all.

-Kixia

Kixia,

Can you please tell your readers to stop naming their kids things that rhyme with Aidan? In my son's class at school he has a Braedon, a Cayden, a Jaden, a Hayden (female), and a Zaydon. Whatever happened to Christopher? Or Michael? Or names that didn't rhyme with each other?

-Mark in Syracuse

Mark,

I hear you, I do. And while having two simultaneously-popular names that happen to rhyme is not that unusual (think: Lloyd and Floyd, Chester and Lester, Jean and Dean, Greg and Craig, or Mary/Carrie/Terry/Jerry/Gary/Barry/Larry), I think parents need to get away from the -aidan trend in the same way they should step away from all names starting with "Mc." They've been done. To death. Get over it.

-Kixia

Hi Kixia, 

In the last couple of years, I've had several friends give their babies these super long names, that they then immediately shorten to nicknames. Lilliannabelle becomes Lilli, Allyssabeth becomes Ally, and Sebastian becomes Ian. My question is, if you're going to call your kid by a nickname anyway, why give them the long name to begin with?

-Curious in Oklahoma

Dear Curious,

It's an American thing. It's as if parents think letters (as in the ABCs) are akin to layers of blankets, that the more you have, the more secure/safe/happy your child will be. Plus they're afraid of their kids hitting age 5, declaring name-hatred, and running off to the nearest social security office to become an Isabella or a Jeremiah. If they start off by giving their child a long name with lots of syllables, then the child can keep their original name but have a slew of nicknaming options. And sure, some folks will simply name their kid Ada or Ian to begin with, but at what risk? If you ask me, none. In fact, I'm getting so tired of the "Lynne" and "Ella"s being tacked to the end of names, that I think the United States should impose a special tax on any parent who gives their child a name with more than three syllables. We'd either solve the deficit or stop the madness. A win-win, if you ask me.

-Kixia

More Baby Naming With Kixia!

 

Hello, my lovelies! I have returned, as always with the noble goal of helping parents, parents-to-be, and people who really want to have a baby someday, to name their offspring. So throw those Baby Name books aside and stop trolling the forums of mybabysnameiscoolerthanyourbabys.com and take a look at the latest batch of letters and emails I've received. Perhaps they will inspire you in your choices. And remember, naming your baby is, without a doubt, the most important thing you will ever do. Give a child the perfect name, and she will pretty much raise herself.

Dear Kixia,

My husband Hector and I are having our 14th child, hoping someday to have our own reality show. Our children all have H-names; however, we semi-regret going with this letter because we are beginning to run out of options. Our thirteen current children are: Hector Jr., Hilary II, Haley, Hunter, Heidi, Henrietta, Harry, Hermione, Harvey, Holden, Hugh, Heaven, and Hannah.

We've looked at our other options, and they include such cringe-worthy names as Hortense, Homer, Heathcliff, and Hirschell. Can you give us some suggestions? Our dog (Hugo) ate the Baby Name book and we are at a loss.

Yours Truly,

Hilary

Springfield, IL

Hilary,

I would be happy to help! I am rather fond of the letter H, and hold it in quite high regard. I notice you've named two subsequent children "Harry" and "Hermione". A Harry Potter fan, perhaps? Then look no further than that series for your inspiration: "Hagrid" for a boy, or "Hedwig" for a girl! Oh yes, Hedwig! Let us celebrate literature's dearest bird! May her feathery legacy live on through your baby!

But be careful, my dear: Avoid "Hippogriff", "Helga Hufflepuff," "Half-Blood Prince," and "Hallows" (Deathly or otherwise). These names would not be pleasing in any sense, even if you do nurse a strong affection for one Mr. Severus Snape (as I do, but that is a subject for another time.)

-Kixia

Dear Kixia,

I'm due in three months and I want to give my baby girl a name that is not popular NOW, but will be popular in the NEAR FUTURE, so that when it becomes popular, people will think that I started the trend and be all, you know, impressed. Except how can I tell what names are going to be popular in a couple of years? I tried going to a fortune teller, but she suggested the name "Ingeborg," so now I'm back to square one. I thought, if anyone, YOU could help me! So HELP!

Desperate,

Suzann

Denver, CO

Suzann,

First off, congratulations! I LOVE the spelling of your name! It is unique and yet not impossible to pronounce! Second off, congratulations on your pregnancy, and guess what, sister, I CAN help you!

The trick is to look at the popular names lists from the United Kingdom. I recently took a trip to jolly old England, and I can say with some authority that they are very avant garde there (powdered wigs nonwithstanding.) Paris and Milan may be the trendsetters when it comes to fashion, but those Brits are well-known for their baby-naming prowess, and often set the stage for what names will be popular in the U.S. in years to come. 

So. First we must look at a list of the most popular girl names in the U.K. for the year 2011; then we must cross off any name that ALSO appears on the U.S. list for 2011 (only, alas, the U.S. is behind the U.K. in that aspect as well; the Social Security Administration's most recent list is from 2010. Sigh, I suppose it will have to do. Now where was I? Oh yes, crossing out names.)

