Nameberry intern and guest blogger Danielle Miksza loves all things vampire, including the strange and wonderful world of vampire baby names.  She enlightens us on the options.

Vampires seem to be everywhere these days: in books and movies, on television and the internet, even occasionally living next door.  As a twenty year-old who believes Halloween should be declared a national holiday, I can’t help but be consumed by the vampire craze.

One reason for my vampire obsession is that they are portrayed as dark and lonely creatures nobody quite understands.  As an only child, I was often lonely growing up.  I did odd things such as talk to myself or giggle at absolutely nothing.  People were a bit unnerved by me and kept their distance.  So yes, when I read about a vampire feeling like an outcast from the rest of the world, I have an idea of what that feels like.

More reasons for my vampire fanaticism: I stay up all night; I hate the sunlight, and garlic does not agree with me. Who knows? I could be a bit of a vampire myself.

Once you look past the fangs and blood lust, vampires are actually quite attractive. Who could resist a guy with incredible strength, gorgeous eyes, pointy yet very white teeth, and a handsome name? Stephenie Meyer gave us girls one of the greatest gifts of all in her series Twilight: Edward Cullen. Just the thought of that immortal makes me light-headed. He’s rich. He’s gorgeous. And he’s telepathic. How often do you come across guys like that?

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For years, it was my dirty little secret. I had special paper: lined white pads with no margins or holes down the left side. The pens had to be just so too, heavy black or blue fountain pens like we used in Catholic school. I needed two decks of cards, shuffled together. And my name lists, that was the most important thing.

I called it Writing Names, and the only people who knew I did it, my parents and my younger brother, teased me mercilessly about it. It was weird, they said, crazy even. And so I kept it secret from the rest of the world, not only when I was ten and eleven and twelve but for years afterward.

I was seriously unpopular during that time, too old to race around on bikes or play house in the woods, but too young to be so ashamed of my name obsession that I’d give it up. After school and through long summer days, I’d get out my paper and my cards and my lists and I’d settle in for hours alone with my Name Game.

Here’s how it worked: I had four lists of 144 names each – girls’ names, boys’ names, last names, and place names. The names on the lists were each keyed to a pair of cards: ace-two might equal Barbara, say, or eight-three Joseph. I’d shuffle my cards, divide them into two equal piles, and then turn over the first pair, which would indicate the fathers’ name in the family I was inventing. Then mom and last name. (more…)

Tuesday we brought you the Name Gamers’ take on new spins for the Top Ten girls’ names.  Today we feature their Nameberry Makeover of the most popular boys’ names.

Thank you to nameberry mavens olivegreen, susan, lyndsayjenness, jill, amym, lola, ricamaca, and dannim26.  For more of their makeover ideas, or to join in the game, go to the Name Game board.

Remember, the idea here is to come up with fresher spins on overpopular names, but what’s so clever about these name makeovers is that the new versions convey the original names’ essence, not merely the way they look and sound.

1.    JACOB – Jasper, Isaac, James

2.    MICHAEL – Milo, Miles, Mitchell, Micah, Raphael (wow!)

3.    ETHAN – Nathaniel, Edward, Everett, Ephraim

4.    JOSHUA – Jonas, Joaquin, Jasper

5.    DANIEL – Dashiell, Dominic, Declan

6.    CHRISTOPHER –Crispin, Caspian, Phineas (nice)

7.    ANTHONY –  Ansel, Antoine, August, Ambrose, Vincent (ooooh, very nice)

8.    WILLIAM – Walter, George, Philip, needs no replacement!

9.    MATTHEW – Moses, Maxfield, Maddox, Matthias or Matteo

10.    ANDREW – Asher, Archer, Anderson, Lochlan

Any other ideas?  Let us know!

The brilliant visitors over on the Name Game board have done it again.  The latest greatest game they’re playing is called Nameberry Makeover, in which they take the Top Ten names and come up with fresher, cooler sounding substitutes.

Some new players may have joined in by now and if so I’m sorry to leave you out of the credits, but these delicious ideas for new versions of widely used names are thanks to nameberryites olivegreen, susan, lyndsayjenness, jill, lola, alexisgracelynn123, ricamaca, and dannim26.

I especially love the way so many of these don’t just echo the name but pick up on its essence.  Parents who love one of the top names but are in search of new spins will find some great ideas here.

1. EMILY — Evelyn, Cecily, Amelia, Emmeline

2. ISABELLA — Eudora, Imogen, Belle, Isadora, Isla, Maeve

3. EMMA — Gemma, Etta, Esme

4. AVA — Avalon, Eve, Evangeline, Ada

5. MADISON — Mabel, Madeleine, Millicent, Matilda, Harper

6. SOPHIA — Sylvia, Lucia, Ophelia (nice), Scarlett, Penelope

7. OLIVIA — Livia, Olena, Viviana, Odessa, Olive

8. ABIGAIL — Lydia, Esther, Jemima, Abriana, Bailey

9. HANNAH — Susannah, Anna, Dinah, Helena

10.ELIZABETH — Eleanor, Eliza, Leisel

We’d love to hear more makeover ideas, or head over to the Name Games board and join in.  Thursday, we’ll feature the boys’ makeovers.

Palindrome Names

Exotic Reversals

Here are a few other exotic reversals, giving a nouveau twist to an old name.  You could probably come up with some more yourself–perhaps as a way of creating a namesake for someone you wish to honor: