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I now have a Facebook page for the blog, under the title Rare and Unusual Baby Names. I would love to see everyone on Facebook and see where it leads! Thank you so much to everyone who stops by to read my posts.

Also, I had to mention the fact that Garnet surpassed Flora in popularity on this blog. I never would have guessed, but I'm glad! It's my dream to one day get a comment saying "Your blog is the only place that has so much information on >insert name here<."

Name Interview with Ingrid

What is your name? 
Ingrid.

What decade were you born in? 
Late 90's.

How did you get your name?
My parents wanted a Norwegian name, and they eventually settled on Ingrid.

How did you feel about your name growing up?
I'm still a teenager, but I like having an unusual name.

How do you feel about your name now?
The same, I guess.

If you have any kids, what are their name(s)? 
No kids. :)

What is the name of your best friend?
Katarina.  Occasionally Kit-Kat.

What are some common names for your age group?
Emily, Hannah, Caitlin, Mackenzie...

If you had to give yourself a new first name, what would it be?
Either Theadora or Hermione!

Of the kids you've met most recently, which are your favorites and least favorites?
I know a Aurora who's a toddler. I really like that name a lot.

What are your favorite names at the moment?
Theadora, Genevieve, Isadora, Lumina, Rosalia, Hermione, and Lavender.

What advice would you give expecting parents looking for the perfect name?
Remember to look everywhere--from street names to name websites to people you know.  You never know how you'll find the perfect name.

Ingrid Bergman

Ingrid is a Scandinavian girl's name meaning "Ing's beauty" or "beautiful Ing," in Old Norse. Ing (modern Inga is more popular) was the Old Norse goddess of the earth's fertility. She would ride over the land each year to get it ready for spring planting. The goddess Ing's name was apparently a trancription of Freyr, an important Old Norse god, or she was his ancestor. The name's popularity can be traced back to the "queen mother" of Denmark named Ingrid. This Queen of Denmark and Princess of Sweden's full name was Ingrid Victoria Sofia Louise Margareta. Currently, there is a Princess Ingrid Alexandra in Norway, heir apparent. There was also Ingrid van Houten-Groeneveld, an astronomer, and a noble woman named Ingrid Ylva, known as the White Witch. Inga would make a nice nickname, and Astrid the perfect sister.

Today, the most well known namesake is Ingrid Bergman, an actress from Sweden. Ingrid was a character used in Janet Fitch's novel White Oleander, and a children's book called Ingrid and the Wolf. A quick search indicated that it was not a character in The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Anderson (that was Gerda), as other baby name sites have suggested.

The name Ingrid has ranked on the U.S. top 1000 every year since 1913, starting low at #934, going up to #456 in 1946, then #404 in 1966, and ending back down at #856 in 2011. There were 305 baby girls given the name Ingrid in 2011. Five different spellings of Isabelle ranked above it, as well as Ivy, Iris, Imani, Isla, Isis, Itzel, Irene, Iliana, and Ivanna. Whitepages tells me that Ingrid was most popular in 1967, where I have it as 1966. It also says Ingrid was introduced in the 20th century and that 41,189 people living in the U.S. have this name, 47% between the ages of 30 and 54. 26% are under 12, 13% over 55, and 13% between 13 and 29. There were 21 baby girls named Inga in 2011.

Kol

Kol from The Vampire Diaries

Kol is a pretty straight-forward old Viking name meaning "coal," in Old Norse, but it can also mean "dark," and "black." Cole/Kole, Colby/Kolby and Colton/Kolton are the most common variations seen today, and Kol/Col is a pretty common name prefix and suffix. It is more commonly seen as Cole or Kole due to it's transfer into Old English usage. Kolt/Colt and Kolton/Colton both meaning "coal town," although Colt can also refer to a young male horse. Now, the most common namesake is the fictional character Kol from The Vampire Diaries, part of an ancient Viking line turned vampire. There is a female variant, Kolfinna, meaning "dark and fair," which is well used in Iceland, and there were no recorded births for it (ever) in the U.S. In 2011 there were 9 baby boys named Khole, 9 Kolden, 13 Kol, 699 Kolton, ranking at #403, 349 Kole, ranking at #671, 321 Kolby, ranking at #706, 291 Kolten, ranking at #766, 111 Kolt, and 34 Kolson, as well as a handful of various other non-traditional spellings. Cole currently ranks at #94, Colt ranks at #326, Colby ranks at #314, and Colton ranks at #74.

