Aquamarine

Aquamarine is the birthstone for March, and what a pretty springtime color it is. I've seen a lot of unusual names being considered for middle names these days, such as Reverie, Fable and Wren. Even as first names. And I cannot think of a better middle name for a March baby (especially with blue eyes) than Aquamarine, if unusual names grace your list.

In 2010 there were 6 baby girls named Aqua, but none named Aquamarine. As far as middle names, I have no way to know. (Although, my guess is that generic middle names are still the most predominant, such as Marie and Rose.)

FYI, Aquamarine was also a movie abouts Mermaids. Aquamarine is a variant of beryl, and Beryl was also used as a given name, but is now considered vintage and dated.

What would you have named yourself?

Here's an alternate way of going about choosing your baby's name...what would you have named yourself, or what would you rename yourself or your spouse (if the baby is not the same sex as you). What name fits you, or you and your partner combined? What do you "look" like?

This week I took out a few pictures of myself and my husband from varying ages (baby to adult) and asked myself if the names I was interested in looked good on us, because in all probability a baby would look like us. I found that Lina and Domenica looked very good on me and an imagined mini-me, but Minerva and Aria didn't feel right.

It's a little like waiting to see what the baby looks like before naming him or her, only without the wait and guessing instead, but I certainly think it would help narrow down the list.

Even if you're not expecting, what would you have named yourself? I would have chosen Raina Guinevere.

Penelope

I find Penelope to be just the right kind of name. It's not too frilly, it's not too plain, it's just right. It's got a historical background and famous namesakes, and it sounds fresh and fun. Plus, it has super cute nickname options: Penny, Lola, Poppy, Nellie, Pen.

I think it's safe to assume we all recognize Penelope from the Greek myth Odysseus. She patiently awaited the return of her husband, Odysseus, who went to war. Meanwhile, many suitors tried to marry her, claiming that her husband was either dead or would never come back. This is one Greek story with a happy ending, as the two were reunited and their son became a man.

Her name derives from a kind of duck, which is said to have protected her as a baby. Although, it is also possible it derives from robin, or pene, and the meaning would be "weaver," which could be accurate as Penelope was said to have spent her time weaving.

Penelope ranked at #169 in 2011 and #200 in 2010, which rose from #946 in 2001. I'm not quite sure what was responsible for such a healthy rise in popularity. It could be all the P- nicknames becoming popular, such as Poppy and Pippa, or it could be Penelope Cruz, whose popularity as a celebrity is soaring. It could even be a lingering fondness for Penny Lane, although there are still more places you may have heard the name from. There's a lot going on in the celebrity world (Penelope Athena, Tina Fey's daughter), in media, and online to keep Penelope feeling inspired. There were a total of 1,535 baby girls born in 2010 named Penelope.

Reeve

No, not Keanu Reeves, just Reeve, which is one of those rare names that sounds appealing, and you have to say it out loud. It is a Middle English occupational name meaning "bailiff." Not the worst I've heard, and better yet, there's no rule that says you need to go around telling everyone what your baby's name means. And if you do, no one's going to say, "Oh, how horrible." There is actually a rich medieval history (including one of the stories in The Canterbury Tales) with a long list of duties a reeve held, and it was in fact a high position. I believe in part they later became sheriffs.

An alternate spelling is Reave, and there are dozens of namesakes with Reeve or Reeves as a surname. Two familiar namesakes other than Keanu Reeves are Reeve Lindbergh and Christopher Reeves (but don't let the associations deter you, it's just one distant recollection). Reeve is very similar to the French word for "dream." It is also similar to other popular names like Reid/Reed, Rhys, and Reese/Reece.

Not on the top 1000, and I don't believe it ever has been. In 2010 there were just 21 baby boys named Reeve, 18 named Reeves, and none spelled with an a (Reave, Reaves). In 2011 there were 12 Reeves and 33 named Reeve.

