Carlo

Why did I decide to highlight Carlo and not Carl or Carlos? Besides a really unpleasant association with a Karl, it's a very dated name, while Carlos, in the US, is very region and culture specific. And Carlo is my cousin's name. Carlo, on the other hand, is less tied to any one thing or person. This Italian, German and Spanish variant of Charles means "free man," and ranked on the top 1000 until 2009, from 1905. Yet, it's still a name you don't hear often. If not for my cousin, I would have never met a Carlo. Although this name has European charm, it would fit right in with American kids today, hundreds of which start with a hard C or end in an O. (Camden, Cleo, Milo, Indigo, Leo, Shiloh, etc.)

Carlo also has a saintly namesake - Saint Carlo Borromeo, also known as Saint Charles, who died in 1584, and whose name day is November 4th. Saint Carlo was cardinal archbishop of the Catholic Church in Milan, Italy, and is now Patron Saint of many things, including apple orchards, bishops, spiritual leaders, starch makers, and stomach problems. Four kings of Spain also bore this name in the form of Charles as we know them today. Carlo Alberto Amedeo was the King of Sardinia in Italy between 1831 and 1849. Napolean Bonaparte's father was also named Carlo.

Fans of Sophia Loren might like to know that her son was named Carlo. Other namesakes include Nobel Prize winner Carlo Rubbia, six professional painters, two Olympians, an actor, and a historian. Many may also think of the Monte Carlo hotel and casino.

In 2011 there were 190 boys named Carlo, ranking slightly below the top 1000, as compared to about 140/150 in the 90's, and just 5 in the early 1900's. There are many carl- variants, such as Carlton, Carlos, Carl, Carlson and Carlito. Carlo is less popular than Carlos, which was given to 4,158 boys in 2011, and less popular than Carl, which was given to 420 boys in 2011. Carlos ranked #91 and Carl #591.

Ingela

Ingela is a variant of Angela in some countries, like German (from engel), but means "Ing's protection" or "guarded by Ing" in Scandinavian/Old Norse. Ing, the Norse goddess, was also the foundation for Ingrid, meaning "Ing's beauty." Ingela dates back to at least 1692 in Northern Europe, but world wide may date as far back as any record of Angela. There were no babies named Ingela in 2011 or 2010, and my guess is you won't find more than a small handful of Ingela's in U.S. records of birth, and even White Pages tells us there are only 118 in the U.S.

Ingela Olsson was a Swedish actress from the 90's, Ingela Forsman a popular lyricist, and Ingela Klemetz was responsible for an art gallery exhibit on Northern Women in Chanel. There was also Ingela Gathenhielm, known as the "Shipping Queen," a Swedish privateer and pirate during the 1700's with her husband Lars. There actions were sanctioned by King Charles XII of Sweden.

Yvonne

 

Yvonne (ee-VON) is the medieval French feminine form of Yvon and Yves, from Germanic Ivo, meaning "yew." The meaning is not "archer," it is what archery bows are made of: yew. Yvette also means "yew." Both can have the nicknames Yvie (EE-vee) or Yva (EE-vah). Yew is coniferous, like pine trees, and is known as the tree of mourning and the "tree of resurrection and eternity," symbolizing the Tree of Life. For more information on the tree in legend, please visit The Goddess Tree.

Yvonne is one of many names to travel to England after the Norman Invasion. After a while it was no longer popular, but saw a revival in the 20th century, and it was big with the French Creole community in the south (as evidenced by the Hank Williams song). At first glance it appears vintage, along with twin Yvette, but it is still used sparingly today and may see more use thanks to the vintage trend, the V trend, and the 100 year rule. In 2011 it was given to 127 baby girls, and Yvette to 191 girls. It appeared first in 1892, and last ranked in 2002. It made its way up to #76 in 1937, marking the height of its popularity, then slowly traveled back down into the 200's by 1977. Yvonne was most popular in France in the 1900's when it was a top 10 name, but it is now seldom used. One rare variant is Yvonette.

