She’s a super-short name with a meaning and origin to please anyone.

Thanks to Michelle for suggesting Aya as our Baby Name of the Day.

Mini names tend to be shape shifters, heard in many languages, with ties to multiple given names.

From the common to the obscure, you might find Aya listed as:

• A Japanese given name related to color, design, or a type of silk.  The exact meaning depends on the kanji – characters – used to write the name, so other possibilities exist.
• She’s also a short form of many Japanese feminine names, like Ayako, Ayame, and Ayano.
• Among the many variations of Maria, there’s Marja.  In Scandinavia, a pet form of Marja is Marija, and Aija, Aja, or Aya is a sometimes-heard nickname form.
• In Turkish, aya is the word for palm, as in the palm of your hand.  But I’ve yet to find her listed as a Turkish given name.
• Many sources say that Aya is an Arabic name meaning miracle or sign.
• Others say Aya is Hebrew for bird, or maybe vulture or hawk.  It’s a masculine name in the Old Testament, also spelled Ajah and Aiah.
• Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia was built as an Eastern Orthodox cathedral in the fourth century, served as a house of worship for various faiths over the centuries, and is now a museum.  Hagia Sophia means holy wisdom, and in Turkish, she’s called the Ayasofia.  I assume this means Aya means holy, but I can’t confirm that.
• There’s an ancient Akkadian mother goddess called Aya, associated with the dawn.
• Some accounts list a Saint Aya in the early 700s, a noblewoman who took religious vows and donated much of her land to her order.  She’s more commonly listed in Catholic sources as Agia.  A sixth century queen of Burgundy is recorded as Austregildis, another name sometimes given to Aya, so perhaps there’s a story there.

She’s a Top 100 pick in France today.  Meilleurs Prenoms attributes her rise to the French Muslim community.

She’s also popular in Belgium and Spain, and she’s been catching on slowly in the US.  A handful of girls received the name in the 1970s, so few that they might all be Japanese-American families looking for a cross-cultural possibility.

But today Aya is on trend for another reason.  We’re more interested in short names than ever before.

Ava and Mia are both in the US Top Ten.  Zoe and Eva aren’t far behind.  You might also meet girls named Amy, Ana, Ivy, Gia, Lea, Lia, Nia, Tia, Ada, and Ali as well as single-syllable choices like Mae, Liv, Sky, and Joy.  For some parents, the ideal twenty-first century name is spare, simple, and nickname-proof.

She shares sounds with Ayla, Isla, and Anya, names that have attracted attention in recent years.

Aya fits the mini-names trend, and has the added appeal of being nicely cross-cultural.  For families eager to find a name that isn’t too closely tied to one background, Aya solves the riddle in a compact, current package.

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He’s worn by the current pope and a quirky English actor.

Thanks to Shannon for suggesting Benedict as our Baby Name of the Day.

Conventional wisdom holds that Americans won’t use Benedict thanks to the the traitor, Benedict Arnold, who plotted – unsuccessfully – to surrender West Point to the British during the Revolutionary War.  But Benedict was used most years from nineteenth century into 1968, regularly ranking in the Top 1000.  So it was not the traitor that did him in.

Perhaps Benedict was buoyed by Catholic families?  With eight saints and sixteen popes wearing the name, plenty of boys were likely named in honor of one.

The name comes from the Latin bene - good – and dicte - speak.  Benedicte meant bless, as in bless you, and Benedictus was a Late Latin name meaning blessed.  You might see the name’s meaning given as “well spoken.”  It tracks etymologically, but ignores considerable cultural context.

The first St. Benedict was born in Umbria, the son of a noble, and went on to found a dozen monasteries throughout Italy and create the Rule of St. Benedict, a series of instructions for living the life monastic, in the fifth century.  The very idea of written directions was novel during the saint’s lifetime, and the Rule has been influential for over fifteen centuries.

Less than a century after the Rule was written, the first Pope Benedict was elected.  It is believed that his birth name was probably Benedictus.  Pontiffs have used the name steadily ever since, including the current pope, Benedict XVI.  Most appear to credit the fifth century saint as their inspiration for taking the name.

As for the name’s use in English, this is yet another appellation imported by the Normans.  In Norman French, the name was probably Beneoit or Benoit most frequently, making Bennett the common English vernacular form.  Bennett eventually became more common as a surname, and Benedict was revived in the 1700s.

Speaking of surnames, there are at least three possible Mr. or Mrs. Benedicts who may have given their name to the dish eggs benedict.

On the plus side:

• Much Ado About Nothing features romantic hero Benedick, a committed bachelor who eventually meets his match in the witty, lovely Beatrice.  Benedick seems like a non-starter of a spelling, but he’s just a lesser-used spelling variation.
• Benjamin has been quite stylish throughout the English-speaking world, and beyond.  Benedict shares the friendly nickname Ben.
• Bennett has been on a sharp upward rise in the US in recent years, fueled by our affection for surname names, but also thanks to Ben.

The best hope for Benedict’s revival outside of the Catholic community might be the actor pictured above.  Benedict Cumberbatch has had a steady career in a number of critically acclaimed roles.  His most recent is as Sherlock, in the BBC reboot of the enduring Arthur Conan Doyle stories.  Caitlin Moran quipped that he is, “the first actor in history to play Sherlock Holmes who has a name more ridiculous than Sherlock Holmes.”

Still, Cumberbatch adds a glimmer of wearability to the name outside of Catholic circles.  Benedict is, undeniably, a classic name with a deep backstory and an easy nickname.  If you’re after an unusual name with roots, Benedict might be one to consider.

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Boys’ names ending with x range from the mainstream to the edgy, the solidly masculine to the unisex. My unscientific guess is that more names ending with x are in use in 2013 than ever before. We do love those high-value Scrabble letters: z, j, k, v, x.

Besides its cool, edgy sound, X has plenty of positive associations. X marks the spot. The Winter X Games just wrapped up in Aspen a few days ago. For the games, and in many uses, X stands in for words like extra, extreme, and excellent. It’s a vibrant, active, boundary-pushing sort of vibe.

The Jolie-Pitts, starbaby namers extraordinaire, have a trio of sons with names ending with x. And the letter lends itself to use in short, complete masculine names with a modern sound.

Read on for some of the most intriguing and most-often used boys’ names ending with x.

Ajax - With mythological choices gone mainstream, Ajax can be seen as more than a cleanser. The Trojan war hero has yet to inspire many parents, but he could work well. Artist Marni Kotak chose the name for her son, whose birth and first year have been documented in a series of performances at Brooklyn’s Microscope Gallery. Unranked in #2011.

Alex - Arguably the most classic ending with x name on the list, Alex is both an independent name and the logical short form of the evergreen Alexander. Style-wise, Alex is eclipsed by Axel these days, but that x-ending keeps him in the game. Ranked #95 in 2011. Alexander ranked #8.

Bix - Jazz great Bix Beiderbecke isn’t as well known as some, but with musical hero choices gone mainstream, Bix has a shot at discovery. Beiderbecke was born Leon Bismark. Another possible formal option? Quirky surname Bixby. Unranked in 2011.

Bronx - Singer-actress Ashlee Simpson surprised the world when she and musician husband Pete Wentz chose the New York borough of The Bronx as inspiration for their son’s name. Unranked in 2011, but rising rapidly.

Dax - Actor Dax Shepard made his name as a buddy of Ashton Kutcher’s on Punk’d and has gone on to have an acting career of his own. The name is also worn by a soccer player, a town in southwestern France, and a creature in the Star Trek universe. Ranked #712 in 2011.

Dex - Short for Dexter, could just Dex work? It softens the association with the fictional serial killer, but also forgoes some of his vintage, quirky charm. Unranked in 2011. Dexter ranked #384.

