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...!