List of namesakes, though there are several more:
Yvonne Elliman, 1970s singer
Yvonne Arnaud, French actress
Yvonne Borree, American ballet dancer
Yvonne Ryding, Miss Universe 1984
Yvonne DeCarlo, Canadian actress
Yvonne Chaka Chaka, South African singer
Yvonne Choutou, ballet dancer
Yvonne Craig, ballet dancer and actress
Yvonne Minton, Australian opera singer
Yvonne van Gennip, Dutch speed skater in the Olympics
Yvonne Strahovski, Australian actress

Humphrey

 

Yes, not a name you hear every day, and not a name most parents think to use. In fact, Humphrey (HUM-free) was only given to 6 baby boys in 2011. It wasn't much better in the U.K., where it was only used 13 times in 2011. Rare indeed, yet so familiar. Not to mention intriguing nicknames: Hum, or Free. Many can still recall the charming actor Humphrey Bogart, who was in over 50 movies between 1928 and 1956, a year before he died. (I was shocked to learn my husband had no idea who he was, considering the American Film Institute ranked him the greatest male star in the history of American film.) He is most famous for "Casablanca" (1942) and "Sabrina" (1954). He starred alongside some gorgeous leading ladies, such as Ingrid Bergman, Lauren Bacall (whom he married), Audrey Hepburn and Katherine Hepburn. This cultural icon known for playing hard, yet noble characters would be a great namesake for a baby of film or Broadway buffs, and what's more is that he was born on Christmas day.

This vintage name of Old German origin means "peaceful warrior, peaceful bear" and was popular in medieval times, along with other y-ending names like Jeremy and Geoffrey. Saint Humphrey (Hunfrid) lived in the 800s AD, and the monk turned bishop turned abbot was one of many forced to flee during the Norman invasion, later returning to his place in France to rebuild. The name Humphrey can be found in a few other unexpected places, like on the son of King Henry IV, who became the first Duke of Gloucester, and who was named for his grandfather. There was a jazz musician named Humphrey Lyttleton, and a famous whale called Humphrey the Humpback.

Humphrey last appeared on the U.S. top 1000 in 1894, with no recurrences despite the actor's popularity. In fact, Bogart most likely saved the name from extinction, as it was being forgotten and fading closer to obscurity. Sometimes you can find Humphrey as a surname - it was that of Lyndon Johnson's VP, and Humphrey Bogart got it from his mom's maiden name. Humphries may be the more familiar surname. Humphrey appears in literature as well - Shakespeare's Henry IV, Tobias Smollett's Humphrey Clinker, Ben Jonson's Bartholomew Fair, and the children's book The World According to Humphrey by Betty Birney. He's even mentioned in Harry Potter.

So what do you think? Is Humphrey ready for his vintage revival? Don't let the first four letters influence you too much, as "hump" is said differently than Humphrey, and most are familiar enough with the name to pronounce it correctly as HUM-free. If it bothers you but you do like the name, consider using a legit variant such as Homfrey, Humfrey or Onofre.

Gerard

 

Gerard is a name you don't hear every day. I'm not entirely sure which category it fits in - vintage? This Old English name has an interesting meaning, "spear brave," partly sharing in the definitely vintage boy's name Gerald, meaning "spear ruler," which was also a 19th century revival name. Both come from Old German origin, but in the late Middle Ages, Gerard was more popular. The Normans introduced the name Gerard to England in the 11th century. "Spear brave" may seem a little obscure, but the meaning can be translated to "brave with the spear." It's common to hear this name in France, where actor Gerard Depardieu is from. The name can also be found on poet Gerard Manley Hopkins and painter Gerardo Richter, although I think most Americans are more familiar with the [very hot] Scottish actor from Hollywood, Gerard Butler (pictured above). There were also a few St. Gerard's, though the most well known, Gerard Majella, is the patron saint of pregnant women, often pictured as a young teen. St. Gerard of Brogne was of Belgian nobility, St. Gerard of Toul was of German nobility, and St. Gerard of Lunel was of French nobility.

Gerry is the most common and obvious nickname, while Geraud, Gerhardt, and Girault are a few variant forms. Herb-Gerard is a plant also known as gout-weed.

Gerard continuously ranked from 1889 until 2000, then once more in 2002 at #999. It ranked mainly between the mid 800s and high 200s, most popular in the 1950s. In 2000 it was #823, and we haven't seen it since. Since it never reached the top 100 and White Pages reports that 38% of all men named Gerard are between the ages of 30 and 54, I do hesitate to label it strictly vintage. It still has quite a bit of charm and sophistication. Being a familiar name, yet off the charts for over a decade, it seems like the perfect unusual find for parents searching for that elusive "everyone knows it, but no one uses it" name. It is also a multi-national name, common for Dutch, French, Irish, Scottish and English speakers, but also for Spanish and Italian speaking countries as Gerardo. The Hungarian form, Gellert, and the Polish form Gerik, are nearly unrecognizable to English speakers. In America today, Gerard remains popular among Roman Catholics.