Belphoebe & Amoret

Yes, you read that right - Belphoebe, not Phoebe. Pronounced bell-FEE-bee. I must apologize in advance, because I studied English and could write a ten page paper on this name if I don't cut myself off. Edmund Spenser used Belphoebe in his allegorical poem The Faerie Queene, and he had great taste. In fact, he invented Belphoebe, as there is no other record of the name before that. The History of Christian Names (Yonge, 1884) lists the meaning as "far light," composed from Latin words, but The Spenser Encyclopedia tells us it is one part bel ("beautiful") and one part Phoebe, the so-called goddess of the moon, meaning "bright, radiant." which is more accurate when given her character and what Spenser modeled her on. Considering names used at the time, such as Christobel, the second meaning of Belphoebe is backed up. Spenser even said her name "refers to the goddess of chastity." To elaborate, Phoebe was a Titan associated with the moon and Diana/Artemis (Latin/Greek, respectfully) was goddess of the moon. In Spenser's Faerie Queene, Belphoebe is an Arthurian character very similar to the goddess Artemis, and intended to, in part, represent Queen Elizabeth I. She is strong and independent, a hermit-like hunter, and the picture of noble chastity, which was spot-on as a tribute to/version of Artemis and the Virgin Queen. Not to mention that Belphoebe and was adopted by the goddess Diana, so...

Belphoebe spends her time in the woods avoiding potential suitors and lusty men. She comes across a wounded squire of King Athur named Timias who had just avenged a damsel in distress, and Belphoebe heals him in her home (hut). When he wakes up he immediately falls in love with her. However, Belphoebe is so chaste and pure, intending to stay that way, that Timias cannot hope to win her over. It takes him a long time to win her love.

As described above, Belphoebe was directly based on the Queen and Artemis in character and the goddess Phoebe in name, but there were several names for "the moon goddess," in which many stories were told with the same basic idea. Two other moon goddess names from Greek and Roman myth are Selene (Greek) and Luna (Roman). Even Juno was sometimes identified as a moon goddess, and in most worldwide mythology, the sun and the moon are the foundation of the religion. Each moon goddess shares many aspects, but usually has one characteristic or something about her story that is just a little different than the other, and the story changes depending on who is telling it. For you smart cookies/nerds out there, the base plot of Sailor Moon was modeled on the story Endymion and Phoebe, also known as Endymion and Selene. It was told with Luna for the Romans, Selene for the Greeks. Endymion is credited with being the first man to study the moon. Selene fell in love with him as he fell asleep watching the stars, and visited him every night as he slept. She had fifty daughters by Endymion called the Menae, one of which was Pandora. I'm not quite sure how they had kids, considering Endymion was put into eternal sleep at Selene's request, since she said he looked so beautiful when he slept. In a different version of the story, the god Hypnos was jealous of Endymion's looks and cast a spell on him to sleep with his eyes open, so that creepy Hypnos could enjoy looking at his entire face.

Britomart and Amoret by Mary F. Raphael

Now, Belphoebe's twin sister Amoret has her own story, which takes less time to explain. They were twins of Chrysogone, born of immaculate conception (she was impregnated by sun beams...yeah). The goddess Diana adopted Belphoebe, and the goddess Venus adopted Amoret. Spenser uses the twins to represent "chaste love and virginity," each representing one virtue. Amoret was supposed to marry Scudamour but was kidnapped on her wedding night, then the female knight Britomart saves her. Where Belphoebe represents virginity, Amoret represents married love, or chaste love. She is also another portrayal of the Virgin Queen. She is loyal to the one she loves, eventually reunites with him, and they marry. Amoret means "little love," and likely that it is a Spenser-style variation of the Italian word amore, meaning love, with a possible French twist (the T at the end). Occasionally the name is spelled Amoretta, making it seem more Italian.

