Back & Forth with Lily- July #2

  1. Amos
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "carried by God"
    • Description:

      Amos is a robust biblical name that's being discovered by a new generation of parents in a major way.
  2. Bradshaw
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "broad forest"
    • Description:

      Currently connected to football Hall of Famer turned actor Terry Bradshaw.
  3. Caoimhe
    • Origin:

      Irish, Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "beautiful"
    • Description:

      Caoimhe, pronounced (more properly) kwee-va or kee-va, is a pretty and distinctive Gaelic name but one that could well lead to no end of confusion outside the Irish community. Even in its native habitat, it is sometimes spelled Keeva.
  4. Elea
    • Hiram
      • Origin:

        Hebrew
      • Meaning:

        "brother of the exalted one"
      • Description:

        Hiram is the kind of forgotten biblical name that adventurous parents who wish to move beyond David and Daniel are beginning to reconsider--even though it has bits of its old stiff-collared image clinging to it, along with a little hillbilly feel as well.
    • Isla
      • Origin:

        Scottish place-name or Spanish
      • Meaning:

        "island"
      • Description:

        Isla is a hit name throughout the English-speaking world but hasn't found the same popularity in other western countries, perhaps because its spelling and pronunciation don't make sense for those whose native language is not English. Think island without the final two letters.
    • Nessa
      • Origin:

        Scandinavian
      • Meaning:

        "headlands, promontory"
      • Description:

        Like its cousin Tessa, Nessa -- a shortening of Vanessa or Agnes or Anastasia among other possibilities -- is an attractive nickname that can stand on its own.
    • Pompelia
      • Rafferty
        • Origin:

          Irish
        • Meaning:

          "floodtide, abundance, prosperity"
        • Description:

          Jaunty and raffish, Rafferty is one of the most engaging of the Irish surnames, used by Jude Law and Sadie Frost for their son. Fortunately, it doesn't still go by its original form: O'Raighbheartaigh.
      • Sanchia
        • Origin:

          Spanish variation of Sancia
        • Meaning:

          "sacred"
        • Description:

          The forerunner of Cynthia is all but unknown these days, but deserving of import and revival.
      • Uriah
        • Origin:

          Hebrew
        • Meaning:

          "God is my light"
        • Description:

          A perfectly respectable Old Testament name ruined forever through its association with the odious Uriah Heep in David Copperfield. Some people also find this name just too close to the word urine. These negative connotations may be wearing off, however. (Perhaps because people don't read as much Dickens as they used to.)
      • Zaden
        • Origin:

          Modern invented name
        • Description:

          A nouveau member of the Aidan/Braden/Jaden group. Yet another variation on a too-trendy genre -- never the most original way to go, even if there aren't yet many Zadens on your block. Still, a Z initial always adds zest and this is a name many boys would love to have for their very own.