February Berry Baby Names
By Linda Rosenkrantz
February may have been the shortest month, but it was characteristically long on brilliant Berry name choices—I will never cease to be amazed (and gratified) by the taste and originality of our community.
Among the more unusual picks for firsts and middles: Garnet, Pomeline, Golden, Celestine, and Zebediah. And Virginia popped up as both a first and a middle.
And here they are—the February baby names chosen by Berries:
GIRLS
Celestine Martha Willa, sister of Oliver Willie Carroll and Toby Ernest Pim
Celestine is a name that ties in with her brother’s middle name Ernest, through the children’s animation film and dreamy watercolored books by Gabrielle Vincent, which I have taught my boys to love and hopefully she will as well. Martha is meant to honour my mum and Willa also ties in with her brothers’ names as they all have a form of William, a strong and traditional name that belonged to several men of my family.”
Celine Ingrid Lux, sister of Luella Grace, Abram Cruz and Stellan Scout James
Emma Juliette Regina, sister of Thomas Edward
“After narrowing down (middle name options) from 4 to 2, we decided to just use both as we love them so much. Regina is a family name, in honor of my SO’s late grandmother.”
“Her middle names honour her great grandmother Ada, and her maternal grandmother whose middle name is also Kathryn. Her first name was chosen years before her arrival. We love its understated strength, timelessness and femininity.”
Pomeline Elisabeth, sister of Casper Dennis
“Pomeline because our son called her PomPom for the entire pregnancy and I love the nicknames Pomme and Lena. Elisabeth is my Grandma, Mother and Sister’s middle name.”
Ramona Golden “Romy”, sister of Matilda “Tilly” Quinn
“We fell in love with the nickname Romy and Ramona seems especially fitting right now with the meaning of “wise protector.” Golden is a family name, the middle name of my husband’s father. We debated using Marigold or just Gold, but decided the original name was the best in the end.”
Virginia Penelope, sister of Jeffrey “Jay” Edwin
“Virginia is my grandmother’s name—and she is a very important person in my life and we’re so glad our daughter can share her name. Penelope is a name my mom and husband both loved- and we think the nickname Ginny Penny is adorable.”
BOYS
Caleb Levi, brother of Joshua Ammon
“I’ve especially liked the way Caleb matches with Joshua, as they both appear in the same Bible story as the only two spies who bring Moses a true report of the land of Canaan.”
Isak Thomas, brother of Nels, Greta, Jakob and Anders
“We went with Isak (EE-sock) after some Nameberry help. It had always been at the top of our list but it hadn’t seemed to “click” like our other kids’ names…Now that we see him, though, we are so glad that he is an Isak. Thomas was a very last-minute decision. Our other children had similar names for middles and we finally chose it, honoring a close friend of my husband’s. It felt better choosing a name that is meaningful to us rather than one that just sounded good.”
Otis Wilder
“My partner Kate and I…both loved the simplicity, yet uniqueness of Otis and decided to pair it with the more adventurous middle name of Wilder…If he was a girl she was to be called Willow Grey.
“We call him Zeb, Sterling is a family name.”
Do you have a favorite name, first-middle combo or sibset?