Amoret in the Garden of Adonis by John Dickson Batten

Overall, Belphoebe and Amoret are great antique finds that sounds fresh today, would fit right in, have literary value, and Belphoebe can also appease a love of both Belle and Phoebe at the same time, all while being legit. If anyone wants the link to the blog of one the only two living people I can find with the name Belphoebe, comment and I'll respond with it. In 2011 there were 14 baby girls named Amorette, no Amoret, and no Belphoebe. For the record, Whitepages said there's only one Belphoebe in the U.S. and 48 named Amoret. How's that for a rare name?




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An Unexpected Resource

Here's one I didn't know about until now: Whitepages! Seriously, and holy crap. Search for a name and it gives you quite a bit more than you expect. It almost does exactly what I do on my blog (it doesn't list how many were born in the past year, but it tells you how old the people with the name are) and more. Here's my example:

FAY

Ranks 1,032nd in 2011

Late 19th‐century coinage, from the archaic word fay ‘fairy’. It was to some extent influenced by the revival of interest in Arthurian legend, in which Morgan le Fay is King Arthur's half-sister, a mysterious sorceress who both attempts to destroy Arthur and tends his wounds in Avalon after his last battle. She is sometimes identified with the ‘Lady of the Lake’. Between the wars the name came to prominence as that of the British actress Fay Compton (1894–1979); more recently it has been associated with the writer Fay Weldon (b. 1931).

Nicknames and variations: Faye, Fae, Fa, Fai, Faia, Fahey, Faya, Fahy, Fau, Fah

Tens of thousands of people have this name

28,582 to be exact

Hawaii has the most people named Fay per capita

1910 marked the height of it's popularity

98% female, 2% male

84% over 55, 15% between 30 and 54, .30% are 13-29, .34% are 0-12

So, needless to say, this is going to become one of my top sources. Heck, it might force me out of business. 

Ulysses

Ulysses and the Sirens by John William Waterhouse

One of the things I truly enjoy while writing this blog is the art that sometimes comes with the name, which I feel separates this blog from a lot of the others, and in the case of Ulysses, there's some great stuff here. Case in point:

"Ulysses" by Josh Garrels

Another song to check out is "Tales of Brave Ulysses" by Cream

Ulysses is not just the name of the 18th U.S. president, it is the Latin name of Homer's epic hero Odysseus. You know the one - he leaves his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus for the Trojan War, then it takes him 20 years to come back home. Now, most stories written by the ancient Greeks are a little weird (truth be told) so the fact that he met some other ladies along the way, was forced to live with a goddess/witch, well... Penelope was on his mind the whole time. How she waited for him for so long... who knows. And the fact that he disguises himself upon returning home, well... that was completely necessary.

The story goes like this: Odysseus/Ulysses was the King of Ithaca, is known for being a great man. He leaves for the Trojan War, which lasts ten years, then his journey home ends up lasting another ten years. He did some good deeds during the war (unless you're asking a Roman, because they didn't like him much) and his wife stayed at home, waiting patiently, entertaining unwanted suitors who believed him to be dead. His son, Telemachus, was not yet a man and could do nothing to help his mother or bring back his father. Ulysses meets a cyclops, gets a gift from Aeolus, meets the witch-goddess Circe who turns some of his men into pigs (probably for good reason), but then she turned his men back and forced Ulysses to stay on her island with her for a year, for she fell in love with him. Now, I'm not clear how much force there really was in that situation, what with feasting and drinking and all. But, they parted ways after the year was up, and he kept sailing until he met the ghost of his mother, who told him what was going on at his house. He continues sailing, but a monster named Scylla destroys the ship. Ulysses is washed onto the shore, where he meets the goddess Calypso. This time, Ulysses was forced to stay on Calypso's island for 7 years, as her lover. (I know, I'm not really making the case in his favor...) Anyway, he finally makes his way home and Athena disguises him as an old beggar so that he can spy on the situation with the suitors. Only his son knows what's going on, but together with Penelope, Ulysses/Odysseus wins the competition set for her hand in re-marriage. He kills the suitors and all ends well. Except for some maids.

Ulysses and Nausicaa by Guido Reni

Still with me? Good. Ulysses's/Odysseus's story (The Odyssey) has been told and retold, most recently inspiring the movies "O Brother Where Art Thou" and "Cold Mountain," and a much older movie called Ulysses, as well as one called Ulysses' Gaze. In fact there might be a few more movies with similar titles. (There are retellings of Penelope's side of the story, but this post isn't about her.) As far as books go, check out Ulysses by James Joyce, and Ulysses by Alfred Lord Tennyson. And of course, he appears in the Iliad.

