Category: Baby Names Popularity
Many of today’s most fashionable boys’ names carry a gender identity that’s decidedly masculine but not conventionally so, softer than macho but stronger than unisex. These boys’ names fall right in the middle on the gender scale, in contrast to their stylish female counterparts, which tend to be ultra-feminine (Arabella, Ophelia) or frankly boyish (Hayden, Frankie).
Many of these hot new boys’ names carry sounds that are soft and/or traditionally connected to girls’ names, such as vowel endings, and so depart from the classic male names once dominant. These stylish boys’ names with a fresh gender identity include:
They have a shortlist for their first child, but they’re torn. Do they use a long-time favorite? Stick with something more classic? Or start from scratch?
L. writes:
We are expecting our first baby later this year, a girl, and we are stuck on names.
For many years, I thought I would name my future daughter Chloe. My husband is okay with Chloe, but Olivia is his current favorite. I also like Olivia, but I’m not sure it’s “the one.”
We’ve also considered Whitley (but my husband doesn’t like it), Lauren, and Kinsley. When I read comments about the name Kinsley, it is mostly negative. Could I pull off a name I like but others will hate? Will I regret not using Chloe? Do I play it safe with Olivia? Go classic with Lauren?
I have read countless name lists and I go round and round with this same handful of names. Popular Nameberry suggestions such as Margot, Clementine, and Eliza don’t appeal to me.
Please help!
The Name Sage replies:
I was browsing the name Theodosia a little while ago — you know, the way some people browse bookstores or designer clothes — and I thought, There’s an interesting route to Thea!
At first thought, finding an unusual formal name that gets you to a popular nickname might seem to give you the worst of all worlds. The unusual, distinctive name you worked so hard to find is hidden away on the official documents, while the world knows your child by a nickname — Ellie or Addie or Max — that lots of other kids share.
But you can look at it another way that makes a lot more sense. You get to give your baby a truly unique name without having to worry that it’s too difficult to spell or pronounce or understand because it has an eminently user-friendly nickname. And if at any point you or your child wants to be Theodosia instead of Thea, it’s waiting right there.
What are some unusual routes to popular nicknames that you can think of? Treat us to your cleverest choices.
Popularity isn’t what it used to be. That’s something that’s said a lot in baby name discussions, usually to reassure parents that even if they choose one of the top names in the country, their child (probably) won’t be one of seven Emmas or Noahs in their class. The statistics show that, year after year, the most popular names are being given to a smaller and smaller percentage of children.
The flipside of this is that unusual names aren’t what they used to be, either.
With the pool of names no longer dominated by a few top names as it was in past generations, more children are given names that they don’t share with many people. In some communities, having a name that stands out is the norm.
That’s what these parents found. Some people have trouble with their son’s name, Hazen, but over time they’ve realised that his non-traditional name fits right in with those of his classmates. They include Jet, Rig, Bliss and Reign.
Here are some more new-normal names from the news this week.
By Linda Rosenkrantz
In 1789, when George Washington was unanimously elected the first president of the nation—the first elected president in the world– there was a lot of discussion about what he should be called. John Adams and others favored royal titles such as Your Highness and Your Majesty, even His Exalted Highness. Washington himself was said to be relieved when the humbler President was settled on.
How astonished would George be today if he could flash forward and see all the American babies being given those very exalted regal titles he rejected? This trend is not limited to pop royalty either: numerous titles from the British peerage and other international kingdoms, as well as words related to them, are being bestowed by all parents on their little heirs. Some of these royal baby names are already in the Top 1000–let’s take a look at those first.