1. Lily 2. Emily 3. Isabella 4.Sophia 5. Isabelle 6. Sophie 7. Olivia 8. Ava 9. Chloe 10. Isla 11. Amelia 12. Jessica 13. Grace 14. Evie 15. Charlotte 16. Ella 17. Mia 18. Lucy 19. Freya 20. Ruby 21. Holly 22. Ellie 23. Hannah 24. Emma 25. Abigail 26. Megan 27. Jasmine 28. Daisy 29. Matilda 30. Erin 31. Poppy 32. Imogen 33. Maisie 34. Layla 35. Phoebe 36. Eva 37. Molly 38. Maya 39. Scarlett 40. Annabelle 41. Alice 42. Sienna 43. Amelie 44. Lola 45. Caitlin 46. Amy 47. Madison 48. Katie 49. Zoe 50. Florence 51. Elisabeth 52. Amber 53. Summer 54. Rosie 55. Emilia 56. Rebecca 57. Leah 58. Evelyn 59. Millie 60. Esme 61. Eleanor 62. Willow 63. Georgia 64. Zara 65. Lacey 66. Anna 67. Rose 68. Lexie 69. Eliza 70. Lauren 71. Bella 72. Elsie 73. Eloise 74. Isobel 75. Sarah 76. Martha 77. Keira 78. Faith 79. Niamh 80. Gracie 81. Gabriella 82. Skye 83. Harriet 84. Kayla 85. Alyssa 86. Maria 87. Nicole 88. Nina 89. Paige 90. Kate 91. Orla 92. Bethany 93. Iris 94. Alexandra 95. Sofia 96. Lilly 97. Isabel 98. Hollie 99. Annabel 100. Laila

There are many names remaining, and so, let's look at some of our options. 

#19 - Freya - A beautiful name; however, to be avoided if you have the last name "Tuck."

#79 - Niamh - Aye, 'tis an Irish name! Very now. However, no one will ever pronounce it correctly (it's NEEV, can you believe it?)  So that is something to consider.

#62 - Willow - The world has not yet seen its fill of Willow "I Whip My Hair Back And Forth" Smith, and I see this name catching on in popularity in the years to come. 

#91 - Orla - Of course, there are exceptions to any rule. AVOID.

Best of luck,

Kixia

Dear Kixia,

My  husband and I are trying to decide on a name for our baby boy, due in February. We want a UNIQUE name because we really don't want him to be, like, one of 9 "Aidan"s in his Kindergarten class, you know what I mean? But every time I think of a name that I think nobody's ever thought of, and I google it, there's the name. Someone's thought of it. It is SO ANNOYING. Help me pick a unique name that no one's ever thought of!

-Joeleen

Seattle, WA

Joeleen,

Well, I'm afraid as soon as I suggest a name for you on here, hundreds of parents will latch onto it and use it, therefore defeating the purpose entirely. So while I will refrain from giving you an actual name, I will point you in the right direction. Hint: CELEBRITIES. Yes, celebrities are notorious for choosing unique (and some will call them "strange") names for their recently-born.  Take a look at some of the monikers that have made their debut in recent years:

Pirate, Zeppelin, Sunday, Satchel, Petal, Sparrow, Bronx, Camera, Denim, Banjo, Rocket, Audio Science, Thyme, and Moon Unit.

What do all these names have in common? They are nouns. Somewhat ordinary, everyday nouns that don't have a lot of meaning... UNTIL we bestow them upon our precious babies IN WHICH CASE they are suddenly amazing, as in: "Teapot is a fabulous name for a child! Why did I never think of it? I use a teapot every day! It sits on my stove! It seemed so ordinary. AND YET IT IS BRILLIANT!"

So go now, take a look around your home, and make a list of objects that you see, and surely you will be able to come up with a name that no one has ever thought of before. And, if in doubt, add in a couple of extra letters: (ie: "Lammpshayde") to make extra sure.

-Kixia

Dear Kixia,

My wife and I are at an impasse. Help us decide: Which is best: "y", "ey", "ie", "i", "ee" or "eigh"?

Gratefully,

Doug

Portland, OR

Doug,
No doubt about it -- "Eigh" is the far superior of the letter combinations. Some people say "less is more," but I do not agree when it comes to this issue, no indeed. Look at how beautiful "eigh" looks and dare to disagree!

Carleigh

Ameigh

Triniteigh

Brittneigh

"Eigh" is like a warm bubblebath. Those other letters can go away. Henceforth I shall be known as Keighxeigha! (But it will still be pronounced Kee-sha, mind you.)

Keshia Knight Pulliam, my idol

So there you have it.

-Kixia

Because Deciding Is Hard

Dear Kixia,

My hubby and I are having our 3rd baby in 4 monthss! We just found out we’re having another girl!!  Buuuut we can’t agree on a name!!! Our other childrens' names are: Braelynn Gabriella and Gracelynn Isabella.  LOL yeah we kind of have a pattern thing going on.  Should we stick with that, or go in a whole new direction?  What do YOU think???