Essex - A place name dating to the early Middle Ages, Essex has a romantic sound. The current Earls of Essex date their title to the seventeenth century, but the title was first in use five centuries earlier. Today he’s a dashing rarity to consider. Unranked in 2011.

Felix– Once reserved for felines, this happy name was boosted by so many things. Harry Potter‘s potion reminded future parents everywhere of the name’s positive meaning. More than one celebrity has chosen Felix. And Fearless Felix Baumgartner jumped from the edge of space itself last year, permanently changing his image from the fussy half of The Odd Couple to a daredevil. Factor in that he’s a long-standing American ally of James Bond, and Felix is quite the dashing possibility. Ranked #311 in 2011.

Fox – It was a surprising choice for FBI agent Fox Mulder in The X-Files, but it has a long history of use as a nickname, a surname, and even some history in the first spot. We’re wild for animal names in 2013, meaning that Fox combines two trends: his fierce, outdoorsy, nature vibe and his ending with x sound. Unranked in 2011.

Hendrix - A rock star surname, thanks to the legendary Jimi Hendrix, he combines surname style with that vibrant x ending. Ranked #976 in 2011.

Jax - In recent years, the popularity of Jackson has led to alternative spellings like Jaxon. If Jack can stand alone, why not Jax? He’s completely nouveau, but at #319 in 2011, he’s also very well established as an independent name.

Jex – Take Jax and twist a little farther and you’ll arrive at Jex. Does it work? Six boys received the name in 2011, so he’s pretty rare, and unranked in 2011.

Knox– We knew him in Dead Poet’s Society, but it was the Jolie-Pitt family’s use of the name that really put him on the map. Ranked #434 in 2011.

Lennox - Lennox feels at home on a prep school campus in a navy blazer and rep tie. But thanks to world heavyweight champ Lennox Lewis, there’s a tough guy side to this name, too. Ranked #823 in 2011.

Lynx - If Fox works, why not Lynx? The tufty-eared wildcat has lent his name to many things, including a former bestselling car from the 1980s, the Mercury Lynx. Today he’s a daring possibility, but not completely unknown. He might also serve as a short form of presidential surname Lincoln. Unranked in 2011.

Lux - Thanks to The Virgin Suicides, Lux is mostly seen as feminine – and tragic. It’s associated with Luxembourg, light, and punk rock innovator Lux Interior, frontman for The Cramps. None of it seems like likely inspiration for a son’s name, but Lux could be wearable. Unranked in 2011.

Maddox - A surname choice, Maddox is derived from the Welsh Madoc. Mad means fortunate, so it makes for a nicely meaningful choice. Angelina Jolie adopted her first child, Maddox Shivan, in 2002.The name immediately caught on with parents in the US. Ranked #169 in 2011.

Max - Nearly as classic as Alex – and almost as popular, too! Max is boosted by Where the Wild Things Are and his vintage appeal. Plenty of formal options are available, and their popularity obscures just widely-used Max is these days. Of course, he’s plenty stylish on his own, too. Ranked #96 in 2011.

Pax - Another Jolie-Pitt brother, Pax is the Latin for peace. She’s a minor goddess in the Roman pantheon, also associated with spring. Perhaps that’s why parents have embraced the unrelated surnamePaxton instead. Unranked in 2011. Paxton ranked #273.

Phoenix– The acting family helped put this one on the map, but it is also a place name and a richly symbolic one, with ties to Ancient Greece, many mythologies, early Christianity, and Harry Potter. His x ending is a bonus. Ranked #388 in 2011.

Rex– He’s regal, and while his history of use includes the doghouse, he’s also a Hollywood leading man. Ranked #617 in 2011.

Tex - An S.E. Hinton character and a legendary country western singer, Tex feels more like a nickname than a given name. But given our passion for cowboy names, place names, and the letter X, this one could see some use. Cartoonist Tex Avery - born Frederick- created many of the most memorable Looney Tunes figures, including Bugs Bunny. Unranked in 2011.

Would you use a boy’s name ending with x? Which one? Are there others that belong on this list?

Original photo credit: untitled by procsilas via Flickr

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A few years ago, I left home without my grocery store loyalty card.  It was one of those stock-the-pantry trips, so when I reached the register sans card, I hated to check out without it.  The cashier handed me an application, and in a moment of whimsy, I filled out another name: Cordelia Chase.

She’s a creation of Joss Whedon’s on Buffy, the Vampire Slayer.  She’s one of my favorite fictional character names, but I still can’t explain why I settled on Cordelia and not, say, Blair Warner or Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Somehow, my original card never surfaced and I now use Cordelia’s card exclusively.  I was reminded of that yesterday, when after a quick trip through the express lane, a polite young cashier named Demetrius said, “Thank you, and have a nice day, Mrs. Chase.”

It’s fun to have another name sometimes, even at the Safeway for a few seconds.

Back to the baby name news:

• Oooh, I love Ledger and Sea.  Except Sea’s middle name?  Too cutesy.  I can appreciate a daring middle, but this one feels like a punchline.  Here’s hoping there’s a story …
• Is name regret really this headline-worthy?  I think this mom was a little bit indecisive.  It’s not like she changed her kids’ names from Orchid and Nehemiah to Mary and John, or from Mary and John to Skylee and Slayde.
• I’d change my name if I were Melanie.  Er, Milanee.  Milahni.  Gosh, I’m stumped.  How would you solve her dilemma?
• Ancient Greek names for girls might be my favorite category of name, hands down.
• Neve and Garnet are my favorites from this list of winter names.
• Why do I feel like this Colorado family is minutes away from their own show on TLC?  Nancy has the rundown on their kids’ names.  Check out #11.  Oh, and yes – I’d almost certainly tune in.
• Seriously, Whitaker might be my new favorite surname baby name.  It has an Oscar tie this award season.
• Fascinating thoughts about how the internet impacts our perception of names, courtesy of the wise Laura Wattenberg.  The question is whether this will intensify as we spend more of our lives online – or not.  And whether the potential for negative stereotyping will push parents to choose names that are different … hmm …
• Sweet little story of the royal-baby-on-the-way.  Pssst … Faye, your name is pretty great, too!
• Speaking of royal, a girl named Princess.  Plus 48 other names.  I’d drop ‘em all except for Iris or India.
• It’s hard for me to imagine Philadelphia as a girl’s name, but it once was.
• I remember reading this blog when her girls were babies.  Love the names Esther and Isla.
• From the wayback machine.  In 2009, I wrote about Marian.  2010 featured Laszlo, and 2011 was Ulysses.  Last year, it was Names Borrowed from the Beatles.

That’s all for this week!  As always, thank you for visiting and have a fabulous week.

The post Baby Name News: 2/3/13 appeared first on Appellation Mountain.

Editor’s note: This post first appeared on January 24, 2008 as Doomed Heroines: Camille.  It was substantially revised as re-posted on February 4, 2013.

She’s a français, feminine pick associated with a handful of tragic heroines.

Thanks to Melissa for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day:  Camille.

Camille makes me think of camellias, but this isn’t another Jacinta/hyacinth case.  Instead, the camellia takes its name from botanist Georg Joseph Kamel.

The name has completely separate roots.  She evolved from Camillus, which had two meanings in ancient Rome.  First, it was a cognomen, worn by Marcus Furius Camillus, a successful fourth century BC solider-statesman.  But it was also a term for a young acolyte in a religious service.  It’s not clear whether the name is linked to the term or has other roots.

In RomanCamilla was a warrior maiden. She has a long history of use as a given name.

Camillus became a saint’s name around 1600 in Italy.  Camillo, Camilo, and Camille allevolved in romance languages.

