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Doctor is an honorific used as a name, somewhat like names such as Bishop, King, and Princess. Banned in New Zealand, Doctor can lead to the kind of confusion you …

Saraf is a masculine name with origins in several cultures. In Arabic, it means 'money changer' or 'banker,' derived from the word for currency exchange. In Persian and Indian contexts …

This week’s baby name news includes the latest trends in Ireland, girls with traditional male names, and the new Big Bang baby Banned baby names: Liam and Marseille You …

By Clare Green This week’s news includes some of the rarest names of the year, what’s hot in Australia, what’s banned in Italy, and a girl named …

… relates to the surname Lombard, which referred to people from Lombardy, Italy, or to medieval bankers and merchants (as Lombards were known for their banking activities). The name carries an …

… occasionally as a masculine name, used as an alternative to Muhammad (back when it was banned in China). It may also be used in Sweden and Denmark as a short …

… is associated with the French-born financier who got his name from an earlier Hungarian banker and who's been involved with two of the world's most beautiful women …

… presenter, Saya Hiyama who went viral after a clip of her switching from light-hearted banter to an earthquake warning became an internet phenomenon, Saya has also been used for …

… never been popular for boys or girls—Doctor peaked in 1884 after being given to 12 boys—but it received a lot of attention after being banned in New Zealand.

… With connotations of hell and devilry so strongly attached to it, the name is officially banned in some places, including New Zealand. But is there hope for Lucifer? With its …

… buttoned-up feel as well as an unconventional masculine vibe. Grayson might plausibly be a banker or an artist, and its resemblance to its female counterpart Grace gives it a …

… little John' or 'descended from John.' The name gained some recognition through the Italian-American banker A.P. Giannini, founder of Bank of America. As a first name, Giannini remains …

… high king Brian Boru ruled Ireland in 1002. But native Irish names like Brian were banned in Ireland for centuries during British rule, until the Irish war for independence in …

… Harry Potter became a rage and Harry Styles of One Direction became the hottest boy bander of the new millennium. Thus, Harry's avuncular image was history. Harry is still …

… stoned to death by the crowd. The Christian emperor Honorius was impressed however, and subsequently banned gladiatorial fights. The modern form of the name, Tilemachos, is familiar in Greece, and …

… to the classic novel? Possibly not, given how frequently it has been challenged, censored, and banned in the classroom. While this may not stop parents today, it was given to …

… Weisz. Additionally, the name has been notably borne by 19th century peace activist Hypatia Bradlaugh Bonner, and more recently by the character of Hypatia Vex in Cassandra Clare's popular …

… PAULINA RUBIO PENELOPE CRUZ SALMA HAYEK SELENA SHAKIRA SONIA BRAGA THALIA Male ALEX RODRIGUEZ ANTONIO BANDERAS DIEGO LUNA GAEL BERNAL GARCIA IVAN RODRIGUEZ JAVIER BARDEM NARCISO RODRIGUEZ OSCAR de la …

… 2023, but that is a surprising number for such an obscure name. TikTok family The Bangerters used the name for their second daughter in 2023, who joined big sister Tommy.

… naturally, what was ‘appropriate’ and ‘inappropriate’ behavior. Despite the fact that the Hays Code, which banned sex, suggestiveness, drinking, profanity, and a great many other things, would not be finely …

… diplomat, founder of the first public library. Benjamin Harrison was the one presidential Benjamin. Benjamin Banneker Born in 1731, the son of an ex-slave, he was called “the first …

… and excitement that’s just right for a Leap Year baby. Chase Part-buttoned down banker, part-rugged outdoorsman, Chase was a Top 100 name from the 1990s until 2018 …

By Tara Ryazansky Everyone from pop royalty to reality stars to actual royalty seems to be expecting at the moment. I look forward to when the birth announcements start rolling …

With a touch of celestial power, a hint of clunky charm, and the totally cool -o ending, Cosmo may well be finally shaking itself free of both the Seinfeld association …