Hiram Ulysses Grant, however, 18th president, was well known for quite a few things himself, such as destroying the Ku Klux Klan in 1871. He was a Civil War man for the Union side, a Republican, and a conservative Southern man. He stabilized the nation after the Civil War (going for two terms) and was accused of financial corruption, but still believed to be a good man. I do believe he was also responsible for the 15th Amendment and the Indian Peace Policy. Fun fact: his nickname, Sam, came from his initials (besides his never-ever-talked-about real first name becaused the initials would have spelled "HUG") U.S., which was intended to represent "Uncle Sam," aka the military, especially since he was a career soldier.

Ulysses and the Sirens by Hubert James Draper

In 2011 there were 178 baby boys named Ulysses, last ranking in 2005 at #983 after two years of not ranking, and 355 spelled the popular Latin way, Ulises, ranking at #661 and no drop outs. There were also 36 spelled Ulices, which highly resembles the word slices, 24 Ulisses, 14 Ulyses, 5 Ulysse (no S at the end, who knows why) and 5 Ulyssis. The meaning of Ulysses and Odysseus is debated, but two guesses include "wrathful" and "hated."

Sevilla

Seville, Spain

Sevilla is an intriguing choice, listed as the Spanish variant of Sibyl, meaning "prophetess, oracle." Very mysterious and alluring. It also happens to be the name of the ancient Spanish city of Seville, where Diego Velazquez was born, and the setting of the opera "Carmen." In myth, the Andalusian city was founded by Hercules. In this respect, the name can also mean "from Seville."

You might have to constantly explain how this name was chosen, but isn't it worth it? The nickname Villa is exotic, yet very place-name. In Spanish the pronunciation is seh-VEE-ya, but the English way is seh-VIL-uh. In 2011 there were only 7 baby girls named Sevilla.

Orlando

I had to do this name because my husband could easily be a stunt double for Orlando Bloom ( ^.^ ), the most famous namesake at the moment, who is married to Victoria's Secret model Miranda Kerr and named their son Flynn. Several athletes bear the name as well. Worldwide, the most easily recognizable place name is Orlando, Florida, home of Disney World, Sea World and Universal Studios. Orlando is an Italian and Spanish variant of the Old German name Roland, meaning "renowned/famous land." Roland was a famous and loved literary medieval knight (read Le Chanson de Roland for more info). It is possible Orlando and/or Roland originated as a place name.

Orlando is a literary name used a lot in the 19th century, which even Virginia Woolfe used as the title of one of her novels, and Shakespeare used it for one of his characters in "As You Like It." There was also a Saint Orlando. Orly and Lando are common nicknames, but Orrie or Andy can work well. Orlando currently ranks at #482, it's lowest ranking this decade, with 543 baby boys given the name in 2011. Only a handful of O names for boys actually ranked - Oliver, Oscar, Owen, Orion and Omar were the only names ahead of Orlando.

Andromeda

Perseus and Andromeda by Anton Raphael Mengs

Andromeda is a name that most people admire, but find too unusual or extreme to use in real life, therefore they put it away on their "guilty pleasures" list of names they're not brave enough to use. Which is a shame, really, since it's such a gorgeous mythological gem. But I do agree, it does come on strong, which is why it's on my own GP list. I have thought an easy and accessible nickname would make it more useable, though.

Nickname possibilities: Andie, Anna, Anne, Annie, Andra, Andrea, Dru, Dre, Drama, Mei/Mae, Meda

There were 31 baby girls given the name Andromeda in 2011 (only 5 were given the name of her mother, Cassiopeia) and only 20 named Andromeda in 2010.