Arrietty

Arrietty (ahr-ee-ET-ee) was a name made famous for the first time by author Mary Norton in her 1952 novel The Borrowers, a story of a family of tiny people living in the house of a normal sized family who "borrow" their supplies from the humans to survive. The name was made famous for the second time when Hayao Miyazaki's animation company, Studio Ghibli, turned the story into a Japanese animated motion picture, called "The Secret World of Arrietty," which was released by Walt Disney Pictures in the U.S. Please note that ahr-ee-ET-ee and air-ee-ET-ee are the correct pronunciations of the name.

For those of you not familiar with Ghibli movies, including Kiki's Delivery Service, Spirited Away, Totoro and Castle in the Sky (all of which had U.S. releases), these movies are a must see for adults and children alike (says the biggest Ghibli fan ever). There are no American animations that compare when it comes to story and artwork, and you'll find that a recurring theme is protecting the environment - a good lesson for kids to learn. And don't get me started on the music. The songs for Arrietty were written by a Ghibli fan, Cecile Corbel. (I refuse to talk about the American theme song. Refuse.)

Without spoiling too much, the plot of the book and movie is this: Arrietty Clock lives with her mother, Homily, and father, Pod. She meets a human called The Boy, named Sho in the Japanese movie and Shawn, I believe, in the American version. They become friends, but The Boy understands that she should not be seen by others, because it is not safe. Arrietty tells The Boy how there may actually be only a handful of Borrowers left in the world. Both the book and movie have an equal "leave you wanting more" ending.

Arrietty has only experienced a handful of namesakes since the 1952 novel, none born in recent years, and White Pages tells me there are only two living Arrietty's. It seems like Arrietty comes from Arietta, a variant of Arlette, which is a variant of Charlotte, but it is in fact a German variant of Harriet, meaning "home ruler." In other words, Arrietty was not just "made up" by Norton. I definitely see some little Arrietty's being born soon. Especially considering possible nicknames like Ari, Etty and Etta, although Arrietty does feel like a nickname itself.

Edda

The Prose Edda, at first simply called Edda, was composed by Snorri Sturluson, an Icelandic scholar. The title was changed from Edda to Prose Edda to differentiate between the Poetic Edda, from an anonymous author. Both works contain Old Norse mythology and Germanic heroic legends, and both were written around the same time, somewhere between 985 and 1600 AD, but Poetic Edda came first, as the Prose Edda cites parts of it. The Poetic Edda comes from a medieval Icelandic manuscript called Codex Regius. J.R.R. Tolkien and Ezra Pound are just two authors who claimed to have used to Poetic Edda as style inspiration for their work. Both works showcased things like skaldic tradition, poetic meter, alliterative verse, and strong imagery. The stories deal with gods, princes, the history of the universe and it sometimes reads like a history or guide.

Edda has a few different meanings. The one most closely linked to the books is Old Norse, and it could mean "great grandmother," or "poetry." As the books have Germanic ties, that meaning could be "inheritance." However, it is now widely accepted that edda was taken from a Latin phrase meaning "I compose [poetry]" specifically for the title. In the poem Rigsmaal, contained within the book, Edda is definitely used as "great grandmother." To use Edda as a baby name, you would have to be familiar with the works.

The Edda Awards, are the Icelandic TV and movie awards. Also, Audrey Hepburn's name was Edda during  the war and changed it back in 1945. In 2011 there were 22 girls named Eda (most likely pronounced EE-da, as a variant of Edith or Edna) but there were none named Edda in the U.S.

Thayer

Thayer is one hard name to dig up information on. In researching the name I've found many different sources listing many different origins. In French, Thayer is pronounced tie-YHER, supposedly meaning "army of the nation." One source suggests it is an Old English phrase meaning "the people," from origins elsewhere. Other ties lead to Germany, where there were several bearers of the name, though there were others in Austria, and the meaning is listed as "wild animal." There is a strong possibility it comes from the French word for "tea cup,"théière," possibly in reference to those who made them. It could be an Old English name that is possibly related to the occupational surnames Taylor or Thatcher, both of which are currently popular as first names. The name Thatcher means "roof thatcher" in Old English and was worn by former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. I recall the name from when I was very young, reading a book called Jeremy Thatcher the Dragon Hatcher. However, it is more likely Thayer comes from Taylor, as opposed to Thatcher, as a regional dialect or French variant. Taylor ("tailor") ranked at #44 in 2011 for girls, and #337 for boys. My favorite explanation, and the one that sounds most reasonable and accurate, is French, "tea cup maker."

