The Baby Name Wizard

Thank you, Wikipedia.

Dewey probably honored Admiral George Dewey, who in 1898 led the U.S. Navy against the Spanish at Manila, winning a spectacular victory without any American deaths.

Spurgeon refers to Charles Haddon Spurgeon, a British Baptist revival preacher, who died at the beginning of 1892.

And Columbia may honor the World's Columbian exposition (a.k.a. the World's Fair), held in 1893.

I suppose the larger theme these names get at is that, even the 1890's had name fads like 2004's Kanye. Public events could rocket a name to popularity. Then, not through any disgrace of the name, but just through a lessening of public attention to it, the name's use would fade.

The first person I thought of for Dewey was John Dewey, the famous educator, but he wasn't famous enough to have any impact that early. And most people wouldn't name their kid after a philosopher-type anyway (Hegel, anyone?).

The Spurgeon graphic looks like an obscene gesture, which is what I would feel like doing if my parents had bequeathed that name on me! It's hideous!

I love the way your posts cover such a broad range of subjects! You have me thinking about American history, literature, sociology, and popular culture in a whole new way. You could write several dissertations in three or four different departments using your data, Laura. Kudos!

Dewey and Columbia were easy for me, though I checked on Google to be sure.

Spurgeon I had to look up on Google: the name, paired with each of several years.

I need a middle name for Finn. I think that the shortness and lack of a hard syllable calls for those things in the middle name, but I am coming up with a blank. Last name also lacks a hard syllable, but not length.

Sara, if you want some unvarnished, opinionated naming advice from avid and knowledgable namers, check out the web site Baby's Named a Bad Bad Thing.

Sarah, how about:
Alexander,
Joshua,
Jacob
Benjamin
Constantine
David/Davis
Ernest
August
Octavian
Felix
Gerald
Henry
Kieran
Leo/Leonardo
Marcus
Roman/Romeo
Sterling
Sebastian
Tobias
Uriel
Victor
Zechariah

My knowledge of American history, what little there is of it anyway, is limited a vague outline of your Civil War, the assassination of JFK, the Vietnam War and the Cold War as well as a few other bits and bobs. Now ask me what was going down with Gladstone and Queen Vic in the 1890s and I'll be glad to help.

Sara, I have a son named Finn and he has two middle names, Argyll Douglas. We were watching Braveheart the night before Finn was born and there was somebody in it named Argyll. It just sounded cool to us. Douglas is my FIL's name and I think it's ugly, so I wanted a "buffer name" to come before it.
As far as the name Spurgeon, I can't imagine a worse name. Hmmm, no I really can't!

For now, I'll just go with what Alexandra posted. Maybe later, I'll delve deeper.

Hmmm...Dewey for boys and girls? How kewt! (Deweigh? Doughee? Dhuuwhei?)

Interesting. I wonder if British figures for Spurgeon would be similar, and if middle name figures would be higher.

Spurgeon is a family name on my side of the family. My paternal great-grandmother was a Spurgeon. No one in my generation used it though, no surprise. (Her first name was Luna, which I think is a lovely name, but it's kind of close to Looney. I didn't have any girls so not an issue.)

Dewey, short for Duane, is a family name on my husband's side of the family, no one's used it this generation either. The most recent Duane (age 10) goes by Trey.

No Columbias on either side though.

Harry Potter...Looney Luna. I liked her character though...

Sarah - may I suggest "Spurgeon"?

Just kidding!

I seem to remember a book (fiction) with a character named Spurgeon, but I can't remember anything else about it. And, it could have been a last name that was commonly used as a call-name. (Guys seem to do that more than gals.)

Off topic but trying to consider a name... The name Cordelia, how would you pronounce it?

Cor-dee-lee-a or Cor-deal-ya

I thought of Harry Potter when I read "Luna" too.

Sara, of the previously suggested middle names, I liked August best. Also James, Ephram, Andrew, Logan, David, Isaac, Thomas. I know not all of those names fit our initial specifications, but I think they may work.

Incredibly interesting post, Laura. It's a lot of fun to see how society picks up their naming trends whether from pop culture or leaders in society, etc. Thanks!

Jamie, I would say "cor-deal-ya".

Lisa, Anne of Green Gables has a character called Moody Spurgeon McPherson (he's supposed to be a bit slow, I think), but I don't know if that's what you're remembering...

My husband is against Finn because he says it doesn't seem like a "real name" but it's a name I've fallen in love with. I too admit that it doesnt quite do it.... Think the ever dreaded full name calling, you know that thing moms do when they know just who is responsible for the broken lamp. The Finn David ********. My SIL suggested Finnigan, but I've never heard it and can't find it on name sites. And I don't like Finley. Help!!!