Camille is both masculine and feminine in French, but since the middle of the twentieth century, she’s almost exclusively used for girls.

Could it have something to do with Alexandre du Mas, fils?  His 1848 novel La Dame aux camélias was the story of Marguerite, a courtesan who falls in love with a regular Joe called Armand.  When Armand’s scandal-fearing father intervenes, Marguerite agrees to leave quietly, and eventually dies alone.  It’s all quite romantic and tragic.  du Mas adapted his novel for the stage in 1852, and it remains among the most popular productions of all time.

Verdi adapted the story as La traviata - the fallen woman.  He changed Marguerite to Violetta.  It remains a standard in operatic repertoires, among the most-performed of all time.

But how do La Dame aux caméliasand La traviata lead to the given name Camille?

In 1915, the story was adapted for the big screen.  The movie and the heroine were both now called Camille.  A second silent film came along in 1917, with Theda Bara as Marguerite.  Then came 1936′s film starring Greta Garbo.  Garbo’s character started out as Marguerite and became known as Dame Camille.

Camille has been in the US Top 1000 since 1880.  Garbo won a Best Actress Oscar for her performance, and also lifted the name.  Prior to 1936, Camille typically ranked in the 400s or higher.  She ranked in the 300s after the movie, and has generally fared better in the twentieth century.

Today’s trends favor her:

• Cameron and Camden have been popular Cam- names in recent years.  Camila is currently #48 for girls.
• French names for girls are ever so stylish.
• She feels like a vintage name ready for rediscovery, a sister for Amelia or Olive.

Starbaby Willow Smith’s full name is Willow Camille Reign.  Princess Stephanie of Monaco has children named Louis, Pauline, and Camille Marie Kelly.  And, of course, Prince Charles married Camilla Parker Bowles in 2005.

And yet Camille remains relatively underused.  At #240 in 2011, she’s gained modestly in recent years.  Tessa, Hazel, and Miranda are all slightly more common.

This makes her a great, wearable possibility for parents seeking an alternative to Genevieve and Madeleine, or even tailored feminine choices like Adele and Charlotte.  Tragic heroine aside, Camille would wear well in 2013.

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Statue of Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury, from the exterior of Canterbury Cathedral (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

He’s a nickname-proof possibility never in the US Top 1000.

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She’s a French appellation, a sister for Madeleine or Genevieve.

Thanks to Christina for suggesting Sidonie as our Baby Name of the Day.

Sidonie is another saintly appellation.

Back in the fifth century, Sidonius was the bishop of Clermont.  A Gallo-Roman nobleman by birth, we know an awful lot about Sidonius because his letters survive.

Another figure wore the name in the seventh century, a monk who founded monasteries, but it is hard to say if Sidonius was in general use.

The name refers to Sidon, an ancient Phoenician city.  Today it is located in Lebanon, and known as Saida.  In the Old Testament, Sidon was a descendant of Noah, his great-grandson.

The Crusaders made it to Sidon.  The photo shows a castle they built in 1228, transforming a small island into a fortress, complete with a bridge from the mainland.  This makes Sidonie a place name – a glittering, exotic borrowing from the ancient world.

There’s also Sidonia, another feminine form.  In Spain, there’s Medina-Sidonia, in Andalusia.  The city’s name is borrowed from the Phoenician original.  In fact, archeologists think it may have been founded by the Phoenicians.  The settlement dates to the second century BC, and Medina-Sidonia is the oldest dukedom in Spain.

Probably because of the saint and the Crusades, Sidonia and Sidonie are found in use over the years:

• The King of Bohemia welcomed twin daughters named Sidonie and Catherine in 1449.
• Albert IV, Duke of Bavaria, had a daughter named Sidonie in 1488.  Her sisters were Sybille, Sabina, and Susanne.
• Sidonie of Saxony was born in 1518.
• Another bearer of the name was a Pomeranian noble tried and executed for witchcraft in 1620.

Her heyday in France seems to have happened later:

• In 1777, Gluck’s opera Armide debuted in Paris.  It included a character named Sidonie.
• Alphonse Daudet’s first major work was Fromont and Risler, sometimes known as Sidonie.  It was an incredibly popular novel in the 1870s.
• French novelist Colette made her mark in the early twentieth century.  She was born Sidonie-Gabrielle, named after her mother.

She seems to have peaked in France early in the twentieth century, after the opera and the novel, but before Colette became famous.  And she seems to have remained in sparing use amongst French speakers.  She’s amongst the names of the Krewe of Rex’sMardi Gras court.

The 2012 French drama Farewell, My Queen is adapted from a 2002 novel.  It’s about the final days of Marie Antoinette, told from the perspective of her loyal servant, Sidonie.

There’s also a Spanish alt rock band out of Barcelona by the name.

All of this adds up to a name that should fit right in with many of the names parents have embraced in recent years, like Elodie and Vivienne.

Except for one little issue.

While Sidonie has never cracked the US Top 1000, she sounds an awful lot like Sydney, Sidney, and Sydnie.  Sydney has been in the US Top 100 since 1994, meaning that Sidonie will almost certainly be confused for Sydney.  Probably a lot.

So despite her winning combination of ooh la la and exotic origins, Sidonie is one that isn’t likely to catch on in 2013.

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She’s a Hungarian heritage choice seldom heard in the US.

Thanks to Kirsten for suggesting her grandmother’s name as our Baby Name of the Day: Ilona.

Conventional wisdom holds that Ilona is the Hungarian form of Helen.  It tracks.  Helen is heard in nearly every European language, and she’s morphed into forms like Helena, Elena and Jelena and maybe even Eleanor.  Ilona isn’t such a stretch.

She’s also heard in Russia, Lithuania, and elsewhere in Eastern Europe, as well as Finland.  This suggests other possible sources:

• The Finnish word for joy is ilo, so Ilona could be a play on the noun.  Or not – after all, Finnish and Hungarian are closely related languages.
• In Hungarian fairy tales, Ilona is sometimes the name of a fairy queen.  This doesn’t necessarily shine light on her meaning, but it suggests another reason Ilona has been embraced by Hungarian parents over the years.  (Incidentally, Hungarian fairies are apparently an interesting breed.)

Native speakers pronounce the name something like EE lo nah, but in the US, you’d likely eh LO nah.  It makes her sound something like alone with the letter a tacked on the end.  Maybe that’s why she’s never caught on.

Ilona is big in Hungarian history, though:

• Vlad III the Impaler, the ruler of Wallachia, married twice.  His second wife was the well-born Hungarian noble, Ilona.  Vlad was known for his ruthless, cruel behavior, and his patronym - Dracul - would later inspire Bram Stoker’s famous novel.
• In the late seventeenth century, Countess Ilona Zrínyi was considered a national heroine and freedom fighter.  Born in Croatia, she opposed the occupation of Hungary and worked for her adopted nation’s independence from the Hapsburg’s empire building.  Incidentally, her birth name was Jelena.  Jelena is considered the Croatian form of Helen, but also has ties to words meaning tree and deer.
• Fast forward to the 1920s and a member of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine was named Ilona.  She was styled Archduchess Ilona of Austria, but also answered to Helene, suggesting that by the twentieth century, the connection between Helen and Ilona was commonly accepted.  She married Duke Georg Alexanderof Mecklenberg in 1946, heir to the Dukedom of Mecklenberg.

That last Ilona must have attracted some press.  I can’t track down any articles, but there’s a spike in girls named Ilona in the US in the 1940s.  That said, Ilona has never appeared in the US Top 1000.  Around two dozen girls have received the name most years for the past decade or so – a small enough number that they could all be named after relatives.