The Rock of Doom by Edward Burne-Jones

So many are familiar with Andromeda's tale: her mother, Queen Cassiopeia (another great name, meaning "she whose words excel"), was arrogantly proud of her daughter's beauty and boasted that she and Andromeda were both more beautiful than the Nereids. Poseidon, god of the sea, demanded King Cepheus and Queen Cassiopeia sacrifice their daughter to a sea monster named Cetus as punishment for Cassiopeia's vanity and arrogance, or else he would destroy their country, Aethiopia (Ethiopia). After hesitating and visiting the Oracle, they eventually tied Andromeda to a rock at the seashore, awaiting her demise to save the country. Perseus, who had just finished killing Medusa, was riding home on his horse Pegasus when he came upon Andromeda chained to the rock. He figured out what was going on and rescued Andromeda by killing the sea monster, supposedly in disguise. Then Perseus married Andromeda, which was the second great thing to happen after he saved her, since she was promised in marriage to her uncle Phineus. In fact, Phineus was so angry about this that he came to the wedding, and as an end result, he was turned to stone by the gorgon Medusa's head (which Perseus either just had lying around or became part of his shield as depicted in the art). They traveled around, Perseus saved more people, and they had seven sons and two daughters, none with names worth mentioning. (Sorry.) They say Perseus is the ancestor of the Persians, since his children (the family of the Perseidae) kept rule over Mycenae for such a long time. As for Andromeda, when she died, Athena turned her into a constellation in the northern sky, next to her mother and husband. Other characters turned constellations include the sea monster Cetus, her father King Cepheus, the winged horse Pegasus, and even the mother of Perseus, Danae.

Perseus and Andromeda by Gustave Moreau

They say there is a place in Jaffa, Tel Aviv where Andromeda was really chained to the rocks. Her story is still the subject of great art to this day, including movies. I also want to comment on the fact that she had a good relationship with her mother despite the horrible outcome of her mother's actions. Cassiopeia was not a bad person, just proud. However, Poseidon made her into a constellation with the specific torment of being tied to a chair, upside down half the time.

Perseus and Andromeda by Joachim Wtewael

Topanga

For a fun read elsewhere, read this post on the name Topanga. Someone, please, be brave enough to use it! It's so loud, spunky, quirky and refreshing. As an update, there were 18 baby girls named Topanga in 2011 and 15 in 2010.

Name Interview with Ren (Lauren)

Laurel by Alphonse Mucha

What is your name? (Include middle if you like) Lauren Ashley but I go by Ren online

What decade were you born in? mid 90’s

How did you get your name? My parents just liked it

How did you feel about your name growing up? I liked it but I always wanted a nickname (I didn’t start using Ren until I was in 9^th grade but I don’t use it in real life.)

How do you feel about your name now? I really like it. I think it is a pretty name.

If you have any kids, how did you choose their name(s)? I don’t have any kids but my top names are Athena Love and Theodore Landon. I chose them because I liked them. I will be honoring my grandma, whose name is Anastasia, some way when I have a girl.

What is the name of your best friend? Her name is Rebecca but she uses the nickname Becky. I just call her Beck though.

What are some common names for your age group? I know a lot of Ashleys, Jessicas,  Brittanys and a few more I can’t think of.

If you had to give yourself a new first name, what would it be? I don’t know. Maybe something with a nickname. If I had to pick it would maybe be Callianna with the nickname Callie/Cal.

Of the kids you've met most recently, which are your favorites and least favorites? I meet a little boy named Julius and really liked his name. I was also watching a show where one of the little kid’s name was Chancellor and I love it. My least favorite name is Jewana (I am guessing on the spelling). It is the name one girl in my class is thinking of naming her baby if it is a girl.

What are your favorite names at the moment? Right now my favorite girl name combo is Athena Love and the other girl names that are in my top 5 are Olivette, Philomena, Violetta, and Juniper. For boys my favorite combo is Theodore Landon and the other names in my top 7 (I only really like 7 names for boys. An odd number I know lol) are Amadeus, Vincenzo, Lorenzo, Thaddeus, Harrison, and Ignatius.  

What advice would you give expecting parents hunting for the perfect name? I would tell them that when they pick a name not to let anyone change their minds, especially their parents. Their parents already got to name their babies. I would also tell them that there are plenty of people who are more than willing to help them find a name they love, who don’t know them at all and won’t judge them. All they need to do is come over to formspring :).

a water lily

{Ren likes some great names. =) I personally love Violetta with the nickname Letty.}

Lauren ranked at #62 with 4,076 baby girls given this name in 2011. Lauren means "laurel," (bay laurel) a subtle botanical name. Laurel wreaths have always been a popular motif through art of all kinds. Laurel ranked at #927 after disappearing in 2009 and 2010. A similar name, Laura, ranked slightly lower at #273. Ren, on the other hand (which in Japanese means "water lily" and "lotus"). It is used for both boys and girls in Japan, yet there were 21 baby girls given the name Ren in 2011, which did not rank. Other three letter R names for girls include Rio, Ria, Ray/Rae/Rei, Rue, Roz and Rea. Ren can also be a nickname for the Italian name Renata, which just appeared on the top 1000.

Visit Ren's blog here.

Nolan

Nolan is an Irish Gaelic name meaning "champion," (not "champion of the people," not "famous noble champion") from the name Nuallan, and it can also be heard as a surname. There are at least two famous namesakes, baseball player Nolan Ryan, inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999, and movie director Christopher Nolan.

The name Nolan has made regular appearances in the U.S. top 1000 since 1899 at varying spots, and has now jumped to #93 in 2011 and a total of 4,140 baby boys born with the name last year. It was the 5th name starting with the letter N for boys in the top 1000, with no stopping soon. It is popular in other countries as well, even ranking at #29 in France. Nolan comes with the compact and straight-to-the-point nickname Nol, one syllable.

Judgement & Classy Names

I was recently told the name of a new baby in my family's circle, and having seen a lot of names, it didn't really affect me at first, since it wasn't tacky, which is what I'm getting used to. My parents were quite confused by this unusual and trendy name, and upon further thought, I realized I did have an impression - but it wasn't an impression of the child, it was for the parents. Other than being pleasantly surprised by how unusual the name was (and my relatives/friends close enough to call relatives do have amazing taste in names) I recalled the age of the parents and thought, "This seems like they were trying way too hard to be "young and hip." In my line of work I also meet many kids with unusual names and sometimes find it hard not to think something [mostly harsh] of the parents for choosing that name, especially when the name is conventionally said one way, but the child corrects you and gives you a completely out-of-nowhere pronunciation. Spelling is a whole different story, as I see no reason to spell Darien as Daryon, or Katherine as Kathyrine. (To be blunt, shame on you for thinking that spelling is a blessing for your child, and see my previous post.)

Your kid's name really tells the world more about you than your kid. After all, you're the one that picked it - your kid probably would have picked something that told the world more about them.

I love to know other's reactions to names, and find it hard to stay away from the message boards to get opinions and first impressions. I also love commenting on names, and it's hard to be positive when you see a name you dislike. Hopefully by the time I have my own child I can fly past all the creative spellings and trendy names I might regret, I won't get stuck with just the options listed on the top 1000, but I'll know enough to assume a completely, undeniably rare name that is foreign to my society might get a lot of negative reactions. I'll feel confident in choosing a name that my child won't have to share, but also won't have to constantly correct people with it's spelling or pronunciation. It depends on what kind of rare name I pick. I know they might not enjoy something like Fanchette, but they might like something easily understandable like Coral, which is a bit unusual, vintage and not often heard.

All children, at some point, will have judgement passed on their name. But parents will also have judgement passed on them for choosing that name. (Not often enough do we stress the fact that you are choosing a name for a future adult!) Is there any way to avoid negative reactions (even if they're not spoken out loud)? I believe the only way is to find a name with a happy medium of popularity, which for me is not in the top 1000, but sounds familiar or is easy to understand. For others, it is something not in the top 100. A few good examples are Rosalind, Faye, Guinevere and Lavinia. None in the top 1000, but everyone is familiar with them (in a good way - Anakin ranks among them but is not exactly credible). They're classy. And classy names not often heard almost always get pleasant reactions. Lydia, Caroline, Elena, and even more unusual names like Obelia and Sevilla, have a classy feel to them, and you probably don't know more than one or two. In which case, it's really up to the namesake to make the reaction unpleasant. However, names that are so popular that everyone in the country has heard them before, not necessarily in person, go from being classy to trendy.

When surname-names are ok

A little on my personal taste...

Two names I was recently impressed with were guys I met named Ford and Miller. However, these were their actual surnames, not surnames-as-first-names. I've always thought it was very cool/cute when friends call someone by their last name. But I still do not encourage using surnames as first names, especially on girls.

It is also very acceptable to use a surname in the middle, such as the mom's surname or somthing further down your family tree.

On another note, I just had a conversation today with a long time friend about the unfortunate need some parents feel in giving their child a creatively spelled name, such as Elyzabeth instead of Elizabeth, Rylee instead of Riley, etc. We were reminiscing about the days we grew up in, where pretty much everyone's name was spelled conventionally (and if anything, it was one letter off, not something random and out of left field), and how much easier our jobs would be if people spelled names right. I had enough trouble with my own name being an Italian variant of a common and popular name, so I can't imagine why anyone would trouble their children with a lifetime of misspellings and correcting.

And for the record, I've been seeing everyone spell the word spelled as spelt. Seriously? Why? Spelt is a type of grain.

Bonnie

Bonnie & Clyde

Bonnie is Scottish, meaning "fair," "attractive" and "pretty." From the French word bonne, meaning "good." Often, a child was said to be "bonny" regardless of gender, so long as that child displayed a happy nature, and this term features in some songs and literature (such as Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing). Today, "bonny" is still a word used to mean "pretty," especially in Scotland. It is now considered vintage in the U.S., having been used as an endearing nickname, even as a pet form of Bonita. There is an old nursery rhyme that makes Bonnie appropriate for a child born on Sunday. Bonnie Blue was the daughter of literary characters Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler. Then there is the famous bank robber Bonnie Parker (of Bonnie & Clyde fame). And for all you Harry Potter fans out there, this is the name of Bonnie Wright who plays Ginny Weasley. Not a Harry Potter fan? It's the name of the witch in The Vampire Diaries. Some rarely heard variants include Bonnebel/Bonnebell and Bonnibel/Bonnibelle. Bonnie last ranked in 2003, but it appeared regularly since 1880. It hit #33 in 1941 and 1946, the highest ranking. In 2011 it was just outside the top 1000 with 218 births. Bonnie would make an exceptional alternative to other B names in the top 1000 at the moment, such as Bristol, Brooke, Brynlee and Briley. For the record, so would Betty (163 births) and Betsy (129 births).

Theron

Theron, as you probably recognize as the surname of Charlize Theron, is Greek, meaning "hunter," much more subtle and classy than using Hunter nowadays, which ranks at #55. Theron last ranked in 1992, and there were 87 baby boys given this name in 2011. Theron of Acragas was an ancient king of Sicily (Italy) in 488 BC. It is also the name of the Theron Mountains in Antarctica. There are plenty of little-known bearers of this name, either as a first name or surname.

Pearl

I had forgotten I was doing month-by-month birth stone posts, so I obviously missed pearl for June, ruby for July, and peridot for August. I'm not going to do a post on Ruby because you can find information on it elsewhere, it's very popular, but I'll save Peridot for next August. So, on to the pearl, objectified for its beauty for centuries.

Pearls are the "official" jewels of mermaids! Often in art, mermaids are depicted with pearls and starfish. Pearls are formed inside mollusks like oysters, as a crystalline form of calcium carbonate. Yet however mythical pearls are, the name Pearl is decidedly vintage. Pearl comes from French perle, which is from the Latin word for "leg," as it is like an extra appendage of the mollusk, in a sense, but it is really an act of the immune system. Many times the mollusk is killed after removing the pearl, but sometimes they let it grow more pearls.

In 2011 there were 327 baby girls named Pearl, ranking at #814. The Italian variant Perla also ranked at #639 with 443 births in 2011. Since 1969, Pearl has steadily ranked in the 800's and 900's, until the 90's, but before that it had slowly declined from its #24 spot in 1889, 1890 and 1900 (just those three years).

Keanu

I think right about now is a good time for the world to get another Keanu, other than famous actor Keanu Reeves, and I think Key could be a very heartwarming nickname. Keanu is Hawaiian meaning "the breeze," or "cool breeze." There were 159 baby boys named Keanu in 2011. More correctly pronounced ke-AHN-oo/kay-ahn-oo, but I think the American pronunciation has taken over now.

Searching for a different Hawaiian name starting with K? Try Kai or Kekoa.

