I’m not pregnant. Just figured it was a good idea to get that one out there right off the bat, since the fact that I’m thinking about baby names – and this 2014 photo – may lead you to believe otherwise.
Awhile back I posted my Top 10 Favorite Baby Names for Boys and Top 10 Favorite Baby Names for Girls, and in the months since I have had a stunning number of friends either get pregnant or give birth. As a result, the subject is one I’ve done a lot of chatting about lately, so I thought I’d add to those lists…mostly because MAN are baby names ever fun to talk about.
5 MORE FAVORITE BABY NAMES FOR GIRLS
- Lou. Not “Lou-short-for-Louise”…just Lou. I love it; I think it’s so cool and timeless, and I would totally want to hang out with a girl named Lou.
- Goldie. It’s not my Goldie’s actual name – it’s the pseudonym I use for her on Le Internet – but I sort of wish it was. It’s sunny and bright and just adorable, and I think it’s also kinda chic in an offbeat way for a grown woman.
- Auryn. It technically means “A child with golden hair,” but you know what it means to me? That your child is named after the necklace that Atreyu wears in The Never-ending Story. And you know what’s cooler than that? NOTHING.
- Lark. I have a feeling it’s rising in popularity, but this is a name I seriously considered when we were expecting Goldie, and only ended up dismissing because we had a friend who’s daughter had the same name. A sweet, pretty nature-based name that’s not overly girly.
- Eliot. Like it for a boy, love it for a girl. It makes me think of both the novelist George Eliot and E.T., and both of those things are pretty great.
5 MORE FAVORITE BABY NAMES FOR BOYS
- Inigo. Pronounced IN-ih-go, it’s a Spanish name that also happens to be the name of one of the coolest characters in all of cinematic history (last name: Montoya).
- Rel. A nickname for Gabriel if you want it to be, or super cool on its own.
- Hayes. A traditional English surname that’s not especially popular as a first name at the moment. It feels classic, but still unexpected.
- Leo. When we were naming Indy this one was high on my list, but ended up getting vetoed by Kendrick. I think it’s straightforward and strong and classic-with-a-twist.
- Fitzgerald. I would never name my son this because…well, because it’s kind of ridiculous, but in the right kind of family I think it could be kind of amazing. Fitz! No better nickname than that.
{ image via }
A FEW NAMES ON THE VERGE OF EXTINCTION
Just for fun, want to hear fifteen names that – according to Google, at least – are just about to go extinct (which of course means that many of them are about to shoot up the ranks)? You know, just in case you want to be absolutely certain that your kid will be the only one in the class named Gormlaith (a Gaelic name that means “illustrious lady,” if you’re wondering) or something.
Girls: Alpha, Barbra, Claudine, Nanette, Sheba, Sondra, Thisbe, Zelma.
Boys: Elmo, Icarus, Inigo (! one of my favorites), Llewellyn, Remus, Sherwood, Waldo.
(Will one of you please name your child Elmo? Everyone will love him so much.)
UNPOPULAR NAMES FROM THE TURN OF THE CENTURY
And finally, I just found this list (after the jump) of the most unpopular baby names for boys and girls around the late 1800s/early 1900s, and there are some serious gems in there (Flem and Classie, anyone? And somewhere out there is a little boy named Mayo).
| Year | Boy (Rank) | Girl (Rank) |
| 1880 | Handy (970) | Parthenia (914) |
| 1881 | Okey (972) | Erie (1000) |
| 1882 | Ab (943) | Dove (944) |
| 1883 | Commodore (925) | Lovey (992) |
| 1884 | Spurgeon (958) | Kathern (974) |
| 1885 | Fount (989) | Icy (977) |
| 1886 | Squire (953) | Texie (987) |
| 1887 | Bliss (946) | Lockie (907) |
| 1888 | Boss (930) | Indiana (989) |
| 1889 | Starling (962) | Easter (967) |
| 1890 | Lawyer (999) | Pinkey (918) |
| 1891 | Manley (962) | Chestina (974) |
| 1892 | Little (914) | Odell (1000) |
| 1893 | Orange (1000) | Leafy (933) |
| 1894 | Flem (1000) | Ova (986) |
| 1895 | Toy (969) | Sister (974) |
| 1896 | Josephine (937)* | Clifford (935)* |
| 1897 | Henery (1000) | Florance (1000) |
| 1898 | Pleasant (973) | Tiny (915) |
| 1899 | Fate (972) | Cuba (884) |
| 1900 | Gorge (935) | Electa (948) |
| 1901 | Joesph (999) | Buelah (923) |
| 1902 | Rolla (917) | Bama (942) |
| 1903 | Ples (992) | Capitola (982) |
| 1904 | Council (989) | Pearly (993) |
| 1905 | Son (912) | Wava (967) |
| 1906 | Virgle (999) | Carry (971) |
| 1907 | Geo (956) | Arizona (949) |
| 1908 | Lillian (992) | Lilyan (991) |
| 1909 | Murl (1000) | Flonnie (1000) |
| 1910 | Lemon (964) | Classie (994) |
| 1911 | Wash (978) | Lavada (806) |
| 1912 | Christ (940) | Almeta (940) |
| 1913 | Louise (982) | Louis (974) |
| 1914 | Stephan (1000) | Vella (1000) |
| 1915 | Mayo (990) | Dimple (980) |
| 1916 | Green (929) | Golden (908) |
| 1917 | Elza (968) | Loyce (984) |
| 1918 | Curley (998) | Ivory (979) |
| 1919 | Metro (982) | Louvenia (993) |
| 1920 | Berry (941) | Merry (934) |
| 1921 | Reno (969) | Glendora (976) |
| 1922 | Author (950) | Gaynell (981) |
| 1923 | Burley (994) | Dorathy (995) |
| 1924 | Dorman (954) | Mardell (982) |
| 1925 | Buddie (973) | Bobbye (990) |
| 1926 | Wardell (929) | Willodean (941) |
| 1927 | Estel (914) | Gregoria (970) |
| 1928 | Gust (996) | Hildred (998) |
| 1929 | Vester (984) | Jettie (953) |
| 1930 | Otho (972) | Charlsie (951) |
| 1931 | Early (1000) | Ferne (1000) |
| 1932 | Dock (928) | Jack (992) |
Chestina. I’m just going to leave that there.
