Baby Name News: Starbabies, Spanish and Super Bowl names
Names with an -ee sound: Stormi and Minnie
Barely a week goes by lately without name news from the Kardashian-Jenner clan. You’ve probably heard that Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott have welcomed their daughter Stormi. So despite the rumors, nothing to do with butterflies or lip kits in the end.
As names go, Stormi is unusual but certainly not unheard of in the US. It was given to 30 girls in 2016, and to as many as 90 a year in the 1990s, around the time Kylie was born. The spelling Stormy is slightly more popular.
A few other notable starbaby names of the week ended in an -ee sound.
Minnie Theodora was born to Jack Osbourne (Ozzy’s son). Her first name nicely marries up the style of her two sisters’ names, vintage Pearl and nicknamey Andy, while her middle name may be a nod to the couple’s late son, Theo.
Betsy Mack and Emory JoAnn are the twin daughters of Lady Antebellum singer Hillary Scott. With a big sister called Eisele (“eyes-lee”), the siblings have a matching set of -ee endings.
Of course it’s not just stars who are using sweet diminutive-sounding names. Last month’s Nameberry birth announcements include some lovely ones, both as nicknames and standalones, like Ezrie, Gigi, Isly and Sully.
Stunning Spanish names: Francisco and Alabanza
In other celebrity news, Lin–Manuel Miranda has been busy contributing to the name world. Here on Nameberry, his song title Alabanza (“praise”) was nominated twice in the invent-a-name contest. And out in the real world, he and his wife Vanessa Nadal have just welcomed a son, Francisco. Like big brother Sebastian, the name is long but not burdensome, recognisable in both Spanish and English, and has solid roots. Many Fran-names are enjoying a revival at the moment, and while Francisco isn’t as popular as it was in the 1990s, it’s still a solid Top 300 name.
Super Bowl names: Carson and more
Carson is a name on top of its game right now, thanks in part to Philadelphia Eagles player Carson Wentz. Even though he wasn’t in the Super Bowl last weekend, that didn’t stop parents using his name.
One couple in Philadelphia bet each other that if the Eagles won, they would call their son Carson. What they didn’t expect was that he would arrive early on Super Bowl day itself. Another local Carson was born in January, and I’m sure there are many more namesakes out there.
Beyond Carson, there were plenty of interesting and wearable names on both teams’ line-ups. Over on her blog, Ren looked at some of the standouts in the Eagles and the Patriots, including Rex, Dion, Shelton, Malcolm and Nigel.
Looking for a name guaranteed to make your child a footballer? This post explains how to nail it (spoiler: it may help to call them Larry or Marcus) and gives some of best NFL names of all time.
The gift of a name
Do people constantly try to suggest baby names to you? If so, you have something in common with the prime minister of New Zealand.
Jacinda Ardern is expecting her first child, gender unknown, and already the name suggestions are coming in. On recent trips, she has been offered as gifts two names from the Maori language: first Te Waru (“the eighth”, commemorating a spiritual leader’s birthday) and then Waimirirangi (said to mean the queen of a particular Maori nation).
I suspect it’s unlikely she’ll use a name that can be interpreted politically, but it will be interesting to see if she is offered any more name gifts and what she chooses in the end. Perhaps something from New Zealand’s top 100?
Meanwhile, she’s an example to us all of how to gracefully acknowledge the gift of a name without committing to it.
Love is in the air
…and also in the new Swedish boys’ top 100, where you’ll find Love at number 47.
Are Swedish parents discovering their inner flower child? As name aficionados might have guessed, no – it’s just a lovely coincidence. Love is in the family of names that includes Ludvig and Lovis, and in English Lewis and Louis. Feminine forms Lovisa and Lova are in the girls’ top 100. Lova strikes me as a name that could travel well: it’s like a cross between Luna and Nova, or Lola and Ava, yet it hasn’t charted in the US since the 1960s.
If you’re looking for a name that actually means “love” this Valentine’s day, here’s a great selection – and while we’re thinking Scandinavian, we could add Elske to the list.