Occupational surnames are unique in that they do work for both genders, unlike strictly masculine surnames such as Anderson, meaning "son of Anders/Andrew," and, unfortunately for adventurous namers, girls cannot be born sons. On a happier note, roof thatchers, tailors, brick layers and more can be men or women nowadays, which is why I'll be listing Thayer as unisex. For strictly feminine surnames, look to Scandinavian surnames such as Leifsdottir, meaning "daughter of Leif." I dare say it might be strange to give surnames such as these anywhere but America, though. I don't think you'd find any Leifsdottir Sorensdottir's or Thayer Anderson's elsewhere.

Some of the first Thayer's (as a surname) to come to America settled down in Braintree, Massachusetts, where you can still find Thayer Academy. Thayer featured as a character in F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel This Side of Paradise. It was the first name of a character on the TV show "The Lying Game," and the likelihood of that character's name being given due to Mount Thayer in California is strong. Thayer is a place name in several U.S. cities. In 2011 there were only 20 baby boys named Thayer.

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.

Melusina, Melusine

Jessie Bayes, The Marriage of La Belle Melusine

Before 2011 I had never heard the names Melusine or Melusina before, which is weird since Starbucks is so popular and the legend is more well known and widespread than I could have guessed. Maybe it's because I'm American, the the legend is more well known abroad? I've found that these legends are usually specific to Northern Europe. Anyway, Melusine is the mermaid featured on the logo of Starbucks, although sometimes the Starbucks mermaid is simply referred to as the twin-tailed siren or alchemical siren, and the image has been altered a few times from its original form (see this). She is a fresh water spirit, including rivers and springs, sometimes half fish and sometimes half serpent, occasionally with wings, and occasionally considered a fairy. She appears on many Coats of Arms because she was supposedly the water spirit from the Vistula River in Poland who identified the place to build for Boreslaus (Boleslaw) in Masovia in the 13th century.

Jean d'Arras wrote an extensive literary musing of Melusine around 1382 based on oral tales. In these stories her mother was Pressyne, discovered by a Scottish king, and they were married. When the king disobeyed her marriage condition - not to view her giving birth or bathing their three female triplets, she left the kingdom for Avalon. Melusine and her sisters Melior and Palatyne grew up in Avalon, later taking revenge on their father (who would be mad that they grew up in Avalon???) but their mother punished them, and this is how Melusine took on the shape of a mermaid (half serpent or half fish). Later, similar to her mother's tale, Melusine is discovered by a man named Raymond of Poitou and he proposes marriage. Melusine agrees upon the same condition her mother laid out, and she builds them a castle overnight with her magic. Raymond (of course) breaks his promise and sees her true form (on a Saturday), but she forgives him until he insults her in court. She takes the shape of a dragon, leaves him two magic rings, and flees. Melusine was considered the Queen of Columbiers. In Sir Walter Scott's version, Melusine's husband is named Guy de Lusignon, Count of Poitou. In all version mentioned thus far, Melusine and her mother seem very family oriented, and Sir Walter Scott even mentions that Melusine protects her descendants. In some versions she would act like an Irish banshee, warning her descendants that their death was near.


This tale is very similar to that of Lamia and makes me wonder if every European culture had their own version of this tale. Other notable mentions: Martin Luther called her a succubus, and meluzina in Czech refers to a gust of wind heard through the chimney, said to be the wailing of Melusina looking for her children.

Julius Hubner - Melusine

The legend above was so influential that it became connected to Luxembourg through Guy de Lusignon, and in 1997 Luxembourg issued a postage stamp for her. (A few very powerful royals have tried to claim Melusine was their ancestor, including Eleanor of Aquitaine, being that she descended from Raymond of Poitou's line.) In fact, the name Melusine may come from mere lusigne, meaning "mother of the Lusignans," although some believe it came from the Latin mal lucina, meaning "dark light," possibly in reference to Juno, which would make the siren-fairy-mermaid older than medieval times or at least connect Melusine to similar Greek and Roman myths, perhaps Lamia or the sirens.


Additionally, there is the Tour Melusine in Vouvant, the keep of a former castle of the Lords of Lusignan, that locals believed was truly built by Melusine. Other than that, there have been various sculptures and engravings of twin-tailed sirens internationally, including the exterior of the Lapidary Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and one in my hometown at a restaurant (The B.O.B.).