Reader Question: Amy vs Caitlin

Hi!
I loved your blog! I'm still torn, I love the name Amy (a girl I adored in kindy), but we have chosen Caitlin, surname [sounds like furry], her middle name will be Claire or Grace. I'm just not settled with this choice yet. What to do? I feel like it's such a responsibility to name her correctly. I'm also worried about her needing to spell her name out. I do want a name that has a easy nickname and sounds good for a professional woman.

Would love to hear your thoughts!

Thanks

...

Hi there!
First of all, it truly is a responsibility to bestow a name upon a child. It should be meaningful to you in some way, even if you just think it sounds pretty, and parents need to remember that this is a name their child will most likely carry for life.
My first concern is always popularity. I like to take into consideration the current popularity as well as past popularity. While both Amy and Caitlin rank outside the top 100, they have long been popular names. Caitlin currently stands at #340, and there are other variations in the top 100 and 1000 as well, such as Caitlyn, Kaitlin and Kaitlyn, all said the same but with different spellings, which is one of your concerns. I doubt anyone would initially spell Caitlin with a K, although that version ranks at #90, but those who are unfamiliar with Caitlin would probably assume it has the -lyn ending, and Caitlyn currently ranks at #300. Unfortunately, -lyn endings have become commonplace. Amy, on the other hand, ranks at #135, but would also make a cute nickname for a longer name such as Amarantha, Amethyst, Ambrosia, Amara, Amaryllis, Ambra, Ambretta or Amity. Amy alone does not have an easy nickname, although Caitlin can be shortened to Cait. An alternate suggestion for a name that sounds like Caitlin but is less popular would be Catalina. Caitlin is one of those Irish names that has become so mainstream that most hardly remember its Irish roots and begin to think of it as simply American, which is not necessarily a bad thing, as some Irish names will have a much harder time achieving this. I'm not sure if you want to honor a certain heritage, but Caia (kaya) and Caoimhe (keeva) come to mind if Caitlin is too popular for you.

As it is, Amy Grace sounds better than Caitlin Claire (a tongue-twister) or Caitlin Grace, and I think it also goes better with your surname. I think you should also take a few things into consideration before choosing for sure. Do you have any family members you want to honor? Do you know the meaning of each name and like that meaning? Get advice from a large group of people, like online message boards. Consider how well the name goes with your surname. Practice saying the full name out loud.

Good luck!

Does anyone have anything to add?

Leda

Hyung Jun Kim - Leda and the Swan

Leda, pronounced LEE-da or LAY-da, is a beautiful, ancient Greek name rarely heard today. In mythology she was the queen of Sparta, the mother of Helen of Troy (and others, by way of Zeus disguised as a swan), so she must have been beautiful if Helen's beauty was so well known. From the word lada, meaning "spouse, woman." Keep in mind, this is one name I strongly advise you to research before using.

Leda is also one of the moons of Jupiter, a ballet, and a poem by William Butler Yeats.

In 2010 there were only 9 baby girls named Leda, and 14 in 2011, along with 14 spelled Lida.

Sheldon

First of all, thanks to everyone for over 10,000 pageviews and many email subscribers. I never imagined there would be so much interest before seven months passed. Thanks so much!

On to today's name, Sheldon. Many parents try to find girl's names with masculine nicknames, like Reggie for Regina, but not many are interested in feminine nicknames for boy's names, such as Shelly for Sheldon, although Sheldon can also be shortened to Don, Shea, Shy or Shel.

Sheldon is Old English meaning "deep valley." It has been used both as a surname and given name. Namesakes are Shel Silverstein and Sheldon Silver. It is one of those seldom heard, reserved, unassuming names that at first you think is weird, and then it really grows on you. Kind of like the nerdy little boy who grows up to be a firefighter.

There were 196 baby boys named Sheldon in 2010, ranking at #990, along with 10 spelled Shelden. In 2011 it dropped off the top 1000 with only 174 births.