Time Names

Autumn

English

"autumn"

Crisp and colorful, Autumn is the most popular season name in the US — the only one in the Top 100 in recent years — though Summer and Winter don't rank too far behind. Cool and gentle at the same…

Summer

Word name

The temperature is definitely rising for this popular seasonal name, which began being used in the seventies, and has been heard consistently ever since. Summers have popped up all over the big and…

Winter

Word name

Fresher, brisker and, yes, cooler than Summer or Autumn or Spring, Winter is now a full-fledged female choice, especially since Nicole Richie and Joel Madden used it for daughter Harlow's middle…

April

Latin

"to open"

A favorite back in the 70s and 80s when it ranked in the US Top 30, April has since been overtaken by the likes of June, May, August, and Winter. Nevertheless, it still holds appeal as a…

Sunday

Day name, English from Latin

"day of the Sun"

Sunday is among the most usable of the day names with its sunny first syllable, its sweet sound, and its potential to be both a sassy or a spiritual choice. The name initially made headlines in 2008…

May

Diminutive of Margaret and Mary; month name

May is a sweet old-fashioned name that hasn't been on the national charts in several decades, but is definitely sounding fresh and springlike. Parents are beginning to see it once more as one of the…

Aviva

Hebrew

"springlike, fresh, dewy"

Aviva is vivacious and memorable, a fresh spin on the Vivian and Vivienne names that have been getting more popular since Angelina and Brad chose one for their twin daughter. Another A-beginning…

Verna

Latin

"springtime"

Verna may mean "springtime," but May or Spring is fresher.

October

English word name

"month name"

What is so rare as a month named June? October – and November and December – are a lot rarer. Brisk and substantial, they're so much more memorable and modern than April or May. October got its name…

November

English word name

"month name"

The menu of usable month names seems to expand every, well, month, with such choices as November, October, and January joining more established names like April, May, June and August. Logical…

Wednesday

English

"Woden's day"

Made famous by the iconic and macabre character Wednesday Addams, this name has the spooky and Halloween-inspired feel that some parents might be looking for. The character has appeared in various…

December

English word name

"tenth month"

Cooler than April, May, or June, but also a tad icy. December gets its name from the number ten as the old Roman calendar only had ten months, and as now, December was the last.

September

English word name

"month name"

Parents are beginning to turn away from springtime months like April and June and are moving toward the cooler and crisper three-syllable September, October, November, and December.

July

English word name

"month name"

Most things Jul-related – from the month of July to popular modern names Julia and Julian – originate with Roman emperor Julius Caesar, and the month name July is no exception. Fifteen girls and…

Spring

Word name

Spring doesn't sound half as contemporary as Winter, which has become the cool season name.

Tuesday

English

"Tiu's Day; Tiw's day"

When actress Susan Ker Weld changed her name to Tuesday, she opened up a whole calendar of possibilities. This was decades before the arrival of Sunday Rose Urban and years before Wednesday Addams…

January

English month name from Latin

"doorway"

Thanks to two cultural influences, January has joined March, April, June and August as a plausible month name. The first was a character named January Wayne in a bestselling 1973 Jacqueline Susann…

Cerelia

Latin

"relating to springtime"

Cerelia is a melodic and unusual choice, perfect for a child born in April or May. Another version is Cerella.