Other than the myths, there was Countess Petronilla Melusina von der Schulenburg of Walsingham, the illegitimate daughter of Ehrengard Melusine, Baroness von der Schulenburg, Duchess of Kendal and Munster, Princess of Eberstein (among other titles), mistress of King George I of Great Britain. It is widely believed her middle name of Melusine was given in reference to the Melusine legends. Petronilla was named for her grandmother Petronelle Oddie de Schwenken. Besides Petronilla Melusina, Ehrengard Melusine also had two other daughters, Anna Luise Sophie and Margaret Gertrude. King George did have a wife, Sophia, whom he had two daughters with, but they both preferred the attention of others. After Sophia's lover was murdered for fear of scandal, their marriage was dissolved, Sophia was imprisoned for more than thirty years until she died. It is unfortunate to know he merely died of a stroke at 67.

There is also a main belt asteroid named 373 Melusina (as almost all things in space are named after mythological figures or Shakespearean characters), a Belgian comic book, a song called Melusine by a metal band called Leaves' Eyes, an animation company called Melusine Productions, and quite a few literary references, including Melusine by Sarah Monette, Lady of the Rivers by Phillipa Gregory, The Fair Melusina by Felix Mendelssohn, The New Melusine by Goethe, The Wandering Unicorn by Manuel Mujica Lainez, and Possession by A.S. Byatt. Many stories told of Melusine can be seen as the medieval opinion on female sexuality and the duality of women.

Melusine by Maxine Gadd

This might have been my longest post so far, so I'll end it by suggesting that spelling the name Melusine or Melusina is a personal choice and that there would be little difference in getting your point across - the connection to the legends would still be obviously recognizable, and both have been used countless times without too much favor falling on one or the other. There were no babies born in 2010 or 2011 named Melusine or Melusina. Also, there's a little more information and pictures if you hunt for it.

Emmeline

Emmeline Pankhurst

Emmeline is all the rage right now online, popular with pretty much everyone, and it is easy to see why. It is familiar like Emma and Emily, currently two of the most popular names, and Emmeline is a little unique, mysterious and alluring, and rare enough that you think you've heard it before, but haven't. In fact, in 2010 there were 140 baby girls named Emmeline. It was also popular in medieval times.

Other variants and names that are very similar are as follows: 13 Emalina, 40 Emaline, 117 Emalyn, 6 Emalyne, 40 Emalynn, 36 Emelin, 35 Emelina, 75 Emeline, 98 Emelyn, 5 Emelyne, 9 Emelynn, 11 Emilene, 10 Emilina, 10 Emiline, 73 Emilyn, 5 Emmalena, 15 Emmalene, 75 Emmalin, 76 Emmalina, 203 Emmaline, 370 Emmalyn, 14 Emmalyne, 215 Emmalynn, 19 Emmalynne, 6 Emmelin, 13 Emmelina, 140 Emmeline, 21 Emmelyn.

It is hard to tell if the names listed above are true variants of Emmeline or if they are variations of Emma or Emily. All of these versions considered, I would not call Emmeline "rare" anymore.

Emmeline is Old French from Old German, Ameline from Amal, meaning "(to) work," "industrious," or "hard worker." It is from the same root as Amelia. However, as a variant of Emma it means "whole, entire, universal." Both the em-eh-leen and em-eh-line pronunciations are correct, although the em-eh-leen version is more prevalent and also more accurate. Variant spellings include Emeline, Emelina, Emmelina, Emmelyn, Emmalyn, Emmaline and Emaline. Nicknames can include Em, Emmy, Emma, Mellie, Millie, Lina, Linny, Elle, Ellie, and Ella.

The most famous namesakes are Christian Bale's daughter and Emmeline Pankhurst, women's suffrage activist (whose daughter Christabel was also into women's rights). The name is also featured in a couple of songs, "Huckleberry Finn," a character in the Harry Potter series, "Uncle Tom's Cabin," the name of the girl in The Blue Lagoon, an opera, ballad of "The Child of Elle," Emmeline B. Wells, and a poem called "Before Tea" by A.A. Milne, the movie Anne of Avonlea, and more. It is more popular than you think!

Baby Names That Mean "Wolf"

January is known as the month of the wolf, therefore I present my list of names that mean "wolf." Wolves were a very important part of many cultures, including Native American, medieval Germany and historic Mexico. Considering how dangerous times are for wolves lately (everyone loves werewolves in the media but ignores the ongoing aerial hunts), I think they could use a little boost.

Female:

Guadalupe, part of Spanish origin and myth, meaning "wolf valley"

Ulva, Old German, "wolf"

Ralphina, Old English, "wolf counsel"

Rudolpha, Old German, "famous wolf"

Ulrica, Old German, "power of the wolf"

Daciana, Romanian, "wolf"

Ylva, Scandinavian, "she-wolf"

Otsana & Otsanda, Basque, "she-wolf"

Lupita, Spanish, "little wolf"

Velvela, Yiddish, "wolf"



Male:

Lyall, Old Norse, "wolf"

Channing, English and Old French, "young wolf; official of the church"

Faolan, Irish and Gaelic, "little wolf"

Phelan, Irish and Gaelic, "like a wolf"

Conan, English, Irish and Gaelic, "hound, wolf; high"

Randall & Randolph, Old German, "wolf shield"

Ralph, Old English, "wolf counsel"

Raoul, French, "wolf counsel"

Rolf, Rollo & Rudolph, Old German, "famous wolf"

Odolph, Old German, "prosperous wolf"

Conall, Irish, Scottish, Gaelic, Celtic, "strong wolf"

Arno, Old German, "eagle-wolf"

Gonzalo, Spanish, Latin, "battle; wolf"

Fenris, from Scandinavian mythology

Rafe, Old German, "counsel of the wolf"

Lowell, Old French, "young wolf"

Ulric, English, Old German, "power of the wolf; power of the home"

Wolfgang, Old German, "traveling wolf"

And then there's always the Old German Wolfe or modern day Wolf.

Rudolpha

Ok, wow. I am seven days behind on my posts. I don't know how I'll catch up!!

Today's name: Rudolpha (since Rudolph is nearly out of the question, but it's still Christmas time)

Pronunciation: ru-DOL-fah

Potential nicknames: Rudy, Dolly, Rue, Dolpha

Origin: You might be thinking reindeer, but Rudolpha is Old German, the feminine variant of Rudolph, meaning "famous wolf." While Rudolph has many variants, including Rolf, Rudy, Rudolpho, and Rollo, the girl's name Rudolpha is just that.

Popularity: In 2010 and 2011 there were no baby girls named Rudolpha (despite it's rare and cute nicknames). Don't expect it to rise in popularity this century, and it hasn't been popular for a very long time. For boys, Rudolph last ranked in 1992 at #994.

Fun fact: (1) Movie star Rudolph Valentino. (2) Rudolph "Rudy" Giuliani, former mayor of New York. (3) King Rudolph I of Germany. (4) Gerald Rudolph Ford, a past U.S. president. (5) As a surname, and the only famous female namesake, Maya Rudolph, a comedienne, who has children named Jack, Pearl and Lucille. (6) Rudolph Diesel, inventor of the diesel engine. (7) Saint Rudolph. (8) Do I really have to mention Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer?

Heidi

Today's name: Heidi

Pronunciation: HY-dee

Potential nicknames: Dee/Di, DiDi, Heid...

Origin: Surprisingly, Heidi is the short form of the Old German name Adelaide, meaning "exhalted nature," although Adelaide means "noble kind." Kind of the same thing. Simply put, they both mean "noble person." Heidi can also be a nickname for Hildegard and Heidrun.

Popularity: In 2010 there were 1,059 baby girls named Heidi, ranking at #303 on the U.S. top 1000. There were also 9 baby girls spelled Heide and 334 spelled Heidy. In 2011 it ranked at #331, a slight fall, with 943 births.

Fun fact: (1) You might recognize this name from Johanna Sprydi's novel "Heidi," in which there is a main character from the Swiss Alps with the same name, although her full name was Adalheid (Adalaide). This has been made into a 1937 movie. (2) Heidi Montag, a famous actress. (3) Adelaide was popular due to Queen Adelaide, the German princess who married Prince William IV. Adelaide has 57 variant forms, but I'll save that for a different post. (4) Supermodel Heidi Klum. (5) Heidi Fleiss, and several other famous Heidi's.

Odette

Today's name: Odette (the only other variant being Odetta)

Pronunciation: oh-DET

Potential nicknames: Odie, Oda, Detta, Dottie, Etta, Ettie

Origin: French and Old Germanic, meaning "wealth."

Popularity: In 2011 there were 48 baby girls named Odette, and in 2010 there were 19 (compare to 48 Odessa and 23 Odelia in 2010), which does not rank on the U.S. top 1000. It ranked #967 in 1899 and #843 in 1905. Perfect for your little ballerina or graceful swan.

Fun fact: (1) Odette was the name of the white (good) swan character in the famous ballet "Swan Lake," which recently inspired a movie. Odile was the name of the black (bad) swan. You might be more or less familiar with Princess Odette from the animated movie "The Swan Princess." (2) Folk singer Odetta. (3) Actress Odette Justman. (4) Actor Mark Ruffalo's daughter. (5) Odette de Crecy was the wife of Charles Swann in Proust's "A la Recherche du Temps Perdu."

.

Rowena

Today's name: Rowena

Artwork of the beautiful Rowena and King Vortigern.

Pronunciation: row-EEN-ah, row-ENN-ah, ROW-enn-ah, row-AY-na

Potential nicknames: Row, Rowie, Rowen, Rona, Rena, Wendy

Origin: (1) Old English from Old German, meaning "fame and happiness." (2) Possibly Welsh, meaning "slender and fair" or, less likely, the Saxon form of Celtic Rhonwen, meaning "white skirt," "bright spear," or "fair lance."

Popularity: Rowena is a very rare name, although it did rank toward the bottom of the SSA list until 1963. There were only 7 baby girls named Rowena in 2010, slightly increasing to 15 births in 2011.

Fun fact: (1) One of two heroines in Sir Walter Scott's "Ivanhoe" from 1819. In the movie her name is pronounced the traditional way, row-EE-nah. (2) Geoffrey of Monmouth claims Rowena was the daughter of Saxon chief Hengist, therefore making her a princess. This was supposedly the first mention of the name Rowena. She was also married to King Vortigern, therefore making her a queen. (3) Rowena Jackson, a prima ballerina from New Zealand. (4) Rowena is a character in Edgar Allen Poe's "Ligeia." (5) Rowena Ravenclaw is one of the four founders of Hogwarts in the Harry Potter series.

A still of Rowena from the 1982 "Ivanhoe" movie, played by Lysette Anthony.

Atreyu

Today's name: Atreyu

Pronunciation: ah-TRAY-yu

Potential nicknames: Atreyu comes with the adorable nickname Trey.

Origin: German, through the use of the fictional native language in the novel it came from, meaning "son of all." The meaning came to be so because Atreyu's parents were killed by a buffalo soon after he was born and his village raised him.

Popularity: In 2010 there were 130 baby boys named Atreyu (about 2.6 per state) which does not rank on the Social Security Administration's top 1000 baby names in the U.S. In 2011 there were 5 spelled Atreu, 8 Atrayu, and 125 Atreyu. If you think it's weird, keep in mind there were 91 Anakin's in 2011.

Fun fact: You will probably remember "The NeverEnding Story," Michael Ende's German novel and the 1980s movie series, in which one of the main characters is named Atreyu. Rumor has it that "The NeverEnding Story" (which in my opinion should be left a classic and not messed with) is being remade for 2014. If the book or movie does not instantly come to mind, you might be more familiar with the rock band Atreyu, formed in 1998, named after Atreyu from "The NeverEnding Story." These are the only two well known associations. And this is just a wild guess, but if the remake doesn't end up happening, chances are no one your kid's age (when they're older) will know where Atreyu came from. It will work well with other unique/less heard/rare literary, but still legitimate, name options coming about lately, such as Aramis and Merrick. And if the movie is remade, your kid will have a cool factor by being named Atreyu before the movie comes out, much like a Hermione might have had before Harry Potter came out, or Bella might have had before Twilight came out.

.

Lewis

Today's name: Lewis

Pronunciation: LU-iss (not to be confused with LU-ee)

Potential nicknames: Although strong on its own, Lewis could be a Lew/Lou or Lewie.

Origin: Germanic, meaning "fame and war," equivalent to "renowned fighter." It is the English spelling of French Louis. Both names come from the Old German name Aloysius, although some sources say it is from the Old High German name Hluodowig.

Popularity: In 2010 there were 319 baby boys named Lewis (along with 124 named Louie and 901 named Louis), ranking at #717. It was in the tp 100 from 1880 to 1930, but its ranking has not changed much in the past decade. In 2003 it ranked #2 in Scotland (and for the past 3 years), #16 in England, #17 in Wales, and #19 in Northern Ireland. In 2011 it went up to #633 with 366 births. Other variants also ranked - Luis, Louis and Luis.