By Abby Sandel, Appellation Mountain Thank you, Zanna Roberts! Just when it seemed like no one was having babies this week, the fashion stylist welcomed twin daughters.  You might have …

By Clare Green “Mr and Mrs Smith of Townsville name their daughter Emma”…said no headline ever. Millions of babies are named every year, but only a few of them …

by Jen Kim A quick Google search will render more than 11 million results for the name Jennifer Kim, while White Pages will say there are more than 600 of …

by Abby Sandel Everything you need to know about girls’ baby names, from A to Z. Looking for the boys’ version? It’s right here. A A is the most …

Since we’re a few days away from Martin Luther King Day, and have recently been reminded of the Civil Rights leader’s achievements and struggles in the movie Selma …

This week’s news includes creative honor names, storms and stars, trends from New Zealand, and a baby aardvark. News from the Midwest: honor names and Arabic names Looking for …

By Aimee Tafreshi There is nothing more interesting to a baby-name enthusiast than digging through the massive pile of names given to baby boys in the U.S. that …

The most popular baby names of 2012 are officially here, with Sophia and Jacob holding onto their Number 1 spots. Jacob remains the most popular name for boys for the …

By Amy of histornamia While the Elizabethan/Jacobean playwright William Shakespeare has had a long influence on the names of children, his Restoration successors haven’t had as much impact …

Harlem Renaissance names related to the cultural heroines of that movement comprise this year’s celebration of Black history names.  These women—novelists, poets, playwrights, painters, sculptors and musicians– all …

By Clare Green This week’s baby name news includes inspiration from places, people, cars and Star Wars – plus why it’s not the best year to be called Tom …

If you were naming a baby in 1911, you certainly wouldn’t be thinking about the hottest baby name trends or what was cool or hip.  Ah, those were the …

By Abby Sandel Last week we looked at nine girl names likely to soar. Head to a kindergarten class in five years or so, and chances are you’ll hear …

By Clare Green This week’s news includes the latest Bieber baby, unusual sources of inspiration, and the power of passing names down the generations. Super sibling patterns In the …

Hear the words ‘detective’ or ‘private eye,’ and you probably picture a tough guy like Mickey Spillane or a cooler customer like Sam Spade.  But it turns out that mystery …

By Clare Bristow This week’s news includes Ninja Turtles, hyphenated names, and inspiration from Portugal and Iceland. Celebrity baby girl names: Mabel and Alana If you’re looking for …

By Linda Rosenkrantz Lemony Snicket has just made a welcome return appearance, via Netflix, reminding us of what an inventive namer his creator (nee Daniel Handler) is—kind of a …

By Linda Rosenkrantz If you scan the annals of distinguished women in American history, culture and science, you’ll find that a surprising number of them had distinctive names as …

By Abby Sandel Naming your first child is tough because it’s a blank slate. Are you the daring type, or should you stick with the classics? Was your husband …

By Abby Sandel, Appellation Mountain When anything goes, how do you know if you’re going too far? Naming a baby in 2014 is mostly about freedom.  Gwyneth’s edibly …

A few weeks ago we asked the Nameberry moms and dads to tell us their best baby names rules.  What followed were hundreds of suggestions, from the idiosyncratically individual (All …

We’re so pleased to announce that starting today, Appellation Mountain‘s Abby Sandel will be presenting a regular baby name news recap and analysis every Monday. If you’re …

By Clare Green This week’s news includes dramatic word names, on-trend starbaby arrivals, and new popularity lists from the US, Canada and beyond. Wild new year names We …

This week, Appellation Mountain‘s Abby Sandel does her usual super job of uncovering the most interesting and unusual names in the news. There’s been no shortage of baby …

Gem names are a hot category in baby names right now, with many of them shooting up the popularity charts. They’ve even been embraced for boys—Onyx was one …

Boy names starting with J have been hugely popular ever since the days (okay, centuries) when John was number one. Today, the J names at the top of the charts …