She doesn’t appear to be very popular for girls born in Hungary today, though I can’t say if she’s actually out of fashion.

Finland is another story, where Ilona seems to be in steady use, akin to Amelia, Alyssa, or maybe Savannah in the US.

How would she wear for English speakers?  I suspect there are some pronunciation problems, but they’re not insurmountable.

She offers some charming nickname possibilities, too – Lola, or maybe Lona.

On balance, Ilona is an attractive Hungarian heritage choice.  She’s unexpected in the US, but perfectly wearable.

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I’ve been to New Orleans exactly twice.  I came thisclose to packing up and moving there at the age of 20.

Blame it on Anne Rice or The Travel Channel, an affection for zydeco or a determination to live some place where there’s no need for long johns.  Or maybe it is “House of the Rising Sun,” the folk song about a life that unravels in New Orleans, made famous by the Animals, and one of the few songs I vividly recall my father playing  on the piano.

What ever the reason, I love it so.

Even though Mardi Gras isn’t a big deal here in Washington D.C., I’m always aware of the celebration.  One of my favorite Nameberry posts is a round-up of appellations from the Krewe of Rex’s royal courts over the years.  Elisabeth has a fun round-up post, too.

Mardi Gras 2013 falls on February 12, 2013, though the celebration has been underway for a while now.  Should you welcome a little one between now and Tuesday, how ’bout a lovely New Orleans-themed name to celebrate the season?

Mardi Gras Baby Names for Girls

Acadia– The Acadians were French-Canadians forced to migrate to Louisiana.  You know them better as Cajuns.  Acadiana is an even more elaborate option, used to describe the entirety of Francophone Louisiana, which includes New Orleans.

Blue– From one of Bob Dylan’s famous songs, “Tangled Up in Blue.”  It isn’t clear – or even likely – that the woman in his lyrics is named Blue, but given the current celebrity craze for the color name, I’m tempted to add her to the list.  What’s certain is that Dylan sets some of his famous song in the city.

Carondelet - Looking for something elaborate and unusual?  The surname of a former Louisiana governor was the name of a canal and continues as the name of a street.

Chloe - Mother Love Bone recorded “Chloe Dancer,” about a waitress in the French Quarter.  The band had its brief heyday in the late 1980s, among the leaders of the emerging Seattle music scene.  They recorded the song just before the name really hit it big, suggesting that it could be part of the name’s appeal.

Claudia– I wouldn’t recommend Lestat, but the name of the child vampire from Anne Rice’s novel has some potential.

Cleopatra– She’s an Egyptian queen, but also a krewe– one of the organizations that parades during the Mardi Gras season.

Clio– Which reminds me, there are nine streets named after the nine Muses.  Other possible wearables: Calliope, Thalia.

Delphine - I’ve long loved this name, and she has a long history of use in Louisiana.  The only problem is that the best known Delphine in New Orleans history was a serial killer.

Fleur - From the fleur-de-lis, a symbol associated with the city.  It’s actually a stylized lily, so Lily, Lilly, and Lillie could be options, too.

Iris– The oldest all women’s krewe, named for the goddess of the rainbow.

Louisiana– State names have been used for both genders, and with nicknames from Lulu to Lucy, she’s on the right side of wearable.

Marie– As in voodoo queen Laveau.

Nola– As in New Orleans, LA, the abbreviation for the city where the famous celebration takes place.  Another possibility?  Magnolia, the state flower, and a possible long form of Nola.

Rowan - From Anne Rice’s other New Orleans-based series, The Mayfair Witches.  The entire family tree is chock full of great names.

Story - I’m probably pushing my luck here, but one of the things that fascinated me about New Orleans early days was hearing the nickname Storyville associated with the city.  Turns out that Storyville was the red light district, so maybe it isn’t great inspiration for a child’s name.

Tuesday– Mardi Gras is, literally, Fat Tuesday.  This day name has some appeal thanks to actress Tuesday Weld.

Mardi Gras Baby Names for Boys

Charles  – St. Charles Avenue and its streetcar line is as iconic as it gets, but the classic Charles might be too restrained to really scream Fat Tuesday.

Giacomo– It’s an Italian form of James, but also appears in the lyrics to the traditional song “Iko, Iko” – which is all about Mardi Gras.

Jackson– If you’ve seen pictures of the Crescent City, you’ve almost certainlys een Jackson Square.

Julian– Another from Anne Rice’s family of witches.

King– There are kings of carnival, and king cakes are a traditional dessert served during the celebrations.

Landry - The name of three French medieval saints – you might seen them referred to as Landericus - St. Landry Parish isn’t far from New Orleans.

Louis– As in the cathedral, the square, and Louis Armstrong.

Royal - A famous New Orleans street, and a regal choice for a son.

Rex– From the Krewe of Rex, arguably the most established of the Mardi Gras Krewes.  Rex is Latin for king, and with his regal air, plus that x-ending, there’s lots to love about this short name.

Tennessee - They’ll assume you’re thinking of another state, but Tennessee Williams penned the ever-so-famous Streetcar Named Desire, set in New Orleans.

Have you been to New Orleans?  Would you use a name inspired by the city, or by Mardi Gras?

The post Rex, Nola, Giacomo: Mardi Gras Baby Names appeared first on Appellation Mountain.

It’s February – my least and most favorite month at once.  Least, because the weather can be brutal.  Most, because if I’ve made it to February, Spring is right around the corner.  Plus, I can see the days getting longer every evening.

Of course, it does mean that we may not get to see winter storms named Ukko and Xerxes.  Is that a bad thing?  I’m still trying to wrap my head around a winter storm named after a happy clownfish of Disney fame.

Onto the baby name news:

• NameFreak! reports that Kiernan Shipka, the girl who plays Sally on Mad Men, is named Kiernan Brennan Shipka. She answers to Kiki.  I love the idea of Kiki as a nickname for Katherine, but I guess she works for nearly any K name.
• At one Michigan hospital, Nolan made the boys’ Top 10 and Harper reached #5 for girls last year.  Shades of things to come?
• Wow – Stanley made the Top Five in North Hertfordshire!
• This Swistle post has me seeing Brooke as a modern classic for girls.
• We loved Mem Fox‘s Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes – fun to see some backstory on her name.  Oh, and yes, it rhymes with gem.
• What do you think of Bluebelle as a baby name?  Does it matter if it pays homage to Canberra’s 100th anniversary?
• Corin is a great underused boys’ name!  Check out the rest of Anna’s suggestions– lots of finds.
• I love Abbott for a boy.  But the best thing about Lisa’s list?  It’s from a 1964 magazine article suggesting Abbott – and Olney, Gale, and Wright as gender neutral names.
• Love this list of -illa names, especially Drusilla.
• A real story of life with an unusual name.
• 30 Rock spoiler alert: Have you seen the last few episodes?  Liz and Criss have adopted 8 year old twins named Terry and Janet.  The names are a riff on Tracy and Jenna.  But isn’t it interesting that the names are wildly retro?  Trace and Genevieve would be more 2013-appropriate equivalents.  But suddenly I’m loving the idea of Janet …
• Lastly, Kelli challenged us to name the fifth March sister.  This one was an eye-opener for me.  I was dimly aware that Louisa May Alcott was one of four sisters herself.  But somehow I’d missed the fact that the youngest Alcott sister was Abigail May, the inspiration for the youngest March sister, Amy.  My full name is Amy Abigail.  Funny to discover connections like that … and I keep asking myself if I had that factoid tucked away in the back of my head when I chose my name …

That’s all for this week.  As always, thank you for reading and have a great week!

The post Baby Name News: 2/10/13 appeared first on Appellation Mountain.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published on June 4, 2008.  It was substantially revised and re-published on February 11, 2013.