Fun fact: (1) Author Lewis Caroll, born Charles Dodgson, of Alice in Wonderland fame. (2) The Isle of Lewis, also known as the Hebrides, is an island off of Scotland. (3) Also a surname, one of the surname's most famous bearers being C.S. Lewis, author of The Chronicles of Narnia. Others include Jerry Lewis and Jerry Lee Lewis, Daniel Day Lewis and Sinclair Lewis. (4) The name Louis, which Lewis comes from, was used by 18 French kings, multiple saints, and various famous people. (5) Saint David Lewis. (6) Famous explorers Lewis and Clark.

.

Millicent

Today's name: Millicent

Pronunciation: MIL-ih-sent

Potential nicknames: Mil, Millie, Milla, Milcie, Missy, Min, Minnie, Lissa, Lissie, Penny

Origin: Used since the Middle Ages, Millicent is Old French and was brought to England by the Normans in the French form of Melisent and Old Germanic form of Melisende, meaning "brave strength," and "strong at work." The names Melisande and Melisanda could be part of Millicent's beginnings, or they could be from Melissa. Either way, Melisent and Melisende came from the Old Germanic name Amalasuintha, which become Malasintha, and then Melisenda.

Popularity: Not in the top 1000 for at least 45 years, there were 67 baby girls named Millicent in 2010 and 64 in 2011.

Fun fact: (1) Dame Millicent Fawcet was an early British suffragist and feminist. Coincidentally, Millicent Preston-Stanley is an Australian feminist and politician, and another politician is Millicent Fenwick. (2) A double Harry Potter name: Millicent Bagnold, former Minister of Magic (another politician position, although fictional), and Millicent Bulstrode, a Hogwart's student. (3) A character in Sylvia Plath's "Initiation," a short story. (4) Barbie the iconic doll's full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts. (5) Princess Amalasuintha, daughter of Theodoric the Great, King of the Ostragoths. (6) Crown princess Melisande, later Queen of Jerusalem.

I also happen to think Millicent would pair spectacularly with Winifred.
.

Zelda

Today's name: Zelda (which I thought would be perfect to post today since it is a little witchy, and Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D came out just a few months ago)

Pronunciation: ZEHL-dah

Potential nicknames: Zell, Zellie, Ellie, or maybe even Zsa-Zsa or ZiZi

Origin: (1) The German diminutive of Griselda/Grizelda, meaning "dark battle" or "grey battle maiden," but can also come from a word for stone or gravel. (2) Yiddish cognate of German name Salida, meaning "joy" or "luck." (3) Old English variant of Selda, meaning "companion."

Popularity: Zelda first appeared on the SSA charts in 1880 when records of names first started being kept by the Social Security Administration, and it ranked at #834. It worked its way up to #379 in 1911, then worked its way back down to #997 in 1967, where it was last seen. When the first Zelda video game came out there were a handful of babies each year between 1985 and 1991 presumably named for her, but no more than 22 baby girls in one year. Read more about it here. In 2010 there were 69 baby girls named Zelda, zero or less than five babies named Selda, 7 girls named Gricelda, 15 Grisel, 59 Griselda, 5 Griselle, 5 Grissel and zero or less than five Grizelda. In 2011 there were 80 baby girls named Zelda.

Fun fact: (1) Robin Williams and his daughter were featured in the latest Zelda video game commercial because he named his daughter Zelda, after the video game princess. (2) The Zelda in the video game, however, got her name from F. Scott Fitzgerald's wife Zelda, a Jazz Age/Roaring 20's icon and celebrity "flapper," who was a sophisticated and beautiful artist/writer, but was said to have mental issues. (3) "The Patient Griselda" is a well-known folkloric story about a patient and obedient woman, who endures emotionally painful incidents at the whim of her husband or fiancee, depending on which version you're reading. She has been written about by Boccaccio, Chaucer, Marie de France and others. It is interesting to note that while Zelda Fitzgerald became a feminist icon after her death, Griselda was the true "Angel of the Household," a Victorian term meaning "an obedient wife who knows her place." (4) This person is not as well-known but I thought it was interesting enough to mention: Griselda Blanco was a female drug lord for the Medellin Cartel. (5) Due to the video game association, and the connection to Zelda Spellman from Sabrina the Teenage Witch, the name Selda may be more to your liking. Zelda is actually the variant of Selda, not the other way around. And doesn't Zelda seem like the perfect twin or sibling name for Stella, or maybe Phoebe? I think so.

.