Sincerely,
Lizzy & Darius Cole


Lizzy & Darius,

Congrats!  OMG I love it when parents give their kids names with patterns! It brings such order to this chaotic world!  I TOTALLY think you should stick with what you have going.  If one sister had a name that was totally different from her OTHERS sisters, she might feel inferior or different!  That could screw her up for LIFE.

With that in mind, here are a few suggestions for girlie #3!:

-Charlynn Arabella
-Kennalynn Jezabella
-Azlynn Lionella
-Brooklynn Fontanella
-Sophielynn Nutella

Hope this helps! Let me know what you decide!

-Kixia



* * * * *
Dear Kixia,

We’re having our first baby in two months, a boy.  My parents are very religious and really they want us to name our baby something from the Bible.  So... my husband and I were talking about Joshua, Micah, Noah, etc.  But my husband’s parents, they think the baby should have a unique, unusual name.  What should we do??

Sincerely,
Angela


Dear Angela,

One word: NEBUCHADNEZZAR!  King of the Bible!  And the name “Chad” is hidden in there, so you’ve got an insta-nickname!  Fabulous, right?  I wouldn’t stear you wrong.

-Kixia


* * * * * 
Dear Kixia,

My boyfriend and I have a three-year-old son, Jakobi Kai Isaiah… Jake for short.  Last week we found out that we’re going to be giving Jake a little brother in March!  We’re so excited!!  We want to name the baby something along the same lines, you know -- three names, with kind of the same sound going on… and we really like the letter “I”, so anything with that would be really awesome.  Thanks!

-Vanessa


Vanessa,

Oooh I love a good “must-have-this-letter” challenge! 

Let’s start with a short list of names with “I”…

-Ian (A little too popular, IMO, but an old classic nonetheless)
-Ike  (Can be short for Michael, but can stand alone as well)
-Isaac (“Zac” makes a nice nickname!)
-Ivan  (Love that “I-V” combo, don’t you?)
-Israel  (Does the child have Jewish roots? If so, pay homage.)
-Ishmael  (Literary references make your baby seem more intellectual. This can further him down the road.)
-Iverson  (The classic “Last name --> First Name” approach.)
-Iraq  (Topical & very modern!)
-Island (Names ending with -land are very IN right now.)

And then, of course, there are many names with the letter “I” positioned somewhere in the middle.  Some of my favorites include:

-Josiah (Biblical --> religious --> God will shine down on your baby!)
-Riley (Another popular one, but it would pair well with any of the above)
-Lionel (A strong name. Lions. RARRGHHH!)
-Giles (Unusual, but classy)
-Elijah (Elijah Wood --> Lord of the Rings --> Literary Reference --> Literature --> Smart Baby)

If you didn’t like the letter “I” so much, I would actually suggest replacing it with “Y”, as “Y” is just a touch better. Consider it!

Yvan Josyah Ryley
Lyonel Elyjah Yverson

See how nice that looks?

Good luck!
Kyxya


* * * * * 
Dear Kixia,

Help!!! The wife and I can’t agree on a name for our first child (a girl)!  Which name do you like better?  We’ll choose whichever you choose.

Option A: Alianna Ryleen Spencer
Option B: Blayke Jordana Spencer

Thanks,
Ken and Tiffany-Jo Spencer


Ken & Tiffany-Jo,

I say, when you can’t decide, JUST USE BOTH!  Lots of parents are going the “3-4 Names” route these days, there is nothing wrong with that!  If you are still unsure which order to put them in, I’d suggest using the first initial to try to spell out a word.  I was noticing that if you go like this:

Blayke
Alianna
Ryleen
Jordana

You get BARJ!  Barj --> Barge, and that’s a word!  See?  Kids LOVE it when their initials spell something.  Mine do!  Kixia Alice Foster --> KAF --> Calf!  I love it, and so will baby Blayke!  Trust me.

Best wishes!
Kixia


* * * * * 
Dear Kixia,

HELP!!! Three years ago, when I frist decided I wanted to have a baby, I told every1 that the baby’s name -- if it was a girl -- was going to be Savannah Grace.  I told EVERY1111!  Well, I shouldn't of, because GUESS WHUT -- my stupid cow of a cousin-in-law just had a baby girl and named her GRACE OLIVIA.  Now, I kno that’s not exactly the same, but the fact that she took MY name, Grace, really pisses me off!   Now I’m preggers, due in 8 months, and I have no idea what to do!!!  Pleeeease help me think of a better name then her so I can show her!!!

-Lacey


Lacey, 

Girlfriend, I have an even better idea.  Keep the baby you’re about to have, of course, but ALSO… ADOPT a baby who is sliiiiightly older and bigger than your cousin-in-laws’ name-stealing baby.  Name your adopted child Savannah Grace.  Remind everyone that your baby was born first (which it WAS) and tell them that your cousin-in-law copied you.  That will show everyone, and you will have the last laugh!!!  As for your second baby, Shenandoah Glee would be a nice companion name!

Be sure to send me pix when the baby(ies) arrive!

-Kixia