He’s the Italian form of the evergreen James and Jacob.

Our Baby Name of the Day is Giacomo.

Back in 1995, Sting and Trudie Styler welcomed their youngest son, Giacomo Luke.

In Italian, he’s jah KO mo.  Technically, the first syllable is pronounced like Gianna, with a two syllable gee ah, but if you listen to native speakers say the name, it sounds shorter.

In English, it sounds just a little bit different.  I hear JAH ko mo.

Then again, Giacomo has never cracked the US Top 1000.  Giacomos who came to the US probably became James or Jim or maybe Jack or Jake.

He remains common in Italy, however.  So let’s call him traditional south of the Alps, rarer elsewhere in Europe and downright daring in the good ol’ U.S. of A.

Famous Giacomos abound:

• Sixteenth century mapmaker Gastaldi
• Opera’s legendary Puccini
• The adventurer – and writer – Casanova
• Painters Ceruti and Balla

Plenty of other notable Italians have worn the name.  And then there’s a famous Giacomo from Kentucky.

He’s a racehorse.

Giacomo won the 2005 Kentucky Derby.

The horse is named after – wait for it – Sting’s son. Jerry Moss, Giacomo’s breeder, made his fortune co-founding A&M Records – Sting’s label.

Ends-with-0 names for boys are quite stylish these days, and the current Top 1000 gives us lots of reasons to think Giacomo could wear well these days:

• The equally Italian Giovanni ranked #117 in 2011.
• Leonardo, Mateo, Matteo, Mario, Marco, Lorenzo, Enzo, and Rocco are all in the top 500 names for boys in the US.
• The Spanish form of James – Diego - has had a great run in recent years.
• The popularity of Jake and Jack, James and Jacob should mean that parents like the sound of Giacomo, too.

Wondering about the connection between all of these names?  The simplest explanation is this: at one point, the Latin form of James was Iacomus, and Giacomo became the Italian vernacular form.

Another reason to consider Giacomo?  His built-in theme song.

“Iko, Iko” is a traditional New Orleans song about Mardi Gras.

One of the features of Mardi Gras are the tribes of Indians – revelers who dress in fantastic versions of Native American traditional wear.  Part of their tradition is confrontation between tribes. Today is symbolic – pure performance.  Once it was the cause of real violence and bloodshed.  The lyrics recall some of this “My flag boy said to your flag boy, I’m gonna set your flag on fire.”

The words  and lyrics are subject to debate, and they’ve changed over the years.  They may be Louisiana creole, or their roots may be older.  It sometimes sounds like they’re singing Jockomo, and that’s sometimes given as the title of the song.  There’s a fascinating story here – Yaquimo was a common name amongst Haitians, and could have come to Louisiana with slaves from the island nation.  I’d guess that Yaquimo is yet another version of James.

Overall, Giacomo has real potential.  He’s rarer than most of our ends-with-o favorites for boys, but he’d fit right in on the playground with Leo and Arlo.

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She’s another short name with lots of possible origins.

Thanks to Sarah for suggesting Nia as our Baby Name of the Day.

Mini names invite endless suggestions about their origins.  The most popular for Nia include:

• A Welsh form of Niamh. Niamh is a queen in Irish mythology.  Her story was retold in a 1970s musical called Nia Ben Aur.
• More likely, she’s a Swahili word meaning intent or purpose.  It’s a principle of Kwanzaa, a celebration of African-American heritage.  (Though she doesn’t appear to be used as a given name amongst native speakers of Swahili.)
• She’s popular in Slovenia, too.  I can’t find an origin that clicks, but I suspect she’s short for something.

She could also be inspired by a handful of famous bearers, seen in television and movie productions in recent decades:

• Antonia Eugenia Vardalos of My Big Fat Greek Wedding fame could take her nickname from either of her given names.  She’s Greek.  Toula is her character in the movie, but in the short-lived transition to television, she’s called Nia.
• Nia Peeples has had a long career on television, from Fame to Pretty Little Liars.  Peeples was born Virenia, a very rare, but not unknown, given name.
• Nitara Long shortened her unusual name.  From Boyz in the ‘Hood to Are We There Yet?, she’s had quite the film career.

She first appears in US Top 1000 in 1973, but isn’t steadily ranked until 1990.  This tracks with the rise of Kwanzaa, a celebration first introduced in the late 1960s.  It also suggests that the actresses helped to bolster the name.

The name peeked in 2007 at #307, and now stands at #490.  She could also be bolstered by:

• Mia, a sound-alike choice currently in US Top 10.
• The -ia ending is huge, from Sophia through the rest of the Top 1000.
• She’s a potential contracted form of Natalia and Nadia.
• Other rhymes-with-Nia names rank: Gia, Lia, Bria, Tia.

A nearly infinite number of names could lead to the nickname:

• Feminine forms of masculine appellations, like Antonia, Eugenia, and Davinia (though I prefer Davina).
• Unexpected flower picks, like Begonia, Gardenia, and Petunia.
• Exotic and poetic place names, from Caledonia to Sidonia.
• Goddess names, like Idonia.
• Names from myth, like Iphigenia.
• Literary picks, like Titania.
• Vintage gems, like Lavinia.
• Rarities from all sorts of sources, like Jesenia, Junia, Theophania, and Varinia.

What she lacks is history, though some of the potential long forms have it in spades.  She was barely heard of before the 1960s, and not at all before the 1950s.

One of the pint-sized competitors in reality show/cutthroat competition Dance Moms is Nia.  Amongst girls called Mackenzie, Chloe, and Paige, it makes for a stand out name.

Another reference a daughter might appreciate?  The only girl in Lego Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu is Kai’s little sister, Nya.  She starts out as a sidekick, but turns out to be brilliant – and a samurai in her own right.

Speaking of Nya, you’ll also see the -y spelling, as well as Nyah.

Overall, this could be a great name for a daughter who arrives around the year-end holidays, or for parents after something short, sweet and complete.  But I’m most fascinated by her potential as an unexpected nickname for a lost list of possibilities.  Nia names are rich with potential.

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She sounds like another mini name, a sister for Gia and Mia.  But this tiny name is rich with meaning.

Thanks to Lora for suggesting Pia as our Baby Name of the Day.

A dozen popes have answered to the name Pius.  Nothing mysterious with the meaning of that name.  It’s a Late Latin appellation meaning devout, faithful.  It comes from the same roots as our word pious, and related words like piety.  It seems fitting for a religious leader.

Pius was almost certainly in use as a given name beginning in the second century.

Pio is the Italian form, familiar to many thanks to an influential nineteenth century Capuchin friar known as Padre Pio, now a saint.

The most notable bearers of the feminine form have been famous for slightly different reasons.

My first thought was Pia Zadora.  She started out as a child actor in the 1960s, appearing in such notable efforts as Santa Claus Conquers the Martians. In the 1980s, Zadora captured the Golden Globe as Best Female Newcomer.  She later embarked on a singing career, a mix of pop and dance tunes with renditions of the classics.

Others that you might have heard in recent years include:

• Pia Miller Getty is the older sister of Marie-Chantal, Crown Princess of Greece and Alexandra von Furstenberg.  They’re daughters of self-made millionaire Robert Warren Miller.
• 1967′s Elvira Madigan starred Swedish actress Pia Degermark.  She won the Best Actress award at Cannes for the role.
• Pia Toscano completed on American Idol in a recent season.

The name is heard in Scandinavia, Germany, and Italy.  Hollywood’s Ingrid Bergman gave the name to her firstborn daughter in 1938, though Pia Lindstrom was raised by her father in Sweden.  She later had a career as a television anchor in the 1970s, 80, and 90s.

Add in compound name Maria Pia, and she’s a royal choice:

• Maria Pia of Savoy became queen of Portugal as the wife of King Luís in the late nineteenth century.
• Maria Pia della Grazia of the Two Sicillies married Robert I, the Duke of Parma.  Italian unification cost them all their lands.
• The same family included another Maria Pia, born about thirty years later.  She married into the imperial family of Brazil.
• Princess Maria Pia Elena Elisabetta Margherita Milena Mafalda Ludovica Tecla Gennara married twice.  Her first husband was Prince of Yugoslavia.  Her second was Prince Michel of Bourbon-Parma.
• In the 1950s and 60s, another Maria Pia claimed to be the illegitimate daughter of King Carlos I of Portugal.  She also maintained that her father had formally acknowledged her, making her a candidate for the throne.

There’s also 3 Idiots - a Bollywood box office smash.  It’s a comedy, the story of three engineering students and how their lives unfold from their university studies onward.  The female lead is called Pia.  While foreign films rarely influence American baby names, there are rumors of a Hollywood remake.  If it happens – and if they keep this character name – Pia could catch on.

Pia’s sound brings to mind piano, but her strong P sound might have some parents worried about teasing potential.

With Mia in the US Top Ten, and so many other rhyming names in use, no wonder that Pia is attracting some attention today.  69 girls received the name in 2011.  That’s the most since Pia Zadora was in the limelight.  Will she climb higher?  Hard to say, but for now, if you’re after a short name that isn’t often heard, Pia is a possibility.

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Spell it Ray, and it’s been worn by notable creative men, and of course, rays of sunlight.   Swap the y for an e, and suddenly this name leans feminine.

Thanks to Jaimia for suggesting Rae as our Baby Name of the Day.

Ray Charles, Ray Bradbury, Sugar Ray Leonard.  Ray is a guy’s name, one that feels kind of retro and hipster cool right about now.

He’s also a name with history aplenty.  Raginmund came to England with the Normans as Raimund, Reimund, or Raimond.  Eventually he became the familiar Raymond, the name that every loves.  Er, loved.  After more than a century in the Top 100, he’s on a steady decline in recent years.  Still, there were at least two saints by the name, and he deserves to be considered a classic.

But Ray doesn’t necessarily come from Raymond.  Especially if we’re talking about Rae, the name could be short for Rachel, an Old Testament appellation meaning ewe.  Like Raymond, she ranks among the classics.

Plenty of other feminine names contain the same sound: Raven and Reagan come to mind.  Tony Award winning actress Rae Allen was born Raffaella.

All of this makes Rae for a girl feel like a modern choice, one borrowed from the boys.  Only it isn’t so.

From 1880 into the 1980s, Rae regularly placed in the Top 1000 names for girls.

Despite her modern feel, she’s actually something of a vintage choice.

Uses that might be familiar include:

• 1979′s Norma Rae was based on the true story of a woman who organized a union in her textile factory.  Sally Field won an Academy Award for her performance.
• Actress Rae Dawn Chong made her name in the 1980s.  Yes, it’s her real name – she has a sister called Robbi.
• Nicole Kidman made her name in 1989′s thriller Dead Calm.  Her character was named Rae.
• A recent character on the British soap opera Hollyoaks answered to the name.
• Do you remember the 2009 Hugh Grant/Sarah Jessica Parker flick Did You Hear About the Morgans?  The pair play a couple in a witness protection program in Ray, Wyoming.  At the end of the movie, they’ve adopted a daughter named Rae.
• Carly Rae Jepsen rose to fame with the pop single “Call Me Maybe.”

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Children have been named after songs for ages, but being named after a rock star is a relatively recent development.

It’s catching on, though.

Unlike many trends, this one works better for boys than for girls.  And while many surnames have a New England prep school vibe, rock star choices are rough and tumble, creative, even fierce.

Why not use a legendary musician’s first name?  In most cases, they’re surprisingly ordinary – David and John and Phil.  Using their given names doesn’t pay homage in quite the same way as borrowing their surnames.

In other cases, their first names are possibilities.  Think of Elvis and Ziggy.  But both of those feel harder to wear than the singers’ surnames.

To keep this list manageable, I’m sticking strictly to inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  There’s no shortage of possibilities well beyond this list.

Rock Star Names in the US Top 100

Cole - Okay, Nat King Cole was more crooner than rocker, but he’s an inductee into the Hall of Fame, and likely the inspiration for some parents to choose this single-syllable appellation.

Dylan– Bob Dylan might be a living legend, and might’ve helped his surname shift to given name status, but today’s parents grew up with Dylan on 90210.  He’s now a solidly established choice for boys, and occasionally heard for girls.  There’s still a shimmer of creative talent about Dylan, but he’s become a versatile, mainstream choice.  He’s likely inspired many parents to consider other names on this list, and also sparked the rise of choices like Declan.

Jackson– I jotted this one down, then couldn’t remember why.  Michael Jackson, of course!  The King of Pop was more entertainer than rock star, but he was a legendary, successful one.  In 2013, the stories of his troubled and tragic later days tend to cloud our memory of the singer.  It’s hard to say how many parents are choosing Jackson in his honor; I’d guess it isn’t many.  But with a few generations, that could shift.

Rock Star Names on the Rise

Cash - A fast rising rock star name for boys, Cash has been quietly gaining for years.  Now he’s no longer surprising to find on a birth certificate, and Kash is also seen.  He’s cowboy cool, boosted by the Johnny Cash biopic from recent history.

Cohen– Like Nat King Cole, Leonard Cohen isn’t a rock star name.  He’s a controversial one, thanks to his significance amongst Jewish families.  And something tells me that relatively few families are considering Cohen in honor of the singer-songwriter.

Harrison - One of the few names that retains his prep school vibe, Harrison seems at home wearing a bow tie or wielding a Stratocaster.  It’s hard to say how many Harrisons were named after George and how many were inspired by other reasons: a way to honor a beloved Harry, maybe, or a search for a masculine choice that is just a little different.

Hendrix - Rock star names with high-value Scrabble letters are a no-brainer, right?  Jimi Hendrix’s surname falls somewhere between Harrison and Jaxon.

Jagger - The -er ending and the letter J are favorites … and then there’s Mick, the frontman of living legends The Rolling Stones for over five decades.  It’s originally an occupational surname for a peddler, but let’s face it – today, Jagger is all about rock star moves.

Lennon - There’s lots to love about Lennon.  The two-syllable sound has been a staple for boys in recent years.  But is he better for a son or a daughter?  At the moment, Lennon is slightly more popular for the boys – but on the rise for both.

Nash - British musician Graham Nash is twice-inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, once with The Hollies, once as a member of Crosby, Stills & Nash.  Despite his roots in the UK, Nash feels like a cowboy name – western, brash, cool.  And at least a little bit rock star.

Undiscovered Rock Star Names

Bowie - David Bowie’s career has been almost as long and storied as Mick’s.  The surname’s origins are uncertain – he could mean fair-haired, or possibly victorious.  Bowie himself has been both of those.  The Bo sound is catching on, too, in names like Bowen and Beau.  If you’re looking for something less expected than Riley, Bowie is a strong candidate.

Costello– If Leonardo and Santiago can be popular choices for boys, why can’t we consider ends-with-o surname names for boys?  Costello sounds Italian, but has Irish roots.  He makes the list thanks to genre-spanning innovator Elvis Costello.

Crosby– A place name turned surname, he’s been worn by the crooner Bing Crosby.  But Crosby makes this list thanks to David Crosby, twice-inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Byrds, and of Crosby, Stills & Nash.

Halen - As in Van.  Despite many line-up changes, the group continues to release original music.  With names like Jalen and Caylen and Hayley in vogue, Halen has seen some use in recent years.

Joplin - Is this one wearable?  I’m not sure, but Janis Joplin is such a big deal that her name belongs on the list.

Turner – Ike and Tina are in the Hall of Fame, though Turner also brings to mind Orlando Bloom’s swashbuckling character in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.

Rock Star Names for Girls

Everly - Don and Phil Everly recorded a series of memorable songs in the 1950s and 60s.  With a three-syllable sound and the possible short form Evie, Everly feels like a great girl name in 2013 – though Anthony Kiedis used the name for a son.

Isley - The Isley Brothers scored a string of hits in the 1950s, 60s, 70s, and 80s.  They’ve stayed active into the current day, with the line-up evolving to include different brothers, and even a brother-in-law.  Sound-wise, Isley is a split between Isla and Riley - potentially, a real win.

Holly, Holiday– The Hall of Fame is very hospitable to hollies.  There’s Buddy Holly, The Hollies, and Billie Holiday.  And yet, somehow, Holly doesn’t feel like the most rock’n'roll name on this list, though Holiday might suggest the legendary jazz singer.

Marley - Worn by boys and girls, often a tribute to the famed reggae musicians, father and son.  Today it is much more popular for our daughters, a cousin for Carly and Molly.

Presley - She brings to mind the King of Rock, but her sound is considered feminine.  More than ten times as many girls received the name in 2012.

Summer– You’ll think of the season before you think of the summer, but Donna Summer will be inducted into Rock Hall this year.

Are there other rock star names you would consider?  Do you like any of the choices on this list, or do they seem like they’re trying too hard?

 Photo credit

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Confession: we are in Disney World again.  I keep thinking we’ll get creative with our vacations at some point, but our conversations about get-aways tend to go two directions.  The beach, if it is warm enough to swim in the ocean.  Disney if it is not.

And Disney is name-spotting paradise.  In the space of a few minutes yesterday, I heard an English-accented mom talking to a Freya, a heavy Southern American accent calling out for Natalie, or maybe Addalee, and a smattering of French names for the young men in the Morocco pavilion.  A girl named Daurie sold us Mickey-shaped pretzels in Adventure Land.

It’s a feast.

Speaking of feasts, an abundance of great names caught my eye this week.  My favorites from the baby name news blogosphere include:

• Happy Chinese New Year!  In 2012, we explored plenty of great dragon names, but Isadora also managed to round up a few for the Year of the Snake.  I’m in love with Tanith.
• Stumbled across this one while searching the archive on Bewitching Baby Names: Kitri.  Great name, as I like Isadora’s suggestion of using it as a nickname for Katherine, or maybe Kristina.
• I love Rafe.  And Rufus and Roscoe.  Maybe I just have a thing for quirky, retro R names for boys.
• Pluto’s moons need names!  I’m pulling for Alecto and Persephone, but they’re both trailing.  Which reminds me: how cool is it that the little girl who named Pluto in the first place was called Venetia?  Spacey!
• Speaking of out there, did you spot Harleyquinn?  Yes, I suppose it counts as a smoosh name.  And maybe a noun name.  But it feels rather excessive, doesn’t it?
• Clover = perfect for any baby who arrives between February 14 and March 17, right?  See Baby Name Pondering for the clever Valentine connection.
• Jaime-Lynn Sigler is expecting baby #1 with her fiance, baseball player Cutter Dykstra.  Yes, he’s Lenny Dykstra’s son, so I guess baseball is in the genes.  And Cutter appears to be his given name.  What will a couple called Jaime-Lynn and Cutter name their firstborn?  I cannot wait to hear …
• Oh, these ABC posts are grand!  Wren Elvie is my favorite from the girls’ list, and Dex Levi from the boys’ version.
• This post about names that will never make a comeback feels like proof that every name can make a comeback.
• In honor of my current location, let’s end with the DisneySisters’ list of Disney baby names at Babble.  It’s short on princess appellations, and long on word names: Star, Snow, or Ever, anyone?  They missed a bunch of really fabulous ones.  Blair, for one.  Heck, Clio is a Pinocchio character.  (She’s the goldfish.)  And there are tons more embedded in various Disney tales and legends.  I need to give this some thought …

As always, thank you for reading!

And let us know: did you spot any great names this week?

The post Baby Name News: 2/17/13 appeared first on Appellation Mountain.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published on June 12, 2008.  It was substantially revised and re-posted on February 18, 2013.

Before she was a flower, she was a god.

Our Baby Name of the Day is Iris.

It’s easy to dismiss her as just another pretty name in the garden of girls: Violet, Daisy, Lily, Rose.

Only the tale of Iris is far more ancient.

In Greek mythology, Iris served as messenger and was the personification of the rainbow – the link between the otherworldly and we mere mortals. She appears in works by Homer and Euripides, and you’ll find her in artwork shown as a young woman with wings on her shoulders.

The word has been doing double duty, referring to the rainbow and the bloom, for ages.  In Spanish, arco iris means rainbow. English has lost the direct linguistic connection, but the word iridescence – familiar to every child who has ever marveled at the shiny surface of a soap bubble – derives from the same root. And, of course, the iris is the colored part of our eyes.

But she’s best known as a sort of blue-violet color and a flower, though the flower comes in a rainbow of hues. And, of course, there’s Vincent Van Gogh’s pricey painting of blue-violet flowers, simply titled Irises. You can take your little girl to view it at the Getty in LA or even buy a print and hang it in the nursery.  While Iris as a goddess would have been known, it is likely her connection to the flower that boosted her use as a given name in recent centuries.

Unlike some pretty floral choices, Iris conveys strength and intelligence, too.  Doubtless that’s thanks to celebrated writer and philosopher Iris Murdoch, born Jean Iris Murdoch.  KateWinslet portrayed the young writer in a 2001 biopic. Winslet also played a far more very different Iris who finds transatlantic love in the 2006 romantic romp The Holiday.

The name has something of a sorrowful element, too. Jodie Foster’s breakthrough role was as jailbait prostitute Iris in the 1976 film Taxi Driver.  Many modern mamas probably think of another movie Iris – the chart-topping, tear-jerking ballad from 1998′s City of Angels, a Nicolas Cage/Meg Ryan romance.

There are plenty of reasons Iris seems current in 2013:

• With Isabella in vogue, other I names have gotten some attention.
• We’re mad about nature names, especially floral names, for girls.
• She’s a little bit granny chic, a sister for Agnes.
• Yet she’s also at home with modern choices, like Carys.
• Her status as a goddess name puts her in stylish company, too.

She’s been in steady use in the US, ranking #303 in 2011.  She was slightly more popular in the 1920s and 30s, but most years, she’s hovered between the 300s and 500s.  This makes Iris one of those elusive familiar-but-not-common choices parents crave.

Iris is also heard in Scandinavia and throughout the English-speaking world.  Filmmaker Judd Apatow and actress wife Leslie Mann have daughters named Iris and Maude, who have appeared in their parents’ productions.

If you’re searching for an uncommon botanical beauty that still sounds just right on an accomplished adult, Iris is certainly one to consider.

Original photo credit: Rainbow Study #2 by HBarrison via Flickr

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Take two parts Zachary, mix with a healthy dose of Biblical favorites like Elijah and Isaiah, and what do you get?

Why, our Baby Name of the Day, of course.  Thanks to Colleen for suggesting Zachariah.

Just as Margery and Cecily were the preferred feminine forms of Margaret and Cecelia in the Middle Ages, Zachary became the common version of the Old Testament Zechariah.  Other forms include Zacarias and Zacharias.