Robin

A while ago someone asked me what I thought of Robin for a little girl's name, so I looked into how popular it was, and I was shocked that there were only 143 baby girls named Robin in 2011. Robin, the name of the bird (my state bird), is one of the truly unisex names out there. Some may see it better on girls or boys, but this one has no rules, just like Sage and Rowan. However, back in the day it was used as a pet form of Robert (most will remember Robin Hood immediately, or Batman & Robin, although this name has been used by William Shakespeare as well) and it was Germanic, meaning "bright fame." In this case, it could still work very well for boys named Robert (for parents who do not like the nickname Robby/Rob). For girls, it has not ranked since 2004, a decline from it's highest ranking at #25 in 1962 and 1963, always ranking since 1932. For boys, it has ranked since 1881, it's highest ranking being at #143 in 1956, then falling off the charts in 1999. Overall, more popular for girls in modern times. Robinet/Robinette and Robina are two rarely heard female variations.

Looking for a different bird name? Perhaps Birdie, Feather, Wren, Lark, Nightingale, Cardinal, Oriole, Dove, Linnet, Swan, Finch, Heron, Starling, Kestrel or Weaver?

Here's a fun fact: actor Robin Williams named his daughter Zelda after the video game.

Name Interview with Rosa

What is your name? (Include middle if you like)  Rosa
What decade were you born in?  50's
How did you get your name?  Named after grandmother...but i was told my mother looked in a shoe box at the hospital, lifted the lid, and there I was with my head lying on a rose
How did you feel about your name growing up?  Fine, liked it
How do you feel about your name now?  Still like it
If you have any kids, how did you choose their name(s)?  With a connection to my parents 

What is the name of your best friend?  I have so many. Rosaria, Corinne, Jennifer, Gayle, Karen, Fran, Mary
What are some common names for your age group?  Too many, nothing sticks out
If you had to give yourself a new first name, what would it be?  None
Of the kids you've met most recently, which are your favorites and least favorites?  I really don't like anything that sounds like a last name or profession, like "Taylor"or "Tanner." I like anything that comes from the Romance languages, such as Cristina and Domenica.

Rosa is just one of many rose names, from Rosalie to Rosaline, Rosalba to Rosetta, and simple Rose. Rose can also be a nickname, along with Rosie. Here are the number of births for some Rose names in 2011. (Popularity first, number of births second.)

Rosa #624, 458
Rose #291, 1077
Rosemary #654, 433
Rosalie #548, 528

Here are some that did not rank:
Roselyn, 296 births
Rosalyn, 156
Roslyn, 139

Rosie, 130

Rosalinda, 120

Rosario, 116

Rosalee, 102

Rosalynn, 92

Rosalia, 91

Rosemarie, 83

Roselynn, 65

Rosalina, 63

Rosalind, 61

Rozlyn, 58

Raizel, 53

Rosabella, 46

Rosanna, 39

Rosy, 34

Rozlynn, 33

Roselin, 29

Rosella, 26

Rosaleigh, 25

Rosetta, 25

Roisin, 24

Rozalyn, 22

Raisa, 21

Rosamaria, 21

Rosaline, 20

Rosaura, 20

Rosio, 20

Roslynn, 20

Roselia, 18

Rosely, 18

Rosita, 18

Rosalba, 17

Roseline, 17

Rosina, 17

Rosmery, 15

Rosibel, 14

Rozalynn, 14

Rosaly, 13

Rosalin, 12

Rosalva, 12

Rosaria, 12

Rosabelle, 11

Rosalea, 11

Rosaleen, 11

Roselie, 11

Rosanne, 10

Roseanna, 10

Raissa, 9

Rosilyn, 9

Rosselyn, 9 (there were more beginning with Ross- but I left them out as they seem like a female variation on Ross)

Rosali, 8

Rosi, 8

Rozalia, 8

Rozilyn, 8

Rosabel, 7

Rosalene, 7

Rosaley, 7

Rosalita, 7

Rosealynn, 7

Roseanne, 7

Roselee, 7

Rosey, 7

Roslin, 7

Rosmeri, 7

Raiza, 6

Reizel, 6

Rosaleah, 6

Rosealie, 6

Rosealina, 6

Roselani, 6

Roselina, 6

Roselle, 6

Roza, 6

Rozlin, 6

Rosalena, 5

Rosana, 5

Roseann, 5

Rosette, 5

Rosilynn, 5

Rosslynn, 5

Rozaria, 5

Rozelle, 5

And two other variants not included here are Rhoswen (Welsh, no births in 2011) and Rasia.

Altogether that is 91 different variations...!