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'Guilty Pleasure' Names - Take Two
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The names
Juniper
Latin tree name
"young"
Juniper is a fresh-feeling nature name -- it's a small evergreen shrub -- with lots of energy. A new favorite of fashionable parents, Juniper joins such other tree and shrub names as Hazel, Acacia,…
Cassius
Latin
"hollow"
Cassius, a Shakespearean name rooted in antiquity, is trending in a major way. It's one of a raft of Cas-starting names for both boys and girls, including Caspian, Cassian, and Cassia, that are…
Orlando
Italian variation of Roland
"famous throughout the land"
Orlando, the ornate Italianate twist on the dated Roland, with a literary heritage stretching back to Shakespeare and before, has appealing book-ended o's, and is open to combination with almost any…
Demetrius
Greek
"follower of Demeter"
Classical and Shakespearean name that may appeal if you like your names long, flowing and multicultural.
Indiana
American place-name
"land of the Indians"
This state name emerged in the eighties along with westerners Dakota and Montana, and it's still used occasionally by high-profile parents such as Summer Phoenix and Casey Affleck. Action man Indiana…
Lysander
Greek
"liberator"
Lysander is a distinctive Greek name that could be thought of as a more creative cousin of Alexander. In ancient history, Lysander was the name of an esteemed Spartan naval commander and his literary…
Tempest
English word name
"storm"
Tempest is one of those names that could go either way. Cool, evocative modern word name? Or asking for trouble? Your call, but if you decide the former image is dominant, be warned that some people…
Zephyr
Greek
"west wind"
If you're looking for a name that's light and breezy, this could be it. A name from mythology: Zephyrus/Zephyr was the Greek god of the west wind, and with its similarity in sound to the likes of…
Amethyst
Gem and Color name
As flower names become more unique, so can gem names move beyond Ruby and Pearl to names like Topaz, Sapphire, and Peridot. Amethyst, the purple birthstone for February, has never been in the Top…
Bluebelle
English flower name or compound name, Blue + Belle
"blue + beautiful"
An elaboration of the word and nature name Bluebell or a combination of the names Blue and Belle, giving the meaning "beautiful blue" or "blue and beautiful". While Bluebell is the more popular…
Christabel
Latin and French
"fair Christian"
Though Isabel is a smash hit, Christabel still hasn't been fully embraced. It was originally popularized in England via the Coleridge poem Christabel ("whom her father loves so well") and was given…
Dixie
Latin, French
"I have spoken; tenth"
A sassy, spunky, punchy kind of name, Dixie can also be considered a place name, one that has become problematic because of its association with the antebellum South. The Dixie Chicks recently…
Joss
Diminutive of Jocelyn, German
"member of the Gauts tribe"
Joss is more fashionable than Jocelyn or Josslyn. This is a short form that could be used independently, a la the singer Joss Stone. One of a troupe of adorable boyish nicknames newly fashionable for…
Lavender
English color and flower name
"purple flower"
Lavender lags far behind sweet-smelling purple-hued sister names Violet and Lila, but is starting to get some enthusiastic attention from cutting-edge namers along with other adventurous nature names…
Pixie
Swedish or Cornish
"fairy"
Pixie is a cute -- quite possibly too cute -- name that suddenly feels possible thanks to the craze for names that contain the letter x. Though its origin may be uncertain, a pixie is internationally…
Raddix
Latin
"root"
This eye-catchingly unique name was coined by Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden, who gave it to their daughter, born in 2020. It may derive from the Latin radix , meaning "root", or perhaps from the…
Sapphire
Hebrew, Greek, and Latin jewel name
"blue"
Sapphire goes waaaaay beyond Ruby and Pearl. This September birthstone, occasionally used a century ago, might be worth a reappraisal, perhaps as a Sophie/Sophia alternative. Sapphire is the…
Strawberry
Fruit name
Another entry in the fruit name category, this one borne by writer Strawberry Saroyan, granddaughter of William, so named by her hippie parents. While fruit names may become more familiar, they'll…
Tempest
English word name
"turbulent, stormy"
Tempest is one of those names that could go either way. Cool, evocative modern word name? Or asking for trouble? Your call, but if you decide the former image is dominant, be warned that some people…
America
Place-name
Given to children of both sexes as far back as colonial times, this carries a lot of baggage. However, parents continue to take the risk. Actress America Ferrera may be have inspired some families to…