His meaning has appeal: God remembers.

There’s more than one Zechariah ancient days.  John the Baptist’s pop was a Zechariah.  There’s also the Old Testament Book of Zechariah, written during the Babylonian exile.  And there’s a monument in the Old City of Jerusalem known as the tomb of Zechariah.  Supposedly he was martyr stoned for defending his faith.  The only trouble is?  The tomb is solid rock, so if that Zechariah lived and died, his final resting place is unknown.

The Kingdom of Makuria – today located in modern Egypt and Sudan – was ruled by Zacharias I in the eighth century, and Zacharias III about a century later.  Pope Saint Zachary was head of the Catholic church in the 700s.

In English, ancients named Zachariah are often referred to as Zachary, making Zachariah tough to trace.

The -iah ending was out of favor for centuries.  Even the Puritans preferred the -y ending.

The twelfth president of the United States was named Zachary Taylor, which seems to put Zachary in the company of classics like George, John, and James.

Believe it or not, Zachary has only ranked in the US Top 1000 since 1946.

Since he was a Top 20 pick from 1992 through 2003, and still ranked #64 in 2011, we tend to think of him as a solidly established choice.

Zachariah first appears in the US Top 1000 in 1972, a rediscovery clearly influenced by Zachary’s rise.  Zachariah peaked in the 1990s in the 300s, and ranks #465 today.  Zechariah has also charted since 1986, ranking #715 in 2011.

In the 1970s, he must have read as edgy and out there:

• A 1971 film was titled Zachariah. It was very loosely based on Siddhartha, but set as a musical Western, and billed as the “first electic Western.”  The soundtrack featured Country Joe and the Fish, who also played a gang of robbers in the flick.
• A 1976 young adult novel set in a post-apocalyptic world was called Z is for Zachariah.  I haven’t read it, so I’m puzzled – the main characters are named Ann and John, so I’m not sure how Z fits in.

While Zachary is mainstream, Zachariah feels more overtly Biblical.  That shouldn’t be a problem circa 2013, though.  Noah, Elijah, Isaac, and Isaiah are all mega-popular picks with Old Testament ties.

And then there’s our affection for the letter Z, as evidenced by:

• Bibical Ez- names like Ezekiel (#195 in 2011) and Ezra (#204)
• Short, modern names like Zane (#220) and Zion (#245)
• A host of other possibilities with prominent z sounds: Zander, Zayden, Cruz, Lorenzo, Izaiah, Enzo, Zackary, Hezekiah, Cortez.

So where does that leave Zachariah?

Now that nickname Zach - and Zack and Zac– are approaching dad name territory, parents are embracing Zeke and other Z options.  If you’re looking for an Old Testament name with modern flair that likely isn’t headed for the Top 100, that makes Zachariah a safe choice.

Original photo credit: nickton via Flickr

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Wren, Lark, Sparrow.  Avian names are very much in vogue.  Factor in the popularity of Mia and Maya, and why not consider this one?

Thanks to Ashleigh for suggesting Myna as our Baby Name of the Day.

A myna is a bird, a member of the starling family.  They’re native to Asia and especially India, but are now found all over North America, Europe, Australia, and beyond.

The name sounds like “mine” with an “a” at the end, rhyming with Dinah.

As birds go, they’re pretty interesting creatures.  Mynas are great mimics, and some of them can imitate human speech.

I love this description from a website about identifying mynas: “unlike most birds, they move with a jaunty walk.”  You can hear a myna call on their site.

So they’re smart, friendly birds, but they’re also rather numerous in some locations, and can be a hassle.  They’re considered an invasive species – possibly one of the reasons Myna hasn’t caught on as a given name even as we’re busy considering Aderyn and Swan.

That’s too bad, because it turns out Myna has a lovely meaning.  The name comes from the Hindi maina.  Maina comes from a word meaning delightful.  This makes for a happy association with the name.

In the US, there have been more than a few women named Myna over the years.  For most of twentieth century, Myna was in sparing use.

Still, it might not have been thanks to the bird.

In the 1920s, we were rather fond of the -na ending for girls’ names:

• Enduring choices like Anna and Donna remain familiar today.
• A few ends-with-na choices feel fresh again today: Lena, Nina, Elena, Carolina and, more recently, Ramona.
• But the bulk of this list is stuck in style limbo.  The more daring among us might use them, or know someone who has.  I’m a huge fan of Lorna, but Edna, Leona, Verna, Ina, Rena, Mona, Iona, Lorena, Myrna, Erna, Lona, Elna, and Dena all seem better suited to a different decade.  Others will organize the list differently, but few of us are using Verna or Elna for daughters in 2013.

The -h spelling – Mynah– is even rarer, though it can refer to the birds and could certainly be a given name.

There’s another possible way to think about Myna.  She might make a great short form – or even a contracted form – of many choices.  Myna could be short for the wise goddess Minerva or for the literary Miranda.  Of course, there’s no certainty that she’d be pronounced like the bird.  She could be said (or spelled) Meena, Mina or Minna, to name just three.

All of this leaves Myna in style limbo.  She should read like a quirky riff on current names – a mix of popular Maya and granny names like Edna, a sister for Olive or Pearl.

Six girls received the name in the US in 2010, but fewer than five in 2011.  The bird’s status as more pigeon than swan hamstrings her use, but if you’re not in a part of the world where the birds are not considered a problem, and if you’re after a quirky, obscure, vintage possibility that tracks with current trends, Myna might fly.

Original photo link: paddynapper via Flickr

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She’s a subtle floral name, and a rarity in the English language.

Thanks to Shannon for suggesting Jacinta as our Baby Name of the Day.

Plenty of floral names have a long history, but Hyacinth might take the prize.  A boy born around the year 100 answered to the name.  He was Christian by birth, but worked as a servant in the Emperor’s household.  This proved to be a very dangerous assignment.  Hyacinth’s faith was found out, and he ended up tortured in prison, where he eventually starved to death.

Feminine forms evolved, too: Hyacinthe, Jacinthe, Giacinta, Jacintha, and Jacinta.

A sixteenth century Italian nun was known as Saint Giacinta or Hyacintha, but her birth name was Clarice.  There’s also Jacinta Marto, one of the children in Fátima, Portugal who witnessed apparitions of the Virgin Mary.

None of the forms ever made a splash in English.  Even in the era of Victorian flower names, Hyacinth was never big, though the name surfaces in US Census records for both men and women.  Still, the flower is lovely.  In the language of flowers, the blue hyacinth stands for constancy or sincerity.  They’re not all blue, though, and the bloom is also associated with sport, thanks to the original story.

In more recent years, two bearers of the name come to mind:

• There’s the NSA agent/Bond Girl played by Halle Berry, Giacinta Johnson, known as Jinx.
• Jacinda Barrett made her name on The Real World:London before embarking on a successful acting career.

There’s much to love about Jacinta.  She sounds like a sister for Isabella and Sophia.

Trendy short form Jacie is built right in, too.

Instead, none of the spellings have ever cracked the US Top 1000.  Jacinta did well in the 1980s, and Jacinda climbed briefly in the 1990s.  But Giacinta and Hyacinth are almost completely unknown in the US.

I’ll admit a slight preference for the -d spelling, if only because she brings to mind Lucinda, another favorite of mine.

The 1990s Britcom Keeping Up Appearances featured Hyacinth Bucket, a snobbish social climber.  She’s pretty well known, which could put parents off the name.  But it’s tough to compare the mellifluous Jacinta to the clunkier Hyacinth.

If you’re after a rare name with ties to the natural world, Jacinta is one to consider.  And if you’re stuck between Kaylee and Araminta, Jacinta splits the difference.

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