Sara, two sets of friends of mine have young Finns. One is simply Finn and the other Finlay, known as Finn. I agree with the full name in extremes - my son Sam in his horror moments was known as Samuel Ivor ****** ***** the Last! LOL

Sara -
I once heard of a Finnis, but it seems awkward to me. I kind of like Finnigan (which believe is a surname), it seems to have some humor to it, without being silly. Finnerty? Of course, there was always Huck Finn, which was just "Finn" as his last name. (Actually, I goggled: Finnigan, meaning “fair-haired,” is a common Irish surname, most often found in the Galway-Roscommon area.)

I once had a friend whose last name was Finley and she was a sweetheart. For a first name, I like it with the "a" better, though.

I know a young Finn as well. He's about 8 now. When I first met him I thought his name was unusual, but it's grown on me. Unfortunately I don't know what his middle name is, so I can't give any guidance there.

Well, Julia Robert's son's name is Phinneas...a little bit different. And the girls' name is Hazel, just not the kind of name I see on a cute little girl.

We are considering the name Finn too. I bumped into a mom at the zoo who's son is named Finneas. I like the way she spelled it and if my husband would only agree, we could do the same :-)

Finnigan's cute. What's wrong with Finlay? It means 'sun-beam' and I love that. What about Finnian, another Irish name?

Oh, I like that Finlay means sun beam - your child will be your ray of light!

Wow! Thanks for all of the help, I didn't expect so many responses. I like Finnian alot, Abi. I am considering Finlay. Planning on trying it again with husband tonight. Finnigan sounds sing-songy with last name. Somehow, Finnian does not to my ear. Thanks again!

Finnian is a possibility too.

Or Finnbar (Irish again). I'm not a fan, but you might be.

Isn't there a play or musical called Finnian's Rainbow? My mom always used to sing a song from a musical and I think that's what the title was.

Julia - thanks, it was Moody from AOGG that was tickling my brain! Love those books...

Jamie - Yes, Finian's (single 'n') Rainbow is a musical (movie version with Fred Astaire).

And don't worry about little Hazel Roberts (or whatever her last name is) - maybe she'll grow from a cute little girl into a decidedly horse-faced woman! (In fond memory of my great-aunt Hazel, a splendid woman who WAS a little horse-faced. But in a good way.)

Phinneas (sp) from A Separate Peice or Peace - but the story has a sad ending- not sure if it is at Phinneas's expense so you might want to check it out. I like Finley a lot.

Finneas and Finlay are both adorable. And Jamie, I would pronounce it Cor-deal-ya, but either way it it's a beautiful name.

I also like it's meaning.

Regarding the earlier comment about Dewey, and how people wouldn't choose a philosopher's name: My dear husband had to be argued (strenuously) out of Gottlob Frege as a name for our firstborn. Then he demanded Sophia for a girl's name, and we found out too late that a zillion other people, including every philosophy grad student on the planet, had thought of that one too.

Speaking of philosophers (Sharon's post!) we're thinking of Thales (Tal for short) or Octavian (Tavi for short) for boys. I also like Simone (for de Beauvoir) for a girl. Too bad Sophia is so popular--it's too perfect for a philosopher.

I have to admit, I admire your husband's courage in arguing for Gottlob Frege. Talk about pronunciation issues!

I assume from the wording of your post SHaron that you were able to disuade your DH to give up on Gottlob. Poor kid!

CEC - Don't know that I'd go with Tavi as a nn for a boy - with the "i" ending, it looks a bit girly. I love the idea, though. I love the name Simone.

Oh dear Sharon - somewhat glad for your first-born's sake that you were successful - Sophia seemed to jump out of nowhere I agree, also Sophie. If there's one Sophie under 10 I have counted dozens!
Cec - definitely different but appealing altogether. Tavi will be nice for a small boy but what about in his teens?
I once met a boy named Bede - thought it was odd (being badly educated at that point)but it grew on me a lot. I wish I liked Simone but by personal association with one and its pronounciation I just can't warm to it.

same with me.. bad experience with a Simone... she was a larger girl.. and children used to tease her by calling her enormous... with is close to enomis...Simone spelled backwards...

i know a girl named Finlaye. She's just gorgeous and definately a ray of sunshine. There was also the girl Finlay on Home and Away

I am wondering about the name Pior for a boy. I prefer this spelling to Pryor. Does anyone like this name?

Pior or Prior, Stella?
The latter means the head of an ecclesiastical order.

Sara,
I like the name Finn with a longer middle name to balance out the short sound of the first name. (example: Nathanial)

That is my name and everyone who hates it can suck it.

I am considering Finlay as a girls name, i always thought it was a girls name (home and away), but the more i looked into it the more it is a boys name (meaning fair haired warrior). What does everyone think of it for a girls name?????

I have a nearly 5 year old called Finlay. He is Finlay John and is mostly known as Fin. Finn and Finlay are by far my favourite 'Fin' names. Finbar and Finnegan are too humorous, Finley is just wrong and Finnian and Finneas have a made up feel to them.
The Fin in Home and Away was Finola which is a fine name for a girl. However, Finlay for a girl is daft imo.

Cool middle names that go with both Finlay and Finn...

Finlay/Finn Isaac
Finlay/Finn Arthur
Finlay/Finn Theodore
Finlay/Finn Noah
Finlay/Finn George
Finlay/Finn Archer

Hope this helps

D x

Jess - I knew a girl in HS who's last name was Finley and just about everyone called her Finley. Once you get used to it, I think it sounds pretty decent, but I usually associate it with a boys name. Finola or Finnis are two girls versions I've heard.

my daughters name is Finn. Finn Eva. short sweet and beautiful. get over yourselves find a name you love and just go for it. uggh.

My husband and I really like the name Finlay for a girl. Go for it Jess, it's very sweet.

We just had a boy and named him Finn Corbin *****. Corbin is a family name, but I really like it - didn't want it as a first name though because I hate the nickname Cory. I like Finn - it's short, easy to say, spell, not much to make fun of, and cute for either a boy or good for a man.

My other dson is Drake and my daughter is Tess. We like short names that are uncommon, but not unheard of.

I just hope that Finn doesn't get too trendy.

I have a Finlay (boy, age 5). His middle name is a Elijah. My other son is Caelan Asher. Both these names are irish boys names but have been appropriated for girls from time to time. Very disappointing as there are so few great boys names, and many many lovely girls names... yet they keep taking boys' names anyway :-( My only problem with his name is that people mispronounce it and call him fin-lay, instead of fin-lee (even when they haven't seen it written down).

My son is Finn Alexander. I agree you need a longer middle name to compliment the short first name. We get a ton of comliments on his name.

does any one no the meaning of *kahnye* i ant seem to find a meaning any wer ????

judging by the rest of your spelling janie I am guessing you have spelt "kahnye" wrong

The Fin on Home and Away was definately "Finlay", not Finola. I've looked it up on the web. I think it's a beautiful girls name and very feminine. We're going to call our little girl Finlay.

We've got a little girl called Finlaye and we love it. She is dainty and feminine and a real joy in our lives

we have a two yr old named Finn Alexander also. We considered Finnegan but ultimately stuck with Finn

I also love the name Finn but am thinking about the name Finnan for our little boy.

We just had a son and named him Finn Malcolm - the middle name was my husband's grandfathers name and we both loved it. I get mixed reactions when I tell people his name - but we love it and that's all that matters! Most people find it unique and interesting though.

My boy is a Finn. When people hear the name they smile and love it. He is the sweetest and the name captures it.The simplest spelling is what we both liked. Not to mention he was named after my favorite singer-songwriter Neil Finn from Crowded House!!!.

My boy is a Finn. When people hear the name they smile and love it. He is the sweetest and the name captures it.The simplest spelling is what we both liked. Not to mention he was named after my favorite singer-songwriter Neil Finn from Crowded House!!!.

Our son is Finn, as well. (Finn Stanley John - his grandfathers' names.) We weren't hearing it anywhere when we chose it, but there is a total Finn zeitgeist going on now. When I got perturbed at the giant wave of Finns sweeping the nation, my husband (Dave) pointed out to me that he was never traumatized by running into another Dave. A good point. :)

Finola Elizabeth, aka Finn/Finny/Oh-my-god-do-you-ever-stop-talking-child? She is Finn and it suits her perfectly!

I have a Finlay John. People call him Fin-lay which I hate - It should be pronounced Fin-lee I think! I love the name, but it is becoming more and more common! (Boo!) x

Regarding Dewey as a girl's name: A distant relative of mine was, in honour of Dewey, given the name "Deweyna". Evidence suggests she kept up a correspondence with the Admiral in her youth, and her scrapbook of news clippings about him remains in my grandmother's basement.

Upon stumbling across this article, I was reminded of her and tried Google to see if any other Deweynas had ever turned up in the world. I was fairly surprised to see that one of the few results in English was actually OUR Deweyna, in an archived NY Times article from 1919 about her civil service exam results. It seems even being born in the 19th century does not guarantee against being easy to find on the internet!

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